By Owen Kitzan – Sports Section Editor

Gaiters hockey returned to the ice on Jan. 12, over a month after their last game on the Nov. 29. Taking on the McGill Martlets on home ice at the Jane & Eric Molson arena, the girls were ready to show there was no rust from the holiday period. 

Halfway through the first period, Bishops would score a powerplay goal quickly followed up by a McGill equalizer. The Gaiters would immediately strike back for the third goal combined between the two teams in less than three minutes. This would be all the goal scoring in the first, giving BU a 2-1 lead heading into the intermission.  

The Martlets would score early in the second on a powerplay to bring the game back to a deadlock. This would prove to be the last time they would find the back of the net as a Gaiters onslaught began. Bishops would proceed to score four goals before the buzzer went to end the second period giving BU a commanding 6-2 lead.

In the third it was much of the same with Bishops continuing their thrashing of the Martlets. The Gaiters would find the back of the net three more times for an impressive 9-2 win. Naomi Côté and Maude Pépin would both record hat-tricks, with Daphne Boutin and Majorie Bolduc both recording three points of their own to complete a great return for Bishops on the ice.

On Friday January 17th,  the Gaiters headed to Montreal to face UdeM. The game was neck and neck in the first with both teams managing to score one goal. In the second Bishops managed to take an edge over the Carrabins as Maude Pépin netted her second goal of the game and the Gaiters came out of the period up 3-2. After Montreal managed to score twice, BU would bring it back to even, to make the game 4-4 and send it to overtime. In OT the Carrabins would strike quickly on the Gaiters to give Bishops a 5-4 overtime loss.

Two days later the Gaiters hosted UdeM at home in an afternoon game. The puck dropped at 3:30 p.m., setting up the stage for a revenge game for BU. Bishops would take a hold of the game in the first with the scoreboard reading 2-1 in favor of them after the first. In the second the Gaiters would strike again to make the lead 3-1 but the Carrabins would bring it back to within one before the end of the second. In the third BU would once again find the back of the net again which UdeM would match however their lone third period goal wouldn’t be enough to match the Gaiters as they came away with a 4-3 win.

The Gaiters are back in action on January 23rd on the road at the Ed Meagher Arena where they will take on Concordia at 7pm, followed by a home game on January 26th at 3:30 against the Stingers again. Make sure to come out and support!