Woods scores twice to lead Six past Force 3-2 in women’s hockey

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This article was published 07/01/2023 (717 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

RIMOUSKI, Que. – Emma Woods scored twice, and Emma Greco netted a single as the Toronto Six defeated the Montreal Force 3-2 on Sunday in Premier Hockey Federation action at the Colisee Financiere Sun Life.

Alexandra Labelle and Ann-Sophie Bettez scored for the Force in the women’s professional hockey matchup.

The Six, led by coach Geraldine Heaney, swept the first half of the season series on the PHF schedule.

“We got off to a good start,” said Heaney. “They carried on from the third period of last night’s game, like we talked about, carrying the momentum into the first and getting that first-goal lead. That was a positive for our team.”

Getting off to a much better start in Game 2 of the new-found PHF rivalry, Woods broke open the scoring 13 minutes into the opening period, going top shelf on Tricia Deguire from the doorstep of the goalie crease. It was her sixth goal of the season.

“One of my roles on this team is to help produce,” said Woods after the game. “I am a leader on this team and good things can happen on the ice, but when you’re in a close game, players are expected to step up. There have been moments this season where I haven’t done that, so I was happy to be able to contribute today.”

The Force didn’t waste much time in the second period to get on the scoreboard, as defender Labelle crashed the Toronto net from the right side, burying the puck past Elaine Chuli for her third goal of the season.

After Labelle tied the contest 1-1 just six minutes into the middle frame, Toronto responded with one of their own under a minute later, as Greco buried a bullet over the glove shoulder of Deguire, tallying her first goal of the season to regain the one-goal lead over the hometown Force.

The Six couldn’t maintain the 2-1 lead for long, as Force captain Bettez executed perfectly on the back-end of a give-and-go, netting her fifth goal of the season over the left shoulder of Chuli to tie the game 2-2 some 13 minutes into the middle frame.

Forward Brittany Howard fed Woods with a cross-ice pass during a late power play, who wired a bullet from the left point to net her second of the game and seventh goal of the season to carry the Six to a sweeping 3-2 victory.

The Toronto Six look to extend their win streak to six games on Saturday when they return home for a weekend homestand against the Connecticut Whale.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 8, 2023.