Box Score Third-year veteran Gabrielle De Serres scored two goals, including the overtime winner, as the University of Toronto Varsity Blues women's hockey team defeated the Guelph Gryphons 3-2 in Game 1 of their OUA quarter-final series on Wednesday night (Feb. 19) at Varsity Arena.
 
With just 2:58 remaining in the first overtime period, De Serres tipped in a Cristine Chao point shot to seal the victory.
 
"They took a timeout so we got to recuperate at the bench," said De Serres. "We told ourselves to get some traffic in front of the net and clear some lanes and it was really just a team effort. Winning the puck, winning battles getting it back to the D and Chao had a clear path so it was a really good team effort."
 
GAME FLOW: De Serres opened the scoring midway through the first period after her sister, Mathilde, forced a turnover in close and Gabrielle banged it in.
 
Just over five minutes later, Chao tipped in a Jana Headrick point shot on the powerplay to put the Blues up by two. The Gryphons responded though on a 5-on-3 opportunity as Lauren Ianni sent a puck into the top corner from in close.
 
Guelph evened the score halfway through the second period as a long dump in went right to the stick of Stephanie Gava, who fired the puck in.
 
The third period proved to be a back-and-forth, high-tempo affair but neither team could get the go-ahead goal, forcing overtime.
 
Second-year Blues netminder Erica Fryer made 29 saves in the win.
 
UP NEXT: The Blues will look for the series sweep this Saturday, February 22 as the Gryphons host Game 2 at 2 p.m. Game 3, if necessary, is back at Varsity Arena on Sunday night (Feb. 23) at 7 p.m.
 
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