A dramatic come-from-behind victory has put the Richmond Devils back on top in the South Coast Women’s Hockey League.
Lindsay DiPietro’s hat trick goal with just 36 seconds remaining lifted the Devils to a 3-2 win over defending provincial champion South Fraser TNT on Saturday night at the Richmond Ice Centre. The result leaves the teams deadlocked for first place, with Richmond (13-2-2) enjoying two games in hand on their rivals (13-4-2).
DiPietro set the stage for her heroics when she scored on the power play with 4:22 left to tie the game at 2-2. South Fraser enjoyed a 2-0 lead after one period. DiPietro launched her team’s comeback in the early stages of the second. The former Wayne State University standout is now second in league scoring with 23 points in 15 games, including 11 goals.
Marisa Chau and Yvonne Mikulcik each chipped in with a pair of assists. Harmony Sander made 12 saves for the win as Richmond outshot the visitors 33-14.
The result avenged a 4-3 loss to South Fraser back on Dec. 10, the Devils’ first defeat of the season. They began the new year with a 1-0 setback in Kamloops but have since gone unbeaten in five games, including a 2-0 win at Meadow Ridge on Jan. 21.
Richmond returns to action Saturday, Feb. 11 when the much-improved Trinity Western University Spartans visit the RIC Forum Rink at 7:15 p.m.
