KINGSTON, Ont. (February 25, 2011) – Two nights after playing the hero in Game 1, Brittany McHaffie of Guelph, Ont., once again scored the winner as the Queen's Gaels eliminated the No. 2 Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks 2-1 in double overtime Friday night at the Kingston Memorial Centre.

The win was Queen's third consecutive double overtime win and handed the Gaels a 2-0 series sweep of the nationally ranked Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks.

McHaffie picked up a loose puck below the left faceoff dot and fired a shot that snuck through the legs of Laurier goaltender Liz Knox of Stouffville, Ont., to send the Gaels to their first OUA Championship since 2006-07.

In another hard fought game between the two long-time rivals, the Golden Hawks roared out of the gate as they looked to even the series at one. Laurier used a strong skating game and excellent passing to gain the Gaels zone. Once there, the Golden Hawks attack was stymied by a strong defensive effort from the Gaels that saw them block a number of shots on goal.

As the game entered the second period, the Gaels began to find their offensive game. The team generated a number of chances on goal but Knox was there each time to turn them away.

Finally, the Golden Hawks were able to open the scoring, just as they did in Game 1, when Paula Lagamba of Toronto, deflected a point shot from Heather Fortuna of Kitchener, Ont., past Gaels goaltender Mel Dodd-Moher of Stittsville, Ont.

The Gaels would respond almost immediately after the goal, applying strong pressure in the Laurier zone but they could not find a way to crack Knox.

In the third, Queen's took their game to another level and pushed hard for the tying goal against a Laurier team that was clearly trying to hang on to a 1-0 lead.

The Gaels would find the tying goal thanks to some strong play along the boards. Alana Smith of Aurora, Ont., chipped the puck out of the Gaels zone to a streaking Kristin Smith of Toronto, who in turn found Shawna Griffin of Calgary, busting up the wing. Griffin would fire a hard wrist shot past a partially screened Knox to send the Gaels bench into a frenzy.

With their season on the line, Laurier turned their game up another notch and late in the period, appeared to have the winning goal on the tape of Andrea Shapero of Toronto. However, Shapero's shot was snapped out of the air by Dodd-Moher to preserve the tie and send the game to overtime for the second consecutive match.

After a scoreless first overtime, the game went to a second extra period and, just as the previous two Gaels playoff games have been decided, it was McHaffie scoring the game winner to send Queen's past the seven-time defending OUA Champions.

Dodd-Moher, who was named the Queen's player of the game, turned aside 24 of the 25 shots she faced and has now stopped 110 of the 113 shots she has faced in the playoffs.

Knox, who went 0-2 in the playoffs, made 23 saves for Laurier.

The Gaels will now face the winner of the second OUA Semifinal between the Brock Badgers and the Guelph Gryphons. Stay tuned to www.gogaelsgo.com for up-to-date schedule information.

NOTES: The Gaels have now allowed just one goal against in nine consecutive games, all victories… All five OUA Women's Hockey playoff games up to this point have been decided in double overtime… This was the first time the Gaels have advanced past the Golden Hawks in the playoffs; heading into the game Laurier held a 1-8 playoff advantage over Queen's.