FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 30, 2001

GRIFFINS FINISH THE SEASON WITH A WIN

Surrey - The Vancouver Griffins finished the SCFAHL regular season off with a 3-2 win over the Richmond Steelers last night at Great Pacific Forum. Gillian Couture scored both of the Steelers goals, both on the power play. She gave her team the lead at 5:46 of the first, but the Griffins answered back with goals by Kelly Stephens and Caroline Hall. The remainder of the game was close, with great goaltending by Richmond's Leanne Ross keeping the Steelers in it when her team was being out shot. The Griffins' Kira Sinow added the insurance goal late in the second, and the team held the Steelers off until the last minute of the game when Couture picked up her second marker.

The two teams will meet again on Thursday at 7:45 pm at Queens Park Arena in the first match of the SCFAHL playoffs. The top two teams after the playoff round between the Griffins, the Steelers, and the Rockets, will go the Provincial Championships, with Kamloops. The Griffins are hosting the Provincial Championships at Queens Park Arena on February 10th and 11th.

Established in January 2000, the Vancouver Griffins are the newest franchise in the 10-team NWHL, the world's premier women's hockey league. The Griffins compete in the SCFAHL and are playing an exhibition schedule in the NWHL this season. They will begin full interlocking play in the NWHL in 2001-2002. According to CHA statistics, participation in female hockey has grown by more than 400% in the last 10 years, making it among the fastest growing sports in the world.

Game Summary: Vancouver Griffins 3 at Richmond Steelers 2
Surrey - SCFAHL

First Period
1. Richmond, Couture (Milne) 5:46 (pp)
2. Vancouver, Stephens (Pitre) 6:57 (pp)
3. Vancouver, Hall (Grundy) 7:34

Penalties
Hawrish VCR (interference) 1:53, Berg VCR (body checking) 4:19, Raimondi RMD (holding) 5:53, Grundy VCR (interference) 10:09

Second Period
4. Vancouver, Sinow (McLeary) 13:08

Penalties
Stephens VCR (cross checking) 1:27, Haughton RMD (holding) 5:53, Couture RMD (body checking) 7:33

Third Period
5. Richmond, Couture (McLellan, Cracklen) 14:47 (pp)

Penalties
Stephens VCR (holding) 2:29, Pickford VCR (body checking) 8:35, Raimondi RMD (tripping) 9:02, Stephens VCR (boarding) 13:32

Shots on goal by Vancouver 37 Calgary 21
Goal (Saves/Shot) - Vancouver: Price (W, 19/21);
Calgary: Ross (L, 34/37)
Power Plays (goals - chances) -Vancouver: 1/4, Richmond: 2/7
Referee - Peter Johnston

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