Jessie Eldridge leads Team Harvey to PWHPA Secret Cup title
Barrie, Ont. native scored with 42 seconds left to beat Team Scotiabank
Jessie Eldridge picked a fine time to find net in Sunday's championship final of the Professional Women's Hockey Players Association Secret Dream Gap Tour.
With Team Harvey's and Team Scotiabank tied 4-4 and overtime looking like a possibility at Acrisure Arena, the forward from Barrie, Ont. — who had compiled three assists in the game — was left alone at the side of the net and scored with 42 seconds left on the clock to give Harvey's the win and the coveted 2023 Secret Cup.
WATCH | Eldridge gives Team Harvey's the win in final minute:
Team Harvey's, which finished first in the four-team circuit this season with an 11-3-4-1 record — eight points ahead of second place Team Adidas — advanced to Sunday's final after edging Team Sonnet 2-1 in Friday's semifinal.
Team Scotiabank, which finished third during the regular season with a 7-11-1-0 record and 19 points behind Team Harvey's, snuck past Team Adidas 4-3 in Friday's other semifinal.
On Sunday, Emily Clark scored three goals for Team Harvey's and Jamie Lee Rattray netted a single to set the stage for Eldridge's late heroics.
Kelley Pannek scored twice for Team Scotiabank, while Alex Carpenter and Blayre Turnbull added singles.