Mackenzie Hutchinson scored what would be the game-winner with 2:24 left in the second period to propel the Pembina Valley Hawks past the Winnipeg Avros 2-1 in game one of their best-of-five Manitoba Female "AAA" Midget Hockey League semi-final series.

"It was just a shot from the blue line. I thought it was going to wide, but I guess it got deflected and went in. It was as good as it could get," explained the Hawks captain Hutchinson.

Pembina Valley would tally first when Sage McElroy-Scott brought the puck into the high slot and put a puck on net, which found it's way through the traffic in front of the net and past the Avros goaltender Lauren Taraschuk, who made 23 saves. Alyssa Alderson and Katelyn Heppner drew the assists on the goal. Taylor Coward then knotted the game up with under five minutes remaining in the first.

"I think the biggest thing was getting pucks to the net and we had traffic, good puck movement, and a good back check," stated Hawks coach Dana Bell when asked what the difference in the game was.

Then in the second period, Hutchinson's point shot beat Taraschuk, to give the Hawks the lead once again. The lone helper on the play went to Brooklyn Platt. 

Pembina Valley goaltender Halle Oswald stopped 29 of the 30 shots the Avros rifled her way in the win.

With the win, the Hawks own a 1-0 series lead and will play game two in Winnipeg Thursday night with puck drop at the MTS Iceplex at 7:15 p.m.