The No. 7 nationally-ranked York University Lions men's hockey team let a third-period lead slip away in the final five minutes of action in an eventual 6-4 loss to the Waterloo Warriors at Columbia Ice Field in Waterloo, Ont.
 
The two teams traded leads a total of five times in the game. The Lions led 1-0 and 2-1 in the first period after a pair of power play goals by Josh LaFrance and Reid Jackman that were sandwiched around a shorthanded tally by Michael Morgan. Jackman's and Morgan's tallies were scored in the final 30 seconds of the period, with Morgan's coming at 19:33 and Jackman's with just one second left on the clock.
 
Waterloo continued the fast scoring to start the second a Nick Halagian and Zac Coluter each scored in the opening six minutes of the frame to give the Warriors their first lead of the game at 3-2.
 
After nearly 10 minutes of no scoring, the Lions tallied two quick goals of their own. Colton Vannucci found the back of the net at 15:27 to tie the game at 3-3, and Stefano Pezzetta scored at 17:44 for another Lions' lead that they carried into the third period.
 
Both teams played strong defensive hockey for most of the final period, but Waterloo levelled the score again at 4-4 at 15:11 when Phillip Fife tallied for the home team.
 
With two minutes remaining and the game looking headed for overtime, the Warriors pulled ahead again on a goal by Eric Diodati that proved to be the game winner. Daniel Perigo added another at 19:43 to round out the scoring.
 
A total of 102 penalty minutes were handed out in the game, with the Warriors being responsible for 72 of them and the Lions 30.
 
The Lions fell to 9-3-0 with the loss but remain atop the OUA West standings with 18 points. Waterloo's record improved to 5-5-2.
 
The Lions will be on the road again on Saturday afternoon when they head to Windsor, Ont., for a game against the Lancers that is set to begin at 4pm.