Megan Lee made 17 saves for her third shutout of the season to lead the York University Lions women's hockey team to a 2-0 victory over the Laurentian Voyageurs on Friday night (Jan. 30) at Canlan Ice Sports.
 
The win gave the Lions an important two points in the standings, and they are now up to seventh place in the OUA with a 10-9-2 record and 22 points. The Voyageurs, who have been eliminated from the playoffs, fell to 3-12-5.
 
Fifth-year forward and team co-captain Lisa Stathopulos (Toronto) scored the opening goal, what stood as the game winner, and added an assist on the second to add to her league-leading total. She now has 29 points on the year and 16 goals, both OUA bests.
 
The Lions controlled possession for most of the first period, but neither team was able to generate many scoring chances and the game remained scoreless after one.
 
That changed just over three minutes into the second period when Stathopulos scored a shorthanded tally with teammate Stephanie Dovaston (Unionville, Ont.) in the box for body checking. Co-captain Lindsay Brook (Ste. Rose, Man.) earned the assist on the play.
 
The Lions peppered Laurentian goaltender Emily Toffoli with 13 shots in the period, compared to just six from the Voyageurs, and they were finally rewarded for their efforts with a second goal at 15:52, scored by Mariah Krancevich (Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.).
 
The Lions carried the 2-0 lead into the second intermission.
 
The Voyageurs fought hard down the stretch to try and get the puck past Lee, but they could not do so. Facing a 6-on-3 situation with two minutes remaining – with a pair of Lions in the box and Toffoli on the bench – Lee made a number of point-blank saves and benefitted from one shot off the crossbar with just seconds remaining, to record the shutout.
 
The Lions have a huge game lined up for Saturday night (Jan. 31) against the visiting Nipissing Lakers, who sit three points back and have two games in hand over the Lions. Puck drop is set for 7pm at Canlan Ice Sports.