The York University Lions women's hockey team plays its first OUA home games of the new year this weekend with visits from the Queen's Gaels and Western Mustangs to Canlan Ice Sports. Saturday's contest is also the team's annual Roar for a Cure game.
 
The Match-ups: York (2-3-6-2) vs. Queen's (8-1-3-1) and No. 4 Western (9-1-4-0)
 
Game Details
Queen's – Saturday, Jan. 16 @ 2pm, OUA.tv
Western – Sunday, Jan. 17 @ 2pm, OUA.tv
 
Special Promotion

• Roar for a Cure (Saturday only) – All proceeds from contests and donations will be donated to the Canadian Cancer Society in honour of former captain and assistant coach Jessica Turi, who was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 18 and beat it before joining the Lions.

 
Home/Away Records
York – 5-1 at home
Queen's – 4-3 on the road
Western – 4-2 on the road
 
Current Streak
York – Lost 2
Queen's – Lost 1
Western – Won 2
 
Last Meetings
York and Queen's faced off on opening weekend in October, with the Gaels holding on to a 2-1 victory on their home ice. The Gaels also won both meetings between the two teams last year, taking the first 5-0 and the second 3-2. York's last victory over the Gaels was in October 2013, a 3-2 shootout win.
 
Since Western and York met in the OUA semis in 2012 the Mustangs have won every match-up between the two teams, including both last season by 6-3 and 3-0 scores.
 
QUICK FACTS
 
York

• The Lions dropped their lone contest last weekend by a 1-0 score in overtime to the CIS No. 1 Guelph Gryphons. The Lions have had a number of close contests against nationally-ranked teams recently, losing 2-1 in a shootout to No. 2 McGill in non-conference action last week and defeating No. 2 Toronto 1-0 in a shootout in late November.
• The Lions have won all five of their home contests this year, two in regulation and three in overtime. Their only home loss was a 3-0 result to Nipissing in their home opener.
• This weekend's games are their only ones of the month at Canlan Ice Sports.
• The Lions are 11^th in the OUA with 1.46 goals per game and 10^th in goals against with an average of 2.21 per game.

 
Queen's

• The Gaels began the season with a bang, earning points in all seven contests they played in October. They went just 3-3 in November but are comfortably in a playoff spot in fourth place in the OUA, with fewer games played than the other teams that make up the top six.
• Queen's went 1-1 on the last weekend of the fall season, defeating Western 2-0 and falling to Windsor 1-0.
• The Gaels have one of the best defences in the OUA this season, ranking third by allowing just 1.25 goals per game. They are also tied for sixth in conference scoring with 2.08 goals per game.
• The Gaels have not played a game since the end of the first half of the season in late November.

 
Western

• Western had a slow start to the year with three losses in their first six contests but since then they have lost only once, a 2-0 defeat to Queen's in late November. The Mustangs are currently riding a two-game winning streak, defeating first-place Guelph 3-2 in a shootout in the their final game of 2015 and blanking UOIT 3-0 in their first contest of the new year last weekend.
• The Mustangs boast one of the best offences and defences in the OUA this season. They rank second in goals scored and goals against, at 2.71 and 1.23 per game, respectively.
• The Mustangs had a storybook season last year, losing just once in regulation in the regular season and going on to win their first OUA and CIS titles.
• The Lions and Mustangs will face off one more time this season, on Friday, Feb. 12 in London, Ont.

 
PLAYERS TO WATCH
 
York
 
G Megan Lee – The OUA and CIS athlete of the week for the period ending Nov. 23 after turning aside all 68 shots she faced in two games. She is currently eighth in the OUA with a .935 save percentage and is 10^th with a goals against average of 1.90.
 
F Rianna Langford – Leads the Lions in goals (four) and total points (six) through 13 games. She accounted for the game winner in a 4-0 victory over Ryerson.
 
Queen's
 
F Katrina Manoukarakis – The rookie forward is off to a tremendous start in her CIS career, leading the Gaels and tying for sixth in the OUA with 13 points (six goals, seven assists) in as many games.
 
G Caitlyn Lahonen – The fifth-year netminder has started every game for the Gaels and leads the OUA with a .967 save percentage. She is also second in the conference with a 0.94 goals against average.
 
Western
 
G Kelly Campbell – Last year's CIS tournament MVP after posting a 3-0 record at the national tournament, with a 0.33 goals against average and .989 save percentage, and she was also an OUA all-star and CIS all-Canadian. This year she is fifth in the OUA with a 1.36 goals against average and .955 save percentage.
 
F Kendra Broad – Leads the Mustangs and is tied for fourth in the OUA with 14 points (six goals, eight assists) in 13 games. She was second in conference scoring last year with 30 points in 24 games.