The York University Lions men's hockey team completed a big third period comeback and then won in a shootout to take down the No. 3 nationally-ranked Queen's Gaels by a score of 5-4 at Canlan Ice Sports on Friday night.
 
Trailing 4-2 heading into the final frame, the Lions scored twice in a five-minute span late in the period to tie the game and send it to overtime. After the 10 extra minutes solved nothing, the game rose to the big finish when Mack Shields (Saskatoon, Sask.), who came into the game in the third period, ended the shootout with an outstretched pad to complete the victory.
 
York would only need one successful shot attempt to oust the Gaels, who were unsuccessful on all three of their attempts. The game winner came by the stick of Greg Milner (Watford, Ont.) who showed off his quick handles and finished with a backhand five hole to give his team the advantage.
 
Right out of the gate the Gaels took little time to light up the scoreboard as Harrison Hendrix scored at 10:07 off of a deflection to take the first lead of the game. Unaffected by the goal, the Lions would respond with a beautiful cross-crease goal from Dexter Bricker (Saskatoon, Sask.). Nathan Larson (Buckhorn, Ont.) and Nicholas Geiser (Bolton, Ont.) would be credited with the assists for the beautiful feed to Bricker.
 
With the score tied at 1-1 after one, the crowd at Canlan Ice Sports could sense they were in for a good one. The Gaels' Ryan Bloom only had to wait until 4:35 to reclaim the lead off of a nifty backhand five hole finish.
 
Two minutes later Milner tied the game as he skated from the right slot to the left and nailed a wrist shot to the top right corner. Reid Jackman (Etobicoke, Ont.) and Colton Vannucci (High River, Alta.) were credited with the assists on the goal. Ninety seconds later, however, the Gaels took the lead again on a power play, when Eric Ming received a beautiful spinning backhand feed from the bottom of the circle to beat starting netminder Alex Fotinos (Toronto) back door. Ming scored again at 16:13 when he gained control off of a deflection and snapped a wrist shot from the top of the circle and the Gaels took a 4-2 lead into the second intermission.
 
The Gaels desperately tried to hold onto the lead in the third period, but the Lions outshot them 17-4 and were rewarded with two goals. At 12:32 Scott Feser (Red Deer, Alta.) made the first dent into the Gaels lead as he flashed down the ice on a breakaway, gave a shot attempt, gained control of his own rebound and then finished the play with a quick chip shot from close range.
 
With time winding down and the Gaels leading 4-3, York would need one final push to keep their hopes alive. At 15:37 Vannucci sent the puck to Trevor Petersen (Thornhill, Ont.), who then sent a beautiful pass to Derek Sheppard (Ajax, Ont.). Sheppard was waiting like an assassin at the top of the circle, he gained control of the puck, skated up slowly and sniped the game-tying goal to the top corner.
 
Both overtime periods were filled with thrills and close calls. Feser and Sheppard kept the Lions in it by each sprawling out to stop a one-timer chance. After a few shots off the post and some highlight reel saves, the buzzer sounded and sent the game to the shootout.
 
With the victory the Lions remain in second place in the OUA West standings with a 14-6-2 record. Despite being ranked No. 3 in U SPORTS, the Gaels have just two more points, at 15-4-2, and are second in the OUA East.
 
The Lions' next game will take place on Saturday when the UOIT Ridgebacks travel to Canlan Ice Sports to face off against a hot Lions squad. Puck drop is set for 7pm.