The York University Lions women's hockey team returns to home ice for the first time in three weeks this weekend and will welcome the UOIT Ridgebacks and Queen's Gaels to Canlan Ice Sports for a pair of match-ups.
 
The Match-ups: York (5-0-10-3) vs. UOIT (4-2-10-2) and No. 9 Queen's (10-3-2-3)
 
Game Details
UOIT – Saturday, Jan. 27 @ 2pm, OUA.tv
Queen's – Sunday, Jan. 28 @ 2pm, OUA.tv
 
Home/Away Records
York – 4-6 at home
UOIT – 1-7 on the road
Queen's – 4-4 on the road
 
Current Streak
York – Lost 2
UOIT – Won 1
Queen's – Lost 1
 
Last Meetings
The Lions earned a point with a 2-1 overtime loss to the Ridgebacks in their first match-up in late October in Oshawa, Ont. The win snapped a mini three-game winning streak by the Lions over the Ridgebacks, as the Lions had two big wins last year by scores of 4-1 and 6-2.
 
The Gaels won the first meeting earlier this year by a 4-1 score on home ice. They also swept the season series in between the two teams last year, winning each contest by the same 3-0 score. York's last win over Queen's came the previous season, when they recorded an upset 2-1 overtime victory over the Gaels. Prior to that win, the Gaels won three straight against the Lions.
 
QUICK FACTS
 
York

• The Lions lost both of their contests in regulation last weekend in northern Ontario, falling 3-1 to Nipissing and 2-0 to Laurentian.
• Prior to last weekend, the Lions had earned points in four straight games dating back to their last contest in November, with a pair of wins over Laurentian and Windsor and losses in overtime and a shootout to Guelph and Brock, respectively.
• The Lions are 11 points out of the eighth and final playoff spot in the OUA standings with six games remaining on the schedule.
• The Lions are ranked 10^th in the conference in scoring with 1.78 goals per game, and they are 12^th defensively with 3.11 goals allowed per game.
• The Lions will be back on home ice again next weekend against Western and, after that, will play just once more at Canlan on Friday, Feb. 16 against Toronto.

 
UOIT

• The Ridgebacks finally got their first win of 2018 last weekend, posting a 2-0 victory over Western on Saturday. Prior to that result they had lost five in a row and given up three goals in each game, including a 3-2 defeat to Windsor last week.
• The Ridgebacks and Lions are tied in the OUA standings with 18 points apiece, both 11 points out of the final playoff spot in the conference.
• Like the Lions, the Ridgebacks are one of the lowest-scoring teams in the OUA. They sit just behind the Lions, in 11^th place in the conference, with only 1.56 per game. They are a stronger defensive team with 2.13 goals allowed per game, putting them eighth in the OUA.

 
Queen's

• The Gaels have struggled since the start of the new year. After only one loss in their first 12 contests, way back in mid-October, they won nine in a row but have since won just two games in their last six.
• Last weekend, the Gaels posted a huge 8-1 victory over the Lancers but then came out the next night without the same offence and were blanked by Western by a 3-0 score.
• The first-place Gaels are in a fight with Guelph and Western for top spot in the OUA standings. They current sit at the top with 39 points, three ahead of the Gryphons and Mustangs, although the defending champion Gryphons have a game in hand.
• The Gaels are among the OUA's top three in goals scored and goals allowed per game. They sit second in defence with just 1.64 goals allowed per game, and they are third in scoring with an impressive 2.89 goals per game.

 
PLAYERS TO WATCH
 
York
 
F Brooke Anderson – The team's leading rookie scorer with nine points (two goals, seven assists) in 18 games. She leads the Lions in assists and is second overall in team scoring.
 
F Kelsey McHolm – Leads the Lions with six goals and is tied for second overall in team scoring with nine points. She has scored two game-winners, against Laurier and Laurentian, and has already nearly doubled her rookie points total.
 
UOIT
 
F Kassidy Nauboris – Leads the Ridgebacks and is tied for 14^th in OUA scoring with 13 points (four goals, nine assists) in 18 games. She has scored once on the power play.
 
F Chelsea Ball – UOIT's leading goal scorer with six goals and is second overall in points (11). She has scored three times on the power play and has two game-winners, including last week against Western and Ryerson in November.

Queen's
 
F Katrina Manoukarakis – The OUA's scoring leader with 24 points (12 goals, 12 assists) in just 18 games. Of her 12 goals, which also lead the OUA, four have come on the power play and four have been for game-winners, including two against Brock and one each against Windsor and Toronto.
 
G Stephanie Pascal – Her 15 starts are the second most in the OUA this season. She is fourth in the OUA in goals against average (1.35) and tied for fourth in save percentage (.945).