The York University Lions women's hockey team scored three times in the third period to secure a big comeback win by a score of 3-1 against the Laurier Golden Hawks on Saturday evening at Canlan Ice Sports. After a slow start to the year, the Lions are now red hot having won five of their last six games and they earned the maximum six points in two games this weekend.
 
The game did not start out well for the Lions, as they took an early penalty just 30 seconds into the game and the Golden Hawks capitalized on the games' first power play when forward Emily Visser gave the visitors a 1-0 lead at 1:27. She broke in off the right wing and rifled a shot over the right shoulder of Lions goaltender Lauren Dubie for her first goal of the season.
 
The Lions had a good scoring chance as they attempted to even the game at the 11-minute mark. Forward Kelsey McHolm found herself in the slot after a nice pass from linemate Kara Washer, but her shot was deflected high by a Golden Hawks defender to keep the Lions down 1-0. Washer and McHolm had another good chance six minutes later, but a two-on-one was broken up nicely by a Laurier defender and the game went into the first intermission 1-0.
 
Dubie made a nice save to keep the Lions in the game a few minutes into the second period, as she slid across to stone Hawks forward Aynsley Harrison in close to keep the deficit at one. Each team had powerplay opportunities at the mid-point of the second period, but neither squad was able to take advantage as Dubie again thwarted the Laurier attack with a few nice saves.
 
The Lions had great scoring opportunity in the last minute of the second as McHolm and Washer again connected on a nice passing play and had two chances to score but were stopped by Laurier goaltender Cohen Myers. After the ensuing faceoff, McHolm and Courtney Gardiner both had shots in close against Myers but the netminder was up to the task and kept the score 1-0 after two periods of play.
 
Laurier was outshooting York 17-16 through the two periods and as the third period began the urgency of both teams was evident as they both pressed hard to score the next goal. The Lions netted the equalizer at the 4:40 mark of the period, when Tayler Murphy found a loose puck in front and went high over a sprawling Myers to knot the game at 1-1. Erin Locke and Leah Hibbert both picked up assists on the tying goal.
 
The Lions pulled ahead minutes later on the powerplay at 9:25, after Locke found a loose puck after a scrambled draw in the Golden Hawks end and found some open room as she deked to her backhand and slid the puck under Myers and into the back of the net for a 2-1 lead.
 
Locke extended the lead to 3-1 at 13:14 of the when she deftly tipped a crossing pass from Madison Davey with one hand on her stick through the Golden Hawks netminder's five-hole to give the Lions an important two-goal lead.
The game remained scoreless the rest of the way even as the Golden Hawks pulled their goalie for an extra attacker and the Lions claimed the 3-1 win. Locke continued her scoring streak with three points and the Lions senior has now scored a goal in all the games she's played in since returning to the lineup from injury. She now has nine points (7 goals, 2 assists) in five games and has been one of the main catalysts for the Lions hot streak.
 
Dubie was solid in goal for the Lions making 28 saves, while Myers stopped 21 of 24 shots for the Golden Hawks.
 
The Lions will look to continue their winning ways when they are next in action against the Guelph Gryphons on Wednesday, Jan. 16. Puck drop is 7:30pm.