The York University Lions men's hockey team fell in their opening game of the new year, in what was also the second annual Mark Cross Memorial Game, 6-3, to the No. 4 nationally ranked Toronto Varsity Blues at Canlan tonight.
 
The Blues opened the scoring early in the first period on a 2-on-1 attempt that OUA leading scorer David Thomson buried for his 11^th goal of the season.
 
Toronto would go on to score two more unanswered goals before Lions captain Scott Feser brought one back for the home team off a pair of passes from Xavier Pouliot and Alex Mowbray.
 
Less than two minutes later Brendan Browne doubled the Lions tally off another Pouliot assist and Nik Coric to head into the second intermission down 3-2.
 
But the visiting side would not go away. Toronto forward Curtis Harvey gave his side their fourth goal, and 28 seconds later Kyle Potts reinstated the Blues three goal lead with a power play goal to make the score 5-2.
 
With 7:30 left in the final frame, the Lions pulled goaltender Mack Shields to add an extra attacker, an effort that paid off immediately. Outshooting the Blues 12-5 in the third, a trio of Lions pilled up in front of net allowing Braydon Buziak to put away his sides third and final goal. The game was decided after Potts second goal of the game on an empty netter.
 
The Lions are now 5-12-1-0 on the year, while the Varisty Blues move to 15-2-0-0 in the OUA West standings.
 
The Lions return to home ice tomorrow when they host the Western Mustangs at Canlan. Puck drop is schedule for 7pm.