The York University Lions women's hockey team stuck right with the No. 1 nationally-ranked Toronto Varsity Blues from the drop of the puck Friday night at Canlan Ice Sports, but the Blues slowly chipped away over the course of the game and ultimately handed York a 4-1 loss via Taylor Trussler's game winner.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Lions graduating student-athletes were honoured with a pre-game ceremony at Canlan Ice Sports before a larger-than-normal crowd.
• The Blues kicked off the game dominating in the attacking zone, taking a 13-1 shot advantage and getting the game's first goal off Lauren MacDonnell's stick at 6:35 of the first. But Serena Vilde stayed square to many Blues shots and kept her team within a goal.
• Later in the period, the Lions found their offensive legs and it paid off. After forcing a turnover at her blue line, Julia Cuccia brought the puck down into Blues territory and dished it to Tayler Murphy, who tied the game at 13:48 on York's third shot. 
• After a litany of penalties opened the period, the Blues broke through with the go-ahead goal at 14:16 off the stick of Taylor Trussler. The fourth-year forward who had the game winner over York on Nov. 27 got her own rebound and put it behind Vilde,
• The Blues would then add two more goals in the third, including an empty net goal, to seal the deal.

NOTABLE NUMBERS

• Despite allowing four goals, netminder Vilde was not an easy pushover between the York pipes. She stopped 37 shots in the losing effort. 
• Eight Lions played their final regular season games at Canlan Ice Sports, including Brooke Anderson, Madison Davey, Ellen Donaldson, Caroline Eagles, Courtney Gardiner, Kelsey McHolm, Kailey Lapensee, and Murphy, who scored the lone Lions goal in the loss to the Blues.

LOOKING AHEAD

York and Toronto go toe-to-toe for their final meeting of the 2021-22 regular season Saturday night at Varsity Arena in downtown Toronto, Ont.