In a Friday morning clash of the York University Lions women's hockey team and the visiting Nipissing Lakers for game two of the OUA quarter finals, the Lions dominated from the opening face-off. Leading the series 1-0 heading into the match-up, a Lions victory sent them to the semi finals, their first time appearing since 2020, a loss, sent them back to North Bay for game three.

York was determined for a victory and left everything on the ice. The game was in their hands from the start and they never let up. Six different goal scorers appeared on the game sheet; Kaitlin Teixeira, Jillian Milligan, Sydney Hiltz, Sydney Paulson, Alexa Giantsopoulos and Lola Massey. Emma Wedgewood was phenomenal from start to finish, making 35 saves, and 78 total saves throughout her playoff debut.

It was solid Lions hockey for a full 60-minutes as the No. 4 Lions knocked off the No. 1 seeded OUA East Nipissing Lakers.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The dominant York Lions entered Friday morning off an overtime win on the road against the Nipissing Lakers, searching for a series sweep and to have a semi finals berth. The electricity of the home crowd rung throughout the building as rookie Kaitlin Teixeira scored her first OUA playoff goal just 5:36 into the game, propelling the Lions into their most outstanding performance of the season.
• Jillian Milligan quickly added another goal to head into the first intermission with a 2-0 lead looming over the Lakers.
• A back-and-forth start to the second was broken up by Sydney Hiltz who found the far side of the goal, after breaking down the ice 11:03 into the frame, leading the Lakers into a goalie change as Chantelle Sandquist exited and Jordan Sladics made her playoff appearance. Sydney Paulson, the game-winning goal scorer in game one, scored her second of the series six minutes later, a short-handed goal and empty netter to lead 4-0.
• Nipissing earned a goal back just before the end of the second period on a power play, but that did not stop the Lions who led 4-1 through 40 minutes.
• Into the last 20 minutes, York was flying from the moment the puck hit the ice. Alexa Giantsopoulos burst down the left side of the ice and cleanly put one by the Lakers net minder, Sladics, a quick 1:22 into the third. Lola Massey wanted in on the scoring action, doing so with 11:30 remaining in the game to lead 6-1, and the Lakers switched goalies once again, bringing Sandquist back onto the ice. 
• The final eleven minutes remained high intensity until the buzzer sounded and the Lions emerged on the ice to embrace Emma Wedgewood after making a solid 35 saves.

LOOKING AHEAD:
The Lions await the winner of the Waterloo and Laurier series for their semi-final game. Waterloo leads the series 1-0, and plays game two, tomorrow evening at 4:30 pm. The semi-final series will be announced on yorkulions.ca.