The York University Lions women's hockey team continued its dramatic start to 2025, pulling off a thrilling 3-2 overtime victory over the Queen's Gaels on a snowy Friday night at the Memorial Centre in Kingston. This their second straight overtime win to open the calendar year, The Lions came in looking to build on their 2-1 OT victory over Brock on Sunday, as they fought through a rollercoaster of a game to secure two crucial points in the OUA West standings.
York and Queen's have ridden similar trajectories thus far. The Lions started play Friday fifth in the OUA West with a 4-8-2-1 record and six points behind Laurier for the fourth and final playoff spot. Meanwhile, the Gaels entered sixth in the OUA East at 3-8-1-3, but only a single point behind the Ontario Tech Ridgebacks for the East's final playoff spot.
York opened the scoring 6:26 into the first period on the power play. Forward Lola Massey capitalized on a crisp setup from Kaitlin Teixeira, with Trynity Turner notching the second assist, for her second goal of the season and give the Lions an early 1-0 lead.
The Lions maintained their momentum in the second, doubling their advantage at 11:38. Natasha Lange buried her fourth goal of the campaign, and second in as many games, as she spun and fired one past Queen's netminder Emma Tennant to extend the lead to 2-0. Despite Queen's firing 23 shots through two periods, Lions goaltender Emma Wedgewood stood tall, denying all 23 to keep the Lions up by a pair heading into the final frame
However, he Gaels came out firing in the third, determined to mount a comeback. At 6:01, Mikayla Cranney netted a beauty, as she cut around the York defender and backhanded one past Wedgewood while diving to the ice, cutting York's lead to 2-1. Then, just over five minutes later Alyson Reeves scored her sixth of the season on a centring feed from Sophie Hudson after some good cycle work down low, knotting the game at 2-2.
The Lions pushed back late in the period, creating multiple scoring chances, but Tennant held her ground, forcing the game into overtime.
In the extra frame, The Gaels earned much of the territorial advantage, but that was made moot with 30 seconds left. York's Mikayla Totten sealed the victory off the rush with a precise shot off a feed from Teixeira, finishing off a 4-on-2 rush for her second goal of the season to cap a 3-2 win for the Lions.
Wedgewood finished with 37 saves on 39 shots, while Tennant turned aside 37 of 39 for the Gaels in a strong goaltending duel. York's power play went 1-for-7, while their penalty kill shut down all five Queen's opportunities.
LOOKING AHEAD:
With this victory, the Lions improve to 4-8-3-1 and remain in the playoff race in the OUA West. They'll head to Oshawa to face the Ontario Tech Ridgebacks on Saturday night, at 7:00 pm. Coverage will be available on OUA TV as the Lions look to continue their undefeated start to the new year.
