The York University Lions men's hockey team closed out their six-game road trip in St.Catharine's against the Brock Badgers on Thursday night. The Lions are coming off a 2-0 loss to the Western Mustangs in London last Thursday.
The Badgers got on the board just 1:16 in. Brock executed a three-way passing play that ended with Bradon Caruso beating Lions netminder Matt Tovell, who was making his third straight start. Jordan Stock and Ryan Stepien drew the assists as the Badgers took an early 1-0 lead.
The home team added to their lead at the 12:52 mark, taking advantage of a power play opportunity stemming from a Logan Holm cross-checking penalty. Brock's Riley Gannon dished the puck to Stock who was positioned right in front of the net to spin around and fire it home to increase Brock's lead to 2-0.
The Lions had a power play advantage to close the first period following a Ryan Thompson slashing call, but couldn't find the net as the first frame ended with a Brock still up a pair.
York began chipping away at the deficit 5:38 into the middle frame, as Chase Sandhu ripped one top shelf past Brock goaltender Will Hembley. Thomas Lacombe and Brock McLeod were credited with the assists on the goal that cut the lead in half and made the game 2-1 in favour of the Badgers.
The visitors found the equalizer almost four minutes later on a power play of their own, thanks to rookie Harry Clark. He tipped a Brandon McCartney shot down that was stopped by Hembley, but Clark was there to deposit his own rebound into the yawning cage to tie things up at 2-2.
After Oliver Lamothe was sent to the box for tripping near the 12-minute mark, Brock took advantage. The Badgers scored a pair of goals in 30 seconds to re-take a two-goal lead. First, Cole Tymkin finished off a play down low to make it 3-2 Brock just 11 seconds into the power play. Then, a half-minute later, a failed breakout by the Lions led to Riley Gannon putting home a rebound in front to extend the lead to 4-2. Like the end of first period, York was awarded a powerplay opportunity but couldn't capitalize as the score remained 4-2 Brock through 40.
York's attempted rally in the third was for naught, as a Ryan Stipien empty-netter with forty seconds left sealed away a 5-2 Badger victory.
LOOKING AHEAD:
The Lions return home for the first time since November 23, 2024 to take on the RMC Paladins in the third annual Colt's Crusade game on Sunday, January 19. Puck drop is scheduled for 12:00 pm from Canlan Ice Sports.
