After suffering just their second loss of the winter term Friday night to the Waterloo Warriors, the York University Lions women's hockey team continued their Waterloo Region road trip on Saturday evening against the Laurier Golden Hawks, the No. 10 team in the nation. The Lions entered the day six points up on the Brock Badgers for the fifth spot in the OUA West as they battle for the OUA play-in spot.
The Lions drew two tripping calls in the first ten minutes, but could not convert on either power play opportunity. The Golden Hawks went on two power plays of their own later in the frame, but also failed to score. Lions goalie Emma Wedgewood – coming off 51 saves in a losing cause 24 hours earlier – remained solid in the opening period of this one, stopping all eight shots directed her way in a scoreless first.
The Lions came out applying pressure in the second, and it didn't take long for Trynity Turner to open the scoring after firing home a big rebound off a long Alexa Giantsopoulos shot. That put the Lions up 1-0 and gave them their first lead, and goal, off the weekend. However, with almost 6:35 left, Laurier's Olivia MacMillan forced a turnover, found a seam and backhanded a shot past Wedgewood to tie the game at 1-1. This remained the score after two
The Lions took their second lead of the night 3:20 into the third, when Jill Milligan stepped into a loose puck and fired it past Laurier netminder Kayla Renaud, putting York up 2-1. The Hawks enjoyed two more power plays in the final frame, but failed to find the equalizer. Renaud left for the extra attacker with 2:10 to go, but the Lions held on as Milligan's goal remained the difference, in a huge 2-1 win.
The Lions remain six points up Brock for fifth in the OUA West and a chance to play their way into the OUA playoffs with four games remaining, including one against the Badgers on Feb. 14.
LOOKING AHEAD:
In the immediate future, the Lions will return home to Canlan Ice Sports to begin a home-and-home with their downtown rivals, the Toronto Varsity Blues on Friday night in their annual Pride Game. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 pm.
