The York University Lions women's hockey team continued its quest for the McCaw Cup in Guelph on Thursday night, doing battle with the Gryphons in Game 1 of the OUA quarter-finals.
The Gryphons entered the playoffs as the OUA's number one seed, and the fourth-ranked team in the nation. The Lions toppled the Windsor Lancers on the road in the OUA West Play-In game. The game saw the Lions build a 4-0 lead, before staving off a furious Windsor rally to win 5-3.
The Lions split their season series with the Gryphons, which included a 1-0 win in Guelph on Oct. 24, proving that they could compete Ontario's best team. York held the underdog label in their quarter-finals series last year against the OUA East's top-seed, the Nipissing Lakers, and swept the series 2-0.
The first period of this one saw the sides live up to the big game atmosphere, with each team having several close goals, including a ten-bell save by Emma Wedgewood just under nine minutes in off Chihiro Suzuki. The Lions had two power play opportunities coming at the 1:57 and 10:32 marks respectively, but couldn't take advantage as the Gryphons kept the visitors at bay.
The home team got on the board first at 15:17, as Avery Robinson and Michelle Gao worked the puck out front to Teghan MacRae, who fired a shot at the top of the slot that beat Wedgewood to give Guelph a 1-0 lead, an advantage they would maintain entering the second.
The middle frame was a defensive battle, as both netminders made big saves between the pipes. Guelph's Martina Fedel had five stops, while Wedgewood had ten, including several heroic ones that kept the Lions in it. Her best came with just over a minute left, as she robbed Suzuki once again right in front, keeping the Gryphons lead at just a single goal after 40.
However, Guelph added to their lead 5:33 into the third with a shorthanded goal. Suzuki broke in behind the Lions defence, took a stretch pass from Jaime Magoffin and finally got the best of Wedgewood, beating her five-hole to double the Gryphon lead.
The Gryphons put it away on a power play with at 5:48 left. On a similar play to Guelph's first goal, Reese Coffey found herself open in the high slot and from just above the dot, ripped one past Wedgewood to increase the advantage to 3-0.
The Gryphons would hang on for the shutout victory to take a 1-0 lead in the series and put the Lions on the brink of elimination.
LOOKING AHEAD:
The Lions face a win or go-home scenario when they host the Gryphons in Game 2 of the OUA quarter-finals on Saturday afternoon. Puck drop is scheduled for 1:00 pm from Canlan Ice Sports. You can get your tickets here or stream the game here.
