Following a two-game road trip to Waterloo Region last weekend in which they split a pair of games, the York University Lions returned to Canlan Ice Sports for the first of a doubleheader against downtown rival Toronto Varsity Blues on Friday night, celebrating Pride Night at the rink. Holding the play in five seed in the OUA, the Lions were looking to tighten their grasp on a trip to the playoffs.

The Lions went to the power play within the first minute, but could not convert on the early Toronto penalty. Reining female athlete of the week Emma Wedgewood made a few huge stops in net that kept the Varsity Blues at bay and allowed the Lions to push offensively, but there was no score after an extremely physical opening period.

York drew another penalty near the halfway mark of the middle frame after a hard hit from Toronto's Emma Potter, but again came up empty. The Varsity Blues Aili McKoewn blocked a Dielle Hall-Paradis shot with just under five to go and was off to the races, but was denied by the blocker of Wedgewood. In the end, after multiple chances for both squads, the game remained scoreless after two.

In a defensive minded game, it seemed like the first to score would come out with the win. The Lions kill a pair of Toronto power plays in the third, including a 12-second five-on-three, but their top-ranked penalty kill stood tall once again. The Lions went on an abbreviated power play of their own with 10:16 left, but the Blues killed that off, and the game remained goalless through 60, necessitating seven minutes of 3-on-3 overtime.

With both teams with one point in the bank already, overtime would decide who picked up the extra point. Just over 90 seconds into the extra session, Scout Watkins-Southward was sent in on a breakway and stopped by Wedgewood. However, Varsity Blues found regathered the along the boards, where Kalie Chan found Ashley Delahey, who made a beautiful move and backhanded a shot past an outstretched Wedgewood giving the visitors the overtime victory. Although taking the loss, the Lions gained a valuable point that helps them towards their playoff push, and can clinch a play-in spot with a regulation win vs. Toronto, an overtime win and a non-regulation win by Brock at Western or an overtime loss and a loss of any kind by Brock.

LOOKING AHEAD:  

The Lions will complete the doubleheader tomorrow night against Toronto at Varsity Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00pm, with coverage on OUA TV.