The York University Lions women's hockey team travelled downtown on Saturday evening for a battle against their crosstown rivals, the Toronto Varsity Blues. With the regular season winding down, the Lions looked to add another victory to their ledger and clinch a play-in spot, while the Varsity Blues aimed to move into a tie for first in the OUA East with the Nipissing Lakers. 

York struck first while short-handed, as Jillian Milligan capitalized on a Toronto turnover and fired a shot past goaltender Lyla McKinnon. The Lions aggressive forecheck pressured the Blues early, but Toronto responded less than a minute later when Ashley Delahey found space in front and buried the equalizer. The game remained tied at a goal after 20. 

In the second period, both teams traded power-play opportunities, but it was the Varsity Blues who broke the deadlock. Emma Irwin found herself open in the slot and made no mistake, beating Emma Wedgewood to give Toronto a 2-1 lead. The Lions, despite a disciplined defensive effort, struggled to generate offense in the middle frame, recording just four shots on goal, and trailed 2-1 through two. 

Toronto struck twice within the first three minutes to extend its lead to 4-1. Scout Watkins-Southward and Sophie Grawbarger each found the back of the net, with Grawbarger's tally coming on the power play. Facing a three-goal deficit, the Lions refused to back down. Their persistence paid off when Alexa Giantsopoulos blasted a shot from the right circle on the power play, cutting the lead to two with just under five minutes remaining. 

York pressed in the final moments, but Toronto's defence held firm, limiting the Lions' chances. Wedgewood finished the night with a strong 30-save performance on 34 shots, keeping York within striking distance, albeit in a losing cause. 

Despite the loss, York was still in a position to clinch with a Brock Badgers loss to Western, but they shutout the Mustangs 3-0 on the road in London to keep their season alive. 

LOOKING AHEAD: 

With this result, the Lions shift their focus to a road matchup against none other than Brock next Friday in their second-last game of the regular season. A win of any kind will clinch a spot in the OUA West play-in game for York. Puck drops at 12 p.m., with live coverage available on OUA TV.