After getting blanked in Game 1 of their OUA quarter-final series against the Guelph Gryphons, the York University Lions women's hockey team found themselves in a must-win scenario in Saturday afternoon's Game 2 at Canlan Ice Sports.
The Lions nearly notched the opening goal in the game's opening seconds off a scramble in front of the net, but Gryphons goaltender Martina Fedel smothered the punch just before crossing the goal line. Despite the near miss, the Lions set the tone early in what was a sign of things to come. A pair of Alexa Giantsopoulos rush chances were turned aside by Fedel, as York came out a much different team in the early going. Lions forward Kaitlin Teixeira had a breakaway late in the period, but was again turned away. The Lions outshot Guelph 10-4 in what finished a scoreless first period.
York went on the first power play of the game five minutes into the second, but Guelph managed to kill it off. As things began to heat up physically, both teams struggled to get consistent chances going offensively. However, a holding penalty against York led to the Gryphons first power play, where a feed from Jayden Calder found Katelyn Dance open on the near side, and she fired a one-timer past an sprawled out Wedgewood to make it 1-0 Guelph. York stormed back late to force a flurry of shots on chances, beginning on the ensuing shift, but Fedel remained a wall in net, with the score still 1-0 Gryphons favour after two.
Needing at least one goal to keep their season alive, the Lions came into the third with a the same sense of urgency they displayed all afternoon. They nearly tied it on a chance from the right side, but the shot rang the Guelph post and bounced out, inches away from tying the game. The physicality continued to ramp up, and the Lions drew a boarding penalty with14:23 to play. This time, the Lions made the Gryphons pay. A shot from the near-side dot by Alexa Giantsopoulos deflected off the leg of Julianna Duma and squeaked past Fedel, a huge goal that tied the game 1-1. The Lions maintained momentum for the majority of the period, keeping the Gryphons defending in their own zone. Both goaltenders remained solid when called upon, as York outshot Guelph 8-6 in the final frame of regulation. Sixty minutes solved nothing, and this game needed overtime to decide a victor.
Tension was palpable on the ice and in the stands in the extra frame. Early on, the Lions applied pressure, keeping the puck mostly in Guelph's zone. Both teams had their chances throughout the period but Wedgewood and Fedel traded two more solid stops. Shortly after, a Lions shot was inches away from going into the net, in another wild scramble. As time began to wind down, Guelph almost found a goal off a tipped puck that was inches from the goal line before being cleared away by a Lions defender. Another huge pileup in the Lions net that almost slipped the puck in only made the tension higher, as overtime reached the closing minutes. The best chance of the first overtime came with 4:18 left, as Wedgewood went post-to-post to rob the Gryphons of the winner, eventually sending it to double overtime.
with just over six minutes gone in the second additional session, Guelph gained possession and fired a shot from the left side that Wedgewood stopped, but it squeaked in behind her into the blue paint where it was despoited by Jayden Calder into the open net to win it for Guelph by a score of 2-1.
Manager, Varsity Athletics Mandy McCurdy said the Lions should be happy with their effort in this game, series and all season long.
"The team came prepared to battle today and was a tough, physical game," said McCurdy. "An overtime is a heartbreaking way to end the season, but this group has a lot to be proud of."
LOOKING AHEAD:
This loss ends the season for York, as they bow out to the Gryphons in the OUA quarter-finals. The Lions will shift their focus toward next season and look to build upon the positives garnered in the second half of the year, led by their soon-to-be fourth-year netminder in Wedgewood, with offensive forces like Giantsopoulos and Kaitlin Teixeira leading the charge up front and Jill Milligan and Nicole York set to lead a young defence corps, with the potential return of veteran Sara McLennan to serve as an anchor on the blueline.
