On Saturday evening at Canlan Ice Sports, the York University Lions men's ice hockey team hit the ice to face the Western Mustangs on senior night, with six Lions – Brodie McDougall, Bryan McAndrews, Brendan McCarthy, David Mabey, Aiden MacIntosh and captain Jayden McCarthy – skating in their final games in a York uniform. The recently-departed Cole Beamin and the injured Thomas Lacombe were also honoured among the eight graduating players.
The Mustangs struck early in the opening period when Nathan Sauder fired a shot from the point that was tipped past Dawson Smith by Brett Willets for his seventh of the season just over a minute in. York responded quickly, however, as MacIntosh put home a loose puck in the crease for his seventh of the season to even the score at 1-1. Momentum continued to swing in York's favour when Rylan Ringor recorded his first career OUA goal with 48 seconds to go in the frame, giving the Lions a 2-1 lead heading into the first intermission.
Western answered back midway through the second period as Lawson Sherk tied the game with his 12th of the year on the power play. Shortly after, Nicholas Yearwood put the Mustangs up 3-2 with his seventh after a missed interference call directly resulted in the go-ahead goal and led to a York bench minor. York refused to back down, though, as Raphael Denis levelling the score at 3-3 on the power play with his first OUA marker. But, just 55 seconds later Zac McCann's second of the season restored Western's advantage before the end of the period, sending the Lions into the third trailing 4-3.
It was all Lions in that third. First, Ryder Ringor tied the contest shorthanded, his third of his rookie season, with 9:32 remaining, finishing a great pass from Hunter Brown on a two-on-one. Then, with under five minutes to play, Brown led another two-on-one and this time elected to shoot, burying his third past Jack McNaughton to give York the lead 5-4, igniting the home crowd.
The Lions locked down defensively late, and eventually Harry Clark broke free toward the empty cage and added an insurance marker with two seconds left to seal the victory, securing a 6-4 win for the Lions.
LOOKING AHEAD:
The Lions will now look forward to the offseason and the 2026-27 season as they look to build toward a return to the postseason.
