The Lions’ men’s hockey team hosted their counterparts from Ryerson, University of Ontario Institute of Technology, and the University of Toronto at York’s annual hockey tournament this past Thursday and Friday.
The Lions defeated the Ryerson Rams on Thursday but lost to UofT Varsity Blues in Friday’s final.
“On both days we worked very hard,” says Lions head coach Chris Dennis. In Thursday’s game against the Rams, the Lions had two goals called back on them in the game, keeping the score at 0-0, and forcing the game to extend into overtime. “Our goalie was very good and got all the pucks out of the net during the shootout,” Dennis adds. The Lions managed to score one goal of their own in the shootout, ending the game with a 1-0 victory and qualifying to face the Varsity Blues in the tournament finals the following day.
Dennis explains Friday’s loss by pointing out that the Varsity Blues are “a very talented team” and that the Lions “were maybe a little bit worn down from the day before with injuries and somebody thrown out of the game.” The player injured during the game was the Lions’ experienced forward Mark Cross, who is also an assistant captain of the team. His teammate Trevor Petersen was removed from the game for a violation.
The Lions did manage to score early in the third quarter, but could not stop the Varsity Blues from defeating them by a final score of 4-1.
Currently in the preseason, the Lions’ men’s hockey team spends its time on the ice, practicing on a daily basis and playing non-conference games with Ontario University Athletics competitors.
Dennis, who has previously served as an assistant coach to the Toronto Maple Leafs and became the head coach of the Lions in June, is keenly aware of the strengths of his team. “I would say that we are a very deep team,” he says. “We have a lot of talent in every position. We have a tremendous work ethic, and a very tight-knit group, and a group that wants to get better.”
As for his team’s goals in this upcoming season, Dennis says that they would like to make the playoffs and “do some damage” in the postseason, but that this goal is not at the top of his agenda. “Where we finish and how we do that is secondary to just getting better and becoming the best team we can be.”
“It’s a good league and there are a lot of good teams, so it’s not going to be easy.” He plans to prepare his team to tackle any obstacles they may face by paying attention to detail and working out off the ice to stay as healthy as possible.
The Lions’ men’s hockey team’s season officially kicks off on October 10, when they face the Laurier Golden Hawks in Waterloo.
Hassam Munir, Sports and Health Editor
