Matt Dionne | Sports and Health Editor
Featured image: The women’s hockey team may be out, but the men have secured a spot in the first round of the playoffs. | Courtesy of York Lions
As the hockey season draws near to the end, the women wave goodbye to their chance at the playoffs while kicking Laurier butt on the ice.
The men’s and women’s hockey teams had three games between them this weekend.
The men played their last game of the regular season, while the women will wrap up their season next weekend on the road.
The women’s first game was Saturday against Queen’s. The Golden Gaels opened the scoring in the first near the halfway mark to take a 1-0 lead. Exactly one minute later, they found the back of the net again to add some insurance to their lead.
The second period was scoreless, but it wasn’t for lack of trying. The Lionesses peppered the Queen’s goalie with 10 shots in the frame. However, they were unable to capitalize on their chances.
York continued their offensive onslaught in the third, taking nine shots to Queen’s four, but it was the Golden Gaels who found the back of the net, courtesy of Hailey Wilson’s empty-netter.
Queen’s goalie Stephanie Pascal stopped all 25 Lioness shots in the 3-0 victory.
The men’s final game of the season was on Friday against Royal Military College, or RMC. The Lions were looking to end their two-game losing streak and start the playoffs on a high note.
Both goalies played well in the first, with the RMC goalie stopping all 11 of York’s shots, while Mack Shields stopped all eight RMC shots.
In the second period, it was the Lions who opened the scoring, as they jumped out to a two-goal lead courtesy of Trevor Peterson and Colton Vannucci, who scored 11 seconds apart.
Five minutes into the third, an RMC power-play goal cut into the York lead, but the Lions’ Daniel Nikandrov quickly answered. Under a minute later, RMC once again cut the lead to just one. With only seven minutes left in the game, York once again extended their lead to two goals, courtesy of Derek Sheppard.
With three minutes left, York put the game out of reach with their fifth goal of the game for a 5-2 final score.
The Lionesses were looking to snap their four-game losing streak against Laurier on Sunday.
The first period was scoreless, despite a combined 19 shots from the two teams. However, the Lionesses drew first blood in the second, courtesy of Erin Locke.
Six minutes later, Locke netted her second goal of the game, a shorthanded marker assisted by Taylor Davison and Tegan Duncan. York wasn’t done there either, as they would add their third goal of the game under a minute later, another shorthanded goal, this time courtesy of Justine Treadwell.
York would put the game away in the third, netting their fourth goal of the game courtesy of Amy Locke, assisted by Rianna Langford and Lauren Cavarzan for the 4-0 final score.
With the wins, the Lions have officially locked up the second seed in the Ontario University Athletics West and will play Lakehead in the first round of the playoffs, which starts February 15. The women have officially been eliminated from the playoffs, but still have two more games next Friday and Saturday against Nipissing and Laurentian, at 4:30 p.m. and 3:50 p.m., respectively.
