Emilie Miranda | Executive Editor, Online
Featured image: The Lions outscored the Thunderwolves 9-4 in back-to-back games. | Courtesy of York Lions
The Lions had a successful weekend on the ice, with the men taking back-to-back games against the Lakehead Thunderwolves and the women shutting out the UOIT Ridgebacks, before being shut out themselves by the Queen’s Gaels.
The men’s Friday night game started off with a power play goal for the Thunderwolves, after Kyle Campbell took a hooking penalty in early in the first.
Six minutes later, Campbell made up for the infraction by tying the game at one. However, the game didn’t stay tied for long, as the Thunderwolves scored just nine seconds after Campbell’s equalizer, and added another goal less than a minute later, to send the Lions into the first intermission down 3-1.
The second period saw more quick scoring; Scott Feser’s goal cut the lead to 3-2, but 20 seconds later the Thunderwolves answered, regaining their two-goal lead.
In the third, York outshot Lakehead 16-4 in the period, managing to tie the game on goals from Reid Jackman and Colton Vannucci to send the contest to overtime. York captain Shayne Rover put the game to bed with the winning goal, with less than 30 seconds to go in the extra frame.
Rover lead the team with three points in the game, and Mack Shields made 30 saves in the victory.
Saturday night saw an even better result for the men, who were once again facing the Thunderwolves on the road. Josh LaFrance opened the scoring five minutes in on what would be the only even-strength goal of the game.
With less than 20 seconds to go in the period, Morgan Messenger put up a short-handed goal, after Campbell took an interference penalty late to give York the 2-0 lead.
With five minutes to go in the second, Jackman gave the Lions yet another short-handed goal, after Dexter Bricker was called for slashing. In the last second of the game, Alex Mowbray scored an empty-netter for the 4-0 final score. Shields was solid in his second shutout in the last week, holding the Thunderwolves scoreless, despite facing 38 shots.
They currently sit second in the OUA West, six points back of the first-place Guelph Gryphons, with three games left in the regular season.
The women also saw success on Saturday, shutting out UOIT 2-0 in a low-shooting game. Both goals came in the second period, with first Christina Chin putting one past the Ridgebacks goalie two-and-a-half minutes into the period.
Kelsey McHolm extended the Lions lead less than five minutes later on a power-play goal.
Though York took six minor penalties in the game and were outshot 21-16, they were able to hold on for goalie Eva Hall’s first win of the season.
Unfortunately, Sunday saw the women fall 4-0 to the Gaels, their second time being shut out in their last three games. They’re currently 10th place in the OUA, well back of a playoff spot with only four games left on the season.
Next week the men will look to gain ground against the Gryphons at home on Friday, while the women take on the Western Mustangs at home on Saturday. The puck drops at 7 p.m. for both games.
