Uzodinma Ukagwu | Sports Editor
Featured image courtesy of YorkU Lions
The men’s hockey team pulled out all the stops at Canlan Ice Sports to defeat the Waterloo Warriors on Friday by a score of 5-4. Then, on Monday, they visited U of T, their cross-town rivals, losing 6-1.
The women’s home game against Queens on Saturday was postponed, but they hosted UOIT on Sunday, losing 4-1.
The men’s game on Friday was a barnburner, as both teams displayed excellent offensive prowess. The Lions started strongly, taking a 3-1 lead by the end of the first period.
Reid Jackman opened the scoring for the Lions in the third minute. Though Waterloo scored five minutes later to tie the game at 1-1, the Lions dug deep, scoring twice towards the end of the period, first courtesy of Justin Maiolino in the 13th minute, and Scott Feser in the 14th.
The Lions got the second period underway with a fourth goal courtesy of Ben Verrall. Waterloo attempted to kick-start a comeback by scoring two goals in the second, but the Lions made their task more difficult by scoring once more at the end of the period, this time courtesy of Alex Mowbray, to regain their two-goal lead.
Waterloo pressed the Lions in the third, drawing to within one, but the Lions held on to complete the 5-4 victory. Goalie Mack Shields proved crucial in the win, stopping 46 of 50 shots.
On the other hand, the women’s game against the UOIT Ridgebacks on Sunday saw the Lions struggle, losing 4-1.
The Ridgebacks started strong, scoring near the midway point in the first. The Lions then replied with a goal of their own in the second period with a little over five minutes to go, knotting things up at one.
UOIT, however, put the game to bed in the third, snuffing out the Lions hopes with three unanswered goals en route to the 4-1 victory.
The Lions men struggled against U of T on Monday, eventually losing 6-1.
The Blues scored the first two goals early in the first period. The Lions thought they would finish the first period on a high when Sal Filice scored with just over a minute remaining, but U of T scored a beautiful short-handed goal with 26 seconds left to take a 3-1 lead into the first intermission.
Toronto continued to dominate the game, scoring two goals in the second period and one goal in the third, to win 6-1.
Both Lions teams are back in action next weekend on the road against the Windsor Lancers. The men play on Friday, at 7.30 p.m., while the women play on Saturday, at 4 p.m. Then, on Sunday, the men will be hosting the Brock Badgers at Canlan Ice Sports at 7 p.m.
