Uzodinma Ukagwu | Sports Editor
Featured Image: The Lions women lost 6-2 at U of T. | Courtesy of York Lions
The men’s and women’s hockey teams played two games each this weekend, but we’re unable to achieve their desired results, losing three of the four games.
On Friday, the women beat Queen’s. Then, on Saturday, both teams lost on the road; the women lost 6-2 against local rivals U of T, and the men lost 5-1 to Brock. The men also lost 2-1 to Ryerson at home on Sunday.
In the women’s victory against Queens on Friday, the Lions started slowly, with Queens scoring first near the halfway point in the first. The Lions, however, responded six minutes later when Brooke Anderson scored—slap shot on the power play, assisted by Jenna Grey and Kelsey McHolm, to tie the game at 1-1.
The Lions took control in the second period, scoring two more power play goals to lead 3-1. The first came at 6:42 when Courtney Gardiner scored on a fantastic solo effort. Kara Washer then scored the second seven minutes later, assisted by Cynthia St. Cyr and Erin Locke.
In the third, Locke scored a near the halfway point once again, assisted by Grey and Tayler Murphy to complete the Lions’ 4-1 rout of Queens.
The women’s next game was at U of T on Saturday. York’s Natalie Dean drew first blood for the Lions towards the end of the first, assisted by Washer and Ellen Donaldson.
The Blues wasted no time evening the score in the second, as they found the back of the net just 36 seconds in. The Lions, however, responded less than a minute later, restoring their one-goal lead, courtesy of Locke, assisted by Murphy and Washer.
The Blues took control of the game near the end of the second, scoring two more goals to lead 3-2 going into the final frame.
By the third, U of T’s dominance was clear as they scored three more goals to solidify the 6-2 W.
In the men’s game on Saturday, the Badgers opened the scoring seven minutes into the second, but the Lions responded less than three minutes later, tying the game up at 1-1, courtesy of Reid Jackman, assisted by Alex Mowbray and Sal Filice.
It was the Badger’s game from that point on, as the Lions offered little resistance, and Brock scored one goal in the second and three more in the third to complete their 5-1 victory.
On Sunday, home advantage failed to help the Lions, as they fell 2-1 to their cross-town rivals, the Ryerson Rams.
Ryerson scored the only goal of the first period 10 minutes in, to take a 1-0 lead.
In the second, Ryerson scored near the midway point once again, to double their lead. However, the Lions responded less than a minute later, courtesy of Peter De Coppi, assisted by Jack Goranson and Mark Wilson to cut the deficit to a single goal.
Unfortunately it wasn’t enough, as the Rams held on to a 2-1 lead, and escaped with the victory.
The men have now concluded their season, finishing seventh on the OUA West with a 2-8 record.
The Lions women sit eleventh in the OUA with a 5-5 record but play two more games next weekend. They visit Ryerson on Friday, and then host the Laurentian Voyageurs on Saturday. The puck drops at 7:15 p.m., and 7 p.m. respectively.
