The York men’s hockey team couldn’t keep up with Waterloo’s fast-paced game
This past Thursday, the Lions fell victim to the Waterloo Warriors in a third-period comeback that saw the Warriors gain momentum, and score six times in the final period to win the game 6-3.
In the first period, the Lions dominated the flow of the game, forcing the Warriors to make bad decisions in the neutral zone. At the 10:03 mark, a hooking penalty by York captain Jesse Messier gave the struggling Warriors the motivation they desperately needed.
But the problem of Andrew Perugini, York’s dependable net-minder, couldn’t be solved by the Warriors. This season, Perugini remains the only goaltender in the OUA to consistently start the game for his squad.
Jim Wells, Lions head coach, says he’s not worried about Perugini being burnt out if the Lions make a deep run in the playoffs.
Midway into the second, Waterloo’s Jeff Einhorn was sent to the box for high sticking. On the ensuing power play, Lions forward Tyler McGee deflected a shot from the point past Warriors goalie Keaton Hartigan, giving the Lions a 1-0 lead.
Minutes later, McGee capitalized on the momentum of his first goal, adding his second of the game, pulling the Lions ahead 2-0. With just two seconds on the clock, Warriors forward Brett Mackie was penalized for roughing, putting the Lions back on the power play to start the third period.
Lions forward Michael Santini took advantage of his opponent’s lack of discipline at the end of the second, tallying his 10th goal of the season just a minute into the third, putting the Lions up by three. Santini has scored nine goals in his last 10 games, and padded his stats with another goal against Waterloo.
“I think Santini adjusted and had a better understanding of the league, and he’s doing what he is supposed to do,” says Wells. “Michael was recruited to put points on the board, and he’s doing that.”
But this is where it all fell apart for the Lions. With 15 minutes remaining, the referees awarded Waterloo a goal that Perugini alleges was kicked in by Kirt Hill.
At the 16:08 mark, Waterloo’s Kain Allicock’s goal completed the Warriors’ comeback, tying the game at 3-3. A distraught York team scrambled to try and salvage the game, but back-to-back snipe jobs by Warrior forwards Colin Behenna and Riley Sonnenburg at the 18:09 and 18:53 marks respectively put the Lions to rest. The Warriors later added an empty net goal, bringing the final score to 6-3.
Wells was frustrated with his team’s third-period meltdown, saying, “Total mental breakdown in the third period. Key players let us down, my go-to guys didn’t win the battles and were outworked tonight.”
The Lions hit the ice again this Thursday, January 24, to take on the Guelph Gryphons in an away game.
By Ryan McCabe, Staff Writer
