Uzodinma Ukagwu | Sports Editor
Featured Image: The Lions men’s Saturday victory was their seventh win in eight games. | Courtesy of YorkU Lions
The Lions men’s hockey team replicated last weekend’s success, winning their fourth game in a row, with home wins over Windsor on Friday and Laurier on Saturday. The women, on the other hand, lost to Western on the road on Friday, and then at home to Brock on Sunday.
The men got off to a fantastic start in front of a raucous home crowd against the Windsor Lancers on Friday, taking a 2-0 lead in the first period. Lions’ defensemen Jack Goranson opened the scoring in the 2nd minute, assisted by Josh Harris and Alex Mowbray. Scott Feser doubled the lead with less than two minutes to go in the first period assisted, by Reid Jackman and Morgan Messenger. Lions’ goalie Mack Shields also made an incredible save in the closing seconds of the first to prevent a Lancers’ goal, and preserve the Lions’ two-goal lead.
Lions’ forward Daniel Nikandrov extended the lead in the 7th minute of the second period, assisted by Bradley Forrest and Jackman. The Lancers, however, replied with a goal of their own four minutes later to bring the score to 3-1.
Stefano Pezzetta added gloss to the Lions’ win with the fourth and final goal of the game early in the third period, assisted by Josh LaFrance, concluding a 4-1 victory for York.
The Lions men also won at home against the Laurier Golden Hawks on Saturday, howbeit by a closer, 4-3 margin. Feser opened the scoring on the powerplay in the 9th minute of the first period, assisted by Forrest.
LaFrance doubled the lead 43 seconds into the second period, again assisted by Forrest. Laurier scored in the 9th minute, but the Lions reclaimed their two-goal lead two minutes later when Forrest produced his third assist of the game on a Pezzetta goal, making the score 3-1.
Laurier’s Brandon Robinson scored two goals in the closing minutes of the second period to tie the game at 3-3, and set up a tense third period.
The Lions came out of the break searching for the winner, and they finally got it when Nik Coric scored off a slap shot in the 8th minute, securing a 4-3 victory for the Lions, their seventh win in their last eight games.
The women were in London on Friday to play the Western Mustangs. They fought hard but fell to the ‘Stangs in a 1-0 loss.
York goalie Lauren Dubie kept her team in the game, saving all 19 Laurier shots in the first period. The Lions then went on the offense in the second period, but were unable to score on any of their 11 shots.
The Mustangs scored the winner, and the only goal of the game, in the 11th minute of the third period to defeat the Lions.
On Sunday afternoon, York was back at home to face the Brock Badgers at Canlan Ice Sports. Unfortunately, home-ice advantage did little to help the Lions return to their winning ways, as they lost to the Badgers 6-3.
The first period was scoreless, but the Badgers came out strong in the second, scoring three quick goals in the first five minutes.
The Lions finally scored their first goal in the 15th minute of the second period, courtesy of Kelsey McHolm, but the Badgers responded less than a minute later to take a 4-1 lead.
The Lions attempted a comeback in the third period, scoring two goals through Steffei Samuels and Natalie Dean to cut Brock’s lead to 4-3. The Badgers, however, were not to be outdone, as they scored two more goals to finish with a 6-3 victory.
The women will be looking to revive their season on the road next weekend against Nipissing on Friday at 4:30 p.m., and Laurentian on Saturday at 4 p.m. The men will also hope to continue their good form when they visit Guelph on Thursday and U of T on Saturday.
The puck drops at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, while Saturday’s game starts at 7 p.m.
