AROUND OUA: Gryphons edge Lakers in OT
The Nipissing Lakers women's hockey team stared down one of the top teams in the OUA and didn't blink and may have in fact deserved better, but in the end, came up short.
SCOREBOARD
The Nipissing Lakers women's hockey team stared down one of the top teams in the OUA and didn't blink and may have in fact deserved better, but in the end, came up short.
The Lakers welcomed the Guelph Gryphons to town for a matchup Saturday afternoon and despite twice coming back from one-goal deficits, lost 3-2 in overtime, as the Gryphons scored a power play goal early in the extra frame.
Nipissing recovered from a slow start which saw them fall behind 1-0 just over a minute into the game and while the play seemed even overall, the Gryphons held a huge advatnage on the shot clock thanks to a few power plays they were awareded early on.
Despite the shot disadvantage and playing a player down, the Lakers tied things up when Bronwyn Bolduc took a beautiful feed from Sam Strassburger and rifled the puck to the top of the net to tie the game 1-1 close to the midway point of the opening period.
The Gryphons would regain the lead with just under four minutes remaining in the period and took a 2-1 lead into the second.
In the second, the lone goal would come off the stick of Lakers forward Brooklyn Irwin who rifled a shot from the top of the circle that found its way to the back of the net.
Molly Sipprell did a nice job of holding the puck in at the line and got it to Irwin who made no mistake.
The score would stay 2-2 until overtime, when the Gryphons got a partial odd-man break and were able to solve Nipissing goalie Jackie Rochefort, who finished the game with 21 saves.
The Gryphons have now won six in a row, while the Lakers drop to 5-1-2 in their last eight contests.
Nipissing is back in action next weekend when they wrap up the first semester of play with a road trip to Toronto to face the Varsity Blues Friday and the Ryerson Rams Saturday.
Source: Nipissing Lakers
Lee earns shutout in victory over Rams
The York University Lions women's hockey team earned its third win of the season with a convincing 4-0 victory over the Ryerson Rams on Saturday afternoon (Nov. 21) at Canlan Ice Sports Arena.
It was a competitive and aggressive first period, but the Lions were able to capitalize off of two chances in front of net that gave them an early 2-0 lead.
The first goal was scored at 7:54 off of a slap shot sent in by Rianna Langford (Collingwood, Ont.) after the puck was circulated between Amy Locke (Toronto) and Chelsea Tucker (Alliston, Ont.).
The second goal came just seconds after at 8:19 from tricky puck-handling skills by Erin Locke (Toronto). Edging towards the net, Locke bought herself enough time to slide the puck past Rams goaltender Ally Sarna and extend the Lions' lead. Stephanie Dovaston (Unionville, Ont.) and Jenna Gray (London, Ont.) were credited with the assists.
Nothing could get past Lions goaltender Megan Lee (Orillia, Ont.), who played a phenomenal first period. With the help of Tucker, who smacked the puck clear of an open net midway through the action, the Lions were able to maintain the shutout heading into the first intermission.
In the second period the Lions upped the score to 3-0 off of a brilliant play from Langford and Sarah Laframboise (LaSalle, Ont.) at 8:18. After receiving the puck from Kristen Barbara (Mount Hope, Ont.), Langford rushed down the right flank of the ice and had enough patience to let the play develop and find Laframboise in the crease for a clinical short-handed goal.
The Lions kept the Rams pinned in their half for most of the third period and it wasn't long before they claimed their fourth goal of the game. After the puck was shared between Lauren Cavarzan (Hamilton, Ont.) and Tucker, Langford found herself alone in the slot and nailed the puck between the posts to round out the scoring.
Overall the Lions kept the Rams goalies very busy. Sarna and Alex Armstrong made a combined total of 24 saves, while Lee saved all of the 25 shots that were taken on her.
Currently the Lions are preparing to take on the No. 2 Toronto Varsity Blues on Sunday afternoon (Nov. 22). The game will be played at Canlan Ice Sports Arena and will begin at 2pm.
Source: York Lions
LaGamba, Sluys lift Warriors to fourth straight victory
The Warrior women's hockey team continued their hot play of late with their fourth straight victory and third on the road topping the Brock Badgers 1-0 in overtime on Saturday afternoon.
Paula LaGamba (Toronto) netted the overtime winner for the second straight game, 50 seconds into the period to lift Waterloo to victory. Rookie defenceman Hannah Street (Shoal Lake) and Marissa Redmond (Ajax) collected the helpers on the goal. The goal was LaGamba's seventh of the season which now leads the OUA and is third best in the nation. Overall LaGama is tied for fourth in OUA scoring with 10 points (7g, 3a).
Stephanie Sluys (Clinton) was strong in net for the black and gold stopping all 25 shots faced for her second shutout of the season and ninth as a Warrior in just two years of action. Sluys now boasts a .975 save percentage, the best in the OUA and is 2-2-0 in four appearances this season.
The Warriors will be back in action tomorrow afternoon, their final home game of the season as they battle rivals Laurier Golden Hawks at the CIF Arena at 2:30pm. It goes without saying this is a game that was circled on the calendar by former Golden Hawk LaGamba. The game can be seen live on OUA.tv.
Source: Waterloo Warriors
Big third period lifts UOIT to victory
OSHAWA, Ont. – Sam Forchielli (Hamilton, Ont.) had a career high four-point night to lead the UOIT women's hockey team to a 5-3 victory over the Windsor Lancers at the Campus Ice Centre.
The Ridgebacks would score four goals in the final twenty minutes to secure their first victory in five games. The four-goal period matched UOIT's entire offensive output during their four-game losing streak.
UOIT defender Natasha Tymcio (Caledon, Ont.) would end up scoring the game-winning goal on a Ridgeback power play six minutes into the third period. Earlier on the same power play, Windsor cut the lead to just one as veteran Erinn Noseworthy scored a shorthanded goal. Tymcio's goal was the first in her OUA career.
Thirty seconds following Tymcio's goal, Forchielli would cap off her four-point night with a breakaway goal, faking a slap shot and beating goaltender Marissa Kozovski with a backhanded shot blocker side.
Forchielli would set up the Ridgebacks first three goals of the game, with Jenna Carter (Whitby, Ont.), Shanelle Doucette (Bowmanville, Ont.) and Kassidy Nauboris (Brampton, Ont.) each lighting the lamp. Doucette's goal was also the first in her OUA career.
Cassie Charette (Ottawa, Ont.) made 30 stops for her first win of the season.
After starting the season 0-for-81 with the man advantage, UOIT has scored four power play goals in their past two games.
With the win, UOIT earns three big points in the standings as they move back into playoff contention. The Ridgebacks (3-1-7-0) trail the Laurentian Voyageurs (3-2-4-1) by three points for eighth place in the conference standings.
Up next for UOIT will be a road game on Friday as they take on the York Lions (2-1-5-1), who sit two points behind the Ridgebacks with two games in hand.
Source: UOIT Ridgebacks
Manoukarakis extends point streak to eight games in 4-1 loss to No. 5 Mustangs
KINGSTON, Ont. (November 21, 2015) - The Queen's Gaels (7-1-2-1) suffered their first home loss of the season at the hands of the No.5 Western Mustangs (8-0-3-0) by a score of 4-1 on Saturday night at the Memorial Centre in Kingston.
GAME FLOW
The Gaels were the first to get a scoring chance early on in the period. A point shot from Danelle Bishoff (Calgary) was deflected in front by a Gael but Mustang starting goaltender Kelly Campbell (St. Thomas, Ont.) was able to see it and turn the puck aside for the save. Only a few minutes later it was Western with their first real chance of the game as they broke in on a two on one, Kendra Broad was able to beat Gaels starting netminder Caitlyn Lahonen (Saskatoon) but she could not beat the post.
Western kept the pressure on the Queen's but it was Lahonen coming up big for the Gaels. A puck bounced in front to a Western forward for a wide open chance but Lahonen was able to push off to her left and make an incredible glove save keeping the game scoreless.
The Mustang special teams unit took over from there in the opening period as they struck on back-to-back opportunities. First, it was Broad redeeming herself firing a puck over the shoulder of Lahonen. Next, Western got a few lucky bounces and the puck found its way in off a Gael from behind the net to make it 2-0 for the Mustangs. Ali Beres got credit for the goal, her first of the season.
The Gaels got their first powerplay of the game early in the second period but could not muster any real scoring chances as Campbell held strong between the pipes.
The bounces continued to go the Mustangs way as Broad broke in down the left wing and fired a high shot that Lahonen saved but the puck bounced straight up and fell behind the Gaels goaltender hitting her back and falling into the net to give Western a 3-0 lead and Broad her second of the game.
The Gaels got on the board in the final period with a powerplay goal. Katrina Manoukarakis (Scarborough, Ont.) scored her sixth goal of the season off a tip in from a shot fired by Taryn Pilon (Peterborough, Ont.). Addi Halladay (North Augusta, Ont.) picked up the second helper on the goal.
It was too little too late for the Gaels as the Mustangs sealed a win with an empty net goal taking the game 4-1.
FINAL SAY
"I thought we played a pretty solid game," said head coach Matt Holmberg. "We didn't get any bounces and their powerplay was able to capitalize early which certainly gave them some life. Even after their third goal our players kept battling and there was no grumbling on the bench, everyone kept pushing until the final second. It just shows me we are amongst the leagues elite and hopefully next Friday we can return the favour."
BY THE NUMBERS
2 - 1st period powerplay goals for Western
5 - National ranking for the defending CIS Champion Mustangs
24 - Number of points this season for each team, tying them atop the OUA
8 - Game point streak for Manoukarakis. She has 13 points this season which is tops in the OUA
UP NEXT
The Gaels will travel to London for a rematch with the No.5 Mustangs next Friday night at 7pm.
Source: Queen's Gaels
