November 30, 2022
Takeaways | November fades away as Laurier men hit top form
Toronto, Ont. - Did someone turn the OUA hockey season on fast-forward? Suddenly, it's already the end of November, with just a couple of games to go for every team until the holiday break.
It may be too early to start talking about playoffs, but at this point, it is becoming clear which teams may be in that conversation.
Let's take a look back at the week that was.
WHKY: Waterloo finally shows weakness
After opening the 2022-23 season with a nine-game winning streak, the Waterloo Warriors have now lost three in a row, including a pair of games this past weekend. The losing streak has seen the Warriors slip out of first place in the OUA, and their lead on the OUA West division dwindle to just a single point over the Windsor Lancers.
The biggest reason for the sudden skid for the Warriors? Scoring. Tatum James and Leah Herrfort, at one point the top two scorers in the conference, have combined for a single point in the Warriors' three losses, as after 29 goals in their first 11 games, Waterloo has put up just three in their last three.
The other piece to throw the Warriors through a loop? The loss of Mikayla Schnarr. The veteran keeper left the Warriors' game against the Guelph Gryphons on November 18 with an injury and has not played since, putting the starting reigns firmly in the hands of rookie Kara Mark.
After ending the previous weekend with Mark starting in a 1-0 loss to the Brock Badgers, Waterloo began the weekend with a home matchup against the Western Mustangs on November 25. The Warriors began the evening well as Kassidy McCarthy opened the scoring 80 seconds in, but just two minutes later, Kennedy Ward evened things up for Western.
It was more of the same in the second period as Keira Raitt gave Waterloo the 2-1 lead five minutes in, but the Mustangs tied it up late thanks to Adeline Kristoff. Ultimately, Madelaine DesRosiers picked up the winner for Western with three and a half minutes to play before Hayley Kirkpatrick added the empty net goal in a 4-2 Western victory.
Waterloo then travelled to Toronto for a Saturday night matchup with the Varsity Blues. Similar to the previous night, Waterloo started strong, with Lauren Bell opening the scoring late in the first, but once again, the Warriors failed to hold the lead. Katy McKenna evened things up ten seconds into the second period before Kaitlin McKnight picked up the eventual game-winner with 90 seconds to play in the middle frame as the Blues hung on for the 2-1 win.
The win moved Toronto to 27 points and leapfrogged them over Nipissing for the top spot in the OUA East and the conference overall. Waterloo now closes its fall semester on the road as they head to York on December 2 before taking a trip to Canada Games Park for a rematch with the Badgers the next night.
WHKY: Nipissing Lakers are the comeback kids against Queen's
As the semester nears its end, the Nipissing Lakers entered the last weekend of November as hot as can be. Amid a seven-game homestand, the Lakers picked up wins in the first two games before dropping a 3-1 decision against York on November 4. Since then, though, the Lakers won four straight games, including three consecutive shutouts.
With that, the Lakers travelled to Queen's for a two-game set with the Gaels on November 26 and 27. The visitors started their matchup on Saturday night in unusual fashion. They first saw their shutout streak of over 220 minutes get snapped by Sarah Campbell with four seconds left in the first period. After tying the game early in the second, though, three Queen's goals in eight minutes left the Lakers down 4-1 just over halfway through the game.
Nipissing refused to give up, though, as Madison Stitt cut the game to 4-2 with three minutes to go in the second before Lana Duriez made it 4-3 five minutes into the third. Finally, Maggie McKee sent it to overtime with the tying goal to make it 4-4 with 1:40 to play. In the end, it was Alyson Reeves who spoiled the comeback bid by winning it 40 seconds into extra time for the Gaels.
Things looked remarkably similar the following afternoon aside from one key difference. Once again, the Lakers struggled early as Rebecca Thompson, Sophia Hudson, and Scout Watkins-Southward helped make it 3-1 for the Gaels after the first period.
There was no scoring in the second, but the Dominico sisters took over for Nipissing in the third. Mallory Dominico opened the scoring with a shorthanded goal three minutes into the period to make it 3-2 before Maria Dominico tied it up with her fourth of the season with just 1:12 to play.
In a second-straight overtime result, Maria Dominico's second of the game gave the Lakers the 4-3 win. Nipissing left the weekend with three of four points thanks to a pair of comebacks and now sit second in the OUA East division, a point back of Toronto.
Nipissing wraps up their fall schedule with a trip to Brock on December 2 before heading to face the Gryphons in Guelph the following night.
MHKY: Windsor snaps Toronto's win streak
All winning streaks must come to an end, and that's what happened for the Toronto Varsity Blues men's hockey team on Sunday, as they fell 2-1 to the Windsor Lancers in a matchup that saw both team's characteristics cancelling each other out.
The two played the first period at a breakneck pace, posting a combined 31 shots and scoring three goals. Yet, the period was a microcosm of both teams' recent success, with Jett Alexander looking confident in Toronto's goal and Nathan Torchia dominating at the other end.
The opening goal from Barrett Dachyschyn came from consistent offensive zone pressure, but it was a swift move from Mason Kohn to cut inside and score the 2-1 goal, the eventual winner.
Meanwhile, Toronto did a good job of isolating shots to the outside and not forcing significant saves onto Alexander, yet their only goal came from a Billy Moskal counterattack. The goal, albeit pretty, was a result of Toronto being hemmed into their zone, abandoning the offensive pressure that had suited them well through the win streak.
With the win, the Lancers move into second in the OUA West, a point behind the TMU Bold, while Toronto falls into third and look towards a December 2 clash with Waterloo.
MHKY: Laurier caps off stellar November
The Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks could not have dreamt of a much better November. They beat Waterloo and Guelph this weekend to round out a month that saw them lose just twice, as they continue to thrive under interim head coach Kevin Forrest.
After switching coaches from Greg Puhalski to Forrest in the summer, the Golden Hawks have looked like a reinvigorated group and are just one win shy of their total from last season.
While the wins have been coming quickly, the offence has been flowing for the Golden Hawks, as they've created the 11th most chances per game in all of U SPORTS, per InStat, but just eighth most in the OUA.
The scoring has been spread out among the roster as well, as Laurier is able to pretty much roll their complete lines and get offensive production from all aspects of their roster. Although Evan Benwell, Caleb Rich, and Sam Rhodes lead the team with nine points apiece, there are 12 players with at least half a point per game.
Many of the same characteristics that brought the Brock Badgers success last season are reflected in Laurier's play this season, so it's not surprising to see the Golden Hawks find such quick success in the first half and through November. In fact, they could be on pace for one of their best seasons ever.
It may be too early to start talking about playoffs, but at this point, it is becoming clear which teams may be in that conversation.
Let's take a look back at the week that was.
WHKY: Waterloo finally shows weakness
After opening the 2022-23 season with a nine-game winning streak, the Waterloo Warriors have now lost three in a row, including a pair of games this past weekend. The losing streak has seen the Warriors slip out of first place in the OUA, and their lead on the OUA West division dwindle to just a single point over the Windsor Lancers.
The biggest reason for the sudden skid for the Warriors? Scoring. Tatum James and Leah Herrfort, at one point the top two scorers in the conference, have combined for a single point in the Warriors' three losses, as after 29 goals in their first 11 games, Waterloo has put up just three in their last three.
The other piece to throw the Warriors through a loop? The loss of Mikayla Schnarr. The veteran keeper left the Warriors' game against the Guelph Gryphons on November 18 with an injury and has not played since, putting the starting reigns firmly in the hands of rookie Kara Mark.
After ending the previous weekend with Mark starting in a 1-0 loss to the Brock Badgers, Waterloo began the weekend with a home matchup against the Western Mustangs on November 25. The Warriors began the evening well as Kassidy McCarthy opened the scoring 80 seconds in, but just two minutes later, Kennedy Ward evened things up for Western.
It was more of the same in the second period as Keira Raitt gave Waterloo the 2-1 lead five minutes in, but the Mustangs tied it up late thanks to Adeline Kristoff. Ultimately, Madelaine DesRosiers picked up the winner for Western with three and a half minutes to play before Hayley Kirkpatrick added the empty net goal in a 4-2 Western victory.
Waterloo then travelled to Toronto for a Saturday night matchup with the Varsity Blues. Similar to the previous night, Waterloo started strong, with Lauren Bell opening the scoring late in the first, but once again, the Warriors failed to hold the lead. Katy McKenna evened things up ten seconds into the second period before Kaitlin McKnight picked up the eventual game-winner with 90 seconds to play in the middle frame as the Blues hung on for the 2-1 win.
The win moved Toronto to 27 points and leapfrogged them over Nipissing for the top spot in the OUA East and the conference overall. Waterloo now closes its fall semester on the road as they head to York on December 2 before taking a trip to Canada Games Park for a rematch with the Badgers the next night.
WHKY: Nipissing Lakers are the comeback kids against Queen's
As the semester nears its end, the Nipissing Lakers entered the last weekend of November as hot as can be. Amid a seven-game homestand, the Lakers picked up wins in the first two games before dropping a 3-1 decision against York on November 4. Since then, though, the Lakers won four straight games, including three consecutive shutouts.
With that, the Lakers travelled to Queen's for a two-game set with the Gaels on November 26 and 27. The visitors started their matchup on Saturday night in unusual fashion. They first saw their shutout streak of over 220 minutes get snapped by Sarah Campbell with four seconds left in the first period. After tying the game early in the second, though, three Queen's goals in eight minutes left the Lakers down 4-1 just over halfway through the game.
Nipissing refused to give up, though, as Madison Stitt cut the game to 4-2 with three minutes to go in the second before Lana Duriez made it 4-3 five minutes into the third. Finally, Maggie McKee sent it to overtime with the tying goal to make it 4-4 with 1:40 to play. In the end, it was Alyson Reeves who spoiled the comeback bid by winning it 40 seconds into extra time for the Gaels.
Things looked remarkably similar the following afternoon aside from one key difference. Once again, the Lakers struggled early as Rebecca Thompson, Sophia Hudson, and Scout Watkins-Southward helped make it 3-1 for the Gaels after the first period.
There was no scoring in the second, but the Dominico sisters took over for Nipissing in the third. Mallory Dominico opened the scoring with a shorthanded goal three minutes into the period to make it 3-2 before Maria Dominico tied it up with her fourth of the season with just 1:12 to play.
In a second-straight overtime result, Maria Dominico's second of the game gave the Lakers the 4-3 win. Nipissing left the weekend with three of four points thanks to a pair of comebacks and now sit second in the OUA East division, a point back of Toronto.
Nipissing wraps up their fall schedule with a trip to Brock on December 2 before heading to face the Gryphons in Guelph the following night.
MHKY: Windsor snaps Toronto's win streak
All winning streaks must come to an end, and that's what happened for the Toronto Varsity Blues men's hockey team on Sunday, as they fell 2-1 to the Windsor Lancers in a matchup that saw both team's characteristics cancelling each other out.
The two played the first period at a breakneck pace, posting a combined 31 shots and scoring three goals. Yet, the period was a microcosm of both teams' recent success, with Jett Alexander looking confident in Toronto's goal and Nathan Torchia dominating at the other end.
The opening goal from Barrett Dachyschyn came from consistent offensive zone pressure, but it was a swift move from Mason Kohn to cut inside and score the 2-1 goal, the eventual winner.
Meanwhile, Toronto did a good job of isolating shots to the outside and not forcing significant saves onto Alexander, yet their only goal came from a Billy Moskal counterattack. The goal, albeit pretty, was a result of Toronto being hemmed into their zone, abandoning the offensive pressure that had suited them well through the win streak.
With the win, the Lancers move into second in the OUA West, a point behind the TMU Bold, while Toronto falls into third and look towards a December 2 clash with Waterloo.
MHKY: Laurier caps off stellar November
The Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks could not have dreamt of a much better November. They beat Waterloo and Guelph this weekend to round out a month that saw them lose just twice, as they continue to thrive under interim head coach Kevin Forrest.
After switching coaches from Greg Puhalski to Forrest in the summer, the Golden Hawks have looked like a reinvigorated group and are just one win shy of their total from last season.
While the wins have been coming quickly, the offence has been flowing for the Golden Hawks, as they've created the 11th most chances per game in all of U SPORTS, per InStat, but just eighth most in the OUA.
The scoring has been spread out among the roster as well, as Laurier is able to pretty much roll their complete lines and get offensive production from all aspects of their roster. Although Evan Benwell, Caleb Rich, and Sam Rhodes lead the team with nine points apiece, there are 12 players with at least half a point per game.
Many of the same characteristics that brought the Brock Badgers success last season are reflected in Laurier's play this season, so it's not surprising to see the Golden Hawks find such quick success in the first half and through November. In fact, they could be on pace for one of their best seasons ever.
