March 2, 2010
GOLDEN HAWKS, GRYPHONS AGAIN FOR OUA WOMEN'S HOCKEY TITLE
HAMILTON, Ont. - Are sequels better than the original?
Ontario University Athletics (OUA) women's hockey fans sure hope so, as the No. 2 nationally-ranked Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks tangle with the Guelph Gryphons in the OUA championship series.
It is the second straight season these teams will star in the OUA final. Playing the role of Goliath are the Golden Hawks, six-time defending OUA champions. Laurier is one overtime loss short of perfection this year with an overall record of 28-0-1 against OUA competition. Playing the role of David are the Gryphons; not quite a Cinderella story with a record of 17-10-3 but 3-0 in the post-season to advance to the championship series.
If it sounds vaguely familiar to last season, it is. The Golden Hawks were 28-1-0 in 2008-09, but were forced to go the distance against the Gryphons in the 2009 final after Guelph upset Laurier 3-2 in Game 1 at Sun Life Financial Arena in Waterloo, Ont. The Golden Hawks battled back for a 2-1 road victory in Game 2, followed by a 3-2 victory on home ice in the deciding game. The Gryphons held a 1-0 lead through two periods in Game 3, before the Golden Hawks poured it on with three straight goals. A late Guelph marker was not enough, as Laurier escaped with the OUA banner.
All pucks must get through OUA player of the year Liz Knox (Stouffville, Ont.) for the Gryphons to have a chance at the upset. The Laurier goaltender has allowed just one goal in 120 playoff minutes this year as the Golden Hawks swept their best-of-three semifinal series against the Windsor Lancers with 6-0 and 2-1 victories. Windsor was the only team to hand Laurier a loss in 2009-10 in the regular season finale. Knox stopped 40 of 41 shots against the Lancers for a save percentage of .976. Guelph goaltender Danielle Skoufranis (Thornhill, Ont.) also has a playoff shutout to her credit with a .915 save percentage and a 2.00 goals against average. Guelph defeated Toronto 1-0 in a sudden-death OUA quarter-final before sweeping the No. 7 Queen's Gaels in the semifinal by scores of 7-4 and 5-2.
The Gryphons pack an offensive punch that may be hard to stop. Forward Jessica Zerafa (Mississauga, Ont.) leads all OUA players with seven points this post-season with two goals and five assists. Teammate Erin Small (Pickering, Ont.) has six points and leads all playoff scorers with three goals. Left winger Tamara Bell (Guelph, Ont.) has two goals and two assists. The trio are 1-2-3 among OUA players in points this post-season, albeit with one extra game played.
Golden Hawks forwards Candice Styles (Orangeville, Ont.) and Katherine Shirriff (Carrying Place, Ont.) both lead the team in playoff goals with a pair each against the Lancers. Styles is the 2010 OUA rookie of the year, and will play in her first OUA championship series.
The Golden Hawks swept all three games they played against the Gryphons in the regular season, winning by one goal in each game. Laurier won at Guelph 1-0 on Oct. 25, 3-2 at Laurier on Nov. 21 and 2-1 at Guelph on Jan. 31.
Game 1 of the OUA championship will take place at the Sun Life Financial Arena in Waterloo, Ont. on Thursday starting at 7:30 p.m. Game 2 is scheduled for the Gryphon Arena in Guelph, Ont. on Saturday with a 2 p.m. puck drop. Game 3 if necessary will return to the Sun Life Financial Arena on Sunday beginning at 7:30 p.m.
The winner advances to the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) women's ice hockey championship at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, N.S. from March 11-14.
ABOUT ONTARIO UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
Ontario University Athletics (OUA) and its 19 member institutions are developing Champions For Life. Giving 9,000 student-athletes the opportunity to excel academically and on the playing field, while preparing for life after university. For more information, visit OUA.ca.
Ontario University Athletics (OUA) women's hockey fans sure hope so, as the No. 2 nationally-ranked Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks tangle with the Guelph Gryphons in the OUA championship series.
It is the second straight season these teams will star in the OUA final. Playing the role of Goliath are the Golden Hawks, six-time defending OUA champions. Laurier is one overtime loss short of perfection this year with an overall record of 28-0-1 against OUA competition. Playing the role of David are the Gryphons; not quite a Cinderella story with a record of 17-10-3 but 3-0 in the post-season to advance to the championship series.
If it sounds vaguely familiar to last season, it is. The Golden Hawks were 28-1-0 in 2008-09, but were forced to go the distance against the Gryphons in the 2009 final after Guelph upset Laurier 3-2 in Game 1 at Sun Life Financial Arena in Waterloo, Ont. The Golden Hawks battled back for a 2-1 road victory in Game 2, followed by a 3-2 victory on home ice in the deciding game. The Gryphons held a 1-0 lead through two periods in Game 3, before the Golden Hawks poured it on with three straight goals. A late Guelph marker was not enough, as Laurier escaped with the OUA banner.
All pucks must get through OUA player of the year Liz Knox (Stouffville, Ont.) for the Gryphons to have a chance at the upset. The Laurier goaltender has allowed just one goal in 120 playoff minutes this year as the Golden Hawks swept their best-of-three semifinal series against the Windsor Lancers with 6-0 and 2-1 victories. Windsor was the only team to hand Laurier a loss in 2009-10 in the regular season finale. Knox stopped 40 of 41 shots against the Lancers for a save percentage of .976. Guelph goaltender Danielle Skoufranis (Thornhill, Ont.) also has a playoff shutout to her credit with a .915 save percentage and a 2.00 goals against average. Guelph defeated Toronto 1-0 in a sudden-death OUA quarter-final before sweeping the No. 7 Queen's Gaels in the semifinal by scores of 7-4 and 5-2.
The Gryphons pack an offensive punch that may be hard to stop. Forward Jessica Zerafa (Mississauga, Ont.) leads all OUA players with seven points this post-season with two goals and five assists. Teammate Erin Small (Pickering, Ont.) has six points and leads all playoff scorers with three goals. Left winger Tamara Bell (Guelph, Ont.) has two goals and two assists. The trio are 1-2-3 among OUA players in points this post-season, albeit with one extra game played.
Golden Hawks forwards Candice Styles (Orangeville, Ont.) and Katherine Shirriff (Carrying Place, Ont.) both lead the team in playoff goals with a pair each against the Lancers. Styles is the 2010 OUA rookie of the year, and will play in her first OUA championship series.
The Golden Hawks swept all three games they played against the Gryphons in the regular season, winning by one goal in each game. Laurier won at Guelph 1-0 on Oct. 25, 3-2 at Laurier on Nov. 21 and 2-1 at Guelph on Jan. 31.
Game 1 of the OUA championship will take place at the Sun Life Financial Arena in Waterloo, Ont. on Thursday starting at 7:30 p.m. Game 2 is scheduled for the Gryphon Arena in Guelph, Ont. on Saturday with a 2 p.m. puck drop. Game 3 if necessary will return to the Sun Life Financial Arena on Sunday beginning at 7:30 p.m.
The winner advances to the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) women's ice hockey championship at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, N.S. from March 11-14.
– OUA –
ABOUT ONTARIO UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
Ontario University Athletics (OUA) and its 19 member institutions are developing Champions For Life. Giving 9,000 student-athletes the opportunity to excel academically and on the playing field, while preparing for life after university. For more information, visit OUA.ca.
