W-HOCKEY PLAYOFF ROUNDUP: Varsity Blues force Game 3 with win against Gryphons
The University of Toronto Varsity Blues women's hockey team forced a Game 3 with a 2-1 victory over the Guelph Gryphons on Friday night (Feb. 27) at Varsity Arena.
Friday, February 27
Guelph 1 @ Toronto 2 (Series tied 1-1)
The University of Toronto Varsity Blues women's hockey team forced a Game 3 with a 2-1 victory over the Guelph Gryphons on Friday night (Feb. 27) at Varsity Arena.
The two teams head back to Guelph for Game 3 this Sunday afternoon (March 1) at 2 p.m.
After a scoreless first period, rookie forward Kassandra Roache opened the scoring, notching her second of the post season 2:51 into the second.
The Gryphons evened the score six minutes later as Kaitlin Lowy buried a centering pass from Kaitlyn Mora.
U of T went ahead late in the second when Katherine Gale fed first-year forward Becki Bowering the puck for a partial breakaway. The Toronto native was denied on her first attempt but quickly whacked in the rebound for the eventual game-winner.
Toronto held off a 6-on-4 opportunity for the Gryphons late in the third period and fifth-year netminder Nicole Kesteris posted 14 saves in the victory.
Western 5 @ Laurier 4 (2OT)(Western wins series 2-0)
The Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks women's hockey team was eliminated from the OUA playoffs on Friday night as they lost Game 2 of their best-of-three OUA Semifinal series 5-4 in double overtime to the Western Mustangs at the Waterloo Recreation Complex.
In what was a wild game that saw four lead changes, Tia Kipfer of Stratford, Ont., was the hero for Western as she deflected home a Katelyn Gosling (London, Ont.) point shot six and a half minutes into the second overtime period to end the season for the purple and gold.
"I thought we bounced back very nicely from game number one," said head coach Rick Osborne after the game. "I think we had them on the ropes earlier but that speaks to the parity in the OUA this year. It's probably the best parity I've seen in awhile. One weird bounce decided the series. Western was the best team during the regular season and they become a great team when their goalie puts on the performances she does. Hats off to them and best of luck to them moving forward representing the OUA [at the CIS Championship]."
The Mustangs also got goals in regulation from Sydney Kidd of Sundridge, Ont., who scored twice, Kendra Broad of Petrolia, Ont., and Casey Rosen of Toronto.
Replying for the Golden Hawks was Danelle Im of Toronto, who scored twice, as well as Dollee Meigs of Owen Sound, Ont., and Tammy Freiburger of Wingham, Ont.
Kelly Campbell of St. Thomas, Ont., picked up the win for Western as she stopped 33 of the 37 shots she faced.
Amanda Smith of Burlington, Ont., took the loss for Laurier as she made 15 saves in relief of rookie Nicholle Kovachof Schomberg, Ont., who made her first career playoff start. Schomberg stopped 12 shots in the game before being replaced by Smith late in the second period.
From the opening minute of play, it was clear that the game was going to be thrilling. Just 23 seconds in, Kidd banged home a loss puck through Kovach to give her team the lead. However, just 17 seconds later, Im scored her first of the contest beating Campbell to quickly even the score at one.
The goal seemed to lift the Hawks as they continued to press the Mustangs defence with their speed. That quickness would result in the second goal as Meigs corralled the puck behind the goal line before beating her defender to the front of the net and backhanding it past Campbell to give the Hawks a 2-1 lead.
Four minutes later, Im stole the puck off the Mustangs defence before hurtling a defender at centre ice to break in all-alone on Campbell. She made a quick move to her forward and slid the puck through Campbell's legs to give her team a 3-1 lead.
"Immer's got sick hands when she uses them," commented co-captain Laura Brooker of Fergus, Ont., on the skill of her teammates. "She's played amazing and I'm so happy to have played with both of those girls. Dollee will become a great player for this team. She's proved herself since first year so look out for her."
That lead would carry into the second period but the Mustangs showed they were not going to roll over easy.
The top-ranked team in the OUA during the regular season quickly cut the lead in half as Broad beat Kovach up over the shoulder from the bottom of the faceoff circle making the score 3-2.
Laurier continued to push the pace offensively but it was Western who continued to capitalize on their chances. Five and a half minutes before the end of the second, Kidd roofed her second of the game to tie the contest at three after a loose puck fell to her in the slot. Then, two minutes later, Rosen streaked in down the wing and fired a shot that trickled through Kovach's arm to give Western a 4-3.
Following the goal, Osborne went back to his Game 1 starter in Smith and the move sparked the purple and gold. Less than a minutes after Rosen's goal, Freiburger flicked a backhand past Campbell to send the team's into the dressing room tied at four.
In the third, the two teams settled into the game as neither looked to give up the next goal. The best chances in the third belonged to the Mustangs but Smith stood her ground and for the second time in four games, the Hawks were headed to overtime.
The opening period of extra time belonged to Laurier. They outshot Western 6-1 in the 10-minute period but could not find a way past Campbell.
"I thought the first 10 minutes was our chance to win this game tonight," said Osborne of the first overtime period. "I thought we really carried the play and the puck was around their net. We had a three-on-two right off the bat that [Jessie] Hurrell just missed finding a space to bury the puck."
That would prove costly as the Mustangs bounced back in double overtime before finding the winner off the stick of Tipfer, sending Western to the OUA Championship.
With the Hawks season coming to an end, so does the career of some of the best to ever suit up for Laurier. Brooker and Freiburger both played in their final game for the purple and gold and finish as two of the leading scorers all-time in the program. Brooker ends her career ranked second all-time in points with 128 while Freiburger also eclipsed 100 points in her career, finishing with 105.
"Brooker and Freiburger are two of the all-time greats in our school history," stated Osborne about his two graduating fifth year players. "They went through lots of ups-and-downs with me. You can see how good they are as players, that's obvious, but they are great people too. I'm proud to call them my friends as they walk out the door here and they'll be etched in those record books of our program for a long time."
"Words can't describe wearing the jersey," added Brooker on what her career with Laurier has meant to her. "Being captain two years in a row, and being co-captain with [Blair] Connelly, was even better, like a dream come true because we're both best friends. It was great to be able to do this with her and the team. But every year it's a new team and they're my family no matter what."
Im, as well as forward Megan Howe of Stratford, Ont., also played their final game with Laurier while Hurrell andErika Kiviaho of Whitefish, Ont., are question marks as to whether they'll return for another season.
Wednesday, February 25
Gryphons take series opener versus top seeded Windsor
Guelph, ON - Wednesday night at the Gryphon Centre the University of Guelph women's hockey team won 3-2 in double overtime to win Game 1 of their OUA semifinal, best-of-three series with the Toronto Varsity Blues. Kelly Gribbons (Port Elgin, ON) scored the overtime winner, her second OT winner of the 2015 playoffs.
The OUA Semi-Final between the No. 5 nationally ranked Guelph Gryphons and the No. 10 nationally ranked Toronto Varsity Blues started off in typical playoff fashion; both teams were feeling the other out, with scoring chances few and far between. Gryphons third year forward Christine Grant (Mississauga, ON) had the best chance of the period when she got the puck in the slot and ripped a slap shot high of Toronto goalie Nicole Kesteris (Aurora, ON). Both teams would manage eight shots a piece in the frame, and went to the dressing room tied 0-0.
The second period is where the action would start to pick up. Early in the second, forward Alana Sims would corral a bouncing puck behind the Toronto defenders and got a mini break away. Kesteris would show poke check and Sims tried to slide the puck underneath her, but Kesteris got her pad down in time to stop the puck. Moments later at the other end, Amanda Ricker (Ottawa, ON) would open the scoring as the Varsity Blues took a 1-0 lead. The Blues would double their lead later in the second period as Taylor Day (Ilderton, ON) tipped a point shot over Stephanie Nehring (Oshawa, ON) to make it 2-0 Toronto. Needing a spark on home ice, the Gryphons would turn to newly converted forward Leigh Shilton who would put the puck past Kesteris to get the Gryphons on the board. After 40 minutes of play, Toronto held a slim 2-1 lead heading to the third period.
It was all Guelph to start the final period, generating one scoring chance after another. However, Kesteris stood tall in the U of T net as the Varsity Blues were able to maintain their 2-1 lead until late in the period. With 3:30 left in the game, the Gryphons would finally find the equalizer Christine Grant would tie the game up for the Gryphons when the puck laid on the ice in a scramble and she was able to snap it home into the back of the net. The teams would end the period in a tie, as for the third time in as many playoff games, the Gryphons would need overtime to find a winner.
In the first overtime period, the Gryphons were unable to take advantage of a power play opportuntiy, as some strong play by Toronto's penalty kill unit kept things tied at 2-2. After a full intermission, the second overtime period would get underway with Guelph continuing to apply the pressure. With eight minutes gone in the frame, Gryphons forward Kelly Gribbons would get the puck in front of the net and make no doubt about it, sniping the puck into the back of the net to complete the comeback for the Gryphons. For Gribbons, it adds to an already memorable postseason as the second year forward also scored the overtime winner in Guelph's OUA quarterfinal Game 1 win over Ryerson. Stephanie Nehring (Oshawa, ON) turned away 22 of the 24 shots sent her way for the win. Christine Grant (1 G, 1 A) and Jessica Pinkerton (2 A) both finished with multi-point nights.
With the victory on Wednesday night, the Gryphons now sit just one win shy of qualifying for the CIS Championships in Calgary (March 12-15) and advancing to the OUA Final. Game 2 between the Gryphons and Varsity Blues is scheduled for Friday night at 7:30pm in Toronto.
Source: Guelph Gryphons
Golden Hawks eliminate Mustangs in close contest at Alumni Hall
LONDON, Ont. (February 25, 2015) - The Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks women's hockey team lost Game 1 of their best-of-three OUA Semifinal series 3-1 to the No. 3 Western Mustangs on Wednesday night at Thompson Arena.
Special teams proved to be a difference maker in the opening game of the series as the Mustangs converted on two of their six powerplay opportunities while the purple and gold didn't muster a goal on their six chances.
Sydney Kidd of Sundridge, Ont., and Brittany Clapham of Tottenham, Ont., both scored tallies with the extra skater for Western while Stacey Scott of London, Ont., scored the eventual game-winning goal late in the second period.
Dollee Meigs of Owen Sound, Ont., replied as the lone goal scorer for the Hawks.
Despite the score line, Laurier carried much of the offensive play as they outshot the host Mustangs 27 to 21 on the evening. However, they were only able to get one puck past Western goalie Kelly Campbell of St. Thomas, Ont., who stopped 26 shots for the win.
Hawks netminder Amanda Smith of Burlington, Ont., took the loss for Laurier as she made 18 saves in the contest.
The opening period of the game was a parade to the penalty box for both teams. At one point during the first period, the Hawks found themselves with four players in the box, giving the Mustangs an extended 5-on-3 advantage. However, Laurier kept them off the scoreboard to keep the game scoreless.
Later in the opening period, the Hawks got their opportunity as the Mustangs took four straight penalties of their own, all to veteran forward Ally Galloway of Kitchener, Ont. However, like Western earlier, Laurier couldn't find the back of the net and the two teams headed to the first intermission tied at zero.
The second period was a different story as the teams combined to score three goals while only taking three penalties between them. First up, Meigs converted on a 3-on-1 break for her first career playoff goal giving her team the 1-0 lead.
Western would respond six minutes later off the stick of Kidd and before the period was out, Scott beat Smith to give the hometown team a 2-1 advantage after 40 minutes.
Needing a strong start to the third if they were to rally, the opposite happened for Laurier as an early penalty put them a skater down and Western capitalized. Clapham converted just 13 seconds into the powerplay to give her team some much-needed insurance.
Laurier would press to get back into the game firing nine shots at Campbell in the third but were denied every time, giving Western a 1-0 edge in the series.
The Hawks will now head home for Game 2 Friday night, February 27, where they will look to keep their season alive and force a Game 2 back in London on Sunday. Puck drop for Game 2 is set for 7:30 p.m. at the Waterloo Recreation Complex.
Source: Laurier Golden Hawks
