SCOREBOARD

Guelph 2 @ UOIT 1

Waterloo 1 @ Ryerson 0

Nipissing 4 @ Windsor 2

York 1 @ Toronto 2

Laurier 1 @ Queen's 2

Laurentian 3 @ Western 2

Lowy scores twice to Lead Gryphs to 2-1 road win over UOIT

OSHAWA, ON - Third year winger Kaitlin Lowy scored twice on Saturday afternoon in Oshawa to lead the Gryphons to a 2-1 road win over the University of Oshawa Institute of Technology (UOIT) Ridgebacks in OUA women's hockey action. With the result, the No. 4-ranked Gryphons improve to 14-2-1 on the season while the Ridgebacks fall to 7-5-3.

The first-place Gryphons were given all they could handle from a tough UOIT team on Saturday. The Ridgebacks were riding a four-game win streak coming into the game. Included in that win streak for UOIT was a 4-3 shootout victory over the second-place Nipissing Lakers a week ago. After a scoreless opening period, the Gryphons would take a 1-0 lead at the 12:01 mark of the 2nd period thanks to an even strength goal from Kaitlin Lowy.

Lowy would score again 35 seconds into the final period to push the Guelph lead to 2-0. For Lowy, the goals were her team-leading 12th and 13th tallies of the season. The Toronto native is tied for 2nd amongst the OUA's leading scorers. UOIT was able to trim the lead to 2-1 at the 6:07 mark but were unable to find the equalizer after that as the Gryphs held on for the 2-1 win.

U of G goalie Valerie Lamenta made 25 saves for her 11th win on the season (11-3-0). The Gryphons have now won six straight games and nine of their last 10 overall. Saturday's game marked the first of a home-and-home with UOIT, with the Gryphons set to host the Ridgebacks next weekend (Saturday, Jan. 21) at the Gryphon Centre.

Source: Guelph Gryphons

Reimer picks up first career shutout, Redmond becomes all-time leading scorer in weekend action

A pair of women's hockey players had significant weekends for the Warriors as they went 1-1-0 in action with Ryerson and Queen's.  

On Saturday afternoon in Toronto, Waterloo blanked the Ryerson Rams 1-0 while netminder Taylor Reimer (Morden) picked up her first career shutout in the victory.  Reimer was solid, turning aside all 20 shots faced in the win. Amy Barnard (Cambridge) scored the lone goal in the contest at 14:14 of the second period while Hannah Street (Shoal Lake) collected the helper on the game winning goal.

On Sunday, Waterloo did not get the result they were looking for in an always tough road contest in Kingston against the Queen's Gaels.  The Warriors fell by a score of 5-2 but deserved better fate, outshooting the Gaels 26-16. 

Despite the loss, Marissa Redmond (Ajax) became the programs all-time leading scorer with a goal and an assist in the game, giving her a career total 77 points.  Redmond now has 29 goals and 48 assists in her five year career with the black and gold.

Barnard was the other Warrior to score in the game, her second in as many games.

Angela MacDonald (Kitchener) and Rachel Marriott (Waterloo) had some quality chances to get the Warriors back in the game throughout the third period but simply couldn't beat Gales keeper Stephanie Pascal.

The Warriors are now in a tied for third spot in the OUA with Toronto, both at 29 points while Queen's is nipping at their heels with 28 points.

Waterloo's next game comes on Saturday at the CIF as they take on Laurier at 2:30pm.

Source: Waterloo Warriors

Lakers top Lancers, back in the win column

After a rocky start to 2017, suffering two losses at home, the Nipissing Lakers women's hockey team bounced back in a big way on the road.

The Lakers earned a 4-2 victory Saturday afternoon, defeating the Windsor Lancers in Windsor.

Nipissing is back in the win column, as they improved to 11-2-2 on the season, still good for second place.

Nipissing got off to a quick start, scoring less than four minutes into the game, as Sam Strassburger scored her first of two on the night.

Molly Sipprell drew the lone assist on the game's opening marker.

Late in the period, Jade Gauthier made it 2-0 Lakers, as she found the back of the net for her fifth of the season.

Taylor McManus and Kaley Tienhaara, who had two points in the win, assisted on the goal.

In the second, Windsor got on the board and cut the Lakers lead in half, but two more Nipissing goals put them in control after 40 minutes.

Strassburger scored her second of the game, assisted by Tienhaara and Alexane Papineau.

And Laura McKenzie capped of the Nipissing scoring late in the second period with her third of the season, with helpers coming from Brooklyn Irwin and Papineau.

Windsor would get one back in the third period, but the Lakers held off their final push to grab the three points and get back into the win column.

Jackie Rochefort, who was back from injury, made 27 saves to earn the victory.

The Lakers will remain on the road and take on the Western Mustangs Sunday afternoon at 4pm in London.

Source: Nipissing Lakers

Last second goal extends Blues streak to four

Utilizing a last-minute goal, the Varsity Blue's women's hockey team defeated the York Lions 2-1 on Saturday, January 14 in their first home game of the new year at Varsity Arena.
 
The win lifts the Blues to 9-1-5-0 (W-OTW-L-OTL) on their season and stretched their current winning streak to four games since returning from the December exam break.
 
Although the first period went scoreless, it was not short of chances.
 
Just four minutes into the contest, Blues veteran Taylor Day had a great chance, but wired the puck off the crossbar.

Not too long after, Day had yet another chance, this time shorthanded. After out-skating the York defender for a breakaway, Day found an opening but again missed just wide.
 
With four minutes left in the first period, the Lions found their opportunity with a five-hole shot from sophomore Tegan Duncan, which was initially thought to be a goal but would be waved off by the referees.
 
Then just 19 seconds into the second period, Blues captain Kristi Riseley broke the stalemate scoring a backhanded top-shelf goal after taking the puck off York defender Jenna Gray right in front of the Lions net.
 
At the 17-minute mark in the third period, Lions Chelsea Tucker scored an equalizer and the Blues turned it up a notch in response.
 
With just thirty seconds left in the game, Toronto forward Becki Bowring scored the game-winning goal, her second in as many games, by crashing the net to poke the puck through the York goaltender's five-hole.

Varsity Blues netminder Katey Teekasingh posted 22 saves in her fourth straight start and win.
 
The Blue and White next hit the road to take on the Nippising Lakers on Saturday, January 21 in North Bay, Ontario. Puck drop is at 7 p.m with the game being streamed live on OUA.tv.

Source: Toronto Varsity Blues

Halladay scores shootout winner in a tight contest with Laurier

NAPANEE, Ont. (January 14, 2017) – The Queen's Gaels defeated the Laurier Golden Hawks 2-1 in a shootout Saturday evening as Queen's hosted their first game of the season in Napanee which will serve as the 2017 U SPORTS national championship venue in March.
 
GAMEFLOW
In the first period, after a number of excellent chances, Queen's opened the scoring. Nadia Larocca (Mississauga, Ont.) scored for the Gaels on a nice backhand shot that found its way through a crowd. Bryce Desa (London, Ont.) assisted on the play. This proved to be the only goal of the period.
 
In the second period, Laurier responded. Cassandra Calabrese scored for the Golden Hawks on a deflection play in front of the net, during 4-on-4 play. Jaden Head assisted on the goal. This led to a tied game heading into the third period.
 
In the third, Queen's had a number of scoring chances, including a 5-on-3 power play and a penalty shot in the final minute. However, the Gaels were unable to capitalize. This forced the game into overtime.
 
In overtime both teams had a number of chances, including a Laurier shot that hit the crossbar. However, after two scoreless overtime periods, the game finished with a shootout.
 
In the shootout, as the Gaels third shooter, Addi Halladay (North Augusta, Ont.) scored the game winner on an absolute laser of a shot. Gaels goaltender Stephanie Pascal (Sudbury, Ont.) turned aside all shootout attempts and Queen's skated away with the win.
 
BY THE NUMBERS
42 – Saves for Laurier goaltender Amanda Smith
1 – Goal for Nadia Larocca
20 – Total penalty minutes throughout the contest
 
"Laurier is a good everything team and are well coached. We knew it was going to be a tight game. Based on how we played throughout the game I think we deserved three points, but their goalie (Smith) once again, four years of frustrating us, made some phenomenal saves." –Coach Holmberg
 
UP NEXT
The Gaels take on the Waterloo Warriors tomorrow January 15 in Napanee, Ont. The game begins at 2pm and can be seen live on OUA.tv.

Source: Queen's Gaels

Vees back in win column after topping Mustangs 3-2

On Saturday afternoon, the Voyageurs women's hockey team beat the Western Mustangs 3-2 in a critical game as the push for the playoffs heats up.