Although this past week was quite the quiet week as far as varsity competition goes, the women’s hockey team started their quest for the McCaw cup in impressive fashion.
Wednesday, Feb. 26
The women’s hockey team took the ice at home after a week or so off. Coming off a first-round bye week, the Warriors were set to take on the Laurier Golden Hawks in the OUA quarter finals. This game marked game 1 of the best of three series to determine who moves on to the semis.
The first two periods of this game made it seem as if the Warriors were still in bye week mode, as the Golden Hawks were able to jump to a 2-0 lead. Fast forward to the third period, the tides began to shift. Sparked by a shorthanded goal via the stick of Nikki McDonald, the Warriors rallied. With the Warriors down 2-1 with less than two minutes to go in regulation, Madison Pritchard on a sweet set up from Faith Mitchell and Jalen Duffy found the back of the net to tie the game at two a piece. In the overtime period, Tatum James was the hero as she found the back of the net on great puck movement from Leah Herrfort and Carly Orth.
Friday, Feb. 28
The women’s hockey team was back in action for game two of their quarterfinal matchup against the Laurier Golden Hawks. Coming into this game, the Warriors already won game 1 and were looking to get the brooms out and sweep the Golden Hawks two games to none.
Unlike game 1, the Warriors came into this game on a mission and got the scoring going fast and early. In the first period, Nikki McDonald was able to find the back of the net on a sweet setup from Gracey Smith. Fast forward to about halfway through the second, Leah Herrfort found the back of the net shorthanded and put the Warriors up 2-0. The Golden Hawks responded with a goal of their own, bringing the score to 2-1 going into the final frame. With 5 minutes left to go in the third, the Warriors again were able to find the back of the net short handed as Nikki McDonald called her number and put another away. McDonald was a woman on a mission this game – as if two goals weren’t enough, in the dying seconds of the third, she put the nail in the coffin for the Golden Hawks and found the back of the net for a third time this game, completing a hat trick.
The Warriors win 4-2, sweeping the Golden Hawks and are moving on to the semi-final round of the OUA playoffs, where they will take on the Nipissing Lakers in a best two out of three series. Game 1 will be on home ice this coming Wednesday, March 5 at 7 p.m.. Students, let’s make sure that home ice advantage is felt and we do everything we can to help our women’s hockey team advance to the OUA finals.
