Box Score TORONTO – The Ryerson Rams women's hockey team went down to the wire against the York Lions Sunday afternoon but ultimately lost in a shootout to fall 3-2 at Canlan Ice Sports.
BOXSCORE
The effort put forward by the Rams had them loathing at the outcome rewarded, but should feel content on how they've managed to start this season with at least a point in three straight games.
The modest start for the Rams has much to do with the impressive start of newly acquired forward, Ailish Forfar. Forfar spent the last four seasons at Dartmouth College in the NCAA before transferring to Ryerson for the 2016-17 season.
The top line of Forfar, Lauren Nicholson, and Kryshanda Green has been a lethal combination for the Rams this season and were on point offensively once again on Sunday. Nicholson and Green both touched the puck before they found Forfar in front, who beat the Lions' net minder, Lauren Dubie, at 14:18 with her third goal in three games.
Another Ram that's impressed of late has been sophomore goaltender, Sydney Authier. Her 33 save shutout performance against U of T in her last start made things rather easy for head coach Lisa Haley when deciding who would tend between the pipes on Sunday.
After the Rams stole a late first period lead, the calm and composed play of Authier appeared to have them poised in order to take a 1-0 lead into the locker room. The Lions, however, had other plans as Leah Hebert blasted home a well-placed shot for the equalizer and halted Authier's streak of consecutive time without allowing a goal at 76 minutes.
The back and forth opening period laid the foundation for what was due up in the second. Veteran senior, Dana Somerville, recorded the lone goal in the second for York after a quick release in front beat Authier. The Rams went on to outshoot the Lions in the period 7-6, but evidently failed to capitalize on their opportunities and were forced to enter the third and final frame down 2-1.
The Lions pounded the Rams with chances early in the third, but Authier's stellar play continued en route to stopping all of the Lions' 15 third period shots. The play of Authier kept the Rams within striking distance all game long Sunday with the Rams needing just a single strike offensively to tie.
And at the 12:30 mark in the third, the Rams' Nicholson struck and evened the game at two for her second point of the night.
After 60 minutes wasn't enough, bonus hockey was needed at Canlan Sports Ice. The Rams and Lions traded chances in both the first and second overtime, but neither side could crack the code for either Authier or Dubie.
A shootout was evidently needed and after the Lions' Rianna Langford scored on her first opportunity with a deke, the Rams countered with two straight misses. The Lions' Somerville then headed to the red line knowing that the game was on her stick and made no mistake on a fake and take as she potted the winner to give her Lions a 3-2 shootout victory over the Rams.
With the shootout win, the Lions improve to 1-1-2-0 through four games this season and currently sit tied for eighth in the OUA with five points alongside Western and Ryerson.
The Rams' record falls to 1-0-0-2 on the year but have a game in hand on most of their OUA competition.
The Rams will next suit up on Oct. 29th and 30th in battles against the 1-1-1-1 Guelph Gryphons and the 1-0-2-1 UOIT Ridgebacks. Saturday's game against the Gryphons is scheduled for a 2:15 p.m. puck drop at the Mattamy Athletic Centre, while the game against the Ridgebacks will be held at the Campus Ice Centre in Oshawa and is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
