CALGARY, AB – Saturday afternoon in Calgary, the top-seeded Gryphons women's hockey team lost 2-1 to the No. 4-seeded University of British Columbia Thunderbirds in a CIS Semi-final matchup. After 60 minutes of regulation and an additional 10 minutes of overtime, the Gryphons and Thunderbirds were tied at 1-1 meaning the game would have to be decided in a shootout. UBC would win in the eighth round of the shootout on a goal from Haneet Parhar. The Gryphons will now play in the CIS Bronze medal game on Sunday morning (9am Mountain, 11am Eastern) and will face the loser of the other semi-final between Montreal and St. Mary's.
 
Having a game of this magnitude decided via a shootout is a tough way to go. Any coach would tell you that. Saturday afternoon at the Martin MacPhail Centre, the Gryphons and Thunderbirds produced a thrilling game that was filled drama and intensity from start to finish. The game, which was also broadcast nationally on Sportsnet ONE, also gave viewers from coast-to-coast a first-hand look at why U of G goalie Valerie Lamenta was named the 2016 CIS Player of the Year.
 
In the opening period of play the Gryphons were outshot 17-5 by the Thunderbirds. Of those 17 saves made by Lamenta, none were better than the reactionary glove save she made in close on UBC rookie forward Shiayli Toni. During a UBC power play, Toni walked into the slot and fired a shot high glove side only to see Lamenta get a piece of it to keep the score locked at zeros. Not only was Lamenta making some big saves, she was doing so while having to deal with some heavy traffic in front of her.
 
The UBC Thunderbirds possess plenty of size up and down their roster and they were doing their best to cause some issues for Lamenta. UBC's two biggest players, forwards Logan Boyd and Kathleen Cahoon, each stand over 6-feet tall and were planted in front of the Guelph net for most of the afternoon. Lamenta was able to battle through the traffic to keep the Thunderbirds at bay through the opening period and, ironically enough, it would be the Gryphons who would open the scoring on a power play thanks to some traffic of their own.
 
During a Gryphons power play, second year winger Kaitlin Lowy (Toronto, ON) would fire a wrist shot through a crowd and past UBC goalie Danielle Dube to give the Gryphons a 1-0 lead at the midway point of the opening period. For Lowy, it was the latest tally in what has been an impressive postseason performance as she leads the team with 5 goals during the playoffs. Lowy's breakthrough was the only goal of the first two periods of play as the Gryphons took a slim 1-0 lead to the third.
 
Early in the third, the Gryphons came close to adding to their lead. Jessica Pinkerton spotted her co-captain Leigh Shilton pinching in from the point. Shilton unleashed a wicked wrist shot that beat Dube high glove side, but rang off the post and stayed out. The Gryphons were still holding onto a slim 1-0 lead. But it wouldn't last for long. With 12:19 remaining in the third period, the UBC traffic in front would finally pay off. During a Thunderbirds power play, UBC defenceman Kelly Murray would fire a point shot through a crowd and past Lamenta to tie the game at 1-1. Not surprisingly, both goals in this game were scored on the power play in what was a penalty-filled affair between the Gryphons and Thunderbirds.
 
In total, there 17 penalties called in the game. With under five minutes to go in regulation, UBC had a chance to take the lead as penalties to Sophie Contant and Averi Nooren gave the Thunderbirds a 5-on-3 opportunity for 1:04. Not only did the Gryphons manage to kill it off, they nearly scored themselves. Despite being on the wrong end of a two-man advantage, Gryphons third year forward Kelly Gribbons (Port Elgin, ON) found herself all alone on a shorthanded breakaway. Gribbons was unable to find a way past Dube however as the game remained knotted at 1-1 and needed overtime.
 
In the extra frame, it was UBC's turn to try to win it with a shorthanded breakaway. During a Gryphons 4-on-3 man advantage, Thunderbirds captain Kathleen Cahoon would jump on a turnover and head out on a breakaway the length of the ice. Once again however, Valerie Lamenta came up big, turning away Cahoon and extending the game. With 1:16 remaining in the OT period, UBC appeared to score the winner when a point shot once again made its way through traffic and in. However, the referee immediately waved it off as Lamenta was interfered with meaning we remained tied at 1-1.
 
Unlike the OUA playoffs, the CIS format only features one, 10 minute period before a shootout is needed. The Gryphons were given one last chance to end the game in OT when UBC was called for cross checking with 1:16 to go in the extra period. Once again, the Gryphons went to work on the power play but were once again denied by Dube and company. With both teams visibly exhausted, the Gryphons and Thunderbirds went to a shootout.
 
The format of the shootout featured three rounds. Should the teams be tied after the initial three rounds, teams would be allowed to repeat shooters. And additional rounds were certainly needed. After Kaitlin Lowy started off the shootout on a high note by beating Dube to give the Gryphons the early edge, UBC would even things on a goal from Cahoon in the second round. The next 10 shooters would be denied as both Lamenta and Dube were brilliant in goal. In the 8^th round, UBC would finally end things when fourth year forward Haneet Parhar went back hand and beat Lamenta to give the Thunderbirds the 2-1 shootout victory.
 
Despite the loss, the Gryphons still have an opportunity to make school history by becoming the first team to bring home a medal from the CIS Championships.