GUELPH, Ont. – One of the marquee matchups of the 2024-25 OUA women's hockey schedule took place on Friday night (Nov. 15) at the University of Guelph's Gryphon Centre Arena, where it was the No. 7-ranked Nipissing Lakers who were able to skate to a 3-1 victory over the No. 5-ranked Guelph Gryphons in a showdown of two nationally-ranked opponents. With the win, Nipissing improves to 8-1-0 on the season, while the Gryphons fall to 6-3-0.
The Gryphons entered Friday night's matchup looking for a third consecutive win on home ice after having picked up victories over the Toronto Varsity Blues and Carleton Ravens. But it was the visitors from North Bay who were able to get off to a quick start on Friday night, with Nipissing third-year forward, Lana Duriez (Paradise Hill, SK) opening the scoring at the 4:50 mark of the 1st period with a well-placed shot, low to the blocker side of Gryphons All-Canadian goalie,
Martina Fedel, to give the Lakers an early 1-0 lead. With the 1st period just a few seconds away from expiring, the Lakers would double their lead, this time with Nipissing fourth-year forward, Emma Thomas (Winnetka, Illinois) scoring at the 19:58 mark to give the Lakers a 2-0 lead after the opening 20 minutes. Midway through the 2nd period, the Gryphons would cut the deficit in half when
Reese Coffey's wrist shot from the point found its way through. For Coffey, a second-year blueliner from Thunder Bay, Ontario, it marked her first goal of the season for the 2023-24 U SPORTS All-Rookie Team member. The score would remain 2-1 into the 3rd period, when
Reese Coffey would come close to scoring her second of the game when her shot beat Nipissing goalie Chantelle Sandquist, but not the post. It would prove to be as close as the Gryphons would get to finding an equalizer, with the Nipissing Lakers adding an empty-net goal with just over a minute remaining to seal the 3-1 win. Nipissing goalie Chantelle Sandqvist made 26 saves in the win, while Guelph's
Martina Fedel made 31 saves on the night. The Gryphons (6-3-0) will return to home ice once again on Saturday night (Nov. 16), as they host the Ottawa Gee-Gees (6-3-2).
