The Ryerson Rams’ women’s hockey team has been reeling but they fought hard to snap their four-game losing streak with a critical shootout win over the Brock Badgers. The team has been struggling as of late, but hopefully, that win will energize them team and point them back to their winning ways. Here is the weekend recap for the Rams:

Guelph Gryphons: 3-1 loss

The Ryerson Rams got on the board early and really pressured the Gryphons. The first period was a dominant effort with the shots favouring the Rams 15 to 4. It seemed like Ryerson was going to cruise into a win but that was not the case. In the second period, the Rams came out flat and the Gryphons stepped onto the ice with a vengeance. They put 8 shots, scoring on one of them, and held Ryerson to just two.

Penalty trouble was what sunk the Rams as two goals they allowed came short-handed. In total, they took 5 penalties which is not ideal, especially in a very tight game. When they got the chance to be on the power play, they were unable to capitalize and the game was lost. It was a great lesson to be learned for Ryerson as the reigning OUA champions showed how important it was to play the entire game with the same amount of intensity rather than show up in one period and disappear the next.

Brock Badgers: 2-1 shootout win

The Rams faced the Badgers on the second half of a back-to-back and it was a pivotal game as they wanted to remain in the playoff picture. Both teams are built very similarly and it was a tight game as expected. Both goaltenders stood tall and it remained scoreless until the third period.

Brock opened the scoring early in the third, but the Rams answered with a power play goal of their own. The game went to overtime but was settled in the shootout with the lone scorer being Mia Morano. It was a hard-fought game till the very end but the Rams ended up with the extra point which is vital in the tight playoff race.

This was a big weekend for the Rams and they managed to keep themselves in the playoff conversation. They will need to build off their win and get prepared for the mental grind the final four critical games of the regular season will be.