TORONTO, ON – The turn of the calendar signalled new beginnings for every team in OUA women’s hockey, some taking the opportunity of a fresh start with open arms, while others aren’t performing up to their ambition. As the hunt for McCaw Cup playoff hockey goes on, the games will get much narrower, and we’ll see who can stand the test of time.

Here’s what we learned in the last week.

Toronto Varsity Blues put pressure on Nipissing after four straight victories

In the OUA East Division, it’s been the year of the Nipissing Lakers. The margin between them and the rest of the pack has only grown all season, but that’s starting to change. 

Following two crushing losses against East leaders in December, Toronto returned from the winter break with a vengeance.

It isn’t rare to see the Varsity Blues knock off victory after victory in women’s hockey, but they’re doing so with utter dominance. 

Shutout wins over the York Lions and Laurier Golden Hawks preceded back-to-back 5-1 victories against the Waterloo Warriors and Queen’s Gaels. Yes, nine points separate the Blues and Lakers. However, the former has all the momentum because Nipissing has dropped two of their last three and slipped four spots in the U SPORTS weekly rankings.

Perhaps the most critical aspect of this winning streak for Toronto is the number of contributing players, and that’s translated to the very top of the roster, too. 

Captain Taylor Trussler and Kaitlyn McKnight have both hit their respective strides, with Trussler putting in a phenomenal shift against Waterloo and being involved in all four goals.

 Emma Elders, who wasn’t considered a regular contributor before the streak, burst out with four goals in the win over Queen’s. Defender Olivia Hilton is proving to be modern for her position by posting four assists during the winning run, cementing her status as a top-pairing defender.

And how could we forget goaltender Erica Fryer, who now holds a remarkable .926 save percentage? The senior has shut down opponents emphatically over the past four games.

Toronto is playing a great brand of hockey, preventing opponents from even mustering scoring chances. The Varsity Blues are playing crushing defence and have allowed just 18.75 shots per game in the winning streak. 

It’s cueing up a second half of the season where the U Sports No. 6 can enter the McCaw Cup Playoffs as the most in-form team in the OUA.

Mustangs and Lancers fighting for the final playoff spot in Western Conference play

Akin to its Eastern counterpart, the OUA West currently has an outright leader: the Guelph Gryphons. But below them, the separation between places in the standings is thin. There’s Waterloo, who leads the rest of the pack by three points.

Leah Herrfort buoys the forward corps for the Warriors, and she hasn’t taken her foot off the gas since the new year. As Waterloo thumped Windsor, she came up with two goals near the end to seal the victory. 

Herrfort is second in OUA scoring, and her efforts have sparked Waterloo to win six of their last seven. Meanwhile, Laurier and the Western Mustangs remain in contention. 

A mixed bag of results in the OUA West means the final playoff spot, currently occupied by Western, is in jeopardy. Windsor conceded six goals to Waterloo before dismantling the Ontario Tech Ridegabcks with six of their own. 

The Lancers’ inconsistency may ultimately be their demise, with the offence or defence often having to make up for the other’s shortcomings, but for now, it’s working to an extent.

An ultra-narrow loss to Western a week prior has certainly set their playoff hopes off-track, but Windsor’s next three games provide an opportunity to bounce right back. After battling with Laurier, they’ll visit the Brock Badgers and the York Lions, two lower-ranked teams.

Sophomore Keana McKibbin is leading by example on attack, scoring four goals in her last four games. Her production will be craved for the upcoming matches where the Lancers can re-enter the coveted fourth place. 

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