TORONTO — The Ryerson Rams overcame a two-goal deficit in the final minutes of the third period and later sealed the deal in overtime to claim a 3-2 victory over the No. 8 York Lions on Saturday afternoon at the Mattamy Athletic Centre.

Leading the pack was fourth-year forward Lauren Nicholson (Dresden, Ont.) who had a point on each goal of the contest, highlighted by her powerplay game-winning marker in overtime. 

York would kick off the scoring at the 17-minute mark of the opening period as Courtney Gardiner fired a high shot blocker-side to give the Lions a 1-0 lead. 

Ryerson had numerous opportunities to tie the game up in the second period but couldn't find the equalizer, failing to capitalize on three powerplay opportunities in the period including a minute-long five-on-three chance midway through the second. 

York forward Taylor Davison would extend the visitor's lead to two with 11 minutes remaining in the third. The Rams came alive after York's second goal of the afternoon, and it wasn't long until the Lions' lead had narrowed. Nicholson capitalized on the team's seventh powerplay opportunity of the matchup, firing a shot off a great feed from Kryshanda Green (Brampton, Ont.) to cut York's lead to one.

Just four minutes later, third-year forward Olivia Giardetti (Whitby, Ont.) tied the game at two off a fantastic move around the Lions goaltender. 

Giardetti's third-period goal evened the score at two after a 55-minute goalless drought for the Rams. 60 minutes wasn't enough to settle the score in this matchup, as the Rams and Lions headed into overtime after a combined 14 penalties were dished out in regulation.

Nicholson would find the back of the net on the powerplay in overtime, firing a shot from the point just three minutes into the extra period. The Rams walked off the ice with a 3-2 win over their nationally-ranked cross-town rivals, securing their sixth consecutive victory of the season.  

"I was just hoping I wasn't going to hit shin pads," says Nicholson on her overtime winner. "I threw [the puck] on the net and it ended up going in." 

Ryerson goaltender Rachel Seeley (Ottawa, Ont.) made 38 saves on 40 shots for her team, as the Rams were outshot 40-22 through 63 minutes of action.

"I'm really proud of my team in terms of how they stayed composed and disciplined," says Rams head coach Lisa Haley. "When they had to be tough and stand up for themselves or their teammates, they did that as well. It was just one of those fiery games for sure."

The Rams will hit the road next week to wrap up their first-semester schedule against the Waterloo Warriors and the Laurier Golden Hawks.