WINDSOR, Ont. - The Ryerson Rams picked up another crucial three points on Friday night, defeating the Windsor Lancers 6-2.
A three-goal first period propelled the Rams to victory.
Lauren Nicholson (Dresden, Ont.) scored a hat-trick and
Erika Crouse (Kirkland Lake, Ont.) picked up a pair of goals. Meanwhile,
Mariah Hinds' (Toronto) goal and assist continued her now four-game point streak, totaling six points in that span.
Nicholson opened the scoring with back-to-back markers. Her second goal came on the power play with helpers from
Kryshanda Green (Brampton, Ont.) and Hinds.
Windsor's Samantha Spagnol secured a power play goal for Windsor, but Crouse restored the two-goal lead after cutting into the slot and roofing a backhand. The first frame would end with the Rams up 3-1 and doubled up 10-5 in shots.
The Rams were stuck killing off a
Karli Nummikoski (Thunder Bay, Ont.) double-minor early in the second. Some more steady play by
Rachel Seeley (Ottawa, Ont.) helped the penalty expire, turning aside another eight shots. Right after the kill, the Rams had their third chance on the power play. Despite catching back up in shots, Ryerson failed to beat Windsor's Molly Jenkins in net.
A Jessica Gribbon breakaway made things 3-2 halfway through the frame, but Hinds answered right back with a blast off a faceoff past Jenkins. Crouse's second of the game came four minutes later, making things 5-2 after 40.
Special teams took over in the third, with Windsor earning two power plays. Besides their first period hiccup, the Rams went 6-for-7 on the penalty kill. Meanwhile, Ryerson's player-advantage unit went 1-for-3 on the night.
After hitting the post mid-way through the period, Nicholson slotted her hat-trick marker into the empty-net with about two minutes remaining. The final whistle blew with the Rams up 6-2 after amassing 34 shots to Windsor's 25.
With the Western Mustangs' defeat and Guelph's shootout loss, the Rams have officially clinched a playoff berth. Nevertheless, Ryerson will look to get the better of Western on Saturday in London, with puck drop at 7:00 p.m.
