The York Lions women’s hockey team’s game in support of the Canadian Cancer Society will take place this Sunday afternoon, Feb. 15, at 2pm at Canlan Ice Sports.
While funds are raised off the ice for an important cause, on it will be a thrilling matchup between two nationally ranked teams as the No. 10 Lions battle the No. 8 University of Toronto Varsity Blues.
The Canadian Cancer Society is near and dear to the York team’s heart. Lions captain Jessica Turi (Mississauga, Ont.) was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Disease four years ago at the tender age of 18. After 12 bouts of chemotherapy, all while she completed classes as a student at York University, Turi was pronounced healthy by her doctors. She spent that summer getting herself back into shape, joined the Lions in time for the 2005 2006 season and has been a valuable member of the squad every year since.
The 13-11 Lions are currently fourth in the OUA standings with three games left on the regular-season schedule and have won six of their past seven contests. Meanwhile, Toronto is 15-8-1 on the season and sits third in the standings with 31 points. Last weekend, the Varsity Blues split a two-game series with the Queen’s University Gaels, winning the first game 3-2 but falling in the second by a 5-1 score.
York and Toronto are fierce rivals and every meeting between the two squads produces exciting hockey action on the ice. Last year, the Lions broke an 11-year winless drought against their crosstown foes and this season, the squads have split their first two games, with each team winning on home ice. Today’s game is the rubber match of the three-game season series as both teams try and move up in the standings before the OUA playoffs begin at the end of the month.
Tickets are $8 or $5 for students and seniors and are available at the door.