The Varsity Sports ================== HOCKEY DREAM SEASON CRUSHED IN OVERTIME By Barry Riz, Varsity Staff February 25, 1997 URL: http://www2.varsity.utoronto.ca/groups/varsity/sports/Hockey.html Little-known rule denies Blues’ second consecutive title WATERLOO-They thought they had it won. [IMAGE] When U of T's Jayna Hefford scored 23 seconds into overtime in the OWIAA gold medal game against the York Yeowomen two Sundays ago at Waterloo Memorial Arena, the women's hockey Varsity Blues believed they had just won the provincial championship. However, the OWIAA league rules proved otherwise. They state that the first five-minute overtime session in a playoff game must be played out in its entirety, as if it was a regular period. The news that the game would continue after Hefford's goal came as a surprise to everyone in the arena, and especially to the players, few of whom knew about the rule. Revitalized at having a second chance, the Yeowomen tied the game with 1:47 left in the first overtime when Sari Krooks broke in on the right wing and put a bad-angle shot behind goalie Keely Brown. When the sudden-death second overtime period began, York's Shanley White took advantage of a Toronto clearing error to rip the winning goal into the top right corner of the net and give her team a 3-2 double overtime victory. The crushing loss ended the Blues' undefeated season, and gave York its first championship in 10 years. U of T head coach Karen Hughes was understandably upset following the game. "I thought that we were outplaying them in the [first] overtime, but they got one break and scored. [Krooks] hit a once-in-a-lifetime shot. It was a bad angle, and was about the only shot they had in overtime. What can you say?" The game was gruelling and tight-checking right from the opening face-off. In meeting for the fourth time this season, the rivals knew each other's game strategies very well. However, the small ice surface at the Waterloo arena proved to be to the Yeowomen's advantage, as it helped them slow down the Blues' normally speedy and potent offence. "The small rink helps York a lot. If you play the game in a regulation-size rink, maybe it makes a difference," Hughes added. U of T and York played a scoreless opening period, but Toronto's offence clicked just 10 ticks into the second when Hefford carried the puck into the York zone and threaded a perfect pass to linemate Laura Schuler, who beat goalie Debra Ferguson. The shorthanded goal gave the Blues a lead they held until the beginning of the third frame. York managed to tie the game 26 seconds in after a goal-mouth scramble when the puck just trickled over the line behind Brown. There was no more scoring until the overtime heroics. Although the Blues did earn the silver medal, the disappointment from all involved was more than evident. The team completed the regular season with a 13-0-2 record, and defeated the Guelph Gryphons 4-1 on Saturday in the semifinal to reach the gold medal match. In that game, Schuler had a hat trick, while Hefford added three assists. In the bronze medal game, the host Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks beat Guelph 5-2. -------------------------------------- Copyright (c) 1997 Varsity Publications, Inc.