TORONTO - The OUA sixth seeded Queen's Gaels lost a 3-2 decision to the three seeded Toronto Varsity Blues, who hold a national ranking of No.10 in Canada, in OUA women's hockey playoff action from Varsity Arena on Wednesday night.

GAME FLOW
The opening period saw the home team Toronto get the jump on the visiting Gaels. Just 3:11 into the period, after a Kyla Crouse (Mount Brydges, Ont.) slashing penalty, Taylor Day beat Gaels goaltender Stephanie Pascal (Sudbury, Ont.) off of a give-and-go play to put the Varsity Blues up 1-0.

Toronto didn't let up all period and were able to beat Pascal once more in the late stages of the frame. Cristine Chao came flying in as the third Toronto player on a three-on-two play and scored her first of the playoffs to make it 2-0.

In the second period, the Gaels found themselves in penalty trouble early in the frame as Micaela Smith (Cobourg, Ont.) was called for a two-minute hooking penalty. The Toronto powerplay was short-lived however, as the Varsity Blues headed to the box just 34 seconds later. One of the best offensive penalty kill units in the regular season with five shorthanded goals Day picked off a Gaels pass and went in all alone on Pascal scoring on her backhand to make it 3-0 Toronto.

A pair of Varsity Blue penalties late in the second gave the Queen's powerplay a chance to go to work. Off of a scramble in front of the Toronto net, Smith was able to pinch in and swat the puck past Valencia Yordanov to give the Gaels their first goal of the playoffs. Queen's headed to the dressing room after 40 minutes with a bit of momentum down just two goals.

In the third Queen's once again found success on their powerplay. Jessica Wakefield (Lucan, Ont.) was able to dance around one defender and cut in front of Yordanov where the Gaels captain neatly tucked the puck past the outstretched pad of the Toronto netminder for her first of the playoffs.
 

MUST SEE - Wakefield makes it a game! Gaels down just 1 in the third. Catch the action on https://t.co/9xTOznwjCF #GoGaelsGo pic.twitter.com/rePyA3549y

— #ChaGheill (@queensgaels) February 23, 2017

Trailing by just one goal Queen's broke down on a two on one in the late stages of the third, but a Katrina Manoukarakis (Scarborough, Ont.) shot was stopped by Yordanov. The Varsity Blues weathered the Gaels late storm and held on to take the win 3-2.

BY THE NUMBERS
1 - Shorthanded goal for Toronto
4 - Of the five goals scored came on special teams
1st - Win for Toronto vs Queen's this season as the Gaels took both regular season meetings

UP NEXT
Game two of the best-of-three series goes Saturday night back in Kingston at the Memorial Centre. Puck drop is set for 8 p.m. and tickets can be purchased at www.gogaelsgo.com/tickets.