TORONTO, Ont. – The University of Guelph Gryphons women's hockey team have advanced to the semifinals of the 2025 McCaw Cup Playoffs. On Saturday (March 1), the Gryphons defeated the York Lions, 2-1, in double overtime in Game 2 of their best-of-three OUA quarterfinal series. Gryphons second-year forward, Jadyn Calder (Baden, ON), scored the game-winner at the 6:15 mark of the second overtime period, with Guelph's 22nd shot of the afternoon sealing a 2-games-to-0 series sweep for the Gryphons, who also shutout the York Lions, 3-0, back on Thursday (Feb. 27) in Game 1 of the series. The Gryphons, the top-seed in the OUA women's hockey playoffs, will now face the University of Toronto Varsity Blues, with U of T sweeping the Ottawa Gee-Gees in their OUA quarterfinal series.
 
Gryphons All-Canadian goalie, Martina Fedel, held down fort in the Guelph net in the opening period of Saturday afternoon's Game 2 matchup at York, withstanding the Lions pressure stopping 10 shots in the period, with the biggest save of the period coming on a York breakaway which Fedel was able to turn away The first goal of the game would come at the 15:38 mark of the 2nd period, with Guelph on their lone power play of the game, the Lions defensively left Katelyn Dance wide open in the slot as Jadyn Calder found her and Dance punished the Lions on the defensive breakdown to give the Gryphons a 1-0 lead.
 
In the 3rd period, the Lions would tie things up with a power play goal of their own, as Julianna Duma's re-direct would find the back of the net, ending a Gryphon shutout streak in the series that lasted just shy of 107-minutes. York would come close to finding the winning goal in regulation, but Martina Fedel continued to make key saves down the stretch to help send the game to overtime. 
 
The first overtime period saw the York Lions on the front foot in the opening part of the period as they had several great chances to end the game but could not solve Fedel. Despite getting outshot 7-4 in overtime, the Gryphons had the two best chances to win the game. The first was a point shot that deflected in front of the net as the puck trickled past York goalie Emma Wedgewood but Ava Ricker-Singh was able to clear the puck right off the goal line to save the series. A few minutes later, Katelyn Dance found Michelle Gao open in the slot, but Emma Wedgewood made an incredible sprawling save to somehow keep the puck out to keep the game tied as a second overtime period was needed. 
 
In the second overtime period, the Gryphons would finally find the breakthrough. Gryphons second-year forward, Jadyn Calder, was able to jam home the game-winner from point-blank range to give the Gryphons the double overtime road victory to seal the series. Both Jadyn Calder and Katelyn Dance each had a goal and an assist in the series-clinching win on Saturday afternoon, while Katherine Heard chipped in with two helpers. Martina Fedel was outstanding in the Gryphon net stopping 32 of 33 shots in the win.

The Gryphons best-of-three OUA semifinal series versus the University of Toronto Varsity Blues will get underway on Thursday, March 6 at 7:30pm at the Gryphon Centre Arena.

Gryphons vs Varsity Blues OUA Semifinals
Game 1 | Thursday, March 6, 2025 - 7:30pm (Toronto @ Guelph)
Game 2 | Saturday, March 8, 2025 - 4pm (Guelph @ Toronto)
Game 3 (if necessary) | Sunday, March 9, 2025 - 7:30pm (Toronto @ Guelph)