Led by Krystin Lawrence's first OUA hat trick, the Lancer women's hockey team defeated the UOIT Ridgebacks 5-3 at South Windsor Arena on Friday night.
 
Heading into their final regular season game against the Queen's Gaels on Saturday, the Lancers sit in fifth place just one point behind the Gaels in the standings. Saturday's win will determine home ice advantage between the two teams.
 
The Ridgebacks took an early lead when they opened the scoring 2:43 into the game on a rebound goal from Jennifer Sisson.
 
In the second, the Lancers came out strong and just over four minutes in Erinn Noseworthy buried a rebound that came to her in the slot, tying the game at one a piece.
 
Only two minutes later, the Lancers took a 2-1 lead as rookie Danielle Butler of Vernon, B.C., scored her first goal of the season, with assists going to Larissa Borowiec and Laura Monforton.
 
UOIT evened the score on a power play goal from Nicole Lopresti. Then with only 1:23 left to play in the second period, Zoe Battie put one past Marissa Kozovski, giving the Ridgebacks a 3-2 lead going into the third.
 
With the Lancers looking to even the score, they were sent to the penalty kill halfway into the third period. Kozovski turned away many Ridgeback chances and Candice Chevalier led the Lancers penalty kill unit, as they killed off the penalty and gained momentum. This led to a breakout from the Lancer end as Jillian Rops found Chevalier who sent the puck up ice to spring Krystin Lawrence on a breakaway, where she made no mistake evening the score at three apiece.
 
The Lancers were then sent to the power play with under four minutes to play, and after controlling the play, Borowiec found Lawrence open in the slot, and she put a beautiful shot over the shoulder of Ridgeback goaltender Cassie Charette, to give the Lancers a one goal lead.
 
Lawrence added an empty net goal, giving her a natural hat-trick, and securing the 5-3 win for the Lancers.
 
UOIT's Charette turned away 36 shots in the contest, while Kozovski made 20 saves to earn the win for the Lancers.
 
Windsor will play their final regular season game against the Gaels on Saturday night at 7:30pm. Prior to the game the Lancers will honour their graduating seniors in a pre-game ceremony.