By Mitchell Fox
The Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold women’s hockey team found themselves on the wrong side of a close scoreboard in their first game of 2023, falling 2-1 to the Guelph Gryphons Saturday afternoon at Mattamy Athletic Centre (MAC).
TMU closed out 2022 with four straight wins, but 2023 started on a lesser note.
The game played out like a tennis match, with the puck going back-and-forth for much of the first two periods. Bold head coach Lisa Haley said she thought “the intention was there” for her team, even if the final score didn’t look how they would’ve liked.
“I felt like the game was one that wasn’t a three-point game one way or the other,” said Haley. “It’s tough to come out of it with no points.”
Despite the undesirable result, Haley and the Bold were in a positive mood after the game.
Saturday’s game was Do It For Daron night, with raffles and contests generating funds for the youth mental health initiative started in honour of Daron Richardson, a young woman who took her own life in 2010. Her parents started the initiative and two TMU alumni and former teammates of Richardson’s, Cassie Sharpe and Emma Rutherford, brought the tradition to TMU.
As part of the initiative, the Bold wore their purple Do It For Daron jerseys for warm-up and a number of players on both teams used purple stick tape for the game.
Haley said the game is always circled on the team’s calendar.
“It’s important for us to highlight the importance of raising awareness for youth mental health and I think our age group at the university is very susceptible to this,” said Haley. “So obviously, for us, we’re proud of the tradition that we’ve created around it and really believe it’s an important mission.”
Haley said it was a “win-win” to be able to spread such an important message while minor hockey teams were in attendance.
“That’s something that’s a positive note, regardless of the results on the scoreboard, was the experience and the opportunity to spread that message to our youth,” she said.
As far as their play on the ice, Haley said one of the positives for her team was its forecheck, as well as the way they generated dangerous opportunities with the extra attacker as they tried to tie up the game in the final minute.
She was also very complimentary of goaltender Alexia Stratos.
“Stratos gave us a chance, every step of the way,” said Haley of the first-year netminder, who made 29 saves in the game. “I think her puck handling and her ability to make some good first saves, especially some high end scoring chances…kept us in the game.”
Stratos, who was awarded the golden helmet for the Bold’s Player of the Game, said she felt prepared coming into the game thanks to the team’s hard work during the break and Haley’s encouragement.
Stratos also said her team’s defensive performance was solid, especially as the game went on.
“I thought we came out in third and really dominated that area.”
But despite Stratos’ strong play, the best player on the other side of the ice was also a goaltender. Gryphons netminder Martina Fedel stopped all but one of 34 shots faced, frustrating the Bold on the power play, shorthanded and at even strength.
The Bold’s lone goal came from fourth-year forward Erika Crouse, who beat Fedel with a shot from the high slot only half a minute after Tori Verbeek doubled the Gryphons’ lead. Crouse now leads the team in scoring with 11 points in 12 games.
“I think that she got them the three points at the end of the third there for sure,” said Haley. “But for us, we would like to get a few more by her.”
Haley said the goal was the result of a small breakdown, though a costly one in a one-goal game. Still, she says the team is OK with how their special teams are playing.
“It’s just some consistency and execution, but not too worried about that,” she said.
But with the second half of the season now underway, the Bold know there’s little room for error.
“I think our team understands that we’ve got 12 games left and every point matters and the fight to get those points is going to be a little bit tougher than it had been so far this season,” said Haley.
UP NEXT: The Bold seek out their first win of the new year against the York Lions on Jan. 12 at Canlan Ice Sports. Puck-drop is set for 7:15 p.m.
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