By Eli Silverstone
The Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold men’s hockey team defeated the Brock Badgers 3-2 Thursday night at the Mattamy Athletic Centre (MAC).
It was a close and physical game throughout, as both teams wanted to start the new year with a win. The game was tied at one a-piece heading into the final frame before two goals from second-year forward Connor Bowie and first-year forward Daniil Grigorev in two minutes gave the Bold the edge in the tight matchup.
“We never back down from anybody…When we get into tough moments and tough games, they seem to play even better, even harder,” said TMU head coach Johnny Duco.
With the win, TMU’s record improves to 12-5-0, while the division-leading Badgers drop to 14-5-0.
It was a hard-hitting and chippy first period as both teams worked to get their legs back under them in the first game back from the holiday break. Starting goalies second-year Kai Edmonds for TMU and first-year Connor Ungar for Brock—who were both selected for the U-Sports All-Star roster last month—dominated the scoreless first period.
The second period started similarly to the first before tension boiled over and multiple scuffles led to a combined 16 penalty minutes.
“We don’t like them, they don’t like us. That’s just how it is,” said third-year Bold forward Kyle Bollers.
While killing TMU’s fourth penalty of the period, Bollers was chasing down the puck behind Brock’s net when he stole it from Ungar and buried a diving wrap-around goal.
Surprisingly, this wasn’t Bollers’ most impressive behind-the-net goal against Brock this year—the team’s leading scorer pulled off ‘The Michigan’ goal in their last meeting on Nov. 24.
“I like trying to score on the [penalty kill]…The goalie turned over the puck and I fortunately got to put it in the back of the net,” said Bollers.
The short-handed strike was Bollers’ 13th goal of the season and gave TMU the lead with three minutes to go.
However, just before the period ended, Brock answered back as first-year forward Riley Gannon took a shot from the left hashmark that snuck past Edmonds’ glove side. The two squads went into the third tied 1-1.
Halfway through the third period, Bowie redirected a point shot from third-year forward Elijah Roberts to restore the Bold lead with 11 minutes to play.
Shortly after, Grigorev slammed home a rebound and TMU took a commanding 3-1 lead.
The Badgers, however, refused to go down easy. Fifth-year forward Jared Marino rifled a shot from the hash marks past Edmonds and the deficit was cut back down to one.
TMU’s defence stayed stout, closing out the final three minutes to take home the crucial win against the top-ranked Badgers.
“We never back down from anybody…When we get into tough moments and tough games, they seem to play even better, even harder”
The first game of 2024 for the Bold was also the much-anticipated debut of first-year defenceman Artem Duda for the TMU squad.
The recently recruited Russian player is a 2022 second-round National Hockey League draft pick by the Arizona Coyotes and will join the Bold to help with their playoff push.
“He is a great kid, a hard worker…and we got a great group of guys in that room who are helping him acclimate himself on and off the ice,” said Duco on the addition of Duda to the squad.
As for the Bold’s fate in the new year?
Bollers’ prediction: “[The] TMU Bold do not lose at home.”
UP NEXT: TMU is back in action against the Concordia Stingers tomorrow. Puck drop is set for 7:15 p.m. at the MAC.
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