By Todd Ash-Duah
The Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold women’s hockey team lost their second consecutive game as they fell 5-3 to the Queen’s Gaels on Friday night at the Mattamy Athletic Centre (MAC).
The Gaels held multiple one-goal leads during a frantic third period, but the Bold responded to tie the game on two separate occasions. The Gaels eventually pulled away in the goal-filled end of the game to take the regulation victory on the road.
“We fought so hard to get back into the game,” said Bold head coach Lisa Haley. “We’re very disappointed that we got zero points when we should have been able to at least push it to overtime or, if not, win that game.”
The Bold kicked off the scoring early after first-year forward Kayla Kondo found the first goal of her Ontario University Athletics career.
The Brampton, Ont. product’s pass into the slot from behind the goal ricocheted off of Queen’s second-year defender Taylor Eastwood’s skate and into the net to give TMU the lead.
“It definitely feels nice,” said Kondo. “I just wanted to get a puck on net. I heard my linemates calling for it, so I steered towards the net, hoped for a good bounce and that’s what happened.”
Shortly after, the Bold had multiple power-play opportunities after two hooking penalties were called against the Gaels. However, the visitors successfully killed off each penalty to keep the score at 1-0
Following the game, the Bold’s powerplay sits at a lowly 8.5 per cent through the first 18 games of the season.
“To give up goals on the very next shift [after scoring], for us, we expect better of ourselves”
As the first period went on, the Bold continued to get quality shots on net with second-year TMU forward Gaby Gareau having multiple breakaway opportunities. Yet, Queen’s third-year goalie Emma Tennant kept the door shut to ensure the game was within arm’s reach heading into the second.
Both sides found themselves in penalty trouble early in the middle frame as the Gaels searched for the equalizer.
First-year Bold goaltender Shannon Harris held down the fort while the Bold were shorthanded with a nifty glove save to maintain the home side’s lead in the early stages of the period.
However, near the halfway point of the frame, the Gaels broke the dam.
Fifth-year forward Emma McKnight tapped in a rebound shot by fourth-year forward Rebecca Thompson to tie the game up at one. Then, 61 seconds later, first-year forward Mikayla Cranney slid the puck past Harris to put Queen’s ahead.
“We’re pretty familiar with them, we’ve played them a lot…over the last couple of years,” said Haley about the Gaels. “They’re a very heavy-pressure team, they’ll send the kitchen sink at you. We knew what to expect. They gave us exactly what we expected. We just came up a bit short in some key moments.”
A few minutes later, the Gaels threatened to score their third unanswered goal, but Harris made two incredible saves—one with her glove and one with her mask, to keep TMU’s deficit at one.
With three minutes to go in the period, Queen’s third-year defender Mallory Thornhill took a hooking penalty—the visitors’ third one of the evening. But the Bold couldn’t capitalize on the powerplay yet again, falling to 0-4 on the man advantage after two periods.
“They’re a very heavy-pressure team, they’ll send the kitchen sink at you”
As the period neared an end, fifth-year forward Scout Watkins-Southward would be sent to the penalty box for slashing, resulting in the Bold beginning the third period in a familiar position: with the powerplay.
But, for the fifth time on the evening, the Bold finished the man advantage with nothing to show for on the scoreboard.
The Bold pushed for the equalizer in the third period and they found the answer at even strength with a little over six minutes to go.
Fourth-year TMU forward Emily Baxter scored her team-leading 10th goal of the season to knot the game up at two apiece, much to the chagrin of the crowd at the MAC.
However, the good vibes for TMU turned out to be short-lived, as seconds later, the Gaels countered. Southward scored on a nifty pass from Cranney to restore the Gaels’ lead.
Not long after, a hooking penalty was called on fifth-year Queen’s defender Sarah Campbell, giving the home side a chance to tie the game once again.
“We’re resilient…[we’ll] bounce back from this right away”
The Bold finally broke through the Gaels’ penalty kill on their seventh powerplay opportunity of the game. Third-year forward Cailey Davis redirected second-year defender Ahalya Julien-Medeiros’ shot into the net to make it 3-3 with less than five minutes left in regulation.
“They definitely have an aggressive [penalty kill],” said Baxter. “It was definitely an adjustment for us, but it was nice to get one [goal] at the end there.”
Unfazed, the Gaels would take the lead right back 79 seconds later. Southward wrapped around a pass to fourth-year Gaels forward Emma Michalicka, who rifled the puck past Harris to give Queens a lead that they would not relinquish.
“Two times we came from behind and to give up goals on the very next shift [after scoring], for us, we expect better of ourselves,” said Haley.
First-year Gaels forward Taya Leonard potted the empty-netter to secure the win and sweep the season series against the Bold for the visitors.
With the loss, TMU falls to 3-15 on the season, with 10 games remaining in the regular season.
“We’re resilient,” said Haley. “[We’ll] bounce back from this the right way.”
UP NEXT: The Bold will look to redeem themselves on Saturday as they head to the Gryphon Centre to take on the Guelph Gryphons at 2:30 p.m.
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