By Adriana Fallico
The Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold men’s hockey team advanced to the next round of the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) playoffs after eliminating the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks on Friday night at RIM Park.
First-year TMU defenceman Artem Duda scored his second game-winning goal in as many games and the Bold potted three empty-net markers in the third period to secure the series-clinching 5-1 win.
The Bold will face the winner of the Windsor Lancers and Brock Badgers series in the OUA West final.
The Golden Hawks turned the puck over multiple times to start the game, but the Bold couldn’t convert on their early chances.
TMU also had to deal with the Golden Hawks’ physicality, which persisted all game long. The Bold used this to their advantage, drawing three penalties in the first period and 10 through 60 minutes.
Special teams played an influential role for the Bold, as the Golden Hawks couldn’t score a power play goal throughout the series.
Despite the Golden Hawks outshooting the Bold 11-5 in the first period, TMU came out flying to start the second period, keeping the puck in the offensive zone.
Their hard work was rewarded. Third-year forward Elijah Roberts’ shot bounced off a few bodies in front and found its way to fourth-year forward Carson Gallagher. The Courtice, Ont. product then lifted the puck above third-year Laurier goalie Christian Propp’s pad to open the scoring for TMU.
However, two minutes after the Bold’s opening goal, first-year Golden Hawks defenceman Callum Chisholm blasted a shot from the point behind second-year goalie Kai Edmonds to tie it up at one.
Late in the second period, the Bold found themselves on a power play once again.
The visitors then seized the moment. Duda accepted a dish from third-year forward Kyle Bollers and took a slapshot from just above the red line that beat Propp—just like his goal on Wednesday night—to restore the Bold lead.
Following the goal, the Golden Hawks amplified the physicality. With just under four minutes left in the second period, tensions boiled over with three different scuffles at the same time. As a result, first-year Bold forward Daniil Grigorev and third-year Golden Hawks forward Sullivan Sparkes were handed 10-minute roughing misconducts.
A tight third period from both squads saw the Golden Hawks pull their goalie in an attempt to find the equalizer. However, fourth-year Bold defenceman Cole Cameron, third-year forward Cole Resnick and third-year defender Ryan Wells all also tallied empty netters to punch TMU’s ticket to the next round.
UP NEXT: TMU awaits the winner of the Brock and Windsor series. The OUA West final will begin next week.
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