By Daniel Carrero
The Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold women’s hockey won 3-2 in their home opener for the 2024–25 regular season against the York University Lions at the Mattamy Athletic Centre (MAC) on Wednesday.
The Bold finished their pre-season campaign with a 1-4 record, with their one victory coming as a shootout win against the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks. The Lions registered a stronger 4-3 pre-season record, picking up wins against the McGill Martlets, University of Toronto Varsity Blues, Western Mustangs and Windsor Lancers.
Today, in both teams’ first game of the regular season, TMU struggled to maintain a first-period lead but a last-minute goal from fourth-year forward Payton Kerr sent the Bold home victorious in their home opener.
The Bold and Lions—two of four teams in Toronto—finished sixth and fourth in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) standings last year. Kerr considered York a rival.
“It’s nice to play a team in Toronto so we can start the rivalry out on a positive note for us,” said Kerr. “It makes you work a little bit extra harder.”
Two minutes into the first period, first-year Lions forward Isabela Huculak was called for a tripping penalty and allowed the Bold to unleash their special teams, a strong suit in their play last year. A minute into the power play, fourth-year Bold defender Megan Breen’s shot was deflected to third-year Bold defender Ahalya Julien-Medeiros. The defender—who’s taking a more attacking role so far this year—sniped the puck into the right corner of the net.
The Lions used the 1-0 deficit as a wake-up call. They turned up the pressure on the Bold in their own zone and created more chances.
Fourteen minutes in, York got closer to the Bold net with a breakaway chance for first-year Lions forward Natasha Lange against third-year Bold goalie Alexia Stratos. The forward’s shot deflected off Stratos’ pad and found fourth-year Lions forward Sydney Hiltz, who only had to push the puck to equalize the score at 1-1.
On the heels of the goal, York gained momentum and controlled the game for the rest of the period.
With 30 seconds left on the clock, first-year Bold defender Dayle Chinnick was called for a tripping penalty and with York’s momentum, it was their opportunity to take advantage. First-year Lions forward Mikayla Totten found herself alone around the face-off dot and smacked the puck into the top left corner to send York with a 2-1 lead in intermission.
“There are always setbacks but you can’t let it push you down all the way,” said first-year defender Nahvin Bal. “It’s a 60-minute game, one goal doesn’t end the game.”
The Bold came out in the second period with a completely different look. With faster transitions and a more aggressive game style, TMU took control of the game.
Their mentality brought them results instantly. Fifty-eight seconds into the second period, third-year Bold defender Lauren McEachen pressured the right wing, allowing her to regain possession and place a pass to graduate student Emily Baxter in the slot. The forward placed the puck in the top right corner with a wrist shot, evening up the score. The game was now 2-2 and TMU didn’t want to take the foot off the gas.
York had multiple attempts to regain control of the match with 2-on-1 situations due to the Bold’s high pressure on the ice. But the Bold’s line of defence, commanded by Bal, Chinnick and Stratos, was crucial to holding down the fort and slowing down the game for the rest of the period.
With the game tied at 2-2, both teams were careful with their shot attempts and as the clock ticked down, tension started to rise as the game became more physical. The lack of a goal-scoring threat transferred into the third period.
Besides a couple of penalties and unthreatening shots on goal, the highlight of the game became defensive structure. The Bold kept pressuring higher in the ice, but York’s zone entry defending managed to keep TMU controlled.
With less than a minute left on the clock, Kerr intercepted a pass from second-year Lions defender Nicole York, which launched her near the face-off point. The Varna, Ont. product’s wrist shot slipped through the five-hole of third-year Lions goalie Emma Wedgewood.
“It’s obviously my last year [with the team],” said Kerr. “To be able to help the team out and establish a win for us at home, it feels unreal.”
An empty-net goal was just a second too late to increase the lead but the Bold cruised to a 3-2 victory, their first of the regular season.
The team will now look to clean up their mistakes heading into their first road trip of the season.
“Winning the first game of the year is a huge stepping stone for us for the rest of the year,” said Kerr. “Pretty nice sight of the end of the tunnel so we will keep going with that.”
UP NEXT: The Bold will travel to North Bay, Ont. to continue their regular season campaign against the Nipissing Lakers at the North Bay Memorial Gardens. Puck-drop is set at 6 p.m.
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