By Eliza Nwaesei
After 143 minutes of play and six hours from puck-drop to end, the fatigue was setting in for the Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold men’s hockey team. Despite a slow start, they dragged the game to a fifth overtime against the Mount Royal Cougars. In the end, it was first-year forward Spencer Shugrue who wore the hero’s cape for the Bold.
The longest U Sports men’s hockey game ever came to an end after third-year defenceman Evan Brand launched the puck into the offensive zone, creating a scramble in front of the net. Amid the chaos, Shugrue sprawled to the ice, shoved with his stick—which will be sent to the hockey hall of fame following his goal—and pushed the puck over the line to send TMU to the semi-finals of the University Cup (U Cup) for the second straight year.
“It’s a game that happens probably once in a lifetime, five overtimes is pretty crazy, so to get the win and end up on the right side is just an awesome feeling,” said third-year goaltender Kai Edmonds.
With Shugrue’s heroics as the final straw, the Bold secured a dramatic 5-4 victory on Thursday afternoon at TD Place in Ottawa, eliminating the Cougars from the 2025 U Cup.
The high stakes contest, which extended into eight periods, made history as the longest U Sports men’s hockey game ever recorded.
Coming off a heartbreaking loss to the Concordia Stingers in the Queen’s Cup Final, the Bold were eager for redemption—and they got it. Meanwhile, the Cougars were also seeking to rebound after a loss against the Saskatchewan Huskies, which left them second in Canada West.
With both teams hungry for a comeback, the stage was set for an unforgettable clash, especially in an unprecedented matchup—the Bold have never faced the Cougars in recorded history.
“It’s fun to play teams you’ve never seen before. It’s exciting. And you learn as you go…It’s a game of adjustment,” said Bold head coach Johnny Duco.
The intensity was evident from the opening faceoff, with both teams matching each other’s pace. A turning point came when first-year Bold forward Jordan D’Intino was called for high sticking on a follow through. The penalty meant TMU would have to face a team with the second best power play in the nation at 29.5 per cent—a challenge that quickly proved costly.
Third-year Cougars defenceman Clay Hanus—the reigning U Sports men’s hockey player of the year and defenceman of the year—sent a blistering shot off the bar past Edmonds, giving Mount Royal a 1-0 lead.
“[Hanus] is an amazing young player and he’s just talented and he’s always had that talent,” said Mount Royal Cougars Head Coach Bert Gilling. “He got into strength and conditioning the last two summers and he needed that. He went pro after junior and then he came to us and that time’s been really good for him, so he’s taken his game to another level.”
Late in the first period, tensions flared in front of Edmonds after contact from a Cougars player, resulting in a power play opportunity for TMU. Just a second later, a face-off violation by second-year Cougar Tristan Zandee gave the Bold a 5-on-3 advantage. They seized the moment as third-year defenceman Jaden Condotta and D’Intino executed a seamless passing sequence, culminating in Condotta rifling the puck into the net.
Mount Royal struck again just over a minute into the second period, capitalizing on another power play after third-year Bold forward Ian Martin was called for slashing. First-year forward Teague Patton made a pass from just above the red line to the crease, where fourth-year forward Robbie Holmes redirected the puck past Edmonds.
A short time later, the Cougars extended the lead to 3-1. First-year forward Jayden Wiens took a shot from the blue line, which Edmonds thought he had secured, but the puck slipped through his pads allowing fourth-year forward Spencer Moe to tap it home.
An issue with Edmonds’ skate meant the Bold had to swap him out of the crease for third-year goaltender Ryan Dugas. During his brief stint, the Cougars appeared to score a fourth goal as a puck fluttered over Dugas’ head, but it was overturned due to Mount Royal being offside.
“I didn’t get pulled,” said Edmonds. “I had a bit of a lace issue and I went to talk to the ref to see if I could go to the bench and then he told me that because I came out and he said I crossed the red line, I had to switch. It was not ideal.”
TMU pulled one back in the final minute of the second period. Third-year forward Connor Bowie set up fourth-year forward Kevin Gursoy with a drop pass in the red circle, where Gursoy unleashed a thunderous slapshot past Farkas, cutting the deficit to 3-2.
Suddenly, rather than being down 4-1, the Bold were within striking distance with 20 minutes to go in regulation.
“We were down 3-1, 4-1, goal called back, looking like we weren’t really in it, and there’s never a doubt, nothing but the utmost belief in that group, that we’re going to find a way to get it done,” said Duco. “Kudos to them to find a way.”
The third period opened in similar fashion to the second, as Patton struck again just over a minute in, restoring Mount Royal’s two-goal cushion. The Cougars ramped up their speed, while TMU played with desperation, peppering third-year goaltender Shane Farkas with shots but failing to break through—until they did.
Third-year defenceman Joseph Ianniello fired a shot that rebounded off Farkas’ pads, where Martin was waiting to bury the loose puck, to no avail. Minutes later, a miraculous stretching save by Edmonds led to a chance the other way. Second-year forward Daniil Grigorev took a pass from Ianniello and surged down the ice. Grigorev found a clear line and fired the equalizer after leaving two defenders to clash against each other.
For the rest of the period, there were high-risk shots and notable saves from Farkas and Edmonds—who won player of the game—but no rewards, forcing the game into what became a round of historic overtimes.
“Edmonds is the best goalie in the country, back-to-back FISU champion as the number one goalie in U Sports,” said Duco. “He’s a warrior, he comes to play every night and we know how talented he is.”
Overtime tested the endurance of both teams. In the first extra frame, Martin was called for elbowing, but the Bold’s penalty kill held strong. The game became a relentless back-and-forth battle, with neither team able to break through.
Following an extended intermission due to a zamboni issue, the second overtime saw a noticeable slowdown as exhaustion set in. Players showed visible frustration as pucks refused to find the net.
The first minute of the third overtime featured a false promise of an end to the game, as a wraparound attempt by Hanus appeared to cross the line. It was initially called no-goal and remained as such after a review. From there, the teams settled right back into their routine of back and forth action, followed by a long intermission.
“I can’t imagine how the players are feeling right now, because to be honest I was sore standing, my legs were sore, my back was sore and I was feeling it,” said Duco. “It just makes me that much more proud in this group to know that they fight through adversity, they stick together through thick and thin.”
By the fourth overtime, fatigue was evident—missed passes and whiffed shots littered the play. With two full games worth of ice time logged, both teams were running on fumes.
Then during the fifth overtime, Shugrue’s goal came and killed the game. Having already netted an overtime winner earlier in the playoffs against Lakehead, the former Saskatoon Blade cemented his clutch reputation.
“He’s scored big goals for us, so not much more you could ask of him as a first-year player,” said Duco. “He’s got the heart of a lion, nobody plays as hard as him and it’s awesome to see him rewarded in these big moments.”
As the TMU bench emptied in celebration, the longest U Sports men’s hockey game in history finally came to an end—a testament to the resilience and determination of both teams.
NEXT UP: The Bold will face the Ottawa Gee-Gees in the semi-finals of the U Cup. Puck-drop is set at 1 p.m. on March 22 at TD Place.
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