By Kyla Pugen

The Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold women’s hockey team lost to the York University Lions on Friday afternoon at the Mattamy Athletic Centre (MAC), marking their fourth straight loss to start the regular season. Despite the strong defensive play and steady goaltending, the Bold’s lack of offence proved costly. 

The matchup marked TMU’s long-awaited home opener, bringing an energetic crowd to the MAC for a clash against their city rivals. Among the fans were hundreds of students who were invited to watch the game for TMU’s annual School Day Game, adding excitement to the rink. 

“The school day game is a highlight on the calendar for us every year,” said head coach Lisa Haley. “And the fact it was our home opener was pretty cool too.”

Feeding off the crowd, the Bold opened with intensity, firing three shots on net within the opening minutes. Both teams traded chances throughout a fast-paced first period  but neither could find the back of the net. With strong defensive play on both sides, the frame ended scoreless—making the first goal a crucial moment. 

The second period saw more of the same tight end-to-end action. TMU first-year goaltender Sydney Pyburn made several key saves to keep her team in the game, including a pair of close-range stops on a York power play. However with 25 seconds left in the period, second-year York forward Ginger Fast opened the scoring to give the Lions a 1-0 lead.

Heading into the third, TMU pushed hard to even things up, generating multiple chances and testing fourth-year York goaltender Emma Wedgewood. The pace remained physical and competitive, highlighted by a mid-period collision that saw third-year York forward Kaitlin Teixeira helped off the ice. 

As the final five minutes ticked away, Bold controlled the play in the offensive zone, putting pressure on York down the stretch. Both goaltenders remained sharp, and with less than four minutes left, shots were dead even at 23 apiece. 

But with just over a minute remaining, fourth-year York forward Lola Massey sealed the win with a wrist shot to make it 2-0. 

Despite the loss, TMU’s defensive structure and goaltending were a positive standout. “She was solid today,” Haley said of Pyburn. “She did everything she could to try and keep us in it as long as she could…I’m happy with where she’s at right now.” 

Pyburn finished with 24 saves on 26 shots. The Bold blocked shots, killed penalties effectively and battled until their final buzzer but their search for offence continues. 

UP NEXT: TMU will take on the Ontario Tech University Ridgebacks on Oct. 25 at Campus Ice Centre. Puck-drop is at 7:00 p.m.