By Matteo Giuliano

The Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold men’s hockey left the Brock Badgers in the dust in a do-or-die game three of the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) quarter-finals. The final game of the best-of-three series took place at the Mattamy Athletic Centre on Sunday night (MAC) and ended 2-1 in TMU’s favour. 

The biggest game of the Bold’s season came just one night after they allowed a third-period lead to slip away in game two—their first chance to close the series out. 

Bold head coach Johnny Duco spoke to the veteran leadership that helped his team prepare for tonight’s game with such a quick turnaround. “I think we’re fortunate to have a terrific veteran group that has been through the OUA playoffs…so I think we can lean on a lot of that experience,” he said. 

Although seemingly ready, TMU had a sloppy first period. 

Most of the frame saw the teams conduct their own feeling-out process. Both TMU and Brock struggled to generate chances. Play was messy throughout, with pucks bouncing off sticks and neither team able to capitalize. 

TMU had a chance at a goal after the second, but second-year Brock goaltender Ben Bonisteel made a glove save off a one-timer. The puck trickled behind him. Sitting on the goal line, the puck was met by a Brock defenceman who cleared it away before the Bold could tap it in.

TMU came out of the first up 1-0 through a power play goal from second-year defenceman Joseph Ianniello. Ianniello, receiving the puck from a faceoff win,  fired it through a screen immediately. 

The puck found its way through a crowd and past Bonisteel’s blocker, and into the back of the net with just over 35 seconds left in the period. 

“That faceoff was drawn up…I saw the lane, it went off a guy’s foot but I got lucky and it went in,” said Ianniello. 

The trend of sloppy play carried into the second, but with Brock in control of the game. The Badgers outshot TMU 14-5 and found numerous opportunities to capitalize, including a penalty shot by fourth-year forward Ryan Stepien after a TMU player had covered the puck with his hand in the crease. However, Stepien fumbled the puck and failed to get a shot. 

TMU’s ability to maintain their one-goal lead felt improbable but the Bold had the difference maker. Fourth-year goalie Kai Edmonds made multiple big stops throughout the period enabling his team to maintain the one-goal lead.

Heading into the third, TMU put it all on the line, ready to play their best period of the night.

Third-year defender Jaden Raad scored his first goal of the season to extend the Bold’s lead to 2-0 halfway through the period. The goal came off a quick one-timer from the point. 

Raad would later exit the game after taking a puck to the face. After getting stitched up, he returned to the ice wearing a full facial visor. 

Explaining the change from a regular visor, which Raad wore throughout the regular season, he said, “I wore a [full face visor] in junior so it’s a back to the glory days kind of thing.”. 

Nearing the game’s end, a desperate Brock pulled one back quickly. Fifth-year defenceman Stephen Calisti scored off a snapshot from the top of the circles to make the score 2-1. 

Although it was tight, Edmonds held down the fort, shielding the Bold over the finish line and advancing TMU to the semi-finals. 

Ianniello raved about Edmonds postgame. “Bottom line, [Edmonds] is our best player. He’s the best player in the league and probably one of the best in the country,” he said.

Duco was also pleased with Edmonds after his 31 save performance. “Kai Edmonds was absolutely outstanding tonight. Brock gave us everything and more. They played an outstanding game and probably deserved a better fate, but you don’t have to apologize for having elite goaltending,” said Duco.

UP NEXT: The Bold will take on the Windsor Lancers in the semifinals of the OUA Playoffs. A date and time are yet to be determined.