By Courtney Powers-Luketić

The lights dimmed in the Mattamy Athletic Centre (MAC), and yellow and blue strobe lights swept over a sold-out homecoming crowd. Boos rang out from Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold fans as the city-rival the University of Toronto (U of T) Varsity Blues filed onto the ice. 

The game was a rematch seven months in the making. In their last meeting on March 9, 2024, the Bold eliminated the Blues in their three-game playoff series, ending U of T’s Queen’s Cup hopes. 

The Bold showed up big for their fans, winning the game 3-1 and setting the tone for their future U of T matchups this season. 

“This is always such an awesome event to have so many students out to be able to show the product that we work hard on to put on the ice,” said Bold head coach Johnny Duco.  

The unfinished business between the two teams was apparent within the opening minutes. Both the Bold and the Blues put the pressure on with high-intensity physical play. 

Halfway through the first period, U of T’s third-year defender Aiden Reeves took an interference call, sending TMU to the first power play of the game. The pressure was on for first-year Blues goalie Nick Surzycia as the Bold created chance after chance in front of the net. 

With 30 seconds of Reeves’ penalty to go, first-year Bold forward Chase Lefebvre was sent to the box for a hooking violation, forcing the Bold to play four-on-four before playing on a man disadvantage. 

U of T pressed, but TMU was ready to respond. Second-year Bold forward Spencer Shugrue came up with a big block in the dying seconds of the penalty, holding the game scoreless. 

With five minutes remaining in the first, fourth-year Bold forward William Portokalis entered the zone and dropped the puck back for third-year defender Jack Budd. After a cross-crease pass back to Portokalis in the high slot, he took a snap shot, beating Surzycia glove-side to open the scoring for TMU. Portokalis, skating along the boards, turned to the glass and raised his arms to the crowd as they roared in celebration. 

“Scoring that goal is pretty big for putting [U of T] back on their heels. I think any time you go onto another team’s ice and their crowd is like that, making a lot of noise after you score, it’s tough to bounce back,” said Portokalis. 

The Bold opened the second period with one minute remaining in their man advantage, yet after surviving another penalty, the Blues seemed tired of letting TMU run the show, now shifting the momentum in their favour. 

For much of the second, the Blues owned the offensive zone, racking up 11 shots on goal, bringing themselves within two shots of a TMU desperate to defend their lead. 

As the clock ticked down and tensions rose, chirps spilled over the bench as Blues and Bold players leaned over to get a word in with their competitor. On the ice, the energy was just as high. After the final whistle of the second period, a scuffle broke out in front of the net, with Shugrue and second-year U of T forward Dylan Wightman having to be separated by the referees.  

In the heated opening minutes of the final period, nearly every whistle resulted in a scrum, and tensions reached a peak as U of T’s third-year defenceman Owen Luik and TMU’s first-year forward Carter MacAcdams were each sent to the box for roughing. 

On the four-on-four, third-year Bold defender Jaden Raad, who was proving himself to be a physical force in the game, would score and propel the Bold to a two-nothing lead. 

“It’s always intense when we play a team like that,” said Raad. “They have a great lineup year after year, and it’s always a good game against them. It gets the boys into that midseason form early.”

Four penalties were issued between the Blues and the Bold after a scrum in front of the net, continuing four-on-four play for another two minutes. 

U of T’s fourth-year forward Zack Smith scored to put the Blues on the board, bringing them within one with just under 10 minutes remaining. 

In a final push, the Blues pulled goaltender Surzycia, but second-year forward Slava Melikov capitalized on the opportunity, scoring an empty-netter and sealing the win for the Bold. 

UP NEXT: The Bold will face the defending National Champions, the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees, in a preseason game at the MAC on Saturday. Puck-drop is set for 3:00 p.m.