By Kyla Pugen

Against the romantic backdrop of their special Valentine’s Day game, the Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold women’s hockey team suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat to the Carleton University Ravens. The Ravens arrived at the Mattamy Athletic Centre (MAC) on Friday night with a chip on their shoulder, looking for redemption after being shut out by the Bold just one week prior. 

The game started out on a slightly bizarre foot, featuring a sequence of back-and-forth events that left fans and players alike shocked, to say the least. For much of the opening frame, the plot followed a standard defensive effort. First-year goaltender Sydney Pyburn stood tall in net for the Bold, with second-year Raven’s goaltender Kaitlyn Langille matching that energy. 

The period was highlighted by a massive blocked shot by fourth-year forward Britni Yammine that would draw cheers from the home crowd. TMU brought an “all-in” mentality to the ice for their second last game of the season but as the clock ticked down, that narrative took a turn towards complete shock. 

With a bit over a minute remaining in the first, a scramble in front of the Raven’s net seemed to go unrewarded. The teams played on, the buzzer sounded and the scoreboard read 0-0. However, a lengthy conversation at center ice by game officials revealed that the puck had, in fact, crossed the line around the 18-minute mark. 

This led to the referees resetting the clock to 1:12, and first-year defender Maddy Collins was officially credited with the match’s opening goal. Bold head coach Lisa Haley spoke about the delay, saying she was “hoping that the officials [were] going to get it right,” but also emphasized that the team had to remain focused.

“When the goal is waived off, we have to get ready for whatever the next shift is, what group of players are going to go next, and try to stay focused,” said Haley. 

The 1-0 lead was motivating but the Ravens proved to be the ultimate spoilers. Using their frustration from the overturned call, Carleton refused to let the period end quietly. With just five seconds left in the replayed time, fourth-year Raven’s defender Avery Krawchuk silenced the home crowd with a buzzer-beater. Her equalizer capped off a chaotic opening frame, sending both teams into the first intermission tied and the MAC into stunned silence. 

While the second period lacked the drama of the first, the fast pace remained. The Bold came out with an aggressive edge, putting together many dangerous sequences in front of the Carleton net. 

Intensity reached a boiling point midway through the frame when TMU fourth-year forward Gaby Gareau took a massive hit. The Ravens instigator drew a whistle, handing the Bold a power play opportunity though Carleton was able to weather the storm. 

Despite the Bold’s persistence and another woman advantage later in the period, the Bold struggled to find that finishing touch. The Bold seemed to be waiting for their power play to capitalize. 

In a twist of momentum similar to the first frame, Carleton added a late-period spoiler. With just under two minutes remaining, Ravens first-year forward Erica Buckley found a gap to slot home a go-ahead goal. Despite a good effort, the home team headed into the dressing room down 2-1. 

The final frame began with the Bold under immediate pressure, forced to start on a penalty kill. Both Pyburn and Langille remained dialed in, with the goaltenders trading great saves to keep the score within reach. 

Soon the physical nature of the match finally boiled over. A heated fight broke out between Collins and the Ravens second-year forward Victoria Kay. The altercation left the Bold on the penalty kill once more, forcing them to prioritize defense amidst their need for more offensive power. 

Reflecting on her team’s ability to keep games close despite disappointing losses, Haley noted that “feeling okay that it was a close game” simply isn’t enough for the program’s standards. “We’re hoping for a little bit more fight,” she said. “It doesn’t feel good when it was a one-goal game, and there’s things you could have done differently to fix that.”

Despite their gritty effort, the Bold couldn’t find the back of the net. After this loss, an unfortunate reality has set in: the Bold will not be moving on to the post-season. With their regular season finale tomorrow, the team is treating it as “one more opportunity to get it right,” according to Haley. 

Collins echoed this message saying that tomorrow they have to really bring it and “live it out on the ice for our seniors.”

“We feel we’ve had some great moments over the course of the year,” Haley said. “But we still haven’t found our best game in a full 60-minute window…Let’s see how much character we’ve got.” 

As the Bold prepare for their final game of the year tomorrow, their focus is beginning to shift toward the future, using these final minutes as the foundation for the next season. 

UP NEXT: TMU will take on the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees on Feb. 14 at the MAC. Puck-drop is set for 2:15 p.m.