By D’Arcy Bagley

The Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) women’s hockey team defeated their cross-town rivals, the University of Toronto (U of T) Varsity Blues in a 4-3 shootout win on Friday at the Mattamy Athletic Centre (MAC).

Going into the game, the Bold were hoping to rebound from a 5-1 loss against Wilfred Laurier in their season opener and earn a win on home ice.

Students from schools across the Toronto District School Board packed the MAC for the Bold’s School Day promotion. 

The young students created a raucous and lively atmosphere for the team during their home opener.  

“All the kids were really loud, so it made it lots of fun,” said TMU’s second-year goaltender Katie Frost.

The game started with a U of T goal scored by fifth-year forward Emma Elders only two minutes into the game. However, the Varsity Blues also committed a body-checking penalty, in which the Bold’s second-year defender Maddy Collins capitalized on the U of T miscue by shooting one over the glove of U of T’s second-year goalie Jillian Matthews, tying the game at one all.

Despite the momentum shift, TMU committed a hooking penalty after eight minutes into the opening period. The TMU penalty kill was stellar during the game, shutting down the Varsity Blues on the power play before going a perfect 6/6 on other penalty kills later on.

 “Our penalty kill has come together great,” said Bold head coach Lisa Haley.  “It was great to see them get the job done and get rewarded for it as well…So we’re very happy with special teams today.”

Twelve minutes into the second frame, it was the Bold who caught their rivals off-guard. First-year Bold forward Reese Logan scored her first career Ontario University Athletics goal after a drop pass from fourth-year forward Neely Van Volsen left Logan open in the middle of the offensive zone, where she buried the puck to give TMU the lead. 

The Bold kept pushing after the goal and kept U of T on their heels. After lots of pressure, third-year forward Ava Caputo broke free before drawing a penalty on her breakaway. This gave Logan a penalty shot opportunity which she took advantage of, firing the puck five-hole to extend the Bold’s lead.

When asked about her performance, Logan said that she felt “pretty honoured just to be on a team who believed in [her],” adding that “it’s a great accomplishment to be on a good team like this”.

Thanks to Logan, TMU held a two-goal lead heading into the final period of play. Due to the Varsity Blues and some more penalty trouble, the home side soon found themselves on a four-minute power play.  

Despite being unable to produce anything on the opportunity, U of T was able to get back on the board with a goal from fourth-year forward Abby Whitworth just before the ten-minute mark. Under a minute later, Elders scored her second goal of the game to tie the game at three.

Regulation ended with a 3-3 tie, and overtime solved nothing as neither team was able to find the back of the net during the seven-minute period. 

The period was not without its chances as Frost made an unbelievable pad save on a late two-player breakaway rush from U of T,  sending the game to a shootout. 

The shootout went nine rounds as each goalie refused to back down.

Eventually, Collins was able to fire one over the blocker of Matthews to give the Bold their first victory of the season, 4-3. 

UP NEXT: The Bold head to the nation’s capital to face the Carleton University Ravens at the Carleton Ice House. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. on Oct. 30.