TORONTO - A night after losing to Windsor on the road in overtime, the Bold men's hockey team toughed out a resilient win against a top-ranked McGill side. The 5-2 win marked the Bold's first since opening 2024 with a 3-2 win against Brock. With the win the Bold hold a 13-6-1 record, as they chase the University of Toronto for 2nd place in the OUA East.

Starting tonight in goal for the Bold was second year Ryan Dugas. In his previous two starts this season Dugas boasted a 1.50 goals against average alongside an eye-popping .961 save percentage. Tonight he was once again solid, stopping 27 of the 29 shots he saw.

The Bold found offensive contributions from Will Portokalis, Ian Martin, and Kyle Bollers. Despite "tired legs" the Bold began the first period energized, hemming McGill in their defensive end for long stretches and dominating play. 

Portokalis opened the scoring at 11:08 in the first period, on a Martin assist, with his fourth goal of the season, a well-placed shot above the blocker. It was a well-earned reward for a Bold squad that had outshot the Redbirds 8-4 at that point. 

McGill would jump in front on two quick goals early in the second period. Outside the two minute stretch in which the Redbirds claimed the lead the Bold were the better squad throughout the period, in a similar story to the first.

The contest would take on a different tone as the period wound down. Whistles marked the end of play and the start of scrums around the net. As a result, the Bold found themselves shorthanded on multiple occasions. However, the Bold also saw an impressive performance from their penalty kill. Entering the contest, TMU ranked 21st nationally, with an 81% rate on the penalty kill. Converting on all four of their chances on the penalty kill, the special teams unit stalled McGill momentum. Assistant captain Kyle Bollers played a big role on the PK, generating chances on the offensive end and preventing McGill from effectively breaking out.

"He's got an elite skill set, but he's also got a will to be an elite penalty killer," said head coach Johnny Duco of Bollers' penalty killing. "He knows that when he gets to pro-hockey, that's going to be a role he'll continue to have."

Entering the third period down one, the Bold sought an important equalizer. They found it early on a weak dribbler by Ian Martin that tricked the McGill netminder, for Martin's fourth tally of the season. Seconds later a perfectly placed Bollers shot gave number 88 his fourteenth goal of the season and restored a Bold lead.

"I was looking pass the whole time but the defenceman didn't give it to me, so I put it on net and picked the corner and thankfully it went in," said Bollers of his game-winning goal.

With the roles reversed, and McGill searching for an equalizer, the Redbirds turned up the offensive zone pressure. It represented the Redbirds' best scoring opportunities since the beginning of the second period when McGill scored two quick goals. However, Elijah Roberts would secure the victory with an empty net goal, his first of the season. Kyle Bollers would add another, bringing his total to fifteen on the season.

The Bold are back in action next week Thursday against Laurier, with puck-drop at 6:00 p.m. from the MAC.