TORONTO — The Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold men's hockey team lost 4-2 to the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks.

Following a rather successful preseason, the Bold were hoping to carry their success into the regular season, but could not seem to convert that success.

"If you don't show up and play your best you run the risk of losing disappointed," said Head Coach Johnny Duco. "We're certainly leaving today disappointed. We did enough good things that we could have found a way, but ultimately we found a way to lose."

The Bold dominated offensively in the first period, demonstrating how the team this year has the height and strength to keep pushing their opponents.

Off a turnover from Laurier, the Bold opened the scoring early into the game with Hunter Donohoe quickly handing over the puck to Carter MacAdams who raced down the left side firing it into the back of the net.  

The first period ended with a 20-6 shots on goal advantage for TMU, proving the Bold's offensive dominance.

Things switched in the second period, and the Bold got off to a slow start. With a penalty called against TMU, they couldn't find their footing, resulting in Laurier tying up the game. Fast forward to six minutes left in the second period, the Golden Hawks took the lead.

The Bold responded with a couple minutes left in the period. Donohoe sent a sweep-around forehand pass to Joseph Ianniello who buried the puck in from just above the left circle. 

The Bold went into the third period hoping to capitalize on the positive momentum built from the final moments in the second period. However, that hope was diminished as the Golden Hawks scored their third goal within the first minute and followed later in the period with their fourth goal.

"It's a learning lesson," said Duco "You have to have that killer instinct when you get up one, you have to get up two, you have to get up three and put teams away."

Until the final minutes of the third period, despite outshooting the Golden Hawks, the Bold could not regroup. 

With 16 new players on the roster, there are a lot of moving pieces and potential line changes coming in the future.

"We have a deep group, we've got a lot of guys hungry to get in and we'll take some guys out who we didn't like their efforts today and we'll put some new guys in and hopefully get a better effort from them," said Duco. "I think what this group needs is internal competition to realize that my spot is not safe and if I don't play extremely well every shift, every night I run the risk of someone taking my spot."

Next up the Bold will face the Waterloo Warriors, looking for a chance at redemption after today's loss and an opportunity to get back on track. Puck drop is at 2:15 p.m. at the Mattamy Athletic Centre. Students with a OneCard can attend the game for free.