THUNDER BAY, Ont. – The Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold men's hockey team flew to Thunder Bay to take on the Lakehead Thunderwolves in the first game of the OUA Quarter-Final and emerged victorious with a 3-2 overtime win.

The Bold entered the matchup as the number one seed, while the Thunderwolves sat in fifth. TMU applied early pressure in the first period, generating multiple shots on net, while the Thunderwolves attempted to respond in kind.

Goaltender Kai Edmonds started the series opener, relying on the Bold's strong defensive play throughout the first period.

The Bold earned the first power play of the night near the end of the period, creating a few scoring chances but failing to capitalize.

Heading into the first intermission, the game remained tied, with the Bold looking to come back stronger in the second.

Right off the faceoff, Aleks Dimovski broke away, assisted by Liam Ross, and sniped the opening goal of the playoff series for the Bold.

Midway through the second period, the Thunderwolves received their first power play opportunity, but the Bold quickly shut it down, with Spencer Shugrue and Joe Rupoli standing strong in front of Edmonds.

Both teams showed growing frustration throughout the period, leading to another power play opportunity for the Bold with five minutes remaining.

With two minutes left in a chippy second period, defenseman Jaden Condotta fired a shot from the point, giving the Bold a two-goal lead.

The Bold successfully killed off a penalty to close out the period and aimed to maintain their intensity in the third.

Early in the third, a Bold penalty gave the Thunderwolves a power play, which they converted to cut the lead in half.

A later penalty against the Bold led to a 6-on-5 advantage for Lakehead, allowing them to tie the game with ten minutes remaining.

Both teams created dangerous chances in front of the net, but neither could break the deadlock, sending the game to overtime.

Ian Martin stood out in overtime, showcasing strong two-way play up and down the ice.

The Thunderwolves pressed hard against Edmonds, but the Bold goaltender stood tall, making a total of 38 saves.

In the end, Spencer Shugrue found himself in front of the Thunderwolves' net and buried the game-winning goal, securing the overtime victory for the Bold.

The series now shifts back to Toronto, where the Bold will host Game 2 against the Thunderwolves on Saturday, March 1. Puck drop is at 6:15 p.m., and students can attend for free with their OneCard.