TORONTO – The Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold men's hockey team played their second game of the OUA semifinal against the fiery Toronto Varsity Blues, securing an electric 5-4 victory to force a decisive Game 3.

After a tough loss on Wednesday, the Bold were determined to bounce back and keep their season alive.

Early in the first period, Daniil Grigorev snuck past the Varsity Blues' defence and scored the opening goal unassisted. The game quickly became a back-and-forth battle between the two teams.

Minutes later, Kevin Gursoy fired in the Bold's second goal, giving them a two-goal lead.

As Bold fans filled the stands, the energy on the bench surged, fueling the team's momentum.

Later in the period, the Blues responded by scoring twice on goaltender Kai Edmonds, applying relentless pressure for the remainder of the frame.

Entering the second period, the Bold felt the pressure. Just one minute in, Grigorev netted his second goal of the game, assisted by a pinpoint pass from defenceman Jaden Raad.

The Varsity Blues answered at the seven-minute mark, tying the game once again. The Bold knew this matchup would be tight, but they remained focused on securing the win.

Before the period ended, multiple penalties resulted in a power play for the Varsity Blues, who capitalized on the man advantage to take a 4-3 lead.

Heading into the third, the Bold trailed by one with 20 minutes to equalize and seize the chance to advance in the series on Sunday.

Four minutes into the period, rookie Slava Melikov tipped in the tying goal, turning the game into a nail-biter for the fans.

The Blues tried to generate scoring chances, but Edmonds stood tall between the pipes, making 32 saves. Meanwhile, the Bold peppered the Varsity Blues' net with 51 shots, demonstrating their offensive pressure.

"It's always exciting and nerve-racking—these games, I mean, the season's on the line. It's just an internse game, and I try to stay right back," said Edmonds.

Eight minutes into the third, Will Portokalis secured the game-winning goal for the Bold, assisted by Ian Martin and Jaden Condotta.

The rest of the period was all about finishing strong, and the Bold did just that, with the Bold fans cheering in the background.

"Anytime you're on the road and you hear a 'Go TMU' chant, it's  certainly uplifting and means a lot. We're going to need that same energy on Sunday to be that sixth player in the crowd," said Head Coach Johnny Duco.

Looking ahead, the Bold must apply the same level of pressure to push through to the very end.

"I think just keep things simple, that's how we did it today. We don't want to play a lot more aggressively than we did the first game I think if we just keep on playing that way we'll be able to take down anyone," said Gursoy.

The Bold are set to play Game three at home on Sunday at 6:15 p.m. Students get in free with their OneCard.