OTTAWA—To begin their trip to the nation's capital, the Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold women's hockey team won 3-1 against the Carleton Ravens on Friday.
The Ravens have been a fairly new opponent for the Bold. The team entered the OUA just four years ago, previously playing in the RESQ. In previous matchups, TMU went 2-2, winning both road games.
Looking to keep that streak alive, TMU entered tonight's game ready for whatever Carleton would bring to the table. From the opening faceoff, the matchup was even. Both teams traded possession and time in their respective offensive zones.
Nearly halfway through the period, rookie defender Ava Clavelle was called for interference, giving TMU a chance to show off its special teams unit early on. Currently, the Bold are ranked 3rd in the OUA East in PK%, at 87.5 per cent.
OUA East All-Rookie Sydney Pyburn made her first start between the pipes of the season. With the help of some great defending, TMU killed the first power play of the game. However, just a minute later, they would have to do it all again when defender Maddy Collins was sent to the box for body-checking.
Along with the Bold's penalty kill unit, Pyburn held strong once more, and the score remained 0-0.
The matchup remained even throughout the first period, with most of the time spent in the neutral zone. With nearly 40 seconds remaining, TMU was awarded its first power play on a body-checking call.
The two-minute penalty would mean that the Bold would enter the second period with the advantage, as they looked to open the scoring.
Despite some great attempts, TMU was unable to capitalize. With both teams returning to full strength, Carleton began to rush into the Bold's territory. Ravens forward Kennedy Vickers, along with a teammate, got into a 2-on-1 against the TMU defence. Besting the Bold and getting to the netminder, Vickers fired, and Pyburn padded it away.
Ravens forwards scrambled to get the rebound. However, they were tied up by two-way player Ahalya Julien-Medeiros, who blocked the shot.
On the next faceoff, the puck was rushed down the ice. Defender Nahvin Bal made a shot, and it was tipped by forward Britni Yammine's stick. The trajectory of the puck, combined with the angle of Yammine's stick, sent it right over the shoulder of Carleton's netminder, finally putting the Bold on the board.
Hungry to even the score, the Ravens increased their pressure in TMU's end ten-fold. Pyburn was dialled in, screening every shot and making some incredible saves, even in 2-on-1 situations.
In the neutral zone, rookie forward Anna McKee scooped up the puck and shot it down the ice, where it was picked up by Bal at the blue line.
With a long shot at the point from Bal, the puck was deflected off the stick of Carleton forward Leigh Burkitt. Burkitt's stick hit the puck just right, tipping it into the net.
Holding all the momentum as the second period came to a close, TMU skated off the ice up 2-0.
Two minutes into the third period, forward Alizee LeBlanc was called for holding, giving the Ravens their third power play opportunity of the night. Carleton is currently tied with Ontario Tech for the second-worst PP% in the OUA East, at 9.1 per cent.
Halfway through the advantage, Carleton was called for interference, creating a 4-on-4 situation.
With LeBlanc now back on the ice, the Bold had their second power play of the evening. Unfortunately, nothing would come of it. Three minutes later, TMU found itself shorthanded again when first-year Reese Logan was called for body-checking.
The Ravens still had lots of time to cut the Bold's lead down to one goal. On the attack, the Ravens were applying a lot of pressure, spinning past Bold defenders and making some great shots on net, but it was nothing that Pyburn couldn't handle.
In less than sixty seconds, the second-year netminder made four saves, gliding throughout the crease and protecting the net.
TMU's special teams unit was dominant once again, and Carleton's opportunities were slowly fading away. Desperate for a goal, the Ravens pulled their netminder with three minutes remaining in the game.
Rookie Jeevin Khehra was penalized for hooking, giving Carleton its fifth power play opportunity of the night. Still fighting to get on the board, the Ravens were pressuring hard. The Bold did an excellent job of stopping any potential plays, even getting the puck into the neutral zone.
Intercepting a Carleton pass, LeBlanc sent the puck up the ice, where it slid right into the Ravens' empty net, seemingly putting a bow on this game.
A shutout was all but likely for Pyburn, who had two last year over the course of 21 game appearances. Unfortunately, Carleton scored with just two minutes to go, sneaking it in from the corner.
The Ravens hoped that finally getting on the board would shift the momentum, but after losing the faceoff in the neutral zone, their dreams dwindled just like the play clock. TMU officially sealed the victory with Pyburn stopping 29 out of 30 shots.
Up next, the 2-1 Bold head to the University of Ottawa, where they will take on the 2-1-1 Gee-Gees. Puck drop is set for Oct. 31 at 5:00 p.m. Fans can catch the action on OUA.tv.
