WATERLOO, Ont. — The Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold men's hockey team defeated the Waterloo Warriors 3-0 to close out the regular season.

The Bold's last two games were crucial in determining playoff seeding. With today's win against the Warriors and their 4-2 victory over the Brock Badgers this past Thursday, TMU has clinched a first-round bye and will enter the playoffs as the second seed in the OUA West conference.

"This group is special," said Bold forward Marko Djordjevic. "It's an honour to be on such a great team. I am very excited to go into the playoffs with this team and win. From the coaches to the goalie, all the way down the lineup we all have one goal in common."

In the opening frame, the Bold went on the penalty kill early. However, the Warriors matched the Bold with a penalty of their own resulting in 4-on-4 play. Waterloo's Jaxson Murray earned a breakaway, but goaltender Kai Edmonds was up to the task— a theme that would continue throughout the game

Waterloo played a very physical game, but the Bold matched it with speed and precision.

Six minutes into the period, Daniil Grigorev raced down the right wing, firing a shot towards the net. The puck bounced off the pads of Waterloo netminder Dan Murphy, where Slava Melikov collected the rebound and tucked it past Murphy who was unable to respond in time.

Five minutes later, Grigorev got on the scoreboard himself. A mispass from a Warrior allowed Djordjevic to take control of a loose puck, skating into the offensive zone, before dropping a backhand pass to Grigorev, who converted with a clean shot into the net.

The first period ended with the Bold up by two and ahead on shots 15-10.

In the second period, the Bold continued their strong play, picking up where they left off, generating early scoring chances and maintained strong puck possession. A penalty on Waterloo gave TMU their second powerplay of the evening.

Defenceman Joseph Ianniello, who was recently awarded the #4 Award given to the top TMU defenceman, blasted two one-timers during the powerplay, though the Bold were unable to convert. Ianniello has contributed seven goals and 16 assists this season.

Throughout the period, the Bold demonstrated urgency with a chance from Grigorev at the crease, a rush from Ryan Cooper — a first year forward who played in only his fourth game of the season, and a strong shot from the point from Jack Budd.

Despite the period remaining scoreless, the Bold dominated in shots outshooting the Warriors 25-4.

A minute and a half into the final period, the Bold extended their lead with a third goal. Djordjevic scored his 16th goal of the season, tapping in a rebound from Jaden Raad while positioned in front of the crease. 

With eight minutes left, the Bold were called for a high-sticking double minor, giving Waterloo an extended powerplay. However, Edmonds stayed composed.

"Anytime there's a major penalty you just have to stay focused on the present and not let the mind wander," said Edmonds. "Just have to trust and believe in your teammates to do their job and I'll be there to back them up."

The Warriors took several high risk shots, including a wraparound attempt that Edmonds stopped, marking the halfway point in the penalty kill. Despite Waterloo's offensive pressure, TMU's defensive prowess held strong, resulting in a successful penalty kill.

As the minutes ticked down, Edmonds remained a brick wall, stopping all 30 shots he faced throughout the game while the Bold preserved their three-goal lead.

The final score ended 3-0, a shutout win for the Bold to cap off their regular season. Shots finished 56-30 in favour of the Bold.

With the regular season done, the focus now shifts to the next chapter: playoffs.

Edmonds shared the mindset that both him and the team will need moving forward.

"For me, playoffs are a great opportunity to fully focus on bringing my best game night in and night out to try and always give the team a chance to win," said Edmonds. "As a team we just need to come together as a group and play for each other. Having everybody on the same page and willing to put the team above yourself is crucial for a long playoff run."

Djordjevic echoed his teammate's sentiment, emphasizing preparation and the next week ahead.

"Nothing changes for me for preparation and for playoffs," said Djordjevic. "We need to have a good week of practice for the week off and get ready to go"

Up next, the Bold will compete in the quarterfinals. Stay tuned to tmubold.ca and the TMU Bold Instagram for updates on TMU's opponent, as well as the dates and times of the games.