Amanda Fawns' third-period goal would be all the University of Toronto Varsity Blues women’s hockey team needed to defeat the Brock Badgers on Sunday, January 11 at Varsity Arena.

Blues rookie goaltender Kendyl Valenta (Brampton, Ont.) set the stage for the rest of the game when she stopped Badgers forward Maja Samborski’s (Toronto) breakaway attempt to keep things scoreless in the first period.

Toronto turned up the heat in the second period as all three forward lines created solid scoring opportunities but were unable to convert, hitting only crossbars and posts. Valenta again kept the game scoreless, stopping a one-time shot off a Badgers two-on-one with 30 seconds left in the second frame.

The play went back and forth in the third period with both teams itching for that elusive first goal. 

With 6:38 seconds to go in regulation, Fawns (Scarborough, Ont.) walked off the half boards and sent the puck through traffic to beat Badgers goaltender Beth Clause (Hamilton, Ont.) for what would be the eventual game winner.

Valenta’s job would not end there as she stopped Brock’s leading scorer Kelly Walker’s (Brampton, Ont.) breakaway attempt with just under five minutes to go and made an outstanding glove save off a defensive zone face off to finish the game.

Fawns was named the Blues player of the game and Valenta made 25 saves to earn her fifth shutout of the season.

The Varsity Blues return to action next Saturday, January 17 when they travel to Oshawa to take on the UOIT Ridgebacks. The puck drops at 7:30 p.m.