The University of Toronto Varsity Blues women’s hockey team scraped by with a 3-2 victory over the UOIT Ridgebacks on Saturday, January 17 at Campus Ice Centre.

The Ridgebacks opened up the scoring two minutes into the first period but second-year Blues forward Lindsay Hill (Ajax, Ont.) answered back, driving wide around a UOIT defenceman and sending the puck through the legs of Emma Thompson to tie things up. Despite outshooting the Ridgebacks 18-6, the game remained tied 1-1 at the end of the first period.

Toronto got into some penalty trouble in the second period and UOIT took advantage as Kristi Smithurst (Oshawa, Ont.) scored a powerplay marker to put the Ridgebacks up by one. Six minutes later, first-year forward Callie Bazak (Peterborough, Ont.) skated over the blue line and sent a booming shot over Thompson’s glove to tie the game at 2-2 going into the third period.

The Blues came out on fire in the third period and it quickly paid off. Scarborough, Ont. native Stacey Oue skated down the wing and gave a beautiful drop pass to Emily Milito (Ottawa, Ont.) who one-timed into the back of the net.

Toronto held on throughout the final frame and came away with the 3-2 win.

The No. 8 Varsity Blues return home tomorrow night when they battled for second place in the OUA with the No. 5 Guelph Gryphons at Varsity Arena. The puck drops at 7:30 p.m.