The University of Toronto Varsity Blues men’s hockey team cruised to a 7-3 victory over the Ryerson Rams at Varsity Arena on Friday, January 15.

Byron Elliot led the way for the Blues, netting a hat-trick and adding an assist, while Blues goalie Mark Miller made 20 saves to secure the win. 

The Blues improve to 9-7-3 and sit in fifth place in the OUA East, while the Rams are behind them in sixth, with a 7-11-2 record.

Toronto opened the scoring just moments into the contest, as fifth-year veteran Joe Rand (Hamilton, Ont.) found Brandon Sherrard (Etobicoke, Ont.) open on the point. The Blues captain ripped a shot into the top corner to put Toronto up 1-0 just 29 seconds into the game.

Elliott would add two goals in fairly quick succession. On his first, the Burlington Ont. native received a long cross-ice feed from Ed Snetsinger (Ajax, Ont.) that sent him on a breakaway. Elliot ripped a shot off the cross-bar, only to pick up his own rebound and jam it into the open mesh.

Only minutes later, the Rams would turn the puck over in their own end, causing an odd-man situation in favour of the Blues. After a wonderful passing play between Toronto natives Bryden Teich and David Mooney, the puck would end up on Elliott’s stick, who pocketed his second goal of the game to put the Blues up 3-0.

Coming off a Blues power play, the Rams caught Toronto defence pinching, leading to a two-on-one. Kevin Day (Toronto) passed to Matt Schermund, leaving Miller (Parry Sound, Ont.) unable to slide over in time, as the Calahoo, Alta. native brought the Rams back to within two. The score would remain 3-1 at the end of the first frame.

Rand nearly put the Blues ahead by three again, as he caught Rams goalie Thomas Gibson out of position. However, the St. Thomas Ont. native reached back and gloved the puck just as it was about to cross the line, taking away a sure goal from Rand.

Kevin Day (Toronto) brought the Rams within a goal at the 7:30 mark of the second period. Day was able to get his stick on a shot from Michael Paolo (Mississauga), deflecting the puck past Miller. However, just before the end of the period, Mooney scored his fifth of the season off of a rebound on the powerplay to extend the Blues lead back to two.

Despite a second Rams goal from Paolo, the Blues took over the contest, scoring three unanswered goals to secure the victory.

Andrew Kizito (Toronto) scored on a powerplay, and Elliott potted his third goal of the evening to put the Blues up by three. Kyle Paige (Richmond Hill, Ont.) rounded out the scoring with a few minutes left in regulation as Toronto earned their ninth victory of the season.

The Varsity Blues return to action tomorrow night (Jan. 16) when they host the Queen’s Gales at Varsity Arena. The puck drops at 7:30 p.m.

For more information, scores and highlights on your favourite Toronto teams, please visit the home of the Varsity Blues at http://www.varsityblues.ca.