The Varsity Blues men’s hockey team fell 6-3 to the Ryerson Rams on Friday, January 13 at Varsity Arena.

Toronto remains in sixth place with a 9-7-3 record and the Rams (8-8-3) are tied with the Queen’s Gaels for eighth in the OUA East division.

“We went away from our game plan,” said Varsity Blues head coach Darren Lowe. “We lost our composure in the second period and it was just one of those games where nothing seemed to go right.”

Ryerson’s Brian Birkhoff (Richmond Hill, Ont.) opened the scoring with 5:02 remaining in the first period and the Rams carried that one-goal lead over to the second period.

Varsity Blues leading scorer Byron Elliott of Burlington, Ont., evened the score just 28 seconds into the second frame, with a goal assisted by Tyler von Engelbrechten and Paul Van De Velde.

In what proved to be a penalty-filled affair, Ryerson notched two more powerplay goals in the second period and took a 3-1 lead into the third.  The Rams converted on 2-of-7 attempts in the win.

Ryerson’s David Grant put the visiting squad up by three early in the third, only to be answered by third-year defenceman Matt Walters. The Winnipeg native wired a shot from the point to find the top corner of the net on a U of T powerplay. The Blues were 1-for-10 on the man advantage.

After another goal from Rams, Van De Velde received a pass from Elliott in the slot and beat Ryerson goaltender Steve Gleeson to bring the game within two.

Rookie Ryerson forward Kelly Geoffrey would add an insurance marker with just over six minutes remaining to round out the 6-3 win.

The Varsity Blues will look to rebound tomorrow night as they host the No. 2 McGill Redmen at Varsity Arena.  The puck drops at 7:30 p.m.

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