Byron Elliott’s two-goal performance led the Varsity Blues men’s hockey team to a 4-3 win over the No. 2 McGill Redmen on Saturday, January 14 at Varsity Arena.

With the win, the Blues improve to 10-7-3 and remain sixth in the OUA East division.

Elliott’s goals were his 14th and 15th of the season. The Burlington, Ont. native leads the Blues in both goals and points (29). The Blues also saw goals from Kyle Ventura (Scarborough, Ont.), and Blake Boddy (Ajax, Ont.).

"We provided the team with a simple game plan and for the most part, we followed it," commented Varsity Blues head coach Darren Lowe. "We had some tremendous goaltending and timely scoring. It was a real team effort."

The Blues entertained a raucous Saturday night crowd, scoring just four minutes into the first period on a high-light reel goal from Elliott. With the Blues on a penalty kill, Elliott stole the puck at his own blue line and raced in, fighting off a McGill defender before roofing the puck over Redmen goalie Hubert Morin to put Toronto up 1-0.

Later in the period, Blues goaltender and Cremona, Alta. native Garrett Sheehan stopped Max Langelier-Parent on a penalty shot to preserve the Blues lead.

Toronto added to their lead midway through the second, when Boddy took a stretch pass from Ventura and wristed the puck underneath Morin’s blocker.

Ventura then picked up his second point of the night, grabbing the puck near the blue line and cutting to the slot before sliding it five-hole to put the Blues up 3-0.

McGill would eventually respond with two powerplay goals, one late in the second from Marc-Olivier Vachon, and the other early in the third off the stick of Ben Morse, to cut U of T’s lead to one.

But the Blues received more heroics from Elliott. The veteran forward blasted a slapshot from the top of the circle that beat Morin high over the glove to restore the two-goal lead.

The Redmen would again narrow the gap on a goal from Andrew Wright, but were unable to produce the tying goal in the latter half of the third period.

Sheehan made 36 saves on the night en route to being named the game’s second star.

The Redmen’s loss is just their second regulation loss of the season. They are now 16-2-2.

The Blues return to action next Thursday, January 19 at Ryerson against the Rams. The puck drops at 7:30 p.m.

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