The Varsity Blues men’s hockey team ended their 2011-12 regular season with a 3-1 win over the RMC Paladins on Saturday, February 11 at Constantine Arena in Kingston, Ont.

The Blues finish the season winning six of their last seven games and in fourth place in the OUA East with a 16-9-3 record. Toronto will now face the fifth-place Carleton Ravens (15-10-3) in the first round of the playoffs. 

"It was great to win this one - it was very close and competitive," said Varsity Blues head coach Darren Lowe. "RMC played extremely hard and Brett [Willows] had a great game for us."

Second-year defenceman Cameron Bernier led the Blues with one goal and one assist in the win.

After a scoreless first period, the Blues opened the scoring when second-year forward Michael Markovic finished off a 2-on-1 with team captain Andrew Kizito to beat RMC goalie Andrew Flemming.

The Paladins evened the score five minutes later with a powerplay goal off the stick of Alex Pym, but Blues leading scorer Byron Elliott of Burlington, Ont., responded just over two minutes later with his 19th goal of the season.

The Blues held a 2-1 lead heading into the final frame.

Bernier added an insurance marker with less than five minutes to go, wiring a shot from the point past Flemming.

Blues rookie goaltender Brett Willows made 29 saves in the win.

Check back at varsityblues.ca for the full playoff schedules.