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The University of Toronto Varsity Blues women's hockey team opened their 2013-14 season with a bang, defeating the Ryerson Rams 5-0 on Thursday morning. The Downtown Showdown Hockey School Day event drew a sold-out crowd of 3,997 at Varsity Arena.
The Blues stormed out of the gate, scoring four goals in the first period and adding a fifth in the third to start their season with a win.
Team captain and fifth-year forward Kelly O'Hanlon (Markham, Ont.) led the Blues in scoring last season, and picked up right where she left off in this game, scoring the game-winner goal just over five minutes into the game and adding an assist on the day.
Third-year winger Sonja Weidenfelder (Toronto), and Alie Brind'Amour-McClure (Waterdown, Ont.) also put up a goal and an assist each, with veteran Ottawa natives Marlie McLaughlin and Amanda Ricker accounting for the other two Blues goals. Alie's twin sister Courtney Brind'Amour-McClure also recorded up two assists in the win.
O'Hanlon started off a four-goal first period for the Blues, depositing a centering feed from Weidenfelder at 13:43.
Under two minutes later, McLaughlin put the Blues up 2-0 when she stepped into a shot from the point and blasted it over the shoulder of Ryerson goaltender Cassandra McNichol.
The Blues continued to drive the net hard all period, and picked up another two goals near the end of the frame from Alie Brind'Amour-McClure and Weidenfelder. Brind'Amour-McClure picked up the puck near the boards and skated across the slot before lifting the puck just over McNichol's pad, and Weidenfelder drove the net and roofed a backhand to cap off a monster offensive period for the Blues.
Fourth-year goaltender Nicole Kesteris also picked up right where she left off last season, as a rock solid presence between the pipes. The Aurora native made a number of stellar saves in the second period, and totalled 20 to pick up a shutout in her first game of the season.
In front of Kesteris, U of T played solid defence in protecting their lead in the third, including a huge shot block from second-year forward Kristi Riseley (Pickering) to relieve Ryerson pressure early in the period.
Shortly after Riseley's block, Courtney Brind'Amour-McClure found Ricker on the doorstep, who slid the puck past Armstrong to seal the win for Toronto.
The Blues return to the ice this Saturday, October 5, as they host the UOIT Ridgebacks at Varsity Arena. The game will be streamed live on GoBlues.tv starting with puck drop at 4 p.m.
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