Box Score Nicole Kesteris backstopped the University of Toronto Varsity Blues women's hockey team to an impressive 3-0 win over the visiting Laurier Golden Hawks in Game 2 of the OUA semifinal series Friday night (Feb. 21) at Varsity Arena.

The win evens the best-of-three series at one game apiece, and sets up a deciding third game Sunday night in Waterloo.
 
Aurora, Ont., native Kesteris was the game's first star, making 35 saves for her first career playoff shutout.
 
Alie Brind'Amour-McClure (Waterdown, Ont.)  also continued her strong post season play with a goal and an assist. The second-year centre came into the game leading all OUA players in the postseason with four goals before adding her fifth in this contest.
 
She and her linemates, Courtney Brind'Amour-McClure (Waterdown, Ont.) and Amanda Ricker (Ottawa, Ont.) have provided the bulk of the Blues offence so far in the playoffs. Courtney Brind'Amour-McClure and Pickering, Ont. native Kristi Riseley also scored for Toronto.
 
Both teams came prepared to play in the first period, playing at a frenetic pace that saw each team trade chances throughout the opening frame. Kesteris was sharp early, making several huge saves, including a right pad save late in the period on a breakaway chance by Golden Hawks defender Montana Merante.
 
The Blues quickly turned the puck back up ice, and shortly after, Jacqueline Sheffel (Waubaushene, Ont.) fought through a check and fired a pass across to Riseley who one-timed it past Laurier's goaltender Kayla Brown to put U of T up 1-0 with just 13 seconds left in the first.
 
Momentum turned briefly in the Golden Hawks favour in the second period, as they outshot the Blues 16-7 in the middle frame. But Kesteris kept the Blues ahead, stopping Laurier forward Devon Skeats on another breakaway early in the period. Toronto was able to capitalize on one of just a few chances in the period, when Courtney Brind'Amour-McClure picked up a rebound out front and buried it to increase the lead to two.
 
Kesteris finished the frame with yet another series of saves, and the Blues took a two goal lead into the final 20 minutes.
 
Toronto was able to find an extra gear, and gain momentum back from Laurier early in the third, drawing a couple of penalties to set up a 5-on-3 advantage. On the powerplay, Sonja Weidenfelder (Toronto) held the puck in at the line and slid it across to Stacey Oue (Scarborough), who took a few steps towards the net before she found Alie Brind'Amour-McClure. The Blues standout slapped home her fifth of the playoffs to give the home team a commanding 3-0 lead.
 
The Golden Hawks continued to attack right to the final buzzer, calling Brown to the bench for an extra attacker in the final minutes, but Kesteris stood tall and held on to earn her first-ever playoff shut out and even the series.
 
The third and deciding game of the series will be played this Sunday in Waterloo. Puck drop is 7:30 pm.