The University of Toronto Varsity Blues men's hockey team host the Lakehead Thunderwolves and the York Lions this Friday and Saturday (Jan. 23-24) at Varsity Arena.

Game time on both nights is 7:30 p.m. Advanced tickets to this weekend's contest are on sale here. The games will also be streamed live on OUA.tv.

The Blues will also honour their graduating players in a special pre-game presentation before Saturday's tilt versus York. U of T closes out their home schedule with their annual Downtown Showdown School Day on Tuesday, January 27 at 11 a.m.

Toronto is 8-11-1 and tied for eighth place in the OUA West division, but sit three points back of sixth with a game in hand. With seven regular season games remaining, the Blues still have ample opportunity to climb their way up in the standings.

Recently returning to the Toronto lineup from injury are fourth- and fifth-year netminders Brett Willows and Garrett Sheehan. Willows notched 68 saves over two games this past weekend and maintains a .874 save percentage. Sheehan has dressed five games so far and holds a .864 percentage.

Fifth-year forward and assistant captain Michael Markovic currently leads the squad with 12 goals. Fellow teammate Jeff Brown has notched a team-high 23 points, and is riding a seven-game point streak. Brown has tallied five goals and seven assists since Toronto's 4-3 win over Guelph on Nov. 28.

Tyler Liukkonen has posted a team-high 16 assists, while Christian Finch is in a three-way tie for first in the OUA with six powerplay markers this season.

The Lakehead Thunderwolves are 8-11-2 and tied for sixth place in in the West with the York Lions.

Veteran forward Mike Hammond leads the Thunderwolves and ranks third in the OUA with 11 goals and 19 assists for 30 points in 21 games. Kelin Ainsworth and Keith Grondin have been a force beyond the blue line, having recorded 20 and 21 points, respectively, so far this year.

Justin McDonald is the Thunderwolves go-to man between the pipes and has started 12-of-15 games, holding a .899 save percentage.

The Lions are also 8-11-2 record and in sixth place. York is led by forawrds Michael Santini and rookie Dylan Smoskowitz, who have both notched nine goals, with Santini leading the squad with 17 points. Derek Sheppard, another rookie making his mark for the Lions, leads the team with 11 assists.

Third-year goalie Chris Perugini holds a .916 save percentage in 20 games this season.

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