Box Score The Toronto Varsity Blues women's hockey team came up short against the No.7 Guelph Gryphons, 3-0, at Varsity Arena on Saturday night (January 13) to cap off a five-game home stand.
 
In the Blues 11th annual Think Pink #BleedBlue game, they controlled the OUA's top offence for majority of the contest. The deciding factor was the Gryphons ability to get point shots towards the net and being able to redirect them.
 
Guelph picked up their sixth straight victory and now have won 11 of their last 12 games.
 
The opening frame was highlighted by Toronto's goalie Valencia Yordanov, who made her second straight start.
 
First she robbed Miranda Lantz point blank in the slot just five minutes in and later followed it up with a breakaway save on Sydney Davison. The third-year student made 12 saves in the period, but Davison got her revenge later.
 
Guelph's Molly Crossman teed up Mallory Young at the blue line and Davison made a nice tip between her legs to open the scoring with 5:12 left in the first period. 
 
The Blues ran into penalty trouble in the next period. They took four minor penalties, but got out unscathed. A big reason was once again Yordanov. The Port Coquitlam, B.C., native denied a one-timer chance from Kristen Jay, when the Gryphon was left alone in front.
 
With less than 30 seconds left, the Gryphons solved Yordanov similar to the first time. Claire Merrick tipped in the point shot from defencemen Katherine Bailey to take a two-goal advantage.
 
Kassie Roache almost responded for the Blues a few seconds later. She came out of the corner and went back hand on Valerie Lamenta, but with no avail.
 
The two teams, that allowed the fewest shots in the province coming into Saturday night, maintained their impressive defensive reputation in the third.
 
A perfect example happened when the Gryphons had a three-on-one near the half way mark. Captain Rebacca Bourgeois, the lone Blue, broke up the intended pass to make sure nothing came out of the odd man rush.
 
Guelph's Kaitlin Lowy sealed the deal, scoring her league-leading 12th goal on an empty netter in the final minute.
 
Yordanov made a 27 saves in a losing effort, while Lementa stopped all 27 shots she faced for her third shutout of the season.
 
Even with U of T's record dropping to an 8-0-7-1 (W-OTW-L-OTL), they still hold the sixth spot in the conference. The three points helped Guelph leap frog over Brock and Western to capture the second spot with a 10-2-4-0 line.
 
The Blues get a chance at redemption against the Gyrphons as the teams play the second game of a home-and-home on Wednesday January 17. Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m. at Gryphon Centre Arena. 

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