The University of Toronto Varsity Blues men's hockey team opened the 2025-26 season with a 5-1 win over the Brock Badgers on Thursday (Oct. 2) night in St. Catharines, Ont.

Second-year forward Dylan Wightman stood out offensively for the Blues with a natural hat trick in the first 10 minutes of the third period.
Toronto got off to a fast start offensively, opening the scoring less than four minutes into the game. Third-year defenceman Thomas Gangl found the back of the net. The goal marked Gangl's first in the OUA. Fourth-year forward Zack Smith and third-year forward Brandon Santa-Juana notched assists on the Robert Morris University transfer's opener, Santa-Juana's first of two assists in the game.

Brock responded with a power play goal as Jordan Stock evened the score. The Blues answered back with a power play goal of their own as third-year forward Owen Hollingsworth converted off of a rebound, giving U of T the advantage going into the first intermission. The second period saw no goals but plenty of intensity. Both teams traded power plays and scoring chances, with Toronto's penalty kill standing tall and third-year goaltender Jordan Fairlie holding the fort between the pipes to preserve the lead.

U of T pulled ahead in the third period as Wightman led the way offensively. 57 seconds into the final frame, the Kelowna, B.C., native fired home a pass off the rush from third-year forward Julian Recine to double the Blue & White's lead. On a give-and-go play with fellow second-year forward Nicholas Anthansakos, Wightman scored his second goal of the game. At the midway point of the period Recine was first on a lose puck in the corner. The puck ended up on Santa Juana's stick who wrapped around the goal and found Wightman in front, who completed the natural hat trick for his first three-goal performance in the OUA. The Blues played a stout defensive game in the final 10 minutes to secure their first win of the season.

Fairlie was strong in net for U of T with 31 saves. 

The Blues next game is on Saturday Oct. 4 night when they hit the ice at Varsity Arena for the first time this season against the Laurier Golden Hawks. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m., with tickets available at varsityblues.ca/tickets. U of T students receive free entry with a valid T-Card. The game will also be streamed live on oua.tv.