The No. 4 nationally ranked University of Toronto Varsity Blues women's hockey team fell 4-3 in overtime to the TMU Bold on Sunday (Feb. 16) night at the Mattamy Athletic Centre in Toronto, Ont.
 
The first period didn't see the scoreboard change from 0-0 as first-year Blues goaltender Lyla McKinnon and TMU's Alexia Stratos stopped all the shots they faced in the first 20 minutes of play. The scoreboard moved from the zeros in the middle frame as TMU's Gaby Gareau opened the scoring 42 seconds in the period.
 
U of T's penalty kill helped get momentum back on their side, blocking shots and erasing seconds off the clock to kill a five-on-three Bold powerplay. Shortly after the Blues killed off the player disadvantage, second-year forward Abby Whitwroth capitalized off of a turnover in the neutral zone, bursting into the offensive zone and beating Stratos five-hole on a breakaway to tie the game. With 28 seconds remaining in the second period the Blues earned their first lead of the night as Jaia Freer fired a shot from the blueline that was tipped in front of the net by second-year forward Ashley Delahey for her ninth goal of the season and Freer's first point in the OUA, giving the Blues a 2-1 lead heading into the second intermission.
 
TMU tied the game at 2-2 in the third period with Megan Breen getting on the board for the Bold. Shortly afterwards, first-year forward Scarlett Jones slipped behind the TMU defence and was sprung for a breakaway on a pass from fourth-year defender Kalie Chan. Jones went from her forehand to her backhand and through the five hole of Stratos for Jones' first goal in the OUA, giving the Blues a 3-2 lead.
 
With 26 seconds left in the game TMU managed to tie it up as Payton Kerr scored with the Bold net empty to force overtime. Overtime was a back-and-forth affair as the Blues and Bold traded chances, but TMU's Taliya Hildebrandt scored the winner to hand the Blues a 4-3 overtime loss.
 
The Blues now turn their focus to the 2025 OUA playoffs. Toronto enters the playoffs as the No. 2 seed in the OUA East and will take on the Ottawa Gee-Gees in the quarter-finals, which will take place between Feb. 26 and Mar. 2. Tickets are available at varsityblues.ca/tickets and games can be streamed live on oua.tv.