Tomorrow will offer the men’s hockey team a chance to atone for a bitter feeling from a year ago. Last year’s March 10 defeat at the hands of the 2001 CIS champion University de Quebec Trois Rivieres (UQTR) Patriotes ended the Blues’ season, as well as any hopes of a trip to nationals.

This year’s rematch between the teams takes on a different feel than last year’s 4-1 loss, with Toronto (15-7-4) riding an eleven-game winning streak entering the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) semifinal playoff game. A win means they get to pack their bags for CIS championships (March 22-24) two weeks from now in Kitchener.

“The first thing I would say is we have gained some confidence with our success,” said coach Darren Lowe in an email interview.

“We have not put too much thought to the 11 games, just taking it one at a time.”

The defending national champions enter the game with a 17-8-1 record and a six-game winning streak, after having swept co-Far East champion Ottawa in a best of three series.

The key to the current winning streak for the Blues (including a February 2 3-2 victory at UQTR) has been a guarded level of confidence that hasn’t boiled over into a sense of satisfaction. In addition, Lowe feels his team has maintained a steady level of play throughout the season, with more bounces going their way in the latter stages of the year.

“The team has played well all year, although our record may have not indicated this in the first half of the season,” added Lowe of a 4-7-4 start. “The players have also bought into our system.”

Toronto will be playing without team captain Steve Murphy, who has been out since early January. But playing with the intensity that has been characteristic of recent success, as well as an awareness of the talent across the ice, should work in the Blues’ favour.

“I don’t think there is any complacency with our team. We have a tremendous amount of respect for UQTR, as they are defending national champions,” says Lowe.

The Blues are coming off a two-game sweep of Ryerson last weekend in earning the Mid East division title.

They edged the Rams 3-2 Wednesday night in Varsity Arena behind a game-winning goal from Jeff Todd, before trouncing them 5-2 Friday at Lakeshore Arena in the series clincher. George Trifon scored two goals in Friday’s win.