While many may have been tuning into the Leafs game on Friday evening, there was a much more important match taking place right under our noses at Varsity Arena. The Blues, who lead the Ontario University Association (OUA)’s mid-east division, took on Queen’s for the first time this season. Only one point behind the Blues going into the evening’s event, the Queen’s Golden Gaels made up for their second place standing by walking out of the arena on top, winning the game 3-2.
The Blues’ talented goalie Ryan Grinnell, who was named the “Pepsi Blue of the month” for December, played well and managed to keep out all but a few of the 27 shots that the Gaels sent his way. The Queen’s netminder also came out with a strong showing, upping Grinnell by keeping out 32 of the 34 shots on net.
Despite their loss, the Blues seemed in good spirits after the game and even indulged in signing autographs for young fans. Ryan Taylor, a left wing for the Blues, pointed out that the boys are “in there with the top teams in Canada,” adding that “we have to lose sometimes.” While he was positive overall, Taylor did feel that the team needed to “play hard in every period, not just the third.”
Matt Macdonald, a fifth-year, right wing for the Gaels is already looking forward to playing U of T again this season. Agreeing that the game could have gone either way, Macdonald did stress that he was “proud of the [Gaels] for coming in so strong and getting a good win against such a good team.”
The Blues got a huge compliment from Queen’s associate head coach Tim Cunningham who said that playing U of T was a “tough start” for his team who haven’t played since the end of November and that the Blues are “extremely well coached and it was not an easy win.” Cunningham thought his team played hard and smart and was thrilled that despite U of T’s reputation and record this season his team was able to walk away on top.
