Callie Bazak scored the shootout winner to lead the Varsity Blues women’s hockey team to a 4–3 victory over Queen’s University Gaels, Saturday at the Varsity Arena. The win improves the Blues’ record to 4–5–1 for the season.
The Blues lost their game at Queen’s last Saturday, so beating them on home ice was a bit of revenge for the team.
“We always have a good battle against [Queen’s],” said Amanda Ricker, the player of the game. “So it’s nice to come out with a win for sure.”
The first goal of the game came six minutes in from the Gaels’ Morgan McHaffie. Queen’s held that lead until U of T player Marlie McLaughlin scored, 51 seconds into the second period.
Just two minutes later, however, Queen’s took the lead again, with an unassisted goal from Brittany McHaffie, who capitalized on a Blues giveaway.
“We just try to keep a positive bench,” Ricker said about falling behind. “We can play well together, and you just have to make sure that you focus on the team and not individually. I think that’s huge, staying positive”
Ricker scored on a five-on-three opportunity to even the score. Just before that goal, there was some confusion over a goal for the Blues that was called off by the referee.
“I think the net went off on that play; the goalie kicked the net and it was dislodged,” Ricker explained “The [referee] actually told me to go [to the penalty box] and pointed that way … but apparently [that wasn’t the case].”
The goaltenders at both ends were on their game, making numerous timely saves. Blues goaltender Krista Funke’s glove saved an important penalty shot in the second period that would have put the Gaels up by one.
“When you’ve got your goalie playing as well as they are, it gives you confidence that they are going to have your back on first shot, second shot, third shot,” Bazak said. “It just helps the whole team.”
With less than half a minute left in the second, Bazak scored to make the score 3–2, putting Toronto ahead for the first time in the game. In the third, Taryn Pilon scored for Queen’s on a power play to tie the game once again.
With a physical game at hand, the teams both put their special teams to work, taking a combined 18 penalties, seven of which were against the Blues.
“We tend to get a lot of penalties, so if we keep our power play and penalty kill going with it, it makes a huge difference,” Ricker said.
Cazak added, “The power play goal in the second tied up the game, and that shifted the whole momentum of the game.”
Both teams had excellent chances in overtime, but the goalies continued to make important saves. Both teams were scoreless in overtime, so the game went to a shootout.
The two goaltenders were once again excellent in the shootout, taking it to four rounds before Bazak’s shot ended up behind Queen’s goaltender Nicole Kesteris.
“The coaches told me to have fun,” Bazak explained, “which was basically a green light to just take a [slap] shot.”
The Blues play the University Of Ontario Institute Of Technology on Sunday at 4 pm at the Varsity Arena.
