On Saturday evening, the University of Toronto Varsity Blues men’s hockey team stopped its three-game skid with a dominating 5–0 shutout win over last place Laurier Golden Hawks.
The Blues’ recent losing streak had put the team in a tough position. With winning streaks by Brock and Guelph, the Blues were barely hanging on as the eighth-place team Ontario University Ahtletics (OUA) playoff race. However, with the shutout, the Blues improved to 12–10–2 with 26 points, which sets them at seventh place, tied with the Guelph Gryphons.
The Blues’ leading scorer, Michael Markovic, scored the first of his two goals early in the first period. Paul Van De Velde added two helpers, including a slick pass from behind the net for Markovic’s second goal of the game. Markovic is now fifteenth in OUA scoring, and in a five-way tie for seventh in goal scoring.
The shutout was the first of the season for net-minder Brett Willows. He saved 26 shots en route to the shutout win. Willows now boasts an 8-8 record, with a .904 save percentage.
The Blues have four games left in the season including a crucial game against uptown rivals York Lions, who are ahead of the Blues by two points in the playoff race. If the standings were to remain as they are today, the Blues would be facing the second-place Lakehead Thunderwolves.
