The Varsity Blues women’s hockey team played their second Ontario University Athletics (OUA) quarter-final playoff game against the Western Mustangs in London on Saturday. Facing elimination, the Mustangs defeated the Blues 3–2 to force a third and deciding game Sunday afternoon.
The Blues were slightly outplayed by the Mustangs in the opening period, but star Toronto goaltender Nicole Kesteris was solid as ever, and U of T did an admirable job of blocking shots and getting into Western shooting lanes. Their hard work was rewarded seven minutes into the frame, when Alie Brind’Amour-McClure scored her third goal of the playoffs. Brind’Amour-McClure jumped on a loose puck in the crease and put it top-shelf past Western netminder Kelly Campbell’s outstretched blocker.
Western came roaring back in the second period, out-chancing the Blues and scoring two power play goals. Had it not been for the characteristic brilliance of Kesteris in goal, Western could easily have put the game out of reach.
Kesteris continued her solid play into the final frame, making several great stops on Western star forward Cassidy Gosling in the opening seconds. Alas, the Mustangs managed to widen their lead to two goals just over two minutes into the period. Blues defender Autumn Garnham selflessly blocked a shot in front of the Toronto net, but it bounced straight to Western veteran Sydney Kidd who put the puck past a sprawling Kesteris.
The Kidd goal brought the Blues to life, and they cut Western’s lead to one less than a minute later. At the end of an excellent shift, Blues defender April Looije made a great play at the blue line to stop a Western clearing attempt, and then tried to put a shot on goal. A Western forward managed to put her stick in front of the Looije attempt, and the puck sailed high into the air as Alie Brind’Amour-McClure drove the net. In a great display of athleticism, Brind’Amour-McClure jumped into the air, caught the puck, and then shot it past Campbell for her fourth goal of the series. It was a stellar play and indicative of the high quality of hockey she has played of late.
The Brind’Amour-McClure marker narrowed the score to 3–2, but it was as close as the Blues would come to tying the game. Western’s star players were excellent defensively in the dying stages of the third period, and Toronto’s snipers were unable to beat Campbell for the equalizer. The Blues will look to avoid losing to the Mustangs in the quarter-finals for a third consecutive year Sunday at 4 pm at Varsity Arena.
