The Brock Badgers women’s hockey team fall 3-2 to the Varsity Blues in Toronto, as the Badgers’ comeback is cut short.
Ava Cruikshank, Brock’s second-year goaltender, made an OUA career-high 35 saves in the game, while Sydney Hood and Randyll Strongman each scored for the Badgers.
After the Varsity Blues scored the game’s opening goal just as their five-minute power play expired, the Badgers responded on a power play of their own with Hood deflecting Madelyn Walsh’s point shot past Toronto’s Carlee Vance to tie the game at one.
Hood’s team-leading second goal of the season was Brock’s fourth power play goal in three games this year, as the Badgers continue to make adjustments to a power play that only scored 10 times all last season, which ranked fourth-worst in the OUA at 10.3 per cent.
However, an area that still needs some work this season is Brock’s play in their defensive zone. After allowing a combined 14 goals in their first two games — a 5-2 loss at Carleton and a 9-1 defeat in Ottawa — a sloppy turnover in the Badgers’ defensive zone led to Ashley Delahey scoring Toronto’s second of the period to give the Varsity Blues the 2-1 lead after one.
But the Badgers continued to show their fight and hustle, tying the game for a second time in the middle frame.
Following Vance juggling Allison Moore’s slot shot, Strongman pounced on the loose puck, burying her first of the season and Brock’s second of the game to level the score at two apiece as momentum shifted in the Badgers’ favour entering the third period.
Julianna Parks had a glorious chance to give the visitors the lead on the breakaway to open the third, but Vance had other ideas, making one of her 15 saves in the game to keep the game tied. Vance’s eight third period stops denied the Badgers of completing the comeback, allowing the 2023-24 OUA Finalists a chance for their third straight win against Brock.
With ten minutes remaining in the third period, Toronto’s Sophia Grawbarger beat her defender to Delahey’s pass before sliding the puck through Cruikshank’s five-hole, scoring what stood as the game-winning goal for the Varsity Blues.
The Badgers lost the nail-biting game 3-2 while getting outshot 38-17, as Brock is still seeking an offensive explosion toward their first win of the season.
Luckily the Badgers won’t need to wait long for a chance at win number one, as they host the Varsity Blues in the second game of their home-and-home series in the Badgers’ home opener on Oct. 31.
For more information about the Brock Badgers women’s hockey team, head to gobadgers.ca.