The Toronto Varsity Blues scored a 2-1 win over the No. 7 Laurier Golden Hawks in Game 1 of the T Bay Tel Varsity Cup men's hockey tournament in Thunder Bay, Ontario.
Toronto was led by the stellar goaltending of Ryan Grinnell who turned aside 40-41 Laurier shots. Laurier netminder Jeff MacDougald also played well; kicking out 30 of 32 Toronto shots.
Toronto's goals came from Anthony Pallotta and Mark Heatley while Chad Kennedy scored for the Golden Hawks. Toronto was 1-8 on the powerplay while Laurier was 0-9 with the man advantage.
The first period was marked by the strong play of both netiminders with Laurier outshooting Toronnto 13-11.
Toronto's Grinnell made a huge save at the 6:00 mark of the second to rob Laurier's James Edgar who broke in a breakaway. The Blues got on the board at 14:48 on the powerplay when Mark Heatley converted a great pass from Julian Sarraino. Toronto's Grinnell then robbed Laurier's Nathan Peacock at 18:30 with a great diving save. Laurier'sMacDougald then answered with a great save of his own at 19:00 when he stopped Toronto's Heatley on a breakaway. Shots on goal
were 15-7 for Laurier in the second.
Grinnell was strong in the Toronto goal early in the third during a Laurier powerplay and then the Hawks Mark Voakes rang the post at 7:00. Laurier's MacDougald made two great stops off Toronto's Greg Palka at 8:45 and at 9:53. Howeverr, the Blues Pallotta converted a lovely give-and-go with Simon Barg and beat MacDougald at 15:11. Laurier came right back at 16:04 when Craig Kennedy fired a high wrist shot from the point that deflected over the shoulder of Grinnell and into the Toronto goal. The assist went to Voakes.
Laurier pressed for the equalizer and even had a powerplay opportunity with 30 seconds left in which they pulled MacDougald from the goal to have six attackers.
However, Toronto's defense stood firm and the held on for the 2-1 win. Toronto outshot Laurier 14-13 in the third.
The Three Stars were:
1) Ryan Grinnell: Toronto
2) Anthony Pallotta: Toronto
3) Jeff MacDougald: Laurier
Laurier plays Calgary on Tuesday in Varsity Cup Day 2 action at 4:00 PM EST while Toronto will play host Lakehead at 7:30 pm EST.