Clarke scores shootout winner against Waterloo

The University of Toronto Varsity Blues men's hockey team defeated the Waterloo Warriors 4-3 in the shootout on Thursday (Jan. 8) night at Varsity Arena.

Second-year forward Sean Clarke scored the shootout winner in a resilient victory on home ice.

14 seconds into the game, Waterloo's Cole Fraser broke the ice for the opening goal of the game. Despite trailing, the Blues stuck to their game and evened the score with a power play marker from third-year forward Rylee Hlusiak for the Barrie, Ont., native's team-leading 10^th goal of the season. Reigning OUA athlete of the week Mark Cooper continued his strong season, drawing an assist on the goal.

The Warriors retook the lead in the second period with Jaxon Murray finding the back of the net. 71 seconds later first-year forward Ryan Evenhuis capitalized off of a puck that bounced off the board and onto his stick to level the game once again. Momentum stayed on U of T's side as third-year defender Aiden Reeves' backhand pass found second-year forward Sam Marit in front of the net to give the Blue and White their first lead of the game.

In a tightly contested third period, the Warriors looked for an equalizer and found the back of the net at the seven-minute mark with Jayden Reyers notching his third of the season. Neither team gave an inch as the game progressed to force overtime in U of T's second straight contest.
In overtime, Waterloo had quality scoring chances but fourth-year goalie Rayce Ramsay made some of the best of his 30 saves to keep the game even. At the other end of the ice, Matt Onuska held the Blues off the score sheet to force a shootout.

In the shootout, Waterloo put Toronto on their heals when Emmett Pierce found the back of the net. With the game on the line, fourth-year forward Zack Smith kept the Blues alive before Ramsay slammed the door. In the fourth round of the shootout and the game on Clarke's stick, the kinesiology student ended the game with his second game-winning goal in as many games.

The Blues are back in action on Saturday (Jan. 10) night when they travel southbound in downtown Toronto to face the No. 10 nationally ranked TMU Bold. Puck drop is scheduled for 6:15 p.m., and the game will be streamed live on oua.tv.