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TMU Bold Men’s Hockey team will return to the ice for this year’s homecoming game against long term rivals Brock Badgers today at 6 p.m.
In the 2023-24 season TMU eliminated Brock in the semi-final round of playoffs in the race towards The Queen’s Cup. The players say they are anticipating the Badgers to arrive ready to make up for last season’s loss.
“We know it’s going to be a war against Brock, as these games always are,” said captain Chris Playfair. “At the end of the day, to win these games it comes down to who wants it more and who’s willing to win more battles.”
Playfair, who appeared in 31 games last year and finished the season with an impressive six goals and 19 assists, is confident in the team’s ability to beat Brock. Despite homecoming occurring during the first few weeks of preseason, where the team’s lines and roles are still being ironed out, he said the team is ready for the game against their growing rivals.
“We believe that every player in our room has the ability to be a difference maker on any given night,” he said. “The guys who are in the lineup for HOCO are well prepared to win a hockey game. We know we’re going to get 100 per cent from every one of our guys on the ice.”
The Brock rivalry has been brewing for years, finally coming to a head at the end of last season where the Bold and the Badgers finished as the top two teams in the division during the regular season.
Both teams have been growing their hockey programs, becoming widely known as top performing schools in the OUA West Conference.
Defenceman Jaden Condotta said that the new players on the team are sure to add “exciting elements” to the game.
“Even though it’s early in the year, we have all been together for weeks now, so it already feels like we’ve known each other for so much longer,” he said. “This game is another opportunity to continue to get even more comfortable on the ice so we’re ready for our opening game.”
Thursday’s game will be hosted at TMU’s Mattamy Athletic Centre (MAC), giving the Bold a home-crowd advantage.
“For me, playing in front of a packed house at home only drives excitement,” said Playfair. “Our team needs to soak in the experience and feed off the energy from our fans, because there truly is no better place to play in the OUA than a packed house at the MAC.”
Last year’s HOCO, which TMU swept with a 4-2 victory over McGill Redbirds, saw a sold out game with 2,750 fans in attendance.
“After last year’s turn out, this year is guaranteed to be a great game filled with energy and support from the TMU community,” said Condotta. “The HOCO environment is unlike any other game all season, so we’re going to all use this energy to help us on the ice.”
TMU students have free wristband access, which can be picked up Thursday while supplies last. Wristbands can be picked up at the Student Campus Centre between 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m., or between 3-5 p.m. at Pitman Hall Quad.
TMU Faculty, Alumni, and fans can purchase their tickets online, with prices ranging from $8 to $13.
Before the game, the TMSU and TMU Bold will host a tailgate party in the Pitman Hall Quad with music, food, and carnival games as well as other activities, and will end with a march up Church Street to the MAC.
Phil Pilotti, a TMU Bold fan, said that he’s looking forward to seeing how the team performs in front of a home crowd.
“Homecoming is a game I look forward to every year,” he said. “It’s usually a good way to see how the team gels, check out the new guys on the team, and see how they’re going to fit in with the season.”
If the Bold win, it will mark back-to-back homecoming victories and set the team off to a good start on their path to the U SPORTS National Championships this season.
“I know our team is amped up and working like dogs from start to finish,” said Playfair. “I believe if we bring that compete level, the rest of the game will take care of itself.”
