The No. 8 nationally ranked University of Toronto Varsity Blues women's hockey team defeated the No. 9 ranked Nipissing Lakers 6-2 on Friday (Jan. 31) night at Varsity Arena. Third-year forward Kaitlyn McKnight was a star for the Blues as she recorded a hat trick to help the Blues knock off the Lakers. 

The Blues found themselves with a 1-0 advantage in the first period of this U SPORTS Top 10 matchup with McKnight breaking the ice. On a Blues power play, McKnight hustled her way into the offensive zone off of a Sophie Grawbarger dump in, got to the puck first, and found the back of the net for her fifth goal of the season. 

The Blues power play capitalized again with 18 seconds remaining in the first period as fourth-year defender Emma Potter passed the puck to third-year forward Emma Elders. Elders fired a shot from the top of the faceoff circle and over the blocker of Lakers goaltender Chantelle Sandquist for her sixth goal of the year as U of T took a 2-0 lead into the first intermission. 

The Blues were quick to extend their lead in the second period as McKnight drove to the net to score her second goal of the game. Fourth-year forward Aili McKeown added her name to the scoresheet with her team leading 10th goal of the season to give the Blues a 4-0 lead and force the to Lakers make a change in goal. Nipissing was able to cut the U of T lead to 4-1 as Jill Hennessy got Nipissing's first goal of the game. Less than three minutes later, the Blues responded as McKnight beat a Lakers defender to the puck in the offensive zone and found the back of the net to complete the hat trick. Maggie McKee added a goal for the Lakers late in the second period, but just 53 seconds later a backhand from Elders made its way through the five hole of Nipissing goaltender Jordan Sladics for her second goal of the game to give the Blues a 6-2 lead after two periods of play. 

In the third period the  Blues were able to shut down Nipissing's offence as first-year goaltender Lyla McKinnon made some of the best of her 30 saves in the game to give the Blues a 6-2 win on home ice. 

U of T's next game is on Friday (Feb. 7) night as they travel to the north end of Toronto for a road game against the York Lions. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. and the game will be streamed live on oua.tv.