Thursday night's game between the Waterloo Warriors and Toronto Varsity Blues had a little bit of everything. Fortunately for the Warriors, it also had a win at the end.

Captain Riley Sonnenburg (Cambridge) scored once in regulation and again in the shootout, as the Warriors rebounded from surrendering a late lead to win 4-3 in a shootout at Varsity Arena in Toronto.

Sonnenburg added a helper for a two-point night, and linemate Matt Amadio (Sault Ste. Marie) also registered a goal and an assist in Waterloo's first victory of the young season. Rookie Zac Coulter (Owen Sound) opened the scoring for the visitors with his first career CIS goal, and Joey Champigny (East Angus) notched the eventual winner in the shootout.

Warriors defenceman Sam Caldwell (Cape Breton) didn't get on the score sheet, but he made perhaps the most impactful play of the night. Late in the first 5-minute overtime period, a shot squeaked through goalie Mike Morrison (Hamilton) and looked destined to win it for Toronto. But Caldwell cleared the puck off the line at the last moment, giving Waterloo a chance to win in the shootout. The high drama was magnified just moments later when, in the second OT, an Eric Diodati (Niagara Falls) shot was cleared off the line by Toronto's Corey Jackson.

Aidan Wallace scored twice for the Varsity Blues, who scored two power play goals with under six minutes left in the third period to rally back from a 3-1 deficit. Josh Hanson also scored for Toronto (0-1-1), while Andrew Hunt made 35 saves in the loss.

Mike Morrison (Hamilton) got the win in net for Waterloo, stopping 28 shots on the night to push his record – and his team's record – to 1-1-0 on the year. The Warriors squeaked out a victory despite taking seven minor penalties, and surrendering three power play goals to Toronto.

The puck was bouncing all night, creating havoc for goalies at both ends. Wallace opened the scoring in the first after a deflected rebound fell right to him on the doorstep – a goal that was initially waved off, before the officials conferred and decided the play was legal. Then late in the first frame, Coulter looked to intentionally pinball the puck in off of Hunt from behind the blue line for his first career CIS goal. It was a dual milestone marker, as Michael Siddall (St. Mary's) drew an assist to give him his first career CIS point.

The Warriors carried the pace of play throughout the night, and Sonnenburg was rewarded with the go-ahead goal off a gorgeous feed from Amadio at 6:23 of the second period. The teams exchanged 5-on-3 chances late in the middle frame, but both penalty-killing units were up to task.

Midway through the third, Amadio gave Waterloo some breathing room when he finished on an odd-man rush with Sonnenburg. But the Warriors found themselves in late penalty trouble, and the Varsity Blues made them pay twice on a 5-on-3 advantage late in the third. The tying goal was yet another strange one that bounced off the end-boards, the top of the net, and Diodati's hand before squeaking in. The tying goal was as controversial as it was unconventional, as Diodati and Morrison claimed it never crossed the line, but their protests were quickly denied.

The Warriors weren't discouraged, though, and they dominated the shot clock 5-1 in the two overtime periods. But the goaltenders – with some help from the pair of dramatic goal-line clearing plays – sent the game to a shootout.

And in the shootout, the Warriors ended it quickly – Sonnenburg scored on a wrister, and Morrison poke-checked Matt Campagna to put the Warriors ahead early. Then, Champigny backed in Hunt and sniped one past him low, while Morrison made a glove stop on Connor Cleverly to seal the victory for Waterloo.

The Warriors are right back at it on the road on Friday night, as they will look to win two in a row for the first time this young season against the rival Western Mustangs. Puck drop is slated for 7pm in London.