OTTAWA, Ont. – JC Thivierge (Welland, Ont.) tied the game with a buzzer beater to end regulation, but the Ontario Tech University men's hockey team could not complete the comeback, falling 4-3 in overtime to No. 3 Carleton Ravens.
The second and final meeting of the season between the teams saw an entertaining game. It was a very back-and-forth affair as the teams traded chances early with both goalies standing tall. The Ridgebacks showed great resilience as they never held the lead throughout the game but stuck with the nationally ranked Ravens.
Twice trailing by two goals, the visitors saw a pair of freshmen pull the team within one on two different occasions, including
Cody Grant (Beaver Bank, N.S.) potting his first career OUA goal. Controversy and excitement surrounded the tying goal, as Thivierge's last second shot barely beat the final buzzer.
Ontario Tech will be back in action tomorrow afternoon as they wrap up their first semester of the season against the Ottawa Gee-Gees at 3 p.m.
• Dalen Hedge opened the scoring at 15:44 of the first for the home team.
• Cody Caron made it 2-0 Ravens just 30 seconds later and netted the winner at 5:42 of overtime.
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Liam Hurley (Cambridge, Ont.) pulled the Ridgebacks within a goal with under two minutes (18:09) left in the period, banging home a rebound off a Thivierge point shot.• Brogan O'Brien regained the Ravens two goal lead at 5:16 of the third.
• Grant cleaned up a rebound off a long point shot for his first career OUA goal, pulling the Ridgebacks to a 3-2 deficit at 6:10 of the third.
• Thivierge desperately threw a loose puck towards the net, which eluded heavy traffic and beat both the netminder and the buzzer to tie the game 3-3.
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Michael Bullion (Anchorage, Alaska) made 23 saves in the loss.
• Justin Nichols stopped 33 of 36 to pick-up the win.
Overall Record: 8-11-2
Conference Record: 6-9-2
Next Game: Sunday, Dec. 1 @ Ottawa Gee-Gees (3 p.m. – Ottawa, Ont.)
