OSHAWA, Ont. – Friday night's game was filled with high emotion as the Ontario Tech University men's hockey team prevailed 6-3 over the visiting Windsor Lancers.
After scoring just two goals in their last two games, the Ridgebacks were hoping that home ice would provide some offensive spark. A back-and-forth opening period saw just one goal, as
Jake Bricknell (Port Perry) tipped home a point shot. The Ridgebacks exploded in the middle period, taking advantage of a pair of power plays and sloppy puck handling by the Lancers, leading 4-0 after two periods.
"It was nice to score a few goals for a change," said head coach
Curtis Hodgins. "We've been really fighting that puck trying to score and it's left us with no margin of error every night. It was nice for some guys to get some confidence tonight."
The final frame saw the Ridgebacks increase their lead to 5-0 before the visitors were able to spoil the shutout. The final minutes of the game saw frustration boil over for both teams, with the Lancers adding a pair on a late five-minute power play.
The two teams will face-off tomorrow afternoon at the Campus Ice Centre.
"I'm sure tomorrow will be an intense, heated game," said Hodgins. "We need to be disciplined, that'll be the message tomorrow."
• Bricknell opened the scoring after tipping a
Noah McMullin (Beaver Bank, N.S.) point shot home at 8:57 of the first.
•
Jordan Ross (Kronau, Sask.) banged home a rebound at the side of the net with the man advantage to double the Ridgebacks lead at 4:33 of the second.
•
Matthieu Gomercic (Winnipeg. Man.) finished a tic-tac-toe play with Ross and
Jack Patterson (Bedford, N.S.) at 9:28 again on the power play.
• Bricknell buried his second of the night, after a neutral zone turn over gave him and
Austin Eastman (Lindsay, Ont.) a two-on-one.
• Gomercic made it 5-0 Ridgebacks at 11:17 of the third, scoring shorthanded. He later added an empty netter at 19:40 for his first OUA hat-trick.
• Sean Olsen spoiled the shutout bid at 11:53 of the third.
• Anthony Salinitri (17:15) and Brady Pataki (19:49) both scored on a five-minute power play during the final three minutes of play.
•
Leif Hertz (Kingston, Ont.) made 35 saves for the win.
• Tyler Johnson stopped 35 shots in the loss.
Overall Record: 7-8-0
Conference Record: 5-6-0
Next Game: Saturday, Nov. 9 vs. Windsor Lancers (3:30 p.m. Campus Ice Centre)
