OSHAWA, Ont. – A fast paced back-and-forth game between the UOIT men's hockey team and the No. 5 ranked Ottawa Gee-Gees leads to a crushing overtime loss for the home team.
The Gee-Gees entered the game sitting first in the east division, posing as a tough matchup for the Ridgebacks. With great transition play throughout the first period, the Ridgebacks showed that they can compete with the top teams in the OUA. UOIT was able to limit their opponents to 10 shots and secure a 1-0 lead after the opening frame.
The Gee-Gees began to flex their muscle in the second period when they capitalized on a power play to tie the game up. The Ridgebacks showed good fight answering with their own goal minutes later. These were just two of the four goals scored in the period, ending out the second frame with the Ridgebacks maintaining a 3-2 lead.
A close battle in the third resulted in the Gee-Gees tying things up with just minutes left to play, forcing extra time. Gee-Gees veteran Kevin Domingue was a difference maker, notching both the tying goal and the overtime winner.
The Ridgebacks continued to put up a good fight against the No. 5 ranked Gee-Gees, never trailing until the overtime winner.
It was a big game for both
Alex Yuill (Wellington, Ont.) and
Mike Robinson (Stouffville, Ont.), two seasoned veterans. Yuill joined the Ridgebacks century club for games played, never having missed a conference game since joining the team. For Robinson, it was a milestone night as he recorded his 47
th goal, becoming the third all-time goal scorer for the Ridgebacks, passing
Jesse Stoughton.
•
Jack Patterson (Bedford, N.S.) opened the scoring for the Ridgebacks when he sniped a shot from the top of the circle beating the goalie blocker side.
• Brendan Jacome was able to capitalize on a Gee-Gees power play, giving them their first goal.
•
Mike Robinson's 47
th career goal came from a bouncing puck that he was able to bat out of the air, putting the Ridgebacks up 2-1.
• Marc Beckstead was able to bury a loose puck in front of the net to tie things back up at two for the Gee-Gees.
•
Brennan Roy (Iroquois Falls, Ont.) answered back for the Ridgebacks when he leaped in the air to keep the puck in the offensive zone at the blue line, allowing him to walk in and fire a shot off from the faceoff dot, beating the goalie just over the glove.
• Veteran Kevin Domingue recorded two goals for the Gee-Gees, the first one tying up the game late in the third with a perfect shot off a winning faceoff, placing the puck just under the crossbar. His second came just over halfway through overtime as he walked into the slot off the side boards, faking his first shot to open the lane, where he then fired a shot to beat
Brendan O'Neill just below the blocker.
• Despite the tough loss,
Brendan O'Neill (Ilderton, Ont.) kept the Ridgebacks in the lead for the entirety of three periods, saving a total of 41 shots.
• Anthony Brodeur earned the win for the Gee-Gees making a total of 26 saves on 29 shots.
Overall Record: 11-8-2
Conference Record: 8-7-2
Next Game: Saturday, Dec. 1 vs Carleton Ravens • 3:30 p.m. – Campus Ice Centre
