SUDBURY, Ont. – Five goals by five different players helped the Ontario Tech men's hockey team to a decisive 5-1 victory over the Laurentian Voyageurs on Thursday night.
 
The win was important for the Ridgebacks, who have a tough stretch of three games in four nights, continuing with a road game against Nipissing on Friday and home tilt with McGill on Sunday.
 
This victory also keeps the Ridgebacks in the thick of the OUA east playoff race, with 17 points. They are now tied with Concordia for fifth, while RMC is only three points back in ninth.
 
Friday's game in North Bay is key in the postseason race as the Nipissing Lakers also have 17 points.
 

LIGHT THE LAMP

• Liam Hurley (Cambridge, Ont.) and Jake Bricknell (Port Perry, Ont.) scored two minutes apart in the first period to give the Ridgebacks a 2-0 lead after one.
• Ryan Cullen (Ottawa, Ont.) scored his first OUA goal at 6:51 of the second to push the Ridgebacks lead to three.
• Laurentian Voyageurs defenceman Jarett Meyer cut the lead to two again with his tally at 10:33 of the second. The score stood 3-1 after two.
• Kari Belec (Sudbury, Ont.) and Sean Ross (Bracebridge, Ont.) each scored their third goals of the season in the third period to round out the Ontario Tech scoring.
 

BETWEEN THE PIPES

• Michael Bullion (Anchorage, Alaska) made 22 stops for his fourth win of the season.
• Mackenzie Savard turned aside 33 Ridgeback shots in the loss.
 

RIDGEBACKS AT A GLANCE

Overall Record: 10-11-3
Conference Record: 7-9-3
 
Next Game: Friday, Jan. 10 @ Nipissing Lakers (7:30 p.m. – North Bay, Ont.)