OSHAWA, Ont. – For the second time this season the Ontario Tech University men's hockey team had a player complete a hat-trick, as Austin Eastman (Lindsay, Ont.) had three goals in a 5-1 victory over the Laurentian Voyageurs.
 
After dropping their previous two games, the Ridgebacks were determined and hungry out of the gate. The home team was reward for their effort leaving the opening frame with a two-goal lead, both coming from the stick of Eastman.
 
Special teams were a big factor in the game as the teams combined for 13 penalties, but it was the home team who went perfect on the penalty kill, while going 3-for-6 on the man advantage.
 
The night also marked the 100^th OUA conference game for assistant captain Jack Patterson (Bedford, N.S.) who was recognized during a short post-game ceremony with the players and their families as part of the team's family weekend.
 
It will be a short turnaround for both teams, as they will face-off against each other again tomorrow afternoon at Campus Ice Centre.
 

LIGHT THE LAMP

• Eastman took a pass from Brennan Roy (Iroquois Falls, Ont.) and buried the partial breakaway with a perfect shot at 13:19 of the first.
• Eastman had an easy, open net tap-in for his second after Roy found him in front on the power play with just two minutes left in the period.
• Pierre-Luc Lurette (Val-d'Amour, N.B.) blasted home the Ridgebacks second power play goal for his first career OUA goal at 13:03 of the second.

We don't think Pierre Luc Lurette could've scored a nicer first @OUAsport goal.

Austin Eastman's bottle popper wasn't bad either...#RidgebackPride pic.twitter.com/49ssrUWile

— Ontario Tech Ridgebacks (@OT_Ridgebacks) January 25, 2020

• Eastman completed the hat-trick with another power play marker at 7:13 of the third, off a shot from the top of the left face-off circle.
• Kari Belec (Sudbury, Ont.) finished off a two-on-one rush with Brett Harasymuk (Yorkton, Sask.) for the 5-0 lead just 30 seconds after Eastman's hat-trick.
• Russell Nowry spoiled the shutout bid with 6:20 left in the third.
 

BETWEEN THE PIPES

• Leif Hertz (Kingston, Ont.) had a 24-save effort in picking up the win.
• Mackenzie Savard allowed five goals on 42 shots in the loss.
 

RIDGEBACKS AT A GLANCE

Overall Record: 12-13-3
Conference Record: 9-11-3
 
Next Game: Saturday, Jan. 25 vs. Laurentian Voyageur (3:30 p.m. – Campus Ice Centre)