October 16, 2007
ALMOST A PERFECT STORYBOOK OPENING AS UOIT MEN'S HOCKEY MAKES OUA DEBUT!
OSHAWA, Ont.- Oshawa Hockey fans gathered by the hundreds (over 800 which is standing room only) this past Friday night, and had plenty of reason to celebrate as the University of Ontario Institute of Technology men¹s hockey team played its first-ever Ontario University Athletics (OUA) game, a riveting 3-2 shootout loss to the Queen¹s University Golden Gaels (Kingston).
The first period had the Ridgebacks outshooting the Golden Gaels 13-8 but some penalty trouble had both teams scoreless after the first intermission. The undisciplined play continued for UOIT in the second period, but the men were able to kill off four penalties and score the first ever Ridgebacks regular season goal shorthanded, as Shane Nolan (Halifax, NS) took a beautiful pass out of the corner and flipped it over the shoulder of former Oshawa Generals goaltender, Ryan Gibb. An action packed third period, saw both teams contribute for fourteen minutes in penalties that allowed the Golden Gaels to take the lead on two powerplay goals.
With the hometeam crowd buzzing and an extra Ridgebacks attacker on the ice, TJ Legge (Chapleau) was able to take the first ever UOIT home game to an extra session with a goal with less than five seconds left in regulation. Overtime solved nothing, taking it to the shootout where no Ridgebacks were able to put it past the former Generals goalie and the Golden Gaels escaped the Dog Pound with a 3-2 shootout victory.
³The first game in a hockey season is always exciting,² said head coach Marlin Muylaert (Port Perry). ³But the first game ever for a varsity program takes on even more importance and significance and I¹m very proud of our team tonight. From our forwards, to our defence and goaltending, they all played hard for a fantastic crowd.²
The Ridgebacks¹ hockey debut in the Mid-west division of the OUA is the result of three years of planning and preparation for UOIT¹s entry into both men¹s and women¹s varsity hockey. The Ridgebacks were officially accepted as the 19th member of the OUA in early 2006.
Several top-ranked players made their on-ice debut with the Ridgebacks following a Canada-wide recruitment process. Players to watch for during the 2007/08 season include goaltender Josh Sturrock (Dundalk), forward Derrick Bagshaw (Oshawa) and defenceman Richard Power (Scarborough).
³With tonight¹s men¹s hockey game, UOIT athletics has taken a major step forward,² said Ken Babcock, UOIT¹s athletic director. ³We have built a competitive men¹s hockey program in a very short period of time that will continue to grow in the years ahead and provide our fans with an on-ice product that they can be proud of. Plus, they¹ll be able to enjoy this high-calibre level of hockey in our first-class facility here at the Campus Ice Centre.²
The Ridgeback¹s make a quick return to the ice this afternoon, October 13, at 1:30 p.m. as they host Royal Military College at the Campus Ice Centre. They will attempt to even up their record at 1-1 as the face the Paladins.
The festivities started prior to today¹s game with a ceremonial puck drop featuring UOIT president Dr. Ronald Bordessa, Your Student Association president Fraser McArthur and Babcock. Joining the UOIT dignitaries was special guest TSN SportsCentre anchor Dan O¹Toole and Glenn Coady, whose suggestion of the Ridgebacks as a varsity nickname was chosen from more than 300 submissions.
Commemorative pucks, designed to mark the monumental occasion, were handed out to the first 100 fans to enter the ice centre.
The first period had the Ridgebacks outshooting the Golden Gaels 13-8 but some penalty trouble had both teams scoreless after the first intermission. The undisciplined play continued for UOIT in the second period, but the men were able to kill off four penalties and score the first ever Ridgebacks regular season goal shorthanded, as Shane Nolan (Halifax, NS) took a beautiful pass out of the corner and flipped it over the shoulder of former Oshawa Generals goaltender, Ryan Gibb. An action packed third period, saw both teams contribute for fourteen minutes in penalties that allowed the Golden Gaels to take the lead on two powerplay goals.
With the hometeam crowd buzzing and an extra Ridgebacks attacker on the ice, TJ Legge (Chapleau) was able to take the first ever UOIT home game to an extra session with a goal with less than five seconds left in regulation. Overtime solved nothing, taking it to the shootout where no Ridgebacks were able to put it past the former Generals goalie and the Golden Gaels escaped the Dog Pound with a 3-2 shootout victory.
³The first game in a hockey season is always exciting,² said head coach Marlin Muylaert (Port Perry). ³But the first game ever for a varsity program takes on even more importance and significance and I¹m very proud of our team tonight. From our forwards, to our defence and goaltending, they all played hard for a fantastic crowd.²
The Ridgebacks¹ hockey debut in the Mid-west division of the OUA is the result of three years of planning and preparation for UOIT¹s entry into both men¹s and women¹s varsity hockey. The Ridgebacks were officially accepted as the 19th member of the OUA in early 2006.
Several top-ranked players made their on-ice debut with the Ridgebacks following a Canada-wide recruitment process. Players to watch for during the 2007/08 season include goaltender Josh Sturrock (Dundalk), forward Derrick Bagshaw (Oshawa) and defenceman Richard Power (Scarborough).
³With tonight¹s men¹s hockey game, UOIT athletics has taken a major step forward,² said Ken Babcock, UOIT¹s athletic director. ³We have built a competitive men¹s hockey program in a very short period of time that will continue to grow in the years ahead and provide our fans with an on-ice product that they can be proud of. Plus, they¹ll be able to enjoy this high-calibre level of hockey in our first-class facility here at the Campus Ice Centre.²
The Ridgeback¹s make a quick return to the ice this afternoon, October 13, at 1:30 p.m. as they host Royal Military College at the Campus Ice Centre. They will attempt to even up their record at 1-1 as the face the Paladins.
The festivities started prior to today¹s game with a ceremonial puck drop featuring UOIT president Dr. Ronald Bordessa, Your Student Association president Fraser McArthur and Babcock. Joining the UOIT dignitaries was special guest TSN SportsCentre anchor Dan O¹Toole and Glenn Coady, whose suggestion of the Ridgebacks as a varsity nickname was chosen from more than 300 submissions.
Commemorative pucks, designed to mark the monumental occasion, were handed out to the first 100 fans to enter the ice centre.
