February 18, 2010
RAVENS LOSE HEARTBREAKER IN OT TO GAELS IN PLAYOFF OPENER
OTTAWA - The Carleton University Ravens men's hockey team lost a heartbreaker on home ice Wednesday night, falling 4-3 in overtime to the Queen's University Gaels.
The Ravens finished the regular season in fourth place, just three points ahead of the fifth place Gaels in the OUA East standings. The teams split the season series, winning one game apiece, setting the stage for what could be a tight battle in the opening round of the playoffs.
Game one of the best-of-three series started off with great intensity, as both teams were revved up for their first playoff match. But, the majority of the play was sloppy and neither team generated many good scoring opportunities. Carleton slowly began to dominate on the shot clock, holding Queen's to just one shot for most of the period, but they couldn't finish and the game remained scoreless after 20.
Early in the second, Carleton took an interference penalty, giving the Gaels their third power play opportunity of the game. The Ravens managed to kill it off but just as the penalized player stepped out of the box, Scott Kenway (Calgary) fired a shot past Alex Archibald (Ottawa) to give Queen's the 1-0 lead.
The Ravens out shot Queen's for the second straight period, but were unable to beat Gaels goalie Steele De Fazio (Georgetown, Ont.) and trailed by a goal heading into the third.
Carleton couldn't seem to get anything going at the beginning of the third and were unable to capitalize on some big rebounds that De Fazio was giving up. Midway through the period, Queen's would add to their lead when Brock Ouellet (Lindsay, Ont.) went top shelf. But Carleton, answered right back as Chad Loikets (Yorkville, Ill.) took a shot from the slot. De Fazio got a piece of it but it trickled through his pads and in, cutting the Gaels' lead in half.
With less than five minutes to play, the Gaels had a 3-on-2 break. Archibald made the initial save but the rebound came to Stephane Chabot (Rockland, Ont.) who put it away for a 3-1 lead. Just minutes later though, Justin Caruana (Orono, Ont.) beat De Fazio to pull the Ravens within one yet again.
With less than a minute left to play, Ryan Berard (Niagara Falls, Ont.) came in with a wraparound attempt. De Fazio made the save, but Berard got a second chance at it. As he was falling to the ice, he managed to put the puck past the Gaels goalie and force overtime, causing the crowd at the Ice House to erupt.
The tying Ravens goal only served to motivate the Gaels to push harder for the win they felt they deserved. They dominated in overtime, controlling much of the play, while the Ravens couldn't seem to get their feet moving.
With four minutes left to play in overtime, two of the most offensively gifted athletes on the Queen's roster were able to connect. Archibald was down and out of the play after making an initial save off a shot by Jordan Mirwaldt (Winnipeg) when Payton Liske (Welland, Ont.) picked up the rebound and put it into an open cage, giving Queen's the 4-3 overtime win.
Game two of the series is set for Friday, Feb. 19 at 7:30 p.m. in Kingston, Ont. Should a third and deciding game be necessary, it will be played at the Ice House Sunday, Feb. 21 at 3 p.m.
Source: Carleton Ravens
The Ravens finished the regular season in fourth place, just three points ahead of the fifth place Gaels in the OUA East standings. The teams split the season series, winning one game apiece, setting the stage for what could be a tight battle in the opening round of the playoffs.
Game one of the best-of-three series started off with great intensity, as both teams were revved up for their first playoff match. But, the majority of the play was sloppy and neither team generated many good scoring opportunities. Carleton slowly began to dominate on the shot clock, holding Queen's to just one shot for most of the period, but they couldn't finish and the game remained scoreless after 20.
Early in the second, Carleton took an interference penalty, giving the Gaels their third power play opportunity of the game. The Ravens managed to kill it off but just as the penalized player stepped out of the box, Scott Kenway (Calgary) fired a shot past Alex Archibald (Ottawa) to give Queen's the 1-0 lead.
The Ravens out shot Queen's for the second straight period, but were unable to beat Gaels goalie Steele De Fazio (Georgetown, Ont.) and trailed by a goal heading into the third.
Carleton couldn't seem to get anything going at the beginning of the third and were unable to capitalize on some big rebounds that De Fazio was giving up. Midway through the period, Queen's would add to their lead when Brock Ouellet (Lindsay, Ont.) went top shelf. But Carleton, answered right back as Chad Loikets (Yorkville, Ill.) took a shot from the slot. De Fazio got a piece of it but it trickled through his pads and in, cutting the Gaels' lead in half.
With less than five minutes to play, the Gaels had a 3-on-2 break. Archibald made the initial save but the rebound came to Stephane Chabot (Rockland, Ont.) who put it away for a 3-1 lead. Just minutes later though, Justin Caruana (Orono, Ont.) beat De Fazio to pull the Ravens within one yet again.
With less than a minute left to play, Ryan Berard (Niagara Falls, Ont.) came in with a wraparound attempt. De Fazio made the save, but Berard got a second chance at it. As he was falling to the ice, he managed to put the puck past the Gaels goalie and force overtime, causing the crowd at the Ice House to erupt.
The tying Ravens goal only served to motivate the Gaels to push harder for the win they felt they deserved. They dominated in overtime, controlling much of the play, while the Ravens couldn't seem to get their feet moving.
With four minutes left to play in overtime, two of the most offensively gifted athletes on the Queen's roster were able to connect. Archibald was down and out of the play after making an initial save off a shot by Jordan Mirwaldt (Winnipeg) when Payton Liske (Welland, Ont.) picked up the rebound and put it into an open cage, giving Queen's the 4-3 overtime win.
Game two of the series is set for Friday, Feb. 19 at 7:30 p.m. in Kingston, Ont. Should a third and deciding game be necessary, it will be played at the Ice House Sunday, Feb. 21 at 3 p.m.
Source: Carleton Ravens
