AROUND OUA: Rams and Gryphons have success at home
Rams defeat Golden Hawks 6-3 in season opener
The Ryerson Rams men's hockey team revealed their 2016-17 lineup Thursday night and put on quite the show in a thrilling 6-3 victory over the Laurier Golden Hawks.
The Rams received production from both new and familiar faces in Thursday's home opener win. The returnee line of Chris Marchese, Jamie Lewis, and Mitch Theoret each had a goal, as did sophomore Vince Figliomeni. While freshman Landon Schiller and Josh Sterk each added a goal of their own for their first CIS markers.
The line of Figliomeni, Devon Paliani, and Schiller combined for two of the Rams six goals Thursday night and executed a disciplined defensive structure for the entire 60 minutes, which didn't go unnoticed by Head Coach Johnny Duco.
"They're a line that can play against any line in this league," said Duco. "Something we talked about coming into this game was that they might see some time against the other teams top lines in an effort to shut them down and chip in offensively. And that's exactly what they were able to do. We thought that they were arguably our top line tonight."
Schiller (Thornhill, Ont.) got the ball rolling for the Rams early in the opening frame. Figliomeni wheeled down the wing and sent a gift over to Schiller in front, who one-timed a perfectly placed shot over the pad of Golden Hawks net-minder Colin Furlong before crashing the net.
"I just wanted to make sure the puck went in," laughed Schiller when asked about crashing into the net on the goal. "If I had to go in the net too, then so be it, right?"
Three minutes after the opening Schiller goal, Lewis sauced a backhand beauty to Marchese in the slot, who made no mistake for his first of the year and the Rams second of the game. The Rams went on shut things down defensively for the remainder of the period and cruised into the first intermission with a controlling 2-0 lead.
Despite being down 2-0, the Golden Hawks didn't shy away in the second. Erik Pushka of the Hawks sent a low blazing shot over the pad of what had been an unsolvable Rams goalkeeper Charlie Graham. The Pushka marker proved that Graham was indeed human and brought the Golden Hawks to within one.
Moments later however, former OHLer and freshman forward Josh Sterk joined Schiller with his first CIS goal. Sterk deflected a knuckle puck shot from defenseman Brandon Devlin while in front and restored the Rams two-goal lead less then a minute after they lost it.
Figliomeni's marker at 10:06 in the second established some much needed comfort for the Rams, but sloppy and relaxed execution played right into the hands of the Golden Hawks, who began to steal back the momentum late in the second period.
With time ticking down in the second, the Rams looked to be well on their way to a lopsided season opener win, but OUA West star Derek Schoenmakers had different plans for his Golden Hawks. Schoenmakers streaked down the far wing and released a B-line shot past Graham, which capped an impressive solo effort and brought the Golden Hawks to within two.
The third period then started off just how the second ended. Schoenmakers walked in and potted his second goal of the night, and the 42nd of his CIS career.
The Golden Hawks got to within one early in the third, but that was as close as they would get, as Rams' forwards Theoret and Lewis scored two unanswered third period goals to power the Rams to a 6-3 victory.
The Rams' Graham was spectacular between the pipes in his CIS debut. He finished his 60 minutes of work with three goals allowed but made an impressive 43 saves for the victory.
"I thought he was a calming presence back there," said Duco when asked about Graham's performance. "I think he made a number of key saves for us. I was really impressed with the way he played and how he played the puck and managed the game back there for us."
Although the Rams come away unscathed after Thursday's victory, there's no denying that specific aspects of their game need to be improved on come Saturday in what will be a heated tilt with Windsor.
"We're throwing too many pucks away. I think our amount of turnovers was unacceptable," stated Duco in frustration. "I think we gave up 16 grade 'A' chances in front of our net which is unacceptable so it's something we will address. We will learn from it, we will talk to the boys, and it's a teachable thing that we can improve on."
The Rams will take Thursday's win with a grain of salt and look to build on it against the mighty Windsor Lancers Saturday night. The game is scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. start at the South Windsor Arena and will be available on both Rogers TV and OUA.tv.
Source: Ryerson Rams
Gryphons beat Mustangs in home opener
GUELPH, ON -- So far so good for the new-look Guelph Gryphons men's hockey team, who are enjoying a perfect start to the Ontario University Athletics season. The Gryphons picked up their second win in as many nights, defeating the rival Western Mustangs 3-2 at the Gryphon Centre Arena Thursday.
"It's a great start against two very difficult teams," said head coach Shawn Camp, who liked what he saw from his Gryphons one night after beating Waterloo 5-0 on the road. "Tonight, we had to battle for every inch of ice."
Captain Scott Simmonds, Trevor Morbeck and Robert Lepine scored for the Gryphons, while Scott Stajcer made 36 saves. The fourth-year goaltender from Cambridge, ON had a busy night after a relatively quiet opener in Waterloo when he faced just 16 shots to earn a shutout.
It was an impressive opener on home ice for the Gryphons (2-0), who showed some killer instinct in the third period but had to hang on late. Up 2-1 after 40 minutes, Guelph extended the lead with an odd-man rush goal, its second of the night, just 53 seconds in. Cody Thompson hesitated and made a little juke from the right circle before patiently centring a pass that Lepine jumped on and fired past Western goaltender Greg Dodds. Lepine's winner was his second goal of the young season.
It proved to be big as Western (0-1) would get within one. Jonathan Laser jumped out of the box after his slashing minor expired and flew in alone down the right wing before wristing a shot past Stajcer at 13:09 of the third.
"It got tense after that second goal," Camp said.
Guelph was sharp to start the second period and built a 2-1 lead when Morbeck battled down low and beat Dodds at the 8:25 mark. Peter Soligo and Andres Kopstals picked up assists.
On the heels of a convincing performance in the OUA season opener at Waterloo, Guelph didn't take long to get the offence going. The teams exchanged chances in an end-to-end opening few minutes and the Gryphons took a 1-0 lead 5:15 into the game on Simmonds' first of the season. Tryg Strand broke down the right wing and sent a pretty feed to the slot, which the captain one-timed past a helpless Dodds.
Western's Trent Ouellette responded quickly and tied the game 1-1 about two minutes later. The visitors pushed the pace the rest of the period and were unlucky not to score a few more despite having to kill two penalties. Western had a goal waved off and Stajcer then robbed Matt Marantz with an excellent pad save after Guelph coughed up the puck on a power play deep in its own zone. The Mustangs also hit a post in an opening period in which they outshot the Gryphons 18-11.
"We were outplayed in the first period but we picked it up in the second," said Camp. "It's good to see that we created a couple of opportunities from hard work in our zone and we were able to move the puck out."
Camp is happy with the 2-0 start but knows what the Gryphons are in for, calling the division "a dog's breakfast."
"There won't be an easy night," he said.
Next up for the Gryphons, their second early season road trip to Waterloo, this time to face the Laurier Golden Hawks on Friday, October 14 at the Waterloo Rec Centre. Puck drop is set for 7:30pm.
Source: Guelph Gryphons
