SCOREBOARD

Toronto 3 @ Guelph 6

Brock 2 @ Ryerson 6

Carleton 5 @ UOIT 3

Morbeck records hat trick as Gryphons beat U of T on "Aggies Night"

Guelph, ON -- Home has been good to the Guelph Gryphons men's hockey team this season. And while things looked bleak in the early going, Trevor Morbeck eagerly donned the cape to save the day. The Jackson, Wisonsin native notched a dramatic hat-trick, including the game-winning goal, to lift Guelph to a 6-3 victory in front of a crowd packed with OAC students and alum celebrating the inaugural Aggies Night at Gryphon Centre Arena. 

Leather Aggies jackets were the obvious fashion choice for the evening and the rink, where the Gryphons have now won eight of nine games in 2016/17, was decorated with massive pennants from OAC classes dating back to the 1930s. 

The supporters would go home happy as Morbeck bagged his third of the night at 10:12 of the final period. Morbeck had been unstoppable all game and when his team needed a boost after allowing the tying goal earlier in the period, the long-haired forward cruised into the U of T zone and roofed a shot past Andrew Hunt for the game winner.

He admitted it had been a while since his last three-goal effort.

"Before I played in the OHL, so over seven, eight years ago, probably," Morbeck said. 

Head coach Shawn Camp was pleased to see his big forward cash in after enduring some hard luck in the past.

"Trevor was awesome tonight," said Camp. "He's always been a hard worker."

"It's great to see this season that he's getting rewarded with the points that he so badly deserves. He's such a smart player, makes great decisions with the puck and he's a big body. He goes to the net well and he's got an excellent shot."

Josh McFadden, Michael Stevens and Mark Raycroft also scored for Guelph (11-8-0). Goaltender Scott Stajcer stopped 24 of 27 shots.

U of T looked broken after conceding three straight power-play goals in a 10-minute span of the second period to cough up a two-goal lead but the visitors remained hungry. Matt Campagna would tie the game 3-3 with a pretty goal on a partial breakaway at 4:12 of the third period.

But Morbeck's third would cancel out Campagna's effort. He was also responsible for getting the Gryphons power play going. Trailing 2-0 at the midway point of the game, Morbeck went to work and was able to cut into the Blues' lead at 10:39 with Guelph on the man advantage. The third-year man made his way to the front of the net and cooly slid a backhander in behind Hunt. 

McFadden tied it up at 16:14. The defencemen sent a high shot through traffic that ended up in the top corner of the Toronto net, over Hunt's glove. 

The Blues continued to melt down, taking numerous undisciplined penalties, including a 10-minute misconduct and double minor call on Aidan Wallace, who had opened the scoring in the first minute of the game.

Morbeck kept the pressure on and again set up down low before burying a one-timer with just 35.3 seconds remaining in the period.

"They took a lot of penalties, which definitely helped us out," said Morbeck. "We tried to make them pay. We've been working on our power play, trying to get it better. When you get three power-play goals in a game, that definitely helps."

Ryan Kirkup scored the other goal for Toronto (2-16-2). Hunt made 36 saves. 

The pro-Aggies crowd was quieted early as the Gryphons went down 1-0 just 41 seconds into the game. U of T manufactured an odd-man rush that finished with Wallace one-timing a blast from the right circle, beating Stajcer high. The hosts started sloppy at both ends, turning the puck over in front of their net, while needing a full 7:30 of the first period to register a shot on Hunt. 

"I think that (the crowd) might have been why we started so slow," said Morbeck. "Everyone was just too excited and trying to do everything. When you just work together as a team instead of individually, it helps. 

"When they start cheering and it's echoing in here, it's definitely a good feeling."

Guelph picked up the pace in the latter half of the first and produced some good scoring opportunities late, the best coming when Morbeck made a slick move in the high slot before wristing a shot at Hunt.

Morbeck's slick hands were a sign of things to come but before the three-goal outburst by the hosts, Toronto would strike again at the 6:45 mark of the second on a power play. Stajcer made an initial save on a shot from the left circle but the puck bounced around the crease and appeared to go in off of Kirkup's leg. 

The coach credited his leaders for helping the team bounce back from an ugly opening period.

"We had a very sluggish first period," said Camp. "To the guys' credit though, they stayed with the game plan and they worked hard in the second period, clawed our way back in. Our power play was critical tonight for our success and gave us timely goals. We gained momentum off that.

"Once we got the lead, we seemed to feel that it was ours to take."

Stevens made it 5-3 with a beautiful wrist shot and Raycroft added an empty netter late.

The two teams meet again in Toronto this Sunday at 3:00 pm.

Source: Guelph Gryphons

Fine, Paliani shine in Rams romp of Badgers

TORONTO - A tremendous three goal night from Michael Fine solidified his name in Ryerson's history books and helped lead the Ryerson Rams men's hockey team to a convincing 6-2 rebound win over the Brock Badgers Thursday night at the Mattamy Athletic Centre. 

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Both Fine and the Rams as a whole came into Thursday night with their fair share of struggles.  The Rams looked to reroute after a disastrous weekend in Quebec, where they were outscored 12-4 over two straight losses.  It's fair to say that they accomplished what they sought out to achieve in the 6-2 romping over the Badgers. 

Fine, on the other hand, entered Thursday's bout on the snide having gone four straight games without a point; a feat that hasn't occurred since his OHL days with the Kingston Frontenacs in the 2010-11 campaign in what was just his second Major Junior season.  

The Rams' captain made sure that the streak never reached a fifth game and did so in dramatic fashion by exploding for his second career hat-trick as a Ram.  The pointless streak wasn't necessarily weighing on his mind coming into Thursday night, but it wasn't a circumstance that went completely unnoticed either. 

"Going into tonight...I didn't even know that. I guess it was right before the game I kind of thought about it and said 'when's the last time that I've gotten a point here'," said a smiling Fine following the game.  "I still thought I was playing well and doing the little things right.  You never want to be a guy that when you're not getting points ...you're not doing anything.  Just stay with it, don't feel sorry for yourself and keep working hard."

The renowned hat-trick performance wasn't the only sparkling feat that Fine accomplished Thursday.  His first goal of the game midway through the second was his 115th career point as a Ram and gave him sole possession of second all-time in points as a member of the blue and gold. 

"Personal milestones are always nice and when I think about it, I just have a lot of people to thank," said Fine after his historic night.  "I thank Graham Wise for bringing me in here and giving me a lot of opportunity.  Playing with the good line mates I have right now and my great line mates in the past.  It's really a team effort. It's not just me.  It's something to look back on when it is all said and done, but as of right now, I'm not really focused on it at all… I just want to win games."

And winning is exactly what took place for Fine and the rest of his Rams teammates Thursday as they responded big time in the lopsided victory. 

The Rams got off to a hot start and made the Badgers pay the piper for their early-undisciplined play.  Badgers' defenseman Jeff Corbett, took a tripping penalty less than two minutes into the game and sent the Rams to an early opportunity on the man-advantage.  A minute into the infraction, a bouncing puck in the slot found its way to a wide open Devon Paliani at the far-side of the net, who potted home the game's opening goal past a sprawling Clint Windsor and in to set the tone. 

Less than two minutes later, Josh Timpano of the Badgers found himself in the box for hooking and once again sent the Badgers scurrying on another penalty kill.

The Rams moved the puck with ease before finally finding their triggerman for the marker. Daniel Poliziani and Aaron Armstrong played keep away before Armstrong found a locked and loaded Paliani for the one-timer, who blasted home his second power play goal of the game to put the Rams up 2-0 just over five minutes into the first.

"It was huge.  Anytime you have a team coming into your own building you want to shut them up right away," said Paliani when asked about the crucial quick start.  "We got fortunate enough to get a couple power plays early and we were fortunate enough that we could capitalize on them." 

The Rams continued their relentless pressure throughout the opening frame and struck twine once again mid-way through the period.  Armstrong cut through the crease before he came upon a loose puck in front and shoveled home his tenth goal of the season.  The third Rams goal chased Badgers' Clinton from his crease and replaced him with backup goalkeeper, Alex Brooks-Potts, in hopes of a change. 

The first period came to an end with the Rams leading heavily 20-6 in the shot department. Rams' starting goaltender, Taylor Dupuis, was barely tested, yet sharp through the game's opening 20 minutes.

The second period was more of the same for the Badgers after Fine's first on the night made things a 4-0 game.  Just under a minute later, the Badgers finally responded after a long shot from Timpano beat Dupuis for the Badgers' first goal. 

The Badgers outshot the Rams 12-11 in the second, but not without allowing Fine to score his second of the night with a gorgeous shot for his 116th career point and 11th goal on the season.  Fine's goal came just minutes before the end of the period and sent the Rams to the third with a 5-1 lead. 

Fine then wrapped up the Rams' scoring in the third with a flick of the wrist after receiving a pass from Josh Sterk in close quarters in front.  Fine sent the wrist shot over the shoulder of Brooks-Potts and in to tie a career high in goals with 12, his second career hat-trick and his 117th point as a Ram. 

The Badgers went on to add a late one but the damage had been done as a one of a kind night from Fine helped lift the Rams to a 6-2 victory over the Badgers. 

Dupuis responded with an impressive night between the pipes for the Rams with 23 saves for his sixth win of the season.

Replacement goalie, Brooks-Potts, put forth a remarkable performance in the loss for the Badgers after coming in for relief.  The game could have been far worse if not for a number of key saves made throughout his 30 save performance. 

Other notable performances for the Rams was a three assist night by Sterk, who had his hand in the cookie jar for all three of Fine's goals, and Rams' defenseman Poliziani after he recorded his first point as a Ram in just his third game with an assist on Paliani's second goal on the evening.

The Rams improve to 14-4-1 on the year and regained sole possession of first place in the West with 29 points thanks to Thursday night's victory.  They will look to continue along the winning path Friday night as they travel to London, Ont. to take on the Western Mustangs at Thompson Arena.  Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. with the game available live on OUA.tv.

Source: Ryerson Rams

Ravens' back-to-back wins over Ridgebacks pushes win streak to three

OSHAWA, ON – With a lock-down defensive effort leading the way, the Ravens men's hockey team handed the UOIT Ridgebacks a second consecutive loss Thursday night with a 5-3 final at the Campus Ice Centre.

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Although the home-and-home finale differed from the 8-0 thrashing laid down during last week's matchup, the Ravens expectedly faced a much better Ridgebacks team.

"We saw a much better effort from UOIT and we expected that," says Ravens head coach Marty Johnston, whose team leaves Oshawa with a third consecutive win. "We were a little bit sluggish and slow off the start, but we battled through it and earned the two points against a good team."

With every hope of putting last week's matchup behind them, the Ridgebacks took full advantage of this slow start, chipping the puck into the offensive zone and forcing the Ravens to play gritty, physical defence.

Five minutes in, the team's run-and-gun effort would quickly be rewarded. After his single-man dump-and-chase effort stopped the play along the Ravens' mid-zone boards, Cameron Yuill kicked the puck out to a trailing Malik Johnson. With a clear lane at the net, Johnson snapped the puck past Francois Brassard (Gatineau, QC) to give the home team a 1-0 lead.

However, on the ensuing faceoff, a UOIT penalty immediately sent the Ravens to the man advantage for a chance to respond. Forty-one seconds into the power play, the quick left-to-right puck movement of Adam Chapman (Barrie, ON) and Brett Gustavsen (Scarborough, ON) ended on the stick of a net-front Alexandre Boivin (Ottawa, ON) who tapped the puck past Ridgebacks netminder Brendan O'Neill.

With the game tied at one, both teams began to unravel a fast pace of play while exchanging nearly every shot, hit, and goal.

Following the five-minute mark of the opening frame, a blueline one-timer from Josh Burnside (Brampton, ON) rocketed past a net-front crowd and the blocker of O'Neill, giving the Ravens their first lead of the game with a 2-1 score. But, without wasting time, the Ridgebacks responded almost simultaneously. After breaking from a battle in the Ravens' corner, Connor Jarvis curled behind the net with just enough speed to beat Brassard's left pad for a wraparound goal.

Coming out for the start of the second period, the Ravens not only saw a change of goaltending, as Justin Nichols (St. Catharines, ON) replaced Brassard, but a complete change in play. After taking five penalties between the end of the first and the opening minute of the second, the Ravens spent the period's opening five minutes on the penalty kill. But despite the stretch of short-handed play, the smothering and relentless hustle of the Ravens' special teams allowed them to escape unscathed.

"Our back end has been defending really well and has been fantastic in moving the play up the ice, but we also got a lot of support from our forwards that are playing hard both ways," explains Johnston.

The successful penalty kills seemingly sparked the visiting Ravens as, shortly after, a breakout rush saw Curtis Meighan (Ottawa, ON) and Hayden Hulton (Kingston, ON) take on a pair of Ridgeback defenders. At the top of the right faceoff circle, Meighan's pull-back pass found the driving stick of Hulton for a chip-in just over O'Neill's right pad.

With the Ravens controlling a 3-2 lead, the back-and-forth play of the OUA combatants began to see less-and-less scoring chances. While late-period, net-front redirects from Mike Robinson and David Weckworth (Kanata, ON) gave their respective team's an additional tally on the scoreboard, the game's offensive output eventually fell to defensive takeaways.

Leading the way was the Ravens' blueline stalwart, as they allowed just four shots against and kept the home team out of contention for a comeback.

A lone third-period goal would come off an own-zone takeaway by Corey Durocher (Ottawa, ON), who coasted to the Ridgebacks' slot for an empty-net backhand goal.

With the 5-3 win, the Ravens earned their second three-game win streak of the season and take sole possession of fourth in the OUA East, leaving the Ridgebacks and UQTR Patriotes in a tie for fifth.

Source: Carleton Ravens