UOIT ends winless streak with a shootout victory over RMC


OUA Men's Hockey: UOIT defeated RMC 4-3 (Shootout)
Shootout Winning Goal: http://youtu.be/r8ujcSHyJ2A http://youtu.be/r8ujcSHyJ2A>


OSHAWA, Ont. – The UOIT men's hockey team snapped a six-game losing streak on Thursday night with a 4-3 shootout victory over the RMC Paladins at the Campus Ice Centre.

Luke VanMoerkerke (Tillsonburg, Ont.) and Mitch Bennett (Fenelon Falls, Ont.) scored on both of UOIT's shootout attempts while goaltender Colin Dzijacky (Thunder Bay, Ont.) shut the door on RMC to give the Ridgebacks their sixth win of the season.

Early in the game, it looked as if UOIT would cruise to the victory but RMC fought back and erased a three-goal deficit to force the game into overtime.

VanMoerkerke and Bennett got the Ridgebacks off to a great start as they scored the opening two goals of the game. Bennett leads the Ridgebacks in scoring with nine goals, which ranks fourth among OUA freshmen.

Nearing the end of the period, Cameron Yuill (Wellington, Ont.) would score his first goal of the season, redirecting in a shot from the point on the power play to give UOIT a 3-0 lead.

The teams would pull a complete 180 in the second period as RMC responded with three goals of their own. The Paladins' run was highlighted by a shorthanded breakaway goal by Kyle Phillips, which tied the game at three goals apiece.

After combining for six goals over the first forty minutes, the teams went scoreless over the next 25 as the shootout was necessary to break the tie.

Dzijacky stopped 31 of 34 RMC shots as he earned his second shootout victory of his freshman campaign. OUA athlete of the week Evan Deviller made 39 saves for RMC in the loss. In two games against the Ridgebacks in the past two weeks, Deviller has made 89 saves on 94 shots.

With the win, UOIT (6-11-3) jumps into a tie with Concordia (6-8-3) for sixth place in the OUA eastern conference standings, but the Stingers have three games in hand. RMC and UOIT split the season series with one win apiece.

Prior to the game, the teams paid tribute to Major Danny McLeod who died at the age of 92. Major McLeod was a decorated veteran from World War II and after the war went on to become the first director of athletics at Royal Military College. He was also a driving force behind the creation of CIAU (now CIS).

The Ridgebacks will be back on home ice on Saturday night when they welcome UQTR (14-4-0) to the Campus Ice Centre. Game-time is 7:30 p.m.

A QUICK LOOK AT THE RIDGEBACKS
Overall Record: 6-17-3
Conference Record: 6-11-3

Next Game: Sat. Jan. 18 vs. UQTR (7:30 p.m.)