OUA Men's Hockey: Laurier defeated UOIT 5-2 OSHAWA, Ont. – The UOIT men's hockey team dropped their second game of the weekend as the Laurier Golden Hawks picked up a 5-2 come from behind victory on Saturday night at the Campus Ice Centre.
The Ridgebacks held a 2-1 lead after forty minutes, but Laurier scored four third period goals to earn their seventh win of the season.
Penalties would turn out to be UOIT's Achilles' heel, as they were sent to the box eight times. Laurier would capitalize with two power play markers, including the game-tying goal midway through the third period. UOIT on the other hand was shutout on four power play opportunities.
Less than 30 seconds after the game-tying goal, Laurier's Patrick Chore was able to beat
Colin Dzijacky (Thunder Bay, Ont.), giving the Golden Hawks their first lead of the game. Laurier would add two more goals including an empty netter to secure two points in the standings. Mike Webley would score two goals for Laurier with Erik Pushka and Matt Provost picking up the others.
Kevin George (Uxbridge, Ont.) netted UOIT's first goal of the game 50 seconds into the contest while
Mitch Bennett (Fenelon Falls, Ont.) registered his fourth of the season midway through the second period. Bennett finished the night with a goal and an assist, his second multi-point game of the year.
Dzijacky ended up stopping 29 Laurier shots while Vinny Merante made 31 saves in his second win three starts. Final shots finished 34-33 in favour of the Golden Hawks.
With the loss, UOIT (8-12-1) falls to seventh place in the OUA conference standings, two points behind the Queen's Gaels (9-11-1) who put an end to Waterloo's nine-game win streak with a 3-2 overtime victory.
Up next for UOIT will be a road affair with the RMC Paladins (0-17-3) on Wednesday, Jan. 21. Game time in Kingston is 7 p.m.
A QUICK LOOK AT THE RIDGEBACKSOverall Record: 10-14-2
Conference Record: 8-12-1
Next Game: Wed. Jan. 21 @ RMC
