OTTAWA, Ont. – Curtis Hodgins picked up a win in his CIS coaching debut as the UOIT men's hockey team earned a 3-1 victory over the Carleton Ravens Friday night in Ottawa.
 
Friday's game was a first round playoff rematch from one season ago in which Carleton swept the Ridgebacks 2-0.
 
The game looked like a playoff game early on as the teams grinded out a scoreless first period, with goaltenders Brendan O'Neill (Ilderton, Ont.) and Francis Dupuis combining to make 19 saves.
 
The start of the second period saw an offensive barrage with three goals scored in less than a six-minute stretch. Mike Robinson (Stouffville, Ont.) opened up scoring for UOIT netting his first of the season with James Woodcroft (Milton, Ont.) and Ben Blasko (Kingston, Ont.) earning assists on the play. With the assist, Blakso has recorded at least one point in all seven-conference games played.
 
Carleton would quickly respond as Ryan Van Stralen slipped one past O'Neill for his fourth of the season.
 
The combination of Robinson and Woodcroft would hook up on their next shift, this time with Woodcroft being on the receiving end. The go-ahead goal was Woodcroft's third of the year.
 
With Carleton pressing for the game-tying goal, O'Neill made 17 saves in the second and third periods to maintain the UOIT lead.
 
At the other end of the ice, Adam Campagnolo (Waterloo, Ont.) added an insurance marker with just over seven minutes left in the game. Jason Shaw (Belleville, Ont.) drew an assist on the play, his fourth straight game with a point.
 
Carleton would outshoot UOIT 30-24, with O'Neill recording 29 saves in his fourth victory. The second year netminder has a .915 save percentage.
 
This marks the Ridgebacks second straight 3-1 road win after beating the previously No. 7 ranked Windsor Lancers by the same score last weekend.
 
UOIT sits in fifth place in the OUA eastern conference standings with a record of 4-3-0. The loss puts an end to Carleton's four-game win streak as they fall to 4-2-0.
 
Up next for UOIT is a home-and-home series with the Queen's Gaels. Game one will take place in Kingston on Friday, Nov. 6 followed by a rematch in Oshawa on Saturday night. Both games will begin at 7:30 p.m.
 
QUICK LOOK AT THE RIDGEBACKS
Overall Record: 6-7-0
Conference Record: 4-3-0
 
Next Game: Fri. Nov. 6 @ Queen's (7:30 p.m.)