OSHAWA, Ont. – The UOIT men's hockey team showed a lot of heart in their 2015 season opener but were not rewarded with any points as McGill skated away with a 4-2 win over the Ridgebacks.
 
Liam Heelis proved to be the difference maker as he scored two third period goals including the game winner with just over five minutes to go to break the 2-2 deadlock. The Georgetown native ended the night with three points as he assisted on the Redmen's opening goal of the game.
 
UOIT would bounce back from a one-goal deficit on two occasions with goals in the second and third period. Mitch Bennett (Fenelon Falls, Ont.) scored the Ridgebacks first goal of the campaign on the power play with just one second left on the clock to end the second frame.
 
Freshman Mark Petaccio (Sicklerville, N.J.) would record his first career CIS goal midway through the third period, less than a minute after Heelis gave McGill a 2-1 lead. Petaccio slapped one past Jacob Gervais-Chouinard while streaking down the right wing. Ben Blasko (Kingston, Ont.) assisted on the play as he finished the night with two assists, his first two points in the CIS.

The Ridgebacks have several chances to tie the game up on a late power play, but Gervais-Chouinard made a number of key saves down the stretch to preserve the McGill victory.
 
Making his sophomore season debut in goal, Brendan O'Neill (Ilderton, Ont.) made 37 saves in the losing effort. Gervais-Chouinard stopped 32 of 34 UOIT shots on goal.
 
McGill is 8-1-0 against the Ridgebacks all-time, with their only loss coming in UOIT's 2014 home opener.
 
The Ridgebacks will look to rebound on the road this Saturday when they head to Kingston to take on the RMC Paladins. RMC is 1-1-0 to start the year.
 
QUICK LOOK AT THE RIDGEBACKS
Overall Record: 2-5
Conference Record: 0-1
 
Next Game: Saturday, Oct. 10 @ RMC