OSHAWA, Ont. – The UOIT men's hockey team did not start their two-game preseason home stand off on a positive note as the RMC Paladins pulled out a 3-2 comeback win in double overtime.
 
RMC tied the game at 2-2 with 26 seconds in the third when Mathieu Lavallee beat UOIT goaltender Tyson Teichmann. Lavallee crashed the crease and looked to have kicked the puck in, but the referee confirmed the goal sending the game into overtime.
 
Playing 3-on-3 in double overtime, John Livingston scored an unassisted goal giving the Paladins the 3-2 victory.
 
Livingston scored two goals in the game, as he also got one early in the third period to level the score at 1-1.
 
Mitch Bennett (Fenelon Falls, Ont.) opened up scoring for UOIT 4:36 into the second period with Anthony Latina (Scarborough, Ont.) and Danny Elser (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.) recording assists.
 
Second year forward Ben Blasko (Kingston, Ont.) scored eight seconds after Livingston's first RMC goal to put the Ridgebacks back in front 2-1. Bennett added an assist on Blasko's goal.

Although it was the preseason, it ended up being a chippy affair as the teams combined for 50 minutes in penalties.
 
UOIT wraps up preseason action on Saturday as they host York. UOIT beat the Lions 5-1 in the finals of the York Invitational but have since dropped their last two decisions. Puck drop at the Campus Ice Centre is 3:30 p.m.
 
The Ridgebacks open up OUA conference play on the road as they face Ottawa in the Gee-Gees return to varsity hockey on Friday, Oct. 7.
 
QUICK LOOK AT THE RIDGEBACKS
Overall Record: 2-1-1
Conference Record: 0-0-0
 
Next Game: Sat. Oct. 1 vs. York (3:30 p.m.)