OUA Playoffs Game 1: Historic win to begin playoffs for Ridgebacks

Photo credit Craig Glover

OUA Playoffs: UOIT vs. Western
Game 1: UOIT defeated Western 2-1
Game 2: Friday, February 19 vs. Western (7:30 p.m.) - Campus Ice Centre Game 3: Sunday, February 21 @ Western (7:30 p.m.) *If Necessary
UOIT leads series 1-0

LONDON, Ont. - Jason Guy (Whitby, Ont.) made 36 saves on Wednesday night to lead the UOIT Ridgebacks men's hockey team to a 2-1 victory in their OUA playoff debut against the No. 5 nationally-ranked Western Mustangs in London, Ont.

With the win, the Ridgebacks lead their best-of-three opening round series 1-0 with game two scheduled for Friday, February 19 at the Campus Ice Centre (7:30 p.m.).

The eighth seeded Ridgebacks came into Wednesday night's game making their first playoff appearance in the programs three year history. UOIT played as if they had nothing to lose against the Western conference champion Mustangs as they skated to a one goal victory.

"Our team came up with a big defensive effort tonight," said Marlin Muylaert, UOIT head coach. "Jason (Guy) played great in net and our defence blocked a lot of shots. It was a great start to the playoffs for the guys."

Joe McCann (Essex, Ont.) would open up scoring for Western as the right winger beat Guy on a wrist shot at the 6:32 mark, giving the Mustang's a 1-0 lead.

The opening goal is all that the hometown faithful had to cheer about as UOIT was able to shake off the early nerves with back-to-back power play goals in the second period to take a 2-1 lead.

Tony Rizzi (Kingston, Ont.) got the Ridgebacks on the board at the 8:25 mark of the second period with assists to Scott Baker (Mactier, Ont.) and Nathan Spaling (Drayton, Ont.). Josh Vatri (Barrie, Ont.) recorded the go-ahead marker and his first playoff goal just five minutes later as he scored a rebound goal off of a Mike Noyes (Lucan, Ont.) point shot.

Defence was the name of the game for UOIT in third period as Western fired everything they had at the Ridgebacks net, but they could not come up with a way to beat Guy for a second time. Guy made 13 third period stops as UOIT skated to the 2-1 game one victory.

"Our special teams were a big difference tonight," said Muylaert. "We were able to get two power play goals white shutting them out with the man advantage. An excellent effort by our special teams unit."

UOIT did also did a good job of shutting down the Western offence, which led the conference in scoring averaging 4.4 goals per game. Keaton Turkiewicz and Aaron Snow, who each had 43 points for the Mustangs during the regular season, were left off the scoresheet Wednesday night.

Jason Guy stopped 36 of 37 Western shots while Keyvan Hunt made 20 saves in the losing effort.

Playoff tickets can be purchased at the Campus Ice Centre, Campus Recreation and Wellness Centre or by contacting Scott Dennis at scott.dennis@dc-uoit.ca or 905-721-8668 ext. 2784.

Source: UOIT Ridgebacks