The gloves came off Jan. 7 at the Ice House, as the Carleton Ravens men’s hockey team took on their crosstown rivals, the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees, in front of a full house, blowing them out with a final score of 8-0.

From the start of the game, the emotions were high for both teams playing their second game against each other this season, with the Ravens winning the first matchup in October.

As the claws came out with both teams trying to get into each other’s heads, there seemed to be a dirty push after every whistle, culminating in a fight near the end of the third period between third-year Ravens forward Shane Bakker and Gee-Gees fourth-year defenceman Gabriel Houde.

“It was in the heat of the battle, emotions just heating up,” said Ravens captain Brad Good.

Ravens head coach Marty Johnston said he thinks it may have been more than that, saying it was a deliberate headshot by the Gee-Gees player.

However, Good made sure his team was not going to be pushed over, especially in the second period, when things seemed to really get physical.

“We always played strong,” Good said. “We had to stand up to them and did whatever we had to.”

Johnston praised his captain’s leadership, calling Good the team’s “heartbeat.”

“[Good] is very dedicated to what he does,” Johnston said. “He is the hardest working player in practice and an example to our younger guys.”

Even first-year Ravens goalie Matthew Dopud, who picked up his second shutout of the season, got into the action in a small scuffle with Gee-Gees forward Steve Blunden following a shot in the third period.

By the final buzzer, the Ravens racked up 62 minutes in penalties while the Gee-Gees finished with 70 minutes.

Good acknowledged this was more than just a game.

“First regular season game after the holidays against this team, you have to be jacked up for this one. If not, there’s something wrong,” he said.

Despite the high score, it was perhaps the Ravens’ defence that won them the game.   Despite allowing the University of Ottawa 11 power-play chances, the Ravens never allowed the Gee-Gees to set up, instead scoring four short-handed goals and three power-play goals.

Forwards Matt Hyde, Jordan Deagle, Brandon MacLean, Linden Bahm, Graham Klassan and Joey Manley, with a last-second goal, scored for the Ravens.  Rookie defenceman Brad Albert also chipped in with his first of the year.

Heading into the third period, the Ravens held a 4-0 lead and after seeing what happened to Canada in the IIHF World Junior Championships, the Ravens were not planning on replicating that performance.  

First-year forward Bahm made sure of this, scoring two short-handed goals in the first two minutes of the third period to take away any momentum the Gee-Gees may have had.

Johnston said he was fully aware of the possibility of a collapse.

“We kept a strong forecheck, and our goal was to win the period.”

That, they certainly did.

With the win, the Ravens now sit in third place in the Ontario University Athletics East, three points ahead of the fifth-place Gee-Gees.

The Ravens visit the first-place McGill Redmen Jan. 14.