The Carleton Ravens men’s hockey team continued their success in the new year Jan. 17 as they won their fifth game in a row, defeating the Concordia University Stingers on the road 6-0.
The Ravens opened the game playing back-and-forth action with their opponents and marginally outshot the Stingers 10-8 in the first period.
In the back-half of the first period, Carleton capitalized on a power-play opportunity as Joe Pleckaitis buried his shot into the back of the net on a pass from Michael McNamee.
“Getting that power-play goal from Pleckaitis got the ball rolling for us,” Ravens head coach Marty Johnston said.
The Ravens continued their special team success in the second, this time scoring shorthanded off the stick of Jeff Hayes a little over a minute into the second period.
However, it was the Stingers who controlled the play in the second as they had five power-play opportunities in the second and outshot the Ravens 9-6.
The Ravens’ Jordan Deagle added another goal late in the second on passes from Joey West and Derek Brown to make it 3-0.
The Ravens carried their offensive onslaught into the third period as Sean Bamford, Linden Bahm, and Jake Cardwell all scored goals of their own to make the score 6-0, erasing any chance of a Concordia comeback.
Goaltender Francis Dupuis helped back the Ravens defence as he turned aside all 23 shots he faced including one penalty shot.
“When we needed big saves, Francis came up big,” Johnston said.
Goaltending, combined with special teams, is something West echoed as being the key to their success.
“We have been able to create a lot of energy off the penalty kill and the power play seems to be clicking which certainly helps us a lot,” West said.
Although the Ravens picked up the victory in this game, Johnston said he would have liked for the Ravens to improve on their Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) 14th-ranked power play. The Ravens were two for eight with a man-advantage against the Stingers.
Johnston said the focus will be on improving their special teams in the remaining seven games of the regular season.
“When you look at the playoffs, it’s often going to be decided by one-goal games. If your special teams are sharp, they can really give you a good advantage,” Johnston said.
Carleton is currently ranked seventh in the CIS, however they sit in fourth place in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) East division.
The goals for the Ravens remain high with the season coming to a close.
“We want to be in first place by the end of the season,” West said. “If we keep playing the way we are, it should be a really close finish.”
Next up, the Ravens play host to the Gaels Jan. 24 followed by the University of Ontario Institute of Technology Ridgebacks Jan. 25.
“Friday night’s going to be a huge game for us,” Johnston said. “We know Queen’s has a strong record and very good goaltending so we are going to have to be at our best to have a chance at taking two points from them.”
