The Carleton Ravens men’s hockey team defeated the Ottawa Gee-Gees 5-2 in a chippy affair Oct. 21.
The Ravens came out flying early in the game scoring just 1:44 into the first period on a shot from the point by veteran Raven Joey Manley. Second-year Matthew Stanisz and third-year Jeff Hayes picked up the assists.
The Ravens battled hard against the Gee-Gees in a game where there were 24 penalties for a combined total of 83 minutes. At just 13:38 during the first period, both teams received 10-minute major penalties and game misconducts. Carleton’s Nick Duhn was given a misconduct for checking to the head on the Ottawa player. Gee-Gee Trevor Layton retaliated by deliberately hitting Duhn into the boards, and was given a misconduct for charging. Duhn had to be helped off the ice by two Ravens.
In what was a penalty-filled first period, both teams had 10 penalties combined, but neither team was able to do much on the power play.
Ottawa went 0 for 10 on the man advantage, while Carleton went 3 for 14.
“Our penalty kill did a great job tonight and we found a way to manage to score on the power play even though we gave up a few shorthanded (goals). Really it was a different game in terms of special teams,” Ravens head coach Marty Johnston said.
The Ravens penalty kill was terrific all night shutting the Gee Gees down throughout the game and got praise from Joey West.
“I think we did a good job on the penalty kill and the power play,” he said. “We didn’t get as many goals as we should have, but still the [penalty kill] came up big. I think we played a better game than Ottawa.”
In the second the Ravens struck early again at 1:29 on a goal by first-year defencemen Mitch Porowski, who slid down to the side of the net and buried a pass five hole from third year Linden Bahm, while second year defenceman Tim Billingsley picked up the other assist.
Ottawa came back with a shorthanded goal at 12:50 of the second period, but the Ravens got that goal back with a powerplay goal from third year Joe Pleckaitis at 10:30. He banked the puck in off the Gee-Gees goalie from behind the net, restoring the two goal lead. Porowski and Hayes picked up the assists.
The Ravens gave up another shorthanded goal late in the second period bringing the score to just 3-2 for the Ravens, but that would be as close as the Gee-Gees would come to tying the game.
After a slew of Ottawa penalties to start the third period, the Ravens finally capitalized with a slap shot from Stanisz tipped in by Hayes and went top shelf. Second year Michael Lomas picked up the other assist on the play.
With just 1:44 left in the third, first year West put the game out of reach, breaking down the wing on a breakaway going blocker side beating the Ottawa goalie.
Going into the next game the Ravens will look to stay out of the box.
“We need to play more disciplined, we gotta keep our hands down, obviously thats a big one, a lot of head checks, that’s what their [the referees are] looking for now in hockey and just skate more because if you stop skating you’ll start using your stick more,” West said.
“Those were the two big ones.”
The Ravens outshot the Gee-Gees 33-22. Ravens goalie Ryan Dube was happy with his team’s effort on their even strength play.
“In the back end I try to calm everyone down everyone once and a while,” Dube said. “I’ll crack jokes here and there, even when its serious, with my d-men and I think it helps their tempers a little bit. I like to see myself in that kind of a role.”
The Ravens played host to the rival Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières Patriots Oct. 24 and will play the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees Oct. 26.
