The Carleton Ravens men’s hockey team came up short in the their third period comeback Nov. 3, losing 5-4 and splitting their two-game home stand with the Lakehead Thunderwolves.
The Ravens came out flying to start the third period, despite being down 4-0.
“We just didn’t want to roll over and give up on the game, and it’s a credit to them,” Ravens head coach Marty Johnston said.
“They worked hard, but at the end of the day we need to get the results, and we didn’t get it.”
Third-year Joe Pleckaitis got the comeback rolling when he scored at 16:05 of the third period. The goal came off a great rush by second-year defenceman Matthew Stanisz, who picked the puck up from behind his own net bringing it into the Lakehead zone. He took a wrist shot from the blue line that was stopped, but Pleckaitis was there for the rebound and buried the puck top shelf.
Less than a minute later, fifth-year forward Shane Bakker scored an incredible goal. Dangling around the Lakehead forwards, he brought the puck over the blue line, beat the defence, and fired a backhand from the hashmarks past the Lakehead netminder.
“I just got the puck at the end of the shift and I was just trying to get to the red line and dump it in and change,” Bakker said.
“I felt like their d-men were sleeping and cut through and just kept going. Made another good move on the other defence and I just kinda finished it. It was more instinct than anything.”
Third-year Jeff Hayes capitalized on a bad turnover by the Thunderwolves defence, picking up the puck at the top of the circle and taking a quick snap shot that beat the goalie top glove with only 7:35 left in the third, bringing the Ravens to within one goal.
But just 13 seconds after the Hayes goal the Thunderwolves took the air out of the Ravens’ tires when Andrew Wilkins picked up a turnover at centre ice, coming in on a breakaway and shooting five-hole on first-year goalie Francis Dupuis, who took over for fourth-year netminder Ryan Dube late in the second period.
With just 5:23 left in the third period, Hayes got another goal scoring from a bad angle short side, coming off a great rush from first-year forward Mitch Porowski who broke down the left side leaving the puck for Hayes.
But that would be as close as the Ravens would come. They got a late power play, but that was quickly taken away when Hayes was called for a slashing penalty.
Hayes had a scoring explosion this weekend, picking up five goals and one assist over two games, attributing his success to his linemates Porowski and Berard.
“I think our line has been playing real well, we got the chemistry going and were getting things happening every shift,” Hayes said.
“I just happened to be in the right spot at the right time. It’s nice to contribute offensively.”
Hayes and Porowski currently sit at third and fourth respectively in Ontario University Athletics (OUA) scoring.
“I think he’s been playing great and that line has been dominant this weekend and they really stepped up, he deserves all the credit,” Johnston said.
The two games this weekend were quite opposite.
“I think we didn’t play the whole 60 [on Saturday Nov. 3],” Pleckaitis said.
“We left off the pedal there in the second period and they scored four quick ones and we were in a big hole. But our whole group stuck together and we almost came back to tie it. We didn’t give up, we kept working hard.”
Next up, the Ravens will visit the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks on Nov. 9.
