2009-10 NEWS RELEASES

UOIT Ridgebacks Media Release
Friday, February 05, 2010

UOIT upsets Lakehead– Rizzi records a hat-trick in the comeback win

Men’s Hockey: UOIT defeated Lakehead 6-5

THUNDER BAY, Ont. – Tony Rizzi (Kingston, Ont.) of the UOIT men’s hockey team recorded a hat trick as the Ridgebacks upset the Lakehead Thunderwolves 6-5 at the Fort William Gardens in Thunder Bay Friday night.

Rizzi scored the game winning goal with exactly one minute left in the game to lift the Ridgebacks to their tenth victory of the season. Rizzi would end up with four points on the night recording three goals and an assist in the win.

The Ridgebacks ( 10-14-1) move two points ahead of the Brock Badgers (9-15-1) and into sole possession of the eighth and final playoff position in the OUA Western Conference standings. Both teams have three games remaining in the regular season as they fight for a playoff spot.

The nationally ranked Thunderwolves entered the game on a six game winning streak and were in first place of the OUA Western Conference. The loss dropped Lakehead to third place in the conference and marked only the second time this season that the Thunderwolves fell on home ice.

The Ridgebacks have made a habit off knocking off the top teams in 2010 as they snapped the Western Mustangs 16-game winning streak two weeks ago. Lakehead had defeated Western in back-to-back games last weekend to move into first place heading into this weekend.

In total, five Ridgebacks had multi-point games, a UOIT men’s hockey first. Rizzi led the way with the four point night, while defenceman Mike Noyes had one goal and two assists. Oshawa native Brent Varty recorded a goal and an assist while Ryan Spencer (Woodville, Ont.) and Nathan Spaling (Drayton, Ont.) had a pair of assists respectively.

The Ridgebacks trailed in the third period by a score of 5-4 after surrendering consecutive Lakehead power play goals. UOIT would tie the game up at the 10:28 mark of the third period as Noyes notched his fourth goal of the year. Rizzi clinched the win at the 19:00 minute mark of the third, stunning the capacity crowd at the Fort William Gardens.

UOIT goalie Jason Guy (Whitby, Ont.) made 22 saves to pick up his second consecutive win. Kyle Moir of the Thunderwolves stopped 26 of 32 Ridgeback shots in the losing effort. Both teams went 2-for-3 on the power play.

UOIT is 2-1 against Lakehead this season, as they split their weekend series in Oshawa earlier this year. The Ridgebacks will go for the series win tomorrow night as they have a rematch in Thunder Bay at 7:30 p.m. UOIT will return to the Campus Ice Centre on Friday, February 12 for Whitby Minor Hockey night against the Western Mustangs. Game time at the Campus Ice Centre is 7:30 p.m.

GAME RECAP

(M) UOIT 6 At (M) Lakehead 5 - Status: Final
Feb 5, 2010 - Fort William Gardens

UOIT 1 3 2 - 6
Lakehead 3 1 1 - 5

1st Period
1, Lakehead, Anilane 10 (Sergerie, Hyvarinen), 9:47
2, Lakehead, McDonald 5 (Hogg, Wilkins), 14:36
3, Lakehead, Caria 5 (Dias, Alphonso), 14:50
4, UOIT, Varty 7 (Spaling, Noyes), 19:29 (pp)
 
2nd Period
5, UOIT, Rizzi 7 (Legge), 11:27
6, UOIT, Rizzi 8 (Purves, Spencer), 13:56
7, UOIT, Baker 6 (Noyes, Spaling), 15:32 (pp)
8, Lakehead, Dias 7 (Caria), 18:10 (pp)
 
3rd Period
9, Lakehead, Caria 6 (Zulyniak, Speer), 8:40 (pp)
10, UOIT, Noyes 4 (Rizzi, Spencer), 10:48
11, UOIT, Rizzi 9 (Varty), 19:00

Shots on Goal
UOIT 15-8-9-32
Lakehead 8-8-11-27

Power Play Opportunities
UOIT 2 of 3
Lakehead 2 of 3

Goalies
UOIT, Guy 9-12-1 (27 shots-22 saves)
Lakehead, Moir 15-5-1 (32 shots-26 saves)

PLAYOFF RACE

8. UOIT (10-14-1) – 21 points

Remaining Games
@ Lakehead
vs. Western
vs. Waterloo

9. Brock (9-15-1) – 19 points

Remaining Games
@ Waterloo
@ York
vs. Lakehead

A QUICK LOOK AT THE RIDGEBACKS
Overall Record: 11-19-1
Conference Record: 10-14-1

Next Game: Saturday, February 6 @ Lakehead (7:30 p.m.)
Next Home Game: Friday, February 12 vs. Western (7:30 p.m.)

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FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Scott Dennis
Sports Information and Marketing Coordinator
Durham College and UOIT Athletics
905.721.2000 Ext. 2784 (P)
905.721.3117 (F)
scott.dennis@dc-uoit.ca