By Hayden Godfrey
Though the crowd was sparse and the energy was somewhat lacking inside the normally electric Mattamy Athletic Centre, the Ryerson Rams men’s hockey team opened the preseason with a 4-3 victory against the visiting Ottawa Gee-Gees.
In a game laden with penalties, the Rams managed to narrowly prevail thanks to a stunning overtime goal by captain Alex Basso.
The first and second periods featured a seemingly endless back and forth that saw the lead change hands three times. With some solid saves by Rams goaltender Garrett Forrest, the game remained tied headed to the final period.
After all seemed lost following Gee-Gees forward Yvan Mango’s sprawling go-ahead goal with less than a minute to play, the Rams stormed back, answering with a goal of their own. Whitby, Ont., native Matt Mistele tied it up with 10 seconds to play in the third, sending the contest to overtime.
It was then that Basso, last season’s OUA West Player of the Year, wired the game winner past Ottawa goalie Nick Hodgins to give the Rams the exciting victory. Rams forwards Jacob Kamps and Cavin Leth also added goals of their own, while Matt Nosella, John Carpino, Steven Harland and Mark Shoemaker each got an assist.
Ultimately, the story of the game came from the Rams’ ability to kill penalties with exceptional efficiency, keeping it close despite dealing with a series of disadvantages. Notably, during an elongated stretch of 5-on-3 hockey during the middle portion of third.
Additionally, former Erie Otters winger Patrick Fellows made his Rams debut, nearly notching his first goal as a Ram in the second period. The first-year film studies student out of Mississauga, Ont., will wear the number 10 this season.
UP NEXT: The Rams will face off against the rival Carleton Ravens on Sept. 15 at 2:15 p.m. before the exciting Back to School Bash on Sept. 21 against the University of New Brunswick.
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