By Hayden Godfrey
Though the energy and excitement of last week’s thrilling homecoming game has worn off, the Ryerson Rams men’s hockey team’s came into this contest invigorated and decimated the visiting Concordia Stingers 8-4 on Sept. 27 at the Mattamy Athletic Centre (MAC).
The Rams got on the board midway through the first frame when blueliner Greg DiTomaso fed forward Steven Harwell to narrowly beat the right pad of Stingers goalie Marc-Antoine Turcotte.
Minutes later, a mistake on the part of Concordia’s power-play unit left Rams star forward Patrick Fellows all alone in the neutral zone. Fellows took advantage and scored a stunning short-handed goal on a lopsided breakaway.
The Stingers, to their credit, answered almost immediately thanks to the quick hands of new recruit Tyler Hylland, getting on the board just before the conclusion of the period.
Entering the second period, the Rams regained their two-goal lead when forward Holden Cook waltzed into the slot and roofed a Fellows pass over Turcotte’s shoulder. Devon Paliani, Jesse Barwell, Dom Commisso, and Jared Walsh also added goals in the frame, with Walsh’s goal forcing the Stingers into a timeout.
“We had an outstanding second period,” said Rams head coach Johnny Duco. “It’s the preseason and we’re looking for teachable moments, and we definitely got some tonight.”
The game reached its physical climax in the third, when Rams forward Hayden McCool steamrolled Concordia goalie Anthony Dumont-Bouchard, causing a series of tussles behind the Stingers net.
McCool could face a multi-game suspension for the hit.
“We talked about it at the end of the game,” said Duco. “We have to do a better job of controlling what we can control, whether that’s a punch or a slash. When you do those things, you put yourself at the ref’s mercy.”
On the night, the Rams recorded eight goals from six different players, ambushing the opposing defensive lines with relentless rushes from all angles.
UP NEXT: The Rams will once again host Concordia in the second game of a back-to-back Saturday at the MAC. Puck drops at 3: 15 p.m.
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