Ottawa, ON – After a two-for-five showing on the power play in their last matchup, Carleton looked to continue the strong showing they’d had on Thursday night against Ottawa in a 6-1 pounding when they visited Minto Place Sportsplex at uOttawa for a Saturday night matchup.
Carleton made the only change in goal as Mark Grametbauer got the start. Ottawa stuck with Tristan Berube. Berube had a lacklustre showing in the blowout loss on Thursday night as he only allowed four goals in 20 minutes before getting pulled as Anand Oberoi finished the game. On this night, though, Berube would settle in quickly as Ottawa’s defence kept most of the Ravens’ chances off the rush.
Special teams would dictate most of the first period as both goals came on the powerplay. First, Carleton would open the scoring on their first powerplay of the night as Parker Aucoin toe-dragged it around the Ottawa defender who was screening Berube to put the Ravens up 1-0.
The penalty kill for Carleton would do a respectable job of killing off three of four penalties but it can be tough for the penalty kill to remain perfect throughout the game, especially whenever you’re tasked with killing off a 5-on-3 powerplay. Late in the first period Bradley Chenier finished of a cross-seam pass on the 5-on-3 – thanks to a double-minor to Jeremy Masella for slew-footing and a minor to Aaron Boyd for slashing – to tie the game up at 1-1.
The physical play would ramp up in the 2nd period as Cody Caron would lay out a big hit and then proceed to get stood up, bu the ensuing 2-on-1 rush, Brogan O’Brien, shot it short side to give the Ravens the lead, 2-1.
Ottawa’s penalty kill stood firm as they were tasked with killing off a Carleton 4-on-3 and a 5-on-4 as they got into penalty trouble. Ottawa kept Carleton to the outside and let Berube see everything. The night for the Raven’s powerplay wouldn’t get any better as they had a 5-on-3 for 53 seconds and only got five shots, and most of it was to the outside.
Yvan Mongo would give Nicolas Mattinen the puck off a lost defensive zone faceoff as he would walk in and snipe it high blocker side to tie the game at 2-2 with just over 3 minutes to go in the 2nd period. Ottawa defender Cody Van Lierop would get the shot through with traffic screening Grametbauer as Charles-Antoine Roy would get the deflection to put Ottawa up 3-2 1:30 into the 3rd period.
Carleton’s powerplay was the solution Thursday night. Tonight would not be the case as it went one for six — credit to Ottawa as they went to the drawing board and figured out their issues. Carleton got a lot of good looks on their powerplays, but Ottawa kept sticks in the lane and heroically blocked shots which made it easier for Tristan Berube.
Ottawa ends up adding an empty netter courtesy of Mathieu Desgagnes as they win the 2nd half of the home-and-home, 4-2. Jean-Robin Mantha would add a goal on a late five minute major to CJ Garcia for head contact that would increase Ottawa’s lead to 5-2.
Even with the loss Carleton still leads the season series 2-1.
With the loss, the Ravens move to 3-1-2 and now prepare for a matchup with the UQTR Patriotes on Nov. 25. Carleton fell 7-6 in overtime in their previous game. The Ottawa Gee-Gees move to 3-2-1 and head to McConnell Arena in Montreal to start a home and home with McGill to close their fall season on Nov. 26.
Cover: Greg Mason/uOttawa Athletics