TORONTO - Special teams proved to be the difference as the Ryerson Rams lost 5-2 to the No. 4 UQTR Patriotes Wednesday night at Mattamy Home Ice. They trail the best-of-three series 1-0.
BOXSCORE
The Rams discipline was their undoing Wednesday, as several key penalties turned the game into the Patriotes favour. The Patriotes wound up scoring three power play goals including the game-winner.
"We got into penalty trouble," head coach Graham Wise said. "They are an opportunistic team. They are going to capitalize."
Trailing 3-0 in the third period, the Rams went on an extended 5-on-3 after Pierre-Luc Lessard and Tommy Tremblay were both sent to the box. Michael Fine and Jamie Wise scored goals 54 seconds apart to liven up Mattamy and pull the Rams within one.
However the momentum was short-lived as Jamie Haines got two minutes and a 10-minute misconduct for a check to the head 31 seconds after the Wise goal. The ref appeared to have a delayed reaction on the call and drew the ire of the Mattamy crowd.
On the power play, Olivier Donovan's slap shot found its way through Louie George to make it a 4-2 game.
Felix Petit had three points (2G 1A) as the Patriotes jumped out to a 3-0 lead. Petit, the league's second leading scorer, lit the lamp at 13:08 of the first and a power play goal at 1:45 of the third. Christophe Tremblay-Loiser scored with the man-advantage at 2:29 of the second and Jason Rajotte added an empty netter with 37 seconds to play.
George stopped 23 of 27 shots Wednesday, while his counterpart, Guillaume Nadeau saved 29 of 31 Rams shots.
"I didn't think I played bad," George said. "The first two goals I just washed away, they were back-door goals, but anytime you let in four goals ... you just want to make a save and step up and help your team win. I'm disappointed it didn't happen today."
Wednesday marked the first playoff hockey game at Maple Leaf Gardens since 1996 and also the first playoff game at Mattamy. Former Ryerson Ram and current ESPN host John Saunders was on hand for a ceremonial puck drop before the contest.
The Rams face elimination when they go to Trois-Rivieres on Saturday (Feb. 16) for game two of the best-of-three series. Puck drop is at 2:00 p.m. Game three, if necessary, is on Sunday.
