This article first appeared on RyersonRams.ca on Jan. 23, 2014.
Link: http://www.ryersonrams.ca/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=22300&ATCLID=209384366
Ryerson Rams at Waterloo Warriors
January 24, 2014
Columbia Ice Field, 7:30 p.m.
Ryerson: 15-7-0 Last Game: 7-1 W at Lakehead. 2013-14 Standings: 1st – OUA West (30 Points)
Waterloo: 9-9-2 Last Game: 4-2 L at Windsor. 2013-14 Standings: 9th – OUA West (20 points)
The Storyline:
The No. 8 Ryerson Rams men’s hockey team will continue their four game road trip on Friday night when they travel to Waterloo to face the Warriors. So far, Ryerson has gone 1-2 on the road trip but are coming off a big win against second place Lakehead last Saturday night. One thing that has been working for Ryerson has been their offence. They rank second behind Calgary in the CIS in goals with 99 and second in goals-per-game, averaging almost five per contest. With Lakehead and Western right on their tail, Ryerson will need to keep winning in order to stay atop the OUA West.
The Competition:
Waterloo is fighting for a playoff spot in the OUA West, sitting just one point behind Brock and York who are tied for seventh place in the division. A win on Friday night would put them into a tie for sixth, which makes this contest even more important and could even be a potential first round playoff matchup. Waterloo has failed to string together a slew of victories over the course of the season but is 7-3 on home ice and will be a tough opponent in their own rink.
Players to Watch:
Ryerson: Michael Fine
What makes a pair of good goal scorers? Someone who can set them up. That’s exactly what Michael Fine (Toronto) has been doing all season long in between CIS number one and two leading scorers Jamie Wise (Stouffville, Ont.) and Domenic Alberga (Maple, Ont.). Last weekend against No. 9 Lakehead, Fine had four assists and now sits fourth in team scoring with 19 points. He was also named the Ryerson Rams male athlete of the week for his play on Monday.
Waterloo: Justin Larson
An offensive threat every time he steps on the ice, Justin Larson has been having a career year in the black in yellow. Larson sits in sixth place in the CIS scoring race with 32 points in 20 games and after six points last weekend against Toronto and Windsor combined, he will be looking to keep his hot streak going.
Between the Pipes:
Ryerson: Troy Passingham
After two straight losses, Passingham (Mississauga, Ont.) got back on the winning track last Saturday against the Lakehead Thunderwolves, making 30 saves in the win. When these two teams last played a couple weeks ago, Passingham turned aside 35 shots in what was his fourth of five wins in January.
Waterloo: Mike Morrison
After being shelled for three goals on seven shots against Ryerson on Jan. 11, Morrison came back last weekend against Toronto and made 21 saves for the win. He will take his 6-4 record into Friday night looking for redemption.