OSHAWA, ONT – Eric Uba of Kitchener, Ont., went from the doghouse to the penthouse in one fell swoop. After taking a boarding penalty with only three seconds remaining before a looming overtime period, the 22-year-old forward scored the game-winner at 4:05 of the extra session as McGill rallied for a 3-2 victory over Ontario Tech in OUA men's hockey, Saturday.

"The key to victory was a great penalty-kill on a difficult 4-on-3 situation," said McGill head coach David Urquhart. "Two really huge blocked shots by (defencemen) Taylor Ford and another by Mitchell Prowse. Ford was outstanding, awesome defensively, he transitioned the puck well and just missed a goal when he hit a cross-bar."
 
Both teams struck out on the power play, with McGill going 0-for-2, while Ontario Tech was 0-for-3.

The result improved McGill's lifetime record to 19-3 over the Ridgebacks, including a 10-1 mark at the Campus Ice Centre in Oshawa.
 
After a scoreless first period, sophomore Caiden Daley of Winnipeg, connected for his first career marker in OUA play, converting a pass from Drew Bennett at 6:19 of the second stanza. The Ridgeback replied seven minutes later when Evan White of St. John's, Nfld., tallied at 13:41.
 
Just 48 seconds into the third period, the home side took a 2-1 lead on a marker by Gabriel Bernier of Victoriaville, Que. But McGill rallied when William Poirier of St. Zotique., Que., forced overtime after connecting on a three-way passing play with the Gatineau-based brother act of Alexandre Gagnon and Mathieu Gagnon.
 
That set the stage for Uba, who worked a give-and-go with defenceman Scott Walford, to register his fourth of the campaign, his first since a hat-trick in the season-opening 7-6 overtime loss to RMC.
 
"I'm pleased to see our depth players contributing offensively," noted Urquhart. "Basically we've been collecting pucks for the last three games because we've had five guys scoring their first career goal (in OUA play). These are the unheralded character guys that have stepped up and come through for us. We need that scoring from our third and fourth lines because three of our four league games have been decided by one goal. We're learning how to win them. When you are in those situations, you need to find a way to win, whatever it takes."

Senior goaltender Emanuel Vella of Toronto kicked out 17 of 19 shots for the win, while veteran Leif Hertz of Kingston, Ont., was beaten three times on 24 shots and took the loss.
 
The Ridgebacks (1-1-1) will host Concordia (2-1-0) on Sunday (Oct. 23). McGill (2-1-1) has a week off before hosting Queen's (1-2-1) and Nipissing (0-4-0) next weekend. The Gaels game is on Oct. 29 at 7 p.m. and the Lakers rendezvous is slated for a 3 p.m. matinee on Sunday, Oct. 30.

FACES IN THE CROWD: A number of McGill parents and family members were in attendance... Also former McGill player and assistant coach Adam Shell (1999-2003) was on hand, along with Lucas Madill (2003-2007)and his wife Christine Hartnoll, who starred for the hockey Martlets... The soiree was also a special one for two other recent McGill hockey grads who both earned their first official professional points in the ECHL: Keanu Yamamoto (Rapid City Rush) and former team captain Samuel Tremblay (Wheeling Nailers).
 
SCORING SUMMARY
 
OUA STANDINGS
 

SOURCE
Earl Zukerman
Sports Information Officer
Athletics & Recreation
McGill University
514-398-7012 (Tel.)
www.mcgillathletics.ca
earl.zukerman@mcgill.ca