TORONTO - When the Rams' men's hockey season gets underway on Thursday night, the team will have one goal on their mind: the Queen's Cup. 

In their 2018-19 campaign, Ryerson was a force to be reckoned with. They finished the regular season atop the OUA west division, with a 20-5-3 record. The squad started the playoffs on a high note, sweeping the Varsity Blues in the first round. 

Unfortunately, Ryerson was eliminated by the Guelph Gryphons in the quarter-finals after pushing it to three games. 

Hungrier than ever to win their first OUA championship, here are three things to watch out for this season with the Rams men's hockey team. 

Returning Talent
The Rams' lineup has no shortage of skill on the ice. Returning forwards Matt Mistele (Whitby, Ont.) and Mathew Santos (Toronto) will give opposing defensemen plenty of trouble. Mistele had a record year last season, leading the OUA with 50 points in 28 games. Santos also drilled in 23 goals to lead the OUA. 

On the blueline, the Rams might feel the absence of former captain Alex Basso, but Jared Walsh (Toronto) and Matt Nosella (Etobicoke, Ont.) and other reliable D-men will be asked to step up and fill up more ice-time. 

In net, the steady Taylor Dupuis (New Liskeard, Ont.) will return, coming off a 14-3 season. Troy Timpano (Pickering, Ont.) and Garrett Forrest (Ashburn, Va.) will also provide relief between the pipes.

Manning the bench and entering his fourth season will be head coach Johnny Duco. 

New Recruits
Plenty of new student-athletes will be donning the blue and gold for the first time this season. In June, Adam Timleck (Toronto) was named the first new Rams recruit for this season. The shifty winger will wear number 18 for Ryerson after spending the last five years with the OHL's Peterborough Petes. 

Defenseman Aaron Hyman (Calgary, Alta.) will be heading over from the WHL to suit up for the Rams. He will provide some size on the blueline at 6-5. You can spot Hyman wearing number 2 on the blueline. 

Forwards Domenico Commisso (Oakville, Ont.) and Holden Cook (Whitby, Ont.) will also find their way into Ryerson's offensive core. Commisso is coming off an OHL Championship with the Guelph Storm and Cook is heading over after four years at St. Francis Xavier (StFX) University in Nova Scotia. 

Puck-moving defenseman Tyler Lentz (Calgary, Alta.) finishes off the new faces for the Rams. Lentz is moving on from three seasons in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL). 

New Perspectives
Last season was a heartbreaker for the Rams. The lineup will get a small shot at redemption as soon as the puck drops Thursday. They open their season against the Guelph Gryphons, the very same team which upset and eliminated them in the playoffs last season. 

The Ryerson community is giving the Rams their complete support this season. At Homecoming on September 20, the Rams delivered a 4-1 preseason performance over Queen's to a packed crowd of 2,450 on Mattamy Home Ice. 

Ryerson managed a 2-4 record this pre-season. However, the Rams have a completely clean slate going into the 2019/2020 season. Putting all their old defeats behind them, they have a shot to take home the championship. 

The Rams kick off their regular season on Thursday, October 10 against the Guelph Gryphons on Mattamy Home Ice at 7:15 p.m. All Ryerson students are free with their OneCard. The Rams also take on the Toronto Varsity Blues this Saturday, also at home at 7:15 p.m. All hockey games are available to watch on OUA.tv