TORONTO - The Ryerson Rams face two divisional opponents this week, including their Winter Homecoming game on Friday versus the York Lions.
Since their fall homecoming, the Rams have climbed to second in the OUA west division, with a 14-5-2 record throughout the regular season. So far in 2020, the squad has pulled off some remarkable wins, such as their 3-1 shut down of Brock and 4-3 triumph over Toronto.
In a 3-1 upset, the Rams suffered their first loss of 2020 to the Laurier Golden Hawks in their last game on Saturday. This defeat served as a reality check for the otherwise dominant Rams since Laurier sits down in seventh place in the OUA west and holds on to a 9-9-3 record.
The dangerous trio of
Mathew Santos (Toronto),
Matt Mistele (Whitby, Ont.), and Greg DiTomaso (Etobicoke, Ont.) have been somewhat silent recently, with the group only putting up a combined 1 point in the last two games. Santos assisted on
Hayden McCool's (Whitby, Ont.) lone marker against Laurier, while Mistele and DiTomaso have been kept completely off the board. Nevertheless, Mistele is still tied for seventh in total OUA scoring and DiTomaso is third in points among defencemen.
Ryerson's penalty kill has also suffered recently. In their loss to Laurier, the unit posted its worst numbers of the season, clocking in at 40 percent after allowing all three goals while shorthanded on five opportunities. Their 81.7 penalty kill percentage is ranked tenth in the OUA, which is a far cry from their OUA-best 89.7 percent efficiency back in late November 2019.
The Rams have a golden chance for redemption this Friday on Mattamy Home Ice in their Winter Homecoming matchup against York. With Ryerson students, staff, and alumni in the crowd, and as the OUA's Marquee Matchup, plenty of eyes will be on the Rams. York is last in the OUA west and have dropped their last ten games. Ryerson also has almost an entire week of rest to try and deliver a win for the Ramily on Friday night.
Doors open at the Mattamy Athletic Centre (MAC) at 6:00 p.m. with puck drop at 7:15 p.m. All Ryerson students are free to attend with their OneCard, alongside staff and alumni. Limited edition Ryerson Rams toques will be handed out throughout the game! Last semester, over 2,450 fans packed the MAC and watched the Rams defeat the Queen's Gaels 4-1 in preseason action.
On Saturday, the Rams return to home ice, taking on the Windsor Lancers. Despite having dropped their last five in a row, Windsor contends at fourth in the OUA west and have a game in hand over the Rams. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. on Saturday and students can attend for free with their OneCard.
