February 2014.
That was the last time the RMC Paladins won an OUA hockey game.
Which explains why they cleared the bench in celebration after scoring in sudden death overtime against the Nipissing Lakers on Saturday night, snapping their 29-game winless skid.
After lying dormant for most of the night, the Paladins exploded for four third period goals to send the game to the sudden death stanza, when Bennett Huber snapped the team’s significant slump in dramatic fashion in the 6-5 win.
The Lakers, donning their unique camouflage jerseys for the Seventh Annual Military Appreciation Night, played a fast, hard-hitting game until the late stages of the third period when their night’s effort seemed to fall apart.
“I thought we played ok; we just got too scrambly in the last part of the game and they outworked us around the net,” Laker head coach Mike McParland assessed after the game.
“They ended up scoring five goals on nine shots to end the game and the reason they scored is because they were willing to play around our net; they were better in that area at both ends of the ice than we were tonight,” he added. “I didn’t like how we played tonight.”
The rowdy crowd got behind their players from the moment the puck dropped, and the Lakers clearly fed off of the energy.
With no shortage of penalties, it didn’t take long before an open ice four-on-four gave the Lakers the space to use their speed as Jacob McDowell finished off a frantic odd-man rush for the early lead.
A three-goal second period for the Lakers out-paced the one Paladin goal - a flukey tally that snuck between the post and the pad of Laker goaltender Kirk Rafuse while he was still standing at the side of the net.
Carrying a lofty three-goal lead into the third period, it looked like the Lakers just needed to cruise home on autopilot to seal their season opener.
But after looking quite convincing for the first 40 minutes, that lead was quickly erased in a matter of minutes as the Paladins stormed back in an offensive onslaught.
RMC forward Scott Domenico kicked things off a minute and a half into the period, just moments before the Paladins pulled within one of the Lakers’ lead on a two-on-one, forcing the mesmerized Nipissing bench to call a timeout.
“I thought our guys were being outworked, so I tried to send the team a message,” said McParland. “We were just looking for somebody to step up and lead us because the opponent is taking it to us and we needed someone to give a little bit of push back and we just didn’t have that tonight.”
The stoppage didn’t seem to work though, as Domenico completed the Paladins’ comeback in a matter of seven minutes, before the team silenced the crowd by taking the lead just moments after.
As if the period wasn’t exciting enough, Laker centre Erik Robichaud provided a thrill for the frantic fans with three minutes remaining as he tied the game after taking a cross-ice pass in the Paladin slot, sending the game to overtime.
But in keeping in line with the emotional rollercoaster, the uplifted Lakers were silenced in stunning fashion.
With the puck appearing to be heading out of the zone just a few minutes into overtime, the Lakers were caught heading up ice too soon as it was fired back into the zone, leaving Huber an open lane to skate in all alone with two chances to bury the sudden death score.
The entire Paladin bench rushed the ice, with rookies and veterans alike celebrating the snapped skid.
“Last year, in a third period, we wouldn’t have been able to do that,” said RMC defenceman and North Bay native Eric Bouchard. “I think just the work that we’ve put in was demonstrated tonight because, before, we would’ve been defeated coming into the third period.
“This time though we wanted that win, we weren’t ready to give up, and we did everything we could to get it,” he added. “It’s a huge confidence boost and that’s exactly what we needed to set the tone for the year. The guys are going to look at this and only want to work that much harder so we can string a few more wins together.”
The Laker lads have a week and a half to digest the rollercoaster loss before their next game against Laurentian University on Wednesday, October 14, in Sudbury. Their next five games will be played on the road.
Military Appreciation
The game-worn camouflage Laker jerseys were auctioned off to bidders post-game to raise money for the Military Family Resource Centre, helping support the parents, spouses and children of Canadian Armed Forces members.
Before this year’s edition of the fundraiser, it was estimated that the Lakers Military Fan Appreciation games have raised around $20,000 for the Family Resource Centre in the past six years.
“For us, it’s always good to give back,” said McParland. “I’m a North Bayite and I remember back when I was young how major of a role the Base did play here […] so I’m proud of North Bay’s heritage and I know that the Military has been a long time here, so to be able to give back really makes you feel good.”
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