LIONS (0-1) at BADGERS (1-1)
7:15 p.m.; OUA.tv; Tickets
Second-year goaltender Mario Cavaliere will get the start in between the pipes again for the Brock Badgers tonight as they look to win their second consecutive game on the back end of a back-to-back against the York Lions on Friday, Oct. 11.
Cavaliere, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound netminder from Mississauga, made 27 saves to backstop the Badgers to their first win of the season last night. Toronto ended Cavaliere's bid for a shutout with a quick shot through traffic from defenceman Brendan Bornstein immediately following an offensive zone faceoff.
The Lions have an unfavourable schedule with three consecutive games on the road to start the season. York hasn't played in six days since they opened the season with a 5-3 loss to the Toronto Varsity Blues, who the Badgers dominated by a score of 5-1 on Thursday. The Lions then play the Guelph Gryphons on Saturday, Oct. 12.
On Thursday night, the Badgers stepped on the gas after the first period and didn't allow the Varsity Blues to breath the rest of the game.
"We want to play fast. I believe we're a puck-pressure team," said head coach Marty Williamson. "We play a depth bench. We play everybody, so we don't want slow hockey out there. I just believe it gives other teams a breath of fresh air and we don't want to do that."
Players to watch
The Badgers' line of Ryan Burton, Christian Girhiny and centre Tyler Rollo combined for six points against Toronto. Burton completed the game with a pair of first assists. He fed Girhiny the puck for his first OUA goal of the season.
The Lions have 17 new faces in their lineup since last season. Defencemen Xavier Pouliot and Tyler Higgins headline the newcomers on the blueline. Both are Quebec natives who spent parts of multiple seasons in the QMJHL. The duo were targeted early thanks to the size and nastiness they bring to the ice, two things York head coach Russ Herrington felt were missing last season.
Brock leading scorers
Adam Berg 1G 1A
Ryan Burton 2A
Christian Girhiny 1G 1A
Mitchell Mendonca 2G
Tyler Rollo 1G 1A
York leading scorers
Nik Coric 1G 1A
Morgan Messenger 1G
Benjamin Evanish 1G
Justin Bean 1A
Brendan Browne 1A
