Ontario Tech Ridgebacks men's ice hockey

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Ontario Tech Ridgebacks men's ice hockey
Ontario tech athletics wmark.png
University Ontario Tech University
Conference OUA
OUA East Division
Head coachCurtis Hodgins
Since 2015–16 season
Assistant coaches
  • Rob Powers
  • Joe Piccone
  • Dave Kennedy
ArenaCampus Ice Centre
Oshawa, Ontario
ColorsBlue, Light Blue, and Orange [1]
     

The Ontario Tech Ridgebacks men's ice hockey team is an active ice hockey program representing the Ontario Tech Ridgebacks athletic department of the Ontario Tech University. The program is a member of Ontario University Athletics in the East division, a conference under the oversight of U Sports. [2] The Ridgebacks play at the Campus Ice Centre in Oshawa, Ontario.

Contents

The Ontario Tech Ridgeback men's ice hockey program began with head coach Marlin Muylaert; the first head coach of the program hired for the inaugural season. Muylaert ended his seventh season behind the bench early and was let go midway through the 2013–14 campaign. The assistant coach at the time, Justin Caruana, was given the interim head coach tag and completed the season with the rest of Muylaert's coaching staff, composed of Rob Whistle, David Brown, Ian Young, Matt Reed, and strength and conditioning coach Mark Fitzgerald.

The current head coach is Curtis Hodgins. In his inaugural season (2015–16) with the Ridgebacks, the team set a new season high in wins and points, earned the team's first ever playoff round victory, and received the team's first ever vote for the USports Top 10 ranking. Following the success of '15-16, the Ridgebacks of 2016–17 achieved CIS National Ranking for the first time in program history, earning their highest ranking to date of #4 on November 9, 2016. The Ridgebacks continued to make the playoffs in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020, losing in the first round on each occasion. Hodgins would lead the team to their second ever playoff series win in 2022, losing to the eventual national champion UQTR Patriotes in round two. The Ridgebacks returned to the playoffs for a tenth consecutive season in 2022.

History

Ridgebacks' warming up the goalie (September 2013) Ridgebacks warming up in 2013 preseason.JPG
Ridgebacks' warming up the goalie (September 2013)

The University of Ontario Institute of Technology was founded in 2002 by the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as a way to facilitate the influx of college-bound students in 2003. [3]

While the school joined Ontario University Athletics in 2006, the ice hockey team did not begin play until a year later. The team did not see much success under their first head coach, Marlin Muylaert, the former coach of Wisconsin–Eau Claire, but he did shepherd the club to its first postseason appearances and non-losing season. The Ridgebacks finally posted a winning season upon the arrival of Curtis Hodgins in October of 2015. Ontario Tech notched two 20-win campaigns and reached the second round of the conference tournament twice under Hodgins, however, the regular season hasn't been kind to them in 2020s. [2]

Season-by-season results

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, SOL = Shootout Losses, Pts = Points

U Sports Champion U Sports SemifinalistConference regular season championsConference Division ChampionsConference Playoff Champions
SeasonConferenceRegular SeasonConference Tournament ResultsNational Tournament Results
ConferenceOverall
GPWLTOTLSOLPts*FinishGPWLT%
Marlin Muylaert (2007–2013)
2007–08OUA28619–211517th348233.279
2008–09OUA28716–411916th348215.309
2009–10OUA281115–022415th3713222.378Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 1–2 (Western Ontario)
2010–11OUA281212–2228T–12th3716165.500Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 1–2 (Wilfrid Laurier)
2011–12OUA28621–101318th339231.288
2012–13OUA281116–0123T–16th3711251.311Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Western Ontario)
Justin Caruana (2014)
2013–14OUA28816–3120T–16th36 †9 †23 †4 †.306†Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Quebec–Trois-Rivières)
Craig Fisher (2014–2015)
2014–15OUA271015–1021T–16th3312192.394Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Carleton)
Curtis Hodgins (2015–Present)
2015–16OUA28188–1138T–4th40 ‡23 ‡14 ‡3 ‡.613Won Division Quarterfinal series, 2–1 (Queen's)
Lost Division Semifinal series, 0–2 (Quebec–Trois-Rivières)
2016–17OUA281611–103310th3821143.592Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Concordia)
2017–18OUA28159–31349th3517144.543Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Concordia)
2018–19OUA28149–41337th3416135.544Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (McGill)
2019–20OUA281312–3029T–11th3617163.514Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 1–2 (Ottawa)
2020–21Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021–22OUA1788–01.500T–10th2511140.440Won Division Quarterfinal, 6–4 (Concordia)
Lost Division Semifinal, 3–6 (Quebec–Trois-Rivières)
2022–23OUA261310–302910th3416180.471Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Carleton)
2023–24OUA281410–3129T–9th3515164.486Lost Division Quarterfinal series, 0–2 (Ottawa)
TotalsGPWLT/SOL %Championships
Regular Season52621626545.453
Conference Post-season326260.188
U Sports Postseason0000–
Regular Season and Postseason Record55822229145.438

† Justin Caruana served as interim head coach for the second half of the season. [4]
‡ Craig Fisher was forced to step down in October of 2015 due to lingering concussion symptoms. [5]
[2]

Regular season and playoff results

SeasonLeagueDivisionGPWLOTLSOLPtsPctGFGAHead coachSeason resultPlayoff result
2016–17CISOUA East28161101330.5898883Curtis Hodgins7th Division, 10th League1st Round Exit
2015–16CISOUA East2818811380.6439493Craig Fisher/Curtis Hodgins4th Division, 4th League2nd Round Exit
2014–15CISOUA East26101510210.38573106Craig Fisher7th Division, 13th League1st Round Exit
2013–14CISOUA East2881640200.28664110Marlin Muylaert/Justin Caruana8th Division, 17th League1st Round Exit
2012–13CISOUA West28111610230.39392112Marlin Muylaert8th Division, 16th League1st Round Exit
2011–12CISOUA West2862110130.21486138Marlin Muylaert9th Division, 18th LeagueDid Not Make
2010–11CISOUA West28121240280.42982100Marlin Muylaert7th Division, 12th League1st Round Exit
2009–10CISOUA West28111520240.39390119Marlin Muylaert8th Division, 15th League1st Round Exit
2008–09CISOUA Mid West2871650190.25083130Marlin Muylaert4th Division, 16th LeagueDid Not Make
2007–08CISOUA Mid West2861930150.21460128Marlin Muylaert4th Division, 17th LeagueDid Not Make

Skaters all-time/career season stat leaders

Player NamePos.GamesGoalsAssistsPointsPTS/GP
Josh VatriF10456491051.01
Tony RizziF13849541030.75
Nathan SpalingF1123061910.81
Jesse StoughtonF1004638840.84
Luke VanMoerkerkeF1333251830.62
Cameron YuillF1352256780.58
James WoodcroftF1323533680.52
Mike NoyesD1122047670.60
Brendan WiseF1273529640.50
Kyle WeteringF972734610.63
Kevin GeorgeF1052430540.51
Derrick BagshawF742625510.69
Scott BakerF782031510.65
Jake LoganD119545500.42
Jason ShawD75940490.65

*Denotes Active Player

Goalies all-time/career season stat leaders

Player NameGames
played		Minutes
played		WinsWin %ShutoutsGASavesGAASave %
Tyson Teichmann*15815150.5381393702.870.905
Brendan O'Neil*573285330.579317416033.180.902
Colin Dzijacky39193090.231211810113.670.895
Jason Guy673595210.313223420033.910.895
Ben Csiernik39310.33306503.870.893
Josh Evans815400.00012974.680.890
Bryce O'Hagan251419100.4001887023.720.889
Josh Sturrock614300.00010744.200.881
Jacob Rattie1872130.1670564104.660.880
Matt Mateja43215590.209116812114.680.878
Jesse Raymond627510.170191304.150.872
Jeff Dawson44191380.18201409394.390.870

*Denotes Active Player

Skaters all-time/career playoff stat leaders

Player NamePos.Games
played		GoalsAssistsPointsPTS/GP
James WoodcroftF939121.33
Jesse StoughtonF95270.78
Jason ShawD52461.20
Ryan Doucette*F83250.63
Danny Elser*F82350.63
Mitch Bennett*F/D72350.71
Ben Blasko*F81340.50
Cam YuillF142240.29
Mike Robinson*F102240.40
Tyler Mayea*D80340.50
Colt KennedyF42241.00
Connor Jarvis*F71231.00
Brendan WiseF41230.75
Brent VartyF30331.00
Jeremy WhelanF32131.00

*Denotes active player

Tennis

Announced in 2016 after 10 completed seasons competing in Tennis, the University announced the elimination of the program.

Rowing

The Ridgebacks rowing team was first established in 2005 and currently operate out of Durham Rowing Club in Port Perry, Ontario. Currently the team competes in Ontario level regattas during the months of September and October. The team fields both men's and women's rowing at both novice and varsity levels. [6]

References

  1. ↑ "Colours". Ontario Tech Ridgebacks. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 "Men's Hockey Program Highlights". Ontario Tech Ridgebacks. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  3. ↑ "Ontario's double cohort strains resources". CBC. August 31, 2003.
  4. ↑ "Justin Caruana". Ontario Tech Ridgebacks. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
  5. ↑ "Whitby's Craig Fisher forced out of coaching by lingering concussion symptoms". 4 November 2015.
  6. ↑ "UOIT Rowing".
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