The Varsity Blues men’s hockey team fell 7-3 to the Carleton Ravens in Game 2 of their OUA East quarter-final series on Friday night (Feb. 18) at the Ice House in Ottawa.

The third game in the best-of-three series will take place tomorrow night at 7 p.m. at the Ice House.

Ryan Berard (Niagara Falls, Ont.) capitalized on an early two-man advantage for the Ravens as he beat Varsity Blues goalie Garrett Sheehan (Cremona, Alta.) just over a minute in for his second goal of the series.

The Ravens continued to pressure the Varsity Blues and their intensity paid off midway through the period when Joey Manley of Ottawa scored off a rebound, giving Carleton a 2-0 lead.

With Carleton on a powerplay early in the second, Sheehan made an initial save off the Ravens’ shot but lost sight of the loose puck and Manley put it away for his second of the night.

Blues rookie forward Blake Boddy of Ajax, Ont., got Toronto on the board after he let go of a rocket from the point that beat Ravens goalie Matthew Dopud (Pointe-Claire, Que.) on the powerplay with under six minutes to play in the second.

The goal gave the Varsity Blues some life and Paul Dupont (Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.) made it a 3-2 game with a shorthanded marker.

The Ravens regained their two-goal lead less than 30 seconds later when Andrew Self’s (Peterborough, Ont.) shot went off a Varsity Blues player and into the back of the net. The Blues trailed 4-2 heading into the final frame.

Third-period goals by Brandon MacLean (Burlington, Ont.) and Jeff Hayes (Ottawa) put the Ravens up 6-2.
Matt Walters (Winnipeg) cut the Ravens lead in half before Manley responded seconds later with his third of the night, rounding out the scoring in the game.

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