The Oregon Ducks fell short of sweeping this weekend’s series against the University of Victoria Vikes on Saturday due to a three-goal second period that saw Oregon unable to stay out of the penalty box and equally unable to kill penalties.
Oregon’s initial Friday night victory came in no small part due to a streak of good luck that saw UVic’s would-be opening goal called off early in the second period. Within minutes, Oregon’s luck doubled, as an attempted dump behind Victoria’s goal deflected off an Oregon forechecker onto the back of Vike goalie Blake Pilon before bouncing into the back of the net. UVic evened the score with 10:44 to go in the period but found itself ultimately unable to secure the victory after an Oregon goal 10:44 into the third left them down one that they couldn’t get back.
Saturday’s matter opened up significantly on offense. Both teams played physically out of the gate, but some extracurriculars just over three minutes into the first period sent Oregon forward Patrick Routzon to the sin bin. The Ducks led an aggressive penalty kill that limited the Vikes’ dangerous chances and earned a few of their own. Oregon’s strong PK tilted the ice in its favor and led to a Jackson Henningsgard backhanded rebound goal 28 seconds after Routzon got out of the box.
The remainder of the first was a testy, back-and-forth affair with increasing physicality but only featured one more point. UVic forward Riley Braun scored the equalizer with 3:08 to go in the first on a deflection off a shot from defenseman Alex Benger.
From the Vikes’ perspective, the first period should’ve been a much more dominant episode. The story of their night was a seemingly endless flow of passes to dangerous areas in front of the net that floated away because nobody was there to receive them. All that shifted in the second.
Helped in large part by Oregon’s Nathan Hannon being shipped off to the box for hooking just 1:34 into the frame, Victoria struck early. The visitors’ tally came 10 seconds after Oregon went man-down. Thirty seconds later, the Vikes struck again — this time at even strength — to pad their lead. The two early goals helped UVic find its rhythm, and Vike passes began to meet their intended recipients, leading to a cacophony of high-danger chances in front of Oregon’s net. It seemed that every time Victoria sent a pass to or across the slot, puck found tape and made its way to the netfront.
Oregon did itself no favors and committed three more penalties before the period’s end. Strong play from goaltender Rodney Peterson III kept the Ducks in it through much of the remainder, but another poorly-timed penalty with just over 10 minutes left hit them where it hurt. After hemming the Ducks in their own end for less than thirty seconds, a pass from Braun on the left point teed up defenseman Dan Gatenby for a one-timer in the high slot. Peterson III made the initial save, but Logan Speirs tapped in the rebound after a brief battle in the crease.
Oregon created a number of opportunities that nearly brought them within two, including a couple of nice shots off passes to the slot and a would-be breakaway that was cut short by a questionable interference non-call. Despite their efforts, the rest of the second period went scoreless for both teams, backing Oregon into a corner heading into the final frame.
Entering the third period down 4-1, Oregon came out flying. Its offense chased down loose pucks across the ice and generated dangerous chances at the highest rate it did all night and was rewarded with a goal on the power play early on. Unfortunately for Oregon, that was all the Ducks would see for the rest of the meeting. A shorthanded goal from Victoria with less than five minutes left spelled the end for Oregon.
The Ducks now sit at 3-3 on the season, and will next play at Minot State in Minot, North Dakota, in a three-game series from Nov. 17-19.
