The Brock Badgers men’s hockey team is starting to build momentum early in the season, earning a spot in the U SPORTS top 10 rankings after a strong weekend on the road.
Brock entered the national rankings at No. 10 on Oct. 19, following consecutive wins over the Toronto Varsity Blues and York Lions. The Badgers defeated Toronto 4-1 on Oct. 16, before recording a dominant 7-1 victory over York two days later. The results extended Brock’s winning streak to three games and gave the team a 3-1 record to begin its regular-season campaign.
The ranking marks an encouraging start for a team looking to build on its return to the postseason last year. With the Badgers now among the top 10 university men’s hockey teams in the country, their early-season performances have given them something to build on as they continue their OUA schedule.
Brock’s recent success has been driven by its commendable offence. The team scored 11 goals across its two road victories, with several players contributing to the results.
In the win over Toronto, first-year forward Natan Ethier recorded a hat trick in just his third regular-season game with the Badgers. Ryan Johnstone also scored, while goaltender Ben Bonisteel stopped 31 shots to help Brock secure the victory.
The team followed that performance with an even stronger offensive showing against York. Cole Cooksey recorded a hat trick of his own, while Zack Stringer finished with two goals and an assist. Alexandre Blanchard led the Badgers with four points, recording one goal and three assists, while Tai York contributed three assists.
The production from multiple players is an encouraging sign for Brock. Rather than relying on one line to carry the offence, the Badgers have received contributions throughout the lineup. That depth could become important as the season progresses, and the team faces more difficult stretches of its schedule.
Brock’s recent results also show how much the team has improved since the beginning of the regular season. The Badgers opened OUA play with a 3-2 loss to the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks on Oct. 9, despite outshooting Laurier 53 to 29. They responded the following night with a 4-1 win over TMU, beginning a stretch of three consecutive wins.
The early loss highlighted the importance of turning offensive opportunities into goals. Since then, Brock has found more success finishing its chances, scoring four goals against TMU, four against Toronto and seven against York. The team has also received strong goaltending, allowing just three goals across those three wins.
Brock continued its strong start to the season with a close matchup against the Western Mustangs on Oct. 24 but came away with a 4-3 shootout loss. Zach Stringer, Ryan Johnstone and Natan Ethier scored for the Badgers, who battled Western through regulation and overtime before the game was decided in a shootout. Brock surrendered two power-play goals, an area the team will need to address moving forward. The Mustangs secured the win in the fourth round of the shootout, giving the Badgers their second loss in the season.
The challenge for Brock moving forward will be maintaining that level of play while handling the expectations that come with being nationally ranked. A strong start can help establish confidence, but consistency across all three periods will be important as the OUA schedule continues. The Badgers will also need to keep taking advantage of their scoring opportunities while limiting the chances they give their opponents.
The team’s upcoming schedule provides another opportunity to build on its recent success. After Saturday’s matchup against Western, Brock will return to Canada Games Park on Thursday, Oct. 29, to face the Toronto Varsity Blues. The puck drop is scheduled for 6 p.m.
With a national ranking and three consecutive wins behind them, the Badgers have put themselves in a strong position early in the season. Their next challenge will be keeping that momentum while continuing to compete against the top teams in university hockey.
For future updates and more information on the team, check out the team’s Instagram page at @brockmenshockey and the Brock University Athletics website.