The story of David and Goliath is sometimes a little over used but, on Saturday night in Ann Arbor, Michigan that wasn’t the case.

In just their fourth season in the OUA the University of Ontario Institute of Technology men’s hockey program has grown leaps and bounds and took a major step forward on Saturday at Yost Ice arena.

The UOIT Ridgebacks-like many teams- tour the United States before their OUA and CIS season starts playing exhibition games against elite NCAA hockey programs. On October 1^st, 2011 the Ridgebacks were in Ann Arbor Michigan to take on the University of Michigan Wolverines. Michigan has been a College hockey powerhouse for over 20 years. UOIT has only been around for three seasons before this campaign so, I think it’s safe to say that’s a David and Goliath comparison.

To sum up the difference between the two clubs, Michigan has 24 NCAA frozen four appearances, nine national titles, nine CCHA conference championships, 11 NHL draft picks on their current roster and a Hall of Fame head coach in Red Berenson who’s entering his 29^th season as the Wolverines bench boss. UOIT on the other hand made their first post season appearance in the OUA last season in just their third season. Their roster consists mostly of ex CHL graduates and former Junior A players. Their coach Marlin Muylaert has made a living in the OUA. A former Guelph Gryphons coach took over the Ridgeback program with hopes of creating a winning tradition for years to come.

Listen to coach Muylaert’s interview with Norm Rumack:

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Two teams at complete different ends of the spectrum facing off in a game Michigan was expected to dominant and UOIT was suppose to use as a learning tool, except that’s not happened.

The Wolverines jumped out to an early 1-0 lead when Greg Pateryn put home a power-play goal a little more than six minutes into the game. The goal was assisted by Chris Brown and Mac Bennett.

In the second period trailing by just one with pressure on the reining CCHA champs the Ridgebacks found their swagger scoring twice. The first shorthanded netted by Stouffville, Ontario native Brenden Wise and than just six minutes later it was freshman James Woodcroft that put the Ridgebacks ahead 2-1 and silenced the rowdy Michigan fans decked out in maize and blue.

In the third period UOIT continued to roll adding an insurance marker just over five minutes in as Jesse Stoughton found the back of the Wolverines cage. Michigan freshman Phil Di Giuseppe made things interesting as he cut the Ridgebacks lead to 3-2 with 10 minutes remaining. That’s as close it would get for the maize and blue though as UOIT netminder Jason Guy turned away 18 shots in the final frame and 54 in total.

It may have just been an exhibition game but, for the lesser known UOIT skaters it was a monumental victory that will always be remembered in their school’s short history as the day David conquered the giant know as Michigan.