Photo by Marc Lafleur
After a record-setting 2019-20 season, which saw the Carleton Ravens set a program record with 24 wins, it’s been a long wait to drop the puck again. The Ravens record-setting season ran into red hot goaltending against the Concordia Stingers. After a loss in a triple-overtime thriller in game one, the Ravens would lose game two on the road being swept 2-0 by the Stingers on February 22, 2020.
Now over 600 days later, the Ravens are ready for a return to OUA action in a season unlike any other. GoRavens.ca has your 2021-22 preview as the Carleton Ravens prepare for a full schedule of Far East action.SEASON SCHEDULEBUY YOUR TICKETS
The Ravens led the OUA East wire-to-wire in 2019-20, after winning 11 of their first 12 games the team finished the first half of the season with a 13-3 record. The Ravens would start the second half of their season 1-1 before winning eight straight to close out the schedule with an eight-point lead on the UQTR Patriotes. The strong preseason saw the Ravens lead the OUA East with 102 goals scored while only allowing 62 against and sporting an impressive 7-2 record in overtime and the shootout.
The Ravens were led in scoring by Cody Caron (Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.) who provided 14 goals and 10 assists including 3 game-winning goals. Caron was followed closely by rookie Cole Carter (Orleans, Ont.) and second-year forward Brogan O’Brien (Prince George, B.C.) who each chipped in 22 points.
After a first-round sweep of the RMC Paladins, the Ravens would never rebound from the grueling triple-overtime loss to the Stingers, being swept 2 nights later in Montreal.
2021 ROSTER
#28 Cody Caron – Forward – Fourth Year
The Ravens new captain played a pivotal role in their impressive 2019-20 season but has unfinished business after the short playoff exit. The former Kingston Frontenac and Niagara Ice Dog is coming off a career year in only his second active season a back injury that sidelined him throughout his first year at Carleton.
#15 Brogan O’Brien – Forward – Third Year
A two-way forward who joined the Carleton Ravens after a full WHL career with the Prince George Cougars, O’Brien has been pivotal for the Ravens through his first two seasons. Having consistently scored more than 20 points a season, the rugged forward will be relied on to guide a group of young Ravens forwards.
#24 Andrew Jarvis – Defense – Third Year
A product of the CCHL’s Brockville Braves, Jarvis is a steady defender who’s improved steadily throughout his hockey career. As a member of the Ravens, Jarvis has balanced his hard-nosed defensive style with 18 regular-season points over two seasons with the club.
#27 C.J. Garcia – Defense – Fourth Year
After joining the Ravens midway through the 2018 season from the Colorado Eagles (ECHL), Garcia has been a versatile defender who’s been relied on to provide stability to both the powerplay and penalty kill. With over 25 points in more than 60 career games played, the Ravens defender will be a stabilizing figure along a young blueline.
The Ravens have added big size to their blueline heading into the 2021 season. Jeremy Masella (Phoenix, Ari.) and Kaleb Bulych (Yorkton, Sask.) will be towering members of the Ravens deep defensive core. The 6’6″ Masella played four seasons in the WHL split between Victoria and Prince Albert which featured a career-high with 14 points and 93 penalty minutes while with Prince Albert in 2018-19. Bulych, a former teammate of current Ravens defender Matthew Barberis, began his WHL career as a minor midget, playing games over 6 seasons with Vancouver and Swift Current.
Upfront the Ravens add another local product with the addition of a former Gloucester Rangers and Ottawa Jr. 67 in Oliver Castleman (Ottawa, Ont.). A four-year member of the Niagara Ice Dogs, Castleman scored 58 points in 62 games during the 2019-20 season before it was cut short due to COVID-19.
The Ravens, like the rest of the OUA will look drastically different in 2021-22. Noticeably gone is fifth-year forward Alexandre Boivin who now enters his second pro season in Amiens, France, alongside former Raven Joey West in the League Magnus. Along the blueline, the Ravens lose three significant members of their core with Josh Burnside and Darian Skeoch moving on to the Allen Americans of the ECHL and Evan de Haan graduating. The Ravens will also be without the speed and quick-strike shot of Jared Steege and the grit and defensive stability of Dakota Odgers who graduated during the pandemic.
On the defence…
“I love our defence, they should be really strong especially with the who we return, in CJ [Garcia], Jarvis and Barberis. Then you’ve got Kerr who skated with us all of last year and two big defensemen in Massella and Bulych and the collection of other guys who have come in. We really like our mix back there.”
On Playing in the Far East…
“I think we’re going to work really hard and we’re going to have to be better defensively than we’ve ever been. If you look at our division there are no easy games. The hardest part is we don’t really know what we’re up against, we can look at their rosters and see a lot of really good returning players, but like everyone a lot of new players too. Other than uOttawa, we won’t really know what anyone has until we see them.”
On the shorter schedule…
“This isn’t the type of year to ease into things, you’ve got eight fewer games so you’ve got to get in right away, be competitive and start winning.”
