With a number of forwards enduring scoring slumps, Waterloo Warriors men's hockey coach Brian Bourque shook up the lines in practice this week, hoping to find a spark for his team's struggling offence.

Consider it ignited.

Kain Allicock (Markham/) and Blake Chartier (Winnipeg/) each scored twice, Justin Larson (Buckhorn/) had three points, and the Warriors scored four times in the third period en route to a 6-3 win over the UOIT Ridgebacks on Thursday night in Oshawa.

Brett Mackie (Whitby/) added a goal and an assist for the Warriors, who move to 7-4-0 on the season. Jesse Stoughton scored twice and Luke VanMoerkerke added three assists for the Ridgebacks, who see their record slide to an even 5-5-1. Justin Leclerc (Saskatoon/) was solid between the Warrior pipes, making 21 saves in the win. Bryce O'Hagen made 21 saves through 50-plus minutes for the loss, before he was replaced by Jacob Rattie.

Although the game certainly ended in Waterloo's favour, it didn't start that way. For the fifth straight contest, the Warriors gave up the first goal, as Stoughton put the Ridgebacks ahead 1-0 just under six minutes in. The Warriors bounced back in the opening frame though, as they carried the play and generated the bulk of the scoring chances. They were rewarded twice, as Larson cashed midway through the period before Chartier scored his first in the closing minute to give the Warriors a 2-1 lead after 20.

Waterloo carried their strong play into the second, although they were unable to turn it into anything tangible on the scoreboard. As momentum shifted to the Ridgebacks, Leclerc was able to keep the hosts at bay until the waning moments of the period. But with just over a minute remaining, Conner Tresham beat Leclerc to even the score at 2-2 through two periods.

But despite giving up the late equalizer, the Warriors came out in the third period and reclaimed control of the game. It started with Allicock, who scored twice in the first two minutes of the period to give the Warriors a lead they would never relinquish. After Stoughton drew the Ridgebacks within 1 a short time later, Mackie responded to restore the 2-goal lead before the midway point of the period. Chartier rounded out the scoring at the 10-minute mark of the final frame.

The Warriors are now 5-0 in games following a loss, and they won't have to wait long for the opportunity to start a winning streak. The Warriors will return home to face the streaking Guelph Gryphons on Friday night, in the annual Think Pink cancer awareness game. Puck drop is slated for 7:30 pm at the Columbia Icefield Arena.

Notes: The Warriors went 0-for-3 on the man advantage, while UOIT went 0-for-2…Paul Bonar (Brandon/) earned his first CIS point, an assist on Allicock's eventual game-winner…UOIT;s Tony Rizzi was ejected in the third period for fighting.