Early scouting reports indicated that the visitors didn't like to be hit, but it was the Rams who did all the hitting all night right from the very first whistle.  The physical effort and hard work paid off for URI as they scored 8 minutes into the game, making the most of some defensive confusion by the Sooners in their own zone to take the early 1-0 lead.  That score would hold true through the first intermission. 

The Sooners evened the game when forward Justin King (DeWitt, MI) slipped home a nice feed from behind the URI net from Daniel Siira (Anchorage, AK) at the 4:37 mark of the second period.  However, less than two minutes after OU scored, Rhode Island grabbed whatever momentum Oklahoma had just gained from tying the game.  A delayed call that could have gone either way was going to go against the Sooners, but the Rams scored at 6:22 with the extra attacker to take a 2-1 lead.  Both teams had 5-on-3 chances in the remainder of the second but neither team wanted to shoot the puck, let alone score, while having the two-man advantage, leaving the game at 2-1 after 40 minutes of action.  In the third period, the Sooners had three power play opportunities but could not make anything happen with the extra man.  While the Sooners peppered the URI goalie with lots of shots, few were high quality, resulting in easy saves for the Rams' tender and a 2-1 Rhode Island victory over OU.

The loss is Oklahoma's third loss in a row and fourth in the last six games.  The Sooners have now lost three games in a row for the first time since October 2005.  Oklahoma's record now falls to 14-4-1 while Rhode Island improves to 12-5-1.  Oklahoma and Rhode Island meet again Saturday evening at 5:00 P.M in Oklahoma City.

The good period was the first stanza.  Oklahoma outshot the Rams by a 7-4 tally, in part due to having two 5-on-3 power plays.  The Sooners took an early 1-0 lead when forward Kyle Allan (Flagstaff, AZ) scored on the power play at 7:58 of the first period.  The second period was the outstanding period as the Sooners erupted for four goals.  Forward Owen Brewer (Kenai, AK) scored an even strength goal at 6:04 of the period.  Defenseman Greg Curtiss (Flint, MI) was the recipient of a gorgeous pass out of the corner from forward Daniel Siira (Anchorage, AK) during 4-on-4 play and directed the puck into a wide-open URI net at the 11:42 mark to give OU a three goal lead.  Forward Sean McCauley (Naperville, IL) scored at 14:35 of the period and Siira completed the four goal outburst with 1:18 left in the period while on the power play.  With twenty minutes left to play and already up 5-0, the Sooners put in a middling effort in the third period.  URI was determined to get on the scoreboard and they did with two goals, one of them on the power play, to avoid the shutout.  The Sooners exhibited a lack of discipline in the period and sloppy play to allow URI to get back into the game.  The final seconds of the game and the traditional handshake line afterward were had some minor fireworks as the two teams exchanged greetings that were not necessarily in the holiday spirit but, once all was said and done, Oklahoma emerged from the evening with a 5-2 win to earn the weekend split.

With the win, Oklahoma improves their record to 15-4-1 while the loss puts Rhode Island at 12-6-1 on the season.  Oklahoma gets back on the ice in three days as they host No. 11 Ohio in a special Wednesday night game at 7:30 P.M in Oklahoma City.