Queen’s Golden Gaels jumped to a 3-0 lead and they went on to defeat the Ontario Tech Ridgebacks 5-2 Thursday night in an Ontario University Athletics women’s hockey game in Oshawa.

Coach Matt Holmberg registered his 100th regular-season victory at Queen’s, as the Gaels boosted their record to 14-3-3 and moved into sole possession of second place, one point behind league-leading Western and two ahead of Guelph and Toronto, who are tied for third.

Two power-play goals by Shawna Griffin, almost exactly two minutes apart in the middle of the second period, put the No. 5-ranked Gaels in command.

Chelsea Verbeek and Michele Knecht each scored their first goal of the season in the first period for Queen’s, around a power-play goal by Addi Halladay. In all, Tech, 6-13-1 gave the Gaels nine power-play opportunities, and at one point in the first period, the Ridgebacks were shorthanded for all but 31 seconds of an 8:25 stretch, two minutes of which they were two players short.

Queen’s outshot Tech 26-15.

The Gaels will next play Feb. 7, when they host the Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks.