February 27, 2006
SEMIS SET IN OUA HOCKEY PLAYOFFS
It's one of the most heated rivalries in all of Canadian university sport. Whenever the Laurier Golden Hawks and the Waterloo Warriors meet up, it's a passionate battle with more on the line than just a W. The Hawks won the latest battle for University Ave. bragging rights as they bounced the No. 10 Warriors from the OUA hockey playoffs with an exciting 6-4 win in the deciding game of their best-of-three quarter-final series. James Edgar scored both of his goals in third period as Laurier finished strong to end the post-season for their nemesis. Edgar also had an assist for a three-point night, while Richard Colwill scored once and added two assists. Second-year forward Nick Vergeer contributed three assists and goaltender Justin Day made 28 saves for the win between the pipes. Waterloo jumped out to a 2-0 lead on goals from matt Levicki and Sean Roche but Laurier responded with three straight to take a one-goal lead midway through the second period. The Warriors tied it but Edgar iced it for the Hawks, scoring twice in a span of eight minutes 22 seconds to establish a two-goal margin. Mike Della Morra scored twice for Waterloo.
Laurier had to come from a game down to defeat the Warriors as they dropped the series opener 6-2 Wednesday. The teams were tied at 2-2 after 40 minutes of play but Waterloo busted the game open with four goals in the third to walk away with a lopsided victory. Kevin Hurley had two goals and an assist for the Warriors, while Shane Hart and Matt Iannetta chipped in three assists each. Goalie Curtis Darling needed to make just 19 saves to earn the win. The Hawks responded after the loss with a dominating 5-2 win Friday. Vergeer had a goal and an assist, including the winner 41 seconds into the second period. Matt Maccarone also had a goal and an assist for Laurier, while Day come up big with 31 saves after getting shelled in the first game.
Laurier advances to play the Lakehead Thunderwolves in a best-of-three OUA semi-final beginning Wednesday in Waterloo. The Wolves booked a spot in the semis after winning a grueling three-game series against the No. 4 nationally-ranked Western Mustangs. Lakehead's Jason Lange scored twice and Chris Whiteley stopped all 30 shots he faced in a 3-0 win the deciding game at Thompson Arena in London Saturday. The Wolves scored all three goals in the second period, the first of which was Lange's winner 3:09 into the frame. Brad Priestlay made it 2-0 minutes later and Lange made it three straight at 12:38, forcing Western goaltender Scott Dickie to the bench. Shandor Elphonso had two assists for Lakehead.
The Wolves kicked off the series in exciting fashion Wednesday as returning forward Mike "Action Man" Wehrstedt tallied twice, including the crucial equalizer in a 4-3 OT Lakehead win. Wehrstedt, making his first appearance after sitting out a number of games with various injuries, tied the game 1-1 with his first of the night and then scored the lone goal of the third period to send the game to the extra session, where Tobias Whelan iced 8:44 in. Elphonso had a goal and an assist, captain Joel Scherban chipped in two helpers and Grant McCune made 33 saves for the victory. Sal Peralta, Matt Manias and Ryan Waldner scored for the visitors. Western tied the series 1-1 with a big 6-2 win over Lakehead at Thompson Arena Friday. Craig Kennedy scored a natural hat-trick and added an assist for the Mustangs. With Western up 3-2 in the first period, Kennedy scored his team's fourth of the frame at 16:56 and then added goals in both the second and third periods. Jamie Chamberlain had three assists for the Mustangs.
The No. 1 team in the nation, the McGill Redmen, will face the UQTR Patriotes in the other OUA semi-final beginning Wednesday. McGill got a scare after dropping the first game of their quarter-final series with the Ottawa Gee-Gees 2-1 but the powerful Redmen regrouped and took the next two, including a 3-1 win Sunday at the McConnell Arena. Shawn Shewchuk scored what proved to be the winner at 7:45 of the first period with McGill shorthanded. Shewchuk also added an assist, while second-year goaltending phenom Mathieu Poitras made 23 saves in the win. Ben McLeod scored a power-play marker for Ottawa's lone goal of the game late in the first period.
McGill needed two goals in third period of game two with the Gee-Gees to pull out a 4-3 come-from-behind win Friday. Down 3-2 after 40 minutes and facing a shock post-season exit, the Redmen rallied with goals from Charles Gauthier, his second of the night to go along with an assist, and Benoit Martin, who also had three assists. Shewchuk had a goal and an assist, while McLeod scored twice for Ottawa. The Gee-Gees immediately proved they weren't intimidated by the nation's top team as they jumped out to a 1-0 series lead with a 2-1 in the opener last Wednesday in Montreal. Michael Barrett and Kevin Glode got pucks past Poitras in the first period to give the Gee-Gees an early two-goal lead. Ottawa goalie Mathieu Blanchard made 22 saves for the win. Guillame Demers scored for McGill.
UQTR was the only Ontario team to sweep a first-round series, though they had a tough time with the Toronto Varsity Blues. The high-octane Patriotes eliminated the Blues with a 3-2 win Friday at varsity Arena thanks to an incredibly clutch performance from right winger Jonathan Boutin, who scored all three goals for a timely post-season "˜trick. Boutin scored twice just over two minutes apart midway through the first period and then added his third at 18:31 of the frame to put it away for UQTR. Dany Dallaire was sharp making 34 saves in the Patriotes goal. Scott Malcolm and Anthony Pallotta scored for Toronto. In game one Wednesday, the Blues took an early 1-0 lead on a power-play goal from Joe Rand at 14:00 of the first period at the Colisée de Trois-Rivières but Boutin notched an equalizer 2:47 later with the Patriotes on a man advantage. Mathieu Gravel scored another power-play marker at 6:42 of the second period. Dallaire had another fine night in the series opener, stopping 32 of the 33 shots he faced.
(Photo: A Waterloo forward goes soaring through the crease in a playoff match-up with the rival Laurier Golden Hawks. Photo by Jim Hagen.)
Laurier had to come from a game down to defeat the Warriors as they dropped the series opener 6-2 Wednesday. The teams were tied at 2-2 after 40 minutes of play but Waterloo busted the game open with four goals in the third to walk away with a lopsided victory. Kevin Hurley had two goals and an assist for the Warriors, while Shane Hart and Matt Iannetta chipped in three assists each. Goalie Curtis Darling needed to make just 19 saves to earn the win. The Hawks responded after the loss with a dominating 5-2 win Friday. Vergeer had a goal and an assist, including the winner 41 seconds into the second period. Matt Maccarone also had a goal and an assist for Laurier, while Day come up big with 31 saves after getting shelled in the first game.
Laurier advances to play the Lakehead Thunderwolves in a best-of-three OUA semi-final beginning Wednesday in Waterloo. The Wolves booked a spot in the semis after winning a grueling three-game series against the No. 4 nationally-ranked Western Mustangs. Lakehead's Jason Lange scored twice and Chris Whiteley stopped all 30 shots he faced in a 3-0 win the deciding game at Thompson Arena in London Saturday. The Wolves scored all three goals in the second period, the first of which was Lange's winner 3:09 into the frame. Brad Priestlay made it 2-0 minutes later and Lange made it three straight at 12:38, forcing Western goaltender Scott Dickie to the bench. Shandor Elphonso had two assists for Lakehead.
The Wolves kicked off the series in exciting fashion Wednesday as returning forward Mike "Action Man" Wehrstedt tallied twice, including the crucial equalizer in a 4-3 OT Lakehead win. Wehrstedt, making his first appearance after sitting out a number of games with various injuries, tied the game 1-1 with his first of the night and then scored the lone goal of the third period to send the game to the extra session, where Tobias Whelan iced 8:44 in. Elphonso had a goal and an assist, captain Joel Scherban chipped in two helpers and Grant McCune made 33 saves for the victory. Sal Peralta, Matt Manias and Ryan Waldner scored for the visitors. Western tied the series 1-1 with a big 6-2 win over Lakehead at Thompson Arena Friday. Craig Kennedy scored a natural hat-trick and added an assist for the Mustangs. With Western up 3-2 in the first period, Kennedy scored his team's fourth of the frame at 16:56 and then added goals in both the second and third periods. Jamie Chamberlain had three assists for the Mustangs.
The No. 1 team in the nation, the McGill Redmen, will face the UQTR Patriotes in the other OUA semi-final beginning Wednesday. McGill got a scare after dropping the first game of their quarter-final series with the Ottawa Gee-Gees 2-1 but the powerful Redmen regrouped and took the next two, including a 3-1 win Sunday at the McConnell Arena. Shawn Shewchuk scored what proved to be the winner at 7:45 of the first period with McGill shorthanded. Shewchuk also added an assist, while second-year goaltending phenom Mathieu Poitras made 23 saves in the win. Ben McLeod scored a power-play marker for Ottawa's lone goal of the game late in the first period.
McGill needed two goals in third period of game two with the Gee-Gees to pull out a 4-3 come-from-behind win Friday. Down 3-2 after 40 minutes and facing a shock post-season exit, the Redmen rallied with goals from Charles Gauthier, his second of the night to go along with an assist, and Benoit Martin, who also had three assists. Shewchuk had a goal and an assist, while McLeod scored twice for Ottawa. The Gee-Gees immediately proved they weren't intimidated by the nation's top team as they jumped out to a 1-0 series lead with a 2-1 in the opener last Wednesday in Montreal. Michael Barrett and Kevin Glode got pucks past Poitras in the first period to give the Gee-Gees an early two-goal lead. Ottawa goalie Mathieu Blanchard made 22 saves for the win. Guillame Demers scored for McGill.
UQTR was the only Ontario team to sweep a first-round series, though they had a tough time with the Toronto Varsity Blues. The high-octane Patriotes eliminated the Blues with a 3-2 win Friday at varsity Arena thanks to an incredibly clutch performance from right winger Jonathan Boutin, who scored all three goals for a timely post-season "˜trick. Boutin scored twice just over two minutes apart midway through the first period and then added his third at 18:31 of the frame to put it away for UQTR. Dany Dallaire was sharp making 34 saves in the Patriotes goal. Scott Malcolm and Anthony Pallotta scored for Toronto. In game one Wednesday, the Blues took an early 1-0 lead on a power-play goal from Joe Rand at 14:00 of the first period at the Colisée de Trois-Rivières but Boutin notched an equalizer 2:47 later with the Patriotes on a man advantage. Mathieu Gravel scored another power-play marker at 6:42 of the second period. Dallaire had another fine night in the series opener, stopping 32 of the 33 shots he faced.
(Photo: A Waterloo forward goes soaring through the crease in a playoff match-up with the rival Laurier Golden Hawks. Photo by Jim Hagen.)
