March 9, 2006
REDMEN AND THUNDERWOLVES BATTLE FOR QUEEN'S CUP
THUNDER BAY - Their histories couldn't be any more different but the McGill Redmen and the Lakehead Thunderwolves have one very common thread - both Ontario University Athletics squads are salivating at the chance to hoist the Queen's Cup. The Redmen, originally formed 129 years ago, have 13 provincial championships to their credit (second most in the OUA behind the Toronto Varsity Blues 41), though the last came way back in the 1945/46 season. Lakehead is the new kid on the OUA block having formed just five seasons ago but the gritty, Thunder Bay-based program has made a definite mark in its short time in the league. In those five years, they have won at least one playoff round each season and after having rolled through two, grueling three-game series in 2006, the Wolves have the opportunity to play host as they make their OUA championship debut. No. 2 McGill travels to the Northwestern, ON city to face the No. 5 Thunderwolves in the Queen's Cup at the Fort Williams Gardens, Saturday, March 11 at 7:30 pm. (The game is available on Pay-Per-View, live on the Web at http://events.news-cast.com.)
For McGill, a victory would cap an incredible season that saw the Redmen (20-1-3-0) establish a Canadian Interuniversity Sport record for team goals against (1.21) and shutouts (12), while also making it to the top of the national polls for the first time in school history. This close bunch of talented players already have a berth at Nationals in Edmonton later this month after defeating the rival UQTR Patriotes in a two-game semi-final sweep but the immediate business is having something to show for a memorable 2005/06 campaign.
"We're all like brothers on this team," says third-year forward Shawn Shewchuk (Lloydminster, AB), McGill's leading goal scorer and point producer. "It's a motivator. We all want to spend more time with each other. I wouldn't want to go compete for a championship with anyone else but these guys."
The Thunderwolves have their own source of inspiration in captain Joel Scherban (Thunder Bay, ON), Lakehead's all-time leader in goals and assists. Scherban is the reigning CIS Player of the Year but his fifth and final season was a trying one as the big Thunderwolves star dropped 30 pounds and was diagnosed with type 1 Diabetes. He worked hard to stay in the lineup and still led the team in scoring with 13 goals and 14 assists. He chipped in some huge performances throughout the playoffs, helping Lakehead advance to the Queen's Cup after a three-game war with the Laurier Golden Hawks in the other OUA semi.
"The guys in this room have battled so hard all year," says Scherban, a former captain of the Ontario Hockey League's London Knights. "I'm so happy not only for myself but everyone here. For me, it's a little bit special. It's gonna be my last game ever in Thunder Bay in front of my family so I'm just thrilled."
The road to the final wasn't easy for either of the two teams. Despite all the success the Redmen enjoyed, they dropped their first post-season game to the Ottawa Gee-Gees 2-1 in Montreal after sitting out the first round with a bye. McGill was virtually perfect all year but facing an early exit actually galvanized the already-tight group. The Redmen won the next two games by scores of 4-3 and 3-1 and then experienced one of the most satisfying victories in their storied history when they knocked out the Patriotes in two straight (4-3 and 3-2 in overtime). McGill had lost its last 11 playoff series with UQTR, a streak that dated back to 1978.
"Certainly losing that first game against Ottawa backed us into a corner," says McGill head coach Martin Raymond. "It forced us to come out strong and survive. It was surprising to be facing elimination after such a strong season."
"It was a very emotional moment because we had only lost one game," says goaltender Mathieu Poitras (Gatineau, QC), the winner of the Bill L'Heureux Trophy for most outstanding player in the OUA. "But our leadership was great. We talked and everything was about enjoying the moment."
The Thunderwolves (13-9-2-0) finished third in the OUA Far West a full 15 points behind the powerful Western Mustangs. The result of the quarter-final match-up between the two division rivals appeared to be a foregone conclusion to many but Lakehead pulled off a massive upset in the series opener when second-year centre Tobias Whelan (Orillia, ON) scored in overtime to give the Wolves a 4-3 win. No. 4 Western dominated in the next game 6-2 to even up the series but the Wolves completed the upset in London, winning the finale 3-0. Lakehead received a 30-save shutout from goaltender Chris Whitley (Oshawa, ON) and scored three times in the second period, including two by fourth-year forward Jason Lange (Bowmanville, ON), to shock the defending Queen's Cup champion Mustangs. Western had defeated Lakehead in the semis last season, clinching the series with a 5-4 OT win in game three.
"A lot of the veteran guys have had a history with Western, coming out of a big win and then not playing the next round to their capabilities," says talented rookie forward Dan Speer (Thunder Bay, ON). "They really stressed and harped on it this year that we had to come out hard and not take it lightly."
With a standing-room only crowd of almost 4,000 expected at the Fort Williams Gardens, the Redmen know they will have to be at their defensive best to contain an emotional Lakehead lineup. McGill got a taste of the life in the wild Thunder Bay barn last year, though the teams did not play in the 2005/06 regular season.
"They're a big, strong physical team," says Raymond. "And they're disciplined in their systems. We were there last season and we know how hard it is to win in that building."
Lakehead will be tested to remain composed in front of the raucous home crowd. In game three against Laurier, they took 11 minor penalties but survived with an incredible penalty killing performance. The biggest challenge on the ice will be breaching the McGill net, which has been a problem for virtually every team the Redmen have faced. While Poitras has been superb in goal, a young and committed group of forwards and rearguards have shown they have a passion to defend their end all season long.
"They're a great defensive team and obviously they have a great goalie," sys Scherban. "We're going to have to really make sure we're at the top of our game defensively and that we put as many pucks on the net as possible."
Regular Season records
McGill - 20-1-3-0
Lakehead - 13-9-2-0
Playoff records
McGill - 4-1
Lakehead - 6-2
McGill Redmen Team Leaders (regular season)
Goals
1. Shawn Shewchuk - 11
2. Doug Orr - 9
3. Benoit Martin - 8
4. Marko Kovacevic - 8
5. Three players tied at 7 (Charles Gauthier, Lucas Madill and David Urquhart)
Assists
1. Shawn Shewchuk - 22
2. David Urquhart - 17
3. Mathieu Leclerc - 15
4. Three players tied at 12 (Dour Orr, Benoit Martin and Guillame Demers)
5. Charles Gauthier - 11
Penalty Minutes
1. Yan Turcotte - 72
2. Mathieu Leclerc - 58
3. David Urquhart - 52
4. Shawn Shewchuk - 44
5. Charles Gauthier - 42
Goaltending
1. Mathieu Poitras - 14-1-2 record, 1.40 gaa, .947 save percentage, 7 shutouts
2. Jean-Michel Filiatrault - 6-0-1 record, 0.71 gaa, .959 save percentage, 5 shutouts
Click here for full team stats McGill. Also visit http://www.redmenhockey.com/index.shtml
Lakehead Thunderwolves Team Leaders (regular season)
Goals
1. Joel Scherban - 13
2. Jeff Richards - 11
3. Jason Lange - 8
4. Mike Jacobsen - 7
5. Mark Robinson - 6
Assists
1. Joel Scherban - 14
2. Jeff Richards - 13
3. Mike Jacobsen - 12
4. Jason Lange - 11
5. Two players tied at 9 (Erik Lodge and Murray Magill)
Penalty Minutes
1. Jeff Richards - 57
2. Andrew Brown - 52
3. Elphonso Shandor - 36
4. Mark Robinson - 32
5. Three players tied at 30 (Jason Lange, Tobias Whelan and Mike Self)
Goaltending
1. Chris Whitley - 7-3-2 record, 1.96 gaa, .929 save percentage, 1 shutout
2. Grant McCune - 6-6-0 record, 2.98 gaa, .896 save percentage, 2 shutouts
Click here for full team stats Lakehead. Also visit http://www.thunderwolveshockey.com/
Go to http://oua.ca/sports/mhockey/pastchamps/ for the complete list of previous Queen's Cup winners.
Pioneer Petroleums and Pizza Pizza are the official sponsors of the Men's and Women's OUA Hockey Playoffs.
- O U A -
(Photo: McGill's brilliant goalie Mathieu Poitras, the recipient of the Bill L'Heureux Trophy, presented by Sher-Wood Hockey, will be tough to beat as the Redmen take on Lakehead in the Queen's Cup this Saturday.)
Enquires can be addressed to:
David DiCenzo
Communications and Media Relations Coordinator
Ontario University Athletics
Phone: 905-540-5156
Fax: 905-540-5149
Email: david.dicenzo@oua.ca
Web: www.oua.ca
For McGill, a victory would cap an incredible season that saw the Redmen (20-1-3-0) establish a Canadian Interuniversity Sport record for team goals against (1.21) and shutouts (12), while also making it to the top of the national polls for the first time in school history. This close bunch of talented players already have a berth at Nationals in Edmonton later this month after defeating the rival UQTR Patriotes in a two-game semi-final sweep but the immediate business is having something to show for a memorable 2005/06 campaign.
"We're all like brothers on this team," says third-year forward Shawn Shewchuk (Lloydminster, AB), McGill's leading goal scorer and point producer. "It's a motivator. We all want to spend more time with each other. I wouldn't want to go compete for a championship with anyone else but these guys."
The Thunderwolves have their own source of inspiration in captain Joel Scherban (Thunder Bay, ON), Lakehead's all-time leader in goals and assists. Scherban is the reigning CIS Player of the Year but his fifth and final season was a trying one as the big Thunderwolves star dropped 30 pounds and was diagnosed with type 1 Diabetes. He worked hard to stay in the lineup and still led the team in scoring with 13 goals and 14 assists. He chipped in some huge performances throughout the playoffs, helping Lakehead advance to the Queen's Cup after a three-game war with the Laurier Golden Hawks in the other OUA semi.
"The guys in this room have battled so hard all year," says Scherban, a former captain of the Ontario Hockey League's London Knights. "I'm so happy not only for myself but everyone here. For me, it's a little bit special. It's gonna be my last game ever in Thunder Bay in front of my family so I'm just thrilled."
The road to the final wasn't easy for either of the two teams. Despite all the success the Redmen enjoyed, they dropped their first post-season game to the Ottawa Gee-Gees 2-1 in Montreal after sitting out the first round with a bye. McGill was virtually perfect all year but facing an early exit actually galvanized the already-tight group. The Redmen won the next two games by scores of 4-3 and 3-1 and then experienced one of the most satisfying victories in their storied history when they knocked out the Patriotes in two straight (4-3 and 3-2 in overtime). McGill had lost its last 11 playoff series with UQTR, a streak that dated back to 1978.
"Certainly losing that first game against Ottawa backed us into a corner," says McGill head coach Martin Raymond. "It forced us to come out strong and survive. It was surprising to be facing elimination after such a strong season."
"It was a very emotional moment because we had only lost one game," says goaltender Mathieu Poitras (Gatineau, QC), the winner of the Bill L'Heureux Trophy for most outstanding player in the OUA. "But our leadership was great. We talked and everything was about enjoying the moment."
The Thunderwolves (13-9-2-0) finished third in the OUA Far West a full 15 points behind the powerful Western Mustangs. The result of the quarter-final match-up between the two division rivals appeared to be a foregone conclusion to many but Lakehead pulled off a massive upset in the series opener when second-year centre Tobias Whelan (Orillia, ON) scored in overtime to give the Wolves a 4-3 win. No. 4 Western dominated in the next game 6-2 to even up the series but the Wolves completed the upset in London, winning the finale 3-0. Lakehead received a 30-save shutout from goaltender Chris Whitley (Oshawa, ON) and scored three times in the second period, including two by fourth-year forward Jason Lange (Bowmanville, ON), to shock the defending Queen's Cup champion Mustangs. Western had defeated Lakehead in the semis last season, clinching the series with a 5-4 OT win in game three.
"A lot of the veteran guys have had a history with Western, coming out of a big win and then not playing the next round to their capabilities," says talented rookie forward Dan Speer (Thunder Bay, ON). "They really stressed and harped on it this year that we had to come out hard and not take it lightly."
With a standing-room only crowd of almost 4,000 expected at the Fort Williams Gardens, the Redmen know they will have to be at their defensive best to contain an emotional Lakehead lineup. McGill got a taste of the life in the wild Thunder Bay barn last year, though the teams did not play in the 2005/06 regular season.
"They're a big, strong physical team," says Raymond. "And they're disciplined in their systems. We were there last season and we know how hard it is to win in that building."
Lakehead will be tested to remain composed in front of the raucous home crowd. In game three against Laurier, they took 11 minor penalties but survived with an incredible penalty killing performance. The biggest challenge on the ice will be breaching the McGill net, which has been a problem for virtually every team the Redmen have faced. While Poitras has been superb in goal, a young and committed group of forwards and rearguards have shown they have a passion to defend their end all season long.
"They're a great defensive team and obviously they have a great goalie," sys Scherban. "We're going to have to really make sure we're at the top of our game defensively and that we put as many pucks on the net as possible."
Regular Season records
McGill - 20-1-3-0
Lakehead - 13-9-2-0
Playoff records
McGill - 4-1
Lakehead - 6-2
McGill Redmen Team Leaders (regular season)
Goals
1. Shawn Shewchuk - 11
2. Doug Orr - 9
3. Benoit Martin - 8
4. Marko Kovacevic - 8
5. Three players tied at 7 (Charles Gauthier, Lucas Madill and David Urquhart)
Assists
1. Shawn Shewchuk - 22
2. David Urquhart - 17
3. Mathieu Leclerc - 15
4. Three players tied at 12 (Dour Orr, Benoit Martin and Guillame Demers)
5. Charles Gauthier - 11
Penalty Minutes
1. Yan Turcotte - 72
2. Mathieu Leclerc - 58
3. David Urquhart - 52
4. Shawn Shewchuk - 44
5. Charles Gauthier - 42
Goaltending
1. Mathieu Poitras - 14-1-2 record, 1.40 gaa, .947 save percentage, 7 shutouts
2. Jean-Michel Filiatrault - 6-0-1 record, 0.71 gaa, .959 save percentage, 5 shutouts
Click here for full team stats McGill. Also visit http://www.redmenhockey.com/index.shtml
Lakehead Thunderwolves Team Leaders (regular season)
Goals
1. Joel Scherban - 13
2. Jeff Richards - 11
3. Jason Lange - 8
4. Mike Jacobsen - 7
5. Mark Robinson - 6
Assists
1. Joel Scherban - 14
2. Jeff Richards - 13
3. Mike Jacobsen - 12
4. Jason Lange - 11
5. Two players tied at 9 (Erik Lodge and Murray Magill)
Penalty Minutes
1. Jeff Richards - 57
2. Andrew Brown - 52
3. Elphonso Shandor - 36
4. Mark Robinson - 32
5. Three players tied at 30 (Jason Lange, Tobias Whelan and Mike Self)
Goaltending
1. Chris Whitley - 7-3-2 record, 1.96 gaa, .929 save percentage, 1 shutout
2. Grant McCune - 6-6-0 record, 2.98 gaa, .896 save percentage, 2 shutouts
Click here for full team stats Lakehead. Also visit http://www.thunderwolveshockey.com/
Go to http://oua.ca/sports/mhockey/pastchamps/ for the complete list of previous Queen's Cup winners.
Pioneer Petroleums and Pizza Pizza are the official sponsors of the Men's and Women's OUA Hockey Playoffs.
- O U A -
(Photo: McGill's brilliant goalie Mathieu Poitras, the recipient of the Bill L'Heureux Trophy, presented by Sher-Wood Hockey, will be tough to beat as the Redmen take on Lakehead in the Queen's Cup this Saturday.)
Enquires can be addressed to:
David DiCenzo
Communications and Media Relations Coordinator
Ontario University Athletics
Phone: 905-540-5156
Fax: 905-540-5149
Email: david.dicenzo@oua.ca
Web: www.oua.ca
