BROCK AND MCGILL SET TO FACE-OFF FOR THE OUA QUEEN'S CUP MEN'S HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIP

HAMILTON, Ont. - The No. 10 McGill Redmen(18-9-0-1) and the Brock Badgers (17-8-0-3) are set to go toe-to-toe in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Queen's Cup Men's Hockey Championship. Both teams concluded their semifinal playoff series with close victories this past weekend, as the Redmen ousted the defending champion No. 5 UQTR Patriotes (22-5-0-1) 2-0, while the Badgers defeated the No. 3 Lakehead Thunderwolves (23-4-0-1) 1-0 in overtime to clinch the West Division Championship. The east and west winners have already earned a berth in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) University Cup Championship to be held at the University of Moncton on March 20-23.

Brock and McGill faced off just once in the regular season which saw the Badgers travel to Montreal and take a 3-2 victory on the road. The Redmen look to win their first OUA banner since 1946, while the Badgers look to win their first OUA Men's Hockey Championship.

The road to the final was not an easy one for either of these two teams this season. The Badgers took game three of their OUA semifinals into overtime with the Lakehead Thunderwolves, earning their place in the OUA Championship game thanks to overtime hero Ryan Del Monte (Mississauga, ON) who scored 3:48 into the overtime period defeating the Thunderwolves 1-0. Del Monte also scored the overtime, series winner against the Western Mustangs in game three of their OUA quarter-final series.

Del Monte was the Badgers leading scorer with 19 goals and 16 assists for 35 points this season. Brock also looked to fourth year forward Jonathon Labelle (Prevost, QC) who finished the season with 17 goals and 13 assists for the Badgers offense. On the defensive side, the Badgers turned to fourth-year goaltender Matt Harpwood (Welland, ON) who finished the season with 2.67 goals against average, two shutouts, and a .906 save percentage in 23 games played this season.

McGill defeated their Quebec rivals, the UQTR Patriotes with a 2-1 victory, and game winning goal by third-year forward Sam Bloom (Toronto, ON) in the third period earning a 2-0 series victory. But it was Poitras, a fourth-year player from Gatineau, who was the difference, stopping 25 of 26 shots as McGill won its second conference title in three years, but the first on home ice - the Montreal Forum - since 1946.

As a team the Redmen finished second in the league in defense, limiting their opponents to an average of 2.36 goals per game. McGill was led offensively by fifth-year forward Shawn Shewchuck (Lloydminister, AB) with nine goals and 26 assists. Teammate and 2007-08 OUA East Rookie of the Year, Simon Courcelles (Rosemere, QC) was the central support figure in the McGill offense with 16 goals and 14 assists for 30 points.

Brock will need to find a way to limit the Redmen's shots on net, as Harpwood faces 106 shots in three games against the Thunderwolves. The Remen will look to remain calm in front of a raucous home Badger crowd. McGill will rely on the skill of some obvious stars to win the game, including Poitras, who has the ability to make the difference on a team which saw three players named to the OUA All-Stars.

Brock Badgers Team Leaders (regular season)

Goals
1. Ryan Del Monte - 19
2. J.J. Martin - 19
3. Jonathon Labelle - 13
4. Gary Friesen - 6
5. Nathan Hooper - 6

Assists
1. Jonathon Labelle - 17
2. Ryan Del Monte - 16
3. Paul Holder - 13
4. Gary Friesen - 12
5. Ryan Allen - 12

Penalty Minutes
1. Ryan Del Monte - 46
2. Curtis Yausie - 46
3. Paul Holder- 38
4. Eric Toonders - 30
5. Nathan Hooper - 29

Goaltending
1. Matt Harpwood - 14-8-0 record, 2.67 gaa, .910 save percentage, 2 shutouts
2. Tom Lee - 3-2-0 record, 2.81 gaa, 0.920 save percentage, 0 shutouts

McGill Redmen Team Leaders (regular season)

Goals
1. Simon Courcelles - 16
2. Guillaume Demers - 11
3. Shawn Shewchuk - 9
4. Guillaume Doucet - 9
5. Sam Bloom - 7
5. Benoit Arsenault - 7

Assists
1. Shawn Shewcuk - 26
2. Sam Bloom - 18
3. Eric L'Italien - 16
4. Simon Courcelles - 14
5. Guillaume Demers - 13

Penalty Minutes
1. Yan Turcotte - 111
2. Shawn Shewchuk - 61
3. Louis-Simon Allaire - 50
4. David Urquhart - 47

Goaltending
1. Mathieu Poitras - 15-7-0 record, 2.24 gaa, .920 save percentage, 0 shutouts
2. Jean-Michel Filatrault - 3-3-0 record, 1.81 gaa, 0.920 save percentage, 0 shutouts

- OUA -

Michelle Church
Communications & Media Relations Coordinator
Ontario University Athletics

Tel: (905) 540-5156
Fax: (905) 574-2840
E-mail: michelle.church@oua.ca
Web: www.oua.ca