M-Hockey Friday Roundup
Concordia, 5 @ Ottawa, 6 OT
It took them until overtime, but the uOttawa Gee-Gees men’s hockey team got the win they were looking for, beating the visiting Concordia Stingers (12-11-2 OUA) 6-5.
After Concordia went up 1-0 in the first period, the Gee-Gees would launch a flurry of goals to take the lead at 3-1 with goals from first-year forwards Luc Olivier Blain, Longueuil, Que., and Kyle Ireland, Rosetown, Sask., and first-year McGill transfer Tim Drager, Montreal, Que, who notched hist first goal as a Gee-Gee.
I thought our second period was a big statement,” said head coach Dave Leger, “I thought we showed great resolve and focus to keep the game close.”
Concordia eventually tied the game with 30 seconds left in the third period, forcing the Gee-Gees to overtime, where second-year forward Sean Smyth, Clarence Creek, Ont., would get the overtime winner. Streaking in with the puck, the human kinetics major would go top shelf on fourth-year Concordia goalie Maxime Joyal for the much needed win.
“It’s a big lift for the team and a big goal for Sean,” added Leger.
First-year goalie Harrison May, Vancouver, B.C., came up with some huge saves during the game, keeping the Gee-Gees alive, and stopping 28 of 33 shots.
Source: Ottawa Sports Info
Lakehead, 1 @ Guelph, 2
the Guelph Gryphons and Lakehead Thunderwolves faced-off for the first of two games this weekend. While the score remained fairly low, the action was intense from these two, offensive powerhouses. Ultimately though, it would be the Gryphons’ early lead that would keep them on top the whole game and seal the 2-1 victory over the Thunderwolves.
The points were evenly spread for the Gryphons, with Justin Gvora (Thunder Bay, Ont.) and Alex Magera (Edmonton, Alta.) potting the goals, while Ken Peroff (North Bay, Ont.), Ed Gale (Keswick, Ont.), Patrick Campbell (Sauble Beach, Ont.), and Geoff Guimond (Mississauga, Ont.) tallied assists.
Adam Sergeri (Thunder Bay, Ont.) would score the lone goal for the Thunderwolves, with Brock McPherson (Brampton, Ont.) and Ryan McDonald (Prince Albert, Sask.) picking up the helpers.
Andrew Loverock was given the nod for the Gryphons this evening and had a solid performance, making 29 saves on 30 shots and picking up the win.
His counterpart, Alex Dupuis (Thunder Bay, Ont.) started for Lakehead and also had a good night, stopping 27 of 29 shots.
With the win, Guelph evens their record at 10-10-2, while Lakehead takes their fourth loss in five games, moving to 14-7-1.
Playing a high caliber tem like the Thunderwolves, the Gryphons needed to get on top quick to put on the pressure, and that’s exactly what they did. Just under six minutes into the first period, the Gryphons got on the board with a goal from Gvora. With time running out on the powerplay, Peroff wound up at the point and sent a blistering shot on net. The puck was redirected in front and, going just outside the left post of Dupuis, ricocheted off the end boards. Luckily for the Gryphons, Gvora had wedged himself between the side of the net and his closest defender and taking the bounce of the boards chipped the puck up and over the back of Dupuis. The goal gave the Gryphons a 1-0 lead, which they would maintain for the remainder of the frame.
The Gryphons came out in the second period firing on all cylinders, jumping up 2-0 with three minutes gone in the frame. Breaking in 3-on-2, Gvora, coming down the sideboards, dropped the puck to Campbell streaking down the middle of the ice. Campbell wired a hard shot from the top of the zone and the juicy rebound popped out to the left side of Dupuis. Magera, who was the third man in for the Gryphons, went hard to the net and jumped on the loose puck. Hacking at it with all he could, Magera sent the puck whirling into the back of the net, putting the Gryphons up 2-0.
The remainder of the period was a back and forth affair, with the Thunderwolves picking up their pace and testing Loverock. With both teams taking a number of penalties, there were plenty of chances with the man-advantage, but neither team would capitalize on the opportunity. The Gryphons would hold their two-goal lead going into the third period.
Lakehead finally managed to get their offense fired up in the third, dominating much of the first half of the period and narrowing the Gryphon lead to a single goal. Controlling the puck deep in the Guelph zone, the Thunderwolves set up a quick one-timer in front. Diving back across the open net, Loverock made a beautiful save, getting the tip of his glove on the puck to keep it out. Unfortunately for Loverock, his efforts would be all for not, as Lakehead’s Sergerie would bang home the loose puck, making it 2-1 Guelph.
Lakehead kept the pressure on, but Guelph fought hard to maintain their lead. With just seconds left in the game, the Thunderwolves, with an extra attacker and an empty net, managed to set up once last effort in the Gryphon zone and rung a quick shot off the crossbar. With the puck floating into the corner time would expire, leaving the Gryphons with the 2-1 victory.
Source: Guelph Sports Info
Queen’s, 2 @ Nipissing, 5
The Queen's Gaels could not capitalize on a strong first period and fell behind in the second as they dropped a 5-2 score to the Nipissing Lakers.
The Gaels outshot the Lakers by a 12-9 mark in the first period on the strength of four power plays, but could not find a way past Matt Hache of Guelph, Ont., who held up in goal for the Lakers.
The Lakers struck early in the second to give themselves a lead on a goal from Josh McKinnon of Brackley Beach, P.E.I. The Gaels would reply on the power play marker from Patrick McEachen of Stouffville, Ont., but that would be as close as the Gaels got as Nipissing would score two goals before the period expired.
Nipissing was first on the board once again during the third period. Brodie Beard of South Porcupine, Ont., scored his second goal of the game on the power play just over three minutes into the period. Nipissing added one more goal before the Gaels scored their second goal of the game when Toronto's Daniel Mendel put the puck past Hache.
The goals scored by McEachen and Mandel were their second and third goals of the season respectively. Joey Derochie of Sudbury, Ont., and Jordan Mirwaldt of Winnipeg, each had an assist on McEachen's goal. As a result, Derochie sits first on the Gaels in points with 22 while Mirwaldt is tied for second with 21.
Steele De Fazio of Georgetown, Ont., stopped 34 of 39 shots in goal for the Gaels. The loss snaps a three game win streak held by the Gaels going into tonight's game in North Bay.
Source: Queen’s Sports Info
Ryerson, 3 @ Toronto, 2
Overtime? What's overtime? Just 30 seconds from playing its first extra frame of the season, the Ryerson men's hockey team completed a three goal comeback, beating the University of Toronto 3-2 at Varsity Arena.
Cory Konecny ripped a slap shot passed Toronto goalie Andrew Martin to seal the win for the Rams [8-15-0]. The team was playing the Blues [8-9-6] at Varsity for the second time in eight days.
"It was a barn-burner, that's for sure," said Konecny. "It's good that it happened against these guys too. They're so close to us, you can't help but want to beat them."
Konecny may have scored for the Rams, but goaltender Paul Gibson was the hero for Ryerson, stopping 28 of 30 shots and putting on a goalie clinic. Gibson kept the team in the game early, killing a 5-on-3 penalty and making several breakaway saves on Toronto's best forwards. On his game, five U of T fans moved up from the nosebleeds to heckle Gibson in an effort to throw him off.
Not to be outdone, Martin also made some highlight reel saves, including a glove save on Domenic Cammalleri, while lying on his side. Stopping 41 of 44 shots, Martin had some help from his posts as the Rams found iron four times before finding twine.
"Last Friday night, we had a lot of chances that missed the net completely. Tonight we're getting closer, we were hitting the iron, so eventually something was going to have to go in, and it did," Head Coach Graham Wise said.
Matt Schmermund put the Rams on the board with nine seconds left in the second period, responding to a Toronto goal in under a minute. The goal gives Schmermund 11 on the year, extending his team leading point total to 22 [11G 11A].
The Blues most dangerous player lived up to his billing. Byron Elliott scored two goals including a shorthanded breakaway in the first period. Elliott also had a breakaway in the third and almost completed the hat trick, but misfired on a back door tip in the dying minutes of the game.
"Elliot's a real threat for them, and Gibson made a hell of a save late in the game and that could have been the turning point," Wise said.
Discipline was another factor in the Rams win, as the team managed to lower their penalties from 11 against Queen's, to four tonight.
"We definitely needed to cut down on our penalties," said goal-scorer Jesse Chidwick. "Our last game against Queen's, they scored all their goals except for one on the powerplay. The penalties that we took today, they were hard working penalties."
The win, coupled with a 5-2 Queen's loss, keeps the Rams in the playoff hunt. They currently sit six points out of the playoffs with five games remaining. With core players like: Konecny, Julian Zamparo and captain Marcus Booth about to graduate, the younger players say they are now playing for them.
"A lot of young guys are putting a second effort in," Chidwick said. "You want to extend their season and work harder for them."
Source: Ryerson Sports Info
Western, 7 @ UOIT, 3
Jason Furlong (London, Ont.) added two goals as the Western Mustangs defeated the UOIT Ridgebacks 7-3 on Jan. 28.
Remaining goals were scored by Steve Reese (Dorchester, Ont.), Chris Rocca (Sarnia, Ont.) Julian Cimadamore (Concord, Ont.), Randy Hanagan (London, Ont.) and Brock Turner (Brandon, Man.) Kyle Lamb (Port Coquitlam, B.C.) also had two assists on the night. Kyle Wetering, Jeremy Whelan and Nathan Spaling scored for the Ridgebacks.
The Mustangs proved the team’s versatility as they were minus seven vital players, six of who are playing in the 24th Winter Universiade in Erzurum, Turkey representing Canada and key forward Aaron Snow (Windsor, Ont.) out on injury. Thirteen players on Western’s roster added at least one point.
Goaltender Josh Unice (Holland, Ohio) was a key component to secure the victory.
Source: Western Sports Info
UQTR, 3 @ Carleton, 6
The Carleton University Ravens men’s hockey team picked up an important two points on Friday night, defeating the UQTR Patriotes 6-3 at the Ice House.
With the win, the Ravens record improves to 14-7-2 for fourth place in the OUA East, one point back of the Patriotes.
The Ravens were without two of their top scorers and playmakers, Brandon MacLean (Burlington, Ont.) and Ryan Berard (Niagara Falls, Ont.), who are currently in Turkey representing Canada at the Winter Universiade.
It took a while for Carleton’s powerplay to start clicking without their presence, but the Ravens were able to capitalize on their second two-man advantage of the game when Joey Manley (Ottawa) beat Patriotes goalie Vincent Lamontagne (Plessisville, Que.) with six minutes to go in the opening frame.
The Ravens outshot the Patriotes 18-5 in the first, but UQTR was able to tie things up as Jean-Sebastien Breton (Pincourt, Que.) beat Ryan Dube (Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.) on a powerplay with 0.5 seconds left on the clock.
Linden Bahm (Kinburn, Ont.) and Jeff Hayes (Ottawa) scored 30 seconds apart midway through the second to give Carleton a 3-1 lead.
Ravens’ captain, Brad Good (Kitchener, Ont.), put Carleton up 4-1, when he let go of a shot from the point on the powerplay that found the back of the net.
As the period wound down, it was Carleton’s turn for a late goal as Manley netted his second of the game with one second left.
Good added another powerplay marker just minutes into the third for his second of the night. It looked like the Patriotes were out of the game but they began to mount a comeback.
Olivier Donovan (Gatineau, Que.) and Pierre-Alexandre Joncas (Matane, Que.) scored in a three-minute span, pulling UQTR within three. But it was too little, too late as the Ravens held on for the 6-3 win.
Source: Carleton Sports Info
York, 4 @ Brock, 5 SO
The Brock University men's hockey team (11-8-6 OUA West) defeated the York Lions by the score of 5-4 in shootout Friday night at the Seymour-Hannah Centre.
With the victory, the Badgers clinch a playoff berth for the first time in two seasons and currently sit just one point behind Lakehead and Waterloo for third place in the OUA West.
Brock opened the scoring 8:25 into the first period on the power play. Senior Steve Mullin (Guelph, Ont.) and junior Isaac Smeltzer (Estevan, Sask.) setup rookie Thomas Stajan (Mississauga, Ont.) in the slot, who beat York starter Travis Rolheiser for the 1-0 lead.
York answered with back-to-back goals four minutes apart before the end of the first period. At 14:08, the Lions Jesse Messier and Jaskirat Gill setup Adam Stuart for his sixth of the season. With less than two minutes left in the opening frame, York's MacKenzie Micks took a pass from Matt Thomson and jammed it into the bottom corner past Brock starter Kury Jory (Brandon, Man.) for the 2-1 lead.
The Badgers would tie the game 2-2 just under five minutes into the second period. Junior Adam Schwark (Saskatoon, Sask.) rushed down the left side and stepped around the York defenseman finding junior Derek Brochu (Welland, Ont.) on the corner of the crease who slid it past Rolheiser for his sixth of the campaign.
Brock made it 3-2 in the power play midway through the second period. Freshman standout Matt Abercrombie (Sarnia, Ont.) registered his team leading 14th goal of the season with Brochu and Schwark collecting assists.
York answered right back at 16:40, as Jesse Grespan beat Jory five-hole tying the game at 3-3.
Just over a minute later at 17:50, Brock regained their one goal lead. Junior Dan Dooley (Saint John, NB) setup sophomore Josh Schram (Paris, Ont.) who buried a one-timer from the top of the circle over the shoulder of Rolheiser for the 4-3 lead.
At the 13:16 mark of the third period, York's Gill took a pass from Thomson and made a nice move on Jory tying the game 4-4 and sending it to overtime. In overtime, nothing was solved sending it to a shootout for the second consecutive game.
In shootout, Jory would continue his dominance stopping all three York shooters, before Brochu ended it burying a snap-shot past Rolheiser for the victory.
Jory recorded 26 saves for his 11th victory of the season. Rolheiser turned aside 22 of 26 Brock shots in a losing effort.
Source: Brock Sports Info
