October 9, 2013
2013-14 OUA men's hockey preview
HAMILTON, Ont. – The road to the 103rd Queen’s Cup is officially underway. The puck dropped on the 2013 season Oct.3 as the Brock Badgers bested the UOIT Ridgebacks 3-2. The York Lions also beat the Ridgebacks on Saturday, 3-2 in overtime. Sixteen games will be played Friday through Sunday as the remaining teams skate to action over Thanksgiving weekend. The Laurier Golden Hawks open their season a week later when they host the Windsor Lancers on Saturday, Oct. 19. Familiarize yourself with competition in this official OUA men’s hockey season preview.
EAST DIVISION
Carleton Ravens
Carleton grinded their way into the second seed last season and came one goal shy of a Queen’s Cup appearance. The Ravens lost to eventual champions UQTR in heartbreaking fashion, a quadruple overtime loss in the deciding game of the East final. They went as far as they did behind the strong play of rookie Mitch Porowski, who scored 38 points (19G, 19A), essentially replacing the offensive void left by the departure of Brandon MacLean. He’ll be partnered with career point-per-game player Jeff Hayes, as the duo look to push through even further this season.
Concordia Stingers
Concordia missed the postseason for the second year in a row, finishing three points behind the eighth seeded Ryerson Rams. The Stingers racked up some big wins last season, beating Carleton, UQTR and McGill, but consistency was an issue. Concordia’s cause wasn’t helped by a tough schedule, featuring three meetings with McGill and UQTR. George Lovatsis (7G, 12 A) and Dany Potvin (7G, 10A) return in 2013-14, but last season’s leading scorer Etienne Archambault (11G, 10A) will not suit up for the Stingers. Also, keep an eye out for rookie defenceman Adam Nugent-Hopkins, brother of the Edmonton Oilers star Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.
Laurentian Voyageurs
Laurentian is voyaging back into the world of OUA hockey this season, icing a men’s team for the first time since the 1999-2000 season. The team is the youngest in the league, with only one player not in their first year of eligibility, goaltender Alain Valiquette. It will likely be a tough season for Voyageurs, but if Craig Duncanson can keep his team together and grow over the next four years, he’ll have a completive and cohesive squad.
McGill Redmen
After winning three consecutive Queen’s Cups and their first CIS championship in 2011-12, the McGill Redmen experienced a drop-off in 2012-13. The Redmen finished third in the OUA East, but were eliminated by the Nipissing Lakers in the first round of the playoffs. This was largely due to losing six of their top seven scorers from 2011-12, but that is not the case this season. Five of the top six scorers are returning including second-year winger Patrick Delisle-Houde (6G, 18A) and defenceman Ryan McKiernan (8G 13A). Fifth-year goalie Andrew Flemming and rookies Jacob Chouinard and Karel St. Laurent will tend goal for the Redmen.
Nipissing Lakers
The Lakers regressed in the regular season, but took a big step forward in the playoffs, upsetting the McGill Redmen in the first round. They couldn’t repeat against the UQTR Patriotes, but it was a huge accomplishment for the program nonetheless. Leading scorers Connor O’Donnell (10G, 24A) and Grant Toulmin (12G, 11A) are both back for the Lakers and will be integral to taking that next step. Daniel Spence will not return in goal for Nipissing, who are trusting Kirk Rafuse, Matthew Barr and John Chartland with the goaltending duties.
Ottawa Gee-Gees
Ottawa skated to a 16-8-4 record last year and fourth-place finish last season in the East division, only four points out of second place. The Gee-Gees offence scored the second most goals in the division (105) and improved their goal total by 26 from 2011-12. The departure of offensive defenceman Dominic Jalbert (28 points in 26 games) and 2011-12 leading scorer Luc-Olivier Blain might hurt the production, but the team is bringing back six of their top eight scorers. Watch for point-per-game players Guillaume Donovan (32 in 27) and Stephen Blunden (20 in 15) to lead the charge going forward.
Queen’s Gaels
The Gaels improved their standing from eighth to seventh last season, but overall, the team took a step back in both wins and winning percentage. Their seventh place finish was largely due to seven overtime and shootout losses, along with three wins over the eighth place Ryerson Rams. Points leader Kelly Jackson returns, as does goal leader Corey Bureau. Veteran goalie Riley Whitlock played out his eligibility and the goaltending duties will be handed over to net minders Kevin Bailie, Chris Clarke and Ryan Kaszuba, none of whom possess OUA experience. However, Bailie and Clarke both have a junior hockey pedigree, playing for the OHL’s London Knights and QMJHL’s Halifax Mooseheads respectively.
RMC Paladins
RMC endured another tough season as the Paladins skated to a 3-22-3 record and last place in the OUA. There’s no number one draft pick as compensation, so it’ll be a tough road out of the basement. Colin Cook led the team in scoring last season with 15 points (6G, 9A) in 25 games, while Scott Domenico led the Paladins in goals with 11. Goaltender Paul Dorsey should expect to be busy again this season, as he saw a league-high 973 shots last season.
UOIT Ridgebacks
The Ridgebacks returned to the postseason after a brief one-year absence, but were quickly swept by the top-seeded Western Mustangs. At 11-16-1, the Ridgebacks are certainly looking to improve in 2013-14. Tony Rizzi has departed after playing his full eligibility, but UOIT retained last season’s leading scorer Luke Van Moerkerke. For the second straight season, the Ridgebacks have questions in goal, as they have three goalies with 12 OUA games between them. If one of the goalies can have a Brandon Maxwell type season, the Ridgebacks could find themselves on the right side of .500.
UQTR Patriotes
The Patriotes enter the season as the reigning OUA champions, but without reigning OUA East MVP Felix Petit and Pierre-Luc Lessard. Their 74 combined points will be missed, but the Patriotes boast some of the best depth in the league. Returning are Tommy Tremblay (18G, 16A), Billy Lacasse (12G, 15A) and Marc-Oliver Mimar (10G, 12A). Both Guillaume Nadeau and Marc-Antoine Gelinas, return to the crease for UQTR and each goalie posted a winning record last season. Nadeau’s season numbers were better, but Gelinas had an incredible 0.47 GAA in four playoff games. No matter who starts, the Patriotes are set in goal. Also keep an eye on defenceman Pierre-Olivier Morin, who had 17 points (6G, 11A) in 12 games during an abbreviated rookie campaign.
WEST DIVISION
Brock Badgers
After narrowly missing the playoffs last season, the Brock Badgers are looking to return to form in 2013-14. Leading scorer Kaine Geldart (10G, 19A) returns for his fourth season, as does second-leading scorer Thomas Stajan and 2010-11 OUA West rookie of the year Matt Abercrombie. Ryan Purvis, a recruit from the Maritime Junior A League, brings offence and grit to the lineup and scored a goal and an assist in his first game as a Badger. However, for the Badgers to be successful, goaltending and team defence need to improve. All eyes will be on second-year goalie Dalton McGrath to see whether he can take a step forward this season.
Guelph Gryphons
Guelph rebounded for a fourth place finish and second round playoff appearance in 2012-13, but the offseason was not kind to the Gryphs. OUA Rookie of the Year and leading scorer Andrew Bathgate (16G, 16A) and star goaltender Brandon Maxwell (1.92 GAA, .935 SV%, 10-3) both left the team after just one season. While two building blocks are gone, all-star defenceman Ken Peroff is back for another season to anchor the blueline. Bathgate’s points won’t easily be replicated, but second-year centre Nicklas Huard and fourth-year winger James Merrett will do their best to carry the offence.
Lakehead Thunderwolves
Lakehead has been a top-three fixture in the OUA West during the regular season, but that success hasn’t translated to the playoffs. For the second time in three years, the Thunderwolves were swept by the sixth seeded team, losing back-to-back games after going 7-3 down the stretch. A greater area of concern is the amount of changeover this offseason for the T-Wolves. Captain Adam Sergerie, leading scorer Matt Caria and starting goalie Alex Dupuis are all gone this season. Mike Hammond is expected to carry the offence, but how will backup goalie Jeff Bosch and rookie Justin MacDonald perform in net? There are a ton of questions for this team, which features eight rookies. The Thunderwolves will definitely have a different howl this season.
Laurier Golden Hawks
After coming perilously close to missing the playoffs in 2011-12, the Hawks secured the fifth seed last season with a 14-12-2 record. Rookies Trent Hawke and Greg Cerilli each had 11 goals last season and finished second and third respectively in team scoring. Scoring leader Tyler Stothers (11G, 15A) returns for his third season, but Laurier will have to improve on a division-low 83 goals for if they want to make noise in the West division.
Ryerson Rams
A new building didn’t translate into immediate success for the Ryerson Rams. The team struggled in the first half of the season at the Mattamy Athletic Centre, but surged in the second half clinching the eighth playoff spot. Jamie Wise, a former 30-goal scorer in the OHL and midseason addition, was the Rams best player in the second half (14 points in 12 games) and he returns for his first full season. Also back is fifth-year captain Andrew Buck, who was leading the team in scoring prior to a season ending shoulder injury against RMC. Adam Courchaine joins the Rams goaltending platoon after stints in the American and East Coast leagues. He’ll compete with third-year tenders Troy Passingham and Steve Gleeson. Ryerson, along with U of T, has been moved into the OUA West division.
Waterloo Warriors
The sixth seeded Warriors upset the top three teams in the OUA West (Lakehead, Western and Windsor) en route to a West division title. The magic ran out against the UQTR Patriotes in the Queen’s Cup final, but it was still a stellar season for the gold and black. Repeating last season is no easy task, but the Warriors retained OUA scoring leader Justin Larson, (45points in 28 games) and Colin Behenna, who finished fourth with 39 points in 28 games. The offence is potent, but the Warriors need to tighten up defensively (104 goals against in 2012-13) if they want another prolonged run at the Queen’s Cup. The CIS has faith in Waterloo, who open the season at No. 5.
Western Mustangs
The Western Mustangs won the regular season crown with 44 points, but that success didn’t translate to the playoffs as they failed to get out of the second round. Despite the upset, Western enters the season as the No. 3 ranked team in the country, bolstered by a deep offence that led the league in goals. In total, the Mustangs had five point-per-game players last season and three of the league’s top 10 scorers (Matt Clarke, Steve Reese and Zach Harnden). A player to watch this season is second-year forward Daniel Erlich, who had 12 points in five playoff games last year. In goal, Josh Unice posted a 19-5 record, the most wins in the OUA.
Windsor Lancers
The Windsor Lancers took another step forward last season, finishing second in the West division and reaching the third round of the OUA playoffs. Evan Stibbard (18G, 19A) and Spencer Pommells (9G, 29A) avoided the dreaded sophomore slump and Parker Van Buskirk finished the season as a top 10 goalie. The Lancers top three scorers (Stibbard, Pommells and Drew Miller) are all back this season and Palmer will wear the C. It’s a group that has grown together and will likely be near the top of the West division come playoff time.
Toronto Varsity Blues
The Blues play in a new division this season, but will have a very familiar look on the ice. Leading scorer Jeff Brown (14G, 18A) returns along with six of the top seven scorers from last season, minus Kyle Ventura. Goaltender Brett Willows is looking to build on a dynamite season that saw him post a 2.36 GAA and a .930 SV%. Toronto is a physical team and they play with an edge, as evidenced in their 652 penalty minutes last season. That may work for UQTR (who led the league with 709), but it hasn’t bred success for Toronto. A lack of discipline could hold this team back.
York Lions
The Lions took a step backwards in the 2012-13 season, falling to the seventh seed and a .500 record. Unfortunately, that meant a first round date with second-seeded Windsor and a first round sweep. The offensive core of the team remains intact, with last season’s top five scorers all returning. This core is growing together, but OUA life cycles are short and they need a collective breakout this season. Fifth-year winger Jesse Messier has led the team in scoring in the past two seasons, but he enters his final season. Behind Messier is second-year winger Michael Santini (11G, 9A) and third-year forwards Evan Gravenor (6G 13A), Troy Barss (5G 11A) and Tyler McGee (7G 8A).
EAST DIVISION
Carleton Ravens
Carleton grinded their way into the second seed last season and came one goal shy of a Queen’s Cup appearance. The Ravens lost to eventual champions UQTR in heartbreaking fashion, a quadruple overtime loss in the deciding game of the East final. They went as far as they did behind the strong play of rookie Mitch Porowski, who scored 38 points (19G, 19A), essentially replacing the offensive void left by the departure of Brandon MacLean. He’ll be partnered with career point-per-game player Jeff Hayes, as the duo look to push through even further this season.
Concordia Stingers
Concordia missed the postseason for the second year in a row, finishing three points behind the eighth seeded Ryerson Rams. The Stingers racked up some big wins last season, beating Carleton, UQTR and McGill, but consistency was an issue. Concordia’s cause wasn’t helped by a tough schedule, featuring three meetings with McGill and UQTR. George Lovatsis (7G, 12 A) and Dany Potvin (7G, 10A) return in 2013-14, but last season’s leading scorer Etienne Archambault (11G, 10A) will not suit up for the Stingers. Also, keep an eye out for rookie defenceman Adam Nugent-Hopkins, brother of the Edmonton Oilers star Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.
Laurentian Voyageurs
Laurentian is voyaging back into the world of OUA hockey this season, icing a men’s team for the first time since the 1999-2000 season. The team is the youngest in the league, with only one player not in their first year of eligibility, goaltender Alain Valiquette. It will likely be a tough season for Voyageurs, but if Craig Duncanson can keep his team together and grow over the next four years, he’ll have a completive and cohesive squad.
McGill Redmen
After winning three consecutive Queen’s Cups and their first CIS championship in 2011-12, the McGill Redmen experienced a drop-off in 2012-13. The Redmen finished third in the OUA East, but were eliminated by the Nipissing Lakers in the first round of the playoffs. This was largely due to losing six of their top seven scorers from 2011-12, but that is not the case this season. Five of the top six scorers are returning including second-year winger Patrick Delisle-Houde (6G, 18A) and defenceman Ryan McKiernan (8G 13A). Fifth-year goalie Andrew Flemming and rookies Jacob Chouinard and Karel St. Laurent will tend goal for the Redmen.
Nipissing Lakers
The Lakers regressed in the regular season, but took a big step forward in the playoffs, upsetting the McGill Redmen in the first round. They couldn’t repeat against the UQTR Patriotes, but it was a huge accomplishment for the program nonetheless. Leading scorers Connor O’Donnell (10G, 24A) and Grant Toulmin (12G, 11A) are both back for the Lakers and will be integral to taking that next step. Daniel Spence will not return in goal for Nipissing, who are trusting Kirk Rafuse, Matthew Barr and John Chartland with the goaltending duties.
Ottawa Gee-Gees
Ottawa skated to a 16-8-4 record last year and fourth-place finish last season in the East division, only four points out of second place. The Gee-Gees offence scored the second most goals in the division (105) and improved their goal total by 26 from 2011-12. The departure of offensive defenceman Dominic Jalbert (28 points in 26 games) and 2011-12 leading scorer Luc-Olivier Blain might hurt the production, but the team is bringing back six of their top eight scorers. Watch for point-per-game players Guillaume Donovan (32 in 27) and Stephen Blunden (20 in 15) to lead the charge going forward.
Queen’s Gaels
The Gaels improved their standing from eighth to seventh last season, but overall, the team took a step back in both wins and winning percentage. Their seventh place finish was largely due to seven overtime and shootout losses, along with three wins over the eighth place Ryerson Rams. Points leader Kelly Jackson returns, as does goal leader Corey Bureau. Veteran goalie Riley Whitlock played out his eligibility and the goaltending duties will be handed over to net minders Kevin Bailie, Chris Clarke and Ryan Kaszuba, none of whom possess OUA experience. However, Bailie and Clarke both have a junior hockey pedigree, playing for the OHL’s London Knights and QMJHL’s Halifax Mooseheads respectively.
RMC Paladins
RMC endured another tough season as the Paladins skated to a 3-22-3 record and last place in the OUA. There’s no number one draft pick as compensation, so it’ll be a tough road out of the basement. Colin Cook led the team in scoring last season with 15 points (6G, 9A) in 25 games, while Scott Domenico led the Paladins in goals with 11. Goaltender Paul Dorsey should expect to be busy again this season, as he saw a league-high 973 shots last season.
UOIT Ridgebacks
The Ridgebacks returned to the postseason after a brief one-year absence, but were quickly swept by the top-seeded Western Mustangs. At 11-16-1, the Ridgebacks are certainly looking to improve in 2013-14. Tony Rizzi has departed after playing his full eligibility, but UOIT retained last season’s leading scorer Luke Van Moerkerke. For the second straight season, the Ridgebacks have questions in goal, as they have three goalies with 12 OUA games between them. If one of the goalies can have a Brandon Maxwell type season, the Ridgebacks could find themselves on the right side of .500.
UQTR Patriotes
The Patriotes enter the season as the reigning OUA champions, but without reigning OUA East MVP Felix Petit and Pierre-Luc Lessard. Their 74 combined points will be missed, but the Patriotes boast some of the best depth in the league. Returning are Tommy Tremblay (18G, 16A), Billy Lacasse (12G, 15A) and Marc-Oliver Mimar (10G, 12A). Both Guillaume Nadeau and Marc-Antoine Gelinas, return to the crease for UQTR and each goalie posted a winning record last season. Nadeau’s season numbers were better, but Gelinas had an incredible 0.47 GAA in four playoff games. No matter who starts, the Patriotes are set in goal. Also keep an eye on defenceman Pierre-Olivier Morin, who had 17 points (6G, 11A) in 12 games during an abbreviated rookie campaign.
WEST DIVISION
Brock Badgers
After narrowly missing the playoffs last season, the Brock Badgers are looking to return to form in 2013-14. Leading scorer Kaine Geldart (10G, 19A) returns for his fourth season, as does second-leading scorer Thomas Stajan and 2010-11 OUA West rookie of the year Matt Abercrombie. Ryan Purvis, a recruit from the Maritime Junior A League, brings offence and grit to the lineup and scored a goal and an assist in his first game as a Badger. However, for the Badgers to be successful, goaltending and team defence need to improve. All eyes will be on second-year goalie Dalton McGrath to see whether he can take a step forward this season.
Guelph Gryphons
Guelph rebounded for a fourth place finish and second round playoff appearance in 2012-13, but the offseason was not kind to the Gryphs. OUA Rookie of the Year and leading scorer Andrew Bathgate (16G, 16A) and star goaltender Brandon Maxwell (1.92 GAA, .935 SV%, 10-3) both left the team after just one season. While two building blocks are gone, all-star defenceman Ken Peroff is back for another season to anchor the blueline. Bathgate’s points won’t easily be replicated, but second-year centre Nicklas Huard and fourth-year winger James Merrett will do their best to carry the offence.
Lakehead Thunderwolves
Lakehead has been a top-three fixture in the OUA West during the regular season, but that success hasn’t translated to the playoffs. For the second time in three years, the Thunderwolves were swept by the sixth seeded team, losing back-to-back games after going 7-3 down the stretch. A greater area of concern is the amount of changeover this offseason for the T-Wolves. Captain Adam Sergerie, leading scorer Matt Caria and starting goalie Alex Dupuis are all gone this season. Mike Hammond is expected to carry the offence, but how will backup goalie Jeff Bosch and rookie Justin MacDonald perform in net? There are a ton of questions for this team, which features eight rookies. The Thunderwolves will definitely have a different howl this season.
Laurier Golden Hawks
After coming perilously close to missing the playoffs in 2011-12, the Hawks secured the fifth seed last season with a 14-12-2 record. Rookies Trent Hawke and Greg Cerilli each had 11 goals last season and finished second and third respectively in team scoring. Scoring leader Tyler Stothers (11G, 15A) returns for his third season, but Laurier will have to improve on a division-low 83 goals for if they want to make noise in the West division.
Ryerson Rams
A new building didn’t translate into immediate success for the Ryerson Rams. The team struggled in the first half of the season at the Mattamy Athletic Centre, but surged in the second half clinching the eighth playoff spot. Jamie Wise, a former 30-goal scorer in the OHL and midseason addition, was the Rams best player in the second half (14 points in 12 games) and he returns for his first full season. Also back is fifth-year captain Andrew Buck, who was leading the team in scoring prior to a season ending shoulder injury against RMC. Adam Courchaine joins the Rams goaltending platoon after stints in the American and East Coast leagues. He’ll compete with third-year tenders Troy Passingham and Steve Gleeson. Ryerson, along with U of T, has been moved into the OUA West division.
Waterloo Warriors
The sixth seeded Warriors upset the top three teams in the OUA West (Lakehead, Western and Windsor) en route to a West division title. The magic ran out against the UQTR Patriotes in the Queen’s Cup final, but it was still a stellar season for the gold and black. Repeating last season is no easy task, but the Warriors retained OUA scoring leader Justin Larson, (45points in 28 games) and Colin Behenna, who finished fourth with 39 points in 28 games. The offence is potent, but the Warriors need to tighten up defensively (104 goals against in 2012-13) if they want another prolonged run at the Queen’s Cup. The CIS has faith in Waterloo, who open the season at No. 5.
Western Mustangs
The Western Mustangs won the regular season crown with 44 points, but that success didn’t translate to the playoffs as they failed to get out of the second round. Despite the upset, Western enters the season as the No. 3 ranked team in the country, bolstered by a deep offence that led the league in goals. In total, the Mustangs had five point-per-game players last season and three of the league’s top 10 scorers (Matt Clarke, Steve Reese and Zach Harnden). A player to watch this season is second-year forward Daniel Erlich, who had 12 points in five playoff games last year. In goal, Josh Unice posted a 19-5 record, the most wins in the OUA.
Windsor Lancers
The Windsor Lancers took another step forward last season, finishing second in the West division and reaching the third round of the OUA playoffs. Evan Stibbard (18G, 19A) and Spencer Pommells (9G, 29A) avoided the dreaded sophomore slump and Parker Van Buskirk finished the season as a top 10 goalie. The Lancers top three scorers (Stibbard, Pommells and Drew Miller) are all back this season and Palmer will wear the C. It’s a group that has grown together and will likely be near the top of the West division come playoff time.
Toronto Varsity Blues
The Blues play in a new division this season, but will have a very familiar look on the ice. Leading scorer Jeff Brown (14G, 18A) returns along with six of the top seven scorers from last season, minus Kyle Ventura. Goaltender Brett Willows is looking to build on a dynamite season that saw him post a 2.36 GAA and a .930 SV%. Toronto is a physical team and they play with an edge, as evidenced in their 652 penalty minutes last season. That may work for UQTR (who led the league with 709), but it hasn’t bred success for Toronto. A lack of discipline could hold this team back.
York Lions
The Lions took a step backwards in the 2012-13 season, falling to the seventh seed and a .500 record. Unfortunately, that meant a first round date with second-seeded Windsor and a first round sweep. The offensive core of the team remains intact, with last season’s top five scorers all returning. This core is growing together, but OUA life cycles are short and they need a collective breakout this season. Fifth-year winger Jesse Messier has led the team in scoring in the past two seasons, but he enters his final season. Behind Messier is second-year winger Michael Santini (11G, 9A) and third-year forwards Evan Gravenor (6G 13A), Troy Barss (5G 11A) and Tyler McGee (7G 8A).
