CIS men's hockey Wednesday roundup: Rams win big in OUA playoff series opener over No. 10 UQTR

OTTAWA - With only four days to prepare for their first round matchup against the Nipissing Lakers, the uOttawa Gee-Gees took to their home ice in impressive fashion on Wednesday evening, downing the Lakers 5-2 in the opening game of the OUA East quarter finals.

The Gee-Gees lived up to their name and wasted no time setting the pace against the Lakers, scoring just one minute and 45 seconds into the opening frame with a rebound goal from Gee-Gee captain Matthieu Methot (Ottawa, Ont.), who was questionable heading into the match-up.

However, Lakers forward Sam Hopewell had a very quick answer for the home town crowd just 57 seconds later. Hopewell scored in similar fashion to the Gee-Gees, pouncing on a point shot rebound that just trickled in past Gee-Gees starting Goaltender Russell Abbott (Mill Bay, B.C.).

First year Gee-Gee forward Alexandre Touchette (Gatineau, Que.) had a stand out performance for the home team, scoring a hat trick in his first playoff game in the garnet and grey livery. Touchette tallied the second, fourth, and fifth goals for the Gee-Gees, who, due to their depleted bench, were in need of a breakout performance.

“It is definitely hard when you’re down that many players,” explained Touchette. “But this is the playoffs; guys need to step up and I think we did a great job doing that.”

Gee-Gees head coach Réal Paiement was quick to credit forwards Guillaume Donovan (Gatineau, Que.) and Touchette for their strong play in the opening game.

“Both of them used their speed and quickness, and they battled very smart and hard,” explained Paiement. “They were able to get out from the battles with the puck and counter attack with their speed, which gave their defence problems.”

It was Stephen Blunden (Ottawa, Ont.) who notched the game winner for the Gee-Gees though, who came streaking in at the tail end of a Gee-Gee odd-man rush, picked up the bouncing puck and wired a wrist shot upstairs past Laker goaltender Daniel Spence.

The Lakers would manage to add a second goal late in the final frame, but it was too little too late for a Laker team that heads back to North Bay down early in the three game series.

Gee-Gee goaltender Abbott backstopped the Gee-Gees in solid fashion, turning aside 19 Laker shots on the evening. In one instance, Abbott was sprawled out and out of position on a wide open Laker, but miraculously made the stop on a sure goal.

“Russell was able to make the difference on a lot of turnovers that we gave up,” coach Paiment said. “He played a very solid game for us, which we needed.”

Game two will be played in North Bay on Friday, February 17, at Memorial Gardens. The Lakers, who boasted a 10-4 record at their home rink in the regular season, will be looking to use that home ice advantage to get them back in the short series.

“We know that it is going to be difficult in North Bay. It’s a different rink and a much different atmosphere,” said Paiement. “Nipissing has a very good team, so we are going to have to be close to perfect when we go there.”

Source: Ottawa Sports Info

MONTREAL - Benoit Levesque, a sophomore from Vaudreuil, capped a three-goal rally with the eventual game-winner at 6:43 of the second period as the No.2-ranked McGill men's hockey team skated to a 3-2 victory over Queen's in the opening game of the OUA East quarter-finals at McConnell Arena, Wednesday.

McGill, which has won 20 consecutive games over their rivals from Kingston, Ont., leads the best-of-three series 1-0.

Jonathan Lawrance of Steinbach, Man., opened the scoring for the Gaels but McGill roared back with markers from defenceman Ryan McKiernan of White Plains, N.Y., Christophe Longpre-Poirier of Longueuil and Levesque to lead 3-1.  Gaels forward Jordan Mirwaldt of Winnipeg made it 3-2 midway through the second stanza.

The Redmen had a 32-21 edge in shots as netminder Hubert Morin, a senior from St. Georges de Beauce, registered the win. Gaels veteran Riley Whitlock took the loss.

Game 2 is slated for Kingston on Friday at 7:20 p.m. If a rubber match is needed, it will be back at McConnell Arena on Sunday at 7 p.m.

Source: McGill Sports Info

OTTAWA - The Carleton Ravens men’s hockey team picked up right where it left off in the regular season, hammering the Toronto Varsity Blues 6-2 at the Ice House in game one of the best-of-three playoff series.

Five different Ravens scored and goaltender Matthew Dopud (Pointe-Claire, Que.) made 32 saves for the win.

Ravens captain Brandon MacLean (Burlington, Ont.) opened the scoring six minutes into the first with a one-timer in the slot, and Ryan Berard (Niagara Falls, Ont.) made it 2-0 late in the period.

The Ravens stormed out in the second. Forward Andrew Glass (Wrentham, Mass.) streaked down the right wing around a Varsity Blues defender and sniped the puck top shelf on goaltender Garrett Sheehan (Cremona, Alta.) less than a minute into the frame to open up a three-goal lead.

But the Varsity Blues worked their way back. Tyler Liukkonen (Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.) connected just four seconds into a power play midway through the period. Cassidy Preston (North Bay, Ont.) narrowed the deficit to one just over a minute later.

But Jeff Hayes (Ottawa) restored Carleton’s two-goal lead late in the second with a power play goal, and the Ravens never looked back.

Hayes would add another goal 50 seconds into the third. Shane Bakker (Navan, Ont.) continued his goal-scoring tear when he found the back of the net midway through the third to cap off the victory.

The teams will meet again Saturday, Feb. 18 in Toronto for game two. Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m.

Source: Carleton Sports Info

GUELPH, Ont. - The Guelph Gryphon’s men’s hockey team took on the Lakehead Thunderwolves tonight (Feb 15th) in Guelph for the first of the best of three OUA West Division play-offs. The Gryphons were trailing behind the Thunderwolves for much of the game until they turned it around with a major comeback finishing 5-4.

JT MacDonald (Niagara Falls, ON) led the Gryphons with a hat-trick, along with a goal from both Kris Belan (Florence, ON) and Justin Gvora (Thunder Bay, ON).

The game started out with a Gryphon advantage after an early goal was pocketed by MacDonald with an assist from Marco Franchini (Woodbridge, ON) at 2:29. Midway through the first the Thunderwolves tied up the game with a goal from Devin Welsh (Winnipeg, ON) after firing past Gryphon goalie Cody St. Jacques (Iroquois Falls, ON).

With only two minutes and thirty seconds left on the board the Thunderwolves took the lead with a goal from Thomas Frazee (Vancouver, BC). In the aftermath of their second goal, the Thunderwolves managed to work their way past Gryphon defence once more and Jake Carrick (Stoufville, ON) grabbed another before the whistle blew.

The Gryphons entered the second period knowing they had a lot of work to do. Lakehead put one more goal on the board at 6:47 after Ryan Magill (Thunder Bay, ON) managed to slip the puck behind St Jacques before he could respond.

Midway through the Gryphons had a 5-to-3 man advantage after penalties against Lakehead for roughing were called, but they couldn’t make use of it. Minutes later the Gryphons finally broke the dry spell with a great play set up by Matthew Lyall (Richmond Hill, ON) and Edward Gale (Keswick, ON) outside the Thunderwolves’ net on a power-play, giving Belan the perfect shot. 

Only seconds later MacDonald had a breakaway down the left wing, fired into the top-shelf, and scored his second of the night. At the end of the second period the score sat at 4-3 for the Thunderwolves and the Gryphons were back in the game.

At only 1:23 in the third Guelph managed to tie up the score. Barrett Brook (Leduc, AB) got hold of the puck as he was just inside the blue line, and he passed to Gvora who was perfectly positioned outside the net. In one swift movement Gvora deflected the puck in, reigniting the Gryphon’s confidence.

At 6:29 the Gryphons finally overtook the Thunderwolves with a hat-trick from MacDonald leaving the score 5-4 in Guelph’s advantage. The last few minutes of the game were intense with the Thunderwolves determined to redeem the score, but they couldn’t break through Gryphon defence before the clock ran out.

With the first game of the best of three in the bag, the Gryphons are going on the road to Thunder Bay for game two on Feb. 17th against Lakehead. The game begins at 730pm.  If game three is necessary it will be in Thunder Bay on Saturday (Feb. 18) at 7:30 p.m.

Source: Guelph Sports Info

TORONTO- Greg Payne scored two goals and added a pair of assists as the Ryerson Rams defeated the No. 10 UQTR Patriotes 9-2 in game one of the best-of-best OUA East quarter-final.

The Rams were dominant from the first face-off, quickly going up by two by the 1:40 mark of the opening frame on goals from Kelly Geoffrey (Newmarket, Ont.) and Jason Kelly (Toronto).

Two more tallies in the middle of the first had the men holding a 4-0 lead at the end of the first period.  However, with UQTR being the highest scoring team throughout the regular season, averaging 4.5 goals per game, a four-goal lead did not ensure a victory for the men.

But after a double-minor high-sticking penalty was taken by Maxime Robichaud at the beginning of the second, the Rams took full advantage by tallying back-to-back goals on the power-play to spread the lead to 6-0.

A short-handed marker by Payne (Thornhill, Ont.) after Ryerson killed off a 5-on-3 UQTR power-play iced the contest midway through the second.

Captain Andrew Buck (Newmarket, Ont.) tallied three assists, as 14 different Rams got on the scoresheet Wednesday night.  Troy Passingham (Mississauga) stopped 36 of 38 shots in the victory.  Ryerson went 3-for-9 with the power-play, while UQTR was 1-of-7.

The men take a 1-0 series lead, and will look to sweep the Patriotes this Saturday in Trois-Rivières, Que. on Saturday afternoon.  The game will get underway at 2:00 p.m.

Source: Ryerson Sports Info