Season finale ends with four goals in final three minutes

Losing 5-2 last Wednesday and then 5-4 in overtime the Friday following to UQTR Patriotes, and then wrapping up the season in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Ottawa Gee Gees on Sunday, the Stingers will be hanging up their skates. For the first time since 2003, the Concordia Stingers men’s hockey team will not participate in the playoffs.
On Wednesday, the Patriotes scored first amidst a disputed goal that eventually was allowed after the referee and goal judge consulted. It didn’t help the Stinger cause when the Patriotes scored on a shot from the point with under 10 minutes to go.
Stingers goalie Patrick Lepage made some much need stops and that confidence carried on into the second, even when the Patriotes banged in their third goal to make it 3-0. The Stingers rebounded quickly, and scored just 20 seconds later on forward Marc-André Element’s wrist shot from inside the Patriote blue line.
That goal gave the Stingers a much-needed push, and with 6:53 remaining in the second, Stingers defenceman Andrew Palombaro knocked one in, making the game 3-2.
The Patriotes managed to take the lead halfway through the third period, and scored again to secure a 5-2 win with just over a minute remaining in the game.
Friday’s game started off with Stingers captain Trevor Blanchard nearly scored a shorthanded goal just a minute into the first. Blanchard streaked up the wing and shot, but was denied by the Patriote goalie. The Patriotes responded with a power play goal 2:35 into the first, with only six seconds left on the Stingers penalty.
Stingers goaltender Maxime Joyal was on him game, making some key saves and giving his team a chance to get into the game. Concordia took advantage of his strong net minding, and Blanchard put Concordia on the scoreboard scoring over a sprawling Patriote goalie.
Concordia took the lead just 40 seconds later. On a play that developed into a 3 on 2, a pass feathered across the paint to Nicolas Lafontaine who hammered it home while the goalie was still squared to Gabriel Boies, who was skating full steam up the centre.
A dangerous hit from behind left Stingers Simon-Pierre Sauve lying on the ice for several moments. Sauve would eventually leave the ice with the help of his teammates, and would not return for the remaining two periods.
It was looking good for Concordia when just 1:22 into the second period, powerhouse blueliner Jesse Goodsell fired one that rocketed right above the Patriotes goaltender. The lead seemed to give the Stingers too much confidence, and their play became sloppy. UQTR was able to close in on the game with a goal that just squeaked by Joyal, making it 3-2. On a weird bounce with just over two minutes remaining in the third, UQTR shot a puck that hopped over Joyal’s glove and tied the game at three.
The Stingers gained the lead again early in the third. Line mates Mike Baslyk and Marc-André Rizk teamed up for a tic-tac-toe play, scoring a shorthanded goal to make the score 4-3. The Patriotes tied it soon after, on an easy backhand goal that went five-hole on Joyal.
The Stingers forced overtime, successfully killing a 5 on 3 Patriote power play. With just 1:11 remaining, the Stingers coughed up the puck resulting in a lone Patriotes sniper swooping in and giving his team the victory.
“I thought we worked really well tonight, the defencemen did a great job,” Joyal said. “We have great chemistry. It was a fun game to play, it’s easy to be confident in that situation,” he said.
The Stingers finished their season with a 4-3 loss against the Ottawa Gee-Gees on Sunday. After a 3-hour delay because the officials failed to show, Concordia gained a two-goal lead by the end of the second period.
Things were looking good, until the final moments of the third period. The Gee-Gees scored with just 2:37 left on the clock, and scored again a minute later to tie the game with 1:19 left. Concordia gained the lead 16 seconds later, scoring with 1:03 left. The Gee-Gees pulled their goalie and were able to score a tying goal with just three seconds left.
The game went to a shootout with the lone goal going to Ottawa forward Yanick Charron capping off a 4-3 victory.

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