Forward Anthony Beauregard scores hat-trick against the Brock Badgers
The Concordia Stingers men’s hockey team grinded out a 5-3 victory over the Brock Badgers in their home opener on Oct. 20.
“Intensity, skating and speed: that’s what it takes to win,” said head coach Marc-André Élement. “Every night is going to be a battle.”
The Stingers came out of the gate in the first period with intensity and speed, but three penalties late in the period slowed them down. Goalie Marc-Antoine Turcotte kept his team in the game with 14 saves in the first period.
“He’s been nothing short of spectacular for us since the beginning,” said Stingers captain Philippe Hudon, who finished the game with three assists.
Hudon was in a gleeful mood after the match as it was his first home game at the Ed Meagher Arena as team captain. “Nothing short [of] great,” he said.
The second period opened with two quick Stingers power-play goals that came 48 seconds apart from veteran forward Scott Oke and sophomore winger Anthony Beauregard. However, three minutes later, the Badgers answered with two quick goals from Mitch Nardi and Brandon O’Quinn, coming 23 seconds apart. Nonetheless, the veteran Stingers kept the team focused after blowing the 2-0 lead.
“We have great leaders on our team, like Dominic Beauchemin and Phil Hudon,” Beauregard said. “They are like our grandfathers, reminding us whenever things go bad that it’s just hockey.”
That relaxed mentality paid dividends for the Stingers, especially Beauregard. The second-year player netted a hat-trick, including the game-winning goal and received first star honours. “It felt good, but the most important thing was the [win],’” Beauregard said. “But we need to be better tomorrow.”
The game was a physical and chippy affair. Beauregard said he felt the team needed to be more disciplined. The Stingers took nine minor penalties in the contest, however, were a perfect nine for nine on the penalty kill. The Badgers also had their fair share of infractions, with 13 minor penalties.
“We got out of hand when it came to controlling our emotions,” Hudon said. “That’s something we have to work on […] We’ve got to remain cool and calm.”
“The refs did a good job on both sides tonight,” coach Élement said. “I wasn’t happy about the last penalty, but I wasn’t unhappy with the ref—I was unhappy that my player would take that penalty.”
The Badgers certainly had trouble controlling their emotions near the end of the game. Brock players Skylar Pacheco and Nardi were both ejected from the game in the third period. The Stingers did not engage in the extracurriculars in the third period as they knew they had a lead to protect.
The Stingers men’s hockey team’s next game is Oct. 21 at home against the Guelph Gryphons, who are coming off of a 7-4 loss to the McGill Redmen.
Main photo by Mackenzie Lad.
