Puck drops on ConU hockey season

The Concordia Stingers men’s hockey team lost their season opener at home, falling 4-3 in a close game against the Brock Badgers.
“Hands down, the best player on the ice was the Brock goalie” said Stingers head coach Kevin Figsby. “We were around the net a lot and we didn’t capitalize.”
While coach Figsby was happy with his top line of Marc-Andre Rizk, Mike Baslyk and Trevor Blanchard, he was still disappointed in the
outcome of the game.
“Some players were just not playing up to par with their own standards,” he said, “Every guy has to be ready to play every night. It’s unfortunate that we didn’t get some of those performances tonight.”
Newly appointed captain Blanchard certainly played up to his own expectations and that of the coach’s, potting the opening goal of the season with 3:23 left in the first period.
“He’s one of the best leaders we’ve ever had in this program,” coach Figsby said, “His performance just shone on the ice today. He said he’d get the first one, and he jumps over the boards and puts the puck in the net. What more could you ask for?”
The Stingers left the first period with a 1-0 lead against the Badgers. A highlight-reel goal occurred at 2:33 into the second period, when Simon Pierre Sauve was tripped and managed to score while going
headfirst into the net. Another goal came soon after when Blanchard picked a Badger pocket and found Rizk by the net with just under ten minutes to go in the second.
Brock retaliated with a goal of their own just thirty seconds after the Stingers celebrated their third.With 8:32 left to go in the second, the puck found its way back into the Stingers’ net to make it 3-2. The Badgers went on to record two more goals in the third period, the game-winner coming on a powerplay with Nicolas Lafontaine sent to the sin bin for tripping.
The game on Saturday saw a
better ending for the Stingers, with a final score of 4-3 in overtime.
Guelph opened the scoring on a powerplay goal at the end of the first. The Stingers responded with their own powerplay goal a minute later when Mike Baslyk found an open net. With just over three minutes to go in the first the Gryphons retaliated and went five-hole on unsuspecting goalie Patrick Lepage to make the score 2-1. The lead wouldn’t last long though, with two minutes to go a scuffle in front of the net tossed the puck to veteran winger Corey Ruhnke, who poked it through to tie the game at the end of the first.
Chippy play ensued in the second period, with Guelph defenceman Barrett Brook getting a five minute major and a game misconduct for a check from behind. Mike Baslyk recorded his second goal of the night on a powerplay with 3:17 left to go in the second. A minute later, rookie Renaud Des Alliers was issued a similar penalty as Brook, with a five minute major and a game misconduct for another hit from behind.
Guelph scored early in the third period to tie the game at 3-3. It eventually went into overtime with Blanchard potting the winning goal, shorthanded, with twenty-eight seconds left in overtime.
“A few guys were down after the opening-game loss,” Blanchard said, “The win in overtime this game was huge. We’re off for a few days now, but the guys will be thinking about that win rather than the loss. We’re going to have all the confidence in the world for our next game.”
The Stingers hit the road for the next few weeks, playing Carleton University before returning home to face McGill Oct. 21. The game against McGill, the Corey Cup, will be played at 3 p.m. at the Bell Centre.