A look at the second half of Concordia’s hockey and basketball seasons
A new year is upon us which means a full year of Concordia Stingers sports is on the horizon. During the winter season, two sports stand out at Concordia: hockey and basketball. While our hockey and basketball teams are nearly halfway through their seasons, here is a preview of what you can expect from these teams in the first half of 2017.
Women’s Hockey
After the first 11 games of the season, the Concordia Stingers women’s hockey team is currently sitting at a record of 4-6-1. The team’s slow start can be attributed to the fact the team has had trouble finding the back of the net.
The Stingers scored 30 goals in 11 games and allowed 30, which is unsustainable if they want to win more games. In the Réseau du sports étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) division, the Stingers are ranked fourth out of five teams in goals for and third in goals against.
The Stingers have also had trouble in net as both goaltenders, Briar Bache and Katherine Purchase, have save percentages below 90 per cent, which is typically the standard where goalies should be. Purchase, who is the team’s primary goalie, has a goals against average of 2.77, while Bache has a goals against average of 2.62.
The Stingers, who are currently holding on to the last playoff spot in their division, will need to pick up their play as two of the league’s top teams—the Université de Montréal Carabins and the McGill Martlets—are in their division.
Men’s Hockey
The Stingers men’s hockey team, on the other hand, is off to one of their best starts in years, as the team boasts an 14-5 record through 19 games this season. Thanks to great goaltending from rookie Philippe Cadorette and timely offensive production from captain Olivier Hinse and rookie forward Anthony Deluca, the Stingers have been one of the most impressive teams in the east division this year.
In a division with powerhouses like the Queen’s Golden Gaels, the McGill Redmen and the Université de Québec à Trois-Rivières Patriotes, the Stingers have proved themselves to be a formidable foe and currently sit in third place out of ten teams in the division.
Cadorette, who played in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League last year, has posted a 2.60 goals against average and a save percentage of 91.6 per cent. He has been in goal for 11 of the team’s 14 wins this season and, since goaltending was an issue last season, his play has made a big difference.
Meanwhile, Hinse has 17 goals and nine assists while Deluca has 16 goals and 12 assists.
If the Stingers keep up their play in the second half of the season, the team will be poised to make a long playoff run.
Women’s Basketball
The Concordia Stingers women’s basketball team was off to a slow start this season, with a record of 2-4 after five games. However, the Stingers are nowhere close to being out of the playoff race, as they are tied for third in the division with McGill who also has a record of 2-4.
The team is currently ranked 37th out of 50 teams in U Sports in points per game with 58.7. The Stingers have also struggled in terms of shooting percentage. Their field goal percentage is at 33 per cent, which puts them in 43rd place in the league.
While the team has struggled, the array of veterans and talented players could prove to make a difference in the second half of the season.
Guard Richelle Grégoire is a player to watch as she leads the team in points per game with 16.5. Grégoire has been a force with the Stingers over the last five years and her presence could be a huge factor in the team’s turnaround.
Also, look for fifth-year guards Tamara Pinard-Devos and Marilyse Roy-Viau to make an impact as well in the final stretch of the season, as their veteran presence could provide the team with some leadership down the stretch.
Men’s Basketball
Led by head coach Rastko Popovic, the Concordia Stingers men’s basketball team is currently tied for fourth in the RSEQ division. They have a record of 3-3 and are tied with the UQAM Citadins who also hase a 3-3 record. Laval and McGill are atop the stadings as each have a record of 4-2.
The team is ranked 44th out of 49 in the league in terms of points per game with 68.2. Where the team has really thrived is on defence. The team is ranked second in the league in steals with 11 per game. They have also allowed an average of 72.3 points per game which puts them 10th in the league in that category.
Fourth-year guard Ken Beaulieu has led the team this season with 11.6 points per game and has received support from players like rookie forward Olivier Simon, guard Nicholas Noble, guard Henderson Charles and point guard Ricardo Monge.
If the team’s best players continue to up their offensive production while remaining tight on defence, the Stingers will remain a force to be reckoned with in the later half of the season.