Concordia’s rugby teams aced their final exams with near flawless seasons
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Report cards for Stingers varsity squads
Author: Tim Lazier
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What you need to know about your teams
A look at what is, and what’s to come, for sports around Montreal as we head into the summer
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Preaching perseverance to reach the podium
Four-time Olympic medallist spoke about his journey as part of the Red Bull Athlete Tour
Charles Hamelin was 17 years old when he began to dominate the podium in short track speed skating. Before that, he’d never imagined a future of Olympic stardom. He never imagined that he would be racing against the fastest skaters in the world one day. And he certainly never imagined that he’d capture an Olympic gold medal on home soil, let alone twice. However, thanks to the support of his father and relationship with his brother, he never gave up on the sport—and it’s a good thing he didn’t.
On Wednesday, March 25, the four-time Olympic medallist visited Concordia University as a part of the Red Bull Athlete Tour. For the past couple weeks, Hamelin has been making his way through local universities such as Laval, Queen’s and George Brown College to share his experience and Olympic journey with students.
Growing up in Sainte-Julie, Hamelin is still amazed by how quickly his career took off. When he was 10, Hamelin and his younger brother François first tried the sport on a whim. Their father Yves, who is now the director of the Canadian short track program, encouraged his boys to stick with it. Although Yves never raced competitively himself, he was always there to help in any way he could.
Hamelin says the constant year-to-year improvement is one of the reasons why he began to flourish on the ice. As other racers had reached their peak by their late teens, Hamelin was just starting to realize his potential.
Turning 31 in less than two weeks, Hamelin first arrived on the World Championship stage when he was 20 years old. At his first World Championship competition in Beijing in 2005, Hamelin won a gold medal as a part of the men’s 5000-metre relay team, as well as a silver medal in the 500-metre race.
The following year, Hamelin got his first whiff of Olympic competition. Although his individual races did not go as well as he had hoped, Hamelin won his first Olympic medal after Canada’s 5000-metre relay team finished second.
Having cemented himself as a future star in the sport after his success at the World Championships and in his Olympic debut, Hamelin knew that the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver was his can’t-miss opportunity.
“In front of the home crowd, [the] expectations were high,” he said. “Canada wanted to be number one in medals.”
Hamelin trained vigorously for the next few years in the lead-up to the Vancouver games. He had learned to overcome the mental stress that came with racing on international stages and, as he began to accumulate more and more World Championship medals in the process, Hamelin knew that he had reached his peak by the time the Vancouver Olympics were set to begin.
The day of Hamelin’s 500-metre sprint and 5000-metre relay race in Vancouver was one that he will never forget.
“When I woke up, there was something different about that day,” he said. “[I felt] almost unbeatable.”
Hamelin remembers everything about that day and every aspect of his back-to-back races. What the energy of the crowd felt like, how every stride seemed to hug the ice surface, how composed he was in the midst of madness and how he felt standing on the top of the podium with his brother after it was all over.
By the time Hamelin’s day was done, he had captured two gold medals in front of thousands of screaming fans and an entire nation gleaming with pride—both within the span 30 minutes.
“That was the greatest moment of my career,” he said. “Still the best day of my life.”
After earning another gold in Sochi during the 2014 games, Hamelin is still chasing Olympic glory. He plans to skate again at the 2018 Olympics in South Korea, admitting that it will be his final competition as a professional speed skater. It’s the passion that Hamelin holds for the sport that keeps him motivated. He told the students in attendance that the most important thing is the day-to-day goals that he sets for himself. The Olympics only come every four years; if Hamelin wasn’t motivated to work every day on his craft, than he would not have the hardware to show for it.
“If you believe in yourself, you can do anything,” he said.
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Sports in the news
Your weekly sports roundup for the week ending March 31st, 2015.
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Sports in the News
Your weekly roundup of sports news ending March 24rd, 2015.
Bracket Buster
It is (nearly) impossible to perfectly predict a NCAA March Madness basketball tournament bracket. Heading into the tournament, ESPN had reportedly 11.57 million bracket entries. After the last game had been played on Saturday, March 21, none of those brackets remained intact. The madness and bracket-busting began early on Thursday when two No. 3 seeds Iowa State and Baylor were upset by No. 14 seeds University of Alabama-Birmingham and Georgia State, respectively. According to mashable.com, all your pre-tournament scouting and analysis to come up with a perfect bracket won’t help you. The website estimates that the odds of predicting every game correctly is 9.2 quintillion to one. If you’re a gambler, you have better chances of winning the Mega Millions lottery twice in a row.
Max Verstappen to the max
Get ready to feel bad about yourself. Remember that first solo drive when you got your full license? You had just passed your test and were ready to take on the world, right? Well, last Sunday, March 15, Max Verstappen just put us all to shame. The 17-year-old became the youngest professional driver in Formula 1 history when he took part in the Australian Grand Prix. Verstappen still hasn’t registered for his regular driver license, yet he’s already competing against 20 of the world’s best drivers. In the season’s first race, Verstappen made his debut with the Toro Rosso team. Although he didn’t finish the race due to engine failure, there will be many more opportunities for the phenom to shine. The next stop on the F1 schedule is the Malaysian Grand Prix this Sunday, March 29.
Nash retires from NBA
Canada’s most renowned NBA star, Steve Nash, retired on Saturday, March 21, announced TSN. Nash, 41, is from Victoria, B.C. and played 18 years in the league, 10 of which were for the Phoenix Suns. During his time on the court, Nash won two MVP awards and was selected for eight All-Star teams. According to TSN, the point guard played in a total of 1,217 games and accumulated 17,387 points throughout his career. Nash was most known for his playmaking ability and he now sits third in all-time assists with 10,335. Before the current NBA season was set to begin, Nash was advised to sit out due to severe nerve damage in his back. It was an injury that had plagued Nash for the past two seasons, limiting his play to only 45 games. During the prime of his career, Nash was one of the games brightest stars.
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There is no offseason in the NFL
The free agency period is just another reminder that the NFL is one of a kind
The National Football League (NFL) is a machine. A well-oiled, money-spewing, diabolically-engineered corporation that puts all of the other professional sports leagues to shame. It is the league of all leagues and there is no end in sight.
This past year was probably the darkest period in league history. Highlighted by Ray Rice’s disturbing saga, trials and stories of domestic violence owned the headlines for most of the preseason. But once the ball was snapped and people tuned into Sunday afternoon football, all the uproar generated by off-field antics simmered to a hush.
Because hey, football was back!
Yes, people demanded that justice be served and those involved be punished, but there’s no reason to stop watching. Right?
On Tuesday, March 10, the NFL’s new 2015-2016 season officially began with the commencing of the free agency period at 4 p.m. And oh, what an opening act it was for the NFL and its teams.
Even before the clock struck 4 p.m., there were three trades in a matter of five minutes. The biggest blockbuster of them all came between the Seattle Seahawks and the New Orleans Saints. The Saints all-star tight end Jimmy Graham was sent packing to Seattle in exchange for a first-round pick and veteran offensive tackle Max Unger. It was a made-for-Twitter event that had NFL analysts scrambling and fans craving more. Just when you thought the football season was over, the NFL machine reminded us all that football season is never really over.
Since the market officially opened a week ago, there have been over 130 transactions, involving free agent signings, unrestricted free agent signings and trades. Not all of them have included household names, but that’s not the point. There is nothing “off” about the NFL offseason and it comes down to league scheduling. Meticulously thought out scheduling that ensures that the big, bad NFL always remains in the spotlight.
One of the things that makes the NFL so marketable is that it has become a business that is open 365 days a year. Less than two months ago, the New England Patriots were crowned Super Bowl XLIX champions and it seemed that the world was ready to say goodbye to football, at least for a little while. Doesn’t that seem like another lifetime? Since then, the NFL has had its 2015 Scouting Combine from Feb. 17–23. This was a week-long event that was held in Indianapolis, where 300 of the latest batch of college prospects show off their skills and test their physical limits before the eyes of team scouts and coaches.
Now, by the time the outburst of free agency cools off, sports fanatics should have a little much-needed rest from football, right? Sorry, try again.
The NFL and its minions will crank out hype and speculation over the upcoming rookie draft that will be held in Chicago from April 30 to May 2. If you don’t think that you will get sucked into the vortex that is draft hype than you’re just kidding yourself. Don’t tell me that you haven’t already peeked at a mock draft to see who your team will snag in the first round. It’s what the NFL does best; it’s not your fault.
Roger Goodell, the NFL’s commissioner, was ridiculed for the way he mishandled last season’s off-field disasters. Investigations were launched and many people questioned whether or not Goodell was fit for the job anymore. But, in terms of profit, no other league’s commissioner has done better than Goodell. Last offseason, the league announced that the 2013-2014 season had brought in approximately $9.5 billion in revenue, according to Bloomberg. The numbers are not out yet for last season, but don’t be surprised if they reach double digits.
After the draft in May and with Goodell at the wheel, the NFL will turn on cruise control and motor its way into the summer. The early months are the only real downtime in the NFL, so enjoy the silence while you can. Just when you think it’s gone, teams report to training camp by late July and the S.S. NFL will continue to steam into the fall and schedule for another successful season. It’s best to not get in its way; it tends to run over the competition.
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Sports in the News
Get ready for the Madness
It’s the craziest annual tournament that all of sports has to offer, and it’s fast approaching. Is it underrated in Canada? Absolutely. But watch a couple games of this year’s NCAA March Madness basketball tournament and you’ll be hooked for years to come. Many of you may be skeptical because basketball isn’t our favourite sport in the Great White North, but it’s a nationwide tournament that is built on dramatic finishes and Cinderella stories. With regular seasons wrapping up this past week, 64 of America’s top-ranked college basketball programs will take part in the do-or-die tournament that begins on March 19 and runs until April 6. Whether you are already a fan of the tournament or not, make a bracket, create a pool with your friends and watch the madness unfold. You won’t be disappointed.
Will Ferrell takes to the diamond
Even if you aren’t a fan of his movies, seeing Will Ferrell stumble around the baseball diamond in his naturally goofy fashion is enough to make anyone chuckle. Spring training is in mid-swing and Major League Baseball (MLB) is getting ready for its opening day on April 6. On Thursday, March 12, Ferrell suited-up for 10 different teams and played in five separate spring training games around Arizona. The Dodgers, Padres, Giants, White Sox, Reds, Diamondbacks, Cubs, Angels, Mariners and Athletics welcomed the comedian for brief stints throughout their games. Ferrell played all nine positions during the day and brought a little laughter to the ballparks. Although he won’t be cracking the roster of any professional teams anytime soon, his shenanigans were all for a good cause. This was for his comedy website Funny Or Die, which is part of a HBO special. His gear and memorabilia from the day will be auctioned off on MLB.com with all proceeds going to Cancer for College and Stand Up to Cancer.
Back on track?
The Habs were in dire need of a victory as they headed to New York on Saturday night to face the Islanders. The first two weeks of March were not the Canadiens’ most impressive stretch throughout the season. Before their matchup in Long Island, Montreal had lost five of its last six games. While Carey Price continues to have an MVP-calibre season, the team’s offence has let them down. Throughout their slump, the Habs were shut out three times and only managed to score six goals. On Saturday however, the Habs beat the Islanders 3-1 and seemed to be clicking as a unit. With 12 games left in the season, the team is hoping that they don’t have to rely on Price as much. Fans and players alike are hoping they carry the momentum into the playoffs.
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Stingers swept from post-season play
Concordia’s women’s hockey team dropped back-to-back games vs. Université de Montréal
Concordia’s hockey season has officially come to a close for the Stingers varsity teams. While McGill trumped the men’s hockey team a couple weeks ago, the women’s squad was eliminated from the post-season after being swept by the Montréal Carabins on Saturday, Feb. 28.
Game 1
The best-of-three series began on Thursday, Feb. 26 when the team travelled to Université de Montréal. The Carabins had the Stingers’ number all year as they swept the season series 4-0 against Concordia. In game one, the Carabins jumped out to the early 1-0 lead and would not give Concordia’s offence the chance to answer. The game stayed 1-0 throughout most of the contest, until the Carabins extended their lead early in the third period. After securing the 2-0 victory in game one, Montréal forced Concordia into an elimination game on Saturday. Win, or the Stingers’ season was over.
Game 2
The Carabins crowd and Stinger supporters filled the Ed Meagher Arena on Saturday to watch what was ultimately Concordia’s last game of the season. The visiting crowd was boisterous as they chanted “Aller les bleus!” throughout the game. The electricity of the crowd fueled the play on the ice, as both teams were energetic from the get-go.
Just under four minutes into the first period, the Carabins scored first on a goal that Concordia’s all-star rookie goaltender Katherine Purchase wished she could have had back. A bouncing puck that came off of the stick of Montreal’s Janique Duval squeaked past Purchase to give the Carabins the 1-0 lead.
Momentum was with Montréal early in the game as just two minutes after their opening goal, the Carabins drew back-to-back penalties. With a two-man advantage, the Carabins’ power play went to work.
Montréal forward Marion Allemoz found the back of the net for the Carabins’ second goal to quiet the home supporters. In a total of three minutes, and with the help of some untimely penalties, the Carabins were in complete control of the game.
“We took a dumb penalty in the first period, gave them a five-on-three on a call that I thought was cheesy,” said Stingers head coach Les Lawton after the game. “They took advantage of it and we just couldn’t battle back as hard as we tried, couldn’t get the puck behind the goalie.”
The Carabins were outshooting the Stingers 5-1 midway through the first but the Stingers did not give up that easily. If not for the undisciplined play and momentary lapse by the Stingers in the first period, the final scoreboard could have been different.
The second period belonged to the Stingers as the home team desperately tried to keep their season alive. Concordia applied the pressure right from the puck drop. The Stingers spent most of the opening 10 minutes in the Carabins’ zone, but couldn’t beat their defence. By the latter half of the period, the Stingers now controlled the shots on goal by 14-12.
The turning point in the game came late in the second period when the Stingers were awarded a five-on-three power play. Much like Montréal’s opportunity in the first period, this was Concordia’s chance to get on the scoreboard. During the advantage, the Stingers had multiple chances but nothing seemed to bounce their way. Every cross-ice pass seemed to skip, every mad scramble was cleared and shots that should have gone in seemed to miss by mere inches. It simply wasn’t meant to be for the Stingers on Saturday.
“I thought it was one of our better efforts of the season and I thought it was a game we could have won,” said Lawton.
Heading into the third period Concordia outshot Montréal 24-18 but the score remained 2-0 for the Carabins. Less than two minutes into the final period, Montréal made it 3-0 and all the momentum that the Stingers had gained was quickly erased. With under four minutes left in the game Concordia finally got on the board with a goal to make it 3-1.
Once the final buzzer rang, another season of Stingers varsity hockey was over. However, the progress that the women’s hockey program made should not be overlooked.
“We made some great strides this year. We’ve got a really good base of players that are going to help move this team forward,” said Lawton. “I think we learned how to win a little bit this year, which is something we’ve been struggling with in the last couple of years.” Onto next year Stingers fans, and hopefully, with better and brighter outcomes.
“I think we turned some heads, not only in our league but across the country,” said Lawton.
Stingers offense continues to sputter at the end of the regular season
Playoffs are nearly upon Concordia’s women’s hockey team and the Stingers are stumbling towards the end of the regular season. Hosting the Ottawa Gee-Gees on Sunday, Feb. 15 at the Ed Meagher Arena, Concordia dropped its third straight regular season game losing 2-1 in shootouts.
Now sitting in third place of the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) division with a record of 6-7-5, the Stingers have just two games left in the regular season. As they continue to get stellar play from their rookie goaltender Katherine Purchase, the Stingers’ goal-scoring ability has been their biggest downfall as of late. Concordia has only managed to score two goals in their last three defeats. If not for their defense and netminder, the outcomes could have looked a lot worse.
Both goalies were tested early in Sunday’s affair between the Stingers and the Gee-Gees. In the first period alone, the teams combined for 17 shots on goal. While Purchase turned aside all seven shots that she faced in the opening 20 minutes, Ottawa’s goaltender Maude Lévesque-Ryan was even more impressive. Spectators could sense that the Stingers were yearning for an early goal, a feat that Concordia has had trouble with during their current slump. Unfortunate for Concordia’s attackers, Lévesque-Ryan stopped all 10 shots to keep it 0-0 after the first period.
Three minutes into the second period, Gee-Gees forward Cindy Laurin was given a two-minute penalty for body checking and handed the Stingers a power play. Stingers centre Devon Thompson scored her sixth goal of the season on the advantage and gave her team the 1-0 edge.
The lead didn’t last long for Concordia though as less than two minutes later the Gee-Gees answered back. Forward Camille Pauck-Therrien tied the game with her sixth goal of the year, beating Purchase to make it 1-1.
The third period was an all-out attack on both fronts. The Stingers threw 13 shots on target at Lévesque-Ryan while the Gee-Gees bombarded Purchase with 10 of their own. With all the back-and-forth traffic, it seemed that it was only a matter of time before one team would break the tie. And yet, neither goalie flinched.
Lévesque-Ryan and Purchase were the two brightest stars of the game. Both goalies gave their teams a chance to win and left shooters frustrated every time they returned to their bench.
After neither team could solve the opposition’s netminder in overtime, the game headed to a shootout. Two out of Ottawa’s five shooters beat Purchase and it was just enough to give the Gee-Gees the shootout victory.
If Concordia can find their scoring touch within the next week and into the playoffs, their solid goaltending and impenetrable defense can take them on an unexpected playoff run. Purchase just needs to make sure that the talent in front of her can hold up their end of the deal.
Concordia will visit the Carleton Ravens on Friday, Feb. 20, before playing their final game of the regular season at the Ed Meagher Arena on Sunday, Feb. 22 at 2 p.m. versus the Carabins of the UdeM.
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Top seeds set to battle in Super Bowl
Super Bowl XLIX pits past and present dynasties against one another in the desert
Now that everyone has commented on Deflategate and made just the right amount of inappropriate puns involving Tom Brady’s balls, we can finally get to the game. It happens to be a pretty good one too. On Feb. 1, the world will watch as the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks showdown in Arizona on the biggest stage in sports. Here’s how each team can give themselves a shot at bringing home the Lombardi Trophy.
Seattle can win if:
After the chaotic NFC Championship game, at least Seattle knows they can play their worst possible game and still come away with a victory. It’s no secret that the quarterback is the most important player on the field, but if Russell Wilson is relying on another miracle comeback to earn him his second Super Bowl ring, better luck next year. Wilson simply needs to do a better job of contributing to his offense’s production.
The Seahawks are nearly impossible to stop when Wilson and Marshawn Lynch are both on, and Beast Mode is rarely off. Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and defensive coordinator Matt Patricia will scheme to stop, or at least slow down, the run game. That means Seattle’s success may hinge on Wilson’s ability to sit back in the pocket and read the coverage. Wilson is now 9-0 against past Super Bowl winning quarterbacks, but last week’s game against the Packers showed that he isn’t invincible. If Wilson can find his rhythm and force the Patriots defense to hesitate instead of attack, than the Seahawks can unleash their full arsenal. It will be hard enough for the Patriots to slow down Lynch, so Wilson’s performance can easily bust this Super Bowl wide open.
Seattle’s defense is the best in the business and everyone knows that defense wins championships. Because of the defense, no matter who is lined up on the other side of the ball, it gives Seattle a chance to win. Star cornerback Richard Sherman and partner-in-crime free safety Earl Thomas were both banged up in the NFC Championship game. However, the two have both been cleared for practice and vow to be ready for the dance. With them leading the secondary and Seattle’s disruptive front seven still intact, the Seahawks defense just needs to show up to become a difference-maker.
New England can win if:
Fun-fact: Tom Brady is 3-2 in Super Bowl performances but has never left the field in a Super Bowl whilst his team is trailing. Long story short, their defense has always fallen just short in previous playoff runs. However, that’s good news for Patriots fans because this year’s defense is the best unit that Belichick has had since the early 2000’s when they captured three titles in four years.
There’s no question that Seattle’s defense is still the best, but make no mistake, this is a battle between two elite defenses. Darrelle Revis regained his pro-bowl play this year and reclaimed the title of league’s best cornerback (sorry, Sherman). Along with New England’s acquisition of Brandon Browner, the Patriots secondary has adopted the Legion of Boom mentality and has dominated the opposition’s wide receivers all season. The more often the Patriots defense can get the Seahawks’ offense off the field, the more times it gets the ball back to Brady. Simple game plan, but not so simple to execute.
Seahawks strong safety Kam Chancellor will attempt to do the impossible this Super Bowl: stop Rob Gronkowski. No one has found a way to shut down the Patriots tight end completely and Belichick is hoping that it stays that way for at least one more game. Chancellor has a knack of blowing up other teams’ game plans but this may be a matchup that even he can’t win. If the Patriots can get Gronk the ball, he can turn the Legion of Boom into the Legion of Bust.
The Seahawks will attempt to burst through the Patriots offensive line and get in Brady’s face as quick as possible. In order to give the Patriots a chance, the offensive line needs to help Brady stay on his feet. Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and Belichick know this is priority number one. If they can map-out quick drop-backs for Brady and short routes for their wide receivers, it won’t matter how many times the Seahawks blitz.
Prediction: Patriots 17 – Seahawks 14
Normally there is a clear-cut favourite heading into a Super Bowl. Even last year against Peyton Manning, experts leaned towards Seattle’s defense and the weather conditions at MetLife Stadium. But this year looks like a coin toss. So when all else fails, go with your gut. There is something poetic about Brady’s Bunch returning to Arizona and finally getting that fourth ring.
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It’s not just about making money
It’s not even a competition; America is just better at college athletics
Last Monday, on Jan. 12, the Oregon Ducks and the Ohio State Buckeyes squared off in the inaugural College Football Playoff National Championship. If you happened to be flipping through the channels and stumbled across it, you wouldn’t think it was a bunch of 18 to 21 year-olds. The presentation, the pageantry and the international attention that these student-athletes receive are incomparable to anything we have here in Canada. While there has been scrutiny of these big universities for the financial benefits that they get out of their unpaid athletes, the hype around college sports doesn’t depend solely on money.
If you did happen to catch the Buckeyes dismantle the Ducks 42-20, you weren’t alone. According to ESPN, over 33 million people tuned into the championship tilt. If that seems like an overwhelming amount, it’s because it is.
Last year’s Stanley Cup Game 5, where the Los Angeles Kings defeated the New York Rangers to hoist the cup, brought in approximately six million viewers according to Sports Media Watch. The National Championship even squashed the 27.8 million viewers who saw the San Francisco Giants’ final out in the 2014 World Series, according to Forbes magazine. And, for the sake of comparing apples to apples, 320,000 people watched this year’s Vanier Cup on Sportsnet between the Montreal Carabins and the McMaster Marauders, reported Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS).
Although baseball is traditionally known as America’s pastime, football has become an entirely different beast within the past two decades. On American campuses, Saturdays are known as gameday. Whether you are a sports fan or not, students pack their stadiums to bask in their school spirit. It’s not so much a game, but a social event. Most students who attend American universities are only there for four years and it seems that they sure know how to make the most of it. Signs are made, faces are painted and the marching bands are rowdy; it’s a party that every student is invited to.
It’s unfair to compare Canada’s football passion to America’s, but hockey is supposed to be our game. Yet, when it comes to supporting our varsity teams, the enthusiasm just isn’t there. According to CIS, the average attendance for the past three home games of Concordia’s men’s hockey team was 53 spectators.
Canadian universities will never draw the same attraction towards athletics as the juggernaut American institutions. Their funding and population are too vast, but the passion that their student body brings is something that can be admired. We may not have the television deals or national coverage, but a little more support for the maroon and gold could go a long way.
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Cross-town rivals take game
Concordia’s women’s hockey team was looking to get back to .500 on the season when they hosted the McGill Martlets on Thursday, Jan. 16. Entering the game with a 4-5 record, Concordia knew they would have their work cut out for them as McGill were coming into the game with a 9-2 record, sitting in first place in the the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) division. The teams had faced off twice before this season: a 1-0 win in early November, and a 3-2 loss later that month.
A slow start by the Stingers squad turned out to be their downfall as they fell behind early in the game and were never able to come all the way back, losing 5-3 to their inter-city rivals.
Regardless of their position in the standings, whenever the Martlets and the Stingers meet it’s sure to be a tight match, and if it weren’t for the first seven minutes of the game, Concordia had a shot to pull off the upset.
Just 14 seconds into the game, McGill forward Katia Clement-Heydra flew down the ice and fired a shot past Concordia’s starting goaltender, Briar Bache. Before the fans had a chance to settle into their seats, the Stingers were already down 1-0.
McGill couldn’t have asked for a better start to the game as just six minutes later, Martlets star forward Lesile Oles made it a 2-0 game. If the Stingers weren’t already stunned, only 19 second after that, Stephanie Pohlod scored again for the Martlets to make it a three-goal game. With just 6:22 gone in the first period, McGill had a commanding 3-0 lead and looked to be in perfect position to run away with the game.
Bache faced only six shots and was pulled midway through the first period in favour of rookie goalie Katherine Purchase. Entering the first intermission, Concordia needed to regroup fast if they had any hope of catching McGill.
A different Stingers team emerged from the locker room to start the second period. The home side was much more composed and Purchase provided some stability on the back end. Just over five minutes in, Stingers forward Alexandria D’Onofrio put the Stingers on the board with a power play goal to make it 3-1. Later in the second, Concordia capitalized on another power play as Marie-Joelle Allard made it 3-2 with just under four minutes to go. The Stingers special teams would continue to play strongly all night; not only was Concordia able to capitalize on these powerplay goals, but the penalty kill was able to shut down the Martlet’s 5-on-3 advantage, not even allowing them a shot on goal.
Although it seemed as if the Stingers had all the momentum, 24 seconds later, Clement-Heydra scored her second goal of the game for McGill and led her team into the second intermission with a 4-2 lead.
McGill forward Erika Pyke and Concordia forward Devon Thompson would each tally goals for their team late in the third period, but by then the game was already decided. Despite being outshot 33-19, the Stingers didn’t quit after their slow start and should be proud of the way they battled the first place Martlets to the very end.
The Stingers will next play the Carleton Ravens at Ed Meagher on Friday, Jan. 23 at 7:30 p.m.