Tag: Concordia Stingers

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Hockey Sports

Stingers hockey is off to a great start (again)

Faceoff Photo Credit: David J. Beaudoin

Women’s team leads their division in points while men’s team trails division lead by just one point.

It is certainly an encouraging start to a season when both hockey teams in a school’s program are winning out the gate. The Concordia Stingers have done just that. While we haven’t reached the halfway point in the regular season, the men’s hockey team trails the tightly-contested Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Men’s Hockey East Division standings by a single point. On an even higher note, the women’s hockey team leads the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) hockey standings by four points. This is on top of remaining undefeated this season.

The Stingers’ women’s hockey team has been nothing short of impressive in the early going of their regular season campaign. Following a loss in the Theresa Humes Cup championship game on Oct. 1, the team won eight straight games, including six in league play. 

With wins against division rivals like the Université de Montréal Carabins, the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees, and most recently the Bishop Gaiters, the Stingers have shown how they could compete and be successful against any team in their division. Stingers head coach Julie Chu spoke on how proud she is of the team’s hard work and success. “We have found a way to win differently in all [our] games, and that’s what I’m really proud of,” shared Chu following a 6-1 win against the Gee-Gees on Nov. 3. 

While the start was a victorious one, Chu wants to make sure nobody gets ahead of themselves with it only being November. “We always come out of every game with ‘this is what we did well’ and ‘this is what we need to do better,’” she explains. “It’s always our mentality, and regardless of being undefeated and winning five games so far, it’s a long season, and where we actually want to play our best hockey is at the end of the season.”

The Stingers’ women’s team will look to keep the win streak going when they play next at McGill on Nov. 10.

The men’s team has a lot to be proud about to this point as well. Despite dropping their last two games to the East division-leading Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières Patriotes, the Stingers began the season with a 6-1-0 record.

This season, the OUA expanded the amount of teams that each university plays. The East division now plays against the West in league play, which only makes the competition tougher.

That being said, the Stingers handled the change well. Concordia earned at least one point against the top two teams in the West division, beating the second place Toronto Varsity Blues 4-3 on Oct. 20 and losing in overtime to the first place Brock Badgers 3-2 on Oct. 28.

Defensemen Christopher Inniss takes a slap shot
Photo Credit: Concordia Athletics

Goaltender Jordan Naylor split the games as starter with teammate Nikolas Hurtubise as the men’s team tried to find a consistent starting netminder after Jonathan Lemieux left in the offseason on a professional contract. To this point, Naylor is second amongst all OUA goaltenders in goals against average (1.98) and tied for fourth in save percentage (0.923).

Also high up on the leaderboard is Stingers’ right winger Charles-Antoine Paiement. He is currently tied for third place amongst leading goal scorers in the entire OUA.

The Stingers’ men’s team will be back in action on Nov. 10 when they travel to face the Western University Mustangs.

As the season progresses for both the women’s and men’s hockey teams, the competition will only continue to increase. But if the Stingers continue to improve on what they have already accomplished, both teams are bound to have success this season.

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Football Rugby Soccer Sports

These Concordia semi-final results may sting

The men’s soccer, rugby and football teams all exited in the first round of the RSEQ playoffs this past week.

The time has come to start playing indoors again. Fall and summer sports are wrapping up as the weather gets crispier and heads turn towards sports with freshly renewing seasons. 

That being said, it seems our teams are ready to get a head start on hibernation. Three playoff games were played by the Stingers, and all three of them turned out to be losses. 

Men’s Soccer

On Oct. 27, the men’s soccer team played the Université de Montréal Carabins in a tough RSEQ semi-final matchup at the CEPSUM. The Stingers not only had an away disadvantage walking onto the field, they were also the underdogs. Of the seven teams in the RSEQ, the Stingers finished the regular season in fourth place, securing the very last spot of the playoffs, with only five victories out of 12 games. Meanwhile, the Carabins finished the season without a loss. 

The Carabins yet again proved why they averaged over two goals per game throughout the season: efficiency. Even though Concordia outshot them six goals to four in the first half, the home team was able to convert twice, once from a penalty kick by centre back Kareem Sow. 

Tristan Nkoghe jumps for a high ball
Photo Credit: Concordia Stinger Athletics

The Stingers weren’t too disciplined around the pitch, as they outfouled their opponents and picked up three different yellow cards in the second half, seemingly out of frustration. The third was given out less than three minutes after the final deal-sealing goal was scored. The Carabins won 3-0. Surprisingly, they lost in the finals to the 6-5-1 Patriotes of the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières last Friday. 

Men’s Rugby

It was more or less the same story for the men’s rugby team, who were just able to squeeze into a playoff spot. Bishop’s 15-25 season finale loss at Stade Percival-Molson pushed the Stingers through by point differential, as both the Gaiters and Concordia finished the season with a .500 win percentage. 

Jack Weller and Willem Nijzink make a tackle.
Photo Credit: Concordia Stingers Athletics

For the semi-final game played this past Sunday, Oct. 29, the Stingers had to face the Piranhas of the École de technologie supérieure, who were invincible in the regular season. Lo and behold, another crushing semi-final away loss as Concordia was vanquished 34-3. Five different players each scored a try on the Piranhas, including third line Xabi Chrit, who won game MVP. On Nov. 5, ÉTS lost 18-17 in the finals to the second place uOttawa Gee-Gees. 

Football

Just about the most exciting game of the RSEQ’s 2023 season took place in Quebec City on Nov. 4 when the Stingers football team faced the Université Laval Rouge et Or for the semi-finals. This time around, the Concordia team had a more even matchup, as the Stingers were facing a two-seed as a three-seed in the playoff bracket. ULaval did not play the dominant season everyone expected them to, as they had taken both of their losses to the Carabins, yet Concordia had beaten the latter in their last game of the season. This matchup was a real shootout. 

It started with a safety for Concordia heading into the third minute of the game, putting the Rouge et Or ahead by two points and setting the Stingers at a disadvantage. In the first drive of the second quarter, starting quarterback Oliver Roy threw an interception to Rouge et Or linebacker Justin Cloutier, who took it to Concordia’s 27-yard line. From there, a pass and a one-yard QB sneak took the Rouge et Or ahead by 9 points, then 10 due to a rouge point. 

Just as a 28-yard kick from all-star kicker Eric Maximuik seemed to restore momentum to the Stingers headed into the second half, substitute quarterback Adrian Guay decided to scramble around the halfway line and fumbled the ball. It was recovered by the opponents’ cornerback Maxym Lavallée, who ran it to the house for 49 yards. Laval led 17-3 after the good kick attempt.

Towards the end of the third quarter, Olivier Roy had been back on the field, and managed to throw a stellar 20-yard pass to veteran fifth-year wideout Ezekiel Tiede for a touchdown. The game was on. The Rouge et Or replied with a 22-yard passing touchdown of their own to widen their lead to 14 points, but that didn’t stop the Stingers. 

Our field general put on a fourth quarter showcase. The very next play, Roy threw a bomb to his trusty wideout Tristan Mancini for 37 yards and then another to Tiede. A couple of handoffs to the running backs, and Roy found the endzone after an eight-yard run. The Stingers defense banded together to shut the Rouge et Or down for a drive amounting to less than 15 yards, and it was Roy’s chance again.

With two and a half minutes left of the game, Roy managed to lead a drive that lasted just over a minute and score a touchdown in six plays, topped by a pass to Tiede for 34 yards into the endzone. Not to mention Roy capped off his night by tying the game and by asserting his sixth point of the night out of six points attempted. The teams tied 24-24 at the end of regulation.

Unfortunately, the Stingers did not have it in them to maintain the progress that they’d made over 60 minutes. A couple of 40+ yard field goals and a touchdown from the Rouge et Or, and Concordia’s season was over. 

A few Stingers players had performances to remember, despite overall shortcomings. Roy had 310 passing yards and the third most rushing yards on the field with 51. Defensively, middle linebacker Loïk Gagné dominated the game with 9.5 tackles, one sack and one tackle for loss. The whole receiver core should be recognized for the work they all put in, Tiede especially. 

It’s an exciting year to be a Concordia fan, although the ending may sting. All three of these teams surpassed what was expected of them. The future seems bright!

Categories
Football Sports

Stingers Football to face Laval Rouge et Or in RSEQ playoff semi final

Jean-Sébastian Lamothe [6] William Legault [86] of the Carabins Photo Credit: José Acosta

With the regular season officially over, the Stingers have their eyes on a long playoff run.

Coming off a massive victory in their final regular season game against the Montreal Carabins, the Stingers football team will try and keep the momentum going into their RSEQ playoff semi final against the Laval Rouge et Or on Nov. 4.

Out of the five teams in the RSEQ football conference, four teams made the playoffs—with the first seed playing the fourth seed and the second seed playing the third.

Concordia had the third seed locked up after their dominant win against the McGill Redbirds at Percival Molson Stadium on Oct. 20. This meant that despite their winning effort against the Carabins on Saturday, the Stingers could not move up or down in the standings. They will end the regular season with a 5-3 record.

Montreal captured the first seed this season, having clinched it weeks before the playoffs began. The Stingers played spoiler to a potential undefeated season, as the Carabins ended the regular season with a 7-1 record. Laval, who finished the season with a 6-2 record, secured home field advantage in the semi final by clinching the second seed, meaning they will be the team hosting Concordia in the first round of the playoffs.

The fourth and final seed was decided on the final day of the regular season, as the winless Sherbrooke Vert et Or upset the McGill Redbirds to steal their spot in the RSEQ playoffs.

This year, Laval and Concordia matched up against each other twice. Finding consistent offense was an issue for the Stingers against the Rouge et Or this season, with Concordia compiling only 21 total points in their 31-14 and 23-7 losses. However, it seems like Concordia is right where they want to be headed into Saturday’s matchup.

Receiver Oriola Poirier [87] heads out for the pass made by quarterback Olivier Roy [12]
Photo Credit: José Acosta

The two teams were only separated by 26 total points scored for the entire regular season, with Laval scoring 226 and Concordia 200. This proves that come playoff semi finals, it may come down to whose defense can hold the fort longer.

The combination of similar offensive stats with Laval, as well as three straight momentum-building wins to end the regular season, shows that the Stingers are surging at the right time of year. After their win against McGill on Oct. 20, head coach Brad Collinson spoke on the challenges that lie ahead of them in the playoffs.

“Moving forward we have some big games coming up—we are going to be going up to Quebec City to face a good team [in Laval],” said Collinson. “If we want to beat the best, we have to be the best.”

A simple message, but an effective one. The Stingers will have to be at their best if they want to beat the Rouge et Or this Saturday. But Concordia has proved that they can play with the best in the RSEQ. If they bring that gameplan to the field on Nov. 4, it could earn them a one-way trip to the RSEQ championship game on Nov. 11.

Categories
Hockey Sports

Concordia Stingers takes on the Ivy League

Stingers celebrate a goal. Photo courtesy of Arianne Bergeron.

Stingers women’s hockey beats Harvard Crimson and Dartmouth Big Green 5-1 and 4-1 respectively.

It is not every day that the Concordia Stingers get to face off against an Ivy League opponent. On Oct. 14–15, the Stingers women’s hockey team got to take on two of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division 1 universities to start the 2023-24 season.

Following their victory against the McGill Redbirds to open the regular season on Oct. 12, the Stingers travelled south to the Bright-Landry Hockey Center in Boston, Massachusetts to take on the Harvard Crimson in an exhibition game for the two teams. It was the Crimson’s third game of the season, following a win against  McGill in an exhibition on Oct. 6 and a loss against Dartmouth College on Oct. 13. The Stingers jumped out to a lead and never looked back, winning their first exhibition game of the weekend 5-1.

Not only was it a special trip for the players, it was for head coach Julie Chu as well. Chu, who played at Harvard University between 2002–2007, was inducted into the Harvard Varsity Club Hall of Fame on Oct. 14. This is an amazing and well-deserved accomplishment for Chu, who helped lead the Crimson to two Ivy League Championships in 2003 and 2005, as well as leading the entire NCAA scoring during the 2007 season.

As the team concluded the eventful day in Boston, they travelled up to Thompson Arena in Hanover, New Hampshire for their next game against the Big Green. The Dartmouth College team had been coming off the winner against Assumption University and Harvard University, repping a 2-0-0 record coming into the exhibition with Concordia.

The Stingers extended their lead again and kept the momentum rolling, as Concordia skated to another win, this time by a score of 4-1.

This was an impressive road trip to the United States for a team who has proven to be a top team in Canada. Facing off against Division 1 schools is always a tough task, and to win both games while only surrendering two goals is a statement.

The Stingers women’s hockey team will return to home ice on Oct. 29 when they will face off against city rival Carabins de l’Université de Montréal. Puck drop is set for 3 p.m.

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Sports

Stingers basketball dominates at Loyola in the Concordia Classic Tournament

Chama Jen-Julien vs. the UNBC Timberwolves Credit: Liam Mahoney

How strong is the home court advantage? Women go 3-0 and men go 2-1 against nation-wide visitors.

The men’s and women’s Stingers basketball teams hosted the Concordia Classic Tournament over the first week of October at the Loyola campus. Both teams invite three other schools from around Canada to participate. Each team faces a new opponent per day over the course of three days. 

Women’s tournament results

Our women’s team hosted Thursday through Saturday and played University of Toronto (U of T), University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) and Ontario Tech in order. The Stingers were unbeaten, accumulating a total point difference of 102 against the three teams and finishing at the top of the table.

On Oct. 5, Concordia played the U of T Varsity Blues. It was a very close matchup. The teams were more or less even, though the Stingers had the edge in converting free throws. Out of both teams shooting 19 shots from the line, the home team made 14, compared to the away team’s 10. Forwards Angela Batrla and Gretta-Olivia Ineza were the main contributors to this precision, succeeding in 83.3 per cent and 100 per cent of their shooting respectively. Bartla later won the tournament’s MVP award. Concordia won 53-49.

Against the UNBC Timberwolves the next day, the women’s team showed utter dominance, never letting the opposition take the lead. Up by one in the first quarter, expanding to 19 in the next, to 30 in the third and finally reaching 35 by the end of the game. Concordia won 75-40.

On Oct. 7, the Stingers played the Ontario Tech Ridgebacks. This was a blowout, as the Stingers dominated in almost every aspect. The Stingers put up 14 more shots, converting 22 per cent more, collected 16 more rebounds and were able to score 29 points off of turnovers. Again, Batrla and Ineza were the stars of the show, though fifth-year point guard Areej Burgonio assisted nine times. Shooting guard Florence Poirier also scored 16 points and went 5-5 on free throws. Concordia won by a whopping 53 points, at 99-46.  

Men’s tournament results

As for the Stingers’ men’s basketball team, they also hosted UNBC, along with the University of Regina (U of R) and the University of New Brunswick (UNB) from Friday to Sunday. The Stingers managed to win their first two games, but were unable to pull through in the last showing. The men’s Stingers placed second out of four. 

On Oct. 6, the Stingers showed solid defense, only allowing 67 points throughout the game. Although the team had a significantly harder time scoring from three (34.8 per cent success) than the opposition (42.9 per cent success), Concordia was able to put up a significantly higher number of shots (30-75 vs. 27-65), and converted more at the freethrow line going 6-9. The Stingers showed off their ability to score off of the bench, as point guard Alec Phaneuf scored 10 points in the nine minutes he was on the court, as Emmanuel Duprate averaged a point per minute with 13. Starting shooting guard Jaheem Joseph managed a double-double with 10 rebounds and 21 points. Concordia won 74-67. 

The Stingers displayed their best performance of the weekend against the U of R Cougars on Oct. 7. This time around, even more love was shared around the team, as three bench players were able to ball for at least 15 minutes. First-year center Bradley Louidon impressively put up 12 rebounds in 25 minutes of play time. Starting guard Jordan Telfort made all of his free throws and scored 22 points in just over half the gametime. The Stingers’ decisive quality was their domination in three-point conversion, making 54.5 per cent, compared to U of R’s 32 per cent. Concordia won 81-73

Jordan Telfort vs. the U of R Cougars
Credit: Liam Mahoney

On the final day of the tournament, the Stingers faced the UNB Reds. Although Stingers veteran point guard Sami Jahan put up a lifetime performance of 32 points, six rebounds and made eight out of nine free throw attempts, there was no stopping the Reds. Every starter scored over 10 points, two of whom scored at least 20, including tournament MVP Marcus Barnes. The Reds were almost 14 per cent more clinical behind the three-point line and 4.5 per cent higher field goal percentage. They scored 10 extra points off of turnovers. No question. Concordia lost 90-72.

Stingers basketball is strong this year, and we should keep an eye out on their upcoming seasons. The women’s Stingers play ULaval on Nov. 4 for their home opener and will play in the AWE Classic York University in Ontario from Oct. 20 to 22. The men’s Stingers will also play their home opener against ULaval on Nov. 4. 

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Sports

Shaughnessy Cup: Frank Shaughnessy’s legacy lives on after over 50 years

Frank J. "Shag" Shaughnessy, and his cup. Credit - Keven Vaillancourt

Stingers to face McGill Redbirds at the 54th annual Shaughnessy Cup on Oct. 20 at Percival Molson Stadium. 

The Shaughnessy Cup will see Concordia and McGill face off on Oct. 20, but the man behind the cup is as interesting as the game itself.

Frank Shaughnessy: a Canadian sports pioneer

Frank Shaughnessy was the McGill University football head coach for 17 seasons, starting in 1912. During his time there, he helped transform Canadian football.

His most significant contribution to the game came in 1921. At the time, Canadian football looked like a hybrid between rugby and modern football, with players only able to pass the ball backwards. As mentioned by the McGill University Athletics Hall of Fame, Shaughnessy introduced the forward pass to the game in 1921. He also lobbied for its implementation into the rulebook until it was allowed in 1931.

After leaving McGill, he started coaching the Loyola College football team, where he helped them become the 1928 Canadian intermediate champions. For all of these contributions, he was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 1963, the Concordia University Sports Hall of Fame in 1967 and the McGill University Athletics Hall of Fame in 1997.

Shaughnessy was also a great baseball player and manager. Moreover, from 1936 to 1960, he was president of the International League, a baseball league composed of teams affiliated with the MLB. Under his presidency, the colour barrier was broken in baseball. Indeed, in October 1945, the Montreal Royals signed Jackie Robinson.

Robinson became the first Black player in an MLB-affiliated league the following year. Shaughnessy was a positive ally in Jackie Robinson’s integration into the Montreal Royals according to the Society for American Baseball Research. Shaughnessy was also inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in 1983 for his contributions to the development of baseball in Canada. Today, he is still the only person to be a member of both the Canadian Football and Baseball Halls of Fame.

The Shaughnessy Cup: a university football tradition

The Shaughnessy Cup was first played between McGill University and Loyola College in 1969, following Frank Shaughnessy’s passing. Since Sir George Williams University and Loyola College merged in 1975, McGill and Concordia have contested the cup yearly at the Percival Molson Stadium. Historically, the Stingers have had the upper hand over the Redbirds in the Shaughnessy Cup. Concordia leads the cup’s head-to-head win tally 29-18 and 29-23-1 when including the results of Loyola College’s games.

What to expect this year

The Stingers won the last two Shaughnessy Cup games in overtime and also beat McGill the last five games they faced them, since September 2021. 

Only looking at these results, one may think Concordia will easily defeat McGill. However, nothing is that simple in sports, and especially not in the Stingers-Redbirds rivalry. For example, in last year’s Shaughnessy Cup, the Stingers came back from behind three times to force overtime. The two teams also faced each other last month—it was a more straightforward affair for Concordia, winning the Shrine Bowl 42-24 without McGill ever taking the lead. 

The Stingers hope for a similar game on Oct. 20. Following their dominant victory 39-7 against the Sherbrooke Vert & Or on Oct. 14, a Shaughnessy Cup victory would also guarantee a third place in the standings for the Stingers, which would be a successful season for the football program.

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Soccer Sports

Two games, the Same Unlucky Result for Concordia’s Soccer Teams Against ULaval

Right back and captain Dayne Lebans aims to make a pass Photo: Kyran Thicke / Concordia athletics

Difficult matchday for the Stingers’ soccer teams against ULaval.

Both the women’s and men’s Stingers soccer teams lost 2-1 against Laval on Sept. 22, as the 1973 Loyola Warriors men’s soccer team was celebrated for their national championship win.

Women’s soccer: Proving they belonged

Going into the game, Laval had won all five of their previous games, outscoring their opponents 14-1. With that in mind, Stingers head coach Greg Sutton’s game plan was to be compact defensively with forward Sara Carrière staying up front and poking away at Laval’s defence on counterattacks.

In the first half, the ULaval Rouge et Or had more possession, but were unable to create multiple dangerous chances to score. When they did, however, goalkeeper Rosalie Girouard made some crucial saves. Sutton said she “did well, she kept us in the game […]. She’s just starting to play for us now, and hasn’t played many games at all for us up to this year.” He added that he was pleased with Girouard’s performance and believes that she will improve going forward. Despite the great defence, Concordia also had their fair share of chances in the first half, just missing the goal on a couple of occasions.

The second half started as the first ended: Laval was unable to create dangerous chances. It was finally at the 57th minute that the Rouge et Or opened the scoring after a good cross coming from the left-hand side found an open player at the second post. 

A couple of seconds later, Sara Carrière scored a beautiful goal, dribbling past two defenders and placing her shot perfectly in the bottom-left corner to equalize. Unfortunately, Laval was able to retake the lead ten minutes later. Their one-goal advantage would last until the end of the game, despite pressure from the Stingers to equalize.

Despite the loss, there are positives to take away from this game for the Stingers and their ability to stand up to the best team in the league. “We were just organized defensively, we made it difficult for them to break us down,” Sutton explained. “[Girouard] made a couple saves, but it wasn’t like they outshot us three or four-fold […] we’re gonna build off of it, learn from it and get ready for Sunday.”

Men’s soccer: A frustrating loss with the playoff race heating up

Midfielder Quentin Bourgeais (maroon) setting up a cross.
Photo: Kyran Thicke / Concordia athletics

Before the match, Concordia was two points behind Laval, who held the last playoff qualifying spot. As of October 1, they are tied on points with the Rouge et Or for the fourth and final playoff spot.

The game started at very high intensity, with both teams trying to send long through balls in behind to earn a one-on-one against the other team’s goalkeeper. This worked for the Stingers in the 27th minute when they won a penalty. Unfortunately, the team’s top goal scorer Jared Leheta missed the penalty wide and to the right. Things would not improve for Leheta, who also missed an almost wide-open net 10 minutes later.

Despite that, Leheta won a penalty after getting pushed in the back in the 18-yard box seven minutes into the second half. The penalty was converted by Razvan Colici. However, the tide started turning in Laval’s favour after the goal. Less than twenty minutes later, the Rouge et Or had scored twice to take the lead.

Five minutes after Laval’s second goal, Concordia was reduced to 10 men, after Zackiel Brault received two yellow cards in quick succession, adding up to a red card. Concordia could not equalize down a man, with the game ending 2-1 for Laval.

After the game, backup goalkeeper Tony Awad said: “We have to stick together as a team and we have to keep our heads up.” About the playoff race, Awad said: “We just have to win, there’s no other way to say it or put it […] this is our goal now.” And they did win in their next game, against McGill, where Awad got the start and made nine saves in a shutout win.

The 1973 Loyola Warriors men’s soccer team honoured

Despite the two losses, there was still something to celebrate on Friday. Several members of the 1973 Loyola Warriors men’s soccer team came to the games and were celebrated at halftime of the men’s game for the 50th anniversary of their national championship win. The team was inducted into the Concordia Sports Hall of Fame in 2000, and is one of only four soccer teams, men or women, to receive this honour.

Gary Harvey is a member of the team who was present at the ceremony. He recalls: “We defeated the team that beat us the year before, so it was like we got revenge.” They beat the University of Alberta Golden Bears. The game was decided on penalties, as the teams were unable to separate themselves after the end of both regulation and overtime, where Loyola won 4-3.

Harvey has been involved with soccer his entire life and coached for 45 years. He has observed “a huge difference” in the evolution of soccer in Canada over the last 50 years. Namely, infrastructures like turf fields and indoor winter soccer have allowed a lot more kids to play soccer, which has raised the level of the Canadian game. 

He also explains how during winter, teams could not train when he played. “When we did train, it was in gymnasiums, and the bounce in the gym floor is not the same as when you get to train indoors and on synthetic turf,” Harvey explains. “The calibre of soccer is much better now, it’s really quick and fast compared to when I played […] and soccer is of higher quality now.”

Categories
Football Sports

Linebacker Loïk Gagné is Living Proof that Hard Work and Passion Pay Off

Gagné recieves the Grant Peterson Memorial Trophy for outstanding defensive player. From left to right: Kristian Matte, Loïk Gagné, Aya Amouri (9 years old) Photo: Evan Buhler / Concordia Athletics

The Stinger starter proves that anything is possible if you want it.

Stingers football linebacker Loïk Gagné put up ridiculously good stats during the Shrine Bowl home game against the McGill Redbirds on Sept. 16, earning him the title of RSEQ player of the week. Although the season has been good to him, as he’s picked up close to 30 tackles, the Stingers defensive leader has come a long way grinding to where he is today.

Gagné grew up playing hockey and soccer in the shadow of his older brother, as every youngest child does. Neither hooked him and he was convinced that sports weren’t for him. He gave organised athletics another chance in the sixth grade, as the technical craft of flag football caught his eye. After two seasons of grabbing at fabric, he was obsessed with the rules of the game. He was serious, more than his father expected. 

Going into his second year of secondary school, Gagné asked his father if he could play the real thing. As any protective parent would do, he rejected his son’s request. But this wasn’t just a want—it was a need. Every evening at dinner, the boy insisted his father let him play the game he loved. Eventually, he couldn’t say no. Gagné was on the field the following year playing for the St-Leonard Cougars. 

The RSEQ star admits that his first year playing tackle football wasn’t ideal, but he knew that he had to work hard to be able to fly. He was learning how to tackle two years after everyone that he faced. “I’d never been so motivated to become better at anything else,” Gangé said. “The moment I started playing for real I said ‘Okay I need to go to the gym. I’m too skinny for this.’ I was never the fastest or the strongest, but I wanted it the most.” 

Before he knew it, he was being offered to play division one football in CEGEP by Collège André-Grasset after only two years, and was recruited to play for Quebec’s all-star team. 

As a first year in a division one team, Gagné put in the same amount of work as he did throughout high school, as he wasn’t satisfied with his performance or play time. Despite the cancellation of his second season due to the pandemic, the all-star linebacker was able to display a CEGEP career that would attract attention from all over Quebec. Having witnessed the Concordia Stingers’ 2021 winning underdog season from afar, paired with his strong interest in athletic therapy, Gagné saw what this university had to offer and found his new home. 

Coming into the 2022 season, the rookie was confident that he would get playtime as long as he showed off his division one abilities. However, the pace of play jumps significantly from CEGEP to university, regardless of where you play. As a freshman, it takes time to get used to the way the vets play. As a result of being disregarded for the majority of the season, Loïk Gagné did what he does best, and put in more work. 

“Nothing improves you more than not having the season you want. I came out of D1 a little cocky,” Gagné said. “I get to Concordia thinking I’m going to play, and I get sick at the beginning of camp. I missed two important weeks, and after that I didn’t perform the way I wanted. So I brought that frustration to the gym. The day after losing the quarter finals to Laval, I was in the gym.”

The Stingers football organisation made a coaching change during this offseason to take a more next-gen approach. Instead of two or three coaches devoting their time to the Stingers defensive core, six or seven are coaching in a way where they’re familiar with the players at a deeper psychological level in order to convey their tactics smoothly. It has certainly helped Gagné, as he’s made 26 tackles in only four games this season, compared to last season’s total of three and a half.

The Stingers’ next game is on Oct. 8 away against Laval. This might be the hardest game of the season for the team, but the starting linebacker is confident that their grit will shine in opposing territory. 

“Even though we have things to work on, we showed against Laval, against Sherbrooke, that this team has character,” Gagné said. “We’re showing that when a team has character, nothing’s going to stop them. Whether it’s at the CEPSUM, or at Percival Molson Stadium. As much as we like playing in front of our fans, our guys are audacious. We’re going to beat them in their own house. We’re not traveling for nothing.”

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Hockey Sports

The puck has officially dropped for the Stingers’ preseason

Stingers' Captain Phélix Martineau closes in on the puck. Credit: Liam Mahoney / Concordia Athletics

Concordia Stingers Men’s Hockey split their first two preseason games, winning 2-1 and losing 5-4

The Concordia Stingers men’s hockey team hosted two non-conference preseason hockey games against the Saint Mary’s Huskies on Sept. 15 and Sept. 16.

This marked the first time that Saint Mary’s and Concordia have faced off against each other in preseason play. The Huskies are coming off a successful season in 2022–23—one that was very similar to the Stingers’. Both teams qualified for the U Sports University Cup in Prince Edward Island in March 2023, with the Stingers at rank six and the Huskies at rank seven.

These two games also featured Concordia’s new goaltenders, Nikolas Hurtubise and Kevyn Brassard. With two of their three goaltenders leaving after the 2022-23 season, the Stingers will now have to adjust to a new goalie tandem. This includes the loss of last season’s starting netminder Jonathan Lemieux who signed with the Abbotsford Canucks of the American Hockey League. 

“We liked what we saw out of [Hurtubise and Brassard] but it’s an adjustment,” said head coach Marc-André Élément. “They played junior last year and now they’re at a higher level. We are going to continue our evaluation through the preseason, but I’m happy with what we saw this weekend.”

A scoreless contest persisted through the first 30 minutes of game one. Huskies defenseman Cameron Pound opened the scoring in the second period with a wrist shot beating Hurtubise. Concordia finally got on the board in the third period after solid defence and goaltending on both sides had kept the scoresheet relatively empty. 

Stingers defenseman Nathan Lavoie netted his first goal of the preseason with 15 minutes remaining, tying the game at one. However, the Stingers could not capitalise on their late power play, causing the game to be sent into overtime.

A short 14 seconds into overtime, Stingers forward and captain Phélix Martineau put the game to rest on a gorgeous individual effort. The 2-1 Stingers win was a fitting way to start off the preseason on home ice.

Game two on Sept. 16 had a very different feel than the first. As a result of having played each other the day prior, the first period saw a much faster pace with more goals scored.

The Stingers got off to a quick 2-0 lead with goals from Martineau and forward Isiah Campbell. This was followed by the Huskies retaliating with two goals of their own, making it a 2-2 contest.

In the second period, the Stingers retook the lead on a goal from alternate captain Tyler Hylland. This did not last long, however, as the Huskies scored three unanswered goals, bringing the score to 5-3.

As the clock favoured Saint Mary’s and their lead in the third period, the Stingers got a goal in with only two minutes to go. A last-ditch effort saw the Stingers come within inches of tying the game as the puck snuck in behind the Huskies’ goaltender, but could not find the back of the net. The team fell just short and game two ended at 5-4.

Despite the result, coach Élément was pleased with the resilience and leadership shown by his team in the final minutes. “The guys, when they are on the ice, they want to produce and they want to have success. Our leadership group is amazing, so for sure they are going to step up at big moments and get results,” he said.

The Stingers will continue their preseason with one more game versus McGill on Sept. 30. Concordia will kick off their regular season schedule with two games on the road against McGill and Carleton, and will return for their home opener against Ontario Tech on Oct. 11. 

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Rugby Sports

Concordia Stingers seem to have a promising year ahead

(From left to right) Madeleine McTavish, Roxanne Galarneau, Fallon Coulouris photo by Shahlah Dilmahomed

Concordia Stingers’ women’s rugby Players confident after securing a 93-0 win in season opener against McGill Martlets.

The Concordia Stingers women’s rugby team tackled the home-opener and won against the McGill Martlets in their most anticipated game of the year, the 19th annual Kelly-Anne Drummond Cup, on Wednesday, Sept. 6.

This cup is dedicated to Kelly-Anne Drummond, a former Stingers rugby player. Drummond tragically passed away in 2004 due to a domestic violence incident. “Us as women, we’re playing a contact sport—something that empowers us—and I think rugby specifically is such an amazing way to honour her. To play in that game for her is something so special,” said Stingers fullback Madeleine McTavish.  

The game attracted many supporters, as it does every year. Each player put in their best performance and contributed to the score. “Everything was falling into place. Passes were sharp, it was flowing well. Everybody had their little moment [in the game],” said Stingers forward Roxanne Galarneau. “We were all playing for each other and for a greater purpose,” added Stingers prop Fallon Coulouris.

The team has also been adjusting to a new coaching style. Certain positions were switched, players were learning and trying different things. Nevertheless, everyone played as though they had been in these positions for a long time, according to Coulouris. At one point, the players were even anticipating the possibility of a three-digit score in the end.     

Following this big win, the team continued to assert dominance in another successful game against Bishop’s Gaiters on Sunday, Sept. 10,  beating them with a final score of 60-5. “The win against Bishops was to solidify our position in the standings. We’re not going to be underestimated in the RSEQ and we’re not going to be underestimated in the U Sports Canadian Rugby Championship,” said McTavish

Coulouris, Galarneau and McTavish emphasized on the bonds between the Stingers players, when sharing some of their highlights of rugby . Galarneau, who is entering her third season as a Concordia Stinger, revealed that she has learned so much by being on the team. 

Coulouris began playing rugby in her last year of high school and went on to play for Dawson College. She explained that playing the sport in college was a much different experience than playing in university, and that a lot has changed and developed in her five years of being part of the Stingers. 

McTavish was also introduced to rugby in high school and continued playing in college. She expressed how everyone was welcoming and encouraging when she joined the Stingers. She spent her first season watching players she looked up to and working very hard towards her debut. “I made such lasting friendships. This team has been so special for us,” she said.

As part of their biggest achievements, all three women were proud to share that they made the roster for Rugby Quebec. McTavish added that all three of them are recipients of the Kelly-Anne Drummond scholarship, and that it was a very emotional experience for them. “It’s a lot more than a scholarship,” she said. 

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Hockey Sports

Introducing the new professional women’s hockey league

Illustration by Maggie Zeng

The PWHL strives to bring more attention to women’s hockey and the talent its players offer.

On Aug. 29, 2023, it was announced that there would be a brand new ice hockey league in the works for a start date in 2024. The newly-launched league would be known as The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL), which will include three teams in Canada and another three in the United States.

Why is this league a big deal? It all goes back to 2019 when the Canadian Women’s Hockey League (CWHL) had to cease operations due to economic hardship. Following this situation, the Professional Women’s Hockey Players Association (PWHPA) was created. The union consisted of dozens of female ice hockey players who worked to ensure adequate funding, health insurance, and resources to the women players of different hockey leagues.

Though the CWHL shut down in 2019, the National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL) was still active and had offered to add the players affected by the shutdown. However, the former CWHL players declined the offer, refusing to play in a North American league again until sufficient resources and funding was presented to the players.

This year, the NWHL—now named the Premier Hockey Federation—made an announcement that they would be selling the league to a new owner. This new owner would be the founder of the new PWHL. The members of the PWHPA have finally established a league that would have the resources and financial structure to support the athletes who had been fighting for change for several years.

The PWHL owners established a collective bargaining agreement that will be effective through 2031 by working closely with the PWHL and partnering with the Billie Jean King group. This is great news for the future of women’s hockey. Not only does the collective bargaining agreement include a minimum salary that the members of the PWHPA are satisfied with, but it also ensures that the league will be around for several years—allowing it to grow instead of fearing another league shutdown.

The National Hockey League (NHL) also released a statement following the announcement of the PWHL that they look forward to helping grow the sport and supporting the new league. Past collaborations of the NHL with women’s hockey leagues, like their All-Star Game, have already brought positive attention to women’s hockey. 

The future is bright not only for the players of the PWHL, but for the fans as well. As we know so far, there will be six franchise locations: in Boston, New York, Minneapolis, Ottawa, Toronto, and Montreal. 

Montreal hockey fans already have a reason to be excited. Star players Laura Stacey, Ann-Renée Desbiens, and even Marie-Philip Poulin—known to many as the best women’s hockey player of all time—have agreed to contracts with Montreal’s new team.

Fans tuned in to watch the inaugural PWHL draft which took place on Sept.18. Franchises until this point have been able to sign up to three free agent players to contracts. During the draft, the six teams were able to fill out the remaining spots on their rosters. The draft player-pool includes some impeccable talent, including dozens of Olympic medalists as well as rookie players. With 268 athletes from around the world eligible to be drafted, it surely is a sight to see for hockey fans.

With this being the first time that the best women’s hockey players will be playing against each other in a league, the start of the PWHL is certainly one to be excited for. Once the teams are set following the draft, training camp will open shortly after. Fans should keep an eye open for information on purchasing tickets, as the league is yet to announce dates, times, and venues for its games. Before we know it, the calendar will flip to 2024, and the first PWHL season will be ready to launch. Whether you are a player or fan, it is undoubtedly an exciting time for women’s hockey. 

Categories
Sports

Concordia Stingers Men’s Hockey in Italy ahead of 2023 Season

The Stingers in action against Klagenfurt AC. Photo courtesy of EC-KAC/Florian Pessentheiner.

The Stingers face off against two professional European teams during training camp.

For the second year in a row, the Concordia Stingers Men’s hockey program took the trip across the Atlantic Ocean en route to Italy, where they faced off against two professional ice hockey teams.

Upon their arrival in Cortina, Italy, during the final week of August, the Stingers hit the ice at Stadio Olimpico del Ghiaccio for their practice sessions.

After a multi-day training camp, the Stingers traveled south to Stadio Odegar di Asiago for their matchup against Asiago HC, an Italian ice hockey club that is part of the International Central European (ICE) Hockey League.

Known as one of the higher-skilled hockey leagues in Europe, the ICE Hockey League consists of teams from Austria, Italy, Hungary, and Slovenia. Several former National Hockey League (NHL) players are currently in the league, including Asiago HC head coach Tom Barrasso, who is a two-time Stanley Cup champion.

The tough game resulted in an 8-5 loss against Asiago HC, though the Stingers continued on with their training camp. Their next and final opponent would be against Klagenfurt AC, an Austrian ICE Hockey League club.

Klagenfurt AC finished fifth out of the 13 teams in the ICE Hockey League standings in 2023, meaning it would be another tall task for the Stingers.

Some members of the Stingers taking in the view of the Alps in Italy. Photo courtesy of Stingers Men’s Hockey.

Despite losing 7-1 at Klagenfurt, the Stingers and Concordia as a whole should be proud knowing the competition they played against. For a university team, it is an amazing experience to have traveled across the ocean to go up against teams that have professional players on their rosters.

The Stingers should also come out of their Italian training camp feeling optimistic for the upcoming regular season. With many of their key players returning, combined with a trip to last season’s U Sports national championship quarterfinals, the Stingers men’s hockey program has the veteran leadership on their roster to make a run back into the national championship tournament during the 2023-2024 season.

The Stingers will come home to begin the official preseason on September 15. They will play host to three non-conference games against Saint Mary’s University and Saint Francis University. Once they wrap up the preseason at McGill, the Stingers will begin their regular season on October 5.

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