Concordia Stingers vs. Ottawa Gee-Gees at the Ed Meagher Arena on Feb. 3, 2023. Maria Bouabdo/ The Concordian
Stingers’ forward Maxim Trépanier’s hat trick helps Concordia get an important win for the upcoming playoffs
Last Friday night, the Concordia Stingers’ men’s hockey team stunned the Ottawa Gee-Gees by scoring four unanswered goals in the third period at the Ed Meagher Arena, thereby securing the second spot in the OUA East.
The Stingers and the Gee-Gees followed each other closely during the first period. The tension was high, but neither team could capitalize on their respective power plays. The first period ended with 11 unsuccessful shots for Concordia and eight for Ottawa.
Only in the second period was Gee-Gees’ forward Anthony Poulin able to score the first goal of the game against Stingers’ goaltender Jonathan Lemieux. Concordia, however, still couldn’t get on the board by the end of the period, with a total of 26 shots over 40 minutes.
The Stingers made crucial changes to their gameplay in the third period, allowing them to take the lead over the Gee-Gees.
“I told the guys to be honest with their performance and to step up their game and they did it,” said Stingers’ head coach Marc-André Elément. “We looked at some videos and the guys were playing on the outside, they weren’t staying in front of the goaltender. In the third period we went in there and that’s how we scored some goals.”
And score goals, they did.
Four minutes into the third period, Stingers’ forward Maxim Trépanier scored a first goal and tied the game after receiving a pass from Stinger’s defender Simon Lavigne and sliding it past Gee-Gees’ goaltender Christian Sbaraglia. He scored again three minutes later, giving Concordia the lead. This time centre Tyler Hylland and defender Sean Larochelle got the assists.
A few minutes later, Stingers’ centre and captain Phélix Martineau scored and furthered Concordia’s lead with help from Stingers’ right-winger Charles Tremblay and left-winger Isiah Campbell.
Two minutes before the end of the game, Trépanier received valuable passes from Lemieux and Stingers’ defender Kyle Havlena and took one final shot at an empty Gee-Gees’ net, setting the final mark of 4-1. It marked Trépanier’s second hat trick in two consecutive games and Lemieux’s second assist as a goaltender.
“It’s teamwork, it’s my job to start the game and the guys take care of the rest,” said Lemieux. “In an empty net situation, we have more chances to [score], but to do it for the hat trick of a teammate is really fun.”
Trépanier mentioned that the positive attitude in the locker room during the second intermission helped the team get the win.
“We knew after the first two periods that we weren’t playing our best game, but I think that we really stepped it up in the third period,” said Lemieux.
The goaltender also added that his teammates made his job much easier, allowing him to face only six shots in the last period.
Despite the big win, the team remains focused on the important games ahead.
“We still have work to do this week for the playoffs, but we are getting close to where we want [our performance] to be,” said Trépanier.
Friday’s win guaranteed a first-round playoff bye for the Stingers, and their Saturday 3-2 victory against the Carleton Ravens marked their fifth consecutive win.
The Stingers’ last regular season game will be disputed at home on Feb. 10 against the Queen’s Gaels.
Concordia Stingers' men's hockey vs. Ottawa Gee-Gees, Dec. 4, 2022. MARIA BOUABDO/ The Concordian
The Stingers’ men’s hockey team scores six unanswered goals in the third period leading to a big victory to end the semester
The Concordia Stingers’ men’s hockey team ended the semester on a high note as they defeated the Ottawa Gee-Gees 8-2 with six unanswered goals in the third period at the Ed Meagher Arena on Dec. 4.
The Stingers find themselves in the U Sports top 10 for a fifth consecutive week following their win on Sunday and a 5-1 win against the Carleton Ravens on Dec. 3.
The game started off with a few quick goals by the Stingers. Forward Nicholas Girouard opened the scoring around the halfway mark of the first period, from a pass by right-winger Charles Tremblay in the corner. It only took two minutes for Stingers’ right-winger Charles-Antoine Paiement to double his team’s lead.
However, four minutes later, Gee-Gees’ forward Bradley Chenier brought them closer to tying the game. They eventually tied it early in the middle frame, with a shorthanded goal from forward Charles-Antoine Roy.
After being held scoreless in the second period, the Stingers attacked early in the third, scoring three goals in three minutes.
Stingers’ head coach Marc-André Elément said he regrouped his players in the middle of the room during the second intermission.
“I told them we had to learn from the first two periods and then we had success, we started scoring goals,” he said, adding that the team responded well.
Stingers’ defenceman Kyle Havlena broke the tie five minutes into the final frame with a snipe. About a minute later, it was Stingers’ forward Mathieu Bizier’s turn to score after a Gee-Gees turnover behind their net.
“Trépanier was able to make the pass to the front [of the net] and I had all the time I wanted to put it in the net, so that was really easy,” Bizier said.
After another minute had passed, Stingers’ left-winger Isiah Campbell scored on the rebound after an initial shot by defenceman Samuel Desgroseilliers.
After a 5-2 lead for Concordia, things seemed to calm down as Ottawa switched goaltenders. But the Stingers weren’t close to being done. They kept pressuring the Gee-Gees and scored three more goals in the last six minutes.
Left-winger Maxim Trépanier scored from the front of the net, after a pass from defenceman Nathan Lavoie from behind the net. Bizier got his second goal of the game from a pass by Girouard. The eighth and final goal was scored by left-winger Émile Hegarty-Aubin, after an effort by defenceman Simon Dubois to lead the Ottawa goaltender to the right side, leaving Hegarty-Aubin in front of an open net.
The team was happy to end the year with a significant 8-2 victory.
“It’s a lot of fun, we were really happy to get a big win, I think we really deserved it,” Bizier said.
Elément added that it feels good to end the year with such a win, especially considering how close the standings are this season.
“We’ll get the injured guys back [during the break] and we’re going to regroup and get ready for the other half of the season,” the coach said.
The Stingers will be back on Jan. 7, 2023, hosting the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières.
Concordia Stingers' fly-half Luca Milne in a men's rugby game vs. the Ottawa Gee-Gees. Credit: EVAN BUHLE/ Concordia Athletics
The men’s rugby fly half looks back on his Stingers career
On Oct. 22, the Stingers’ men’s rugby team played their last game of the season. The 36-29 loss against the Ottawa Gee-Gees meant that for a few graduating players like Luca Milne, a fourth-year political science student, their career with Concordia was officially over.
The starting fly-half had been with the team since he first came to Concordia in 2019, when he was 17 years old. Coming from Ireland, he had never set foot in Canada before.
“Rugby is a lot bigger in Ireland than it is here. I started in high school, when I was about 12,” Milne recalled.
Milne grew up playing soccer and never even considered playing rugby at first.
“My dad played rugby, so he dragged me onto the pitch. I didn’t even want to play when I first saw it. He literally just forced me to play and I had no other choice. That was basically it and I just didn’t stop,” he chuckled.
Milne also noted how rugby facilitated his transition from Ireland to Canada, as well as from high school to university.
“I was really young during my first year,” he said. “I came in a team with a lot of older guys, but I never had any problems. Everyone was very nice and they helped me settle in really well.”
Team captain Stan Blazkowski, who started alongside Milne, looked back on his teammate’s rugby debut.
“He looked like he was still a kid. He wasn’t speaking much and spent his first two games on the development team,” Blazkowski recalled. “Then, he had one good game and the coaches thought it would be a good idea to bring him in on the first team. He had another great game and he’s been our starting #10 ever since.”
That season, the Stingers went on to win the RSEQ championship.
Throughout his three seasons with the Stingers, which would have been four if it hadn’t been for the pandemic, Milne grew to be more comfortable with his role as a fly-half, which he only claimed at Concordia.
“He became more vocal,” said Blazkowski. “Basically, he’s like the quarterback of the team and needs to give a lot of orders, which he wasn’t really comfortable — or used to — [doing] in his first season.”
“The main aspect he improved is communication; the rest, he already had it. The rugby skills and everything, he came with it,” Blazkowski continued.
Milne also felt like his performance over the years improved.
“This year was the first one in which I was able to score a couple tries,” said Milne, who ended the season as the second-best scorer, only eight points behind Blazkowski. “I think I really made progress every year. I always try to improve my game and learn more.”
But for him, what stands out is the close bonds he made with his teammates.
“I’ve played with some of these players for four years, we’ve gone through a lot together,” he said with a hint of nostalgia. “I’m not just never going to see them again. They’re definitely friends for life and we’re always going to remember the days we had on the pitch.”
“Rugby was a huge part of my university life,” he continued. “I spent four days a week training and then, a game on the weekend, and that was every fall for the last four years, so it’s weird now not training anymore,” he said. “I feel restless. I’ll have to keep playing rugby when I leave just to keep myself busy.”
But Milne is at peace with leaving Concordia as well as his beloved rugby team behind.
“Whenever I look back and think about my university life, the first thing that comes to mind is always going to be my rugby days. They have definitely been my most enjoyable and memorable days out of the lot.”
Stingers' goaltender Jordyn Verbeek and forwards Megan Bureau-Gagnon and Émilie Lavoie (left to right) in a group hug after Lavoie's game-winning goal in overtime vs. the Ottawa Gee-Gees on Nov. 4, 2022. ALICE MARTIN/ The Concordian
The women’s hockey team’s resilience and capitalization in overtime play get them the win
Last Friday, the Stingers’ women’s hockey team delivered a great performance against the Ottawa Gee-Gees in a rousing game that left fans on the edge of their seats at the Ed Meagher Arena.
The first period was full of back and forth between the Stingers and the Gee-Gees to get the first goal of the game. After around 16 minutes of play, Stingers’ forward Jessymaude Drapeau breached the barrier of Gee-Gees’ goaltender Aurélie Dubuc to bring the score to 1-0.
“It was a big team effort, but a huge goal in the first period to start the game,” said Drapeau.
The game slowed down for both teams in the second period. Eventually, the Stingers were able to take seven successful shots. The Gee-Gees, however, couldn’t get hold of the puck enough to tie the game.
But within the first half of the third period, the Gee-Gees hit their stride. Ottawa forward Katherine Birkby finally tied the game and Abygail Moloughney, another forward, gave the Gee-Gees the lead when she intercepted a pass from Stingers’ goaltender Alice Philbert who was away from her net.
“I know it was a big mistake, but at the same time we have to learn from our mistakes and the team really stepped up for me so I’m happy with that,” said Philbert, doubling down on how she always feels the support from her team.
Indeed, the Stingers quickly repressed the Gee-Gees and a few seconds after Moloughney’s goal, Stingers’ forward Megan Bureau-Gagnon slid the puck past Dubuc to bring the game to another tie, leading to overtime.
No goals were scored during the first period of overtime, but the second kept fans on their feet. The winning goal was thought to be scored by Drapeau but the referees called it back due to goaltender interference by Stingers’ forward Emmy Fecteau.
“For sure, it’s rough,” said Stingers’ forward Émilie Lavoie, who had two assists in the game until that point. “You think the game is over, and all of a sudden everyone has to go back. But we have a team that’s competitive all the way around, it’s just reset and go back.”
During the second period of overtime, in a last-ditch effort while caught between two Gee-Gees players, Lavoie scored the game-winning goal for the Stingers. She was named the game’s first star for her stunning performance.
“It feels good, but, at the end of the day, it’s a team effort,” said Lavoie. “Everyone put the effort in, I took the puck at the end, but we kept the puck the whole time during 3-on-3.”
“I think that game was everything beyond our expectations,” said Stingers’ head coach Julie Chu. “I think we had some tremendous moments and we also had some moments where Ottawa put us on our heels and we had to play a more defensive game.”
Chu also spoke about Philbert’s performance and noted her ability to bounce back from her errors. She emphasized how crucial Philbert was for the win and how she loved to see her players’ response to moments of adversity.
The Stingers women’s hockey team will be back at the Ed Meagher Arena to play against the McGill Martlets on Nov. 11 at 7:30 p.m.
The Concordia Stingers, 2022 U Sports women’s hockey champions (right), and this season’s rookies (left) in front of the championship banner at the banner-raising ceremony before the home opener vs. the Bishop's Gaiters on Oct. 30, 2022. MARIA BOUABDO/ The Concordian
Stingers’ forward Émilie Lavoie and other returning champions waiting to get called on the ice to join the graduating students, new students, and coaching staff for the U Sports championship banner reveal.
The 2021-22 Concordia Stingers’ women’s hockey team looking up at the hidden banners in anticipation of the big reveal at the Ed Meagher Arena on Oct. 30, 2022.
“I didn’t expect I’d get a little emotional because we really got to celebrate last year… but it was really special,” said Stingers’ head coach Julie Chu. “I think it was a really proud moment also to see the faces of our players.”
The 2022 U Sports women’s hockey champions (right) and this season’s rookies (left) in front of the championship banner at the banner-raising ceremony before the home opener.
“It’s a lot of emotions for sure,” Stingers’ goaltender Alice Philbert said. “But we knew we had a game to play after so we enjoyed the moment but after that we had to reset… But it was fun to have players from last year coming back to experience this and for sure tears in our eyes, a little emotional.”
“We have a title to defend and I think that’s what we’re going to do this year.”
The class of 2022 added to the conference and national championship banners, and a new 2022 champions’ banner.
Stingers’ defender Sandrine Veillette celebrating with her teammates after scoring and earning a 2-1 lead early in the second period vs. the Bishop’s Gaiters.
The crowd of 290 people cheering on the Stingers in their home opener vs. the Bishop’s Gaiters.
The Stingers celebrating forward Emmy Fecteau’s game-winning goal.
The Stingers and Gaiters lining up to shake hands after the 3-2 Stingers’ victory.
Concordia Stingers' men's hockey vs. Nipissing Lakers on Oct. 29, 2022. Credit: KYRAN THICKE/ Concordia Athletics
44 shots in regulation weren’t enough for the Stingers to end the game
The Concordia Stingers pocketed a second straight victory last week in front of a large audience at the Ed Meagher Arena on Oct. 29 and won 1-0 against the Nipissing Lakers. It was their fourth win of the season.
The Stingers outshot their opponents 11 to eight in the first period. At the end of the first period, Stingers’ forward Tyler Hylland was hooked on a breakaway and was awarded a penalty shot.
Hylland attempted to fake a shot and backhand the puck in between the Lakers’ goaltender Zach Roy’s legs, but Roy got the best of him.
“I just tried to open him up a bit,” said Hylland, the Stingers’ alternate captain. “I have to give him credit. He kept his team in it until the very end.”
The second period was similar, as the Stingers outshot the Lakers 14 to nine. The Stingers had their best chance at winning the game midway through the second period, as Roy gave two rebounds in the slot. But he stopped them anyway.
“The goalie on the other side played very well,” said Stingers’ head coach Marc-André Elément. “Sometimes there’s nights like that where we’re doing the right things but the puck doesn’t go in.”
The Stingers added more pressure in the third period by taking another 18 shots. The Lakers also took two late penalties that allowed the Stingers two power plays in exchange. However, with Roy stopping every shot at that point, they were ultimately unsuccessful.
It was not until the first few minutes of overtime that Stingers’ forward Isiah Campbell received a pass from his teammate Samuel Desgroseillers in the neutral zone to form a two-on-one against Roy. Campbell skated past the defender and barely slid the puck past Roy’s blocker side to win the game in overtime.
“It definitely felt nice,” said Campbell, referring to the only goal of the game. “[Roy] played a hell of a game, but we found a way, and that’s all that matters.”
This game was also Stingers’ goaltender Jordan Naylor’s first of the season. He earned his first victory and shutout by stopping all of the Lakers’ 24 shots.
“We were a bit snake-bitten there,” said Naylor in regard to the struggle to get a goal past Roy. “But it feels really good to get my first win as a shutout and get a win with the boys,” he continued with a smile.
“He played an unbelievable game,” said the game-winning goal scorer about Naylor. “He’s been working hard in practice, and he definitely deserved it.”
The Stingers improved to a 4-2 record this season and stopped the Lakers from getting their first win of the season. The Stingers will head to the nation’s capital as they will face the Ottawa Gee-Gee’s on Nov. 4 at 7 p.m.
Concordia Stingers' men's soccer vs. University of Montreal Carabins on Oct. 23, 2022. Credit: Evan Buhler/ Concordia Athletics
The Stingers men’s soccer team’s season has come to a close, unable to emerge victorious in their clash against the University of Montreal Carabins
The team was well aware of the high stakes coming into this final regular-season game. The Laval Rouge et Or were playing at the same time, and both teams were eager for a win to cement themselves into the top 4 and clinch a playoff berth.
While the Rouge et Or finally grasped a 2-0 win against the UQAM Citadins, the Stingers’ loss wiped out any chances of the team going further, as they needed at least a tie to secure their placement.
“I think it’s a microcosm of our season,” said Stingers’ head coach Greg Sutton after the game. “We let a lot of games slip this season that we should have been able to take care of early on and not even put ourselves in this predicament.”
Visibly upset with the turn of events, Sutton was still there to comfort the heartbroken and lamenting players on the sideline after the final whistle.
The matchup was of major difficulty for the Stingers, with the Carabins already being the reigning champions and sitting atop the division boasting an 8-1-2 record. Both their defence and offence are regarded as the best in the RSEQ, scoring 33 goals and conceding only 10. They also beat the Stingers earlier this season with a score of 4-0, and even knocked them out of the playoffs in the first round last year.
The Montreal Carabins put on a stellar performance the whole game, able to count on midfielder Lucas Frutier who had his best game of the season, scoring all four of the Carabins’ goals and being named team MVP. They were also able to rely on their rock-solid defence, which didn’t allow a single goal in the first half and was overall very efficient in keeping the Stingers at bay.
However, nothing can be taken away from the Stingers’ perseverance and unwillingness to give up. Trailing by three goals going into halftime, they entered the second half ready to leave it all on the field and fight for their right to play for the championship. They came back looking determined after the break, with early back-to-back goal opportunities. In the 65th minute, Stingers’ midfielder Benoit Litty Mpako was finally able to kick the ball into the net, giving the team its first goal of the game.
The unfortunate reality remained that the opposing defence was by far the best in the league and was not ready to give up much of an edge. The Stingers’ laboured performance was, however, shown by the fact that this game was only the third time this season that the Carabins’ fortress-like defence allowed more than one goal. Stingers’ goalkeeper Jordy Kerlegrand also turned in a solid performance with eight spectacular saves, bringing his grand total this season to 53, the third most in the RSEQ this season.
When asked about how he kept his players in the running with such a deficit, Sutton explained: “We had to believe, we had to stay motivated. The guys were able to give themselves a bit of a lifeline when they scored but when we took the fourth goal, it was hard.”
The Stingers’ defence was indeed doing a much better job after halftime, but all seemed grim when Frutier was ultimately able to find the back of the net for the fourth time in the game. Concordia’s final point came 85 minutes in, when confusion led the Carabins to score an own goal, but unfortunately for the Stingers, it was too late to orchestrate a proper comeback.
With this game being the last of the regular season, senior players were called forward before kick-off and congratulated for their tenure with the soccer team. Stingers’ midfielder John Cevik left with the team MVP award for his last game as a Stinger.
“We’ve got to keep fighting; the program is going in the right direction and now we just need to get rid of these hurdles in the way. Hopefully, we build a culture in which we can keep doing that,” concluded Sutton, who is widely optimistic for the future of the men’s soccer team.
The first playoff games will take place on Oct. 28, with Laval facing Montreal and UQAM facing UQTR to determine who will face off in the finals for the championship.
Concordia Stingers' men's soccer game against the McGill Redbirds on Sept. 23, 2022. Credit: Kyran Thicke/Concordia Athletics
Andrew Foote and a stunning defence help get the victory
The Concordia Stingers men’s soccer team fought a challenging game against the McGill Redbirds in which Concordia came out victorious 2-1 on Friday night.
The first half of the game showed a lot of determination from the Stinger’s offence. However, it wasn’t until the 33rd minute that forward Andrew Foote finally pierced through the defence of McGill goalie Ludovyck Ciociola, the current U Sports Athlete of the Week.
Only eight minutes later, Foote scored again, securing his second goal of the season. Both goals were assisted by defender Angus Legault.
Stingers’ forward Andrew Foote after a soccer game against the McGill Redbirds on Sept. 23, 2022. Maria Bouabdo/The Concordian
Nearing the end of the first half however, Redbirds’ midfielder Jake Gerenraich scored, with an assist by midfielder Reese Carlow, to help McGill get closer to a tie.
There were no goals in the second half, as McGill’s defence pushed back hard to try to tie the game. However, the Stingers’ still dominated on the field with 10 shots compared to McGill’s six.
“[Our offence] was successful because it was simple,” said Stingers’ midfielder Benoit Litty Mpako during a post-game interview. “We were just concentrating on getting control of the ball and moving it forward.”
Stingers’ head coach Greg Sutton said they had been working hard after last week’s 3-2 loss against the UQTR Patriotes.
“We were able to bounce back and show a little bit of moxie from our guys,” Sutton added. “We knew obviously that this was going to be a challenging game as it always is against McGill with our rivalry. We’re all just very proud of our performance.”
Sutton also spoke about Foote’s performance. “We all know he can do a lot of great things for us and so full credit to the guy for being able to step up in a big moment. Honestly, it’s not a surprise, he’s been able to do that already in his short history with us,” he said.
“It was what the team needed, and it was a solid performance all around,” Foote said. “We came out here and everybody wanted it. That’s what I did and that’s what everyone else did.”
“It was a little bit scrappier than we wanted, but we’ve learned a lot of things, simple as that. It’s just another win and we want to win a lot more,” added defender and team captain Sean Homes before running off to his teammates for a post-game huddle.
Concordia student athletes reflect on how the COVID-19 pause has affected their plans
In response to growing concerns around the COVID-19 Omicron variant over the winter break, the Concordia Stingers’ hockey and basketball seasons were once again put on hold. Only recently have things started to return to normalcy as teams were allowed to start practicing again in small groups on Jan. 17, with full team practices permitted as of Jan. 31.
Teams are expected to start playing games again in February, but there has yet been an official announcement about whether or not the missed games will be played at a later date. Tyler Hylland, an alternate captain on the Stingers men’s hockey team, said that having this season paused after not playing for a full year in 2020-21 was disappointing.
“For a lot of us that’s our biggest passion and to get it taken away, and not even be able to fully practice and participate was tough,” Hylland said. “And then, just when we think we have it back to get it ripped away again, is really kind of devastating, to be honest.”
Areej Burgonio, a player on the women’s basketball team, had similar thoughts on the situation.
“Honestly, it’s just annoying. A lot of my friends play in the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) in the States where they actually had a season, even last year,” she said. “ I would hate to be on the sidelines again.”
Hylland added that U Sports, the governing body of university sport in Canada, was put at a disadvantage compared to other leagues.
“I felt like a lot of other leagues were given designations where they could play, and they didn’t seem to consider our league when we’re equally as elite as them or as dedicated as them. And we deserve every opportunity that other leagues were given.”
Phélix Martineau, the captain of the men’s hockey team, added that missing a month worth of practice and games within a season is hard to recover from.
“But at the same time, it’s going to be like that for everyone. So we’re going to have to make the most of it,” he said. “And hopefully, it won’t affect us too much in the end, but […] we’re not sure if we’re even going to have playoffs or nationals so it’s tough to say what our goals are going to be like.”
Due to the uncertainty of the season, the men’s hockey team lost some players who decided to sign professional deals during the holiday break, which meant the team had to bump up their roster.
Both the hockey and basketball teams are not sure whether they will be playing more games in the same amount of time as planned, or will just be playing fewer games this season.
Burgonio said her team was supposed to have 12 games remaining, but they’ve already missed six since the break. If these games aren’t rescheduled, they would only have half of the initial games remaining to work towards making it to the nationals.
“Every game would literally be do or die,” Burgonio said.
But the most frustrating part of the shutdowns and pauses is the long-term effect on these athletes’ futures, according to Hylland. A lot of them, himself included, are still trying to play professional sports after graduation.
“It’s tough to get noticed by pro teams, and it’s tough to make a case for yourself to have a contract after you’re done with school,” Hylland said. “So I think it’s definitely put us behind the eight ball when it comes to our future.”
At the end of the day, all these athletes are hoping for is to be able to play soon and that the league won’t shut down again.
Concordia make costly mistakes in their season opener loss to Laval
The Concordia Stingers drop their season opener to the Laval Rouge et Or, 672 days after the two teams last met in the semifinals of the RSEQ playoffs in 2019.
Concordia started the game with possession but turned the ball over on their first play of the game. Olivier Roy, the Stingers’ quarterback, threw on first down into heavy coverage. The play-action was read beautifully by the Rouge et Or, who intercepted the pass and found themselves with great field position less than a minute into the match.
After the game, Roy admitted he was disappointed about the interception considering it was his first play as Concordia’s starting quarterback, but didn’t let it affect his focus and future approach to the game.
“We always say it’s important to have short term memory,” Roy said. “Whether it’s a good play or a bad play, as a team we just have to move on to the next.”
Laval was able to seize control early with their defence, and never took their foot off the gas. The Rouge et Or established their passing game early and often, which opened up their running options as the match progressed. The game was blown wide open in the second quarter, and went into halftime with Laval leading 17-2.
Laval’s potent offence was led by their second-year quarterback Thomas Bolduc, who finished the game with 267 yards and threw two touchdowns passes. Meanwhile, Roy threw for 216 yards with 19 completions but tallied a pair of costly interceptions. He said the loss on Saturday boiled down to a lack of execution.
“We haven’t played in about two years but we had a good training camp,” Roy said. “There are no excuses, we just need to be better and learn from this loss.”
Bolduc threw questionable balls into coverage a couple of times throughout the day, but Concordia failed to pull in some easy interceptions that could have turned the tides in their favour.
A 72-yard touchdown run by Laval’s Philippe Lessard-Vézina with less than a minute to go in the game padded the Rouge et Or’s rushing totals to 186 yards, as opposed to the Stingers’ 78 yards on the ground.
Roy said the atmosphere at the game felt normal despite the newly imposed rules and regulations.
“I know the crowd was less than usual but I honestly didn’t notice,” Roy said. “I think the fans were excited for the game so the energy was great and the crowd was loud.”
The Stingers’ next matchup will be against the Montreal Carabins at 7 p.m. on Sept. 10.
The number one ranked Concordia Stingers women’s hockey team’s season is over.
The Stingers lost 3-2 in game three of the RSEQ semi-finals to the Université de Montreal Carabins.
“It’s hard, we’re devastated for sure,” said head coach Julie Chu. “We always took it one game at a time, and we had belief that our team could go really far into nationals. But we also know that we play in the best conference in U Sports. To get out of our conference is always tough to do, especially against a great rival.”
The first period saw the Stingers start where they left things off after Saturday’s 5-3 game two win. They managed quality chances against the Carabins and were executing their zone entries perfectly. With four minutes left in the frame, Stingers captain Claudia Dubois wired home a one-timer to give the Stingers the lead.
In the second period, the Carabins flipped the script.
A power play goal four minutes in, and an in-tight goal with two minutes left in the period gave the Carabins all of the momentum.
Blaming the refs for a loss is never the answer, but it should be said that there were some extremely questionable calls on both teams. Take the Stingers tying goal for example. A seemingly innocent shot from Audrey-Ann Rodrigue squeaked past Carabins goalie Maude Trevisan, but the puck fell right behind the goalie, but never cleared the goal line and was clearly still in the blue paint (I asked four other media members who all said that the puck didn’t cross the line).
Chaos ensues after the ref calls the play dead, the refs convene at centre ice, the Stingers fans go crazy while waiting for the decision. The refs finally decided that the shot went in (it didn’t). It really seemed like the refs were peer pressured by the crowd to make that call.
Mix in some blatant missed calls on both teams, and you’re left with a game that wasn’t exactly decided by the refs, but their handprints are there. Chu has never been one to make excuses and that didn’t change after this game.
“It went both ways,” said Chu. “For us we always talk about controlling what we can control. The big part of what we do control is our ability to work hard, execute and do the little things really well. Unfortunately I think we got away from that a little bit.”
The Stingers struggled to generate momentum and chances in close against Trevisan. They were outshot 28-23 by the Carabins, and Stingers goalie Alice Philbert had to bail her team out a couple of times.
Graphic by Matthew Coyte
Shortly after tying the game up in the third period, the Carabins re-took the lead. A shot towards the front of the net took a strange bounce, the puck popped up and dropped right behind Philbert and into the net. Philbert would make 25 saves on 28 shots. Trevisan would make 21 on 23 shots.
Credit to the Carabins though, after getting outskated in game two, they came out and stuck to their game plan; heavy hockey. The Carabins won key puck battles, blocked a hell of alot of shots, forechecked hard and took advantage of their chances.
This ending is especially heartbreaking for Dubois. This was her last game in a Stingers jersey. The captain was lights-out all season and during this playoff series. Dubois is the defining player of Chu’s tenure as head coach. The same way Phil Hudon represented a new era of Stingers’ men’s hockey, Dubois embodied the winning culture that’s been built at Concordia over the past five years. The coach had nothing but praise for her captain post-game.
An emotional moment between women's hockey head coach Julie Chu and Claudia Dubois as she takes her final strides in maroon and gold.
“She’s the one who’s going to make me cry when she leaves,” said Chu. “When she came [into the program], we were still figuring out how to win, how to build a culture, how to take things to the next level. She’s a huge reason why we got to this next level. Every day, from when she came in as a first-year, to this last game, she’s given us everything. She’s prepared, she works, she wants to win, she’s gritty. For us, that’s become the core of who we are. She’s the one who leads the team and she’s the strongest voice in that locker room. We’re going to miss her.”
This is a disappointing finish for the team. Not many people would have expected a 2020 U Sports national championship without the number one ranked team. Despite this, this season was important for the Stingers.
“Our biggest thing is to hold our head up high,” said Chu. “It’s going to sting for a while, but that’s okay. When we care about what we’re doing, we’re passionate, we put in the time and effort, it’s going to hurt when we don’t get the results we want. We wanted [the team] to feel like they should be proud of everything they’ve given up. They’ve given into this program this year. We’re really proud of them.”
The Carabins will play the McGill Martlets in the RSEQ finals later this week. Both teams will also advance to the U Sports national championship taking place in P.E.I. in March.
Notes:
The Stingers have been the most exciting Montreal hockey team this year. It’s sad to see them end the season this way, but you’ll never hear anyone say that they didn’t put their heart into every single game.
Claudia Dubois and defender Erica Starnino are the only fifth-year players on the Stingers. That means that most of the core that made the Stingers so deadly will be returning.
It’s not unusual for Carl Neill to spend plenty of time handling the puck—he’s the Stingers’ top defenceman.
Even for a defenceman, in the first period against the Nipissing Lakers, his teammates were making sure to feed him the puck as much as they could.
Finally, near the end of the period, the puck went from Neill’s stick to the back of the net. It was a powerplay goal, like many he’d scored before. But this time, the celebration by his teammates was something special.
“I’m really, really proud of him, we all are,” said Neill’s coach, Marc-André Élement.
Neill’s goal was his 84th point as a member of the Concordia Stingers. He had just moved into first place, as the highest scoring defenceman in Stingers history.
“It’s a great honour,” said Neill, who sits just one short of the team’s all-time assist record as well. When he learned he was approaching both records after just three seasons with the team, the stingers alternate captain was shocked.
Carl Neill reflects on his three years as a Concordia Stingers
“I know Concordia’s been around forever,” said Neill. “I imagined there’s some guys a couple hundred years back that must have got a few points so I never really thought of that.”
Maybe he was surprised, but anyone that’s watched him over the last three seasons shouldn’t be. He’s dominated the university game since day one. He’s been one of the country’s best blueliners and made his mark in the Stingers’ history books.
In his three years Neill has collected awards on and off the ice, all-star nominations, and a collection of impressive stats that any player would be proud of.
He has played overseas representing his country, gone to the national university hockey championships, and done it all with the flare to his game that’s allowed him to be one of the top players in the league.
Neill joined the Stingers with a shining resume in junior hockey. He was captain of the Sherbrooke Phoenix in the QMJHL, where he set records just like he’s started to do with the Stingers.
His 178 points rank fourth all-time in Phoenix history while his 139 assists are second overall. Among defencemen though, he is the sole leader in both, along with goals (39).
Sherbrooke was also where he would end up meeting his best friend, future roommate and Stingers teammate Chase Harwell.
The two played three seasons together with the Phoenix and joined forces again a few years later at Concordia. Harwell’s face lights up with a big smile whenever the topic of his teammate and former captain comes up.
“He’s my best friend,” said Harwell. “We grew up together. He’s a great guy, I’m just so happy to see him have that success. He deserves it.”
Chase Harwell and Neill have played together as teammates for six seasons at the junior and university levels combined
His impressive junior career was enough to get him drafted into the NHL. In the fifth round of the NHL entry draft, the Vancouver Canucks chose Neill. He went on to play in several professional training camps before deciding to take the U Sports route and earn a degree before trying to head to the pro leagues when things didn’t work out in terms of the NHL.
Looking back, there’s no doubt in his mind that he made the right choice by going down the U Sports path.
“I made the right decision coming here,” said Neill. “Coming out of junior, not knowing much of what U Sports is Marc told me it was a good program here. I had faith in him and he had faith in me. It coupled well. I’m really happy about my decision. I’m happy I didn’t go to McGill [instead].”
While it’s been gaining traction and notoriety, U Sports isn’t a league that every player knows about coming out of junior. Neill was entering a completely new world and system of hockey. He’s become a major advocate for the league now, but three years ago, it was a leap of faith.
From the moment Neill walked into the Ed Meagher arena, the expectations were sky-high for him. He was the marquee rookie of a strong class of first years. His coach expected him to come in and become a number one defenceman early on.
“He’s going to be the guy who leads the power play, he’s going to be the quarterback,” said Élement just before Neill’s rookie season in 2017. “I’m pretty sure he’s going to be one of the top defencemen in the league.”
Despite any internal or external pressure to come in and be a top player in a new league, Neill played like a veteran from his very first game.
A cerebral player, he was a key contributor in what would be an explosive offense that season. He showed the vision and ability to rush the puck up ice that earned him NHL attention and became an instant player that opposing teams had to gameplan for.
“He certainly lived up to the expectations,” said former stingers captain Philippe Hudon. “He never second-guessed his decision to play U Sports hockey, and coupled with his desire to become a better hockey player, he was an immediate impact to our team and has done wonders since then.”
Neill would end up leading the entire country in scoring by a defenceman with 31 points in 28 games. His team was one of the top eight in the league, earning a trip to the national championship for the first time in over 30 years for Concordia.
Neill has been the back bone of the Stingers’ defensive group since he joined the team back in 2017
While Neill and the Stingers ended up losing, the defender was rewarded for his impressive rookie season. He was named to the OUA East first all-star team as well as the U Sports all-rookie team.
Off the ice, he was presented with the Guy Lafleur award for his combination of success in the game as well as in the classroom. All in all, a good start to his university career.
His second season, the team lost their top two scorers, including league MVP Anthony Beauregard. Instead of an offensive step back, or sophomore slump, Neill kicked it up a notch. Despite a less productive team, he upped his season totals to 33 points, good enough for second in the country among defencemen. He was named to the OUA East all-star team and earned OUA defenceman of the year honours.
On top of that, he was selected to the FISU games to represent Canada in Russia once his season ended. He was among the team of top university players that won bronze at the tournament.
At the start of the year though, another of Neill’s talents was recognized. He was named an assistant captain for the team and his leadership became a major part of his role on the team. The message constantly repeated by teammates is that Neill takes care of people.
As much as his sarcastic prodding and joking are a part of him, he is someone who truly cares for the wellbeing of his teammates.
He helped recruit former teammates like Harwell and Hugo Roy and made sure they and their fellow rookies were brought into the fold immediately and never had to feel like outsiders.
“Obviously he’s an amazing hockey player but on the other side he’s just a great dude,” said Harwell. “If a guy needs a ride, he picks them up. If a guy is having trouble at home or with his girlfriend, he’s there for you. He’s the guy you want on your team.”
Neill’s goal was always to make the guys comfortable, to show them the ropes and have his teammates enjoy an environment where they felt supported and relaxed.
“It’s important to have that on a team,” said Neill, listing past teammates like Hudon who helped him as a rookie. “I came here my first year, not really knowing what was going on. It’s good to pass the torch and help the boys along.”
He’s the kind of player that teammates light up when asked to talk about him. The respect for Neill in the Stingers locker room is evident.
While this past season may not have been as statistically dominant as the last two (20 points in 25 games), Neill had plenty to celebrate.
He played a preseason game as a member of a Quebec U Sports all-star team against the top prospects of the Montreal Canadiens and etched his name across the Stingers record books.
“All the credit goes to him and his work ethic,” said Élement.
Neill now sits 12th all-time in scoring in Stingers history in addition to sitting second all-time in assists and leading among defencemen.
And for the first time, his Stingers future is uncertain. Neill has turned down pro offers every season. He has focused on finishing his degree before turning to the professional world.
Where he’ll be next year, whether it’s at Concordia or on a new team in the pro sphere, is unclear.
If he is wearing a non-Concordia jersey next season, those around him think he’ll be just as successful in that league as he has been in U sports.
“I certainly think he can bring that same impact at the pro level,” said Hudon. “He has tremendous hockey sense. [He’s] capable of effectively fending off attackers as much as anchoring the blue line. Not to mention his high skill level and smooth skating abilities.”
If it’s Neill’s last run with the Stingers, there would be no better way to cap it off than another run to nationals. Despite an up and down year for the team that has been plagued by injuries, the Stingers are red hot heading into the postseason.
Neill called the mood in the room similar to the excitement of his first year where they made their run to nationals.
He definitely has his mind set on getting back there and his teammates can tell.
Neill amassed 84 points in 81 games as a member of the Concordia Stingers
“He wants it bad, he’s pushing even harder,” said Harwell. “It motivates the guys to go even harder as well.”
Looking back to the end of Neill’s first season, when asked if he felt like he was a number one defenceman as his coach had suggested, the rookie said not yet, but maybe next year.
Since then he’s become a franchise leader for defensive scoring, collected all-star nominations, academic awards, represented his country, and made his mark on the team.
When asked the same question at the end of this season, he had a similar answer.
“I don’t know, there’s a lot of number one defencemen in our league. I guess it depends on the night,” said Neill.
After all of this, it is probably safe to say that Neill can call himself not only a number one defenceman, but one of Concordia’s all-time greats.
