Gaiters 6, Stingers 3: Bishop’s shocks Concordia with comeback series win
The upstart Gaiters took down the defending champs in a Game 3 upset
There is a new Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) women’s hockey champion in 2024-25. The Bishop’s University Gaiters took down the three-time defending champion Concordia University Stingers in Game 3 of the RSEQ finals on Sunday, March 9 at Ed Meagher Arena.
Concordia suffered only its second season loss in RSEQ play and snapped a streak of three consecutive RSEQ championships dating back to the 2021-22 season. Both the Stingers and Gaiters advanced to the U Sports Women’s Hockey Championship, to be held in Waterloo, Ontario, starting March 20.
Stingers head coach Julie Chu lamented the loss, but also implored the team to use it as motivation for the upcoming national tournament.
“We learned a hard lesson, and sometimes that's part of the process,” Chu said. “And the great thing is this wasn’t our last game of the season. We have that opportunity to still come back and to learn from what we experienced to be better later.”
A packed Ed Meagher Arena witnessed a gritty Gaiters squad suffocate the defending champs. While Stingers forward Béatrice Caron opened the scoring a minute into the game with a dribbler through the legs of Bishop’s goaltender Éricka Gagnon, the Gaiters grabbed an equalizer three minutes later through alternate captain Gabrielle Rousseau’s backhand on the power play.
In the second period, it was the Gaiters’ turn to strike early, with forward Justine Turcotte tipping defender Daphné Boutin’s shot over the shoulder of Concordia netminder Jordyn Verbeek. Gaiters attacker Neleh Vigneau Sargeant pushed the lead to 3-1 with a tap-in on the counterattack.
Stingers forward Émilie Lussier managed to stem some of the bleeding with a quick shot off a pass from winger Zoé Thibault. A 3-2 deficit still cultivated some hope that Concordia could mount a comeback, but the Gaiters would slam the door shut in the third period.
Turcotte added her second of the night four minutes in, batting the puck out of the air and past Verbeek. Forward Annika Lafrenière tipped in the fifth Gaiters goal off Boutin’s third assist of the night.
Even when Lussier set up Stingers defender Alexandra-Anne Boyer to cut the deficit to 5-3, an empty net saw Lafrenière secure her second of the game with a long-range backbreaker.
Lussier expressed the team’s goals to prevent a similar loss at the national tournament.
“We didn't play a full 60 minutes,” Lussier said. “Even if we are down one, you need to come back harder and harder. We didn't do that. But we need to keep our heads up.”
As the Stingers closed out their final home game in front of a raucous and deeply appreciative crowd, Lussier applauded the Concordia faithful for their support.
“It was incredible, all the people who were here cheering for us,” Lussier said. “We know it makes a big difference. When we were losing by two and they were there, we scored one. We wanted to play well for them.”
With the RSEQ season behind it, Concordia now directs its attention to the national championship. For Chu, it’s another opportunity to learn and grow.
“We're going to have a handful of practices left to get back on track the way we want to,” Chu said. “So let it hurt now—it's OK. Be disappointed. But everyone has to self-reflect, myself included, on how I can be better for our team. And we're going to be better.”
Concordia, likely the fifth seed at the national tournament, now awaits the results of the Atlantic University Sport and Ontario University Athletics championships to decide its next opponent. Tournament play begins March 20.
