Home Opener Away From Home

Stingers Drop A Close Game to Reigning National Champions

SportsDavid S. Landsman — Published October 22, 2013

Making the team take on the defending national champion Université de Montréal Carabins in their home opener was adding insult to injury.

But the Stingers on Sunday looked nothing like the 3-16-1 team of last season, playing the Carabins down to the wire as the Maroon and Gold ultimately fell 2-1 at the Town of Mont-Royal Arena.

“We haven’t played in a few weeks, and I think it showed,” said team captain Erin Lally, who tallied the lone Concordia goal. “But I think by the end of the game we were coming together, and we’re heading in the right direction.”

The Stingers were coming off a 2-1 loss in Ottawa against Carleton University on Saturday before taking on the Collegiate Interuniversity Sport top-ranked Carabins the next day. The Stingers had also been out of action for almost three weeks before Saturday’s game.

UdeM, meanwhile, entered Sunday’s matchup coming off a convincing 5-2 win the day before against the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees.

Concordia’s defence core started the game very strong, not allowing a single shot on goaltender Carolanne Lavoie-Pilon until after the six-minute mark of the first period.

Lavoie-Pilon, a second-year marketing student, showed no rust during the weekend, finishing with two strong performances—saving 65 of 69 shots so far this season.

“I think we really wanted to show our new team identity,” said Lavoie-Pilon. “Our goal was to put a lot of pressure, and get to them early, which we did.

“You just can’t give them chances in the slot; we gave them two, and they capitalized,” she continued. “The defence was remarkable and helpful letting me see the puck all the way through. The rookies too, played like veterans; sometimes I didn’t even realize it.”

Lavoie-Pilon let slip two quick goals midway through the first, but the defence shut out the Carabins the rest of the way.

Special teams were also key during the game as the Stingers killed off three penalties in succession midway through the second, including two back-to-back delay of game penalties.

But without the presence of the team’s top scorers last season, graduated wingers Véronique Laramée-Paquette and Emilie Bocchia, the Concordia offence struggled.

Lally potted the lone goal for the Stingers 13 minutes into the third period on the advantage, shooting a solid wrist shot from the slot after a perfect feed from Jaymee

Shell that went right past Carabins goaltender Élodie Rousseau-Sirois.

“It felt really good to play a strong game against the National champions,” said Shell.

“We sent a message that we aren’t a team to be taken lightly. We also showed a lot of character.”

Reflecting that character is the team remaining unfazed despite playing their home opener away from home.

The Stingers usually play their home games at Ed Meagher Arena at the Loyola Campus, but due to issues with the ice, which had just underwent a major $8-million
facelift, the arena wasn’t ready in time for Sunday’s tilt. Instead, the Stingers had to call the TMR their home rink on Sunday.

Ice issues also mean that the Stingers will not play their first game at the historic N.D.G. rink until Nov. 1, their fourth game of the season. The team hasn’t played at Ed Meagher since Feb. 2—but the team is taking it all in stride.

“Not playing our home opener was a little strange, but the status of construction is beyond our control,” said fourth-year winger Shell. “It’ll make it that much more special when we have the arena inauguration.”

New Bee in the Hive

That’s not all the Stingers have to look forward to. Despite this past weekend’s losses, the team has reason to be hopeful this season.

Helping the Stingers turn the page on last season’s forgettable campaign is the addition of a fresh face to the coaching staff . Montreal native Mike McGrath is just starting off his university coaching career and will be assisting longtime head coach Les Lawton.

A 1994 John Molson School of Business graduate, McGrath has coached in virtually every other level of hockey, from bantam, to midget and college.

“I’ve always been a head coach up until now, but I’m so glad to have this opportunity,” said McGrath. “[Lawton has] been here for 33 years and he still loves coaching.

Getting to work alongside him and his track record I’m super excited and ready for the challenge. [Lawton] told me I’m going to love it, and so far [I’ve been doing] nothing but.”

The team itself is comprised of a roster half-full of rookies with a total of 10 new faces, a jump from last season’s nine. Five rookie forwards, three rookie blueliners and two rookie goaltenders make for a load of inexperience at the CIS level.

There has also been a change in the roles of leadership. Following the graduation of Bocchia Laramée-Paquette, centre Mallory Lawton and defender Laurie Proulx-Dupereé, new leaders have emerged out of the dressing room.

Among them is fifth-year player Lally, who wears the captain’s “C” this season.

“I was very honoured when Les told me I got the ‘C’,” said Lally. “It makes me feel very good, and I know that my assistants and I now have a good deal of control to lead the team.”

The alternate captains have been giving guidance to fellow veterans Shell, defender Mary Jane Roper and centre Alyssa Sherrard.

It all makes for a relatively young team, but one showing promising depth early: the Stingers were outscored 12-3 through two games last season, while they only lost by a combined 4-2 this weekend.

“I am expecting to have a very successful year this year; we have the players and coach staff to achieve big things and be a team others are afraid to play,” said Shell.

Concordia will look to get its first win of the season against the Gee-Gees in Ottawa on Saturday.