No Glory Without Discipline

Stingers Fall 4-1 to Red-Hot UQTR Patriotes

SportsDavid S. Landsman — Published February 1, 2014

“They [the Patriotes] were doing a lot of what we were supposed to do,” said Stingers men’s hockey head coach Kevin Figsby after the game. “We knew it was going to be a tough game.”

Entering Wednesday’s game on a two-game winning streak, the Stingers were no match for the visiting Université de Québec à Trois-Rivières Patriotes, who headed onto Concordia’s home ice ranked second in the Ontario University Athletics East Division and on an 11-game winning streak of their own.

The Patriotes overwhelmed the Stingers from the start, dominating the shot column 21-1 in the opening period.

They were rewarded for their effort with two quick goals 47 seconds apart late in the period, first by winger Jason Rajotte before winger Yannick Dubé scored on a powerplay to take a 2-0 lead.

Stingers goaltender Antonio Mastropietro, who made a career-high 46 saves in the loss, wasn’t surprised at the workload he faced Wednesday night, but also credits his defence for it not being worse.

“I kind of knew [the number of shots] was going to be that high,” said Mastropietro. “I’ve played with a lot of those guys in the [Quebec Major Junior Hockey League], and I know they’re a very skilled team, so I expected a lot of rubber coming my way.”

At just under three minutes in the second frame, Concordia forward Hugo Vincent brushed past the Patriotes defence and found a pinching blueliner of his own in Gabriel Bourret, who scored his second goal of the season past goaltender Guillaume Nadeau to cut the deficit to one.

Minutes later, forward Dany Potvin had the tying goal on his stick with an open net but backhanded the puck out of play.

But where Concordia failed UQTR succeeded, scoring two more powerplay goals before the end of the period to take a 4-1 lead into the final frame.

They were goals which, if it weren’t for an injury to top line forward Jessyco Bernard, who missed the game and will be out the remainder of the season with a broken jaw, might not have found the back of the net according to Figsby.

“Our number one penalty killing unit is Hinse and Bernard and now that [Bernard] is out we had to be disciplined,” Figsby said. “We weren’t, and it cost us.”

The third period was quiet on the goal-scoring front. Despite UQTR firing another 16 shots at Mastropietro, he stopped them all and kept the game close. Concordia was only able to get their 10th shot of the game nearing midway through the final period.

It was a tough loss, but not unexpected. UQTR currently ranks no. 6 in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport—and, with the win, move past the McGill Redmen for top spot in the division. The Stingers remain in sixth place.

“From a five-on-five perspective the game was 1-1,” said Figsby. “I think our lack of discipline really let Antonio down tonight.”

The Stingers next take to the ice this Friday, Jan. 31 at Ed Meagher Arena against the Queen’s University Gaels. Puck drops at 8 p.m.