Stingers 3, Martlets 0: The champs return home
Women’s hockey team back at Ed Meagher Arena after 2024 championship win
History was made at the Stingers’ home opener on Oct. 20 when former assistant coach Julie Healy was inducted into Concordia’s Sports Hall of Fame. It was a celebration like no other, unveiling the 2024 U Sports championship banner.
Healy helped lead the team to 11 conference championships in 15 seasons. Under her leadership, the Stingers also won the national championship twice.
“[Healy] has had a huge impact on Concordia as a student-athlete, then as a coach and just a leader in so many capacities,” head coach Julie Chu said. “Ultimately, I’m very lucky because I’m standing on the foundation that she was able to build.”
The foundation held strong for the start of the game when forward Émilie Lussier scored a beautiful one-timer goal just 1:24 into the first period.
The game was quieter going into the second period until Rachael McIntyre’s penalty for interference with just over 14 minutes to go in the second.
Despite McIntyre’s penalty, Lussier went on a breakaway and scored a shorthanded goal, doubling the Stingers’ lead.
Lussier explained that the secret to her success is to just go for it.
“Often, I’m not really thinking. I’m just taking the puck and having fun,” Lussier said, adding that if she makes a mistake in a game, she’ll know that “the next shift will be a better one.”
With just over six minutes left in the second period, Martlets forward Jordyn Watson tripped Stingers forward Émilie Lavoie into the boards, resulting in a powerplay for the Stingers.
Just over 30 seconds later, Martlets defenceman Olivia Pridham joined Watson in the penalty box for cross-checking, giving Concordia a five-on-three power play.
Towards the end of Watson’s penalty, Stingers assistant captain Jessymaude Drapeau shot the puck in the top left of the net, scoring the third of the game.
Head coach Chu said National Hockey League superstar Leon Draisaitl inspired this goal.
“We saw a clip from Leon Draisaitl last year, where he scored like that and from a really tough angle, so what does [Drapeau] do? She gets to work,” Chu said. “She practices, she practices, she fails and she fails and then she suddenly finds the rhythm.”
Stingers goalie Jordyn Verbeek made 14 saves to secure the shutout. Although Verbeek was happy about the 3-0 win, she wants the team to stay focused going forward.
“We’re just going to take it one game at a time, take it slowly and just make sure we come out, ready to play and not take anything for granted this evening,” Verbeek said.
The Concordia Stingers will face the Bishop’s Gaiters at their next home game on Oct. 27 at 7 p.m.
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