Stingers 4, Aigles Bleus 2: Concordia steals semi-final spot
Concordia’s men’s hockey team pushed back hard against the Université de Moncton Aigles Bleus
The third-seeded Concordia University Stingers men's hockey team nabbed a massive win against the sixth-seeded Université de Moncton Aigles Bleus on Friday, March 21. The win moves the Stingers past the quarterfinal round of the U Sports men’s hockey championship.
Moncton was very threatening in the first half of the game, opening with a goal in the first six minutes of play. The Stingers were able to match the Aigles Bleus before the period ended with a goal from defenceman Simon Lavigne.
The second frame belonged largely to Moncton, who scored early in the period to take a 2-1 lead. The strategy was to keep their distance from the Stingers players and to quickly move the puck laterally to keep it out of their zone. After allowing Moncton’s second goal, the Stingers defence tightened up and put heavy pressure on the Aigles Bleus on both sides of the ice.
In the third period, Concordia blew the game wide open. The Stingers got much more physically aggressive, bewildering Moncton’s players as they crashed into the boards. The stark change in physicality staggered the Aigles Bleus, leaving them susceptible to the one-two punch they were about to receive.
Around the six-minute mark, Stingers forward Charles Savoie rebounded a shot off the back of his stick, tying the game at two-a-piece. Merely 45 seconds later, Moncton’s goalie left the net unattended to move the puck to his teammate. A sloppy pass by the Aigles Bleus defence allowed Stingers forward Édouard Charron to pick the puck and score on an open net.
From that moment on, the game was decided. Concordia played strangling defence on the Aigles Bleus, forcing them to pull their goalie in the final minutes. This move allowed for Stingers forward Nicholas Girouard to flick in a fourth Stingers goal in transition.
Lavigne left the ice with the Player of the Match award, after a one-goal, two-assist performance. The Stingers have secured their spot in the U Sports men’s hockey semifinals, where they will face the University of Saskatchewan Huskies.
The semi-final will take place on Saturday, March 22 at 7 p.m.
