Stingers 4, Martlets 2: Concordia grit too much for McGill
The Stingers rang in the new year with a home victory
The Concordia University women’s hockey team kicked off 2026 with a bang, taking down the McGill University Martlets in a 4-2 comeback victory at Ed Meagher Arena on Jan. 16.
While the Stingers led the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) in the standings entering the match and the Martlets sat in last place, the roles looked reversed early on.
McGill came out of the blocks on fire, dishing out big hits and scrapping at every chance. Three Stingers visited the penalty box in the first period, and winger Taylor Garcia tapped in a back-post rebound to finally put the Martlets on the board with under a minute left.
Stingers captain Jessymaude Drapeau bemoaned the team’s track record in first periods, but expressed her faith in its preparation.
“We were talking about stats in the first half, and most of our games we were losing by a point [at the break], so it was not different today,” she said. “And honestly, it was again a game that we had to fight back—so many penalties too—but we were prepared.”
Concordia roared to life in the second period, as forward Lexi Bedier rang up a shot off the post to knot the game at 1-1.
Then, Drapeau tipped teammate Émilie Lussier’s shot over the shoulder of Martlets goaltender Jade Rivard-Coulombe to double the tally. Lussier even had the chance to add the third after drawing a penalty and taking the shot herself, but she pulled the puck wide.
All the while, McGill continued to batter Concordia, but the Stingers drew the short straw on penalties. The Stingers went to the box seven times, including three 5-on-3 situations. Stingers head coach Julie Chu praised the competition in the RSEQ and McGill’s improvement as a program.
“When we step on the ice, or we see their overall record, I don't think it's necessarily indicative of the type of team that they are,” Chu said. “They are a good team, they play hard, they play fast, they're well coached, so they're getting better and better.”
The Martlets capitalized on just one of their two-man advantages, but a deflected shot allowed forward Jordyn Watson to make it 2-2 in the third period.
However, Lussier redeemed her earlier penalty miss, hopping off the bench with a snipe to restore the lead, and forward Courtney Rice made up for an early penalty by adding the nail in the coffin, 4-2.
Rice, who jawed with McGill players all night, emphasized the translation of the team’s off-the-ice bonding to their games.
“We work so much on our team atmosphere, and I think no matter what, our positivity never gets diminished,” Rice said. “It's always positive, and no matter what happens, we always have each other's backs.”
In a feisty game, Chu praised Rice for her tenacity and drive.
“She's gotten better and better every year," Chu said. "This past summer, she prepared well, and she set herself up to have a bigger role and a bigger impact just being in a much better physical spot coming in."
Concordia took down McGill for the second time in three days on Jan. 18, nabbing a 3-2 overtime victory over the Martlets. The Stingers now prepare to welcome the Bishop’s University Gaiters to Ed Meagher Arena for the annual Pride Game on Jan. 23. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m.
