Stingers 4, Patriotes 1: Concordia men’s hockey team extends winning streak to four
The Stingers took down their rivals to continue their hot start to the season
The Concordia men’s hockey team claimed another statement win on Oct. 16 by defeating the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR) Patriotes 4-1, pushing their early-season win streak to four games in the process. Concordia improved to 4-0-1 on the season while UQTR fell to a record of 2-2-0.
The Stingers capitalized early on the power play, as two penalties allowed Concordia to pounce. Defenceman Simon Lavigne fired Concordia into the lead with a close-range bullet, and forward Nicholas Girouard doubled the lead just after the start of the second period with a perfect finish under UQTR goaltender Charles-Antoine Lavallée’s blocker.
Right winger Vincent Milot-Ouellet pulled a goal back for UQTR, but Stingers forward Loïck Daigle sniped a long-range shot into the top corner to restore Concordia’s two-goal lead. Mathieu Bizier finished off the scoring in the third period with an empty-netter to put the final nail in the Patriotes’ coffin.
On top of the four different goalscorers, six additional Stingers recorded assists, solidifying a polished and well-rounded attack. Concordia head coach Marc-André Elément commented on the team’s depth and versatility, praising each player’s ability to step up on any given night.
“It's a league where you need four lines to go offensively but also defensively,” Elément commented after the game. “I'm happy that right now that different guys can give us more offence. I think that's great for our program, so I'm happy with the results.”
Girouard, who added an assist on top of his goal, praised the team’s chemistry, noting that the camaraderie starts off the ice.
“We're a really close team. Everybody gets along well, and I think it shows on the ice because our chemistry is so good,” he said.
Concordia overcame a physical game against a key rival, which included several big hits and a scuffle between players after UQTR captain Conor Frenette took a knock halfway through the second period.
Elément acknowledged the significance of sweeping the first two games against the Patriotes, but also recognized that the team’s journey has not finished yet. He described the regular season as 28 missions, adding that he told his players to start preparing for the next game as soon as they left the arena.
“It builds our confidence for sure, but the job is not done,” Elément said of the victory.
Girouard agreed with his coach’s sentiment.
“[We] just have to keep building our game,” he said. “Our games aren't perfect so I think we have to build on our mistakes and make sure we don't make them again.”
Thanks to the win, the Stingers continue their early-season hold on first-place in the Ontario University Athletics East division. They currently sit one point ahead of second-place Queen’s. UQTR finds itself in fifth place.
Concordia will look to secure a fifth straight win when they take on Toronto Metropolitan University on Oct. 18. Puck-drop is set for 7:30 p.m.
