Tough Test for Stingers Hockey

Men’s Team Allows Three Unanswered Goals En Route to Loss Against McGill

SportsDavid S. Landsman — Published December 4, 2014

Despite taking a 2-1 lead heading into the second period, the Stingers couldn’t keep up with McGill’s intensity, and wound up losing 5-3 Thursday. It was the annual “Score With School” game, with over 1000 young children in attendance at McConnell Arena.

An off period cost the Stingers as they allowed three unanswered goals in the period.

“For some unknown reason up until now, we have had some great starts to games,” said forward Antoine Houde-Caron, “Seems to me we have to work harder in our second periods. I can’t explain it.”

McGill scored the first goal of the game on the power play, after a questionable too many men bench minor was assessed to Concordia. Their lead didn’t last long as off the ensuing face off, the Stingers equalized the score when rookie forward Domenic Beauchemin slapped a shot past the Redmen goaltender Karel St-Laurent.

A few minutes later, Houde-Caron scored to make it 2-1 for Concordia, earning his seventh goal of the season.

McGill tied the game back up just 44 seconds into the second period, when Vincent Barnard took a low shot that eluded Stingers’ goaltender Robin Billingham.

The Redmen continued to apply pressure on offense, and veteran forward David Rose found a loose puck and shoveled it under Billingham to give McGill a 3-2 lead.

Marc-Olivier Vachon would add another goal, extending McGill’s lead to two heading into the intermission, much to the delight of fans for the home team.

The game ended with a score of 5-3, with both McGill and Concordia getting goals in the third period.

Moving forward, the Stingers’ will face the winless Royal Military College Paladins Saturday evening. Although RMC hasn’t been able to record a win this season, the Stingers know they still aren’t a team to be taken too lightly.

“Their record may be winless, but they forced a couple of solid teams that beat us to overtime,” said O’Neil, “We got to go in there playing like it’s any other game.”