UQTR 4, Concordia 2: Stingers Fall to Patriotes

On Ice Errors Prove Costly for Maroon and Gold

SportsEric Beaudoin — Published January 14, 2018

The Patriotes would pay a visit to take on the Stingers in a battle for second place in the Ontario University Athletics East Division.

The Ed Meagher arena had mental illness awareness presented on the forefront in connection to Bell and the annual Let’s Talk initiative. The official day is on Jan. 31.

Stingers head coach Marc-André Élement discussed the importance of the Bell Let’s Talk game. “It’s really important. Phil (Hudon) is doing a great job with that. In his life, also to promote mental illness and he’s doing a great job.”

The game got off to a fast and physical start. A back and forth chase for the puck ensued for the first 12 minutes until the shots would develop and come fast.

Stingers forward Anthony Beauregard opened the scoring late in the first period from a quick pass from behind the net courtesy of defencemen Anthony Gingras. The goal would be Beauregard’s 14th of the season and extending his league high in points to 44.

Goalkeeper brilliance got the second period started for both sides as Stingers goalie Marc-Antoine Turcotte and UQTR Alexandre Bélanger made crucial saves. Following the goalie show that began the second period was a rash of penalties which led to the first goal by UQTR.

Patriotes Elie Bérubé was fed a cross ice shot by fellow defensemen Loik Léveillée on the power play to get the Patriotes on the board at 3:32. Concordia quickly followed that up with a goal by newly acquired forward William Gignac to allow the Stingers to retake the lead.

UQTR would not let that lead last for very long as forward Christophe Boivin scored to tie it up just five minutes after. By the end of the period, both teams had totaled 10 minutes of penalties and 23 shots apiece.

The third period was another of missed chances for both sides. UQTR took a number of shots but couldn’t find an opening against the red hot Turcotte. Despite three penalty opportunities, the Stingers could not capitalize on them.

Late in the third period, Boivin found an opening and scored at the 17:34 mark to give UQTR its first lead of the game. The goal would force Concordia to pull their goalie with two minutes to go but UQTR proved to be too strong.

Patriotes forward Julien Gagné scored an empty net goal to seal the win.

“It’s in detail,” said Élement. “[…] it’s two good teams playing against each other and there are some details in the game that we didn’t execute well.”

“It’s a learning (experience), we’re going to learn and those mistakes were not going to do in the playoff,” he continued.

The loss for the Stingers puts them in third in the standings with a game and a half lead over fourth place Carlton in the OUA East division Standings.