Wanted: 60-Minute Effort

Blown Lead Costs Stingers Game Against Carleton

SportsJustin Blanchard — Published November 18, 2012

After jumping out to an early 2-0 lead over the visiting second-ranked Carleton Ravens last Saturday, the Concordia Stingers men’s hockey team seemed to be headed for their first victory in nine games.

Then they let it slip away.

“I thought we outplayed them for 57, 58 minutes,” said head coach Kevin Figsby. “We made two mistakes in the third period and it cost us two goals.”

The Carleton comeback started at the 12:46 mark in the second period, when defender Graham Klassen made no mistake on a power play as he found the back of the Concordia net from just outside the crease to narrow the lead to one.

Next came the game-tying goal by forward Ryan Berard on a redirected shot from teammate defender Charles Carre at the top of the blue line at the third period’s 15:23 mark.

The winning goal came moments later, when forward Mitch Porowski jumped on a loose puck off a face-off to make it 3-2 Carleton with just over three minutes remaining, silencing the packed Ed Meagher Arena.

“I thought we outplayed them for 57, 58 minutes. We made two mistakes in the third period and it cost us two goals.”
–Kevin Figsby, Head Coach

The loss wiped out a solid effort by the Stingers, an effort that just wasn’t complete and ultimately cost them the game.

“It doesn’t feel good when you lose the way we lost today, but it’s a tremendous learning experience for a young hockey team,” said Figsby. “And they’ve gotta take away from today’s game what I told them after [the game]–you gotta play hard for 60 minutes.”

The Stingers certainly started off with that mentality.

It just wasn’t enough on a day when the Stingers outshot their opponent 35-33, missing out on plenty of prime scoring opportunities along the way.

“I think we deserved to win,” said team captain Kyle Kelly. “I don’t think I could’ve said that about our last couple of games, but we came out today and battled; we didn’t quit, and it was an unfortunate loss.”

Yet despite the tough loss and remaining in ninth place in the Ontario University Athletics East division with a 2-8-1 record, the Stingers skated off the ice with their heads held high, nowhere near ready to give up on the season.

“We’re gonna persevere,” said Figsby. “When we go [for] 60 minutes we’ll have success.”

Unfortunately the Stingers are still waiting for that success after extending their losing streak to 10 Sunday in a 3-6 loss on the road against the Ottawa Gee-Gees.

The Stingers’ next game is Friday, Nov. 23 when they take on Nipissing at Ed Meagher Arena at 7:30 p.m.