Montreal comes from behind to take the game by a final score of 6–2
As the regular season comes to a close, the University of Ottawa women’s hockey team were on the road facing off against the Université de Montreal Carabins on Friday, Feb. 10.
Despite starting out strong, the Gee-Gees fell apart in the third period, allowing the Carabins to score a flurry of goals that let them take the game 6–2.
While a final score like this usually indicates a complete blowout from start to finish, the first 50 minutes of regulation time showcased a very competitive match between both teams.
Unlike their Feb. 4 game against the Concordia Stingers, the Gees were able to generate some potent offence right off the bat, with forward Cindy Laurin scoring two goals within the first ten minutes of the first period. From there both teams engaged in rigorous back and forth play, with the Gees’ defence and goaltender Émilie Bouchard doing a great job at protecting their 2–0 lead.
However, the Carabins would score with just over a minute left in the first, which would signal the beginning of the end for the Garnet and Grey.
Even though Mélodie Bouchard’s return to the lineup on Friday breathed new life into the Gees’ offence, penalty trouble provided Montreal with another goal halfway through the second period, which tied up the game up at 2–2.
The major turning point in the game came halfway through the third period, where a lazy tripping penalty from Julie Lévesque put the Carabins on the power-play yet again. Not only did Montreal forward Jessica Cormier score as a result of this penalty, but she also buried the puck with a stellar slapshot minutes later to make it a 4–2 Carabins advantage.
At that point the Gees’ offence dried up, and the team only managed three shots on net the entire period. Not even an extra attacker could generate any substantial scoring opportunities for the Garnet and Grey, while Montreal managed to score on the empty net to make it 5–2.
To add insult to injury, Cormier found the back of the net yet again with a single second left in the game, securing herself the hat trick and 6–2 victory for the Carabins.
“We need to play a better team game, as we did in the first period,” said head coach Yanick Evola, looking ahead to their final game in the season. “I think this is the direction we’re trying to head in right now and I have confidence that we can bounce back.”
With the playoffs rapidly approaching, Evola said that his team needs to step up their game and play more consistently like they did in the front half of the season.
“We’re still working towards that great peak we had at some point during the season. We know we can do it, we’ve played some really good hockey, so we need to be ‘superstars’ now.”
The last game of the Gees’ regular season is a rematch against the Carabins on Friday, Feb. 17 in Montreal. Playoffs are expected to start during reading week.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsnUwT7EGh0
