Ottawa erased an early two goal deficit, defeating their cross town rivals at home.
Last Friday, the Gee-Gee men’s hockey team hosted the Carleton Ravens for their first game of the season. Following a playoff loss to the UQTR Patriots last season, the Gee-Gees looked to set the tone for their season, to establish themselves as contenders for the OUA championship.
Replacing long time netminder Franky Lapenna, new goaltender Felix Hamel played a key role in the win, coming up with key saves throughout the game. In a very chippy and physical game, it was Ottawa’s offensive explosion in the second, as well as their ability to defend under pressure that won them the game to the tune of 4-3.
First Period
The Ravens came out strong to open the game, controlling possession and getting good chances early. The packed home crowd was silenced barely a minute into the game when Carleton’s Robbie Rutledge found himself wide open following a scramble in front of the Gee-Gees’ net and scored.
Possession remained firmly in the hands of the Ravens, as they controlled play in the Gee-Gee zone. Hamel was forced into making several big saves as the Ravens generated good chances from the high slot.
The Gee-Gees showed signs of life when a long pass over the neutral zone found forward Ty Hipkin on the rush. Unfortunately, with the puck bobbling around, Hipkin couldn’t quite control it and ran out of room before getting stuffed by Ravens goaltender Dylan Meilun.
Shortly after, Gee-Gee defenceman Anson McMaster was called for high-sticking and Ottawa’s penalty killing unit was tested for the first time this season.
Forward Chris Barlas led the unit with aggressive defense that limited Carleton’s chances.
Despite the unit’s efforts, the Ravens did find the back of the net later in the power play when a pass through a screen found a wide open Nolan Gagnon, who scored on a one-timer that Hamel never got a good look at.
Minutes later, a faceoff in Carleton’s zone gave the Gee-Gees possession. McMaster got in front of an attempt from the Ravens to clear the puck and fired from the blue line, where forward Justin Cloutier tipped it past Meilun for the Gee-Gees’ the first goal of the season.
The teams exchanged rushes throughout the rest of the first, but neither side was able to find any success. The period wrapped up with a score of 2-1 in the Ravens’s favour.
Second Period
The Gee-Gees came out of the break with a vengeance. With the puck rarely escaping Carleton’s zone, they dominated the Ravens. Ottawa moved the puck around well in the offensive zone, forcing a very active performance out of Meilun and his defence.
The Gee-Gees found the equalizer as forward Maxime Coursoul’s shot from the point led to a scramble in front of the Ravens’ net. Veteran forward Marc-Antoine Seguin then capitalized as the puck squeaked out, firing it back into the net.
Coursol got himself onto the stat sheet minutes later, taking a pass from defenceman Nicolas Bilodeau before crossing the blue line, cutting in and firing high pastMeilun.
The Ravens attempted to regain control late in the frame, but Hamel continued to deny them any good chance, ending possessions consistently.
When asked about his rebound control, Hamel emphasized that“when the game is tight, it’s good to give the guys a break, [and] getting to another faceoff.”
Head coach Patrick Grandmaitre noted the importance of his team’s effort coming into the second: “The big thing was energy, I felt in the first period we were hesitant, they were taking it to us, jumping on pucks more.”
The frame came to a close with a score of 3-2 to the Gee-Gees.
Third Period
Both teams came out of the break swinging, playing very physical brands of hockey. Ottawa managed several good chances, while their defensive efforts limited any good ones for Carleton.
The Gee-Gees managed to extend their lead when Gabriel Le Houillier crossed into Carleton’s zone and ripped a shot that beat Meilun high, scoring his first for the garnet and grey
With a 4-2 lead in hand, the Gee-Gees looked to slow down the pace of play. The Ravens weren’t having it, forcing a fast-paced, transition-focused game.
The third period devolved into a game of rushes, with teams going back and forth with 3-on-2 chances. Both goaltenders put on a show, making impressive saves made for a very exciting stint.
The Ravens eventually cut the lead to one when forward Peter Amanatidis scored following a scramble in front of the Gee-Gees’ net.
With the Ravens pressing for an equalizer, the focus of the Gee-Gees was purely defensive. Ravens forward Jack Matsukubo broke through the Gee-Gees’ defence on a breakaway, but Hamel stood tall and maintained his squad’s lead.
The Ravens called a timeout late to organize a final push, pulling their goaltender for a man advantage. Ottawa’s defence was up to the task, blocking shots and coming up with key icings to wind down the clock.
In the final seconds, forward Loïc Prud’Homme made a crucial block. The puck was cleared and the game ended with a score of 4-3 to the Gee-Gees.
Wrapping up
The Gee-Gees went 1-1 through the back-to-back that began their season. While they won their rivalry matchup, they fell short to Ontario Tech on Saturday.
On a brighter note, after sweeping the season series against Carleton last year, they’ve continued their streak of dominance in that matchup.
The Gee-Gees will try to build on another win over Carleton, making another push towards the OUA championship this season.
