Gee-Gees

Gee-Gees look to sweep season series

With the U of O’s win at the Panda Game, the women’s Colonel By Classic, and the split last weekend at Capital Hoops, just one rivalry game remains — the men’s Colonel By Classic. The game was first played in 2016, and the Gee-Gees have just one win in five games all-time.

Feb. 8’s game is a mismatch on paper. The Gee-Gees are ranked seventh nationally, while the Ravens are ranked seventh in the OUA East division. The struggling Ravens have just one win in their last seven games.

That mismatch has resulted in some lopsided games between the pair so far this year. First, a 3-1 win for the Gees in early November; the following night, a 7-1 win for the Gees; and finally, a 4-1 win for the Gees coming out of the Christmas break.

Last year, the teams played a doubleheader for the first time — and both went to overtime. The men lost 8-7 in one of the wildest rivalry games ever played between the two schools. Current Gees winger Bradley Chenier netted a hat trick and finished with four points.

Team defence and goaltending is the major difference between the two teams. The Gee-Gees are lucky to have Frankie Lapenna between the pipes; the former Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) standout has posted a remarkable .942 save percentage and 1.75 goals against average this season. In his first year with the Gees, he leads the OUA in both categories.

Up front, the Gee-Gees boast talented forwards big and small. Leading the team in points is former Rimouski Oceanic star Luka Verreault, who measures at 5’10” and 173 pounds. The 21-year-old has better than a point-per-game this season, with 28 in 27 games.

Max Grondin has one more goal than Verreault, placing him first on the team in that column. The former Peterborough Pete has 14 goals in 27 games, following up his 10 in 21 the season prior. The Hearst native dwarfs most players in the league, at 6’4”.

The puck drops at 7 p.m. on Feb. 8, and tickets are still available.