RSEQ week 8 overview

In the last week of play for the fall semester, McGill rose to the top of the ranks, while Concordia had a statement game against Carleton. League play will resume on January 3rd after pausing for the exam period and holidays.

Friday, Dec. 2: Montreal 3 at Carleton 2

Jessica Cormier scored twice, including the game-winner, as Montreal defeated Carleton 3-2 on Friday.

Cormier opened the scoring at 8:37 of the first, and teammate Valérie St-Onge doubled the advantage just 33 seconds later. Kaylie Welk put the Ravens on the board at 19:21 to enter the second at 2-1.

Cormier netted her second at 14:01 of the middle frame, the only goal of the period. Carleton freshman Delaney Ross narrowed the gap to 3-2 at 14:52 of the third, but Montreal dominated the period with an 18-7 advantage on the shot clock and the Ravens couldn’t mount a comeback.

Carleton netminder Katelyn Steele turned away 38 of 41 pucks in the loss, while Marie-Pier Chabot made 28 saves on 30 shots for the Carabins.

Montreal couldn’t capitalize on seven power play opportunities, but successfully killed all four penalties taken.

Ross currently leads all rookie skaters with 10 points in 11 games this season. Last year, Nicole Miners set a Carleton school record for freshman scoring with 10 points all season — a number that, at 23rd in the league, also led the Ravens’ limited offense. Alongside Ross, who sits ninth, fifth-year senior Tawnya Guindon (11-4-3-7) also ranks in the top-15 of the conference scoring race at the mid-way point, signaling Carleton’s drastic improvement.

Friday, Dec. 2: McGill 3 at Concordia 1

Léa Dumais netted the game-winner as the Martlets defeated Concordia 3-1 on Friday.

Claudia Dubois put the Stingers ahead with the only goal of the first period, a power-play marker at 5:49.

Jade Downie-Landry tied it up at 5:25 of the second before assisting on the goal by Dumais at 17:12 of the frame. Marie-Philip Lavoie added an insurance tally at 4:03 of the third.

Katherine Purchase made 22 saves on 25 shots for Concordia, while Tricia Deguire stopped 21 of 22 for the Martlets.

McGill was 0-for-5 on the power play and 4-for-5 on the kill.

The Martlets have benefitted from a diversity of scorers this season, with five skaters in the RSEQ top-15 at the break — more than any other school.

Sunday, Dec. 4: McGill 4 at Ottawa 2

McGill outshot the Gee-Gees 43-20 as it topped Ottawa 4-2 on Sunday.

Carol-Ann Upshall opened the scoring for Ottawa just 93 seconds into the game, but Mélodie Daoust replied at 3:27 to knot the score at 1-1.

Nicole Howlett gave the Martlets a short-lived lead with a power play goal at 14:57 of the second, before Marimée Godbout-Parent tied it up on a power play of her own at 17:23.

Olivia Atkinson potted the game-winner for McGill with a power play marker at 15:36 of the third, and teammate Marie-Philip Lavoie tapped the puck into the empty net in the final second to secure the victory.

Tricia Deguire made 18 saves on 20 shots for the Martlets. Her Gee-Gees counterpart, Maude Lévesque-Ryan, stopped 39 of 42 in the loss.

Ottawa was 1-for-3 on the power play, while McGill went 2-for-5.

The Gee-Gees broke into the national rankings in 10th spot last week, but losing their final game of the semester pushed them outside of the top-10 once again. They remain a team to watch going into the winter semester, where they will have to prove that their early success wasn’t a fluke.

Sunday, Dec. 4: Concordia 8 at Carleton 1

Marie-Pascale Bernier scored twice and both Audrey-Anne Allard and Tracy-Ann Lavigne collected three assists as the Stingers dominated Carleton 8-1 on Sunday.

Bernier opened the scoring at 5:48 of the first, and teammate Devon Thompson doubled the advantage at 10:48.

Kaylie Welk scored shorthanded for the Ravens at 12:59, but Brigitte Laganière gave Concordia a 3-1 lead with 2:54 remaining in the period.

Bernier netted her second at 7:50 of the middle frame. Claudia Dubois, Audrey Belzile, and Dominique Gagnon-Goyette also scored to bring the total to 7-1 heading into the intermission.

Sophie Gagnon’s goal at 14:03 of the third proved to be the last of the contest as the Stingers skated away with an impressive road win.

Carleton starting netminder Katelyn Steele allowed three goals on 11 shots in the first period before being replaced by Summer Roberts, who saved 25 of 30 shots in relief. Katherine Purchase stopped 21 of 22 for Concordia.

The Stingers were 0-for-4 on the power play and killed their only penalty taken.

Six players recorded multi-point games for Concordia, which saw seven different goal-scorers. The Stingers’ dominant victory sends a strong message to Carleton in what is likely to remain the match-up battling for RSEQ’s fourth and final playoff spot.

At The Half

RSEQ now breaks mid-way through its 20-game schedule for the exam period and holidays. McGill (8-2-0) has claimed the top spot in the league standings with 16 points, and remains sixth in the U Sports/CIS Top 10 national rankings. Montreal (7-4-0) follow with 14 points apiece and a No.5 ranking, though its place above the Martlets in the poll is due largely to last season’s championship, as the Martlets have claimed both meeting this year. Ottawa (6-3-1) sits third with 13 points and is narrowly outside of the national rankings. Concordia (3-6-1) is fourth with seven points, and Carleton (2-8-1) is last with five.

Scoring Leaders: (GP-G-A-P)

1. Mélodie Bouchard, Ottawa: 10-7-13-20
2. Mélodie Daoust, McGill: 8-4-10-14
3. Marie-Philip Lavoie, McGill: 10-6-7-13

Goaltending Leaders (SV%, GAA, W-L)

1. Tricia Deguire, McGill: .935, 1.70, 8-2
2. Marie-Pier Chabot, Montreal: .912, 2.41, 6-4
3. Maude Lévesque-Ryan, Ottawa: .912, 2.84, 4-4

Next Month in RSEQ:

Friday, Jan. 6:

Montreal (5) at McGill (6), 7 p.m. (FREE LIVE STREAM)

Saturday, Jan. 7:

Concordia at Ottawa, 2 p.m. (FREE LIVE STREAM)

Sunday, Jan. 8:

McGill (6) at Ottawa, 2 p.m. (FREE LIVE STREAM)
Montreal (5) at Carleton, 3 p.m.