(PHOTO OF ALEX PICARD-HOOPER BY ANDREW DOBROWOLSKYJ)

 

ST. CATHARINES, Ont. - The McGill Redmen hockey team finally met their Waterloo but their downfall came unexpectedly in a damp arena on the outskirts of Niagara Falls, rather than on a battlefield in a bigger town.

 

The unranked Brock University Badgers launched a successful surprise attack against the No.2-Redmen and came away with a 3-2 conquest in a disputed overtime shootout.

 

Brock`s Matt Abercrombie and Derek Brochu both scored in a prolonged 12-man shootout, which the Badgers won 2-1 to hand McGill their first loss of the season, snapping a school record 18-game win streak which surpassed the previous standard of excellence set 74 years ago.

 

"It's always tough to accept defeat but they played well and got the bounces," said Redmen team captain Evan Vossen, a senior from Swift Current, Sask.  "We've had a good run and broke a pretty impressive record in the long history of this team."

 

Alex Picard-Hooper of Boucherville, Que., was credited with the lone Redmen marker in the shootout, which began with an apparent goal by veteran Guillaume Doucet of Anjou, Que., on the first shot.

 

But referee Brent Holdsworth conferred with his two linesmen and after an extended discussion, ruled no goal.

 

"It was definitely across the line," said Doucet, one of the team's alternate captains. "Their goalie (Kurt Jory) was half in the net and lying on top of the puck. It took him a long time to get up because he was trying to hide the puck while slowly moving it back out (of the goal area)."

 

The Redmen seemed at odds with Holdsworth all night as he dished out 48 minutes in penalties, including 34 to McGill.

 

Linemates Francis Verreault-Paul and Picard-Hooper, the second and third-leading scorers in the league, each spent 16 minutes in the sin-bin.

 

The parade to the penalty box has become an alarming trend whenever the Redmen play in Ontario. A quick review of league stats this season indicate that they are averaging 42.7 penalty minutes per game when an Ontario-based referee is working, compared to an average of 13.6 PIMs when a Quebec official is in charge.

 

McGill opened the scoring at 3:23 of the first period when Christophe Longpre-Poirier of Longueuil, Que., netted his sixth of the season but the Badgers replied less than five minutes later when Kaine Geldart connected for his sixth marker.

 

When a third player tallied his sixth of the season -- Redmen winger Andrew Wright at 12:29 of the third period -- it was like Satan himself had appeared.

 

Verreault-Paul was then penalized for the fourth time in the contest and Brock forced overtime when Isaac Smeltzer replied with a power-play marker and the rest, as they say, is history.

 

The Redmen, who own an 18-0-1 record overall and a 13-0-1 mark in regular season action, return to the friendly confines of McConnell Arena to entertain the Guelph Gryphons (8-5-0) on Nov. 27 at 7 p.m.

 

SCORING SUMMARY

McGill 2 at Brock 3 (OTS)

(Saturday, November 20, 2010 - Seymour-Hannah Centre)

1st Period-

1, McGill, Christophe Longpre-Poirier 6 (J.F. Boisvert, S. Valente), 3:23.

2, Brock, Kaine Geldart 6 (M. Abercrombie, J. Pell), 8:01.

 

Penalties-

Verreault-Paul Mcg (hooking), 5:58;

Schram Bro (cross checking), 8:32;

Allen Bro (tripping), 8:58;

Verreault-Paul Mcg (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 8:58;

Verreault-Paul Mcg (10-minute misconduct), 8:58;

Christmas Bro (interference), 11:39;

Picard-Hooper Mcg (roughing), 13:07;

Allen Bro (high sticking), 13:07;

Levesque Mcg (hooking), 15:10.

 

2nd Period-

(No Scoring).

 

Penalties-

Picard-Hooper Mcg (slashing), 4:25;

Smeltzer Bro (cross checking), 4:25;

Picard-Hooper Mcg (checking from behind, 10-minute misconduct), 14:08.

 

3rd Period-

3, McGill, Andrew Wright 6 (F. Verreault-Paul, R. McKiernan), 12:29 (PP).

4, Brock, Karl Smeltzer 1 (J. Gignac, D. Brochu), 16:30 (PP).

 

Penalties-

Allen Bro (interference), 7:32;

Gignac Bro (hooking), 12:05;

Verreault-Paul Mcg (tripping), 14:42.

 

OVERTIME (5-MINS., 4-0N-4):

(No Scoring).

 

Penalties-

(None)

 

SHOOTOUT (Brock 2, McGill 1):

McGill shoots first

McGill 1

(Guillaume Doucet NG, Alex Picard-Hooper GOAL, Francis Verreault-Paul NG, Christophe Longpre-Poirier NG, Simon Marcotte-Legare NG, Andrew Wright NG),

 

Brock 2

(Matt Abercrombie GOAL, Steve Mullin NG, Kaine Geldart NG, Brad Flynn NG, Joe Tolles NG, Derek Brochu GOAL).

 

GOALS BY PERIOD

McGill 1-0-1-0-0 -- 2

Brock 1-0-1-0-1 -- 3

 

Shots on Goal-

McGill 8-9-8-0-0 -- 25.

Brock 6-7-12-2-1 -- 28.

 

Power Play Opportunities-

McGill 1 / 4;

Brock 1 / 4.

 

PENALTIES (No./Mins):

McGill 9 / 34;

Brock 7 / 14.

 

Goalies-

McGill, Hubert Morin (L, 8-1, 26 shots-25 saves, 65:00).

Brock, Kurt Jory (W, 5-7, 24 shots-23 saves; 65:00).

 

Att-200

 

Referee-Brent Holdsworth.

 

Start: 3:12

End: 5:45

Length: 2:33

 

MOLSON CUP THREE STARS:

1. Kurt Jory, Brock

2. Hubert Morin, McGill

3. Maxime Langelier-Parent, McGill