(PHOTO OF MAX LONGPRE-POIRIER BY ANDREW DOBROWOLSKYJ)

 

NORTH BAY, Ont. -- The McGill Redmen rallied with four unanswered goals in the final period en route to a 4-1 playoff victory over the Nipissing University Lakers before 1,312 at Memorial Gardens, Wednesday, to take a 1-0 lead in their OUA East best-of-three men's hockey semifinal series.

It was the eighth consecutive OUA playoff conquest for the Redmen, dating back to last season, breaking a school record win streak established in the 2008 playoffs. McGill is now 7-0 lifetime against Nipissing, including a 3-0 mark in post-season play.

After a scoreless opening period, the Lakers broke the ice on a shorthanded marker from Jeff Leaist of Hamilton, Ont., at 19:22 of the middle period but Maxime Langelier-Parent of Lery, Que., tallied twice in the final frame, at 5:31 and 9:23, to spark the comeback.

Alex Picard-Hooper of Boucherville, Que., made it 3-1 just 77 seconds later and team captain Evan Vossen of Swift Current, Sask., added an empty-netter.

"We weren't sharp in the first two periods and weren't skating the way we were capable of," said Redmen bench boss Kelly Nobes, who was named earlier in the day as the OUA East coach of the year.  "But we started to move our feet well in the last period and got pucks in deep and worked hard along the boards, especially Max's line (which included Marc-Andre Daneau and Patrick Belzile)."

For Belzile, who drew an assist on McGill's first goal, it was his first appearance after a 13-game absence to heal a broken hand suffered in early December.

"Max got us going with a couple of greasy goals as a result of his hard work along the boards and Pat was a difference-maker for us tonight," said Nobes of the 6-foot-2, 205-pound sophomore from St. Eloi, Que. "He added grit and size and it was good to have him back in the lineup."

The Lakers had a 32-31 edge in shots, including a 15-6 margin in the first but Redmen goaltender Hubert Morin kept them at bay.

"Hubert had a very solid 60-minute game tonight," said Nobes of his all-star netminder who was beaten five times on 28 shots in last week's 10-5 series-clinching win at Ottawa. Morin, who owns a 10-3 lifetime record in post-season play, was named earlier as the most outstanding goaltender in the OUA East but strangely, he was only on the conference's second all-star team.

Games 2 and 3 (if necessary) are scheduled for McConnell Arena on Saturday and Sunday. Both are slated for 7 p.m. starts and will be webcast on SSN (www.ssncanada.ca).

REDMEN RAP: The Redmen dominated the conference all-star team... Aside from Hubert Morin, three other Redmen were named to the first team, including forwards Alex Picard-Hooper and Francis Verreault-Paul, plus defenceman Marc-Andre Dorion... McGill also captured a school record five of seven major league awards in voting conducted by the 10 OUA East coaches. Joining Nobes and Morin as major award winners was Picard-Hooper (player of the year), Dorion (defenceman of the year) and Vossen (most sportsmanlike player).

 

 

SOURCE:

Earl Zukerman

McGill Athletics & Recreation

514-398-7012 (Tel.)

m.athletics.mcgill.ca (mobile website)

www.mcgill.ca/athletics

earl.zukerman@mcgill.ca

 

 

SCORING SUMMARY

OUA EAST BEST-OF-THREE SEMIFINAL, Game 1

McGill 4 at Nipissing 1

(Wednesday, February 23, 2011 - Memorial Gardens)

1st Period-

(no scoring).

 

Penalties-

McKinley Nip (cross checking), 4:58;

Doucet Mcg (slashing), 6:02;

Verreault-Paul Mcg (hooking), 15:35.

 

2nd Period-

1, Nipissing, Jeff Leaist 1 (Brandon Happeney, Chad McQuaid), 19:22 (SH).

 

Penalties-

Happeney Nip (slashing), 0:08;

Picard-Hooper Mcg (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 8:19;

Verreault-Paul Mcg (roughing after the whistle), 8:19;

Gray Nip (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 8:19;

Marcoux Nip (boarding), 9:22;

Dorion Mcg (checking to the head, 10-minute misconduct), 16:52;

McKinley Nip (interference), 18:35.

 

3rd Period-

2, McGill, Maxime Langelier-Parent 1 (Belzile, McKiernan), 5:31.

3, McGill, Maxime Langelier-Parent 2 (Dorion), 9:23.

4, McGill, Alex Picard-Hooper 2 (Wright, Verreault-Paul), 10:40.

5, McGill, Evan Vossen 1 (unassisted),  19:50 (EN).

 

Penalties-

Ryan Nip (holding), 6:09.

GOALS BY PERIOD:

McGill 0-0-4 -- 4

Nipissing 0-1-0 -- 1

 

Shots on Goal-

McGill 6-12-13 -- 31.

Nipissing 15-9-8 -- 32.

 

Power Play Opportunities-

McGill 0 / 5;

Nipissing 0 / 4.

 

Penalties (No/Mins)-

McGill 6 / 20;

Nipissing 6 / 12.

 

Goalies-

McGill,

Hubert Morin (W, 3-0-0, 32 shots-31 saves; 60:00).

 

Nipissing,

Matt Hache (2-1-0, 30 shots-27 saves; 59:40).

Empty-net (1 shot, 1 goal; 0:20).

 

Attendance-1,312

Referee-  na.

 

Start: 7:00 PM

End: 9:17 PM

Length: 2:17

 

MOLSON CUP THREE STARS:

1. McG: Maxime Langelier-Parent

2. McG: Hubert Morin

3. McG: Patrick Belzile