(No.19 ANDREW WRIGHT SCORES FIRST OF TWO GOALS IN TOP LEFT CORNER. PHOTO BY DEREK DRUMMOND)

 

MONTREAL - Andrew Wright of Toronto scored twice as No.2-ranked McGill exploded for four goals in the second period en route to a 6-4 win over the Nipissing University Lakers in men's hockey playoff action at McConnell Arena, Saturday. McGill, which won the series opener 4-1 in North Bay, Wednesday, swept the OUA East semifinal in two straight games.

It was the ninth straight OUA playoff win for the Redmen, dating back to last spring as McGill improved their remarkable home-ice record to 18-0 overall at McConnell Arena this season, 33-3 over the last two campaigns and 60-13 since the start of the 2007-08 season.

McGill, which had a 45-22 edge in shots, led 1-0 after one period and 5-1 after two in a contest that featured 102 minutes in penalties. Ten different Redmen were inscribed on the scoresheet, including five different goal scorers.

Wright broke the ice with a power-play marker at 4:55 of the first period but the Lakers battled back to tie the score at 1-1 when Dorian Peca of Oakville, Ont., connected at 5:25 of the middle stanza.

The floodgates burst open on the Lakers after Guillaume Doucet of Anjou, Que., tallied his third of the playoffs at the midway mark of the period. Defenceman Ben Morse of Toronto connected on a power-play at 14:32, followed 34 seconds later by Wright's fourth of the post-season. When defensive specialist Maxime Langelier-Parent of Lery, Que., made it 5-1 with what proved to be the game-winner less than four minutes later, it appeared that the doomed Lakers were lost at sea.

However, Nipissing came out of the second intermission with guns blazing, netting power-play markers by Winnipeg natives Jason Gray (0:31) and Dan Watt (3:15). They narrowed the gap to 5-4 when Andrew Marcoux scored at 10:19 of the third but after Simon Marcotte-Légaré of Longueuil, Que., scored at 16:06 to give McGill some much-needed breathing room, the Lakers lost their cool and proceeded to try an provoke the Redmen at almost every opportunity the rest of the way.

Over the final three minutes of play, Nipissing was penalized seven times for 50 minutes, while the Redmen took six penalties for 40 minutes.

McGill now awaits the winner of Sunday night's rubber match between Carleton and UQTR. The OUA East best-of-three final is tentatively scheduled to open at McConnell Arena on Wednesday at 7 p.m. The winner advances to the centennial edition of the OUA's Queen's Cup championship, as well as a berth to the CIS championship tourney in Fredericton, March 24-27.

REDMEN RAP: The Redmen own a 33-3-3 record in 39 games overall, one win shy of the single-season school record for victories established last year when they posted a 34-14-1 record... McGill improved to 8-0 lifetime against Nipissing, including a 4-0 mark in post-season play.

 

SCORING SUMMARY

Nipissing 4 at McGill 6

(Saturday, February 26, 2011 - McConnell Arena)

1st Period-

1, McGill, Andrew Wright 3 (M.A. Dorion, Alex Picard-Hooper), 4:23 (PP).

 

Penalties-

Rebelo Nip (slashing), 3:37;

McKiernan Mcg (slashing), 8:53;

Wright Mcg (high sticking), 16:09;

Longpre-Poirier Mcg (slashing), 18:16.

 

2nd Period-

2, Nipissing, Dorian Peca 2 (Hopewell), 5:25.

3, McGill, Guillaume Doucet 3 (unassisted)   10:11.

4, McGill, Ben Morse 1 (M.A. Dorion, Francis Verreault-Paul), 14:32 (PP).

5, McGill, Andrew Wright 4 (Francis Verreault-Paul, Alex Picard-Hooper), 15:06 (PP).

6, McGill, Maxime Langelier-Parent 3 (J.F. Boisvert, Benoit Levesque), 18:44.

 

Penalties-

Gray Nip (roughing), 1:55;

Leaist Nip (cross checking), 13:17;

Jarick Nip (elbowing), 14:55;

McGee Nip (high sticking), 15:21;

Hopewell Nip (roughing), 18:44;

Levesque Mcg (slashing), 18:44;

Leaist Nip (roughing), 18:57;

Doucet Mcg (roughing, high sticking), 18:57.

3rd Period-

7, Nipissing, Jason Gray 2 (O'Donnell), 0:31 (PP).

8, Nipissing, Dan Watt 2 (Leaist, O'Donnell), 3:15 (PP).

9, Nipissing, Andrew Marcoux 2 (O'Donnell, McGee), 10:19.

10, McGill, Simon Marcotte-Legare 3 (Ben Morse),  16:06.

 

Penalties-

Verreault-Paul Mcg (interference), 1:44;

Jarick Nip (roughing, 10-minute misconduct), 16:55;

McGee Nip (roughing), 16:55;

O'Donnell Nip (roughing, 10-minute misconduct), 16:55;

Genest Mcg (roughing, 10-minute misconduct), 16:55;

Levesque Mcg (roughing, 10-minute misconduct), 16:55;

Happeney Nip (roughing, 10-minute misconduct), 17:10;

Verreault-Paul Mcg (roughing, 10-minute misconduct), 17:10.

 

GOALS BY PERIOD:

Nipissing 0-1-3 -- 4

McGill 1-4-1 -- 6

 

Shots on Goal-

Nipissing 6-5-11 -- 22.

McGill 12-19-14 -- 45.

 

Power Play Opportunities-

Nipissing 2 / 5;

McGill 3 / 6.

 

Penalties (No/Mins):

Nipissing 14 / 52;

McGill 13 / 50.

 

Goalies-

Nipissing,

Daniel Spence (L, 0-1, 45 shots-39 saves; 59:22);

Empty-net (0 shots-0 saves; 0:38).

 

McGill,

Hubert Morin (W, 4-0, 22 shots-18 saves; 60:00).

 

Attendance-512

 

Referee-Gavin White.

Start: 7:04 PM
End: 9:28 PM
Length: 2:24

 

MOLSON CUP THREE STARS:

1. MCG - 19 Andrew Wright
2. MCG - 16 Max Langelier-Parent
3. NIP - 39 Conor O'Donnell

 

SOURCE:

Earl Zukerman

McGill Athletics & Recreation

514-398-7012 (Tel.)

m.athletics.mcgill.ca (mobile website)

www.mcgill.ca/athletics

earl.zukerman@mcgill.ca