Men's Hockey 9/14/2012 1:30:00 PM

Rookie Pompei nets hat in first game as Redmen roll over RMC

Box Score

(Guillaume Langelier-Parent assisted on four of McGill's five goals in win over RMC. Photo by Andrew Dobrowolskj)

MONTREAL - Mathieu Pompei, a freshman from Laval, Que., exploded for a hat-trick in his first-ever game at the collegiate level as the McGill men's hockey team opened their 137th season with a 5-1 preseason win over Royal Military College at McConnell Arena, Friday.

McGill, the defending CIS national champions, had a 45-17 edge in shots. They led 2-0 after the opening period and too a 4-0 lead before RMC found the net.

Pompei, a speedy 5-foot-8, 165-pound centre, tallied back-to-back markers in the first 10 minutes of the second period to put the Redmen ahead 4-0, he completed the hat-trick with the game's final goal at 14:07 of the final stanza.

The Redmen, who lost nine players from last year's championship squad, also got goals from defenceman Hugo Laporte and forward Justin Ducharme, who also earned a pair of assists. Guillaume Langelier-Parent, their linemate, collected four assists.

Colin O'Rourke scored the lone goal for the Paladins, on the power-play midway through the middle stanza.

McGill netminder Hubert Morin kicked out all six shots he faced in 29:02 and was credited with the win. Andrew Flemming, a first-year transfer from RMC, saved 10 of 11 shots faced the rest of the way. RMC's Paul Dorsey was saddled with the loss despite a 40-save performance.

The Redmen went 0-for-6 on the power-play, while RMC replied on 1-of-6.

McGill heads out to London, Ont., next weekend to play Waterloo and Western in the Mustangs East-West tournament, Sept. 21-22. They will return the following week to host the UNB Red Devils, perennial national contenders who will make a rare visit to McConnell Arena on Sept. 28.

SCORING SUMMARY
RMC 1 at McGill 5
(Friday, September 14, 2012 - McConnell Arena)

1st Period-

1, McGill, Hugo Laporte 1 (Belzile, Langelier-Parent), 4:21.

2, McGill, Justin Ducharme 1 (Laporte, Langelier-Parent), 15:31.

Penalties-Levesque Mcg (interference), 0:32; Le Sieur Mcg (hooking), 5:35; Belzile Mcg (boarding), 8:31; Pym Rmc (roughing), 12:25; Dupont Mcg (roughing, roughing), 12:25; Casper Rmc (interference), 15:52.

2nd Period-

3, McGill, Mathieu Pompei 1 (Langelier-Parent, Ducharme), 3:56.

4, McGill, Mathieu Pompei 2 (Blunden, Le Sieur), 9:02.

5, RMC, Colin O'Rourke 1 (Thouin, Quinlin), 11:30 (PP).

Penalties-Hawkins Rmc (slashing), 1:48; Farrow Rmc (tripping), 6:21; Dupont Mcg (roughing), 9:50; Farrow Rmc (slashing, roughing), 13:09; Mathieu Mcg (roughing), 13:09.

3rd Period-

6, McGill, Mathieu Pompei 3 (Langelier-Parent, Ducharme), 14:07.

Penalties-Casper Rmc (slashing), 3:45; Farrow Rmc (holding), 7:37; Rose Mcg (tripping), 15:25.

GOALS BY PERIOD:

RMC 0-1-0 -- 1

McGill 2-2-1 -- 5

Shots on Goal-

RMC 5-8-4-17.

McGill 11-18-16-45.

Power Play Opportunities-

RMC 1 / 6;

McGill 0 / 6.

Goalies-