Men's Hockey | 1/10/2019 12:02:00 AM

MONTREAL -- A capacity crowd is expected for a dream matchup when McGill plays host to Concordia in the 17th annual Winter Carnival men's hockey game at McConnell Arena on Friday. Puck drop is slated for 7 p.m.

This year's game almost didn't happen as the Redmen hockey schedule originally did not have a home game listed during Carnival Week. But the archrivals were able to come to an agreement last month, switching home venues for the final two regular season meetings. So McGill ends up with a home game during Carnival Week and Concordia gets to host the Ronald Corey Cup game -- emblematic of local college hockey supremacy -- on Feb. 2 in the last matchup before playoffs.

With the backing of the Management Undergraduate Society, which pre-purchases about 850 tickets every year for the Carnival Game, only about a hundred tickets remain for this event at the 950-seat arena, which has long ago become entrenched as the party to attend on campus. To avoid disappointment at the door, tickets are best purchased online and cost only $10 for adults and $5 for students, seniors and McGill staff. Children 12-and under are admitted free.

(NOTE: ONLY 25 TICKETS REMAIN AS OF 10 AM ON FRIDAY)

McGill's modern-day record in Carnival Game play is 15-1, including a 5-0 mark against Concordia, since the long-standing event was re-born 17 years ago after a two-decade absence. In 219 lifetime meetings since the teams first tangoed in 1975, the Redmen own a 105-100-14 record overall, outscoring the Stingers 838 to 871.

Last spring, the bitter rivals met in the OUA East Division best-of-three finals and the Redmen came away with a 2-1 series victory after dropping the opener.

This season, they have split the first two confrontations, with McGill prevailing 6-3 at McConnell Arena on Nov. 9 and Concordia rebounding for a 4-3 overtime shootout decision at the Ed Meagher Arena on Nov. 16.

Only nine games remain before playoffs and the Redmen own an 11-5-3 record, sitting only four points ahead of the Stingers (10-7-1) who hold a game in hand. There's not a lot to choose from between the bitter opponents but it may just come down to special teams. McGill ranks 12th among 20 OUA teams in power-play (17.3 per cent) but their penalty-killing unit is ranked fifth at 86.9. Concordia, on the other hand, has the league's third-best PP at 24.0 per cent but their PK unit ranks 15th at 77.9.

OUA LEAGUE STANDINGS

McGILL SCORING LEADERS

CONCORDIA SCORING LEADERS

 

McGILL REDMEN HOCKEY WINTER CARNIVAL GAMES
YEAR	RESULT	McG	OPP		OPPONENT	ATTENDANCE
2003	WON	6	0		Toronto	1,113
2004	WON	4	3		UQTR	1,103
2005	WON	3	0		Concordia	1,324
2006	WON	3	1		Concordia	1,415
2007	WON	7	2		Concordia	1,523
2008	WON	4	1		Concordia	890
2009	WON	4	1		UOIT	688
2010	WON	12	3		Concordia	1,080
2011	WON	5	4		Carleton	1,355
2012	WON	1	0	(OTS)	Carleton	1,039
2013	WON	4	2		UQTR	1,139
2014	WON	2	1		Queen's	1,471
2015	WON	2	0		Carleton	1,269
2016	WON	3	1		RMC	1,663
2017	Lost	1	2		Queen's	1,189
2018	WON	4	0	(ENG)	Carleton	1,012
TOT	15-1-0	65	21		AVG.:  1,205	19,273