MONTREAL -- Defenceman
Claudia Fortin scored the game-winner as ninth-ranked Concordia defeated No. 3 McGill 4-1 in an RSEQ women's hockey "Bell Let's Talk" soiree at McConnell Arena on Friday.
It was a costly win for the Martlets (11-4-0) who share the division lead with Montreal (11-2-0), which now has two games in hand. The result snapped McGill's three-game win streak over their Sherbrooke Street rivals as the third-place Stingers improved to 7-4-3 on the season and 44-85-3 in 132 meetings overall with McGill since 1997.
It also put a damper on a pre-game ceremony held to commemorate head coach
Peter Smith becoming just the third head coach in U SPORTS women's hockey history to reach the 500th win plateau. Smith, who was accompanied by his wife Vango, achieved the milestone in the team's last home game -- just before the December exam break -- with a 2-0 shutout over Ottawa on Nov. 25.
Others to reach the 500-win plateau in women's hockey include former Concordia bench boss
Les Lawton, who accomplished the feat in 2003, and current Alberta Pandas coach
Howie Draper, who reached the milestone in 2016. "For me, it's about the players and the game and I never know how to take these ceremonies, it was nice and I am very appreciative," noted Smith, who has led McGill to four national championships and took a one-year sabbatical in 2009-10 to helpd guide the Canadian Olympic team to gold at the Vancouver Games. "I was really pleased to see they invited Vango on the ice. She has been a big part of those 500 wins and countless losses."
Concordia outshot the Martlets 35-33, including a 16-8 advantage in the first period.
"You can't play against a good team like that (the way we did) and expect to be successful," said Smith, who dropped to 504-212-33 in 749 games since his coaching career behind the McGill bench began two decades ago. "I think we played 40 minutes of reasonably good hockey but (a listless) first period set the tone for us -- It felt like we were always catching up to the puck and chasing the game. We didn't support the puck, I don't think we played the way we need to play, to be successful. (We needed to be) moving the puck way quicker then we did today.
"Again I think it boiled down to the fact that we didn't start well. And we talked about that before the game. We had beaten Concordia three games in a row and the message was that they were going to be a highly-motivated group. We need to get off to a good start, not only be as motivated as them but more motivated."
Concordia scored on their first shot when
Sophie Gagnon connected only 123 seconds into the contest. She pounced on a turnover committed by senior defenceman
Zoe Todd in front of the net to give the Stingers an early lead.
Martlets forward
Kellyane Lecours, a sophomore from Victoriaville, Que., tied the game 1-1 at 7:36 of the middle period. It was the eighth goal of the season for Lecours, who shares the league lead in that department.
Claudia Fortin scored what proved to be the game-winner on a lucky turn of events at 5:47 of the third. The third-year forward from Quebec City, jumped on a turnover deep in Concordia's zone caused when McGill forward
Christiana Colizza collided with the referee and lost the puck, resulting in a 4-on-2 breakout for the Stingers.
Teammate
Marie-Pascale Bernier, also from Quebec City, netted an insurance marker at 14:17 and
Stephanie Lalancette of St. Felicien, Que., potted an empty-netter at 19:19 of the final stanza.
McGill netminder
Tricia Deguire, a junior from Sherbrooke, Que., made 31 saves in a losing effort as her record fell to 11-4. Concordia's
Katherine Purchase, a fifth-year senior from Halifax, who recently returned from a lengthy injury, made 32 saves for the win, improving to 2-1 on the season.
The Martlets went 0-for-4 on the power play and shut the door on all three of Concordia's opportunities.
The Stingers (7-4-3) host Carleton (2-9-3) on Sunday (Jan. 27). McGill (11-4-0) has a week off before they confront Montreal (11-2-0) in a first-place showdown on Feb. 1, at Arena CEPSUM, with the opening faceoff slated for 7 p.m.
MARTLET MURMURS: A special video was played paying tribute to head coach
Peter Smith's 500th win. It included congratulatory messages from McGill skills coaches
Amey Doyle,
Stewart McCarthey,
Marie-Philip Poulin and
Katia Clement-Heydra, along with recent McGill Sports Hall of Fame inductee
Shauna Denis, his daughters
Christina &
Nathalie Smith, three grandchildren and his wife Evangeline (better known as
Vango)... Among the Martlets alumni on hand to pay hommage to Coach Smith included his two daughters
Nathalie and
Christina Smith, plus
Melodie Daoust,
Shauna Denis,
Gillian Merrifield,
Jordana Peroff,
Leslie Oles,
Amey Doyle,
Gabrielle Davidson and
Alyssa Cecere, not to mention two former Martlets who are now on the Concordia roster, namely
Erica Starnino and redshirted senior
Olivia Atkinson.
LINK TO SCORING SUMMARY
2018-19 RSEQ Women's Hockey Standings
| 1 |
Montreal |
13 |
11 |
2 |
0 |
22 |
0.846 |
39 |
18 |
8-0-0 |
8-2-0 |
106 |
| 2 |
McGill |
15 |
11 |
4 |
0 |
22 |
0.733 |
42 |
22 |
0-1-0 |
6-4-0 |
84 |
| 3 |
Concordia |
14 |
7 |
4 |
3 |
17 |
0.607 |
39 |
28 |
2-0-1 |
5-2-3 |
76 |
| 4 |
Ottawa |
14 |
4 |
10 |
0 |
8 |
0.286 |
21 |
44 |
1-0-0 |
3-7-0 |
130 |
| 5 |
Carleton |
14 |
2 |
9 |
3 |
7 |
0.250 |
22 |
51 |
0-2-2 |
2-5-3 |
158 |
