MONTREAL – Defenceman Brigitte Laganiere bounced back from a first period injury to score once and assist on the game-winning tally as No.7 ranked Concordia outlasted No.3 McGill 4-3 in a penalty-filled women's hockey game at McConnell Arena, Sunday.

Concordia led 1-0 after the opening period and 3-2 after two in a contest that featured 13 minor penalties, eight to McGill. The Stingers connected on two of eight power-play scenarios, while McGill was 1-for-5. It was the most penalties in a game assessed to McGill since they took eight in a 3-2 win on Jan. 31, 2020. The team's single-game record is 11 infractions in a 4-3 loss at Ottawa on Nov. 22, 2019.

The result put a damper on the Martlets annual Homecoming Game and was a key victory for the second-place Stingers, who improved to 8-3-1. They now sit one point in arrears of division-leading McGill (9-3-0) heading into a month-long break for exams and holidays.

"We have to stay disciplined if we want to keep challenging other teams and that's were we ran into trouble," said McGill head coach Alyssa Cecere. "All teams are looking for the kind of intensity and tempo that we saw from both sides today. We've progressed really well as a team from our first exhibition game throughout the semester but need to keep growing each time out."

Zoe Thibault of St. Denis de Brompton, Que., put the visitors ahead midway through the first but Penn State transfer Katie Rankin of Ottawa knotted the score at 1-1 with her first regular season goal for McGill at 4:20 of the second.

The game started to unravel for McGill after Laganiere was shaken up in a mid-ice collision with Marika Labrecque, an unpenalized play in the last minute of the opening frame. When the penalty-free period concluded, Concordia head coach Julie Chu was spotted giving harsh words to the officials. Things changed drastically in the middle period when 10 minor penalties were called, seven to McGill. The Stingers tallied a pair of power-play markers, with Laganiere scoring at 13:31 to give her troops a 2-1 lead. Less than three minutes later, she set up another PP goal, scored by Jessymaude Drapeau of Riviere du Loup, Que., as the Stingers took a commanding 3-1 edge heading into the final period.

McGill's Laura Jardin, a senior from Calgary, connected with the man-advantage to narrow the gap to 3-2 at 4:53 of the final period but just 55 seconds later, Concordia's Rosalie Begin-Cyr of St. Georges, Que., converted on a 2-on-1 breakout to retain the two-goal cushion.

Labrecque made it a hairy finish by scoring at 18:50 after McGill pulled goaltender Tricia Deguire for an extra attacker. Deguire, who hails from Sherbrooke, Que.,  ended up taking the loss, making 31 saves on 35 shots. Concordia's Alice Philbert of St. Bruno, Que., kicked out 24 of 27 for the win.

Neither team has any exhibition games scheduled over the next week weeks and both are slated to resume their RSEQ schedule on Jan. 9, when McGill hosts Ottawa (6-6-0) at 2 p.m., followed by Concordia hosting Bishop's (3-9-0) at 3:30 p.m.

MARTLET MURMURS: There were about two dozen former Martlets on hand for the team's Homecoming Game, in addition to long-time former head coach Peter Smith, who retired after the 2019-20 season. Head coach Alyssa Cecere and associate coach Katia Clement-Heydra, were joined by many former teammates, including Shauna Denis, who captained the team to its first national title in 2008... Other Martlets spotted in the crowd, many from the past 15 years when the team captured four national championship banners, included Gabrielle Davidson, Stacie Tardif, Taylor Hough, Amanda Hadwen, Adrienne Crampton, Jordanna Peroff, Sidonie Chard, Michelle Daigneault, Kellyane Lecours, Emilia Cotter, Dana Rittmaster, Emily Davies, Carly Hill, Lisa Zane, Pamela Psihogios, Lainie Smith, Brittney Privee, Chelsey Saunders, Joanne Cagianos and Adrienne Saba.

SCORING SUMMARY

McGILL SCORING LEADERS

RSEQ STATS & STANDINGS


SOURCE:
Earl Zukerman
Sports Information Officer
Athletics & Recreation
McGill University
514-398-7012 (Off.)
m.athletics.mcgill.ca (mobile website)
www.mcgillathletics.ca
earl.zukerman@mcgill.ca