TROIS-RIVIERES, QUE – Sophomore defenceman Thomas Belzile of Ste. Julie, Que., snapped a deadlocked scoreboard with the game-winning tally just 29 second into the third period as McGill skated to a 3-1 preseason road victory over UQTR at Le Colisée, Saturday.
 
It was McGill's 98th lifetime victory against the Pats, who have a record of 178-98-17 in head-to-head competition since they first met in 1969, including a 122-63-16 mark in regular season play. This was also the first on-ice action for both sides since returning from their respective overseas training camps, which were held by McGill in the Czech Republic and by UQTR the UK.
 
The result marked the third straight year that McGill won the preseason opener on UQTR ice, once considered a death knell for visiting teams. It also helped set the stage for another epic season-long struggle with the Patriotes, the defending Queen's Cup OUA conference champions who defeated McGill 2-1 in the OUA East best-of-three semifinal series last spring and again a week later in a hard-fought 5-4 decision at the national championship tournament semifinal.

"It looked like we have a burned-in early-season rhythm," said McGill head coach David Urquhart. "The first three games in our Czechia tour were a good opportunity for us to lay a foundation and start applying some of the ideas and systems that we want to see throughout this year. Today, we started seeing some of our team identity come forward."
 
"When we play Trois-Rivieres, its usually a pretty good game. They're strong and there's a reason why they've been a top team for so many years. They play the game really tough, its hard to get inside and get good scoring chances. To be able to score goals, you've got to go to the hard areas and that's part of the identity that we want to have on this team. We showed that tonight and our PK was great against a team that has a good power-play. There's a rhythm there in terms of guys continuing from the momentum that we gained last year. And also, with the new players coming in and contributing, its nice to see. It's always fun to win here too."

The Redbirds, who never trailed in this rendezvous, led 1-0 after the first period when rookie forward Charles Boutin of Boischatel, Que., struck at 10:36 for his first career marker at the university level.
 
The Patriotes scored the only marker of the middle stanza when Pier-Olivier Roy found the net at 6:11.
 
Belzile then struck paydirt in the third, converted passes from Mathieu Gagnon and his older brother Alexandre Gagnon.  Less than six minutes later, Charles-Antoine Dumont, a sophomore forward from Levis, Que., added the back-breaking insurance marker, a shorthanded, to put the game out of reach.
 
Goaltender Alexis Shank, a junior from Laval, Que., saved 21 of 22 shots to collect the victory, while UQTR sophomore Charles-Antoine Lavallee saved 24 of 27 for the loss.
 
McGill, which had a 27-22 edge in shots, was 0-for-3 on the power-play but killed off all four shorthanded situations.
 
The Redbirds, who improved to 3-1 in preseason play, will resume their exhibition schedule when the Acadia Axemen od the AUS conference make a rare visit on Friday, Sept. 20. The game is slated for a 7:30 p.m. start at the Place Bell community rink in Laval, Que., located about 30 minutes north of the downtown campus. Place Bell which is serving as the home arena for all McGill hockey games this season while McConnell Arena is getting a major facelift. Season tickets for McGill's league games at Place Bell are expected to go on sale next week.
 
SCORING SUMMARY

2024-25 McGILL ROSTER

SOURCE
Earl Zukerman
Sports Information Officer
Athletics & Recreation
McGill University
CELL: 514-983-7012
E-MAIL:earl.zukerman@mcgill.ca