LAVAL, QUE – Forwards Emilie Lavoie and Megan Bureau-Gagnon each scored twice as No. 2 ranked Concordia skated to a 5-2 conquest over McGill in RSEQ women's hockey at Place Bell on Super Bowl Sunday.
 
The meeting was a playoff preview as the Stingers (17-1-0) have clinched first place and McGill (3-13-2) will finish fourth. So with three games remaining, the bitter rivals are assured of crossing paths in the semifinals. With the off-season departure of Ottawa and Carleton from the Quebec-based league for the OUA, that left just four teams in the RSEQ conference and all will qualify for post-season play.
 
The teams battled through a scoreless opening period but Concordia exploded for our goals in the second and took a 4-1 lead into the final frame. The Stingers had a 37-22 edge in shots and went 0-for-1 on the power-play, while McGill was 0-for-4.
 
The other Concordia marker was scored by Jessymaude Drapeau.
 
For McGill, blueliner Cassidy Blanchard scored for the second consecutive game. It was the second career marker for the science freshman from Fonthill, Ont., who now has as many goals for the Martlets as her older brother Alexandre Blanchard, a defenceman with the McGill men's hockey team. A third sibling, rearguard Maxime Blanchard, has 14 career markers with the Redbirds.
 
Also scoring for the Martlets was forward Meganne Chailler, an education sophomore from Carignan, Que., who tallied her first of the season and second of her collegiate career.
 
Goaltender Jordyn Verbeek turned aside 20 of 22 shots for the win, while Jade Rivard-Coulombe saved 32 of 37 in a losing cause.
 
The contest marked the 163rd matchup between the teams since a national championship was implemented in 1997 as McGill's lifetime record fell to 90-68-5. The Stingers have won all six meetings with McGill this season with one more rendezvous slated for Feb. 16 at the Ed Meagher Arena.
 
Next on tap for McGill are road games at Montreal (Feb. 14) and Concordia (Feb. 16), before closing out the regular season at home to Bishop's (Feb. 21).
 
SCORING SUMMARY

U SPORTS STATS & STANDINGS

RSEQ STATS & STANDINGS
 
SOURCE
Earl Zukerman
Sports Information Officer
Athletics & Recreation
McGill University
514-983-7012 (Tel.)
www.mcgillathletics.ca
earl.zukerman@mcgill.ca