The RSEQ women’s hockey semifinal playoff series just got a lot more interesting.
Last Sunday on the final day of the regular season the Montréal Carabins travelled across the city to meet the Concordia Stingers, a team they had beaten on four occasions this year and 18 straight times dating back to Oct. 28, 2011.
A win would give the CIS’s No. 2-ranked team first place in the Quebec conference and the regular season title. The Stingers, however, were not having in. On the strength of rookie forward Cassiel Lalande’s two goals, they defeated the Carabins 4-3 in a shootout victory, knocking Montréal into second place in the standings.
Now the second-place Carabins (15-4-1) and the third-place Stingers (8-7-5) will meet in a best-of-three series, beginning Thursday at 7 p.m. at Montreal’s rink. Concordia will host Game 2 on Saturday at 2 p.m. The third game, if necessary, will be back at the Carabins’ rink Sunday at 2 p.m.
“There’s definitely excitement about the win last Sunday,” said Stingers head coach Les Lawton. “The win gave us a lot of confidence.”
The winner of the Concordia-Montreal showdown will advance to the conference championship and face the winner of the McGill Martlets-Ottawa Gee-Gees playoff series. The two Quebec finalists earn berths at the CIS national championship.
“I don’t think anyone wants to place us right now,” Lawton said. “We’re a hard working, determined team and we are playing well together.”
