The Concordia Stingers will battle the UBC Thunderbirds in the bronze medal game at the U SPORTS women’s hockey national championship in Napanee, Ont. on Sunday at 3 p.m.
It’s the first time since 2001 that the Stingers have reached the medal round at the national championship. That year they lost the bronze medal game 1-0 to the McGill Martlets. Concordia won a bronze medal in 2000 defeating the Toronto Varsity Blues 6-0.
The Stingers came into the tournament as the No. 7-seeded team and knocked off the second-ranked Guelph Gryphons 4-3 in a shootout on Friday.
Concordia met a tough, fast Alberta Pandas team, who was ranked sixth, in the semifinal on Saturday and suffered a disappointing 6-2 loss.
The Stingers opened the scoring 19 seconds into the game on a goal from Claudia Dubois. Concordia led 2-1 after the first period thanks to a Marie-Joëlle Allard goal.
The second period was all Pandas as they notched three unanswered goals. The final period was a tight battle, but Alberta was able to pick up a couple of empty-net goals to make the final 6-2.
“Obviously we wanted a different result. We wanted to be going after a national championship tomorrow,” said Stingers head coach Julie Chu after the loss.
“We’re allowed to have a moment. We don’t have to like that we lost. They also have a lot to be proud of and that’s what we talked about in the locker room. They have an opportunity to put on a Stingers jersey again tomorrow. We’re going to rest, refocus and tomorrow we’re going to give our best.”
Concordia’s goaltender Katherine Purchase made 17 saves on 21 shots, while Alberta’s Lindsey Post turned aside 12 of 14 shots she faced.
PLAYERS of the GAME
CON: Keriann Schofield
ALB: Alex Poznikoff
SCHEDULE & RESULTS
Quarter-finals
McGill 3, St. FX 1
UBC 2, Queen’s 1
Alberta 2, Saint Mary’s 1
Concordia 4, Guelph 3 SO
Semifinals
McGill 1, UBC 0
Alberta 6, Concordia 2
Sunday, March 19
3 p.m. – Concordia vs. UBC - Bronze medal game (OUA.TV)
7 p.m. – McGill vs. Alberta - Gold medal game (OUA.TV)
