The Concordia men’s hockey team enjoyed a second consecutive successful regular season and earned a lot of individual recognition, but that will mean very little if the Stingers don’t deliver in the playoffs starting tonight.
Head coach Marc-André Element and his team have no time to dwell on the past. Instead they are determined to extend their season. Round 1 of the OUA East playoffs begins with Concordia in Oshawa, Ont. to face the UOIT Ridgebacks tonight at 7:30 p.m. (OUA.tv).
“We’re going to stay disciplined and use our speed,” says the head coach. “We are playing a hard working team that is never going to quit. We have to stay focused and stick to our game plan.”
Concordia finished in third place in the 10-team OUA East division with an 18-7-3 record for 39 points, while the Ridgebacks wrapped up the season in sixth place with a 15-9-4 record and 34 points.
The Stingers won the first of two meetings between the teams this season. Led by forward Anthony Beauregard’s two goals and four assists, Concordia won 6-2 on Nov. 3 at home. They lost 5-3 on the road in a sloppy game on Jan. 27.
Game 2 of the series will be held on Concordia’s Loyola campus Friday at 7:30 p.m. Game 3, if necessary, is slated for Saturday at 7:30 p.m., also at Loyola.
The Ed Meagher Arena on the Loyola campus is located at 7200 Sherbrooke St. W.
Series Schedule:
Game 1 — Wednesday, Feb. 14 – 7:30 p.m. Concordia at UOIT
Game 2— Friday, Feb. 16 - 7:30 p.m. UOIT at Concordia
Game 3 — Saturday, Feb. 17 – 7:30 p.m. UOIT at Concordia (if necessary).
Webcast:
Wednesday – OUA.tv
Friday and Saturday - https://portal.stretchinternet.com/cumo or OUA.tv
