When the Concordia men’s hockey team opens the OUA regular season on Friday night at home to the McGill Redmen, it will be a new and improved version of Stingers hitting the ice.
An offensively-gifted team in 2011-12, Concordia head coach Kevin Figsby expects the current edition of the Stingers to continue to light up the scoreboard.
Centre George Lovatsis will be at the heart of the attack. He had 20 goals and 20 assists in 28 games last year. He ranked first in the CIS in goals scored and fifth in points scored with 40.
Right wing Alexandre Monahan, who scored 11 goals and added 16 assists in 24 games last season, will be relied on heavily this season.
Left wing Kyle Kelly is also a key forward. The team captain, who battled injuries last season, has three goals and two assists in three preseason games.
Last year’s high-powered offence loses a couple of weapons. Right wing Mike Stinziani, who was Concordia’s leading scorer with 12 goals and 31 assists for 43 points in 27 games, signed to play in the Central Hockey League. Also, centre Charles-Antoine Messier has graduated. He scored 11 goals and added 17 assists for 28 points in 28 games.
The offence was formidable last season, but a young defensive core, inexperienced goaltending and injuries saw the Stingers give up a lot of goals.
Figsby expects the number of goals allowed to be cut down significantly.
“I think defensively we will be better,” he said. “(Starting goaltender Nicholas Champion) has had a year to learn about playing in the CIS. I think just the learning curve for him should help cut down goals.”
The former Quebec Major Junior Hockey League goalie played some spectacular games against top teams like McGill and the UQTR Patriotes last season.
“He’s got to learn to play how he did against the high-end teams consistently,” Figsby said. “We need him at that level every game.”
With the departure of veteran defencemen Michael Blundon and captain Eric Bégin, Figsby made it a priority to add size and skill to the blueline.
Three former QMJHL standouts are with Concordia this season and all are expected to make big contributions. Sébastien Payette joins the Stingers from the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles along with Youssef Kabbaj and Alex MacDonald who played for the Gatineau Olympiques last season.
The Stingers open the regular season this Friday with one of the biggest games of the year – the annual Corey Cup match symbolic of men’s university
