The COVID-19 pandemic may have thrown a monkey wrench into some people's plans, but don't count head coach Julie Chu in that group. She and her Concordia Stingers women's hockey team are ready to pick up where they left off after a very successful 2019-20 campaign.
“With the return of four impact sixth-year players and a great incoming class, we will have one of the most talented Concordia hockey teams I have had the chance to coach,” said Chu who started as an assistant coach with the Stingers in 2014 and took over as head coach in 2015.
It’s a big statement considering the 2019-20 Stingers finished first in the RSEQ with a 15-3-1-1 record in the regular season. They also compiled an 11-0 record in non-conference games. Concordia held the No. 1 spot in the U Sports rankings for 14 consecutive weeks.
Forwards Marie-Pascale Bernier, Stéphanie Lalancette and Audrey Belzile, along with defender Brigitte Laganière, are the sixth-year players back in the lineup.
Belzile is a three-time all-star and brings a lot of leadership to the Stingers. Laganière, a two-time all-star and a second team all-Canadian in 2020, also has a lot of influence on the team.
Add 2020 RSEQ MVP and first team all-Canadian Rosalie Bégin-Cyr to the mix and you have a very formidable lineup. She was the leading scorer in U Sports with 1.4 points a game. She scored 15 goals and added 13 assists for 28 points in 20 games.
Rookies to watch include: forwards Zoé Thibault, Émilie Lavoie and Chloé Gendreau.
Thibault is an exceptional two-way player with great instincts. She was a RSEQ second team all-star in 2020 and served as team captain with Champlain College, Lennoxville, last year.
Gendreau, also from Champlain College, was a first team all-star and the Cégep MVP in 2020. She was the league’s top scorer with 20 goals and 21 assists for 41 points in 26 games.
Lavoie, who comes out of the Cégep Édouard-Montpetit program, was also a first team all-star in 2020. She picked 14 goals and 16 assists in 26 games. She’s well-known for her scoring touch and her ability to set up teammates.
Gendreau and Lavoie took part in Hockey Canada’s women’s development summer camp last July and August in Calgary.
“We have depth in all positions, which will allow us to play with a relentless intensity in all situations,” said Chu. “We have a team that will not have to rely on only a handful of players to be successful. We will be able to have positive contributions from many players every game.”
The Stingers will play their 2021 home-opener this Friday versus the Ottawa Gee-Gees. The puck drops at 7:30 p.m. at the Ed Meagher Arena.
