Game Recap: Hockey (M) | 1/15/2016 10:12:00 PM | Posted by: Adam Ali, Sports Information Assistant
Gaels stung by Concordia in 4-3 loss
UQTR



KINGSTON, Ont. (January 15, 2016) - The Queen's Gaels men's hockey team had its three-game winning streak snapped at the Memorial Centre on Friday evening, falling to the Concordia Stingers by a score of 4-3. The Gaels (11-5-0) remain fifth in the OUA East conference, while the Stingers (8-9-3) move to within one win of the .500 mark with the win.

GAME FLOW
After a scoreless opening period, Kevin Bailie (Belleville, Ont.) made a couple of important saves early in the second frame to keep the game a stalemate. The Belleville, Ont. native robbed Charles Eric-Legare with a low pad save on a point-blank shot from the slot, which seemed to spark the Gaels to life soon after. The hosts took control of the game for the next few minutes with a couple of odd-man rushes as well as spending long periods of time in the Stingers zone. While the Gaels kept the Stingers hemmed in their own zone, they were unable to solve goalie Robin Billingham.

Off another Queen's scoring opportunity, Dany Potvin found himself on a breakaway after receiving a pass from Dominic Beauchemin, and made no mistake, lifting a back-hand shot over the shoulder of Bailie and under the cross-bar to open the scoring at the 9:10 mark of the second. The hosts, however, would respond just over five minutes later.

Shortly following a Gaels power-play, Queen's was able to maintain possession in the Stingers zone, and a slap shot from the point resulted in a scramble in front of Billingham. The puck slipped out to Eric Ming (Williamstown, Ont.) in the slot, and the sophomore forward put a wrist-shot past Billingham for his team-leading 10th marker of the season.

Ryan Bloom (Calgary, Alta.) and Steve Trojanovic (Burlington, Ont.) each drew assists on the game-tying marker. The score would remain 1-1 heading into the final period of play.

Bailie made a superb blocker save on Stingers captain Olivier Hinse within the first minute of the final period, and came up with two more saves on a Stinger power-play to keep the game even.

Then the teams exchanged four goals in less than five minutes. The Stingers began the mini scoring spree on a quick shot by Raphael Lafontaine off a pass from the corner, which allowed the visitors to re-take the lead. Spencer Abraham (Campbellville, Ont.) answered for Queen's on a long wrist-shot from just inside the blue line that squeaked past Billingham, and Alex Stothart (Ottawa) gave the hosts their first lead of the contest at 3-2 just a minute and a half later. The Ottawa native banged in a rebound off a point shot from Abraham to put Queen's momentarily ahead.

The lead lasted just over a minute however, as Scott Oke slipped the puck past Bailie after a rush down the right wing to notch the game at 3-3. Lafontaine then picked up his second marker of the evening and the game-winner, deflecting a point shot past Bailie to give Concordia the lead with just under nine minutes left in regulation.

Bailie stopped 38 of 42 shots in the loss, while Billingham tallied a formidable 44 saves on 47 shots to earn the victory for Concordia.

BY THE NUMBERS
0 - Both the Gaels (0/3) and Stingers (0/2) were unable to connect on the power-play
89 - The combined number of shots in the contest
7 - Eric Ming's goal is his 11th point in his seven game point streak