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Game Recap: Hockey (M) | 2/7/2019 10:24:00 PM | Shawn MacDonald (Sports Information Officer)
Gaels and Paladins set Carr-Harris Cup attendance record with 3,888 fans at Leon’s Centre Thursday night



KINGSTON, Ont. (February 7, 2019) - The Queen's Gaels (18-9-0) fell to the RMC Paladins (6-19-2) by a score of 5-1 in the Carr-Harris Cup on Thursday night at Leon's Centre. The game saw a record 3,888 fans surpassing the previous record of 3,524 set in 2018.

CARR-HARRIS CUP
The Carr-Harris Challenge Cup trophy features the "Lennie" sculpture by Kingston native Joan Belch. It depicts Lennox Irving, the Queen's player who scored the lone goal in the inaugural game between RMC and Queen's on March 10, 1886. Tonight also marked a record in Carr-Harris Cup attendance, with 3,888 spectators at Leon's Centre in downtown Kingston.
GAME FLOW
As should be expected in Hockey's oldest rivalry, the opening minutes of the Carr-Harris cup were a tense, physical affair, with both teams laying big hits and firing up their respective fan-bases.

Just past the mid-way through the first period, the Paladins found themselves on the power-play after Luke Edwards was assessed a minor penalty for checking from behind which also included a 10-minute-misconduct. The Paladins opened the scoring at 12:43 of the first period, right as their power-play was ending, when Liam Stagg's short side wrist shot beat Gaels net-minder Justin Fazio from a tough angle.

The Paladins would add to their advantage at 16:52 when Rhett Wilcox blasted a slap-shot through a screen right past the ear of the Fazio and under the crossbar. After 20 minutes, the Paladins led 2-0 and were looking confident, having clearly outplayed the Gaels in the first. Despite this, at the end of the first period, the two teams were tied in shots at 15-15.

The Paladins got off to a dream start in the second period, scoring two goals within the opening two minutes of the period and taking a commanding 4-0 lead, also chasing Gaels starting goaltender Justin Fazio, who was replaced by Jack Flinn.

The Gaels would respond however, as Queen's captain Spencer Abraham fired a slapshot from the point past RMC netminder Austin Hannaford at 5:26 of the second on the powerplay. With his goal, Abraham tied Aaron Fransen for the all-time record in points as a defenceman and closed the Paladins lead to three at 4-1.

Despite the Gaels having numerous chances to close the lead within two, it was the Paladins who found the back of the net late in the second period, as Cameron Lamport's snapshot was tipped by a Gaels defender and through the legs of Jack Flinn. After forty minutes of play, the Paladins led the Gaels by a score of 5-1.

Although matching up much more evenly with the Paladins in the 3rd period, the Gaels were unable to find the score-sheet and the final period would finish scoreless, giving the RMC Paladins a convincing 5-1 victory. With the victory, the Paladins took home the Carr-Harris cup for the second time in the last three seasons, avenging last year's thrilling 6-5 overtime loss at the hands of the Gaels.

FINAL SAY
"They earned every part of that win and I expected that result when our team doesn't work. We played a team that was out of the playoffs and really had this game to play for and we didn't have any urgency whatsoever." - Brett Gibson

BY THE NUMBERS
26 - There were twenty-six total penalty minutes in the game.
116 - Spencer Abraham's career point total, matching the Gaels record for points by a defenceman.
46 - Saves by RMC netminder Austin Hannaford, the Gaels outshot the Paladins 47-30.