±«ÓãÖ±²¥

By Earl Zukerman

OTTAWA – Rookie Matthieu Methot of Ottawa scored the opening goal and assisted on two others as the Gee-Gees men’s hockey team hung on for a 3-2 playoff victory over ±«ÓãÖ±²¥ and staved off elimination Friday.

The best-of-three OUA East Conference quarterfinal series is knotted at 1-1 with the rubber match, slated for Feb. 22 at McConnell Arena (3 pm). The winner of this series will advance to a best-of-three affair against the No.2-seeded U of t Varsity Blues.

While Methot, a former Ottawa 67s star, was doing his thing in the offensive zone, goaltender Riley Whitlock, a sophomore from Calgary, almost singlehandedly dismantled the Redmen, who outshot Ottawa by an overwhelming 48-16 advantage, including a 17-1 difference in the final frame.

±«ÓãÖ±²¥ threw everything but the kitchen sink at Ottawa and finished with a single-game school record 102 attempted shots, compared to just 34 by the Gee-Gees.

Kevin Glode of Quebec City converted a pass from Methot to make it 2-0 Ottawa at the 1:43 mark of the middle period but ±«ÓãÖ±²¥ freshman Alexandre Picard-Hooper connected on a power play a few minutes later to put the Redmen on the scoreboard.

Keven Gagne, a senior right winger from St. Nicolas, Que., restored the two-goal cushion for Ottawa with a power play goal at 6:53 but ±«ÓãÖ±²¥ battled back again when rookie Francis Verrault-Paul of Mashteviatsh, Que., beat Whitlock at 9:09 of the middle period.

Whitlock (1-1) took over after that and held the Redmen power play to a 1-for-8 performance as the Gee-Gees were assessed the final five penalties of the game.

Newcomer Kevin Desfossés (1-1) took the loss, only his third in 10 starts overall with ±«ÓãÖ±²¥.

REDMEN RAP: ±«ÓãÖ±²¥ had to make do without the service of Sam Bloom, their second-leading scorer, who was ejected midway through the second period after receiving a high-sticking major… Senior rearguard Yan Turcotte sat out the first of his two-game suspension incurred for a checking-from-behind penalty that was assessed in Game 1…

(MORE DETAILS TO BE POSTED LATER)


SCORING SUMMARY

±«ÓãÖ±²¥ 2 at Ottawa 3

(Game 2, OUA East Quarterfinal)

(Feb 20, 2009 - Sports Complex Arena)

FIRST PERIOD:
Scoring -
1. Ottawa, Matthieu Methot (1) (K. Glode, M. Desjardins) 13:58

Penalties -
G. Doucet Mcg (slashing) 3:18
F. Verrault-Paul Mcg (10-minute misconduct) 3:18
W. Shariff Ott (interference) 6:52
M. Dorion Mcg (slashing) 8:08
R. Gove Ott (cross checking) 9:23
D. Jarrett Ott (interference) 17:08

SECOND PERIOD:
Scoring -
2. Ottawa, Kevin Glode (1) (M. Methot, K. Gagne) 1:43
3. ±«ÓãÖ±²¥, Alex Picard-Hooper (2) (K. Morin, M.A. Dorion) 4:13 PP
4. Ottawa, Keven Gagne (1) (G. Houde, M. Methot) 6:53 PP
5. ±«ÓãÖ±²¥, Francis Verrault-Paul (1) (M.A. Dorion, E. L Italien) 9:09

Penalties -
W. Shariff Ott (holding) 3:19
B. Gazdic Mcg (cross checking) 4:59
A. Picard-Hooper Mcg (roughing) 8:10
A. Scott Ott (roughing) 8:10
S. Bloom Mcg (major high-sticking, GM-53) 13:58
R. Gove Ott (interference) 14:46
Bench Ottawa (too many men; served by R. Gove) 18:05

THIRD PERIOD:
Scoring -
(none)

Penalties -
K. Gagne Ott (hooking) 8:02
G. Houde Ott (roughing) 17:08
K. Gagne Ott (cross checking) 18:57

SHOTS BY PERIOD:
MCG:17 - 14 - 17 -- 48
OTT: 5 - 10 - 1 -- 16

GOALS BY PERIOD:
MCG: 0 - 2 - 0 -- 2
OTT: 1 - 2 - 0 -- 3

POWER PLAY CONVERSION:
±«ÓãÖ±²¥ 1-8.
Ottawa 1-5.

PENALTIES (No./Mins.):
±«ÓãÖ±²¥ 7-33.
Ottawa 10-20.

GOALTENDERS:

±«ÓãÖ±²¥
Kevin Desfosses [L, 1-1, 58:48, SV: 13, GA: 3]
Empty-net [1:12, GA: 0]

Ottawa
Riley Whitlock [W, 1-1, 60:00, SV: 29, GA: 2]


Start : 7:02 PM
End : 9:18 PM
Attendance : 303
Referee: Bill White



MOLSON CUP THREE STARS:
----------------------------------
1. Riley Whitlock, Ottawa
2. Ken Morin, ±«ÓãÖ±²¥
3. Matthieu Methot, Ottawa

McGILL LINEUP
------------------
Doucet - Verreault-Paul - Lambert
Kovacevic - Picard-Hooper - Bloom
Wright - Marcotte - L Italien
Vossen - Langelier-Parent - Daneau

Morin - Stilling
Morse - Dorion
Valente - Gazdic

Kevin Desfosses


McGILL LINEUP SCRATCHES:
-----------------------------------
G: Danny Mireault (dressed but DNP)
G: Hubert Morin
G: Jake Jarvis
D: Spencer Brennan (injd)
D: Glenn Tindle
D: Yan Turcotte (serving suspension)
F: Benoit Arsenault (injd)
F: Leonard Verrilli
F: Tim Drager



SOURCE:

Earl Zukerman
Communications & Publications Officer
Dept. of Athletics & Recreation
±«ÓãÖ±²¥
475 Pine Avenue West
Montreal, QC H2W 1S4
CANADA
514-398-7012 (tel.)
514-398-1956 (fax)