Three questions ahead of the second half of the OUA hockey seasons

Toronto, Ont. (via 49 Sports / Ben Steiner) - With the OUA hockey season underway for the second half, the sprint to the finish line is officially on.

While several teams will ride strong starts to the playoffs with lesser second halves, others will surely pick up the pace and play themselves into postseason contention, hoping to lead to the Queen’s Cup, McCaw Cup, and beyond.

The 2024 portion of the campaign begins with two men’s hockey games on Thursday before women’s action resumes on Friday.

Here are three things to keep an eye on.

MHKY: How does Artem Duda change TMU?

The TMU Bold have been a competitive team over the last several seasons, qualifying for the U CUP two years ago before taking a slight step back last season, struggling against the Toronto Varsity Blues in the playoffs.

Yet, after a start that saw them sitting second in the OUA West on a record of 11-5-0, the group made the most notable edition in decades of Canadian university hockey. Ahead of their sprint to March as U CUP hosts, TMU has welcomed Artem Duda, a 2022 second-round selection of the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes and a prospect very much within their NHL plans.

With 14 professional KHL games under his belt, the Russian defenceman was unable to attend the University of Maine as planned, so he opted for TMU, where he will get an opportunity to skate in North America for the first time while joining his former youth hockey teammate Daniil Grigorev.

The question, however, is how good does this make TMU? After a slower start, could they even be a favourite for the OUA Queen’s Cup, let alone a U SPORTS title?

TMU’s defence already ranked atop the OUA West, conceding a division-low 42 goals through 16 games, and adding Duda to play significant minutes no doubt boosts the strength in that area.

While he has skated with several partners in the first few practices, his two-way ability will make him one of the most critical players on the ice at any moment, while also aiding TMU’s transitional play, which has struggled at points.

There is little precedent for how such a highly-touted prospect can help an OUA team, but with his two-way ability and first step on the blueline against pressing forwards, he could be a punishing force at both ends of the ice.

The Bold have been a strong team, but adding Duda to the likes of Kyle Bollers and Kevin Gursoy up top, along with Aaron Hyman, Elijah Roberts, and Ryan Wells on the back end, could be enough to push them to heights never seen for the program.

MHKY:  How long does the OUA East stay tight?

The OUA East currently exists as the most competitive division across the country, with seven teams within five points of each other. Yet, whether the division stays as tight and unexpected through the second half is a massive question.

The UQTR Patriotes are young, with many players still accustomed to the schedule rigors of junior hockey, which saw them play nearly three times as many games as they are set to in the OUA. With a roster of 15 new faces, many expected them to be slow out of the gate, but they’ve been anything but.

Atop the division, they are led by star forward Simon LaFrance, who enters his final semester playing university hockey and will hope to go out on another Queen’s Cup title. Despite their position, a playoff run is far from a guarantee.

The Ottawa Gee-Gees, McGill Redbirds, and Queen’s Gaels, in particular, have all looked like potential conference toppers through the first portion of the season. Although the Gee-Gees may be a year away from contention, they’ve put together a strong first half.

Meanwhile, the Gaels might have the best bet of the secondary group, featuring the hottest line in the nation, with Jonathan Yantsis, Nolan Hutcheson, and Dalton Duhart. They will hope that trio can keep scoring while also getting consistent strong defensive play, headlined by Jacob Paquette and Owen Lalonde.

Duhart leads the conference with 35 points, 13 of which are goals, while Hutcheson and Yantsis have 28 and 25 points, respectively.

As well, one can’t count out the Concordia Stingers and Carleton Ravens, who have had strong performances this season, but have been a little less consistent than their counterparts.

With the top six set to make the playoffs, no teams will be able to let their foot off the gas, as one will end up missing out come the spring. 

WHKY: Will Guelph and Nipissing stay hot?

The Guelph Gryphons and Nipissing Lakers finished the first half of the season with immense leads on the rest of their respective divisions. In the West, Guelph’s 12-1-0 record sees them in first at 36 points, while Nipissing leads the East with a 14-1-0 record and 40 points.

To say the two teams had a good first half would be an understatement. At this point, they’re two of the best in all of U SPORTS. Yet, the question remains whether they can maintain their pace, and set up a lengthy playoff run. 

For Guelph, the focus lies with goaltender Martina Fedel, who rides a .957 save percentage through 12 games, and a goals against average of 0.97. Her composure and confidence in the crease have been critical for Guelph, and will be throughout the second half.

Meanwhile, the Gryphons also take on their first full portion of a season with new interim head coach Katie Mora, who took over the role after longtime bench boss Rachel Flanagan left to join Toronto’s Professional Women’s Hockey League team.

Aside from Fedel and the coaching change, Guelph’s Tori Verbeek, Hannah Tait, and Jaime Magoffin have all had strong seasons so far, and will hope to continue their dynamic attack through the second portion.

In North Bay, Ont., the Lakers have a similar task ahead of them, but find themselves with a larger lead than expected at the break. The Toronto Varsity Blues, who sit second in the division at 24 points, have lost some games they were favouritres to win, and have let points slide.

Now, with a possibility of top spot, the Lakers will also turn to their top-notch goaltender Chantelle Sandquist, who has played all 15 games so far, to the tune of a .946 save percentage and OUA-leading four shutouts.

At the same time, Nipissing has the top three scorers in the OUA, with Katie Chomiak leading the way with 10 goals and 15 points, joined by Maggie McKee’s 17 points, and Abby Lunney’s 15. Having scored 18 more goals than the Queen’s Gaels, the second most offensive team in the division, the Lakers will hope to carry momentum.

With the way both division leaders have been playing, one would imagine their January 26th clash will be circled on each of their calendars.