February 18, 2018
Drove, Jacome lead Gee-Gees to victory in series-clinching Game 3
OTTAWA, Ont. - After a heartbreaking overtime loss to open the series, the Gee-Gees men's hockey team pulled off the reverse sweep, and winning back-to-back games to to clinch the series win against Carleton. After an offensively explosive game two, the Gee-Gees battled on enemy ice to a 4-2 final score to keep their season alive.
"I'm so proud of this group, " said Gee-Gees head coach Patrick Grandmaître following the game.
"Not just to win a series, but the history behind our program and the rebuild here, a lot of kids took a chance to come here … and to do what we have done in two years here, it's all the credit to these kids that came in here and played the right way."
In the opening moments of the game, teams exchanged chances and hits at every opportunity, establishing that the do-or-die game would be a physical one.
Ottawa broke open the scoring late in the first when Kevin Domingue fired a shot from a bad angle and the puck found its way into the net.
An early power play opportunity in the second period offer the Gee-Gees a chance to double up their lead. Brendan Jacome did just that as he collected the puck in the slot and picked a corner with pinpoint accuracy.
Shortly after, Carleton replied with a power play marker of their own minutes later to cut into the lead.
Ottawa tallied another key goal late in the frame when Kevin Domingue saucered a pass to Cody Drover, who promptly buried it to restore the two-goal lead for the Garnet and Grey.
"Drover and Domingue, they're not the prototype major junior hockey guys that come out with a big resume, but we have lots of these kids on our team that help us go a long way," said Grandmaître.
A penalty against Carleton as the period closed offered Ottawa a chance to open the period on the power play. The opportunity wasn't wasted, as Drover's wrist shot from the point snuck past a crowd of bodies and found the back of the net.
The excitement of a commanding lead was short-lived, as Carleton scored seconds later to shave the Gee-Gees' lead back to two goals.
As the third period progressed, the Gee-Gees buckled down defensively in order to preserve the lead. A pair of late power play opportunities sent the Carleton attack into a frenzy as they attempted to muster a comeback, but Anthony Brodeur stood tall. With just 15 seconds to go, a player fell on top of Brodeur in the midst of a net-front battle, forcing him to leave the game with an apparent injury. Graham Hunt entered the net to close out the final moments and clinch the series for the Gee-Gees.
Up next, Ottawa will take on the first place McGill Redmen in round two. The series will kick off on Wednesday in Montreal at 7 p.m., on Friday the teams will meet at Minto Sports Complex for game two at 7:30 p.m. If necessary, game three will take place in Montreal on Sunday at 7.
"They're the most skilled team in our league, but we've beaten them two times out of three," said Grandmaître. "They don't like playing us, but we feel we'll see another side of McGill. Regular season, a good team like that, they don't take every game as seriously as we do cause we're fighting for positioning in the standings. We'll have to be at our best again, but we know they are the best. But to be the best you need to beat the best. We beat a good team here, and now we're going to face the best team in our league."
Source: Ottawa Gee-Gees