The Carleton Ravens men’s hockey team hit some big strides on and off the ice this year. The Ravens clinched bronze in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) playoffs—booking a ticket to the U Sports nationals.
Forward Hayden Hulton said the team’s mindset “started from the coaching staff all the way down to every single player.”
“We had a belief that we can win, we didn’t go to the games just to show up, we went to win,” he said.
To start out the season, the Ravens added 11 rookies to their roster, including Jake Smith, who led the team in points by the end of the season.
“I think the jump to [U Sports] is not always easy, so it’s pretty impressive how they jumped into it and had such a big effect,” Ravens forward Alex Boivin said.
Prior to their playoff run, the Ravens were one of the only teams to defeat the University of Ottawa (U of O) Gee-Gees in regulation—the Gee-Gees went on to finish with the best record in the OUA.
“I think it was important, because it proved we could play with anyone,” Boivin said. “Obviously, the U of O had a great season, but we felt confident playing anyone come playoff time.”
On their way to the bronze medal, the Ravens had 38 points and finished with a 18-5-2 record to put them in second place in the OUA East division.
“I think the experience of winning that bronze medal, and the experience of playing such a powerhouse team as UNB (University of New Brunswick), and realizing and believing how close we are to beating them, and how competitive we can be on the Canadian scale. I think that’s got to give every single guy coming back the confidence and the belief that anything is possible if everyone just buys in,” Hulton said.
At the U Sports men’s hockey championships, the Ravens faced off against UNB Varsity Reds. Despite losing to the eventual national champions, the Ravens were the only team to lose to them by one goal.
“Obviously, we fell short and we’re a little bit disappointed but we gave them a game,” Boivin said on the UNB game.
“I think the whole game was back and forth, and there were moments where we really pushed the pace, and, quite frankly, where we dominated. So I think we’re disappointed, but we feel good with the way we performed.”
Based on how far the team has come, the Ravens have grown as a team and as a unit since September until now.
“It’s a long year. And every game you lose, or every hiccup you have, there’s always going to be speedbumps that you’ll always have to overcome them, and I think we learned from our experiences,” Boivin said.
Looking forward to next year, the team has not yet signed any recruits, but according to Ravens head coach Shaun Van Allen, they are “hoping to get some in the next few weeks, and start filling out the roster.”
Following this past season, the Ravens have six graduating players: starting goaltender Francois Brassard, Hulton, Dalen Hedges, Travis Douglas, Adam Chapman, and Brett Gustavsen. Since coming on to the team, they have grown both on and off the ice.
“The biggest thing in U Sports is the opportunity to establish yourself not only on the ice, but off the ice as well. So it’s cool to see where they’ve come and how successful they’ve been academically and how important they were to our team,” Boivin said.
Boivin is one of the only fifth-year players set to return for the 2019-2020 season, and like everyone else on the team, he has one particular goal in mind.
“I’d like to win—I think it starts with that. I think we’re going to do everything it takes to win next year,” Boivin said. “We’re going to have the pieces of the puzzle, and hopefully, we can get some guys to come in and fill some roles that we’re losing.”
“They have everything it takes,” Hulton said.
“It’s just a mental mindset of buying in and now that the majority of them know what it’s going to take, it should strive them and push them all summer to get that much better and come training camp, they should be flying.”
Photo by Spencer Colby
