Editor’s note: This article previously mentioned an incorrect penalty call. Carleton’s Joshua Burnside did not commit a hit to the head. The Charlatan regrets the error.
The longest OUA playoff game in history ended in heartbreak for the Carleton Ravens men’s hockey team, who suffered a 4-3 loss to the Concordia University Stingers on Feb. 19.
With five minutes to go in the third-overtime period, after a total of four hours and 22 minutes of game time, freshman Stinger Carl Neill scored the game-winning goal off a deflected shot.
A frustrated Carleton team had many opportunities to score during the extra frames and had the only power play of the overtimes, but couldn’t convert.
The lengthy game made for a lot of neutral-zone play, as both teams struggled to keep the puck deep on tired legs during the extra periods.
Veteran of a marathon quadruple overtime game four years ago at nationals against Saskatchewan, senior forward Alex Boivin said the overtime frames were a “rollercoaster of emotions.”
“We started off a little bit slow, I think in the end that’s kind of what cost us,” Boivin said. “We had to use a lot of energy in the second and third period just to claw back.”
The Ravens went down 1-0 seven minutes into the first period through Tyler Hylland. Carleton couldn’t capitalize on any opportunities.
In this physically aggressive affair, the game totalled 32 penalty minutes. Most coming from the physical matchups during regulation time. Only two minutes came in overtime.
Carleton also lost two defensemen to injuries, first Evan de Haan, then Andrew Jarvis to an ankle injury, which had him yelling in pain as he left the ice. The trainers came onto the ice several times as both teams landed their hits.
Concordia’s Colin Grannary then made it 2-0 early on in the second period. Carleton responded as Boivin took a pass from Joshua Burnside during the second period. After skating up the ice, he was tripped and went flying as he made Carleton’s first power-play goal.
Shortly after, Hylland answered for the visitors with his second of the night to go back up two goals. It took goals from Cole Carter and Cody Caron in the third to bring Carleton back into the game tying it 3-3.
“It sucked. We lost,” he said.
Van Allen recalled last year’s early loss to McGill in the second round, which was followed by two winning games, and said Carleton can pull off the same scenario this year.
“This team has faced adversity in the past, so I think they can do it again,” the coach said.
Accustomed to heavy work loads and adversity this season, goalie Justin Nichols has been a stand out all year. Last night, he made 53 saves.
“The puck just went to the top, the point shot hit something in front of me and went over me,” Nichols said on the game-winning goal.
“At the end of the day … it’s gonna be one shot that decides everything, so you gotta stay focused for as long as the game goes.”
Nichols said although the game went long, he didn’t really feel physically tired while on the ice.
“You just gotta stay in the moment, and I think that energizes me until the end of the game,” he said. “For me, it’s just that mentality of one save at a time.”
For the skaters, it was a bit of a struggle. “It’s just about pushing, everybody’s tired,” Boivin said.
“I know in our room, we were tired. I know in their room, they’ve had some games recently too and they were just as tired … Guys were being quiet [between periods], just trying to save some energy.”
Boivin said he has no doubt his teammates will come together to beat Concordia in Montreal to force a third game.
“I think we’re a better team,” he said. “I’m not worried.”
Game two of the series is on Feb. 22. at 7:30 p.m.
Featured image by Tim Austen. With files from Tim Austen.
