The Carleton women’s hockey team returned to the ice Friday in Montreal, Que. against the powerhouse McGill Martlets but lost 3-0 in a hard-fought battle, ending their hopes of a playoff spot.
Provincial public health restrictions paused university sports in Ontario and Quebec for more than two months. As a result, teams will end the season with 15 games instead of the full 25-game schedule. The Ravens have two games remaining.
In the six-team Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) conference, four universities move on to the playoffs. The Ravens, six points behind the fourth-place uOttawa Gee-Gees, have officially been eliminated from playoff contention.
On Friday, McGill dominated the possession and chances from puck drop. Carleton had some quick breaks and power play opportunities, but the two teams ended the period stalled in a draw. McGill led Carleton 8-3 in shots at the first intermission, but strong play from Marie-Ève Côté in the net kept the Ravens close.
The Ravens came into the second period motivated and made multiple shots. Multiple power plays gave the teams opportunities at both ends.
Late in the period, McGill capitalized on one of their chances. A scramble in front of the net saw Côté go down, searching for the puck. The puck slid through the paint to the far side of the net, where defender Jaime Kastelic slid the puck in for her first-ever goal.
The second period was tight—the Ravens matched McGill shot for shot—but McGill maintained their one-goal lead into the final period.
The third period started like the others, with heavy McGill pressure. Carleton held the tide for just over 10 minutes before centre Jade Downie-Landry scored on the power play.
Downie-Landry, who leads all of U Sports in points and is second in goals, continued to put on a show in the last regular-season home game of her career. Twenty-five seconds after her power play goal, Downie-Landry, unassisted, skated up the ice and ripped a shot for McGill’s third goal.
The Martlets swarmed Carleton in the third and outshot the Ravens 11-1.
The Ravens have now missed the playoffs for eight straight seasons and finished last in the standings for all those years, although they may buck the trend this year with the addition of a new RSEQ team, the Bishop’s Gaiters. The Gaiters currently sit two points behind the Ravens.
However, there are reasons to be optimistic. The Ravens have a high number of rookies and every player on their roster is eligible to return next year.
The Ravens will end their season with two home games next weekend against the Concordia Stingers and University of Montreal Carabins.
Featured image provided by Matt Garies/McGill Athletics.
