University Cup recap: day three

By: Dylan Buckman, Ryan Bradbury and Ethan Hunt

Four teams took the ice on day three of the U Sports men’s hockey University Cup in Halifax, each battling for a place in the championship game.

The Saint Mary’s University Huskies kept their Cinderella run going, and the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières Patriotes continued their dominance.

SMU defeated the University of Windsor Lancers 4-1 in an assertive semi-final game. 

Huskies defenceman and Halifax native Matthew MacDonald ignited the crowd before they could get in their seats. Less than three minutes into the game, he put the puck through the Lancers’ defenceman’s legs and tucked a highlight reel goal to open the scoring. The Huskies’ Reid Valade followed with a one-time goal from the hashmarks, marking two goals in just over a minute for SMU. 

The Huskies continued to bring the pressure in the opening period. Halifax native Ben Boyd scored another goal off a bouncing puck from behind the net in front. 

Boyd is the cousin of Jordan Boyd, a Halifax hockey player who tragically passed away in 2013, at the age of 16, after collapsing on the ice.

“I always think he’s watching me and up there with my grandfather, too,” said Boyd. “I always think those two are watching me.”

After a timeout, Windsor pushed back, but the Huskies carried a 3-0 lead into the first intermission.

The second period ended scoreless, though the Lancers started to pick up their play. 

“We’re really lucky and fortunate to get off to a quick lead, and after that they really tightened things up,” said Tyler Naugler, the Saint Mary’s head coach. 

In the third period, the Lancers’ Ray Hamlin broke SMU’s shutout on a power play. 

The Lancers continued to put pressure on SMU, with Owen Jones scoring a wrap-around goal that the referees disallowed for goaltender interference at a crucial moment when Windsor could’ve pulled within one goal.

With Windsor’s goaltender pulled, Boyd iced the game with his second goal of the afternoon.

Boyd was awarded player of the game, guiding the Huskies to their seventh U Sports national championship appearance. 

UQTR marching on to the finals

The semi-final matchup between the UQTR Patriotes and the University of New Brunswick Reds brought a rematch of the 2024 national championship game.

“There are a lot of guys here on our team that played them, and it was cool for us because nobody wants to lose in the finals, especially against a great team like them,” said Marc-Etienne Hubert, the Patriotes’ head coach.

UQTR wasted no time in the first period. The Patriotes’ Felix Lafrance scored the game’s first goal just 12 seconds in. The Reds then took a penalty for roughing. Conor Frenette took advantage, scoring his second goal of the tournament on the power play to extend the Patriotes’ lead to two.

Edouard Cournoyer delivered a heavy hit to former Halifax Mooseheads captain Braeden MacPhee, earning him a boarding penalty and a rain of boos from the crowd.

Kassim Gaudet added another goal for the Patriotes on top of a last-minute power play goal by Pier-Olivier Roy to close out the first period 4-0.

“Our preparation plays a big role in this,” said Frenette on the team’s start.

The second period brought a more physical tone, and UQTR remained just as fast. Thomas Larouche responded with a partial breakaway to get UNB on the board. 

Frenette, UQTR’s captain, added another goal, his second of the night. Shortly after the goal, Cody Morgan responded, scoring on the backhand for the Reds, shifting the momentum. 

Frenette capped off the second period, scoring a hat-trick goal to give the Patriotes a 6-2 lead. The Patriotes scored in the third and UNB twice, but UQTR was on to the finals to play SMU.