University Cup recap: day four

By: Ryan Bradbury, Dylan Buckman and Ethan Hunt

On the fourth and final day of the U Sports men’s hockey University Cup, the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières Patriotes won its sixth national title in program history.

The University of New Brunswick Reds won the bronze medal, while the tournament host, Saint Mary’s University, earned silver.

Félix Lafrance, the golden goal

It took overtime for the championship to be decided, when Félix Lafrance’s shot bounced off a player in front of the net before finding its way in. Lafrance immediately threw up his gloves as his team chased after him.

“It was unreal,” Lafrance said. “We worked so hard for that moment. I’m just so happy for the guys. It’s unreal.”

The Patriotes’ captain, Conor Frenette, was standing in front, screening the goalie.

“I told Felix that I touched it,” Frenette said. “I tipped it in, but it was an amazing feeling. I didn’t even see it go in. I just saw Felix running through the crowd, and I was like ‘Wow, we just did it.’”

Still, the announcers gave Lafrance the goal, and UQTR were crowned the champions. Before he scored the game-winner, the Huskies pushed the Patriotes to the brink.

Saint Mary’s physicality was on full display, as they sent out their checking line of Ben Boyd, Will Chisholm and Liam Arnsby to open the game.

The Huskies’ Jake Uberti struck first when he took the puck, roofed a top corner shot off the right post and found the back of the net. Fans sang “Heave Away” as Uberti celebrated on one knee, screaming out to the SMU faithful.

After the game, Tyler Naugler, SMU’s head coach, said it was Uberti’s last game. Before the tournament, the forward had been out since Oct. 10, 2025, because of the lingering effects of concussions.

“The kid means everything to me,” Naugler said after the game. “He’s like my son.… He’s a role model for my son.”

Derek Gentile, who captained Dalhousie University’s hockey team in 2023-24, nearly added to the lead for the Huskies when he put the puck between a defender’s legs but couldn’t squeak a shot through William Grimard’s pads. He also said that after the game, it was his last U Sports game. Gentile spent the first half of the season in England playing with the Sheffield Steelers, before joining the Huskies on Jan. 10.

“This has been the joy of my life to be able to do this these last few months,” Gentile said.

The Patriotes, who scored four times in the first period against UNB, weren’t able to get to the same pace due to SMU’s physicality weighing them down.

Just before the 13th minute of the second period, UQTR’s Pier-Olivier Roy capitalized on a scramble in the SMU crease. Within two minutes, the Huskies’ Ben Allison answered back.

But the Patriotes’ Charles Beaudoin tapped in the tying goal on a pass from Lafrance with just under two minutes to go in the second.

The teams traded chances, but couldn’t bury the dagger, including when SMU tried desperately to get one before regulation ended. But Grimard made a game-saving stop on Allison. 

Then, Lafrance did the thing in overtime. 

“We lost two years ago against UNB,” Lafrance said. “Now it’s our time, and [I’m] just so happy.”

Bronze for New Brunswick

The day began with the bronze medal game between the University of Windsor Lancers and the UNB Reds.

UNB came out of the gate quickly, continuing a theme of the tournament. Forward Stuart Rolofs scored the team’s first goal in 42 seconds.

“We were hard on the forecheck, and I think that’s where the success came from today,” said Rolofs.

After a no-look pass in the corner from Jax Dubois, Rolofs scored his second goal of the night before the Lancers took a shot.

UNB rode the momentum as Dubois scored and Braeden MacPhee added two goals. The Reds won 5-1, bringing home their first national medal since winning it all in 2022.

“It’s a huge honour to win bronze, and we’ll put our best foot forward next year,” said UNB defenceman Cole Huckins.