News

Daneau does the deed in thrilla at McGilla

Published: 15 January 2010

(PHOTO BY ANDREW DOBROWOLSKYJ)

MONTREAL - Marc-André Daneau of Aston Jonction, Que., scored the go-ahead goal at 11:33 of the final period as fifth-ranked McGill edged the No.6-Trois-Rivieres Patriotes 2-1 in an epic men's university hockey game before 486 at McConnell Arena, Friday.

It was the sixth straight victory for the streaking Redmen, who improved to 16-2, three points ahead of the Pats (14-3-1) in the OUA East Conference. With 10 games left on the schedule, the result clinched a playoff berth for the Redmen -- their 24th in the past 27 years.

Daneau, who had returned to the lineup earlier this week after missing nine games with a knee injury, took a pass from rookie Christophe Longpre-Poirier and outraced his man down the left-wing boards, then registered his fourth game-winner of the season with a nifty back-handed shot from the faceoff circle into the top left corner of the net.

McGill led 1-0 after the opening period on a goal by Alexandre Picard-Hooper of Boucherville, Que. That precarious lead held up until midway through the final stanza when UQTR's Jean-Sebastien Breton, a third-year centre from Pincourt, Que., tied the contest with 10:25 remaining.

McGill outshot the Patriotes 41-36 as Redmen netminder Hubert Morin, a sophomore from St. Georges de Beauce, Que., was selected by the media as the game's first star and improved his record to 12-1. His rival at the other end of the ice, sophomore Jean-Christophe Blanchard, was the second star after registering 39 saves in a losing cause as his record fell to 12-4.

Both teams failed to score in seven power-play opportunities but the McGill penalty-killing unit improved their league-leading success rate to .906, allowing only 10 goals on 106 shorthanded situations.

McGill has now won six consecutive games against the Patriotes, who own a lifetime 138-59-17 record versus the Redmen since the archrivals began playing each other in 1969.

The Redmen, who own a 9-0 regular-season record at home, will host their third game in four nights on Saturday when they take on third-place Carleton (10-6-2) in a 7 p.m. start.

McGill then plays a return match at UQTR on Wednesday (Jan. 20). Patriotes head coach Jacques Laporte will be barred from that affair, however, as he will be serving an automatic one-game suspension incurred in the aftermath of a verbal shouting match with referee Gavin White, who signaled for a faceoff at centre-ice with 22 second remaining because a UQTR player had left the bench early as their goaltender was heading to the bench for an extra attacker. It forced UQTR to put their goalie back in between the pipes.

REDMEN RAP: With two of the top teams in the country going head-to-head, officials from three NHL teams were spotted at the game, including Pierre Rioux from the Toronto Maple Leafs, plus scouts from the Boston Bruins and Los Angeles Kings... McGill needs to win six of their remaining 10 games to break the single-season school record for regular-season victories, a mark established in 1999-00 when they posted a 21-5 record... The only other time that McGill has reached the 20-win plateau in intercollegiate play was in 2005-06, when they went 20-1-3... McGill has tallied 28.4 per cent of their 109 goals for (26 PPG, 5 SHG) on special teams... Defensively, the Redmen have allowed their opponents to score 32.6 per cent of their 43 goals (10 PPG, 4 SHG) against on special teams.

SOURCE:

Earl Zukerman

Communications & Publications Officer

McGill Athletics & Recreation

514-398-7012

SCORING SUMMARY

UQTR 1 at McGill 2

(Jan 15, 2010 at McConnell Arena)

1st Period-

1, McGill, Alexandre Picard-Hooper 7 (Verreault-Paul, Wright), 15:10.

Penalties-

Demers UQTR (checking from behind, game misconduct; served by A. Boivin), 0:09;

Bench UQTR (too many men; served by A. Boivin), 3:56;

Turcotte Mcg (hooking), 8:13;

Langelier-Parent Mcg (roughing), 10:31;

Chicoine UQTR (checking from behind, game misconduct; served by E. Bellevance-Martin), 16:12;

Richard UQTR (high sticking), 17:21;

Verreault-Paul Mcg (slashing), 17:44.

2nd Period-

(no scoring).

Penalties-

Langelier-Parent Mcg (interference), 6:25;

Rioux Mcg (cross checking), 8:36;

Boivin UQTR (high sticking, high sticking), 10:51;

Lamontagne UQTR (slashing), 13:53;

Longpre-Poirier Mcg (holding), 16:08;

Gazdic Mcg (slashing), 17:58.

3rd Period-

2, UQTR, Jean-Sebastien Breton 11 (Petit, Bellavance-Martin), 9:35.

3, McGill, Marc-Andre Daneau 10 (Longpre-Poirier, Langelier-Parent), 11:33.

Penalties-

Lamontagne UQTR (elbowing), 16:06;

Jacques Laporte UQTR COACH (game misconduct for verbal abuse), 20:00.

GOALS BY PERIOD:
UQTR 0-0-1 -- 1
McGill 1-0-1 -- 2

Shots on Goal-
UQTR 11-14-11 -- 36.
McGill 14-16-11 -- 41.

Power Play Opportunities-
UQTR 0 of 7;
McGill 0 of 7.

Penalties (No./Mins.)-
UQTR 11/46;
McGill 7/14.

Goalies-

UQTR,
Jean-Christophe Blanchard (L, 12-4-0, 41 shots-39 saves; 59:53);
Empty-net (0 goals; 0:07).

McGill,
Hubert Morin (W, 12-1-0, 36 shots-35 saves; 60:00).