On Saturday night, it was the regular-season finale for the Ottawa Gee-Gees as they took on the UQTR Patriotes. The Gee-Gees were looking to continue to build on their 3-1 win over the McGill Redbirds on Friday night.
After the teams changed scoring chances early and even saw a powerplay seven seconds in for the Gee-Gees, which was killed off by the Patriotes, on an ensuing 3-on-2 with the Patriotes keeping offensive zone pressure, Samuel L’Italien snipes the biscuit top shelf to give the Patriotes the 1-0 lead.
Thanks to their penalty killing, the Gee-Gees had a great start to the 2nd period. However, as UQTR cycled the puck back to the point, Nathan LePage wired it past Anand Oberoi for the 2-0 lead. With the Gee-Gee’s having as strong a 1st period as they did, they put themselves behind the eight ball with a few penalties to start the 2nd period.
Alexis Gravel has also made some big saves to keep the Garnet and Grey at bay, especially during the 1st period. Things would unravel for the Patriotes as Cody van Lierop would one-time the pass from Yvan Mongo to cut the lead in half. Shortly after that, the Gee-Gees were awarded their first powerplay as Jordan LePage received a 2 + 10 for a hit from behind.
The Gee-Gees would score on the 5-on-4 powerplay to tie the game at 2-2 thanks to Chenier finding the back of the net.
The Garnet and Grey would come on strong to start the 3rd period but Alexis Gravel would stay calm, cool and collective in the net and keep the game tied. Ottawa got into penalty trouble and as the penalty was expiring. UQTR would regain their lead as soon as their powerplay expired as Vincent Milot Ouellet wired it past Anand Oberoi to make it 3-2.
As the Gee-Gee’s were pressing with under 5 minutes left to play, the Patriotes would block every shot there was. Each time you thought the puck would head towards the net, there would be an orange and white sweater to block the puck.
Nicolas Mattinen hitting the post with 1:10 left in the 3rd period is going to live in the heads of the players as they were inches away from sending the game into the extra frame.
The Patriotes would go on to win this 3-2. The Patriotes already had the Far East division locked up heading into this game but close their season with a 10-3-2 record for first in the division while the Gee-Gees sit in third with a 9-8-2 record.
The Patriotes will head home to take on the Carleton Ravens in Round One of the 2022 Queen’s Cup Playoffs while the Ottawa Gee-Gees take the long bus ride up to North Bay for a date with the Nipissing Lakers.
COVER: Greg Mason/uOttawa Athletics