RECAP: Women’s hockey loses two tight games to McGill and Montreal to end regular season

The Gee-Gees closed out their 2021-22 season with two narrow losses to the McGill Martlets and Montreal Carabins. Both contests were decided by one goal with the Gee-Gees losing by a score of 4-3 Wednesday, before falling in overtime, 2-1, to the Carabins.

The Gee-Gees played one of their most entertaining games of the season Wednesday night when they hosted the McGill Martlets in a playoff preview. The game was the Mélisa Kingsley Memorial Game.

The Martlets wasted no time getting proceedings underway with the league's leading scorer, Jade Downie-Landry, potting her 12^th goal of the season less than two minutes into the game. The Gee-Gees weren't down long, responding a few minutes later thanks to a Kylie Lalonde powerplay goal. McGill would score two more times before the end of the period, including a rocket of a shot by Downie-Landry for her second of the game. 

The Garnet and Grey would fight back once again, scoring twice in the second period. Lalonde would grab her second of the game after rifling the puck past Martlet netminder Tricia Deguire seconds into the period. Gabrielle Plourde would score her first as a Gee-Gee in the dying embers of the period. 

Plourde has impressed in her first two games of the season. Gee-Gees head coach Chelsea Grills said, "She is starting to mould her role on the team. We are excited to see how she continues to develop and grow with her return." 

Downie-Landry would score nine seconds later to complete her hattrick and what would ultimately be the game-deciding goal.

On Friday, the Gee-Gees travelled to the Montreal Carabins for a game that had huge playoff ramifications. The Carabins and Gee-Gees came into the game tied on 14 points, with Montreal having played one less game. The winner would climb to third spot in the RSEQ.

The Carabins would open the scoring late in the first period. After a quiet second period, Ariane Aubin would pull one back for the Gee-Gees after latching onto a loose puck in the slot. The goal was her fourth of the season and first of 2022.

Regulation was not enough to separate the two teams. It was late into the first overtime period that Kaleigh Quennec would slide on through the five-hole of Aurélie Dubuc to win the game for the Carabins. 

"The rust is coming off. Our team worked together and came together as the game went on," said Grills. "Our group never gave up, and that is the biggest takeaway."

The Gee-Gees end the regular season with a record of 7-7-1 and will return for playoff action Thursday, Mar. 3. The Gee-Gees will faceoff against the McGill Martlets in the first round of the RSEQ postseason. Date and times of the best-of-three series will be confirmed shortly. Check geegees.ca for updates.