(08/11/24) - Kingston, ON., In an exciting evening of goals and tussles, the Queen's Gaels dominated the Carleton Ravens with a victory of 6-2 on their home ice of Kingston Memorial Center, marking their ninth win of the regular season.  The Gaels OUA record is now 9-2, hitching themselves one seat higher in the standings to second in the league.  Following a 1-2 loss to the Windsor Lancers last weekend away, the Gaels proved that was only a hiccup in their season schedule.  

Though the Gaels led by a four goal lead in the end, the intense game saw 12 power plays (eight for the Gaels, four for the Ravens), with 30 shots on net by the Gaels and 23 by their opponents.  A tip of the cap goes to no. 19 Nolan Hutcheson (Health Studies) for completing a hat-trick in the last three seconds of the second period.  Gaels players no. 12 Liam Tanner (Kinesiology and Health Studies) and no. 55 Owen Lalonde (French/Geography) proved to also be key players in the success of the team that evening, as Tanner cashed in a goal and two assists, and Lalonde three assists, adding to their individual player stats.  

The first period opened with the Gaels seeming a tad shaky and the Ravens looking to be the stronger match.  The Gaels did not allow this rhetoric to continue as they quickly found their footing against their opponent and scored their first goal four minutes in, thanks to no. 16 Charles-Thomas Larochelle (Arts and Sciences) assisted by Hutcheson and goalie no. 37 Christian Purboo (Economics), off a breakaway tucking the puck back behind the Ravens goalie.

The Ravens quickly tied the game four minutes later, but the Gaels stayed patient with their play.  Tanner, assisted by Lalonde, maneuvers through traffic sinking the puck into the top right corner of the Ravens net with less than five minutes left in the first period, reinstating the Gaels lead to 2-1.  

Winning the second period puck drop, the Gaels settled in for an aggressive yet offensively successful period.  With six power plays for the Gaels in 20 minutes, the Gaels built on their lead and settled into the game.  Hutcheson capitalized on three of these power plays.  The first only 24 seconds into game play, assisted by no. 10 Cameron Tolnai (Business) and Tanner.  The Ravens did not allow the Gaels to have all the fun, as they score in the sixth minute of the second, making the score a once again close 3-2.  

A five on three power play for the Ravens after a Gaels hit resulted in blood drawn during the previous five on four (after extra men on the ice was called against the Gaels).  The Gaels looked to kill the power play with a strong power play unit, and did so as the Ravens could not get past Purboo.  The Gaels ended the power play with another goal by Hutcheson, assisted by Tolnai and Lalonde, growing their lead to 4-2.  

Tensions began to rise on the ice between the two teams resulting in another four on three power play leaving the Gaels down a skater.  The power play unit proved to be a strong asset for the Gaels all evening.  With another short-handed man goal by Hutcheson (assisted by Tanner and Lalonde), scoring himself a hat-trick in an intense game, the Gaels go into the final period leading with the score 5-2 over the Ravens who have yet to retaliate goal-wise since earlier in the second.  

The Gaels maintained pressure on the Ravens throughout the third, not allowing the Ravens to make any successful attempts on their net.  The sixth and final goal by the Gaels was scored by no. 17 Holden Katzalay (Computing), assisted by no. 11 Derek Hamilton (Arts and Sciences), to take an aggressive 6-2 lead over the Ravens late into the final period.  With the Ravens unable to score, the Gaels take home the win.  

The Gaels Men's Hockey team take on the Ottawa Geegee's next on October, 9th, at 7:30 PM in their home rink of Kingston Memorial Center, where they hope to carry the momentum of a more than successful win from the previous night.