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By Earl Zukerman

MONTREAL – A shorthanded goal by Evan Vossen of Swift Current, Sask., highlighted a come-from-behind shootout victory for McGill in a 4-3 decision over Concordia before 633 university hockey fans at McConnell Arena, Wednesday.

It was a crucial win for McGill (9-6-2), which now trails third-place Concordia (10-5-3) in the congested OUA Far East standings, where only four points separate the last-place Redmen from second-place Carleton. McGill holds four games in hand.

The Redmen rallied from a 3-1 deficit at the midway mark of the second period, with goals from co-captain Eric L’Italien (power play) at 12:54 of the middle stanza and Vossen’s marker less than three minutes later. It was the second shorthanded goal of three scored this season by Vossen, a hard-working sophomore who was selected as the game’s second star.

After scoreless third and overtime periods, the Redmen outscored Concordia 2-0 in the shootout on goals by veteran centre Guillaume Doucet of Montreal and forward Simon-Marcotte Légaré, a sophomore from Longueuil, Que.

The Stingers had taken a 2-0 lead on goals by rookie Nicolas D’Aoust (power play) of Lorraine, Que., and Nicolas Sciangula, a sophomore from Anjou, Que.

Sam Bloom, a senior from Toronto, cut the Stingers lead to 2-1 at the four-minute mark of the middle period with his team-leading ninth of the season but freshman Corey McGillis of Sudbury, Ont., restored the two-goal cushion at 11:27 of the second.

Nicolas Lafontaine, who shot first for Concordia in the shootout and McGillis, were both foiled by McGill rookie netminder Danny Mireault, who was credited with 24 saves and won his third straight start, improving to 7-5-0.

The Redmen had a 40-24 margin in shots as Stinger sophomore Maxime Joyal of Chateauguay was credited with 36 saves and his record fell to 9-6-0.

The game was a spirited affair that featured 19 penalties, including a rare four unsportsmanlike minors, called by referee Dominic Bédard. Both teams went 1-for-5 on the power play.

Concordia blueliner Nicolaus Knudsen was ejected halfway through the opening period for a hit-from-behind infraction.

McGill, which has 20 of a possible 26 points in their last 13 contests, will head to southwestern Ontario this weekend for games against Brock (in Ste. Catharines) and at Guelph, Jan. 17-18, respectively.

REDMEN RAP: The Redmen were missing rookie Francis Verrault, their second-leading scorer with seven, who was serving the second of an automatic two-game suspension for instigating a fighting major in a game last week… Four of McGill’s last five contests have gone into overtime, with McGill winning three of them, including two via a shootout. The Redmen have scored on three of eight shootout opportunities this season, while opponents are 1-for-9 against McGill goalies. Doucet has two of the three Redmen shootout goals, while Serbian senior Marko Kovacevic has the other.


SCORING SUMMARY

Concordia 3 at McGill 4 (SO)

(Jan 14, 2009 - McConnell Arena)

FIRST PERIOD:
Scoring -
1. Concordia, Nicolas D’Aoust (10) (J. Goodsell, E. Begin) 12:59 (PP)

Penalties -
N. Knudsen Con (checking from behind, game misconduct) 9:40,
G. Doucet Mcg (holding opp. stick) 11:11,
L. Verrilli Mcg (unsportsmanlike cnd.) 12:42,
J. Goodsell Con (cross checking) 17:05,
L. Van Wieren Con (cross checking) 17:33,
A. Picard-Hooper Mcg (roughing) 17:33


SECOND PERIOD:
Scoring -
2. Concordia, Nicolas Sciangula (3) (N. Lafontaine, N. D’Aoust) 3:55
3. McGill, Sam Bloom (9) (A. Picard-Hooper, M. Kovacevic) 4:34
4. Concordia, Corey McGillis (3) (S. Sauve) 11:27
5. McGill, Eric L’Italien (7) (S. Marcotte-Legare, B. Gazdic) 12:54 (PP)
6. McGill, Evan Vossen (3) (M.A. Daneau) 15:36 (SH)

Penalties -
M. Element Con (unsportsmanlike cnd.) 4:47,
Y. Turcotte Mcg (unsportsmanlike cnd.) 4:47,
M. Rizk Con (tripping) 11:24,
A. Picard-Hooper Mcg (hooking) 11:24,
BENCH Con (unsportsmanlike cnd.) 11:55,
L. Van Wieren Con (tripping) 11:55,
E. L’Italien Mcg (slashing) 14:15,
A. Sciangula Con (roughing) 19:48


THIRD PERIOD:
Scoring -
(none)

Penalties -
M. Kovacevic Mcg (kneeing) 4:29,
J. Goodsell Con (roughing) 17:43,
B. Gazdic Mcg (roughing, unsportsmanlike cnd.) 17:43

OVERTIME (5-min. period)
Scoring -
(none)

Penalties -
(none)

SHOOTOUT
Round 1 - CON - Nicolas Lafontaine - No
Round 1 - MCG - Guillaume Doucet - Yes
Round 2 - CON - Corey McGillis - No
Round 2 - MCG - Simon Marcotte-Legare - Yes

SHOTS BY PERIOD:
CON: 7 - 8 - 9 - 0 - 0 -- 24
MCG: 7 - 16 - 14 - 2 - 1 -- 40

GOALS BY PERIOD:
CON: 1 - 2 - 0 - 0 - 0 -- 3
MCG: 0 - 3- 0 - 0 - 1 -- 4

POWER PLAY CONVERSION:
Concordia 1-5.
McGill 1-5.

PENALTIES:
Concordia 10-28.
McGill 9-18.

GOALTENDERS:
Concordia
Maxime Joyal [SL, 9-4-2], 65:00, SV: 36, GA: 3


McGill
Danny Mireault [W, 7-4-1], 65:00, SV: 21 GA: 3

Start : 7:04 PM
End : 9:32 PM
Attendance : 633
Referee: Dominic Bedard

MOLSON CUP THREE STARS
1. Eric L’Italien, McGill
2. Evan Vossen, McGill
3. Nicolas D’Aoust, Concordia


McGILL LINEUP SCRATCHES:
---------------------------------
G Jake Jarvis
G Kevin Desfosses (dressed but DNP)
G Hubert Morin
D Spencer Brennan
D Ben Morse
D Glenn Tindle
F Benoit Arsenault (eye)
F Francis Verrault-Paul (serving suspension)
F Tim Drager