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By Earl Zukerman

MONTREAL – The third-seeded McGill Redmen (18-8-2) will host sixth-seeded Ottawa (12-11-5) when the OUA men’s hockey best-of-three quarterfinals open at McConnell Arena on Wednesday at 7 p.m.

Game 2 is scheduled to be played at the uOttawa Sports Complex on Friday at 7 p.m. If necessary, a rubber match will be at McConnell Arena on Sunday at 3 p.m.

McGill, the defending OUA Queen’s Cup champions, are participating in post-season play for the 23rd time in 26 years. They have won only three of eight previous playoff series with Ottawa, prevailing in nine of the 21 games played. The last time the two teams clashed in the post-season, McGill dropped the OUA East semifinal opener 2-1 at home but rallied to win the series with a 4-3 decision in the nation’s capital and a 3-1 victory in the deciding match-up.

The Redmen, which feature 14 freshmen on their roster, have rebounded from an uncharacteristic 0-4-1 start to the season, to go 18-4-1 the rest of the way and enter the playoffs with eight wins in their last nine games. Ironically, McGill’s only loss during that stretch came in the season finale against the Gee-Gees on Feb. 14.

Ottawa and McGill split the regular season series between these two schools at two wins apiece but neither team has won on the road. The Redmen had a 13-11 advantage in goals scored and outshot Ottawa 132-112 over the four games. McGill was 2-for-21 on the power play, while the Gee-Gees were 3-for-20.

Rookie centre Alexandre Picard-Hooper of Boucherville, Que., led the Redmen and all OUA rookies with 36 points in 28 games. Right winger Sam Bloom of Toronto and left winger Marko Kovacevic, a native of Serbia, tied for the team lead with 14 goals apiece.

Gee-Gees left winger Matthieu Methot, a freshman from Ottawa, was fourth among all OUA goal scorers with 18, best among all OUA rookies. Teammate Yanick Charron of Hull, Que., was tied for second in OUA with 31 assists.


OUA MEN’S HOCKEY PLAYOFFS

Wed., Feb. 18
7:00 p.m. - Ottawa @ McGill (Game 1)
7:30 p.m. - Waterloo @ Lakehead (Game 1)
8:00 p.m. - Carleton @ Concordia (Game 1)

Thurs., Feb. 19
7:30 p.m. - Guelph @ Western (Game 1)

Fri., Feb. 20
7:00 p.m. - Concordia @ Carleton (Game 2)
7:00 p.m. - McGill @ Ottawa (Game 2)

Sat., Feb. 21
7:00 p.m. - Western @ Guelph (Game 2)
7:30 p.m. - Lakehead @ Waterloo (Game 2)

Sun., Feb. 22
3:00 p.m. - Ottawa @ McGill (Game 3, if necessary)
4:00 p.m. - Carleton @ Concordia (Game 3, if necessary)
7:00 p.m. - Guelph @ Western (Game 3, if necessary)
7 p.m. - Lakehead @ Waterloo (Game 3, if necessary)

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SOURCE:
Earl Zukerman
McGill Athletics 7 Recreation
514-398-7012