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By Earl Zukerman


MONTREAL – Sophomore Evan Vossen of Swift Current, Sask., scored a pair of power play goals, including the game-winner and Toronto native Sam Bloom also tallied twice as McGill crushed Concordia 8-1 in a key men’s university hockey game at the Ed Meagher Arena, Wednesday

The result clinched a playoff berth for the Redmen -- their 23rd in the past 26 years -- and moved McGill into a tie with Concordia for second place in the OUA Far East standings. With six games remaining before playoffs, the Redmen, who have won five of their last six contests, own a 13-7-2 record and hold a game in hand over Concordia, which fell to 12-7-4.

Ben Gazdic, a junior from Toronto, had a career day for the Red & White. The 6-foot-1, 230-pound rearguard scored once, added a pair of helpers, five shots on net, three hits and registered a stellar plus-6 rating.

Gazdic opened the scoring on a Bobby Orr-like rush in the offensive zone, making his way around both defenders and scoring from the slot area around the five-minute mark. Concordia’s Marc-Andre Rizk connected on a power play at the midway mark of the period.

McGill then exploded for five unanswered goals in the middle stanza and added two more markers in the final period.

Rounding out the scoring for McGill was rookie Francis Verrault-Paul of Mashteviatsh, Que., whose 12th of the season at 6:55 of the second period gave McGill a 3-1 lead. Freshman Maxime Langelier-Parent of Levy, Que., made it 4-1 some two minutes later and the rout was on. Left-winger Alexandre Picard-Hooper, who starred for St. John in the QMJHL last year, then notched his ninth of the season late in the second period to make it 6-1.

The Redmen dominated from start to finish, outshooting Concordia 49-22, including a 22-5 margin in the second period.

Freshman goaltender Kevin Désfossés of Beauport, Que., who joined the Redmen just three weeks ago, made 21 saves and improved his record to 3-1-0. Sophomore Maxime Joyal (11-9-0) of Chateauguay, Que., who took the loss for Concordia, was beaten seven times on 34 shots before giving way to under-study Sheldon Baerg for the final dozen minutes.

McGill has taken two of three encounters from Concordia this season and can win the season-series with a victory in the annual Corey Cup game, scheduled for Feb. 8 at the Ed Meagher arena.

The Redmen will host fourth-place Carleton (11-8-3) on Friday and division-leading UQTR on Saturday. The Patriotes are ranked No.3 in the nation with a 19-2-1 record and are 2-0 against McGill, winning 7-3 at McConnell Arena (Oct. 31) and 3-2 in overtime (Nov. 5) at Le Colisée.

REDMEN RAP: Forward Simon Marcotte-Légaré left the game late in the first period after twisting his knee in a collision with Alex Sciangula, who was whistled for charging on the play… He is a doubtful starter for this weekend, as is co-captain Eric L’Italien, who did not dress after suffering a similar injury at RMC last week… Jamie Kompon, a former McGill team captain and coach who now serves as an assistant coach with the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings, will be in Montreal for the Canadiens-Kings game on Saturday afternoon. After the NHL game is over, he will be heading up the hill to attend the UQTR game on Saturday night and has been invited to perform the ceremonial faceoff… Kompon patrolled the Redmen blueline from 1985 to 1989. After playing pro in Germany, he returned to McGill and served as an assistant coach for a few years, then was elevated to interim co-head coach alongside Martin Raymond in 1994-95… Kompon is currently in his second season with the Kings after working with the St. Louis Blues for the previous nine years.

SCORING SUMMARY

McGill 8 at Concordia 1

(Jan 28, 2009 @ Ed Meagher Arena)

FIRST PERIOD:
Scoring - 1. McGill, Ben Gazdic (2) (F. Verrault-Paul, G. Doucet) 5:19
2. Concordia, Marc-Andre Rizk (3) (N. Knudsen, E. Begin) 9:48 PP

Penalties -
R. Des Alliers Con (interference) 0:17,
S. Marcotte-Legare Mcg (interference) 8:20,
Y. Turcotte Mcg (checking from behind minor; served by E. Vossen, game misconduct) 8:37,
A. Picard-Hooper Mcg (roughing) 16:45,
A. Sciangula Con (charging) 19:21

SECOND PERIOD:
Scoring -
3. McGill, Evan Vossen (5) (K. Morin, V. Lambert) 4:20 (PP)
4. McGill, Francis Verrault-Paul (12) (B. Gazdic, S. Bloom) 6:55
5. McGill, Maxime Langelier-Parent (1) (V. Lambert, A. Picard-Hooper) 9:13
6. McGill, Alexandre Picard-Hooper (9) (A. Wright, S. Bloom) 17:31
7. McGill, Evan Vossen (6) (K. Morin, B. Gazdic) 19:35 (PP)

Penalties -
J. Ciampini Con (hooking) 2:55,
N. Sciangula Con (boarding) 5:05,
V. Lambert Mcg (holding) 5:13,
N. Sciangula Con (checking from behind minor; served by E. Ellbogen, game misconduct) 7:12,
M.A. Rizk Con (hooking) 9:37,
R. Des Alliers Con (roughing) 18:13,
N. Knudsen Con (high sticking) 18:13

THIRD PERIOD:
Scoring -
8. McGill, Sam Bloom (12) (F. Verrault-Paul, M.A. Daneau) 7:22
9. McGill, Sam Bloom (13) (M. Langelier-Parent) 7:52

Penalties -
G. Doucet Mcg (slashing) 2:37,
M.A. Element Con (10-minute misconduct) 11:57,
G. Doucet Mcg (tripping) 12:10,
N. Knudsen Con (elbowing) 13:21,
S. Baerg Con (delay of game; served by N. Knudson) 17:49


SHOTS BY PERIOD:
MCG: 14 - 22 - 13 -- 49
CON: 8 - 5 - 9 -- 22

GOALS BY PERIOD:
MCG: 1 - 5 - 2 -- 8
CON: 1 - 0 - 0 -- 1

POWER PLAY CONVERSION:
McG: 2-10
CON 1-6

PENALTIES:
McG: 7-22
CON: 12-40

GOALTENDERS:

McGill
Kevin Desfosses [W, 3-1-0, 60:00, SV: 21, GA: 1]

Concordia
Maxime Joyal [L, 11-9-0, Start, 47:22, SV: 34, GA: 7]
Sheldon Baerg [ND, 12:38, SV: 7, GA: 1]



Start : 8:05 PM

End : 10:30

Attendance : 422

Referee: Mathieu Bergeron


MOLSON CUP THREE STARS:
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1. Ben Gazdic
2. Sam Bloom
3. Francis Verrault-Paul


McGILL LINEUP SCRATCHES:
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G Hubert Morin
G Jake Jarvis
G Danny Mireault (dressed but DNP)
D Spencer Brennan
D Ben Morse
D Glenn Tindle
F Benoit Arsenault (eye injury)
F Tim Drager
F Eric L’Italien (knee)



SOURCE:
Earl Zukerman
Communications Officer
Dept. of Athletics & Recreation, Room 225 B
Ï㽶ÊÓƵ
475 Pine Avenue W.,
Montreal, QC H2W 1S4
CANADA
514-398-7012 (Tel.)
514-398-1956 (Fax)