A season of success for MRU men’s hockey

Naomi Campbell, Staff Writer, and Zafir Nagji, Sports Editor | 

Putting MRU on the map

The Mount Royal University Cougars men’s hockey team made history this 2024-25 season. Finishing with a 22-6 record, the Cougars earned a first-round bye, won a gruelling second-round series against the University of Alberta Golden Bears, and made it to the Canada West finals for the first time in program history. Even though they lost in three games to the University of Saskatchewan Huskies, being in the finals meant that the boys got the honour of flying to Ottawa to compete in the U SPORTS University Cup against the best teams from across Canada.

Defenceman Clay Hanus was selected for five separate awards across Canada West and U SPORTS. In Canada West, Hanus was awarded with Player of the Year, Top Defenceman, and Top Scorer. He also became the first defenceman in U SPORTS history to win the Senator Joseph A. Sullivan Trophy for U SPORTS Most Outstanding Player and U SPORTS Top Defenceman. 

The U SPORTS University Cup, which was held in Ottawa, was projected to be one of the best tournaments fans have witnessed in years. With the University of New Brunswick winning the Cup the past two years, they were the fan favourite to win for the third time in a row. Other teams from across Canada, such as the University of Saskatchewan, Toronto Metropolitan University, and Queen’s University, were going to be tough contenders for the Cougars to have to battle against.

Playing the long(est) game

After the Cougars were defeated in Canada West by the University of Saskatchewan Huskies, they were determined to make a splash in their first University Cup appearance. In their quarterfinal round, the MRU Cougars matched up against the TMU Bold. Going into this game, the MRU Cougars were considered slight favourites. The Cougars played a better regular season with their 22-6 record as opposed to TMU’s 17-11 record, thanks to their overwhelming star power, but nothing was guaranteed in this single-game-elimination tournament. 

The first period was fierce, with five total penalties, including a pair of roughing calls that were handed out to Liam Ross of TMU and Teague Patton of MRU. Both teams scored a goal apiece, with Hanus opening the scoring for the Cougars thanks to assists from Patton and Connor Bouchard.

Heading into the second period in a 1-1 tie, both teams enacted some serious scoring. Patton potted home MRU’s second goal of the game on a man-advantage, making them 2 for 2 on the powerplay. Only four minutes later, veteran forward Spencer Moe scored MRU’s third consecutive powerplay goal, but TMU struck back to keep it a one-goal game as the second period ended with the Cougars up 3-2.

The third period was stressful for fans of both teams. MRU may have skated onto the ice with a 3-2 lead, but TMU would not let them win that easily. One minute into the final regulation period,  Patton scored his second goal of the game, extending the lead to 4-2 and leaving TMU trailing behind by two goals. The lead was short-lived, though, as the Bold turned up their energy and scored two shorthanded goals to tie the game. Neither team could break the tie despite creating an array of high-quality chances, and the regulation buzzer soon sounded with the game at a 4-4 tie, necessitating extra periods. 

Overtime in regular season hockey consists of one full period of 5-on-5 play, but if no goals are scored, the teams duke it out in a shootout. Things change in the playoffs and tournaments, though, as the teams play as many 20-minute periods of 5-on-5 hockey until a goal is scored. 

TMU and MRU took “as many” literally, as it took five overtime periods to decide the result of this game. During the first four periods of overtime, TMU and MRU went through what was possibly the most physically and mentally taxing hockey these men have ever played in their careers. Running on complete adrenaline and determination, after five gruelling periods of overtime, the game ended with a goal by TMU Bold defenceman Spencer Shugrue. Shugrue was able to score off a bouncing puck in a battle of bodies in front of MRU goalie Shane Farkas at the 143-minute mark. 

After six hours and 33 minutes, TMU came out victorious and finally ended the longest hockey game in U SPORTS men’s hockey history.

Still a successful season

Not winning a National Championship stings, but the fact that MRU’s men’s hockey team even made it to the University Cup is a success in and of itself. Against much bigger post-secondary institutions, the Cougars dominated their conference in the regular season and made their first ever Canada West Finals by beating a University of Alberta Golden Bears squad that has had players practice and play real ice time with the Edmonton Oilers NHL team. 

Losing in the Finals to the University of Saskatchewan Huskies hurts, but taking the best team in the conference to a full three-game series and even winning an overtime game against them is a huge step for the program. Talented players like Hanus, Bouchard, Farkas, and more have made MRU their home and under the great coaching of Bert Gilling, MRU has become a force to reckon with in Canada West.

Now with a University Cup appearance under their belt and having played the longest game in U SPORTS men’s hockey history, the Cougars have earned national recognition for their excellence. Two years ago, the MRU women’s hockey team made a Cinderella run to win the school’s first National Championship in any sport. Even though the men’s hockey team did not earn the same jewelry, they can join their female counterparts and say they made their university proud on the national stage.