Canada West teams face early exit in U SPORTS University Cup
Naomi Campbell, Staff Writer
From March 19 to March 22, Canada’s best men’s university hockey teams came together to compete for the long-standing title of U SPORTS University Cup champions. Eight teams across three divisions will meet at a common ground, with this year’s tournament being held in Halifax. Two teams with high hopes heading into the tournament were the Canada West Champions, the University of Saskatchewan (UofS) Huskies and Canada West Silver Medalists, the Mount Royal University (MRU) Cougars.
Cougars legacy leaves its mark
On the first day of competition, fans saw MRU and the University of Windsor (UofW) face off in the first quarterfinal game of the weekend. With both teams evenly matched as the fourth and fifth seeds, it was anyone’s game. This is only the second ever appearance for MRU in program history, and after an early exit last year, they came in with an eagerness to get to the top of the ranks.
“It means a lot to us, obviously, back-to-back years at the tournament was something that was valuable to our group and something we wanted to achieve,” Cougars forward Jayden Wiens said. “It means a lot for us personally as players to showcase ourselves as well as putting Mount Royal on the national stage and showcasing what kind of school we are!”
Putting themselves down by one after the first period, even with a shot count lead, the Cougars put on the pressure, and at 2:03 of period two, third-year forward Tristan Zandee was able to put the puck past UofW goaltender Max Donoso, tying the game at one. Going into the third, UofW charged back with two goals eleven seconds apart, putting MRU down 3-1.
Alternate captain Connor Bouchard broke the lead by one on the power play, and fifth-year veteran Josh Tarzwell banked a third goal in the dying seconds of the game, but Windsor was able to keep their one-goal lead, giving them the win and pushing on to the semi-finals.
With the quarterfinals not ending the way the team had planned, second-year forward Vaughn Watterodt exemplifies the adversity MRU had to overcome throughout the entire season.
“This group handled adversity all throughout the season. We kept belief in one another and trusted that in the end, we would be able to overcome our early-season struggles. Now is a time for reflection and appreciation for how far we came as a group,” Watterodt said.
Fourth-year players Remy Quilon and Blake Stevenson were a part of the graduating class, leaving that game as their last ever in university hockey.
“I think we truly defined what it meant to be a part of the Men’s Hockey program at MRU. We all gave it everything we had for four or five years and never wavered,” Stevenson said.
Stevenson speaks on the impact the graduating class leaves as a legacy to the next group of young Cougar stars, while Aquilon puts into words how much the Cougars program has meant to him.
“Whether it was in the classroom or on the ice, I think the graduating class truly embodied everything we desired to be in our first years and maybe even more,” said Stevenson. “I think we raised the standard for all the players coming in, and I hope they raise it even higher.”
“It’s really hard to put into words. This program has meant so much to me, not just as a player but as a person. The people, the lessons, and everything I’ve experienced here will stay with me for the rest of my life,” Aquilon added.
One more for the top dog
First-seeded UofS and eighth-seeded Halifax-based Saint Mary’s University (SMU) faced off in the late game on March 19. UofS was the fan favourite after placing third in last year’s University Cup. Second-year defenseman Logan Bairos notes that the pressure coming into this year’s tournament was turned up a notch after winning bronze the season prior.
“I believe that the pressure and intensity were slightly different, knowing how close we came to winning last year. This stemmed from the fact we knew we had what it takes to win last year but fell short,” Bairos said. “This left us with a sour taste in our mouths and gave us a greater desire to win. Also, with having many graduating players this year, there could have been a slight change in pressure because it was the last chance to win it for those teammates.”
The SMU Huskies took the lead after three unanswered goals between the first period and the second. Rookie star Connor Roulette finally broke the ice at the 15-minute mark of period two. Only fifteen seconds into the third, Roulette banked a gorgeous goal with assists from Chase Bertholet and Liam Keeler, breaking SMU’s lead down to one goal.
With time not on the UofS’s side, something needed to change if they wanted to try and push the game to overtime, and Keeler did just that.
Landon Kosior and Chantz Petruic were able to get the puck to Keeler, allowing for a power-play goal to tie the game with 2:50 left in regulation. With the game tied at three goals each, a 20-minute 5-on-5 overtime was underway. Unfortunately for the Canada West Champions, SMU was able to sneak past Nolan Maier with 3:45 left in overtime, pushing themselves into the semi-finals against UofW
Fifth-year veteran and UofS captain Gunner Kinniburgh has been through the ups and downs of the playoffs over his time with the Huskies. He acknowledges the gratitude he feels to be a part of the program, as well as the hurt of coming so close yet falling short. Kinniburgh nods his head to the standard set by veteran players on and off the ice, and hopes the younger generation carries it forward.
“As I reflect on my time with this program, I feel a lot of gratitude. What makes the University of Saskatchewan Huskies hockey program so amazing is the people who surround it,” Kinniburgh said. “At the same time, it stings. We were so close, but came up just short”
Head coaches Bert Gilling and Brandin Cote have shown belief and spoken about how their teams can be champions. But when it comes to these tough losses, Cote makes sure to acknowledge the hurt but to encourage the growth in the younger players.
“You tell them you’re proud of them. You acknowledge the hurt because it’s real, but you also remind them of what they accomplished and how they represented our program. You thank the veterans for everything they’ve given, and you challenge the returning players to build on this experience,” Cote said.
At the end of the weekend, both teams made their way home with heavy hearts, especially the graduating seniors who played the final game of their university careers. For some, they plan to come back next year, using the loss as motivation to pave the way back to the national stage.
