PLAYOFF PREVIEW: Juggernaut Gee-Gees set to clash with eighth-place Voyageurs

Less than a week since their last head-to-head game, the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees are set to face a familiar foe in the opening round of the Queen's Cup playoffs.

Despite closing out the season with losses to Ottawa and Carleton, the Laurentian Voyageurs were able to clinch the eighth and final playoff spot. 

Twenty-nine points separated Ottawa and Laurentian in the standings this season, but it will be anything but a cakewalk. 

"They have a really good goaltender, their power play is pretty good, and their top line can chip in with offence," said head coach Patrick Grandmaître. "I think our depth is better than theirs, and our team speed, but they can be physical. They have some huge defensemen."

Despite a first place in the OUA granting the Gee-Gees the advantage of home-ice advantage through the entirety of the playoffs, they'll in fact open the playoffs on the road.

The distance between Ottawa and Laurentian flips the format to road-home-home. The Gee-Gees will play game one in Sudbury on Wednesday, February 13 at 7:30 p.m. Game two will go Saturday in Ottawa at 7:30, while game three, if necessary, will follow on Sunday.

Grandmaître says the Gee-Gees will need to approach game one with a different mindset, and looks forward to seeing how his team responds in the opening period of the series 

"They have an Olympic-sized rink that catches us off-guard sometimes, so it's an interesting match-up for us," he added.

Heading into the series, depth appears to be the biggest advantage for the Garnet and Grey. With their position locked-in heading into the previous weekend, they were able to rest top players with an eye on the playoffs.

Cody Drover enters the series on a tear, fresh off capping a career-best season with a three-goal, four-point night. Kevin Domingue continues to dominate the league with his goal scoring flare. The third-year forward set a career high with 37-points, and added playmaking to his skillset with 19 assists.

Meanwhile, players like Mathieu Newcomb are excelling in defined roles. While Newcomb didn't put up the point totals of past seasons, he thrived in a defensively-responsible third-line shutdown role, and remains capable of catching opposing defenders by surprise with a quick shot.

The seven-man defence corps has afforded some flexibility for the coaching staff this season. Players such as Cody Van Lierop are thriving in larger roles this season, while Michael Poirier and Médric Mercier command threatening shots from the blue line.

The biggest question mark for the coaching staff is determining the starting goaltender — though in this case, it's an excellent problem to have, with Anthony Brodeur and Graham Hunt both playing the best hockey of their university careers. 

Hunt led the OUA with the lowest goals-against average at 2.13, and set a career-high with 10 wins in 12 games. Likewise, with Brodeur, he set new careers highs with a goals-against average of 2.43, save percentage of .919 and 11 wins in 15 games. 

With players throughout the line-up playing some of the best hockey of their careers, this team appears poised for a deep playoff run.

Tickets for the first round playoff home games are now available at tickets.geegees.ca

— Cameron Penney