RECAP: Women’s hockey halves opening weekend

The opening weekend of RSEQ hockey was a tale of two games as the Gee-Gees women's hockey team began the season with mixed results.

The Garnet and Grey opened their campaign with a trip to ninth-ranked Concordia, upsetting the Stingers 2-1 in double overtime. The Stingers opened the scoring in the second period as Stéphanie Lalancette tapped the puck past Aurélie Dubuc following a backdoor past. The Gee-Gees rallied back with a goal shortly after by Kate Maclean. Both teams were held scoreless through regulation and the first overtime period. Ariane Aubin's first tally of the season, in double overtime, saw the Gee-Gees emerge victors, as she was in the right to capitalize on a rebound. 

A large credit for the Gee-Gees win must go to Dubuc who was outstanding in the team's opening match. This included a sprawling blocker save in the dying minutes of regulation to send the teams to overtime. 

They returned home Sunday for a meeting between crosstown rivals, the Carleton Ravens. 

The game didn't go as planned as the Gee-Gees failed to score despite several opportunities to do so, losing 3-0. The Ravens made no mistake, taking the lead through a Jenna Morais goal that she riffled over Dubuc's glove. The Ravens extended their advantage with Justina Beard's shorthanded goal to round off the second period. The Ravens scored late through Emily Smythe, who has two goals in as many games, as Carleton ran off winners. 

"[Carleton] played their game, they worked very hard and never gave us an inch and I'm not sure we were really ready for that," said Greg Bowles, Gee-Gees assistant coach. "You can't overlook any opponent in the RSEQ."

The Gee-Gees finish the weekend with a 1-1 record and head to Montreal on Friday, Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. to take on the McGill Martlets. The Garnet and Grey will be looking for revenge for their 2019-20 playoff defeat to the Martlets. They then travel to play Bishop's on Sunday, Nov 7 with puck drop at 3:30 p.m.