Falling 2-0 behind after the opening period of their first game back, men’s hockey had their backs up against the wall.
“It was a bit of an adjustment period,” goaltender Kevin Bailie said of the Gaels road game against the UQTR Patriotes, then ranked first in the OUA. “We didn’t have a great start.”
But in a complete change of pace, the Gaels hit their shooting form. They posted up four goals on 20 shots to the Patriotes lone marker over the next 40 minutes, winning the crucial game by a 4-3 score.
“Both teams played a very good game, and it was important to come on top,” Bailie said. He managed 33 saves over the 60 minutes and was named Queen’s male athlete of the week.
For Bailie, this marked his third victory in as many seasons over the Patriotes, who are known as a powerhouse in the OUA.
“We’ve had a little bit of success against them,” he said. “We’ve played them at times of the year when it was really important to get wins.”
After having only one game last weekend, the Gaels head into five games in eight days starting on Friday — their toughest stretch of the season.
“It is a very strange scheduling,” Bailie said. “The most compact I’ve seen in my time in the CIS. It’s going to be challenging physically and mentally.”
While Bailie said he’s unsure exactly how many games he’ll be starting over the stretch, he’s looking to be as ready as possible for the games he does play.
Queen’s starts the stretch with a match-up against the Concordia Stingers on Friday before a rematch against Concordia. With an 11-4 record, Queen’s sits fifth in the OUA East division, which is a lower ranking than the Gaels likely would have had in previous years with the same record, due to a tough league. However, Bailie says the team’s just looking ahead at each individual game and not final standings.
“This year everyone’s doing well, so we’re taking it one step at a time.”
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