Heartbreak for men’s hockey team

The Queen’s men’s hockey team took one of a possible four points this past weekend thanks to a 4-0 Friday loss to the Brock Badgers and a heartbreaking 3-2 shootout loss to the Guelph Gryphons on Saturday at the Memorial Centre.

The Brock game started out close, with no score through the first period.

Queen’s couldn’t convert their power play opportunities into goals, going 0-6 in the game.

The Badgers outshot the Gaels 31-20.

Queen’s head coach Brett Gibson said the score didn’t reflect goalie Ryan Gibb’s play.

“He played well,” Gibson said. “He came back from battling the flu all week and played hard.

It’s unfortunate.”

Gibson said the team needs to work harder for the whole game.

“We have to come out and work for 60 minutes and we just haven’t done that yet.”

On Saturday night, Queen’s began the game with some excellent goaltending from starter Brady Morrison.

Guelph took over and scored a power-play goal with 13 minutes left in the second period. Forward Derek Knowles received a pass at the top of the left circle and shot it just over Morrison’s shoulder.

The Gaels killed a 53-second Guelph 5-on-3 with the help of Morrison’s strong play. With 3:10 left in the second, a power play goal by forward Brady Olsen put Queen’s on the board. Grant Horvath and Pat Doyle drew assists on the play.

Blake Pronk took a pass from linemate Clinton McCullough and fought off a defender to bat it in the right side and give Queen’s a 2-1 lead with six minutes to go in the third.

Horvath was called for hooking with 20 seconds left, putting Guelph on the power play. With 4.1 seconds left and six attackers on the ice, Guelph scored to tie the game on a goal by centre David Volpe.

After overtime, Guelph outscored the Gaels in the shootout to win the game 3-2. Guelph’s sixth shooter, forward Zach Lillie, scored the winner.

Queen’s was outshot 43-32 and went one-for-nine on the power play in the game.

Coach Gibson said his team’s defence wasn’t good enough.

“Seven goals in five games is frustrating,” he said.

He said Morrison kept the Gaels in the game.

“Brady was our best player,” said Gibson. “He made easy shots look easy and hard shots look even easier.”

Pronk said his goalie deserved better.

“He played great hockey the whole game and we really wanted to win it for him because he deserved it.”

Pronk said he was proud of the Gaels’ resilience.

“We were down a goal at the beginning and we rallied as a team. We never quit,” he said. “We’re making strides in the right direction.”

This weekend the Gaels travel to Toronto to play the University of Toronto on Friday and Ryerson on Saturday.

“These are the teams we will be fighting against for a playoff spot,” Gibson said. “We’re going to work on some things and hopefully have a good weekend.”