Game One - Men's Hockey vs La Cite

Humber’s hockey programs took to the ice today in their first Ontario Collegiate Recreation tournament since the onset of the global pandemic nearly two years ago.  The morning started off with the men’s division where the Hawks faced the home town Coyotes with first-year goalie, Liam Oakley, between the pipes.  It wasn’t until the second period when Humber opened the scoring with a goal from Daniel Ruocco, assisted by Michael McCullough and Cody Sobala on a return rush after Oakley stopped a shorthanded breakaway.  The Hawks played a tight defensive game, including blocking a number of key shots in the third period, and held onto their 1-0 score at the final buzzer.

G:  Ruocco / A:  McCullough, Sobala / S/O: Oakley / PIM:  0

Game One - Women's Hockey vs La Cite

In the second game of the day, the women’s division teams took the ice, again with the Hawks facing the hometown Coyotes.  Dawning their bright gold uniforms, the Hawks only had one tournament result in mind from the first face-off.  The teams traded chances at each end, but both goaltenders were sharp early and kept the puck out of their respective nets.  The Hawks were awarded an early powerplay, but it was shortened when first year player Madison Ouellette was called for a minor penalty just seconds later.  The even situation became a quick 4 on 3 for Humber.  Veteran players and Alternate Captains, Charlotte Exell and Ellena Douitsis each had a number of scoring chances on the powerplay, but the netminder from La Cite closed the door.  Rookie blueliner, Darian Carpenter opened the scoring with a point shot, assisted by Ouellette and Ella McCullough giving the hawks an early lead, and they wouldn’t trail in the game.  All Hawks’ goals were scored by first-year players with Samantha Neumann, Noy Ravid and Rebecca Beck getting their first tallies, and Carpenter adding her second.  The final score was 5-0.  Veteran goalie Elyse Seravalle posted the shutout.

G:  Carpenter (2), Beck, Neumann, Ravid / A:  Douitsis (2), Carpenter, Dale, McCullough, Neumann, Neveau, Ouellette / S/O:  Seravalle / PIM:  4

 Game Two - Women's Hockey vs La Cite 

The ladies returned to the ice for their second game of the day which would determine the overall winner of the 2-team event.  The Hawks would again take on the Coyotes for the tournament championship in a creative schedule format.  Rookie goaltender, Rachel Zmigrodzki, was tested early as Humber was assessed back to back minor penalties creating a lengthy 5 on 3 situation for La Cite.  Humber’s defensive lineup, led by team Captain, Kara Neveau, was able to kill off both penalties and send the play to the other end of the ice where McCullough was able to slip the puck past the Coyote’s goalie.  Humber added another 2 quick goals, by Ravid and Ouellette, taking a quick 3-0 lead.  Before the period was over, the Hawks netted more 2 goals – the first, a point shot by Carpenter and the second, a slick give and go play between Neumann and Douitsis.  In the final period, Zmigrodzki made a number of key saves to preserve the shutout, and eventually, Carpenter would score Humber’s 6^th goal of the game.  With 2 wins, the Hawks were awarded the Championship plaque.

G:  Carpenter (2), McCullough, Neumann, Ouellette, Ravid / A:  Neumann (2), Beck, Douitsis, Exell, Neveau / S/O:  Zmigrodzki / PIM:  4

Game Two - Men's Hockey vs McMaster

The men’s team returned to the ice to face off against McMaster, a team that they had faced in exhibition play earlier in the season.  The teams traded penalties and scoring chances in the first period, but neither team was able to score.  Midway through the second period, two more rookies, Panos Tsementzis and Vincent Da Silva, combined on the first goal for the Hawks. The 1-0 score would stand at the end of the second period thanks to a great stop made by Hawk’s goaltender, Victor Commisso, on a 2 on 1 rush by McMaster.  In the third period, McMaster was able to tie the game with a top-shelf shot on a partial-breakaway.  The game would need a shootout to determine the winner.  It came down to the final shooter from McMaster scoring to win the game for his team while the Hawks could only watch.  McMaster took the win 2-1.  At the end of the round robin, Humber finished in first place with 4 points, La Cite in second place with 3 points and McMaster in third place with 1 point.

G:  Tsementzis / A:  Da Silva / PIM:  4

Championship Game - Men's Hockey vs La Cite 

In the championship game, the Humber Hawks would once again face-off against the host team from La Cite.  The Coyotes struck first on a partial-breakaway and put the puck into the top shelf of the net behind Oakley, who started in net for Humber.  The teams traded scoring chances and penalties in the first period, but no additional goals were scored.  Humber would start the second period on an abbreviated power play.  Speedy forward, McCullough made a number of attempts to break through the defense to get a shot, but wasn’t able to solve the Coyote’s net-minder.  La Cite eventually scored at the other end and the Coyotes had a 2-0 lead.  McCullough was determined to score and late in the second period he was able to snipe a shot into the Coyote’s net that impressed fans in attendance and cut the deficit in half.  Humber generated a lot of scoring chances in the third period including some that came on the powerplay as the clock continued to wind down.  Team Captain and veteran player, Andreas Vena, was heroic in stopping a rush by the Coyotes to keep the score within 1 goal.  In the late stages of the game, the Hawks pulled their goalie and sent an extra attacker onto the ice to try to even up the score.  La Cite was able to clear the puck down the ice and the players battled for possession.  The Coyotes’ player was able to gain possession and slide the puck into Humber’s empty net.  The game would end with the Hawks losing 3-1 to the host team, finishing second in the tournament.

G:  McCullough / A:  / PIM:  2

What's Next?

The Hawks are in action next on March 11^th at their home tournament in Toronto.