MONTREAL - The Stingers scored the go ahead goal in the final two minutes of the third period on Saturday night, halting the Ravens small win streak at two. Concordia's 3-2 win leaves the Ravens log jammed in the middle of the OUA East standings.
One night after clinching an OUA East playoff spot, the Carleton Ravens had a tough task at hand on Saturday facing the second play Stingers.
Making his fifth start of the season, Cole McLaren (Lequille, N.S.) was spectacular for the Ravens in the first. Despite a rather even first period the Ravens found themselves outshot 2:1 in the first with McLaren making 14 saves. Carleton had the lone power play of the first, but couldn't convert on their opportunity and the two teams entered the second period scoreless.
McLaren continued his fantastic play helping the Ravens kill off an early second period penalty before making a number of big saves, including a sprawling cross save to keep the Ravens in the action. Just after the seven-minute mark Concordia finally beat McLaren when Maxim Trepanier's passing attempt bounced off a Ravens defender to open the scoring.
As the physicality picked up over the next twelve minutes Carleton seemed to find a spark, beginning to establish their cycle and create chances off the rush. The Ravens' pressure would be rewarded in the final minute of the period when Alex Johnston (Stittsville, Ont.) found Kieran Craig (Alexandria, Ont.) for his tenth of the season extending his goal scoring streak to three.
Tied after two, the intensity only rose further as the puck dropped on the third. Only seconds into the period Carleton took a penalty after the whistle and found themselves on their second penalty kill of the evening. After a successful penalty kill, the Ravens would find themselves on the power play just before the midway point of the period, eventually finding themselves on a five-on-three advantage.
On the man advantage, the Ravens would rotate around setting up Parker Aucoin (Sturgeon County, Alta.) who extended his U SPORTS scoring lead to seven with his 24th of the season. Aucoin's one-timer goal gave Carleton a lead which they would hold until just under four minutes remained in the third when the Stingers finally solved McLaren for the second time on the night.
McLaren who had just made a pair of brilliant five-bell saves had no answer for a puck bouncing through the slot as the Stingers tied the game late in the third. Just two minutes later the Stingers would break in on transition and find Marcus Tesink with a wide cross-ice pass and he made no mistake beating McLaren for the late lead.
With the heartbreaking loss, Carleton has one game remaining in the regular season when they host the Nipissing Lakers on Saturday night at the Carleton Ice House.
