McGill’s Gagnon scores but Team Canada Junior Prospects rally past U SPORTS All-Stars in series opener – McGill University Athletics

OTTAWA, ONT – Carson Rehkopf registered a hat-trick as the Team Canada Jr. Prospects rallied with four unanswered goals in the third period for a 5-2 victory over the U SPORTS Selects, Thursday, in a rare penalty-free men’s hockey game played before 832 fans at TD Place Arena.
 
The teams were knotted at 1-1 after the first period and the collegians held a 2-1 advantage after two. But early in the final stanza, the junior prospects exploded for three goals in less than two minutes to take control of a contest in which they held a narrow 24-20 edge in shots.
 
The game featured McGill players Mathieu Gagnon, who scored the game’s opening goal, and William Rouleau, along with Redbirds bench boss David Urquhart, who was serving as an assistant coach. 
 
It was the first of back-to-back meetings between these teams which Hockey Canada uses to evaluate its hopefuls in preparation for the IIHF world junior championship tournament, slated for Dec. 26 to Jan. 5 in the nation’s capital.
 
The national junior program has faced various Canadian university all-star squads regularly since 1988, primarily against select teams from one of the three conferences (OUA, Canada West or AUS), on a rotating basis. However, since 2015, the U SPORTS All-Stars have been picked from across the country and the collegians now have a 7-10-1 record under that new format.
 
The U SPORTS All-Stars, which held two practice days before this series began, were also using the game as preparation for the 2025 FISU World University Games in Torino, Italy, Jan. 13-23.

“We have a four-week journey ahead of us. But [tonight] was a good opportunity to learn about our team right now,” said Mark Howell, head coach of the Calgary Dinos, who served as the team’s bench boss. “I thought there were moments that were really good and there were moments that we have to get better at.”

Gagnon rammed home a rebound to put the university squad ahead 1-0 at 12:14 of the opening period. Toronto Metropolitan University forward Connor Bowie and Calgary’s Colson Gengenbach drew assists on the play.
 
The junior side tied the contest at 18:51 when Rehkoph scored his first of three. UQTR’s Connor Frenette put the collegians ahead 2-1 with the only marker of the middle frame, at the 8:27 mark. He was assisted by UBC’s Jake Lee and Nolan Hutcheson of Queen’s.
 
Team Canada sprung to life in the final period, on goals by Brampton’s  Porter Martone (4:27), Drummondville’s Ethan Gauthier (4:52) and Rehkoph, a Brampton Steelheads forward, who struck for two more, at 6:22 and again at 14:32.

“We fell asleep during a couple of plays in the third. You’re playing against some of the best players in our country at their age group. They’re going to score when they get the opportunity,” said Howell.
 
As is customary with this annual series, all goaltenders who played were from Team Canada and they split the game evenly.
 
Carter George collected the win for the juniors, stopping all 12 shots faced in relief of starter Carson Bjarnason, who kicked aside six of eight pucks. Jack Ivankovic started for the U SPORTS squad and stopped nine of 10 shots faced. He was replaced at 10:56 of the second period by Scott Ratzlaff, who conceded four goals on 14 shots and was saddled with the loss.
 
The two teams will face each other again on Friday (Dec. 13) at 12 noon, which will be followed by a Team Canada announcement on their roster cuts.
 
GAME NOTES: After the game ended, the teams played an exhibition five-minute overtime period that ended in a 1-1 draw, followed by a 10-player shootout that the junior side won 1-0… Mark Howell, head coach of the Calgary Dinos, served as the team’s bench boss. Besides Urquhart and Howell, other members of the coaching staff include associate coach Brett Gibson from Queen’s, UPEI’s Forbes MacPherson, TMU’S John Duco and RMC’s Richard Lim, who served as team leader.
 
SCORING SUMMARY (GAME 1)

U SPORTS ROSTER
 
TEAM CANADA ROSTER
 
SOURCE
Earl Zukerman
Sports Information Officer
Athletics & Recreation
McGill University
514-983-7012 (cell.)
www.mcgillathletics.ca
earl.zukerman@mcgill.ca