After a short break for the holiday season, the OUA men’s hockey regular season schedule is back in full swing, and the race for the Queen’s Cup should be a good one. The Queen’s Cup was first introduced into OUA Men’s hockey in 1903, rightly named after the first school to present the trophy, Queen’s University.
Much like the women’s OUA conference, the 19 teams are split into East and West Divisions. The East has nine programs and the West has 10 programs, with divisional alignment based on geographical setting.
The one main difference between men’s and women’s OUA hockey is the inclusion of Quebec-based programs such as UQTR, McGill, and Concordia.
Another main difference would be that as opposed to just the top eight programs making the playoffs, OUA men’s hockey has the top eight programs in each division battle it out for the Queen’s Cup.
Last season UQTR took home the top prize, and are looking poised to make another deep playoff run and go back-to-back.
The last team to do so was McGill, winning three consecutive OUA Championships from 2009-2012.
Let’s take a look at some of the top contenders to take home the Queen’s Cup this season.
Windsor Lancers (14-3-2)
The Lancers currently sit atop the West Division and are looking to win their first Queen’s Cup since the 2013/14 season.
Currently ranked 7th in the nation, the Lancers are starting to hit their stride right at the perfect time in the season. Led by senior forwards Anthony Stefano with 19 points and Mason Kohn with 17 total points, the Lancers will be looking to secure that top spot within the West Division and look forward to a matchup with a bottom-seeded team.
In their final nine games this season the Lancers will only face two programs that have any type of chance of matching them in the standings. So, their consistent play on offence and in goal should have time to shake off the holiday rust and push for a championship.
UQTR (15-3-0)
The Patriots are one of thre Quebec-based schools that compete within the OUA, and are looking to go back-to-back this year for the first time in program history. Currently sitting in first in the East, they are making it known that they will not go away easily.
The Patriots are led by three 20+ point scorers this season, with Simon Lafrance with 28, Julien Tessier with 20 and David Noel with 25 total points. These three players help to contribute to their whopping 4.17 goals per game average, which is good for 3rd in the country. It is this high-powered offence, backed with some good goaltending, 44 goals against for 6th best in the nation, that has allowed them to cruise to a 15-3 record.
The Patriots intend to make good on their national ranking of 3rd, as they look to make a deep playoff run, and pull off back-to-back championships for the first time since their Quebec counterparts McGill did so in 2011-2012.
TMU Bold (13-6-2)
The Bold are looking to make a splash this season, trying to capture their first-ever Queen’s Cup. So far, they are living up to the expectations of a true playoff contender.
Sitting in 2nd in the West, only behind the Lancers, the Bold are looking like an actual Top 10 powerhouse - currently ranked 8th in the nation.
Part of their success this season thanks partly to sophomore forward Kyle Bollers. He currently has 30 total points and is helping the Bold make a name for themselves, earning a reputation for their face paced offensive attack.
The Bold will look to take care of business, meeting only 2 teams above .500 in their final nine games and move into the playoffs riding high. Do they win their first Queen’s Cup this season?
Honourable Mentions
Ontario Tech
The Ridgebacks could possibly have one of the easiest schedules to close out their season, finding themselves only having to play Concordia twice as well as McGill among their remaining eight games.
They have a solid team that has almost all their players coming from high major junior hockey leagues, and understand how to play playoff hockey.
Easy schedule, talented roster, nothing to sleep on.
McGill Redbirds
The Redbirds are currently fourth in the East with an 11-5-3 record.
Although an impressive record, their middle-of-the-pact offence and goaltending (3.61 goals/game and 3.02 goals against average) seem like they may not hold up during the different playoff game atmosphere.
McGill is no stranger to the Queen’s Cup limelight, having just won the championship 2017/18, but it’s hard to be convinced at this point that they will be able to challenge teams like TMU, Windsor and company for a Queen’s Cup.
About PRSVRE Media Group
Created by athletes, for athletes with a mission to amplify the accomplishment of athletes from coast to coast, PRSVRE Media Group is a Canadian athlete empowerment brand and sports media company that reimagines the Canadian sports fan experience through delivering university sports coverage, and storytelling, while sitting at the intersection of sports, culture and innovation., PRSVRE Media Group is also Canada’s largest sports media company that is primarily dedicated to covering Canadian university sports. To learn more about PRSVRE Media Group, follow us on Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.
