Written by Blake Hanlin
Nothing is perfect, but the men's crew at the University of New Brunswick (UNB) and the women's team at Concordia came as close as possible.
The eastern region of Canada held host to a pair of perfect records in the regular season for the respective teams, the UNB Reds and the Concordia Stingers.
The two groups were heavily favoured going into their 2023-24 campaigns; in October, the Reds topped the men's U SPORTS rankings as the #1 seed, and the Stingers started at the #2 spot in the women's rankings.
The reigning David Johnston University Cup champions finished with a flawless 30-0-0 record when their season came to a close in February. The 9-time National Champions are looking to extend their total into double digits, embarking on a playoff run that can extend their perfection past the regular season.
A vital tool to the genetic makeup of the UNB hockey program is Head Coach Gardiner MacDougall. The bench boss added a sixth Atlantic University Sport (AUS) Coach of the Year to his collection in 2024. His lengthy tenure and reputation as one of the best coaches in U SPORTS always make the Reds a force to be reckoned with every season.
Though, their MVP on the frozen frenzy is Austen Keating. Finding the back of the net 23 times and setting up his teammates with 27 assists not only had Keating at the 50-point mark but also paved the way for him to take home the 2023-24 AUS Men's Hockey MVP. To achieve full glory for himself and his team, the 24-year-old is poised to help dominate his competition in the AUS Playoffs and National Championship in the coming months.
Let's switch routes down to Québec.
Concordia dominated their challengers in the Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec (RSEQ) conference during 2023-24. The Stinging Squad finished undefeated with a 25-0-0 regular season record, overtaking the first spot in U SPORTS rankings from the UBC Thunderbirds.
It was certainly possible to repeat their recent prowess in the 2023-24. Still, the Stingers played knowing they were in the minority in the hopes of a regular season without a loss.
Emilie Lussier is headlining the Concordia women's hockey program, who topped the team in goals with 18 and points with 34. Her scoring played a heavy factor in an excellent season for her Stinger team.
"I wouldn't use perfect." Concordia head coach Julie Chu told CBC Sports reporter Alex Wauthy.
Despite a flawless record, every team faces tribulations throughout their season, even the best. If a season was genuinely perfect, the Stingers would have had to not allow a goal or take any penalties. Perhaps Chu is trying to remain humble heading into playoffs, especially with the possibility of running into the Bishop Gaiters, who rival them in skill.
Definitions of perfect can be subjective, but the Reds and Stingers should embrace their supremacy. Yet, there is still playoff hockey to be played, and both teams have their sights set on the prized championships at the provincial and national levels. With high stakes and pressure on their shoulder pads, the real question is: Can UNB and Concordia extend their perfection in the postseason?
