On Feb. 20, McGill Redbirds Hockey headed to Kingston to play a second game against the Queen’s University Gaels in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) East Quarter-finals. Centre William Rouleau, U3 Management, scored first, giving McGill a temporary lead in the third period. The game would go to overtime following a Gaels equalizer, ultimately ending in a 2-1 loss for the Redbirds. Still, Rouleau highlighted that playing for McGill has been a privilege.
“It’s reminding ourselves that we play hockey for moments like these, that pressure is a privilege and [that] we have a chance to accomplish something great,” Rouleau said in an interview with The Tribune.
Forward Alexandre Gagnon, MA Kinesiology, is among the five players on the team expected to graduate this year. As team captain, he mentioned his efforts in being a role model for the team’s underclassmen.
“My role is really to use my experience to guide the younger players, help them understand what’s coming and how the playoffs unfold, and how important every game is,” the Ottawa Senators fan said. “But I’m not alone in that process, we have a great group of guys with strong leadership and even younger guys […] that contribute to keeping good vibes and a good morale.”
After their first game against the Gaels on Feb. 18, where McGill lost 6-2, defenseman Nicolas Pavan, U3 Education, reflected on how the team could improve moving forward.
“On their side, they played well defensively, they just got the puck out really fast and they were able to chip pucks out into the neutral zone,” Pavan said. “It’s the next [shift] that counts. You can’t do anything about the last one, and you just got to play the next one.”
Forward Patrick Larkin, U3 Arts, highlighted that being there for the team means bringing positive energy into the locker room and the arena.
“For me, just being vocal, energetic, and happy in the room, that’s one of my biggest attributes in every team that I’ve played on,” Larkin said. “When you get to playoff hockey, it’s very much a selfless game.
It needs to be based on everyone coming together.”
In the second game against the Gaels, goaltender Nicolas Ruccia, U0 Continuing Studies, saved an impressive 41 of 43 shots. Ruccia pointed out that the players have a strong connection with each other on and off the ice, which is definitely a factor in their performance.
“A huge part of hockey is momentum and in a game, both teams are going to have their moments,” Ruccia said. “On the ice, the key for us is just managing the pressure and working collectively in those moments. Off the ice, we have really solid leadership and gel between us all, and that tightness will definitely help in those moments.”
Off the ice, the Redbirds players train with Redbirds Alum and Varsity Strength & Conditioning Coach Neal Prokop. In a written statement to The Tribune, Prokop highlighted the intensity of playoff hockey.
“A trip to the OUA finals will mean the potential of playing nine high-intensity games in 19 days,” Prokop said. “We can’t forget the athletes will still be practicing, travelling on a bus, taking full courseloads, and preparing for exams alongside their classmates [….] Thus the off-ice routine during playoffs is very dependent on how a series goes, and how the athletes feel.”
In an interview with The Tribune, Head Coach David Urquhart reaffirmed that this year’s team players are all self-motivated, and that it has been a pleasure to coach them.
“We have veteran leadership within the group that has been in these tough situations before and been able to come out the other side,” Urquhart said. “[We relied] heavily on them within the games to take control of the morale in the locker room and the effort and execution on the ice [….] I definitely would be picking our team if I had to pick any team to coach.”
As the Redbirds’ 149th campaign comes to an end, non-graduating players will continue to train during the off-season, preparing for the 150th anniversary season that will start in October 2026.
