Banner Season: Patriotes come back to claim the Queen’s Cup title in overtime

Windsor, Ont. (via Luke O’Brien/Windsor Lancers) – The UQTR Patriotes won their fourth Queen’s Cup in the past five seasons with a comeback overtime win over the host Windsor Lancers on Saturday, March 14 at the Capri Pizzeria Recreation Complex in Windsor, Ont.

The top two teams in each division, the Lancers (18-7-3 in the regular season) and Patriotes (20-5-3 regular season record) clashed for a rematch of the 2023 final. Three years ago, the Lancers hosted UQTR in a triple-overtime thriller that went the way of the Patriotes by a score of 3-2. Windsor looked to continue their unbeaten playoff run while the Patriotes were eager to reclaim their title after three-peating from 2021-24.

The Lancers came out flying in front of a sold-out home crowd, scoring three goals in the first ten minutes of the opening frame to take an early and commanding lead. OUA goal scoring leader Keegan McMullen kicked off the scoring with a glove-side snipe from the left wing, erupting the CPRC just three minutes and twenty-seven seconds in.

Aaron Shaw doubled the Lancer lead five minutes later, deking around a Patriotes defender and putting a puck on net that bounced around momentarily before finding its way past the goal line. Windsor captain and OUA West division Randy Gregg Award winner went bar-down off the rush to give the Lancers a third goal just nineteen seconds after Shaw’s tally.

UQTR got one back late in the period on a power-play one-time blast by Loris Rafanomezantsoa, giving the Patriotes life.

The Patriotes carried this momentum into the second period, scoring three goals to take a one-goal lead. Felix Lafrance, who led the team in scoring during the regular season, brought the game to within one goal only four minutes into the middle stanza when he banked a high rebound past Windsor goaltender Max Donoso. UQTR tied the game midway through the period as Conor Frenette hammered home a power-play one-timer, silencing the Windsor crowd and making it a brand new hockey game.

Kassim Gaudet gave the Patriotes their first lead of the game with two and a half minutes remaining in the second period as he received a stretch pass from Anthony Munroe-Boucher, beat the Lancer defence, and executed a slick forehand-to-backhand move to put the puck past Donoso’s outstretched left leg.

With the provincial title at stake, the teams cleaned up their games in the third period and played an even-paced third period. Shots were 9-8 in favour of UQTR, but the stingy and penalty-free play did not lead to many scoring opportunities. With six minutes left on the clock, Logan Linklater tipped a Colton Smith shot that fooled Patriotes netminder William Grimard, tying the game for the Lancers and electrifying the Capri Pizzeria Recreation Complex crowd.

Tensions were high in overtime, and the Lancers and Patriotes traded chances early, with memories of the three extra frames in 2023 still fresh in their minds. Just over two minutes into extra time, Gaudet grabbed the puck in stride through the neutral zone and split the Lancer defenders with a burst of speed. He snapped a quick shot that beat Donoso five-hole, winning the Queen’s Cup for the Patriotes.

Gaudet was named player of the game for his two-goal performance and overtime heroics. Felix Lafrance had a three-point night with a goal and two assists, and Grimard made 21 saves in the win.

Keegan McMullen had a goal and assist for Windsor, while Max Donoso turned aside 22 shots in the game.

Both the Patriotes and Lancers set their sights on Halifax, Nova Scotia as they will head to the 2026 U SPORTS Men’s Hockey Championships hosted next weekend from March 19-22.