parpho@rogers.com


Posted by: Shawn MacDonald (Sports Information Officer)

2/19/2014 9:56:00 PM
KINGSTON, Ont. (February 19, 2014) – The Queen's Gaels took a 1-0 series lead in their best-of-three OUA East quarterfinal matchup over the Ottawa Gee-Gees thanks to two third period goals from Chris Van Laren (Kingston, Ont.) at the Memorial Centre in Kingston, Ontario Wednesday night.

Tyler Moore (Winnipeg) started things off in the first period with a great chance in front of the Gee-Gee net but the puck was bouncing as he one-timed it at Robin Billingham who steered it aside.

Alexandre Touchette put Ottawa up 1-0 with a power play goal at 14:54 of the opening period. Tochette found a loose puck at the side of the net and tapped it in past Gaels starter Kevin Bailie (Belleville, Ont.).

The Gaels were unable to capitalize and the period finished 1-0 for Ottawa who outshot Queen's 10-3.

In the second Ottawa nearly scored shorthanded as Mathieu Ouellet fired a shot off the cross bar. Moments later the Gee-Gees were called for another penalty giving the Gaels a five on three powerplay. Ottawa was able to fend off the attack and keep a 1-0 lead.

With only 11 seconds left in the period the Gaels were able to get on the board. Andrew Wiebe (Thunder Bay, Ont.) picked up the puck after a Gee-Gee defender broke his stick and turned the it over. He then slid a pass through the defenders legs to Moore who beat Billingham on the short side to even the game at 1-1. Ottawa added another 12 shots to the Gaels six in the second.

It didn't take long for the Gee-Gees to regain their lead in the third. An awkward bounce of the end boards jumped right out to Touchette who scored his second of the game coming only 20 seconds into the period.

From there on it was all Van Laren. First he came up with a beautiful end-to-end rush and fired a wrister on net that fooled Billingham at 7:27 of the third. Less than two minutes later the Gaels took advantage of a powerplay chance and it was Van Laren once more with a blast from the point that beat a crowd and put the Gaels ahead.

Ottawa penatlies late in the game held them back and the Gaels hung on for a 3-2 win.

Bailie stopped 27 of 29 shots faced in the game for his first career playoff win.