ÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û

By Earl Zukerman

MONTREAL – One of the oldest hockey rivalries in the world will be renewed when the OUA East Conference best-of-three men’s semifinals get underway at McConnell Arena, Wednesday (7 p.m.) between the ÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û Redmen and Toronto Varsity Blues.

Games 2 and 3 are slated for Varsity Arena on Saturday and Sunday, if necessary. Both games in Toronto are scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m.

Since these archrivals first met on Feb. 20, 1899 – an 8-4 decision for ÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û, the Blues have dominated the series, posting a 119-76-15 lifetime record in head-to-head meetings, outscoring ÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û by a 1005-715 margin.

In recent years, however, the Redmen have begun to reverse the trend, posting a 19-7-4 record against Toronto since 1996.

The teams have clashed 11 times in post-season play, with Toronto holding an 8-3 edge. In their last playoff rendezvous, Toronto upset ÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û and swept the 2007 best-of-three quarterfinal series, 1-0 in Montreal and 2-0 in Varsity Arena. The last time ÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û won a playoff series against the Blues was 19 years ago with a 5-4 home-ice victory on Feb. 20, 1990 in a sudden-death quarterfinal.

Despite the age-old rivalry, it is a bunch of youngsters that are starring this season.

Freshman centre Alexandre Picard-Hooper of Boucherville, Que., scored three goals and added a helper in ÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û’s three-game series victory over the Ottawa Gee-Gees. Picard-Hooper, the top-point-getter among all OUA rookies, had 10 goals and 36 points in 28 regular season games. Rookie goaltender Kevin Desfossés of Beauport, Que., an all-star in the QMJHL last year, has posted an 8-3 record in 11 regular-season and playoff starts with the Redmen. He is leading all OUA playoff goalies with a stingy goals-against average of 1.68.

The Varsity Blues (14-11-3) are led by a pair of rookies in right wing Kyle Ventura of Scarborough, Ont., who led Toronto with 16 goals during the regular season, and left wing Byron Elliott, a native of Burlington, Ont., who earned 35 points. The Redmen (20-9-2) and Varsity Blues split their two regular season games, played last November, with Toronto winning 6-3 on the road at McConnell Arena and ÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û winning 5-4 in a post-overtime shootout at Varity Arena.



OUA MEN’S HOCKEY PLAYOFFS



Wed., Feb. 25

7 p.m. – Carleton @ UQTR (Game 1)

7 p.m. – Toronto @ ÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û (Game 1)

7:30 p.m. – Laurier @ Lakehead (Game 1)



Thurs., Feb. 26

7 p.m. – Western @ York (Game 1)



Fri., Feb. 27

7 p.m. – UQTR @ Carleton (Game 2)



Sat., Feb. 28

7:30 p.m. – ÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û @ Toronto (Game 2)

7:30 p.m. – York @ Western (Game 2)

7:30 p.m. – Lakehead @ Laurier (Game 2)



Sun., March 1

2 p.m. – Western @ York (Game 3, if necessary)

7:30 p.m. – ÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û @ Toronto (Game 3, if necessary)

7:30 p.m. – Lakehead @ Laurier (Game 3, if necessary)

TBA – Carleton @ UQTR (Game 3, if necessary)