2024 U Sports University Cup
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 | |
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Venue(s) | Mattamy Athletic Centre, Toronto, Ontario |
| Dates | March 14–17, 2024 |
| Teams | 8 |
| TV partner(s) | CBC Sports |
| Final positions | |
| Champions | New Brunswick Reds (10th title) |
| Runner-up | Quebec–Trois-Rivières Patriotes |
| Third place | McGill Redbirds |
| Fourth place | Toronto Metropolitan Bold |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Games played | 8 |
| MVP | Brady Gilmour (New Brunswick) |
The 2024 U Sports University Cup was the 62nd edition of the U Sports men's ice hockey championship, held between March 14 and 17 in Toronto, Ontario, to determine a national champion for the 2023–24 U Sports men's ice hockey season.
The UNB Reds defeated the UQTR Patriotes 4–0 to claim their 10th National Championship.[1][2] This marked UNB's second title defence – they also won back-to-back championships in 2016 and 2017. Similarly, this was UNB's second consecutive shutout posted in the finals (defeated Alberta 3–0 in 2023) and their fourth shutout in a final overall (2011, 2013, 2023 and 2024).
UNB became the first ever U Sports team to concede no goals at the U Cup[3] and completed the first undefeated season in Canadian collegiate hockey since 1962, going 43–0 (30–0, 5–0, 3–0 plus 5–0 in exhibition play). McMaster Marlins are the only other undefeated championship team, going 12–0–0 on their way to a U Cup title (10–0, 2–0).[4]
Milestones
[edit]- With 9 under his tenure, UNB head coach Gardiner MacDougall tied Tom Watt for the most U Cup Championship titles.
- This was Coach MacDougall's 17th appearance at the tournament, setting a new U Cup record.
- This was Coach MacDougall's 12th appearance at the tournament finals, setting a new U Cup record.
- With three games coached at this year's event, Coach MacDougall's set a new tournament record for games coached at 45, surpassing Clare Drake (Alberta) who had 42 games.
- Coach MacDougall extended his career games won at U Cup with 36. Clare Drake (Alberta) and Tom Watt (Toronto) are tied for second with 30 wins each.
- UNB became the first team in the 8-team/3-game tournament format to win all three games via shutout.
Host
[edit]The tournament was played at the Mattamy Athletic Centre in the former Maple Leaf Gardens and was hosted by Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU).[2] This was the first time that TMU hosted the tournament, but was the 15th time that the championship was played in Toronto.[5]
The finals were played 27 years to the day of the last University Cup finals played at Maple Leaf Gardens: Guelph Gryphons (OUA Queen's Cup Champions) won 4–3 over the UNB Varsity Reds (AUAA Champions) on March 17, 1997.
Qualification
[edit]Source:[6]
| Quarterfinals February 14–17 | Semifinals February 23–27 | Championship March 2–5 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | New Brunswick | 4 | 5 | 5 | — | — | ||||||||||||||||
| 3 | St. Francis Xavier | 3**** | — | 4 | Saint Mary’s | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | — | ||||||||||||
| 6 | Acadia | 3 | 2 | — | 1 | New Brunswick | 3 | 3 | — | |||||||||||||
| 2 | Moncton | 1 | 0 | — | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Moncton | 5 | 5 | 4 | — | — | ||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Saint Mary’s | 4 | 2* | — | 3 | St. Francis Xavier | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | |||||||||||
| 5 | Prince Edward Island | 3 | 1 | — | ||||||||||||||||||
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
Source:[7]
| Play In February 11 | Division Quarterfinals February 14–17 | Division Semifinals February 21–25 | Division Finals February 28–March 3 | Queen's Cup Final March 9 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| W1 | Brock | 6 | 4 | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| W4 | Windsor | 3* | 7 | — | W4 | Windsor | 1 | 1 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||
| W5 | Lakehead | 2 | 2 | — | W1 | Brock | 3 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| West | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| W2 | Toronto Metropolitan | 1 | 5 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| W2 | Toronto Metropolitan | 4 | 5 | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| W3 | Toronto | 4 | 3 | — | W6 | Wilfrid Laurier | 1 | 1 | — | ||||||||||||||||||||
| W6 | Wilfrid Laurier | 5* | W6 | Wilfrid Laurier | 7 | 5 | — | W2 | Toronto Metropolitan | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||
| W7 | Nipissing | 4 | E2 | Quebec–Trois-Rivières | 3** | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| E1 | McGill | 6 | 3 | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| E4 | Queen's | 1 | 3 | — | E5 | Concordia | 4 | 1 | — | Bronze Medal Game | |||||||||||||||||||
| E5 | Concordia | 3 | 4* | — | E1 | McGill | 2 | 5 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| East | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| E2 | Quebec–Trois-Rivières | 4 | 3 | 4 | W1 | Brock | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| E2 | Quebec–Trois-Rivières | 4 | 2 | 1 | E1 | McGill | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| E3 | Ottawa | 5 | 8 | — | E3 | Ottawa | 1 | 3* | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| E6 | Ontario Tech | 1 | 0 | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
Note 1: The Queen's Cup championship game must be held in Ontario (part of the arrangement when the RSEQ hockey league merged with the OUA). When a Quebec-based OUA-East representative is the higher seed and should 'host' the game – the game shall be hosted by the OUA-West team instead, but the OUA-East team shall be the 'home' team and have last change. This rule was applied this season as UQTR had a better record than TMU – thus, TMU would host the game but UQTR would be the 'home' team.
Note 2: The OUA 'Host' rule mentioned in Note 1 now, as of 2019–20, also applies to the bronze medal game. This rule was also applied this season as McGill had a better record than Brock – thus, Brock hosted the game but McGill was the 'home' team.
Source:[8]
| Quarterfinal February 16–18 | Semifinal February 22–25 | Championship March 1–3 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | British Columbia | 1 | 4 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||
| 3 | Mount Royal | 4 | 6 | — | 5 | Alberta | 4 | 2 | 0 | |||||||||||
| 6 | MacEwan | 1 | 4 | — | 1 | British Columbia | 2 | 2 | 5 | |||||||||||
| 2 | Calgary | 5 | 1 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||
| 2 | Calgary | 4 | 4* | — | ||||||||||||||||
| 4 | Saskatchewan | 4 | 2 | 4 | 3 | Mount Royal | 2 | 3 | — | |||||||||||
| 5 | Alberta | 2 | 3 | 5* | ||||||||||||||||
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
University Cup Tournament
[edit]The eight teams advancing to the tournament are listed below. The three (3) conference champions must be seeded 1–3 followed by the OUA runner-up (seed #4). The remaining four seeds are for the AUS Finalist, Canada West Finalist, OUA Third-place and host respectively. Their seedings are based on the pre-tournament rankings. Since TMU would advance as the OUA Runner-up, the loser from the OUA Bronze Medal game (Brock) would represent the host.
Participating teams and seeding
[edit]| Seed | Team | Qualified | Record | Last App | Total | Last Win | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Brunswick Reds | AUS Champion | 30–0–0 | 2023 | 22nd | 2023 | 9 |
| 2 | Quebec–Trois-Rivières Patriotes | OUA Champion | 21–7–1 | 2023 | 23rd | 2022 | 5 |
| 3 | British Columbia Thunderbirds | CW Champion | 22–4–2 | 2022 | 6th | None | 0 |
| 4 | Toronto Metropolitan Bold | OUA Finalist (Host) | 19–8–1 | 2022 | 2nd | None | 0 |
| 5 | Calgary Dinos | CW Finalist | 21–5–2 | 2023 | 14th | None | 0 |
| 6 | McGill Redbirds | OUA Bronze | 21–5–2 | 2018 | 10th | 2012 | 1 |
| 7 | Moncton Aigles Bleus | AUS Finalist | 20–9–1 | 2012 | 16th | 1995 | 4 |
| 8 | Brock Badgers | OUA Semifinalist | 21–7–0 | 2022 | 4th | None | 0 |
Bracket
[edit]| Quarterfinals March 14–15 | Semifinals March 16 | Final March 17 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | New Brunswick | 4 | ||||||||||||
| 8 | Brock | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | New Brunswick | 7 | ||||||||||||
| Thursday Mar. 14th | ||||||||||||||
| 4 | Toronto Metropolitan | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 4 | Toronto Metropolitan | 2** | ||||||||||||
| 5 | Calgary | 1 | ||||||||||||
| 1 | New Brunswick | 4 | ||||||||||||
| 2 | Quebec–Trois-Rivières | 0 | ||||||||||||
| 2 | Quebec–Trois-Rivières | 5 | ||||||||||||
| 7 | Moncton | 1 | ||||||||||||
| 2 | Quebec–Trois-Rivières | 5 | Bronze Medal Game | |||||||||||
| Friday Mar. 15th | ||||||||||||||
| 6 | McGill | 4 | ||||||||||||
| 3 | British Columbia | 2 | 4 | Toronto Metropolitan | 2 | |||||||||
| 6 | McGill | 3 | 6 | McGill | 3 | |||||||||
Note: * denotes overtime period(s)
Results
[edit]Championship final
[edit]| March 17, 2024 5:00pm (local) CBC Gem | UNB Reds #1 | 4–0 (2–0, 0–0, 2–0) | UQTR Patriotes #2 | Mattamy Athletic Centre, Toronto, Ont. |
| Game reference | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samuel Richard (3–0) | Goalies | Alexis Gravel (2–1) | Referees: Troy Murray Danny Emerson Linesmen: Brian Birkhoff Maxime Ferland | |||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||
| 3 for 6 min | Penalties | 1 for 2 min | ||||||||||||
| 33 | Shots | 23 | ||||||||||||
| Game MVPs: Cody Morgan (UNB) & Félix Lauzon (UQTR) |
Awards
[edit]The Major W.J. 'Danny' McLeod Award for U Sports University Cup MVP was awarded to UNB forward Brady Gilmour whom finished the tournament tied for first in points with 7 (1G + 6A) along with Simon Lafrance (2G + 5A) of UQTR. His lone goal was the game winner in the Championship Final.
Tournament all-star team were:[11]
Forward: Brady Gilmour (UNB Reds)
Forward: Simon Lafrance (UQTR Patriotes)
Forward: Austen Keating (UNB Reds)
Defenceman: Kale McCallum (UNB Reds)
Defenceman: Scott Walford (McGill Redbirds)
Goaltender: Samuel Richard (UNB Reds)
Media
[edit]Television
[edit]All games were broadcast live in English on CBCSports.ca, the CBC Sports app, the CBC Sports YouTube channel and the CBC Gem streaming service.[12][13] It was broadcast in French on Radio-Canada and Ici TOU.TV, while the finals also aired on TVA Sports.[13]
Entertainment
[edit]The McGill Fight Band came to support the McGill Redbirds at their three games, providing musical performances in the arena.[14][15]
References
[edit]- ^ "U Sports Calendar". U Sports. September 15, 2017. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
- ^ a b "U Sports awards 2024 University Cup to Toronto Metropolitan University". U Sports. November 21, 2022.
- ^ "UNB defeats UQTR 4–0 to take the 2024 U Cup". U Sports. March 17, 2024. Retrieved March 18, 2024.
- ^ Steiner, Ben (March 17, 2024). ""It hasn't sunk in": UNB caps off perfect season with record-breaking U CUP". 49-sport.com. Retrieved March 18, 2024.
- ^ "History". U Sports. July 18, 2017. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
- ^ "2024 AUS Men's Hockey Playoff Schedule }publisher=Atlantic University Sport (AUS)". Retrieved February 25, 2024.
- ^ "2023-24 OUA Men's Hockey Postseason Schedule". Ontario University Athletics (OUA). Retrieved February 25, 2024.
- ^ "2023-24 Men's Hockey Playoffs". Canada West. Retrieved February 25, 2024.
- ^ "U Sports Playing Regulations: Men's Ice Hockey" (PDF). U Sports. September 2022.
- ^ "UNB looking to defend its title from the top seed". U Sports. March 10, 2024. Retrieved March 11, 2024.
- ^ UNB defeats UQTR 4–0 to take the 2024 U Cup https://usports.ca/en/championships/hockey/m/news/2024/03/2682058273/unb-defeats-uqtr-4-0-to-take-the-2024-u-cup
- ^ "CBC Sports to broadcast U Sports national championships for next 4 years". CBC Sports. September 20, 2021.
- ^ a b "How to watch the 2024 U SPORTS Winter Championships". U Sports. February 29, 2024. Retrieved March 18, 2024.
- ^ Hewitt, Thomas (March 16, 2024). "Redbirds oust UBC in tight U CUP quarterfinal contest". 49-sport.com. Retrieved March 18, 2024.
- ^ Hewitt, Thomas (March 17, 2024). "McGill Redbirds stun TMU to take U CUP bronze medal". 49-sport.com. Retrieved March 18, 2024.