Redmen dominate OUA East hockey awards and all-stars

HAMILTON, Ont. - The No. 2-ranked McGill Redmen ruled the regular season with a 24-2-2 record and likewise, have dominated the OUA East men's hockey major awards and all-stars in voting by the conference's 10 coaches. McGill garnered five of seven major awards and three of six first-team all-stars in addition to a second-team selection.

Heading the list of honourees is Alexandre Picard-Hooper, a third-year centre from Boucherville, Que., merited all-conference status and was voted most valuable player. He follows in the footsteps of teammate Francis Verreault-Paul of Mashteuiatsh, Que., another first-team all-star who led the nation with 28 goals and was picked as League MVP last year. Picard-Hooper, a managment major, has all but wrapped up the CIS scoring title with 58 points, including 11 goals, in 28 games. His 47 assists are tops in the nation and five shy of the single-season school record set by George Burnett in 1982-83.

Teammate Marc-André Dorion, a physical education junior from St. Hubert, Que., was also named a conference all-star and earned defenceman-of-the-year honours for the second consecutive year. He once again was the highest-scoring rearguard in the nation with 37 points, including 29 assists, in 25 contests, tying Andrew Hotham of Saint Mary's for the CIS lead in all three categories.

McGill's Hubert Morin, an engineering  junior from St. George de Beauce, Que., was named goaltender of the year -- but strangely named to the second-all-star team -- after posting a 16-2 record in 18 starts for a .938 winning percentage, tops in the country. His 2.18 goals against average was ranked second among OUA leaders and his save percentage of .915 was fifth among starting goalies.  He also had one shutout and shared another whitewash in a game he had to leave due to inhury.

Redmen team captain Evan Vossen, an indusrial relations junior from Swift Current, Sask., was named as the most sportsmanlike player. The senior left winger was assessed only 12 penalty minutes while posting a career best in goals, finishing with a 15-10-25 record in 25 games. He also represented Canada at the FISU world university games in Turkey.

The OUA East Rookie of the Year was won by Ottawa's Luc Olivier Blain (Longueuil, Que.). The rookie was just behind MVP Picard-Hooper in points with 52. He scored 16 goals and had another 36 assists and was a key contributor to the Gee-Gees offence. His 52 points was good for second in OUA and second in the country. Blain was also named a Second Team All-Star and to the All Rookie Team.

Senior forward Jon Lawrance of the Queen's Gaels was the nominee for the Randy Gregg Award, given to the player who best exhibits outstanding achievement in hockey, academics and community involvement. Lawrance, a native of Steinbach, Man.,tied his career high in goals (10) and was second in team scoring for the Gaels. He is a three-time CIS Academic All-Canadian with an academic average of 83.7. The Physical and Health Education student volunteers his time at a number of organizations and assists people with disabilities in their weekly exercise regiments. At Limestone Health and Body Management, he assists people with progressed cardiac rehabilitation; and at Friendship Blooms Kingston, he collaborates with senior citizen volunteers to plan, implement and evaluate a cooking program at the Boys and Girls Club.

Kelly Nobes, in his first year behind the McGill bench, is the coach of the year after leading the Redmen to a school record in wins and a 24-2-2 record, good for first in the OUA East and a No. 2 national ranking. A former Redmen himself, Nobes was the 28th head coach to be named to the McGill men's hockey team. He began coaching McGill in April 2010 after stints at RMC and Laurier.

Rounding out the First Team up front was Brandon MacLean (Burlington, Ont.) of the Carleton Ravens who scored 12 goals. Ottawa's rookie defenceman Dominic Jalbert (Gatineau, Que.) also earned a First Team nod. Rookie goaltender Matthew Dupod (Pointe Claire, Que.) of the Carleton Ravens won his first All-Star award as the top goaltender in the league and was also named to the All Rookie Team.

Joining Morin and Blain on the Second Team were defencemen Pierre-Luc Lessard (Thetford-Mines, Que.) of the UQTR Patriotes and Brad Good (Kitchener, Ont.) of the Carleton Ravens. Gee-Gees forward Mathieu Methot (Ottawa), ranked fifth in OUA scoring with 15 goals, and earned his first All-Star nod in his three years with Ottawa. Francis Charland (Victoriaville, Que.) of UQTR rounds out the forwards with his second award of his career.

The All Rookie Team headed by Dopud, Blain and Jalbert, included the talent of Paul Cianfrini (Dundas, Ont.) of the Nipissing Lakers and Ottawa's Kyle Ireland (Rosetown, Sask.). Cianfrini was fourth in team scoring, leading all Laker rookies while Ireland had an outstanding season ranking third in the country in scoring, just behind teammate Blain and MVP winner Picard-Hooper. He scored 19 goals for Ottawa and added 27 assists for 46 points. Fourth in OUA rookie scoring, Joe Pleckaitis (Toronto) of Carleton closed out the 2010-11 All Rookie Team.

2010-11 OUA EAST MEN'S HOCKEY MAJOR AWARD WINNERS
EAST MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
Alexandre Picard-Hooper (McGill)

EAST ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Luc Olivier Blain (Ottawa) 

EAST DEFENCEMAN OF THE YEAR
Marc-André Dorion (McGill)

EAST GOALTENDER OF THE YEAR
Hubert Morin (McGill)

EAST MOST SPORTSMANLIKE PLAYER
Evan Vossen (McGill)

EAST RANDY GREGG AWARD NOMINEE
Jon Lawrance (Queen's)

EAST COACH OF THE YEAR
Kelly Nobes (McGill)

EAST FIRST TEAM ALL-STARS
F - Alexandre Picard-Hooper (McGill)
F - Francis Verreault-Paul (McGill)
F - Brandon MacLean (Carleton)
D - Marc-André Dorion (McGill)
D - Dominic Jalbert (Ottawa)
G - Matthew Dopud (Carleton)

EAST SECOND TEAM ALL-STARS
F - Luc Olivier Blain (Ottawa)
F - Mathieu Methot (Ottawa)
F - Francis Charland (UQTR)
D - Pierre-Luc Lessard (UQTR)
D - Brad Good (Carleton)
G - Hubert Morin (McGill)

EAST ALL ROOKIE TEAM
F - Luc Olivier Blain (Ottawa)
F - Kyle Ireland (Ottawa)
F - Joe Pleckaitis (Carleton)
D - Dominic Jalbert (Ottawa)
D - Paul Cianfrini (Nipissing)
G - Matthew Dopud (Carleton)