Gaels and Carabins put on high scoring show in Belleville exhibition showdown

For the Queen’s Gaels, Sunday’s exhibition matchup with the Montréal Carabins was about more than the final score.

Facing one of the top programs in U SPORTS, the Gaels fell 6-4 at the Quinte Sports & Wellness Centre, but head coach Morgan McHaffie saw plenty of value in the experience as her team continues to build chemistry and implement its systems ahead of the regular season.

“Montreal’s a really good team, and we knew coming into this contest that it was going to be a really tough matchup,” McHaffie said. “There are a lot of things to work on, but our team knows that in exhibition, we always set up really tough games, and it’s a learning process for us.”

With a new group coming together, McHaffie said the Gaels are still working through the adjustments that come with implementing their systems and building familiarity on the ice.

“We’re just implementing and adjusting some of our systems, so there are definitely some key takeaways that we can learn from, get better, and get back at it next weekend,” she said.

While the game provided an important test for Queen’s, it also offered an opportunity to showcase the continued growth of women’s hockey in the Bay of Quinte region.

McHaffie pointed to the expansion of the professional game, including the PWHL’s growth to 12 teams, as a major factor in creating more visibility and opportunities throughout the sport.

“It’s such an exciting time,” McHaffie said. “With the PWHL growing to 12 teams, we’re seeing numbers across all hockey in Canada skyrocket; we’re getting interest from across the country and even internationally now.”

That increased visibility is also being felt at the university level, with McHaffie seeing more players choosing to remain in Canada as they continue their development.

“With U Sports, we’re getting a lot more players who actually want to stay in Canada and develop here, so that’s exciting for us,” she said.

The opportunity to bring the Gaels and Carabins to Belleville also allowed local players to see what the next stages of their own hockey journeys can look like.

The stands included young players from the Belleville Bearcats and other local hockey organizations, something McHaffie said was an important part of the experience.

“We were so grateful to the Belleville Sens for hosting us and providing this opportunity,” she said. “Seeing all the young Belleville Bearcats here and the other local organizations here, and the inspiration they can draw from some of our players.”

For McHaffie, those young players can see that their hockey journey does not have to end when minor hockey does.

“They can see that hockey doesn’t end at the minor level; it can continue at the university level and even professionally now,” she said.

The Queen’s program has players who have continued their careers overseas and in the PWHL, providing current Gaels with tangible examples of where the sport can take them.

“We’ve got players from our program playing overseas and, of course, in the PWHL, so it just continues to grow and expand,” McHaffie said.

That changing landscape is something McHaffie is seeing directly within her own dressing room.

She said the increased visibility and number of opportunities have created another level of motivation among her players, with more athletes actively exploring potential pathways beyond university hockey.

“Absolutely. I think there’s a heightened level of excitement from them, and you can see they’re all motivated to pursue that next level now, which is something they’ve always dreamt about but maybe never thought was possible,” McHaffie said.

That motivation is translating into increased preparation, with McHaffie noting more work being put in during the summer and players already exploring different opportunities within the game.

And the pathway through hockey extends well beyond playing.

Sunday’s game featured female players, coaches and four female officials, providing another example of the expanding opportunities available throughout the sport.

“That’s the thing that we’re really trying to promote with younger players. It’s not just the playing pathway,” McHaffie said.

She pointed to the four female officials working the game and the increasing number of women finding opportunities throughout hockey, including at the professional level.

“You’re seeing more opportunities on the women’s side, but also on the men’s side – in the National Hockey League, or the American Hockey League, and seeing more females pave the way there is very exciting for us and the youth coming up,” she said.

For the Gaels, the 6-4 result ultimately becomes one part of the larger learning process that comes with an exhibition schedule.

And for the young players watching from the stands, the afternoon provided a glimpse at a growing game – and the many different ways they can remain part of it.