Redmen take Cup opener

Stars defend title with win over Furies

FREDERICTON – The Mcgill Redmen took advantage of early power-play opportunities on their way to a 6-3 victory over a sloppy and undisciplined Moncton Aigles Bleus Thursday afternoon.

It was the opening game of the 2012 Cavendish University Cup national men’s hockey championship at the Aitken Centre on the University of New Brunswick campus.

Francis Verreault-paul and Alex Picard-hooper each scored early power-play goals for the Redmen, who won silver a year ago.

Picard-hooper and Nicolas Biniek tallied two goals apiece for Mcgill. The Redmen scored six goals on 19 shots. Andrew Wright had the other goal for the Redmen.

Moncton will meet the No. 3 seeded Saskatchewan Huskies in a must-win situation Friday afternoon. Mcgill will play Saskatchewan early Saturday morning. Montreal Stars win Clarkson Cup opener: The Montreal Stars began their defence of the Clarkson Cup national women’s hockey championship with a 7-0 victory Thursday over the Toronto Furies in Niagara Falls, Ont.

Meghan Agosta, who set a Canadian Women’s Hockey League record with 80 points during 27 regular-season games (41 goals, 39 assists), scored twice against the Furies, while Gale Centre, Sabrina Harbec, Caroline Ouellette, Julie Chu and Emmanuelle Blais also scored for the Stars. Jenny Lavigne earned the shutout.

The Stars play Brampton on Friday at noon. The championship game is Sunday.