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By Daniel Prinn
Ottawa natives Pat Killeen and Mitch Zion thoroughly enjoyed their ride in Canadian Interuniversity Sport, and the graduating Carleton University pair made their Ravens careers last as long as they possibly could.
Facing the Saskatchewan Huskies in the national quarter-finals on Mar. 17 in Halifax, the underdog Ravens pushed the game to quadruple-overtime, eventually losing 3-2 in the longest game in University Cup tournament history.
“It was an amazing experience,” reflects Carleton goaltender Killeen, who made 66 saves in the 5-hour, 8-minute marathon. “I don’t think many people who play this sport will have a chance to play a game that intense.”
Despite the Gatorade and Skittles to keep them going between periods, Zion says total exhaustion delayed the team’s reaction to the loss.
“Once they scored I don’t think anyone had anything left in the tank to really feel anything,” explains the forward from Manotick. “It was devastating, but we’re super happy. We left it all out there.”
The nationals appearance to conclude their careers was a big moment for Zion, Killeen, and their teammates, who’d scratched and clawed their way to get there.
In the Ontario University Athletics East semi-final, the Ravens recorded their first-ever post-season victory over the McGill Redmen, with Zion scoring the overtime series winner in front of a standing room-only crowd at the Carleton Ice House.
“As a team we all celebrated by the glass with the fans,” Zion recalls, calling it easily a favourite moment of his career. “It was four or five years in the making. We were pretty pumped.”
Carleton wound up falling to Trois-Rivières in the OUA East final, but won their trip to nationals with a 4-1 bronze medal victory at home over Guelph.
Zion scored the final goal of his Ravens career in that contest, but it didn’t take long for him to get back on the scoresheet. Very quickly after his university season was done, the former Ottawa Jr. Senators and Cornwall Colts player got his first taste of pro hockey with the Brampton Beast of the ECHL.
“It’s more to get experience,” notes Zion, who signed with Brampton for the final nine games of their season. “They’ve given me a great opportunity so far. It’s just having fun and trying to build your career in hockey.”
Zion plans to keep playing pro hockey “for at least the next few years and kind of see where the cards fall,” notes the Carleton commerce major. “It was a big focus of mine to make sure I graduate with a degree and then whenever hockey is over, I have something to fall back on.”
While Zion is just starting his career in the professional ranks, Killeen came to Carleton with three years of pro hockey experience under his belt.
Being selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 6th round of the NHL entry draft, held in his hometown in 2008 with family and friends present “is definitely something you’ll never forget,” underlines the former Ottawa Jr. Senators and Brampton Battalion junior player.
Killeen spent time in the AHL and ECHL before deciding to join Carleton and study criminology. He fondly recalls travelling with the team to Europe for exhibition contests in Germany, Italy and Austria, and getting the chance to reunite with some past teammates, most notably Nick Duhn.
“We’ve been best friends since kindergarten so playing university hockey with him was pretty special,” Killeen signals, noting he’s built many strong relationships at Carleton. “That’s something I’ll hold pretty close to me.”