Five years ago, Ryan Dube didn’t know Carleton University had a hockey team.
Now in his fifth and final year with the Ravens, Dube treasures his last chance at a national championship.
Dube, 25, is originally from Sault Ste. Marie and is studying sports management at Carleton. Dube lived on Lyon Street with former teammate Shane Bakker during his second year at Carleton.
Dube was recruited by Ravens scout Gord MacLean as a 20-year-old while playing for his hometown Soo Thunderbirds. Dube didn’t know anything about university hockey at the time, he admits. He’s now a veteran leader on the team and determined to succeed in his final opportunity.
In each of his first four years, Carleton’s playoff season came to an end in Quebec – three times at the hands of the Université de Québec à Trois-Rivières Patriotes. Last year’s loss to the Patriotes was the most painful, says Dube.
More than four hours after the opening faceoff, the Ravens and Patriotes were tied at one goal apiece in the fourth overtime period of the Eastern Division final’s deciding game. Dube played every minute of the game in the Carleton goal.
Four minutes in to the game’s seventh period, the Patriotes’ Pierre-Olivier Morin took a shot that beat Dube cleanly. The Ravens’ season ended one goal short of a trip to the national championship.
“I just kind of stayed down. There's nothing going through your mind,” says Dube. “It was hard to play for that long and not get rewarded.”
The Patriotes went on to claim the Ontario University Athletics championship over the Waterloo Warriors, but were eliminated in the national championship tournament. Carleton came away empty-handed, but Dube’s teammates say their goalie’s stunning performance in the final game of the season had at least given them a chance to win. Dube stopped a staggering 61 shots in the loss.
“He was able to keep his composure throughout the whole game,” says Ravens defenseman Brad Albert. “He stayed calm and gave us a shot.”
Ryan Medel, the team’s assistant coach, echoed Albert’s sentiments.
“He had put on a spectacular display of goaltending,” says Medel. “He was a guy I felt really bad for because I know he put everything he had into that game.”
“That was the longest game I've ever played in my life,” says Dube.
Dube is determined to make the most of his final opportunity. Less than a month remains in the season and the Ravens sit a few points behind the Patriotes. Dube knows the road to a national championship likely goes through Trois-Rivières again this year.
“They're obviously a good team again,” says Dube. “It could be my last year of hockey. That alone is enough motivation for me.”
The Ravens have what it takes to overcome the Patriotes this season, says Dube.
“We have a strong team here and a good group of core guys,” says Dube. “I've played so many years with these guys. You get to be such close friends that you're playing for each other.”
Regardless of what happens in the Ravens post-season, Dube hopes his degree will lead to a career as a professional sports agent. Until then, Dube says he intends to give back to Centretown by coaching minor hockey in the city with Albert.
“We definitely have all sorts of experience and knowledge of the game that we can bring to young players,” says Dube. “I think it would be a lot of fun to give back. Ottawa's been home for five years now, so I'd like to give back to the community a little bit.”