Ottawa Gee-Gees - Gee Gees Hockey

Gee Gees Hockey

The men's hockey program was formed in 1889. The team played in the Ottawa City Hockey League. The team was first known as "Garnet and Grey", as well as the other varsity athletic programs within the University of Ottawa. In the 1940s, all the varsity athletic programs became known as the "Gee Gees", which was nicknamed by the media. The Gee Gees had tremendous success in the 1980s. Despite, that the Gee Gees have yet to win the University Cup - CIS championship for men's hockey. Ottawa's most memorable run took place in 2004, as the Gee Gees ousted rivals Universite de Quebec a Trois-Rivieres (otherwise known as UQTR Patriotes) 2-1 in the OUA playoffs, and then advanced to the Queen's Cup, hosted by the University of Western Ontario. The Gee Gees lost the OUA final to York, but they still earned a spot in the University Cup, held in Fredericton, New Brunswick, where power-house UNB (University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds) played host to the tournament. However, the Gee Gees failed to record a win and went home 0-2. Notably, it was the first time since 1985 that the Gee Gees played in the University Cup.

The Gee Gees are well known for their successful coaches like Mickey Goulet, who is currently head coach of the Italian National Men's Hockey Team, which participated in the 2006 Winter Olympics in Torino, Italy. Coaches like Michel Boucher, Tony Zappia, and current head coach Dave Leger, who has been at the helm since 2003.

The Gee Gees played in several rinks before the current Minto Sports Complex, which was built on the site of the Minto Arena, the former Minto Skating Club facility, which was demolished in 2000. Ottawa has held games at the Sandy Hill Arena and the Robert Guertin Arena in Hull. The first rink, was known as "College Yard", which was an outdoor rink in front of Tabaret Hall. The second venue for the Gee Gees was the indoor Rideau Skating Rink, which was flooded during winter for the ice surface. The site on the corner of Waller Street and Laurier Avenue is now the Arts building at the University of Ottawa.

• the women Gee-Gees team

• the women Gee-Gees team

• the women Gee-Gees team