FEATURE: Domingue, Drover reach 100 point milestone in back-to-back games

Over the course of a weekend in early November, a pair of men's hockey players etched their names into the Gee-Gees history books.

Forwards Kevin Domingue and Cody Drover are the eighth and ninth players, respectively, to record 100 points in their Gee-Gees careers. 

Domingue achieved the feat on November 9 against McGill on home ice. Drover passed the puck to him at the top of the circle, and he quickly sent his trademark wrist shot past the surprised goaltender.

Drover's 100th point came the following night against the Carleton Ravens. The skilled playmaker deflected a pass over to Nicolas Mattinen on the doorstep, and he prompt buried what would stand as the game winning goal.

For both Domingue and Drover, reaching the milestone will stand as special moments in their careers.

"First year, first practice, I never thought I would do that. To remember how far I've come, it's pretty cool," Domingue said.

"I didn't have that expectation for myself coming in. I wanted to get in, get some ice time, win some games. I didn't imagine I'd end up with 100 points," Drover added. 

Domingue entered this season with 93 points in 84 games, while Drover had 90 points in 83 games. The 100-point milestone was a matter of when, not if, and both players knew it was coming.

"Yeah, I go on Elite Prospects a lot, I find that stuff interesting. I was looking at Dingo first and then I realized that I could get it," Drover explained.

"Kind of, I got bugged a bit by Cody," Domingue laughed. "It was a race, who was going to be eight and who would be ninth."

Ever since the duo first became linemates in their second season at Ottawa, they've been nearly inseparable. In combination with Brendan Jacome for the bulk of the 2018-19 season, the trio combined for 110 points as they helped lead the team to 22 wins in the 28 game season.

"When 'Dingo' and I started playing together and finding that chemistry—he makes it easy out there, he's always skating hard, ripping pucks," Drover said. "I just pass him the puck and he scores, that's how I got 100 points."

I think we started a bit in year two, we've had three years playing together, two full seasons. We just know where the other guy is out there, he's always yapping too so he's easy to hear out there calling for the puck," he explained.

Domingue's first point in Garnet and Grey was a goal against Queen's in his second career game. The game was on October 8, 2016, but Domingue can describe it like it happened last night.

"It was a breakaway. Marco [Azzano] got it from the boards, a rim or a pass from our defenceman. I beat [the opposing] defenceman, he gave it to me in the middle of the ice, I went on a breakaway, and put it high glove. It was our second goal of the game; Sills scored the first," Domingue recalled.

Drover found the scoresheet for the first time the following game, with a pair of assists against RMC on October 14, 2016. He had to wait until December 2 against Toronto to tally his first goal.

"I didn't think I was going to score a goal all season," Drover laughed. "It was against Toronto, 'Dingo' passed the puck from down low and I scored five-hole."

For Drover, one of his most memorable moments on the ice came this fall. He scored a hat trick at home against the Guelph Gryphons on October 19, 2019, with the third goal coming in overtime to win the game for the Gee-Gees.

"That was really special for me. It was [my daughter] Addy's [Adalynn Drover] first time seeing me score, and then I scored three and the overtime winner," Drover smiled. "It's always good when you score the overtime winner for the boys, it feels good to get the win for the team. That was a fun game."

Now in their fourth season with Gee-Gees, the duo continues to climb the ranks among the all-time greats to wear Garnet and Grey.

Most recently, Domingue, along with Mathieu Newcomb, suited up for their 100th career regular season game in Garnet and Grey on December 1. They've never missed a regular season game in their careers so far.

Drover achieved the feat the following game, on December 3 at UQTR.

"I feel old," Domingue grinned. "A season of only 28 games — a 100 game milestone, that's a lot. You need to play nearly every game. To reach it that quick, that's pretty cool."

For Drover, accomplishing these feats alongside friends and teammates like Newcomb and Michael Poirier makes it even more special.

"Being here with 'Newcs' and Mike for four years, we've been teammates for seven years now. It's easy to have fun when you have a good group of guys around you like that," Drover said.