Causeway Clash: Queen’s and RMC to renew rivalry in 38th Carr-Harris Cup

Queen's Men's Hockey and their crosstown rivals, the RMC Paladins, will clash on the ice for the second time this regular season on Saturday, Feb. 7. This time, however, the matchup moves beyond the historic confines of Memorial Centre and the close-quarters intensity of Constantine Arena to the bright lights of Slush Puppie Place downtown, and with a trophy in the building and citywide bragging rights on the line.

The Paladins will host the Gaels in the 38th Carr-Harris Challenge Cup Saturday, Feb. 7 at 7 PM, marking the 140th year of hockey's oldest rivalry. In the past a Thursday night affair, this year the game will be played on a Saturday night — Hockey Night — at the neutral venue of Slush Puppie Place for the first time.

Tickets for the game go on sale Monday, January 19 at Noon and can be purchased for $5 at the Athletics and Recreation Centre (ARC) Q Services desk or for $10 at Slush Puppie Place, either in person or online. To celebrate the 140th year of hockey's oldest rivalry, the first 140 students at the ARC get a free ticket! 

The Carr-Harris Cup was initiated in 1986 by former Gaels player and coach Stu Crawford, hockey historian Bill Fitsell, Bill Hamilton, and Ed Grenda in celebration of the longest-running rivalry in hockey, between Queen's University and the Royal Military College of Canada, which dates back to 1886.

"It's a marquee game in U SPORTS Men's Hockey that brings both universities together to celebrate our sport," said Queen's Men's Hockey Head Coach Brett Gibson. "The history and significance of the game from both universities cannot be overlooked. Alumni always remember their record in the Carr-Harris Cup and they take great pride in hoisting this trophy."

"It's an exciting matchup for both schools, and all the players and staff are honoured every year to carry on the history of the Carr-Harris Cup," added RMC Men's Hockey Head Coach Richard Lim.

The Gaels have had the better of RMC in the rivalry game of late, capturing the last four Carr-Harris Cups dating back to pre-pandemic.

Queen's earned a 5-2 win over the Paladins last year after storming out to a 2-0 first period lead and never looking back.

"It's the oldest rivalry in hockey so whenever we play those guys it's pretty physical. The crowd was pretty awesome tonight, so we wanted to put on a little show," Gaels defenceman Owen Lalonde said after the game.

Two years ago Queen's earned an even bigger win, coming out ahead 6-0 to capture the historic matchup.

"This was a big game for us. I think an atmosphere like this is great for us to showcase ourselves to the school," said Gaels forward Dalton Duhart, who was named the game's MVP after recording two goals in the win.

And in 2023, the first Carr-Harris Cup meeting after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Queen's squeezed out a 2-1 overtime win in a tight affair.

"It never gets old," Gibson said at the time. "The crowd was fantastic."

While the results on the ice have been lopsided in recent years, the energy in the stands is often a dead heat between the rival schools' fan bases.

With chants, bands, and a friendly back and forth paralleling the action on the ice, the atmosphere in the stands alone makes the annual Carr-Harris Cup game a must-see in Kingston.

Queen's is currently in the thick of their battle for playoff position in the second half of the season, holding a 9-8-0 record and sitting in sixth place in the OUA East Division standings. The Paladins are 2-16-0 on the season and in ninth place in the OUA East.

The Carr-Harris Cup has become a celebrated event in the Gaels and Paladins hockey schedules and a featured community event for the City of Kingston. Prior to the pandemic, the 34th Carr-Harris Cup was played in front of a record crowd of 4,121 on Feb. 6, 2020, at Slush Puppie Place.

Both programs would like to thank the Carr-Harris family, Slush Puppie Place, the Original Hockey Hall of Fame, the Downtown Kingston! Business Improvement Area for their continued support and stewardship of the event.