A shorthanded goal by the Trois-Rivieres Patriotes midway through the third period Sunday afternoon was the final blow in a disappointing season for the Royal Military College Paladins, who dropped a 5-2 decision at Constantine Arena.

The Paladins were still in the hockey game, down two goals going into the third period against the No. 8-ranked team in Canada, and RMC had a glorious opportunity to get back in the game, as it began the period with a man advantage and then embarked on a four-minute power play not long after that.

Instead of scoring themselves, however, the Paladins gave up a goal to Vincent Marcoux, his second shorthanded goal of the season, and the Patriotes went on to claim the win.

The loss brought to a close a winless season for the Paladins, who finished 0-23-3. RMC lost its penultimate game Saturday in Montreal, 5-1 to the sixth-ranked McGill Redmen.

Jake Bullen and John Livingston scored RMC’s goals Sunday, with an assist on each by graduating captain Alex Pym. Trois-Rivieres outshot the home team 50-24, as Paladins goaltender Evan Deviller faced 50 shots or more for the sixth time in 19 games this season.

Despite a 5.60 goals-against average, Deviller finished the season with 795 saves, second-most in Canada to Ryerson’s Troy Passingham, who played eight more games.

In Montreal Saturday, the Redmen and former Redmen were tied 1-1 after the first period, but, as they did against Queen’s two weeks ago, McGill turned the game with a second-period blitz. This time, it was three goals in three and a half minutes, the last two just 45 seconds apart by Max LeSieur and Neal Prokop, that sent the home team into the third period with a 4-1 lead.

Deric Boudreau scored the lone RMC goal, his first of the year, in a game where the Paladins were outshot 45-22.