Friday 30 November 2012

Making it work

You can't tell, but it says "Jaskin" on the back.
Did that not just feel like two road teams going at it? Was there even a single odd man rush? That was a very mistake-free game with Moncton attempting to do what they do best - grind, come off the wall, keep most chances to the outside and a Victo squad going all 1-3-1 on the Cats when they didn't trail.

The first period was very much a feeling out period. Two teams that are fundamentally similar - both teams have some particularly large guys on the back end - looking for a chink in the armor. The chink came in the second - for Victoriaville. It wasn't even so much of a chink, just the fact that Moncton won enough battles to draw a few penalties and they possess more natural skill, enabling them to place puck in net more frequently.

Brandon Whitney is a big boy in the Tigres cage... and it takes a very accurate shot to beat him. Essentialy, that's what all four goals were, particularly the first one, scored on the PP by Dimitri Jaskin (the 21st of the season and first of two on the game for the man the Cats picked second in the import draft). Thus begun a see-saw battle which saw Victoriaville tie things up four minutes later, Moncton score on the PP early in the third, Victo tie it up again four minuteslater and the Cats finally pulling away from the Tigres in the last 10 minutes, frustrating the visitors on more than one occasion (and oh, were they frustrated). Very workmanlike game for Moncton. It seemed to me that until the 3-2 goal, that was anybody's game. Moncton held the edge, but Victoriaville was edging closer and closer to stealing this game. Bottom line, this was a hard fought game between two like-minded teams with the more skilled and more consistent team (particularly in the latter stages of the game) coming out on top.

As for individual play, Jonathan Narbonne just flat out impresses me more and more. For contending teams, there's few components more crucial than a game controlling defenceman.. Not just a strong defenceman... not just a puck moving defenseman... a game. controlling. defenseman. That's exactly what Narbonne brings to this team night in, night out. From how he controls the breakout, how he sizes up the play in the neutral zone, quarterbacks the powerplay and uses both the wall and open ice with high intelligence makes him - for me - one of the most fascinating players to watch. I said last week that despite not being a big fan of going completely bat crap crazy in order to acquire players for a run, Danny Flynn is probably the guy I trust the most to build this team into what it should be in order to contend. Lo and behold, he got himself a difference maker when he picked up #15.

I know the three stars don't matter... but the more I say that, the more I wonder if that's not necessarily untrue. If anything, the star selection does represent the organization. Certain selections could paint a team in a less than positive light. Take tonight, for example. If I'm selecting, Phillipe Danault gets a star. Don't care if he didn't get a point, he was the best player on his team tonight. Simply put, he came to play. Not only that, his team kept pace with Moncton much of the night, holding the Cats at bay as best they could despite the differential in skill. Not giving that team a star after a game like that is kind of a slap in the face... and Danault showed me a few reasons why I'd love him on my team (which kind of contradicts my "don't sell the farm" mentality, but whatever).

Sags come to the cage tomorrow. Remember what I said about the Mooseheads pounding the crap out of the next team they faced after that loss in Moncton on Sunday? Well...

Let's see how the Sags rebound from their loss tonight... and how the Cats deal with the quick turnover. Like any determined person would say, "let's kick 'em while they're down, boys!"

As for Danny Chiasson and the UdeM Aigles Bleus (which is something I didn't think I'd be saying for at least another nine or ten months), they fell 4-3 in OT to St.FX, Danny being held off the scoresheet. They're back at it tomorrow, facing off against St.Mary's at 7PM at the JLL. Lots of great hockey taking place in town tomorrow... do partake, please.

And now this brief message...

This guy = literally doing it all this weekend.
I have a hard enough time writing about all the local teams... here's a guy playing for two of them!

Danny Chiasson, 20 year old Commandos center and leading scorer in the MHL will be taking his talents to Halls Creek, which doesn't sound nearly as luxurious as South Beach, but is a pretty noteworthy accomplishment nonetheless. Chiasson will be suiting up for his university team as the UdeM Aigles Bleus host the St.FX X-Men tonight at 7PM at the Levesque. Les Aigles, currently in fourth place, are looking to right the ship after dropping decisions to STU and UNB last weekend. The X-Men will be looking to stay ahead of UdeM as they come into the game in third place, nursing a slim one point lead over Moncton.

After that foray with his (presumably) future team, Chiasson will head back to the familiar confines of the AJL for a Sunday afternoon tilt with the Campbellton Tigers, aka the team he scored five points against in a home-and-home series a few weeks back. It's a 2:30 start at the AJL. As for the game tonight, I'm sure the fans at the Levesque will find out what all of us at the AJL already know... this kid is more than worth paying your way into the rink to watch. The author of this silly little blog wishes him the best of luck this weekend.

Thursday 29 November 2012

Yanick Jean, we hardly knew thee...

First off, he played for the Mobile Mysticks, which instantly makes him legendary...
This weekend, the Cats are back in action for two at the Coliseum. First up are les Tigres de Victoriaville, the team led by the man depicted on the really crappy, giveaway style hockey card above. That man would be Yannick Jean. He began his QMJHL career as a player, a offensive minded defenceman with Chicoutimi who played in the mid-90's. After sojourns through the lower minors (i.e. the banjo paradise that is Mobile, Alabama) and the good old Quebec Semi-Pro league, Jean came back to the Q as an assistant coach in Chicoutimi, patrolling the bench alongside the incomparable King Richard Martel. Then came his head coaching opening... and with that, the beginning of my habit of bashing this guy on air.

When Allain Vigneault left the PEI Rocket to coach the Vancouver Canucks just before the 2005-2006 season, the team went into a last second search for a new head coach. They opted to take a chance with Jean... and take a chance they did. The first time he ever coached a game in Moncton, he lost 3-1. The second time he coached a game in Moncton, he lost 13-4 and got booted in the second period amid a hailstorm of line brawls and Josh Hepditch hat tricks. Then there was the brawl he premeditated upon opening puck drop against Bathurst later that year. Oh, that scandalous Mr.Jean (whom I affectionately dubbed "Little Richard") was something. One thing he didn't seem to be, however, was a competent head coach.

For much of Jean's tenure behind the Rocket bench, I would go on air and criticize the man and his techniques. He seemed to make the wrong decision at the wrong time, grow frustrated incredibly quickly and invariably lose control of his bench. When he was let go by the Rocket early in the 07-08 season, I had the impression that his days as a head coach in general were probably numbered. I fully expected some team to pick him up as an assistant, nothing more.

In 2010, Jean resurfaced... this time as head coach in Victoriaville. I know I did a double take. Many of the female contingent of Q fans I know were thrilled to have their favorite piece of eye candy back and I very much took a "wait and see" approach. All he's done since his return to the league has been - more often than not - one of the better coaches in the league. He lead his team to an improbable sweep of the Titan in the first round of the 2011 playoffs and has seemed to get the absolute most out of his Tigres since his arrival (2012 playoffs notwithstanding). The man behind the bench now is hardly recognizable (in terms of mannerisms only) compared to the guy in PEI (speaking of the Rocket, I also wonder how much of the "thrown into the fire" scenario he was placed into on the island contributed to his end results... was he doomed from the start?). For a guy who once literally had just his looks going for him (my wife once commented that he should quit hockey and become an underwear model... and since I'm the guy who weighed the options of how pervy it would be to sneak into that Katy Perry 3D movie on my own, I have no right to contest that comment), he's come a long way. He seems to have funneled that "loose cannon" attitude into a deep rooted passion his players can relate to. His maturation has been great to see in a league that can sometimes still be a boon for recycled coaches.

He's now the kind of guy who can lead his team to a good, clean win on any given night... and that you have to respect. So Yanick, I'm sorry man. I've misjudged you. I wish you all the best in your continuation to polish that increasingly impressive coaching resume. Here's to a hard fought loss tomorrow night.

Wednesday 28 November 2012

I don't want to spoil the party...

In May, 2013, the junior hockey world - and if the current state of affairs is some indication, the majority of the hockey world - will be focused on Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and the 2013 Memorial Cup. The host team is the Saskatoon Blades, the one team - as is customary every year - that has had it's ticket to the big dance punched months in advance. As much of as luxury as that assurance is, there's also the other side of the coin... the team's overall expectation in the eyes of itself and the discerning public and it's performance leading up to it. Right now, the pressure stemming from those expectations has got to be antagonizing. Lorne Molleken's Blades currently stand at 12-12-0-1, tied for 12th overall in the league and second in their own division, 13 points behind Prince Albert. As a person whose followed a host team who finished first in the entire CHL in the regular season and still endured a ton of scrutiny, I can feel for him and his guys.

Here in Moncton, all of the pressure from being hosts is still relatively familiar. The Cats were handsomely rewarded for their efforts as 2006 Memorial Cup hosts, finishing first overall in the regular season, first in the CHL rankings, winning the President's Cup and going all the way to the Memorial Cup finals. Although they fell short of the ultimate goal, that year represents the most successful one in franchise history. And yet, if you were to ask me if it was my favorite season in the team's history, I'd be lying if I told you it was. In fact, I can think of two other seasons that I enjoyed more. One was 2009-10, when the Cats won the President's Cup before travelling to Brandon, Manitoba and going 0-3. The other was 1997-98, when a young Cats team mixed raw, unrefined skill with a thoroughly entertaining cast of characters to reach the playoffs for the first time, following that up with what could be considered a minor upset of Chicoutimi in the first round of the playoffs. The 05-06 season come next... and even then, it's a toss-up between them and the President's Cup finalist team of 03-04.

I should point out that I do not wish to come off sounding ungrateful. The work of those players as well as Ted Nolan and his amazing coaching and support staff should not go unacknowledged. The players and fans were treated to a hockey showcase that some franchises wait a generation or more to see. As a side note, I made my debut in the broadcast booth that season, an endeavor from which I'm still reaping the rewards.

The 05-06 team won 53 games in the regular season... however, each time the team would suffer one of it's 15 losses that season, there was usually some degree of concern, dismay or general uncertainty that came along with it. I recall one particular loss in early October - it might have actually been their first loss of the season - in which everything from goaltending to secondary scoring to depth of the blueline was questioned. This was a game in October... the team was something like 5-1... and I recall talking to some people the next home game in which they were questioning how well this team would represent the league as a host. You want to see irrational fans and crazy knee jerk reactions at the drop of a hat? Live in a Memorial Cup host city for a year... you'll see as wide an array of emotions as humanly possible.

Why did I enjoy the other two seasons above more than the ultimately more successful one? Simply put, the expectations in 09-10 were high, but alot more realistic. The general consensus from those I spoke to was the team was strong, they stood a good chance of winning it all in the Q (which they did) and let the chips fall where they may out west. One loss was not the end of the world. Sometimes it's how you approach a successful season that makes a difference, and in that case it most certainly did for me.

The 97-98 season was - simply put - good, plain fun. The team was entertaining, jumped up in leaps and bounds in the standings over the previous year, were young, aggressive (very much so at times) and played an entertaining style. Hell, Alexi Tezikov alone was worth the price of admission many a night. And finally, there were no tremendous expectations. That team was almost like an experiment of sorts... lots of new faces (including a new head coach), younger returning guys, an array of vets and two impact Euros (if you didn't think Jan Horacek was impact, you've never seen him play here). They weren't a top flight team, but an intriguing team... which made it all the more interesting to see how far the group would go. In the end, the team was up and down most of the year, hit it's stride in the playoffs, received outstanding goaltending from JF Damphousse (have to put a plug in there since I share a broadcast area with him two dozen times a year... he was great those playoffs, though.) and was narrowly eliminated in a dubious round robin format in round two of the playoffs. It remains the most gratifying second round exit I've ever witnessed. Once again, sometimes how you get there - and the atmosphere surrounding you as you make that journey - can play a very vital role in what you get out of the experience.

The Memorial Cup is one of those things that is an absolute thrill to anyone who's had their team of choice participate in it. Hosting it is a privilege and puts that team at a distinct advantage. They only have to be good for a week (a protocol many people I know disagree with in principle and those people have valid points) and build their teams accordingly (see the 2012 Shawinigan Cataractes), but although on one hand it's the greatest gift a team can receive, on the other hand it's a stressful scenario in which all of the primary people feel the weight of thousands on their shoulders. You get a free ticket to the dance, but you're wearing a five ton ball and chain along the way... and discriminating people from near and far will continue to add to that weight as time rolls on.

Fortunately for the Blades, there's plenty of season left. They can still get on a huge roll and strengthen their team though trades. However, I don't know how keen I'd be on attending a game at Credit Union Place right about now. I think the irrationality and scrutiny would cause me some discomfort. The team and their fans are in the easiest, toughest position in the CHL right now.

Tough job, this hosting business. Where's Alexi Tezikov when you need him?


Tuesday 27 November 2012

Guess they fooled us...

There's a reason why I'm not a scout. Last weekend, while watching the Wildcats battle the Halifax Mooseheads, I was reminded for about the 2,000th time in my hockey watching life why that is.

Back in 2009, I was part of the on-air crew from Rogers TV that covered the Atlantic major midget championships in Saint John. Watching the Mooseheads and Wildcats in recent years always reminds me of that tournament. In addition to the host Saint John Vitos, there were appearances by the Cornwall Thunder, featuring current Mooseheads Brent Andrews and Darcy Ashley, the St. John's Fog Devils, featuring Moose dman Steve Gillard (and - at the time - Cats prospect Zach O'Brien)... then there was the eventual tournament champions, the Moncton Flyers... featuring current Moose dman Trey Lewis, Sea Dogs blueliner Pierre Durepos and a pair of high scoring forwards... twin brothers Allain and Alex Saulnier.

At the time, I recall the bigger hype was around Allain. He led the league that season with 33 goals and 85 points in 35 regular season games. His brother Alex tallied 80 points in his own right, but for some reason many respectable people I had spoken with had Allain pegged as the most talented of the two. There was some talk about whether or not Alex could even make the jump to major junior. Of course, when you hear the same opinion enough times, one can become convinced of it. I remember driving home after covering the tournament finals and thinking "Yeah... that Allain is great... but I don't know how well Alex will succeed... if he cracks a major junior roster".

That June, the Wildcats played host to the QMJHL entry draft. In the fourth round, Moncton selected Allain Saulnier at slot #69. At that point, it seemed like only a matter of time before the Cats would call out Alex's name. Sure enough, in the very next round - at spot # 88, Moncton made their move and selected Allain's twin brother. Part of me was intrigued at the notion of having the talented twins donning the Cats uniform... however, that part of me that has the habit of both cynicism and listening to any and all opinions had the concern that these picks were one part dubious drafting, one part promotional stunt.

I repeat... the game is better off with me not being a scout.

Here we are, three full seasons removed from that hot June day at the Coliseum and the Saulniers have only put up over 400 points between them (Allain's nine in the past week earning him first star honors in the Q), played vital roles on the Wildcats PK corps and can claim (up to this point) a President's Cup ring each, won as rookies in 2010. They also wear the "C" as co-captains on this year's team while playing more often than not with an intensity that is palpable all the way up to the press box. This is without mentioning the fact that they have - for much of the last two seasons - carried this team offensively while playing the role of two of the most noteworthy ambassadors the franchise has ever known. My only (frivolous) knock on them is one beyond their control... they are way too easy marks for three star selections... however, I suppose when you're that good, it's the type of thing that comes with the territory.

The twins have shown how far commitment and determination can take a person in this world - both sporting and non-sporting. They're also a great example of the success you can achieve when you don't put a great deal of stock into the opinions of some. Since the heydays of their midget careers, they have proven alot of people wrong... and for that, the fans of Greater Moncton are ever so grateful.

Monday 26 November 2012

Is four a crowd?

On Saturday afternoon, I took in the question & answer period held at the Coliseum featuring Gilles Courteau. The primary topic of conversation between fans and commish was easily the state of officiating. Talks of seemingly blatant missed calls, inconsistency, even vague suspicions of homerism (or non-homerism, as it were) were discussed. For his part, Mr.Courteau handled these questions and concerns with grace and as sympathetic an ear as he can afford to lend. One solution that the CHL has toyed with according to the commissioner is the notion of a league-wide centralized pool and training ground for officials, making their jobs within hockey a full time position as opposed to the part-time job it currently is. One of the drawbacks to this notion, of course, would be the ability for all three leagues to come to terms with the finer details of this proposition, mainly the logistical and financial side of the agreement, particularly from those representing smaller, less centrally located markets as this proposal would require the backing of all teams. From where I sat, the perception I was under was that this sort of restructuring would be many years away at best.

In the meantime, the QMJHL muddles on as best it can with the rules as they are laid out before them and the officials they have. However, is there some sort of solution that could somehow improve both the quality of the work from the men in stripes as well as their ability to develop into more competent, confident arbiters in their own right?

I should stop at this juncture and make it perfectly clear that I respect the job these men do night in and night out. These are people with full time jobs during the daytime, sometimes rushing to get to the rink for their assigned contest, casting authority over two teams of fast, aspiring teenage boys coached by men that are more and more becoming products of some form of the professional ranks in front of thousands of rabid (not to mention impatient, when it comes to them) fans. They barely have time to prepare to call a game in which they are both bound to miss or misinterpret what they see in front of scores of discerning people. It's a totally thankless job in which I wouldn't want to do for scads of money and they should be applauded for their efforts far more than they actually are.

On a couple of occasions, while still a commentator for News 91.9, the topic of officiating and how to improve it came up on air. The suggestion I had brought forth on those occasions was to modify the officiating structure in the league to what it once was before the CHL-wide mandate on four official games were implemented, where either one referee worked each game or - when possible- two referees on nights when the schedule was lighter. However, when two officials are working one game, it should be assured that a relative newcomer is paired with a veteran.

Of the three major junior leagues in Canada, the QMJHL has the lowest hockey playing population base of which to draw from. It would stand to reason, therefore, that the per capita number of officials would be similarly skewed. Therefore, it's probably a safer bet that year after year newer officials are being brought up very quickly in order to compensate. Referees that have relatively little experience at this level can sometimes be put into four official games as the "senior" ref... which essentially means the two men making the rulings on the ice have the potential to lose control or make errors in judgement more readily. This begs the question, when is bringing up these arbiters quickly considered to be "too quickly".

Perhaps some streamlined process could be implemented whereby once officials reach a set number of games, their responsibilities can be increased. That way, the requirement to gain experience as quickly as possible is diminished and the overall confidence (as well as competence) level of these men could only be more firmly established.

Each league tries to keep their base rules as uniform as possible. With rare exception, teams are capped at three 20 year old players each. No team can have more than two European import players playing in any one game. Each league's entrance age (once again, with rare exception) is 16. However, many other major facets of the game can vary from league to league. Where the WHL and QMJHL follow the no-touch icing rule, the OHL does not. Rules regarding fighting and general violence vary from league to league. Protected lists and draft regulations also vary. The leagues differ in these rules based fundamentally on what each league feels will serve their own greater good the best. There is no reason to believe that modifying the two referee rule in the Q wouldn't serve that same purpose.

As previously stated, these guys are working men first, referees second. They love and respect the game as much - if not more - than you or I. By making a modification to the rules such as curtailing the number of four official games, I think in some ways it would allow the game to alleviate the quickly intensifying pressure the newcomers to this level of officiating experience as well as improve the overall quality of the game for everyone from player to coach to fan. Just as importantly, it would allow the league to reciprocate that level of respect all referees have for the sport. On the surface, it would appear as a slap in the face to the men in stripes... in my opinion, it would be an encouraging pat on the back, allowing them a comfort zone they are currently not afforded.

In the eyes of many, the refs are always wrong... what harm would it do to employ fewer "wrong" people if it could lead to the betterment of the league's on-ice product?

Sunday 25 November 2012

Wasn't that a time?



3-0 shutout over the top team in the CHL... outshooting them by a nearly 2-1 margin... basically allowing nothing other than play from the perimeter for pretty much the entire third... just as I expected. Minus all of the above, of course.

Let's get one thing out of the way right off the bat... the Moose didn't bring their "A" game... maybe they gave it up in lieu of toll money at the Cobequid Pass. But I'd like to think that everyone who was in the Coliseum today and knows even a smidgen about the league realizes that the Halifax Mooseheads are still a force to be reckoned with... and I suspect the next matchup between these two teams (December 15th in Moncton, for the record) will be a little more hotly contested. I also feel for the Mooseheads' next opponent (Chicoutimi, Friday night at the Metro Center) as I suspect they will be incurring some sort of wrath that directly relates to today's game.

Now that the preamble is out of the way, that was the best game the Wildcats have played all year at home. The game against Blainville-Boisbriand on November 3rd (also a 3-0 win) came close, but the fact that the Cats shut down not only the Moose in general, but in particular their top two forwards (Nathan McKinnon and Jonathan Drouin were a combined -1 with zero shots) with authority was particularly commendable. All four lines bottled up the Moose for the first two periods, then with the bench shortened, the Cats stayed the course in the third, working the 1-2-2 to perfection, winning the battles along the wall and showing tremendous patience with the puck in all three zones (maybe a little too much patience on that extended powerplay sequence in the third, but I digress). If I was to guess, that would have to have been the most technically sound game the team has played since sometime in the 2009-2010 championship season. Much like the second period and latter stages of the third against Baie-Comeau, the Cats went into "veteran mode" and did pretty much everything well to frustrate the Moose. When required, Alex Dubeau made a handful of big saves, none bigger than a big glove save from in close off the stock of Stefan Fournier in the second period. If he can gain some traction from games like this and find some confidence and consistency, maybe the biggest question mark for this Cats team could answer itself. The only two homes games in which I've seen (almost all of them) where he hasn't allowed a weak goal have been the two shutouts. Games like today keep me holding out hope... for now.

Long story short, today was the sort of game that would make any coach, player or fan proud. As much as the Moose didn't threaten, the Cats simply didn't give them much in the way of opportunities for long stretches as well. Seeing the Moose fourth line out there for Dominique Ducharme for much of the last couple of minutes told the story of the game. The big guns were simply not firing for Halifax and the frustration on their faces was evident. It was just one of those games.

Also, thank you to whomever picked Jonathan Narbonne for the hardest worker award. I'll assume you were reading this blog yesterday and took it to heart (which I'm sure you didn't).The Moncton dman was, for my money, the most consistent player on the Coliseum ice this weekend.

Another weekend home stand coming up for the Cats, with Victoriaville arriving on Friday night and Chicoutimi visiting on Saturday. Play like they did today (and for about 30 minutes yesterday) and it wouldn't be outside the realm of reality to see this team on a five game win streak (and winners of eight of their last nine) by this time next week. Time to make hay while the sun shines.

Elsewhere, the Moncton Flyers picked up where they left off before winning the Monctonian, winning 4-3 in OT over Miramichi. League leading scorer Alex Bradley got things going for the Flyers, but the Rivermen held tough, weathering a barrage from Moncton, who led on the shot clock by a 44-24 count. Michael Poirier's goal at 4:54 of OT proved to be the difference maker as the Flyers improved to 13-2-1 on the season, retaining a healthy six point lead over Saint John for first overall in the league standings.

The Commandos get an extended vacation this week, not playing again until next Sunday, December 2nd against Campbellton at the AJL. Dieppe will be looking to break a two game winless streak while Campbellton will be looking to exact revenge over the Commandos, who defeated the Tigers in a home and home a week and a half ago by a combined score of 13-6.

Another busy weekend of hockey on the horizon... this really is the most wonderful time of the year.

Saturday 24 November 2012

... Because it's only fair if everyone gets to play!

I'm tired of fishing that puck out of the back of the net... how 'bout you give it a try?


Well, this afternoon's game at the Coliseum was interesting... sometimes for really wrong reasons, though. The Cats won 6-5... that statement alone would probably make Danny Flynn wish he could grow more hair just so he could pull it out.

The first period today reminded me very much of last night's Summerside/Dieppe game inasmuch as the visiting team absolutely took the play to the home squad... closing off the boards, forcing mistakes, hitting the line with speed and being very opportunistic. Alex Dubeau was around for the first 20 minutes and had a 3-1 deficit for his troubles... and to be honest, that trouble was a good portion of his own doing. The first goal was flat out weak. I know some people would question Allain Saulnier's coverage of Gabryel Paquin-Boudreau in front of the net on Baie-Comeau goal #2... and that is totally valid. Saulnier never took the stick or the body. However, the goal took place right in my line of sight and I can tell you something else that I saw (or didn't see)... that would be Alex Dubeau not reacting to the rebound that Boudreau cashed in on. Third goal was a deflection that he couldn't be faulted for, but it was plain as day #31 for the Cats was simply fighting the puck throughout the first period. For the start of period number two, enter Cole Holowenko.

And enter a completely amped up Cats squad. I have a feeling, based on Flynn's mannerisms on the bench during the timeout he called after the 2-0 goal, that the discussion during the first intermission was a repeat of the second intermission in Cape Breton. If so, he should start laying into them in pregame, because it worked once again. Moncton popped home four in a row, erasing the deficit and looking like a well oiled machine in the process. Passing was on, the numbers were there down low and Baie-Comeau basically backed off as their defense faced a steady stream of pressure and quick, accurate puck distribution... and if the actions of their head coach Eric Veilleux was any indication, they lost focus. One thing I love about the Cats is watching them operate down low when they are skating and passing to their capabilities... in particular, the top two lines. They can move the puck from left to right with the best of them and if they want to give the opposition a different look, they can send a Melindy or a Narbonne or a Racine in deep. They are incredibly strong on the puck when they want to be. By the end of the period, Drakkar goalie Philippe Cadorette was out, Simon Lemieux was in and we had the rare occurrence known as the four goalie game. Everybody gets to play!!! Yay!!! It should be noted that Cadorette could not in any way be faulted by the five goals he let in, I felt Veilleux made absolutely the right move in yanking him just for the sake of getting him out of there. Sometimes it's just what you have to do.

The third was a microcosm of the game itself, featuring excellent cross-ice passing (Yannick Veilleux's goal), poor net front coverage (Zykov's goal) and physical presence (Ross Johnson basically pounding on Gabriel Verpaelst until his hands got sore). The Cats shut things down for good in the latter two minutes of the game - in fact, their resiliency after Zykov's goal was the sort of thing that makes a veteran team a veteran team, in my opinion - and they walked away with two points in yet another example of why not playing 60 minutes will someday come back to bite this team.

Someday could be tomorrow as the Cats face off against Halifax tomorrow at 2PM. Halifax comes in not having played since Friday which - along with having a stronger lineup - should play to their favor. However, Baie-Comeau played their third game in four days today so turnabout is fair play for the Wildcats, one could say. A first period like today for Moncton could become a failure of biblical proportions against the Moose.

As an aside, I understand why this whole "Dickies hardest worker" (aka the fourth star) is given at the end of the game. It's pure promotion and has no bearing on anything... however, just like the three stars, I feel it should be given to the player who actually worked the hardest... throughout the game. That being said, can somebody tell me why Allain Saulnier was picked today? I understand he had four points and played a large role in the comeback, but everything leading up to his first goal wasn't exactly what I'd call "hard working". In fact, his lack of effort in front of the net directly led to the second Baie-Comeau goal (see above). He took two potentially costly penalties in the first period as well. As much as I appreciate both Saulniers and what they (usually) bring to the table every game, that was a misplaced accolade. That is one award that shouldn't be based strictly on points (or who you are). For my money, that award went to Jonathan Narbonne this afternoon.

Elsewhere, UNB walked into the Levesque tonight and should be on their way home by now... as long as they didn't have any issues getting those two points on the bus. 6-2 for the V-Reds over the Aigles in a game that followed the blueprint of last night's Commandos' game... one that should've been exciting but wasn't.

Meanwhile in Pictou, the Commandos get a point for their efforts, but fell 7-6 in OT to the Weeks Crushers. Connor Wilkinson, who probably deserves to kick each of his teammates in the ass if the shots totals are any indication, stopped 44 of 51 Crushers shots in a valiant effort. As has been the case a lot lately, the scoring for the Commandos was spread out; five different goal scorers (led by Zack Cahill's brace), five multi-point guys and nine players total with at least a point. Scoring six and losing is not one of life's great thrills, but for a young defense playing their second game in as many nights with a day of travel in the middle, stuff like this is just going to happen. It's all part of the learning curve. Now it's a long period of rest for Dieppe, who aren't back at it again until a week from tomorrow when they face Campbellton at 2:30 at the AJL.

Also, if you're in front of a TV, Sportsnet is showing a pretty darned entertaining AHL tilt between Milwaukee and Chicago.Gabriel Bourque (Milwaukee) vs. Yann Sauve (Chicago). Good stuff... and once again, it's not the NHL.

When you're right 52% of the time, you're wrong 48% of the time.


The funny thing is, I didn't predict a score... I didn't predict a winner... I just predicted exciting hockey. And by god I couldn't even get that right!

The Summerside Western Capitals basically came into the AJL last night, seemed like the only team out there at times, and left the rink with two points, beating the Commandos 5-1 and running their win streak to eight in a row. Thank you, come again! For their part, the Commandos did what they could to make a game of it in the second but just seemed out of sync. No team in the league hits the opposing blueline with the speed of Caps. They don't dump and chase much (except for a soft dump from the blueline)... they just come rushing in, get the two man forecheck going and, if it can be attained, throw a third body towards the fringe as well. At times, especially in the first, the Caps were skating headlong into Dieppe territory with such reckless abandon, I had to look closely to make sure there wasn't a Black Friday sale taking place around Connor Wilkinson's net. For Wilkinson's part, he made a few tough saves and couldn't be faulted on any of the goals, in my opinion... Jacob Riley was sharp all game as well for the Western Capitals.

The problem with facing a top team is that when they're locked in, only another top team can really handle that sort of pressure for prolonged stretches. Unfortunately for the Commandos, that puts them at a disadvantage this year... but it will most likely be rattling around the backs of their heads the next time these two teams meet up on January 24th at the AJL.

In the meantime, Dieppe travels to the all new Pictou County Wellness Center today for a 7PM tilt with the Weeks Crushers. The Crushers inaugurated their new home on Thursday night, losing 6-2 to the high flying Truro Bearcats. This is the fourth and final meeting between the Crushers and Commandos and as the latter stages of their last matchup in Dieppe showed, there's certainly no love lost as scrums began breaking out and thing got particularly heated at times. That's all I will say about this game. Don't ask me who wins or if it will be a good game. All I will tell you is I'm 100% sure it will be played in the New Glasgow area (which means I will not be in the least surprised if this game somehow gets moved to Antigonish).

I might have been onto something when I asked the question "how with STU fare on the road against an Aigles Bleus team they nearly beat at home? Because they answered that question with a 4-1 win over U de M at the Levesque, their first win of the year against 12 losses. By all accounts, U de M carried the play for much of this game as the 47-21 shots advantage would indicate but Tommies goaltender Jonathan Groenheyde was a wall, and their received timely scoring, led by a three point effort from Jonathan Bonneau, the guy PEI Rocket fans probably still refer to as "Jimmy's little brother". So the Tommies are now 1-12... but taking even a cursory look at their roster, I don't see how. There is some talent there... guys who were great major junior players (or in the case of former Commando Nick Brown and Slammer Robert Zandbeek, great Jr.A players). They aren't exactly the most prestigious collection of players in the AUS (that team plays a few minutes away from STU), but they aren't "1-12" bad, either. One of those strange but true things, I suppose.

U de M has essentially zero time to think about last night as they play host to #2 ranked UNB tonight at 7PM... which begs me to ask the question... despite the disparity in shots and based on what little info I know of the game, did U de M really dominate and run into a hot goaltender? Or did they merely control the play territoraly and made life easier for Jonathan Groenheyde with many less than quality scoring attempts? Keep in mind, I'm not saying this is the case as I was not there... but based on the fact that les Aigles were facing an 0-12 team one night, immediately followed by the top team in the league, I think it's a completely legitimate question. If anybody who reads this was at that game last night, leave a comment telling me how you saw things play out. I welcome your analysis.

Cats and Drakk face off today at 3PM at the Coliseum... the Cats are looking to build off their 4-2 come from behind (aka ugly) win in Cape Breton on Wednesday, while the Drakkar are looking to feed off their 3-2 OT win in Charlottetown last night. Of course, the Drakkar are in the land of the living in the QMJHL standings for the first time since 2007-2008, the year they and Moncton pulled off The! Best! Trade! Ever! in the history of the Wildcats... a trade that must be broken down into two parts.

First, Moncton sent star forward Matt Marquardt to Baie-Comeau that Christmas for the Drakkar's first round pick in 2009 (not 2008, when it would've been bottom five...) and a then-somewhat unknown defensive defensemen whom Danny Flynn was quite high on named David Savard. Of course, everybody who follows the Q now knows who David Savard is... particularly after he lead all dmen in scoring in the 2009-2010 season and followed that up with a CHL Defenseman of the Year award and a stint on the Columbus Blue Jackets blueline. That first rounder in 2009 (which wound up being the fifth overall pick) was used by the Cats - with the draft held at the Coliseum, no less - to select winger Raphael Bussieres. Bussieres cracked the Cats lineup at 16 before being sent back to Midget AAA sometime in November. He was back in the league within a month... when he was traded to Baie-Comeau straight up for a guy who was already well known to junior fans at the time. That guy was named Gabriel Bourque, who was gearing up for a stint with Team Canada at the WJC at the time of that trade, experience that probably served him well in the Cats 2010 President's Cup championship, in which Bourque and his 19 goals were named QMJHL playoff MVP. So from that initial deal five seasons ago, the Cats hauled in the top dman in the CHL and a playoff MVP. I'll take it.

For Bussieres' part, after a couple decent seasons with a mediocre Drakkar team, he ended up playing a key role in their huge upset of Victoriaville in the first round of the playoffs last year, followed that up by being drafted - rather surprisingly in the opinions of some - in the second round of the NHL draft by Minnesota and in many a game report this year has been tagged "best player on the ice"... for either team. Good for Bussieres, who has had to shake more than a couple of bad reports on his game and attitude. Just goes to show that people can grow up and not everything may always been as it appears... and for the Drakkar, it just goes to show that patience really does pay off.

So, here we go again. It should (key word should) be a great day for exciting hockey in Greater Moncton... and if it's not, don't blame me. I'm just some random guy behind a keyboard.

Friday 23 November 2012

An open letter to those in Greater Moncton who are irritated by the NHL lockout

Actual, real live hockey. Now with 100% less collective bargaining... Coming soon to a rink near you!!!


To Whom it may Concern,

Hi there, I'm Will MacLaren. You might remember me from such shows as Wildcats Hockey on News 91.9, The MHL on Rogers TV, and Gladys, the Groovy Mule. I understand many of you out there are irritated, frustrated and just flat out mad over the seemingly never-ending impasse between the NHL and it's Player's Association. A good number of people have voiced their displeasure to me personally (because we all know I have the power to do something about it). I'm here today to tell you the best way to help close the emotional wounds the game's highest level have laid out within you - suck it up... and go catch a game at the local arena of your choice. If ever you were pondering such an action, this is the weekend to make good on your decision.

You can head down the the Arthur J. Leblanc arena in Dieppe tonight to watch the Commandos play host to the Summerside Western Capitals in a 7:30 start. The Caps are battling on a nightly basis with Truro for first overall in the MHL standings while sporting a seven game winning streak, while the Commandos - taking a four game win streak into this game - find themselves anywhere from third to seventh on any given night due to the incredibly close records of all mid-pack teams in the league this year. These two teams have already met four times this season, with three of those games going into OT or a shootout. The only other game was a one goal affair with an empty netter. Then there was last spring's division semi-final series between these two, which saw the Commandos go up 2 games to none before Summerside came back from four goals down in Game 3 to win 5-4 and essentially never look back, winning the series in six. The Caps have the clear advantage on paper, but Dieppe always finds a way to make things interesting against Billy McGuigan's squad.

Elsewhere, U de M plays their first of two weekend games tonight at 7 against St.Thomas. Les Aigles come in at 7-3-2 and a #7 ranking overall in the CIS, while St.Thomas continues to search for their first win of the season at 0-12. The Tommies made a game of it between these two during their last meeting a couple weeks back... can they do the same on the road?

On Saturday, the Cats are back at the Coliseum, facing a well balanced Baie-Comeau team that sports the fourth best record in the Q, six points out of first and only one point behind division leader Quebec. No doubt the Drakkar are a bit PO'd over the 6-2 beating they took at the hands of the Mooseheads in Halifax Wednesday night, but hopefully they take most of that frustration out on the Rocket tonight in Charlottetown. This game will be played at 3PM in lieu of the Greater Moncton Santa Claus Parade taking place that evening.

Of course, for those of us who prefer Simon Lacroix to Santa Claus, les Aigles are back in their nest Saturday at 7PM for a much higher stakes matchup as they face #2 ranked UNB. The V-Reds are neck and neck with Acadia for first overall in the AUS at 9-3 coming into this weekend's action while U de M sits just two points behind. This game could be a turning point in the season for either squad as the Christmas break approaches, so unless you'd rather watch with baited breath to see which parade floats loose a few decorations at the "subway" overpass, perhaps a trip to the JLL is in order. There's nothing quite like the atmosphere at the Levesque when U de M is involved in an important matchup.

Not to be outdone, Sunday afternoon offers up arguably the Wildcats' biggest test of the season thus far in terms of individual games as they face the #1 ranked team in the CHL, Nathan MacKinnon and the Halifax Mooseheads (Sportsnet told me to say it like that). The Moose are simply looking to stay above the crowd and as healthy as possible for the balance of the season (which, by the way, it a hell of a lot tougher that I just made it sound) while the Cats are looking for both valuable points with which they can climb into the upper echelon of the league standings while at the same time using this game (and this weekend as a whole) as a gauge to see how they stack up against the dominant teams in the league now that they've seemed to arise from the funk they found themselves in for the first six weeks of the season. Start time is 2PM at the Coliseum.

Finally, if you'd rather watch the junior stars of tomorrow, head on over the the 4-ice center (or Red Horton's Tim Ball CN Dundee Sports Complex Internet Center... whatever it is) to watch the Moncton Flyers take on the Miramichi Rivermen at 1:30PM. The Flyers are fresh off their Monctonian win - the first for a local team since the 1984 Coca-Cola Flyers - and are looking to maintain their hold on first place in the league, four points over the Charlottetown Islanders with two games in hand. I'd tell you to watch for scoring star (and Commandos territorial pick) Alex Bradley if you're in attendance but you'll probably pick up onto who he is within a shift or two. Guys who average over two points per game (34 in 14 league games so far this year) tend to have that effect.

So there... four local teams, all having successful seasons (or in the case of the Wildcats, recent success), all facing local rivals in meaningful games. So if you've been following the lockout closely and are tired of whining and crying (Habs fans... and I am one so I'm allowed to say it), watching you're team play in the AHL (Oilers fans) or making threats of physical violence against all concerned parties (Flyers fans... or Chris Chelios), do yourself a favor and support any and all of these great local organizations... because right now they hold something over every team in the NHL. They're actually playing.

Regards,
Will

Thursday 22 November 2012

Sometimes it just takes 20 minutes...

Start winning battles for the puck....... NOW!!
... because based on everything I've heard from multiple sources, that's what it took to beat the Screaming Eagles in Sydney last night, scoring three in the third to beat Cape Breton 4-2. I was out and about and not near a radio and therefore was relying on updates from people at the rink. They said basically the same thing Danny Flynn came out and said in this morning's paper - it was an ugly win for Moncton. I'll assume this is fate turning the tables on Moncton after losing a game they probably could've won more often than not last Friday night, the 5-4 home loss to Val d'Or. Although there were chinks in the armor versus the Foreurs, it's pretty evident the effort was more prevalent in that game as opposed to last night. The Euro + Deruelle line was the most consistent on the night, while the top line took matters into their own hands in the third (after what Allain Saulnier called a poor performance over the first two periods) and brought home the W.

Things started off well enough for Moncton as they built up a sizable lead in shots, got on the board about nine minutes in on Ivan Barbashev's sixth and went bananas on the bench after David Haas (whose father David won a Calder Cup with the 1993 Cape Breton Oilers) won a decisive tilt over Blake Millman (who would not return to the game as a result of being disoriented after the fight). Everything after that until the buzzer sounded to end the second was pretty fugly. What impressed me about this game the most based on everything I heard and read was the fact that after Danny Flynn apparently offered suggestions for improvement during the second intermission in - how shall we say? - less than affectionate terms, the team went out and played full out. I'd rather win a game like this after the team gets a kick in the pants and responds as opposed to just fluking it out in the end on lucky bounces and chintzy goals. Plus, if the team was going to show up for only one period, I suppose the third would be the one I'd choose as well.

Cats are back in action Saturday at 3PM against a Baie-Comeau team that saw their consecutive points streak end with great decisiveness, falling 6-2 to Halifax at the Metro Center. This is the first time in a long time the Drakkar have had to face adversity like this... and the old adage is when you're on a long road trip, getting the win in the first game is pretty key. Let's see how those variables work out at the Coliseum this weekend.

Finally, in Dieppe tomorrow night come on down to the AJL (or listen online to that suave voice of the Commandos... forget the lad's name) and watch what might be the best hockey you see all weekend in this area, as the Summerside Western Capitals - currently on a seven game win streak and first overall in the MHL - face off against a Commandos team searching for their fifth win in as many tries and trying to bring some separation between them and the plethora of teams in and around them in the overall standings. As Reg Dunlop would say, "It's gonna be a dandy!"... which is probably the least interesting thing Reg Dunlop said in that movie, but you get the point.

Wednesday 21 November 2012

On tap for tonight... aka, the day the Q made CNN

Happy 10th anniversary to this!

The Wildcats cross the Canso Causeway to the Republic of Cape Breton tonight for a 7:00 tilt with the Screaming Eagles, one of five games on the Q sked tonight. As important as it is for Moncton to do all they can to claw their way up the standings, the game I'm most interested in seeing the final result of tonight is Baie-Comeau at Halifax.

Baie-Comeau begins their swing through the Maritimes (which hits Moncton Saturday at 3PM, incidentally), having procured at least one point over the course of their last 15 games. They currently rank third overall in the league and eighth in the CHL rankings. It's their most successful season since 2007-08, when they capped off a stellar regular season by... well, ya know. That season they also partnered up with Moncton to pull off the greatest trade in history... for the Wildcats! That's something that will be brought to light later on this week.

For their part, the Moose are still first overall in the Q and the CHL rankings. Baie-Comeau sits four points behind them (albeit Halifax does have a game in hand). This is the closest thing to a four point game the Moose have had to play so far this year and their reaction to it - as well as seeing how the Drakkar stack up against the uber-talented Halifax squad - is something I look forward to seeing.

Of course, Baie-Comeau has had it's share of battles with Halifax in the past... the biggest being a brawl-filled match that occurred 10 years ago last week, which featured 518 penalty minutes, 20 game misconducts and coverage on TSN, Sportsnet and even CNN. Of course, the Quebec government didn't intervene the same way they would after Jonathan Roy went all Patrick Roy on Bobby Nadeau a few years down the road, but because of those rulings, this game from 10 years ago might as well have been 110 years ago. In today's kinder, gentler QMJHL, there would Ron Artest-like suspensions out of this game were it to happen now. I'm not even saying that's a terrible thing... but it goes to show how quickly things can change.

As a postscript to that game, the top ranked Drakkar and Mooseheads would face off in what was then the Dilio Conference finals that spring. Baie-Comeau would take series leads of 2-0 and 3-2 before bowing out to Halifax in game seven at home, 7-1, sending the Moose to their first ever QMJHL final appearance. On John Moore's broadcast that night, he mentioned during the postgame wrapup that Drakkar star forward Joel Perrault was still sitting on the ice, in tears, propped up along the boards. The zamboni had to drive around him.

Tonight's games in Sydney and Halifax are a great opener to what's shaping up to be a stellar hockey weekend in the Maritimes... stay tuned!

Oh, and to the person who corrected me on PEI being in a 10 year rebuild... I considered the 06-07 season, where the Rocket finished a few games over .500 before being upset in seven games by Bathurst. Isn't that considered a "go for it" year for the Rocket?

Tuesday 20 November 2012

My love/hate relationship with the "go for it" year

Tomorrow, the Wildcats travel to Cape Breton to face off against Alexandre Lavoie and the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles. I say "Alexandre Lavoie and the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles" because the aforementioned Mr.Lavoie is third in the whole great big friggin league in scoring! His 40 points (in 24 games... which is seven fewer than he scored in 65 games last year) is three less than... Josh Currie! He's tied with the league lead in scoring along with linemate Ben Duffy. If you picked Currie and Lavoie to be in the top 3 in scoring... stop lying. You're so full of s*** it's not funny. As an aside, I've always liked Josh Currie... it's great to see him play against the rest of the league the way he usually saved only for Moncton, or so it seemed.

Speaking of Moncton, this year has been unofficially tagged as a "go for it" year... which in theory makes sense. The team is now three seasons removed from their most recent President's Cup victory. They are - on paper - strong at all three positions, including one of the very best groups of 20 year olds in the league, a dynamic duo of European forwards and solid - if unspectacular depth - at defense. On paper, the team was pegged to finish top four in the league, challenging superpowers Halifax and Quebec on a nightly basis.

Instead, the team that looked solid on paper has stumbled on the ice. The goaltending has been good for at least one bad goal almost every game... the defense is coming along, but was a comedy of errors at times for most of September and October, and the offense has been either come and go, or playing games like Saturday night where they score four, but are still out of sync enough that - combined with other factors of varying degrees- they walk away empty handed. Again, on paper (on paper, on paper, on paper... really getting tired of saying that) this team should add a couple depth defensemen, maybe a couple guys for the third line that could put up 30-40 points and a "1A type goaltender" that can both push and compliment Alex Dubeau.

One problem with all that... it costs a pretty little penny to fill holes like that. A penny that the Wildcats may have a tough time coming up with (and I don't mean Ryan Penny, either... although he could be a future in some deal, I suppose).

I should stop right now and say this - this Wildcats team is talented and should by rights be situated higher in the standings than they actually are. This team is more the group we've seen in November than it is the team we've seen in September and most of October. As well, having a guy like Danny Flynn in your organization is as valuable as any player on the roster. His savvy as both a coach and a GM serves the organization as good or better than most others in the league at those positions. He literally made every single right move in bringing the 2010 President's Cup Champion team together and I have complete confidence in him that if anyone can do it here this year, he's the guy I want pulling the strings.

However, the need for depth at all three positions should be a concern, particularly defense and in net. What kind of depth? Well, last time around, Flynn brought in Alex Wall to play on the third pairing. Third pairing because he was behind last years top scoring dman in the AHL, the 2010 CHL defenseman of the year and a former 1st overall pick in the Q draft. By comparison, the following year he was the second dman on a very strong Quebec team. If he was here this year, Wall would probably be the 2/3 guy, battling along with Racine and Narbonne for one of those three spots. To me, that's very telling. In today's Q, you need the horses on the backend... and if a horse goes down, you need to have the bodies to shuffle things around and keep moving forward. There's plenty of potential throughout the Wildcats defense corps, but how much of that potential is going to be capable of stepping up this year if circumstances require it? Not saying they can't, but I am saying it's a huge question mark as of today. It'll either cost you assets to solidify... or it'll cost you if you take the gamble on what you have to work with now and it fails.

In nets, maybe things take care of themselves with the addition of Cole Holowenko. If they don't, there might as well be a ticking time bomb in that 4'x6' opening at the end of the rink. You can't play Dubeau to death (see Will, Roman) and you need someone ready to step in on a moment's notice if injury or grossly inconsistent play rears it's ugly head toward the number one guy. You don't really need a top flight starter type guy... but you need one who could be starter for a stretch if that's what it comes down to. Right now - much like the "potential depth" on defense - it's a huge unknown whether or not that exists... and it'll cost you  (or cost you, as the case may be).

Up front, the top two lines are set... Maybe you bring in another top 6 guy and shuffle the rest of the lineup... maybe you upgrade the offense on the third line. Keep in mind that on the 2006 team, guys like Brad Marchand, Matt Marquardt and Jerome Samson spent time on the third line that year... some with regularity... those guys are not on this team in that capacity. Omce again, lot's of guys who are likable, work hard, pitch in occasionally on offence and would be welcomed by any team in the league. Only problem is, on the very best teams, they're probably not on the third line. Is this last upgrade an out and out requirement? Not necessarily... but a little insurance never hurt any team... and insurance will cost you.

So, it's not any great big piece the Cats could use... it's a number of somewhat smaller ones. Then there's the other aspect of this team... that would be the owner... and he wants to win - badly. It's common knowledge that his team's inability to be the first Maritime based franchise to capture a Memorial Cup really stuck in his craw and if anything, it's going to prompt him to perhaps request all measures - no matter what the cost - to be taken for this team to be a winner. When that happens, things can get tense and expectations start getting very heavy... and then you could run into a situation like 2000. I remember the expectations being very palpable in the rink that year, from January onward. Now, expectations are an excellent thing most times... that year, it made things very uneasy... almost like everyone on the team was looking over their shoulders, anxious to get results and playing to not lose instead of playing to win. Also, the next two seasons after that were no picnic, either.

So, what does Moncton do? Do they scrap things and start the PEI Rocket-esque six year rebuild (not likely)? Do they continue to tinker, ala the Narbonne trade, trying to get serviceable (but not star) guys on the depth chart for minimal cost? Or do they sell the farm, drain the bank account and try and get fair value on the farmer's daughter (she has all her teeth... she's a keeper by golly!)?

I'm hoping for #2 but am afraid #3 could rear it's ugly head, leaving Moncton with a depleted lineup for the next few years and no first round picks until the days of Allain Saulnier, Jr. I also hope this doesn't disrupt the front office of the organization either, as the best guys available to rebuild this team are here already, trying to build a winner now. It's going to be an interesting next two months. This whole operation could be in for one wild ride and the decisions that are yet to be made will undoubtedly alter the course of this organization well into it's 20th anniversary season and beyond.

I'm just ever so thankful someone else has to pull the strings.

Monday 19 November 2012

Is anyone down here taking notes?

OHL Hockey... coming back to this building
Congratulations to the city of North Bay Ontario, who learned today that they will be back in the OHL for the 2013-14 season as the Brampton Battalion will be packing their bags and moving 350 kms up the road to North Bay, who lost their first team, the Centennials, to Saginaw, Michigan in 2002.

As well, congratulations to the OHL for recognizing that the experiment in Brampton just wasn't working (and that's a 15 year experiment we're talking about... and I'd like to think it only lasted that long because that's the length of the lease the franchise signed with their arena, the Powerade Center) and allowing a town who will actually give a damn about the team to get another kick at the can (that doesn't take them off the hook for the brutal idea of allowing Mississauga to host the 2011 Memorial Cup, however). The Q went to Greater Montreal 7 times, seemingly forcing the issue to the point of exhaustion (they appear to have the right idea with the latest franchise - the Armada - in Blainville instead of the Bell Center). Junior teams in Edmonton, Winnipeg and Greater Toronto (Brampton will become the third OHL team to vacate GTA in five years) have all packed up and moved on at one time or another. The OHL made the best of a bad situation and allowed the franchise to move at the earliest possible opportunity - giving the North Bay ownership plenty of time to form a well thought out marketing strategy - and for that they should be commended.

Which brings me to my next point... one much closer to home. If one of the most lucrative junior leagues in the world can have the foresight to realize there are more lucrative solutions than always trying to inundate the league's largest market with their product, why can't the MHL do the same?

The MHL seem to have this bizarre obsession with making a team in Halifax Regional Municipality work. As a person that represents a team that in itself has a ton of both hockey and non-hockey competition, I can appreciate the struggle that the Metro Shipbuilders are going through. A team and it's representatives really have to get creative to make things work in HRM... and the entertainment competition is even stiffer there than in Greater Moncton.

Earlier this month, we saw the town of Digby embrace their role as host of the CJHL prospects game plus an exhibition game during the World Jr.A Challenge festivities. The arena was packed to see a team full of players with no particular attachment to the town (and vice-versa) play a level of hockey that smaller communities habitually identify closely with and whose franchises those towns covet.

Using Digby as an example, they have a rink that can hold roughly 1100-1200 fans, they would create a natural rivalry with both the Yarmouth Mariners and the Bridgewater Lumberjacks, they would be undoubtedly more tightly embraced by the community than the Shipbuilders are in HRM and they would increase the economic viability of the league as a whole. Frankly, it could only be an improvement from the unfortunate situation facing the Metro at this time.

It doesn't necessarily have to be Digby, either. Barrington has been used as a neutral site for MHL games in the past. Port Hawksbury has possibly the most state of the art arena in the region. This area is not prohibited by any particular lack of attractive alternate venues that could increase the profile of one of it's communities as well as better line the league's coffers.

That is, of course, if they're open to suggestions...

"Looks like somebody's got a case of the Mondays"

I'd also like to speak with you about your flare.

For as long as I can remember, I've heard people complain about Mondays... "I hate Mondays", "Monday's suck", "Looks like someone's got a case of the Mondays", etc. I've never for the life of me understood why. It's a day, just like yesterday was, just like tomorrow will be. It's the first day of the work week for many but really, what's the first day of the work week other than a few days away from Friday. You've got to start somewhere... Monday just got the crap luck of being that starting point. I'm sure I've had more bad Wednesdays in my life than Mondays. Maybe I like what I do for a living more than the average person. Maybe I don't use days of the week as a conversation piece or a reason to vent. Who knows... but as of now, I'm less of a Monday person. Why you ask?

Ever blog about local hockey on a Monday morning? Sunday's a wrap... there's really nothing much to talk about until midweek at best. Since it's November, baseball talk is pretty much out of the question (except for Melky Cabrera possibly moving his stash to TO... wonder if Clemens left any good stuff behind a false wall in the locker room? If Melky is spotted at Rogers Center with a map and a crowbar we might get our answer.) Also, talking about the NHL is kind of pointless since they no longer feel the need to play games in November. I could go off on a number of topics regarding - but not directly related to - the subjects I discuss on here, but I'd rather conserve those for a rainy day. I'm also not much of a football fan (I'll watch, but I haven't been an overt follower since Steve Young was a big thing in San Francisco) and NASCAR just isn't my idea of a good time (It's barely my idea of a bad time).

However, come the weekend there's gonna be a whole whack of stuff to talk about. Both the Wildcats and Commandos face arguably their biggest tests starting Friday. Moncton actually gets it started on Wednesday when they face a Screaming Eagles team at Center 200 that has been known to give them fits at times over the last few years. After that, it's back home for a twofer versus Baie-Comeau on Saturday and Halifax Sunday. The Drakk have collected at least one point in each of their last 15 games while the Mooseheads are merely the top ranked team in the country right now, one of those teams that can beat you with an average effort and make you cry for mommy with a good or better one. Should be a whole lot of fun... plus the Santa Claus parade goes down somewhere in the middle there, a delight to most anyone (I like it because everyone else is downtown and I'm home with a drink, basking in the disheveled hermit lifestyle I've come to know and love).

For the Commandos, they warm up on Friday against Summerside. And when I say "warm up", I mean "get thrown into the fire" since Summerside is: a) one point out of first overall in the league b) gearing up to compete for a national championship, c) tremendously skilled and d) probably aware of the fact that Dieppe defeated them in their own barn the last time the two teams met. Personally, I love the games against the Caps. Summerside is a consistently strong team in the MHL, but they always seem to bring out the best in the Commandos. These two teams always make life interesting for one another, what with the plethora of OT games, assorted comebacks and just the fact that it's two good teams duking it out. Most games (in Dieppe anyway) are high tempo, high compete level, physical without being too greasy and thoroughly entertaining. I love calling the Caps/Commandos games because they essentially call themselves more often than not. Plus, I've learned that the person behind the Caps twitter account is reading this, which I appreciate. Told you I'd be nice to your guys... I'm not such a bad guy once you get to know me... I'm just a harmless hack.

After that, it's off to the brand spanking new Pictou County Wellness Center for a date with the Weeks Crushers... the same Crushers team Dieppe came from behind to defeat 5-4 in OT eight days ago thanks to a late third period double minor called against Jason Malone's squad. Now this is a game that could get ugly as tempers began to flare as that last game progressed. I also find it odd that by November 24th, the Commandos and Crushers will complete their 4 game regular season set. They've only faced the Tigers and Slammers twice this year by comparison. Meh... one more longer road trip out of the way I guess... and it's only a one gamer at that. Just remember to being a backup bus this time.

Guess there was more to talk about than I thought. Mondays just got a little bit better. Now, time to complain about the weather...


Sunday 18 November 2012

The Dieppe Commandos would like to inform you that sometimes two points feel like about eight

And this guy would like to inform you that it's a long way to the top

Today's matchup between Dieppe and Bridgewater was one of those games the Commandos on paper should've won. And that they did, coming out on top 6-1, looking good in the process and vaulting two positions in the Meek Division standings, from fourth to a tie for second (it's now a tie because Miramichi just won in Truro, since Truro has decided running away with the division really isn't that fair to the other kids). With the exception of a couple of stretches in the first half of the game in which they refused to clear the puck out of their own end under any circumstances, Dieppe was solid at all positions. On an afternoon where Bridgewater's defense was consistently backing off in their own zone - especially while shorthanded - the Commandos did a great job of exploiting that extra real estate. The also did a great job of capitalizing on a good number of their best scoring chances, something that was a problem earlier in the season.

Defensively, Justin MacDonald - the 18 year old in a 20 year old's body - pretty much controlled the game anytime he stepped on the ice, moving or rushing the puck whenever one or the other was required, the best example being the springing of Zack Cahill on a breakaway that led to Dieppe's 5th goal (Cahill actually went one-for-two on the breakaway today after failing to convert on a second period opportunity).

Connor Wilkinson was sharp virtually all game, the only chink in the armor a shot from along the boards from Luke Warner that he'd probably like to have a mulligan on. Wilkinson shook it off however and battled the rest of the way, making a handful of key stops both when the game was close and when it was not. My color commentator, Frank Robidoux, noticed when the score was 5-1 that Wilkinson was playing with the focus of a goalie in a scoreless game and that pretty much sums it up perfectly.

On another note, it was great to see a handful of Lumberjacks fans who made the roughly four hour trek to get there, part of a father/billet father trip put on by the team. Unfortunately, they watched their boys lose both games on the trip by a cumulative 16-2 score (Amherst beat them 10-1 last night). As tough as that had to be, give credit the Lumberjacks for putting on a very worthwhile excursion. Lumberjacks stay in 5th place in the Eastlink Division and have the final playoff spot firmly in hand as the Metro Shipbuilders - procurers of two wins so far this season - are probably more interested with not folding midseason than anything that takes place on ice right now.

Next up is the Summerside Western Capitals (aka the 2013 RBC Cup host team, aka Billy McGuigan's Flying Circus). The Commandos will be looking for consecutive win number five and more importantly, will be looking to distance themselves from the other 12 teams (or so it seems) that are within two points of them.

Elsewhere, congrats to the Moncton Flyers on capturing the Monctonian AAA Challenge, ending a 28 year drought. They defeated the highly touted Mississauga Steelheads 3-1 in the semis, turning the tables on the GTA squad after losing to them in the round robin. They then downed the Valley Wildcats 3-2 in OT to capture the tourney. By the same token, it was great to see Valley - a team that usually gets overlooked trying to compete with strong AAA programs in other corners of the province - reach the final. Commandos' 2012 territorial pick Luc Eagle picked up an assist for the tournament champs in the final.

Finally, I was looking for Lumberjacks star forward - and former Gatineau Olympique - Jacob Conrad on the ice the entire first period to no avail. He was not a scratch, but also wasn't on the bench. He got into the game in the second period... right after having dental surgery performed! I know people who take half a day off work to have a friggin cleaning done! Somewhere, Eddie Shore is smiling... and tying a goalie to the crossbar at the same time.

So does this mean we have to like the Flyers now?

Raise your hand if you thought in August the man who could potentially end the lockout was Flyers owner Ed Snider. Even though you're reading this for several miles away, I know you're hand's not up. However, this appears to be the case according to several media outlets. Maybe he finally feels a degree of shame for ever unleashing the Flyers on the mankind to begin with and this is his way of making amends? Although I haven't really missed it, having the NHL back is nothing but a positive for a number of reasons... that being said, if Ed Snider ends up playing a key role in ending the dispute, a part of me will be disappointed because I always wanted him best remembered for this (#9 on the countdown but the rest is pretty stellar as well):


So if Snider helps end the lockout, do we have to start liking the Flyers? Or just tone down the level of hatred?

Commandos host Bridgewater today at 2:30 at the AJL. Dieppe looks to make it four wins in a row and potentially vault from fourth to second in the Meek Division. Bridgewater is looking to shake off a nightmarish night in Amherst (I wonder how many times the phrase "nightmarish night in Amherst" has been said over the course of time?). Not doing anything else today? Not a big Christmas shopping fan? Go to the rink.

Saturday 17 November 2012

What do you mean it won't be as easy as the last game?

Last night's 5-4 Val d'Or victory over Moncton last night was flat out frustrating for any number of reasons. If I could do some power point presentation or bring out the sock puppets, I would find a flashier way to explain it. Unfortunately, Blogger has yes to master the "sock puppet application feature", a travesty in this, the 21st century, so point form it is.

- The shots were lopsided and the territorial advantage was in the Cats favor. Nothing more frustrating than popping eight past your opponent one night then running into a hot goaltender the next. I mean, when one sucks they're all supposed to suck, right? The confidence from the night before (8-3 win vs. Rouyn-Noranda) was clearly there early on, with the Cats taking an early 1-0 lead and a 7-0 advantage in shots in the initial stages. Then it got a little tougher, not only because Francois Tremblay made a few excellent saves, but...

- Passing wasn't as crisp on a few occasions last night. Want to know what gives me fits when I'm watching a game? Bad passing... and last night wasn't the worst I've seen, but it wasn't the best. The game against the Huskies was a lesson in proper passing procedure as given by the Wildcats. Last night was a regression... soft passes, passes just off the mark, no look passes, a couple when two players were almost perfectly parallel (and standing still), and trying to move it up with two or three opposing sticks in the lane. Not every pass is going to be tape to tape, but at least give yourself a fighting chance and be aware of who the pass is heading towards before you dish it off... and do everything you can to make it a pass your intended receiver can do something with. It got a little nonchalant at times last night.

- There was seemingly less dump and chase in this game... as if Moncton - a bigger, physical team in their own right - was trying to take that game away from an equally physical Val d'Or team. This edition of the Wildcats plays better when they dump, chase and cycle... protecting the puck with their bodies and grinding it out along the wall until an opening appears for a scoring opportunity. That wasn't happening as much last night.

- Val d'Or shut down the Cats PP. There were not many moments in that game where there wasn't two white and green shirts getting very up close and personal with the guys on the point for the Cats. They also played their angles about as well as you can for being that far out to challenge. Once again, to go from 5/8 on the PP one night to 0/5 the next can be frustrating... but as Danny Flynn has said before, special teams come and go. The Foreurs made sure they went away quietly last night.

- Simply put, Val d'Or capitalized on probably 80% of their breaks in the offensive zone. I was watching them in warmup last night and although I'm familiar with the players on the roster, none of them - save Anton Zlobin - stick out as a star player in this league. It's definitely scoring by committee, as evidence by their having 5 players with at least 11 goals so far this season. No big names, just a group of decent players who consistently capitalize. And last night they converted on almost everything... and at the best possible times as well.

That felt like the type of game the Cats probably win 8 times out of 10... however, it would probably be one of those games where if they did win, it wouldn't be quite as satisfying given some of the finer points mentioned above. Please note the word "referee" was not mentioned once in relation to the outcome of that game in the above synopsis (that being said, the third Val d'Or goal should've been waved off in my opinion... but at least we got to see a mini-meltdown from Alex Dubeau. I love goalie meltdowns!).

On another note, the Foreurs' blueliner (and Fredericton product) Matt Murphy is quickly becoming one of my favorite defensemen in this league. He does not look at all look like a 17 year old, both physically and in terms of game play. As well, I wish the Cats could find a way to get Kris Hodge in uniform on a nightly basis. Given the makeup of this team, I totally understand why he's sitting out, but for my money, he just does too much out there to keep him in the stands, and I will be disappointed if he (or Stephen Johnson) get shipped out at Christmas if this becomes the really gross "go for it at any and all costs" season I'm afraid it might become. Finally, to all those who picked Kyle Haas to score (and unbelievably, I do know one person who did)... hope you bought your lottery tickets for last night.

Elsewhere, the Commandos went into Campbellton and quickly built a four goal lead after 20, cruising to an 8-4 win, their third in a row. The Chiasson/Graham/Blanchard line kept tearing it up with a combined 12 points (4 each) and captain Ryan Langan popped two for the cause as well. After a bit of a lull a couple weeks back, Dieppe appears to be heating up once again... as evidenced by their bus apparently catching fire on the way home last night as per head coach Jeff Leblanc's twitter. Sounds like everyone is alright... probably just really tired and cranky this morning. I know I'm always tired and cranky after a drive from Campbellton... and that's taking all fires out of the equation. Commandos get back at it Sunday at 2:30 at the AJL against Bridgewater.

Also, the Monctonian continues today with one more round robin game followed by playoff action. Semis and finals go tomorrow. Crowded stores and parking lots, or watching some great midget players in action? I know what I'd choose... if I could... stupid grocery list.




Friday 16 November 2012

Wildcats home game #11, in which the Cats entertain the fascinating Foreurs

Another night, another game. This time the pride of Abitibi come to town in the form of a Val d'Or team that's been jockeying for position in the standings with the Cats for the last few weeks. The Foreurs come to town in 11th place overall, but just four points behind Moncton with a game in hand. In all fairness, Moncton has been pulling away as of late, but the nature of the two clubs should lead to an entertaining contest. Both teams play a similar style, so I'm expecting a physical affair tonight... and unlike last night, it should be hard hitting on both sides. Speaking of which...

According to Rouyn-Noranda coach Andre Touragny, his Huskies have a bout of sickness running through the team. That would explain a great deal of what transpired in last night's game, with the Huskies clearly not playing to top speed. However, that doesn't take away from the fact that the Huskies are still a relatively small team overall. It's tough to win with smaller teams... just ask the last two editions of the Wildcats (who were rebuilding yes... but a lack of size didn't help matters). Rouyn isn't "8-3 bad" vs. a team like Moncton and everyone knows it... but do they have the horses for a long playoff run? Probably not right now, in my (amateur) opinion.

Back to the Foreurs. If there's a visiting team that I like the most, Val d'Or might be it. For a long time, I thought it was an unhealthy fascination with the color green, but it's really more than that.

During their best seasons, they usually employ a core of players whom I enjoy watching. First, it was JP Dumont, the very underrated dman Mathieu Letourneau, Benoit Dusablon and Steve Begin plus some goalie (what was his game? Lugano?) from the '98 Presidents Cup team. The '01 team was hard not to like with super sniper Simon Gamache, Brandon Reid, Stephane Veilleux, David Cloutier, then 16 year old netminder Maxime Daigneault and Miramichi's finest (not to mention Mike Ribeiro's best friend), one Kory Baker. Even the '07 team, though friends of mine in Cape Breton will disagree, was interesting to watch at the very least with the likes of Kris Letang, Brad Marchand (can't dislike him... he served the Cats too well) and company. Plus I can't not like a team that employs Jerome Samson. So in terms of teams, I've always found their best ones to be fun to watch, with (for me, anyway) likable players.

Then there's the town and the rink. I have to admit, I've never had the pleasure of visiting the Centre Air Creebec... but I'd be lying if I said it wasn't on my bucket list. The place is just so intriguing. For the best synopsis from a visitor's perspective, follow this link with a write up by fellow blogger and arena maven Kevin Jordan. Kevin's comments pretty much sum everything up. They are probably the best and most fascinating definition of "small town team" in the CHL. Aside from that, what makes the fan base in Val d'Or... ummmmmm... stand out would be the tale of one game early in the history of the Halifax Mooseheads in which someone in crowd up in Val d'Or threw a totally real, honest to goodness severed head of a moose (the animal, not the athlete) onto the ice. That's a story I've heard from a few sources, but the man who has told it to me best is probably Commandos head coach and former Moncton Alpines/Wildcats defenseman Jeff Leblanc who as a 16 year old rookie was heading to Val d'Or for a game with the Alpines shortly after the incident with Halifax took place. I think he's still in disbelief over it nearly two decades later... anyone really blame him?

Finally, the Foreurs (and their then head coach Richard Martel) are the masterminds behind this classic moment in Wildcat history:


Two things: Firstly, I miss Richard Martel. The Q needs more colorful characters like him in it. Secondly, what a thug that JF Damphousse was. It's always the quiet ones... remember that.

In other news, the Commandos go for three in a row in Campbellton tonight, the Monctonian is in full swing this weekend and with the mention of Centre Air Creebec, an arena of the same vintage saw it's last Jr.A game last night as the Pictou County Weeks Crushers played their final contest at the John Brother MacDonald Stadium last night. Like the Bridgewater Arena and Amherst Stadium, it was just a classic Jr.A rink and a fun place to watch a game. The Crushers christen their new home, the Pictou County Wellness Center on November 22nd when they host the Truro Bearcats.

Also, I'll talk more about the lockout in two weeks.

Thursday 15 November 2012

Is it still run and gun when only one team is running (and gunning)?

No Huskies zone
For the first three shifts of tonight's game at the Coliseum between the Cats and Rouyn-Noranda, the Huskies really impressed me with their speed, their aggressiveness and their ability to hem the Cats in their own zone.

For most of the next 60 or so shifts, that feeling pretty much went away.

Tonight's 8-3 Cats' win reminded me a lot of the two games Moncton played down here a couple weekends ago. Maybe not a 60 minute effort, but certainly a 50 minute one. Once the Cats discovered they could beat the Huskies along the wall and that their speed and strength could overcome the speed with lack of strength on the Huskies, the game was determined. Time and time again, being cut off at the pass along the wall, Rouyn would try to break out up the middle and simply end up shooting themselves up the foot with poor passing, lack of patience or lack of communication. Included among this was what I believe was the first time I recall seeing an outlet pass up the middle that actually bounced off an official and became yet another turnover for the Cats at the Huskies' blueline. Essentially, several moments of this game looked like this (with all apologies to Mr.Huddy)

The Huskies this year remind me of the 97-98 edition of the Wildcats. Most of their top players are in the 17-18 age group with a sprinkling of vets added in. Also, it's a team that is largely devoid of playoff experience. That Wildcats team could go on long winless streaks as well as healthy winning streaks, finally ending around .500, reaching the second round of the playoffs before bowing out. I could see a similar fate in Rouyn-Noranda's future, only with a better record when all's said and done.

On the Cats side, they won race after race for the puck and simply didn't give it up once they had it (mainly because they weren't challenged much of the time). Despite a first goal he'd probably like back, Alex Dubeau nonetheless made a few key saves while things were still close and the entire defense corps were in the habit of showing patience with the puck and looking before passing. In particular, Fredericton product Brayden Wood continues to impress me more and more each game as his rising confidence and steady but not flashy play continues. Up front, Yannick Veilleux might as well have gone out with a can of spray paint during powerplays and wrote "Yannick's spot" in the slot as he was given enough space there to raise a small family. Two goals with the man advantage and a five point night easily got him first star honors as everyone from one to twelve up front did a great job working the wall, switching gears and pressuring Huskies' defensemen. Kris Hodge in particular keeps giving Mr.Flynn plenty of reasons to keep him out of the stands. Oh, and you know you've had a successful Euro draft when your second pick is pushing 20 goals in mid-November. Tomorrow the Val d'Or Foreurs make their way into town. Big, physical vs. big, physical team. Should be a fine old time.

Oh... and did I hear the name "Moncton Alpines" announced over the PA tonight??? I had no idea such careless antics were allowed!

Elsewhere, the back end of the Commandos/Tigers home and home goes down tomorrow at 7:30 in Campbellton with Dieppe hunting for win number 10 on the season as well as their third in a row. Finally, if you have a couple hours to kill over the weekend, do yourself a favor and take in part of the annual Monctonian AAA tournament. Keep an eye out there and take names... you'll be seeing a lot of those kids out there today in the Coliseum again in the coming years.