PEI - Halifax Season Opener

[inky]

my guess is 5-3, in favor of the rocket

[rocketfan44]

A homeopener win would be awesome after last year's blowout against Lewy. I'm going to go with a 4-3 Rocket win, need to take the hometown team.

Happy to see Lafleur is back and will be dressing for tomorrow night's game.

[Steve]

4-2 Moose, Yetman stands on his head and steals this one...

[IslandersHKY]

Season of expectations
CHARLES REID
The Guardian

That experience matters is not a minor statement in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and when the puck drops in the P.E.I. Rocket home opener tonight at 7 p.m. at the Civic Centre, a pair of Rocket veterans begin what’s likely their last campaign.
So Brett Morrison and Charlottetown’s Geoff Walker, who came into the QMJHL together in 2004 with Gatineau, truly understand what maturity on the ice means.
“We’ll be relied on for some offence and that’s good though. We’re two 20-year-olds, two leaders on the team. That’s what our job is,” said Walker, who potted 30 goals and tallied 80 points last season with the Rocket.
Walker joined P.E.I. at the 2005 trade deadline after a season and a half with the Olympiques. He played just two games in 2005 after a 45-game, 17-point rookie season.
With discipline problems and at odds with Gatineau head coach Benoit Groulx, Walker was shipped to P.E.I. for Alexandre Boivin and a sixth-round draft pick.
And since landing on P.E.I. he’s done nothing but produce, racking up 45 goals and 106 points in 99 games and backing up the six-foot, three-inch, 225-pound right winger’s second-round Q draft selection.
Because of an invite to Toronto Maple Leafs rookie camp, Walker hasn’t skated with the Rocket since a late August pre-season shootout loss to Halifax (Walker had a goal and an assist), but he’s impressed after returning to practice Thursday.
“I think we’re going to be a contender for the league. I saw in The Hockey News the other day we’re rated fifth in Canada so we’re rated that for a reason,” said Walker, who skated on a line with Morrison and Maxim Cliche Thursday. “I think if we go out there and do our game plan and work hard we should be fine.”
And, now in his fourth year, Walker still has butterflies.
“Opening night’s (there’s) always jitters. It’s always a new team, it’s a new year with a lot of expectations for yourself, for your team. Opening night’s always jitters no matter who you are.”
But Morrison, a fifth-round draft pick of the Anaheim Ducks at the 2007 NHL draft, isn’t nervous about opening night.
“Not really. It’s my fourth year in the league, I’m pretty used to it. I’m excited to get started. It’s been a long (summer). I’ve been here since August (and I’ve) been at two camps basically,” said Morrison, who spent last week at the Ducks rookie camp in California.
The Howie Centre, N.S., native, came over from the Olympiques at Christmas last season in what was considered around the league as a trade coup by the Rocket.
P.E.I. sent goalie Ryan Mior and defenceman Pierre-Marc Guilbault to Quebec for the centre, who’s averaged 61 points over three seasons, defenceman Benoit Gervais and a third-round pick in 2008.
Like Walker, production hasn’t been a problem for Morrison, tallying 34 points in 28 regular season games and 16 points (half goals) in seven playoff games with P.E.I.
The deep and young Ducks sent Morrison back to junior earlier this week and after skating with the Rocket, he likes what he sees.
“I think we’re going to have a good team this year. I want to go really far in the playoffs. I think we have quite a bit of experience.”
And he’s not worried about lag time from travelling across the continent.
“No, I don’t think so. It’s just pretty hard going from one camp to another. You get pretty tired after that, (but) I’ve had some days to rest.”
Defenceman Pierre-Luc Lessard, also a former teammate of Walker and Morrison in Gatineau, will wear the captain’s C for the season.
The 19-year-old Thetford Mines, Que., native earned the nod, said Jean, for his reliability and dressing room presence. “(He’s the captain) because he commands respect. He gets along with everyone in the room,” said Jean. “He has lot of experience because he always played on winning teams.”
Gervais and Morrison earned assistant captains. Gervais will play with his injured right hand in a brace. He skated in P.E.I.’s final two two pre-season games with a cast.
Rocket goalie Antoine Lafleur returned from the New York Rangers rookie camp Thursday night and is expected to start tonight. The Rangers snagged the 19-year-old in the second round this year.
Backup Marc-Antoine Gélinas gets the call if Lafleur sits.
Last season, Lafleur set Rocket goaltending records for wins (27), beating Ryan Mior’s 23 set in 2004-05, goals-against-average (2.97) set by Mior’s 3.71 in 2005-06 and tied Mior and Sébastien Nolet with three shutouts, both set in 2003-04.

[bois]

Someone should tell Mr Reid it's definitely the last campaign for Morrison and Walker.. as they are both overagers..

as for the game tonight predicting a Rocket win

[Krang7]

Haha, I never noticed that the first time through. The Guardian coverage of the Rocket is getting better... but really, do a little research.

[juniorcormier16]

didn't know the game will be on eastlink tonight

[freddy]

I see the Moose winning 4-3

[juniorcormier16]

The moose can't even take a hit with out starting a fight as we seen last time the moose were in town should be a very interesting game all the vets in the line up for the rocket not really sure whos all out for the moose going to be a kick ass game GO ROCKET GO

[canbeer]

juniorcormier16 said:

The moose can't even take a hit with out starting a fight as we seen last time the moose were in town should be a very interesting game all the vets in the line up for the rocket not really sure whos all out for the moose going to be a kick ass game GO ROCKET GO

Says the fans of a team that started a line a brawl when Morrison got hit last game in the forum. Voracek, MacMillan, Pridham, Lund and Bodnarchuk are all out for the Moose I believe, everyone else should be dressed.

[1barney22]

PEI's Roster for tonight

Lafleur
Gelinas


Swit
Deighan
Lessard
Malouin
Southorn
Gervais

Morrison
Walker
Schmidt
Doyle
Kana
Cliche
LaChaine
Locke
Wright
DesRoches
Paynter
Main

Sitting out are Street, MacLean and Clow

[Steve]

captainmoose said:

4-2 Moose, Yetman stands on his head and steals this one...

Close enough...I'll take the win ;D

[Score]

Solid game tonight despite the outcome.

Moose put a solid effort despite being without some top guys...

Ref was rotten, but not the reason the boys lost.

Positives about tonight for me:

Jan Kana:
This 17yr old kid is awesome. What a pickup in the Euro draft. Hard worker, LOVES the corners, LOVES to throw the big hits, and as Bona seen tonight he is able to stick up for himself. Went off bloodied.
Also, kid's skilled.


Bryan Main:
BOOOM......another hit by Mainer!
Every time Main was on the ice tonight, the Moose knew about it. Laid out a few solid hits, and I LOVE him up front. Hit, Hit, and hit again.


Rocket are not the biggest team, nor the toughest. However, no team will be able to push this team around as past years with players like Main, Paynter, Kana, Gervais, Wright.........
Not huge guys, but all guys who can take care of businenss.......and love to do so.


Hats off to Hali, but it's one game right?

[hockeydog]

terrible effort by most of the rocket. with the exception of walker, main and maybe a couple others. please tell me lafleur was tired and let 3 bad goals in because of it. morrison, was well, awful. looked very tired as well. doyle did nothing, has to pas the puck. but, is only 1 game, so i mam sure it will get better, so long as the bad goals stop

[BenCurtis]

admin said:

Jan Kana:
This 17yr old kid is awesome. What a pickup in the Euro draft. Hard worker, LOVES the corners, LOVES to throw the big hits, and as Goyens seen tonight he is able to stick up for himself. Went off bloodied.
Also, kid's skilled.

It wasnt' Goyens, it was Bona. And Bona went off bloodied, cause Kana punched him with his glove on.