Post by Score on Nov 24, 2007 10:40:14 GMT -4
Rocket, Drakkar see each other less
Teams play one of two meetings this season tonight
CHARLES REID
The Guardian
The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League changed many things when it expanded in 2005.
It added squads in Newfoundland and New Brunswick, offered more chances for players and coaches to reach the pros and pumped cash into local economies.
But it cut the divisions from three to two and halved the games between Atlantic and Quebec teams.
P.E.I. Rocket forward Geoff Walker sees no problem with that, as the Rocket (10-13-1) welcomes Baie-Comeau (17-6-0-2) tonight into the Civic Centre. Game time is 7 p.m.
“No, I think it’s good now. It’s equal. They don’t know us, we don’t know them. They get one here, we get one there. It’s good the way it is. It cuts down on a lot of travel,” Walker said after Rocket practice on Friday.
It’s the first of two meetings this season. Overall the Rocket is 8-4 against the Drakkar since 2003, including 5-1 at the CCC.
The Drakkar lands in P.E.I. for the second game of a three-game road set in Atlantic Canada.
On board is Francois Bouchard, a second-round pick of the Washington Capitals in 2006, who led the league last season in scoring with 125 points. He’s tied for 19th overall this year.
Walker is second on the Rocket in scoring (34 points) and tied for eighth overall, but Baie-Comeau has vexed the 20-year-old winger.
In six career games (including two with his former team in Gatineau), Walker’s tallied just one assist, 12 shots and 12 penalty minutes.
“I expect a real tough task. They are good defensively and they have some explosive players up front that we’ll have to watch. We’re going to have to play a team-game to get that win,” said Walker.
Rocket head coach Guy Chouinard would prefer to face the Telus Division squads more, if only to decipher a team’s tendencies.
But he knows the game now is about playing to his team’s strengths rather than exploiting the opponent’s weaknesses.
“(Myself) and people I’ve worked with like to know what a team can do, what we can do to counter or prepare against a team. (But) the reality now is it’s more of what your team will do and let (the other team) worry about the way (you play),” said Chouinard.
And travel is a problem. For instance, a three-game Rocket road trip through Quebec in October had it log 3,030 kilometres in six days — a 505 kilometres per day average. But Chouinard sees some logic in the league’s scheduling.
“It’s probably to create more rivalries in the cities that are closer. Plus, it’s always, I think, money issues. Having Baie-Comeau come here four times and us go to Baie-Comeau three or four times is way more expensive,” he said.
All meaning less time on the bus, a more appealing prospect for Walker.
“If you’re down here, you really don’t want to be making trips up to Rouyn (Noranda) four or five times a year or down to Baie-Comeau or something like that.”
Game notes:
Expect to see Martin Latal teamed with Walker and Brett Morrison while Chris Doyle lines up with Matthew Lachaine and Jan Kana. The move is being made to ramp up Latal’s offence. The speedy winger hasn’t scored since late October (eight games) and has just two points in his last nine games . . . Rocket defenceman Bryan Main missed practice Thursday because of a sore ankle. He skated Friday and should pencilled in for tonight’s game.
Teams play one of two meetings this season tonight
CHARLES REID
The Guardian
The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League changed many things when it expanded in 2005.
It added squads in Newfoundland and New Brunswick, offered more chances for players and coaches to reach the pros and pumped cash into local economies.
But it cut the divisions from three to two and halved the games between Atlantic and Quebec teams.
P.E.I. Rocket forward Geoff Walker sees no problem with that, as the Rocket (10-13-1) welcomes Baie-Comeau (17-6-0-2) tonight into the Civic Centre. Game time is 7 p.m.
“No, I think it’s good now. It’s equal. They don’t know us, we don’t know them. They get one here, we get one there. It’s good the way it is. It cuts down on a lot of travel,” Walker said after Rocket practice on Friday.
It’s the first of two meetings this season. Overall the Rocket is 8-4 against the Drakkar since 2003, including 5-1 at the CCC.
The Drakkar lands in P.E.I. for the second game of a three-game road set in Atlantic Canada.
On board is Francois Bouchard, a second-round pick of the Washington Capitals in 2006, who led the league last season in scoring with 125 points. He’s tied for 19th overall this year.
Walker is second on the Rocket in scoring (34 points) and tied for eighth overall, but Baie-Comeau has vexed the 20-year-old winger.
In six career games (including two with his former team in Gatineau), Walker’s tallied just one assist, 12 shots and 12 penalty minutes.
“I expect a real tough task. They are good defensively and they have some explosive players up front that we’ll have to watch. We’re going to have to play a team-game to get that win,” said Walker.
Rocket head coach Guy Chouinard would prefer to face the Telus Division squads more, if only to decipher a team’s tendencies.
But he knows the game now is about playing to his team’s strengths rather than exploiting the opponent’s weaknesses.
“(Myself) and people I’ve worked with like to know what a team can do, what we can do to counter or prepare against a team. (But) the reality now is it’s more of what your team will do and let (the other team) worry about the way (you play),” said Chouinard.
And travel is a problem. For instance, a three-game Rocket road trip through Quebec in October had it log 3,030 kilometres in six days — a 505 kilometres per day average. But Chouinard sees some logic in the league’s scheduling.
“It’s probably to create more rivalries in the cities that are closer. Plus, it’s always, I think, money issues. Having Baie-Comeau come here four times and us go to Baie-Comeau three or four times is way more expensive,” he said.
All meaning less time on the bus, a more appealing prospect for Walker.
“If you’re down here, you really don’t want to be making trips up to Rouyn (Noranda) four or five times a year or down to Baie-Comeau or something like that.”
Game notes:
Expect to see Martin Latal teamed with Walker and Brett Morrison while Chris Doyle lines up with Matthew Lachaine and Jan Kana. The move is being made to ramp up Latal’s offence. The speedy winger hasn’t scored since late October (eight games) and has just two points in his last nine games . . . Rocket defenceman Bryan Main missed practice Thursday because of a sore ankle. He skated Friday and should pencilled in for tonight’s game.
