Post by dogcatcher on Jan 26, 2008 7:42:21 GMT -4
Dogs surprise with potent offence
QMJHL: Saint John sits second in the league in goals scored with 195 thus far
Andrew Mcgilligan
Telegraph-Journal
Published Saturday January 26th, 2008
Appeared on page C14
SAINT JOHN - From the start of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League season, one thing was certain for the Saint John Sea Dogs - the team was going to play solid defence.
With several blue-chip prospects on the blueline, the team had a solid foundation on the back end. The question that surrounded the club was whether it had enough scoring depth. In fact, head coach and general manager Jacques Beaulieu said it was a main concern heading into the year.
Skip ahead 47 games and a funny thing has happened to Saint John on the way to the top of the East Division standings. The team started filling the net.
Saint John is among the top offensive units in the QMJHL with 195 goals scored, second only to the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies heading into Friday's action.
Records have fallen this season including most goal in a game (12) and points in a game (six). So why has Saint John been so successful putting the puck in the net?
Beaulieu said the answer is three fold.
First, is the addition of two 20-year-old point producers in Scott Howes and Alexandre Picard.
"Having them on the second line this season makes us that much better," Beaulieu said. "They've got good hockey sense and get pucks to the net."
Since joining forces on a line, the duo has produced points at a steady pace. Howes is second in team scoring with 55 points, including 29 goals while Picard has racked up 45 points in 35 contests.
Picard recently recorded his 300th QMJHL point in a 5-4 win over the Drummondville Voltigeurs and set a Sea Dogs' record with six points in one game during a 9-2 win over the Acadie-Bathurst Titan.
Howes believes the reason for the Sea Dogs goal-scoring success is chemistry.
"The coaching staff has done a great job putting the lines together and juggling them a little bit," Howes said. "The guys they've been putting together seem to be connecting and when they're not, (Beaulieu) is switching it up pretty quickly."
As for why the two 20-year-old forwards have clicked, Picard said they're offensive styles blend together well.
"Scott is a good, hard-working forward and knows where to place himself to score goals and I think I'm a good passer. When I can find him with one, he finds a way to put it in."
Reason No. 2 for the scoring success - rookie contributions.
Beaulieu said earlier this season that once a freshman gets through the first half of the year, the production starts to pick up. Forward Michael Kirkpatrick is a prime example. The Cape Breton native has five points in his last four games including a hat trick in a 12-6 win over the Prince Edward Island Rocket.
"That's why we drafted (Kirkpatrick) so early, we knew he could step in right away and contribute," Beaulieu said.
The 17-year-old was selected 22nd overall in the second round of the 2007 QMJHL draft.
"We knew it would take him 20-25 games to get going," said Beaulieu. "We knew he had the passion and the tools it takes to be competitive."
The Sea Dogs have another rookie who's prime to breakout in Steven Anthony.
"I think he's struggled a little bit and Steven has to work harder," the bench boss said. "We know he's got a tonne of skill, can skate like the wind and has got all the tools. He just has to put it all together. That's just part of being young."
The third reason for the surprise scoring is the defence. The Sea Dogs blueliners are getting more pucks to the net and the reason remains somewhat of a mystery to Beaulieu.
"Usually defenceman don't start getting their shots through until they're 18, sometimes 19 years old," he said. "It's youth, I've seen it in major junior for 10 years now. I don't know what it is, but it just seems to be that way."
The Sea Dogs will look to continue their scoring ways tonight against the St. John's Fog Devils in a 7 p.m. start at Harbour Station.
HONOURED: The Cape Breton Screaming Eagles retired the jersey of netminder Marc-Andre Fleury in a ceremony before Friday's game against the Lewiston Maineiacs. Mayor John Morgan declared Friday, January 26, 2008 as Marc-Andre Fleury day in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality.
QMJHL: Saint John sits second in the league in goals scored with 195 thus far
Andrew Mcgilligan
Telegraph-Journal
Published Saturday January 26th, 2008
Appeared on page C14
SAINT JOHN - From the start of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League season, one thing was certain for the Saint John Sea Dogs - the team was going to play solid defence.
With several blue-chip prospects on the blueline, the team had a solid foundation on the back end. The question that surrounded the club was whether it had enough scoring depth. In fact, head coach and general manager Jacques Beaulieu said it was a main concern heading into the year.
Skip ahead 47 games and a funny thing has happened to Saint John on the way to the top of the East Division standings. The team started filling the net.
Saint John is among the top offensive units in the QMJHL with 195 goals scored, second only to the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies heading into Friday's action.
Records have fallen this season including most goal in a game (12) and points in a game (six). So why has Saint John been so successful putting the puck in the net?
Beaulieu said the answer is three fold.
First, is the addition of two 20-year-old point producers in Scott Howes and Alexandre Picard.
"Having them on the second line this season makes us that much better," Beaulieu said. "They've got good hockey sense and get pucks to the net."
Since joining forces on a line, the duo has produced points at a steady pace. Howes is second in team scoring with 55 points, including 29 goals while Picard has racked up 45 points in 35 contests.
Picard recently recorded his 300th QMJHL point in a 5-4 win over the Drummondville Voltigeurs and set a Sea Dogs' record with six points in one game during a 9-2 win over the Acadie-Bathurst Titan.
Howes believes the reason for the Sea Dogs goal-scoring success is chemistry.
"The coaching staff has done a great job putting the lines together and juggling them a little bit," Howes said. "The guys they've been putting together seem to be connecting and when they're not, (Beaulieu) is switching it up pretty quickly."
As for why the two 20-year-old forwards have clicked, Picard said they're offensive styles blend together well.
"Scott is a good, hard-working forward and knows where to place himself to score goals and I think I'm a good passer. When I can find him with one, he finds a way to put it in."
Reason No. 2 for the scoring success - rookie contributions.
Beaulieu said earlier this season that once a freshman gets through the first half of the year, the production starts to pick up. Forward Michael Kirkpatrick is a prime example. The Cape Breton native has five points in his last four games including a hat trick in a 12-6 win over the Prince Edward Island Rocket.
"That's why we drafted (Kirkpatrick) so early, we knew he could step in right away and contribute," Beaulieu said.
The 17-year-old was selected 22nd overall in the second round of the 2007 QMJHL draft.
"We knew it would take him 20-25 games to get going," said Beaulieu. "We knew he had the passion and the tools it takes to be competitive."
The Sea Dogs have another rookie who's prime to breakout in Steven Anthony.
"I think he's struggled a little bit and Steven has to work harder," the bench boss said. "We know he's got a tonne of skill, can skate like the wind and has got all the tools. He just has to put it all together. That's just part of being young."
The third reason for the surprise scoring is the defence. The Sea Dogs blueliners are getting more pucks to the net and the reason remains somewhat of a mystery to Beaulieu.
"Usually defenceman don't start getting their shots through until they're 18, sometimes 19 years old," he said. "It's youth, I've seen it in major junior for 10 years now. I don't know what it is, but it just seems to be that way."
The Sea Dogs will look to continue their scoring ways tonight against the St. John's Fog Devils in a 7 p.m. start at Harbour Station.
HONOURED: The Cape Breton Screaming Eagles retired the jersey of netminder Marc-Andre Fleury in a ceremony before Friday's game against the Lewiston Maineiacs. Mayor John Morgan declared Friday, January 26, 2008 as Marc-Andre Fleury day in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality.