Post by dogcatcher on Oct 20, 2007 7:49:42 GMT -4
Defence faces stiff test
QMJHL: Saint John hosts Gatineau and Rimouski in weekend doubleheader at Harbour Station
Andrew Mcgilligan
Telegraph-Journal
Published Saturday October 20th, 2007
Appeared on page C14
SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs team defence will be put to the test this weekend when two potent offences come to Harbour Station.
The Sea Dogs host the Gatineau Olympiques tonight at 7 p.m. in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action and then take on the Rimouski Oceanic Sunday at 4 p.m.
Both squads are in the top 10 in goals in the QMJHL with Gatineau second only to the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles with 55 heading into Friday's action.
The Olympiques also boast offensive stand-out Claude Giroux and the highest-scoring defenceman in the league in Sébastien Bernier.
"We know offensively they have two good lines that can play with anybody in the league," said Sea Dogs head coach and general manager Jacques Beaulieu. "Mior is a good goalie, they've got a good steady defence and they're well coached with (Benoit) Groulx."
The Saint John bench boss said his team will have to study the Olympiques and find times to counter they're puck pressure and attacking style of play.
As for Rimouski, the head coach wants a full 60-minute effort from his club rather than take ten minutes off as they did in their 4-3 win in Rimouski.
"I thought we only played 50 minutes against them," Beaulieu said. "They have a pretty potent offence and if you let them in the game like we did, they're hard to control."
Saint John allowed two goals in the final four minutes against the Oceanic and 20 shots out of 30 in the final frame.
Forward Keven Charland, said the team needs to play a similar game without taking shifts off against Rimouski.
"We just need to play good defensively and when we do that we generate good scoring chances," the 18-year-old said. "If everybody is working the same way, we have a chance to win every night."
Charland has played well since he was a healthy scratch against the Quebec Remparts on Oct. 6. He scored the game-tying goal against the Acadie-Bathurst Titan last time out.
"He's practiced well," Beaulieu said. "He's got to learn to play without the puck, but he's got a great shot and can score goals."
Charland may see some time against Gatineau on a line with Alexandre Picard and Alexandre Leduc. No matter who he plays with, he's just trying to continue his solid play.
"I think I had a good second half last year and I'm just trying to continue that."
DEBUT: Quispamsis native Andrew Langan will make his QMJHL debut for the Sea Dogs tonight against the Olympiques. Langan was selected 73 overall in the fifth-round by Saint John in the 2007 QMJHL draft. The 16-year-old led all rookies in scoring last season in the New Brunswick/Prince Edward Island Major Midget Hockey League with 52 points. The total was good enough for third overall in the league.
MISSING: Patrice Cormier of the Rimouski Oceanic has been out of the line up since Sept. 29. The 17-year-old Cap-Pèlé product has seven points in seven games including a five-point effort against the Baie-Comeau Drakkar on Sept. 21.
QMJHL: Saint John hosts Gatineau and Rimouski in weekend doubleheader at Harbour Station
Andrew Mcgilligan
Telegraph-Journal
Published Saturday October 20th, 2007
Appeared on page C14
SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Sea Dogs team defence will be put to the test this weekend when two potent offences come to Harbour Station.
The Sea Dogs host the Gatineau Olympiques tonight at 7 p.m. in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action and then take on the Rimouski Oceanic Sunday at 4 p.m.
Both squads are in the top 10 in goals in the QMJHL with Gatineau second only to the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles with 55 heading into Friday's action.
The Olympiques also boast offensive stand-out Claude Giroux and the highest-scoring defenceman in the league in Sébastien Bernier.
"We know offensively they have two good lines that can play with anybody in the league," said Sea Dogs head coach and general manager Jacques Beaulieu. "Mior is a good goalie, they've got a good steady defence and they're well coached with (Benoit) Groulx."
The Saint John bench boss said his team will have to study the Olympiques and find times to counter they're puck pressure and attacking style of play.
As for Rimouski, the head coach wants a full 60-minute effort from his club rather than take ten minutes off as they did in their 4-3 win in Rimouski.
"I thought we only played 50 minutes against them," Beaulieu said. "They have a pretty potent offence and if you let them in the game like we did, they're hard to control."
Saint John allowed two goals in the final four minutes against the Oceanic and 20 shots out of 30 in the final frame.
Forward Keven Charland, said the team needs to play a similar game without taking shifts off against Rimouski.
"We just need to play good defensively and when we do that we generate good scoring chances," the 18-year-old said. "If everybody is working the same way, we have a chance to win every night."
Charland has played well since he was a healthy scratch against the Quebec Remparts on Oct. 6. He scored the game-tying goal against the Acadie-Bathurst Titan last time out.
"He's practiced well," Beaulieu said. "He's got to learn to play without the puck, but he's got a great shot and can score goals."
Charland may see some time against Gatineau on a line with Alexandre Picard and Alexandre Leduc. No matter who he plays with, he's just trying to continue his solid play.
"I think I had a good second half last year and I'm just trying to continue that."
DEBUT: Quispamsis native Andrew Langan will make his QMJHL debut for the Sea Dogs tonight against the Olympiques. Langan was selected 73 overall in the fifth-round by Saint John in the 2007 QMJHL draft. The 16-year-old led all rookies in scoring last season in the New Brunswick/Prince Edward Island Major Midget Hockey League with 52 points. The total was good enough for third overall in the league.
MISSING: Patrice Cormier of the Rimouski Oceanic has been out of the line up since Sept. 29. The 17-year-old Cap-Pèlé product has seven points in seven games including a five-point effort against the Baie-Comeau Drakkar on Sept. 21.