Post by dogcatcher on Sept 7, 2007 6:12:00 GMT -4
Trigger man takes aim
QMJHL Saint John Sea Dogs are counting on Payton Liske for his offensive touch
Andrew Mcgilligan
Telegraph-Journal
Published Friday September 7th, 2007
Appeared on page B7
SAINT JOHN - When Saint John Sea Dogs forward Payton Liske was on the ice last season, the puck seemed to follow him around.
In his first 15 games, he registered eight goals and two assists.
However, that knack for being around the puck proved to be a blessing and a curse.
Liske's limited action was due to a concussion.
"He's had some bad luck," said Sea Dogs head coach and general manager Jacques Beaulieu. "He took a shot in the head last year in practice and was out three weeks, came back for one game and then took another puck in the head in Cape Breton."
Liske is off to another good start this pre-season and hopes to avoid any more runs of bad luck. The 19-year-old has three points in four contests.
He'll look to add to those numbers tonight when the Sea Dogs travel to Bathurst to take on the Titan in pre-season action beginning at 7:30 p.m. Saint John is on a three-game winning streak heading into tonight's tilt and their only loss of the pre-season came against Moncton in a shootout.
The Sea Dogs' final exhibition game is on Sunday at 4 p.m. at Harbour Station against the Titan.
"I played in 15 games and was only healthy for about 12 of them," Liske said. "It was really frustrating, especially coming down to the end of the year when we really needed some wins and all I could do was watch."
While the concussion and subsequent recovery was hard for Liske, he knows it was necessary to make sure he's ready to go this season.
"We were cautious with it and took as much time as we needed, but now I think it was a real benefit," he said.
Now he's ready to get back to what he does best - putting the puck in the net. Liske said the team is loaded with offensive talent and he hopes to provide leadership to some of the younger players. He's also focusing on defence.
"I want to be the guy on the ice in the last minute of the game when we need to stop goals," he said.
Beaulieu said Liske will get an opportunity to put the puck in and keep it out. Defensively, Beaulieu describes Liske as a good penalty killer, but will look for offence from him on a line with Chris Di Domenico.
"(Liske) is a shooter who can score goals," Beaulieu said. "He'll be playing with (Di Domenico) and he can make plays, so when (Di Domenico) makes the plays we expect him to bury the puck."
Scoring goals is something the Sea Dogs have been doing a lot of lately, tallying 14 in their last two exhibition games. Liske said he hopes the trend continues in the regular season.
"I think people will see how much offensive capability we have during the year when we put up the big numbers," he said.
SEA DOG VS. SEA DOG: Alex Grant, Chris Di Domenico and Brett Gallant will be lining up against one another beginning today at the National Hockey League Rookie Tournament in Kitchener, Ont. It will feature rookies from four NHL squads, including Grant's Pittsburgh Penguins, Di Domenico's Toronto Maple Leafs, Gallant's Ottawa Senators and the Florida Panthers.
OFFICIALS: Two Quebec Major Junior Hockey League referees have been selected to officiate the rookie tournament.
Jean Hebert of Dieppe and Francis Charron of Gatineau, Que., will work the event and be supervised by the NHL officiating staff.
QMJHL Saint John Sea Dogs are counting on Payton Liske for his offensive touch
Andrew Mcgilligan
Telegraph-Journal
Published Friday September 7th, 2007
Appeared on page B7
SAINT JOHN - When Saint John Sea Dogs forward Payton Liske was on the ice last season, the puck seemed to follow him around.
In his first 15 games, he registered eight goals and two assists.
However, that knack for being around the puck proved to be a blessing and a curse.
Liske's limited action was due to a concussion.
"He's had some bad luck," said Sea Dogs head coach and general manager Jacques Beaulieu. "He took a shot in the head last year in practice and was out three weeks, came back for one game and then took another puck in the head in Cape Breton."
Liske is off to another good start this pre-season and hopes to avoid any more runs of bad luck. The 19-year-old has three points in four contests.
He'll look to add to those numbers tonight when the Sea Dogs travel to Bathurst to take on the Titan in pre-season action beginning at 7:30 p.m. Saint John is on a three-game winning streak heading into tonight's tilt and their only loss of the pre-season came against Moncton in a shootout.
The Sea Dogs' final exhibition game is on Sunday at 4 p.m. at Harbour Station against the Titan.
"I played in 15 games and was only healthy for about 12 of them," Liske said. "It was really frustrating, especially coming down to the end of the year when we really needed some wins and all I could do was watch."
While the concussion and subsequent recovery was hard for Liske, he knows it was necessary to make sure he's ready to go this season.
"We were cautious with it and took as much time as we needed, but now I think it was a real benefit," he said.
Now he's ready to get back to what he does best - putting the puck in the net. Liske said the team is loaded with offensive talent and he hopes to provide leadership to some of the younger players. He's also focusing on defence.
"I want to be the guy on the ice in the last minute of the game when we need to stop goals," he said.
Beaulieu said Liske will get an opportunity to put the puck in and keep it out. Defensively, Beaulieu describes Liske as a good penalty killer, but will look for offence from him on a line with Chris Di Domenico.
"(Liske) is a shooter who can score goals," Beaulieu said. "He'll be playing with (Di Domenico) and he can make plays, so when (Di Domenico) makes the plays we expect him to bury the puck."
Scoring goals is something the Sea Dogs have been doing a lot of lately, tallying 14 in their last two exhibition games. Liske said he hopes the trend continues in the regular season.
"I think people will see how much offensive capability we have during the year when we put up the big numbers," he said.
SEA DOG VS. SEA DOG: Alex Grant, Chris Di Domenico and Brett Gallant will be lining up against one another beginning today at the National Hockey League Rookie Tournament in Kitchener, Ont. It will feature rookies from four NHL squads, including Grant's Pittsburgh Penguins, Di Domenico's Toronto Maple Leafs, Gallant's Ottawa Senators and the Florida Panthers.
OFFICIALS: Two Quebec Major Junior Hockey League referees have been selected to officiate the rookie tournament.
Jean Hebert of Dieppe and Francis Charron of Gatineau, Que., will work the event and be supervised by the NHL officiating staff.