Post by dogcatcher on Sept 13, 2007 6:11:31 GMT -4
LICKING THEIR CHOPS
QMJHL Saint John Sea Dogs help kick off season tonight with a road game against the reigning league champions
ANDREW MCGILLIGAN
TELEGRAPH-JOURNAL
Published Thursday September 13th, 2007
Appeared on page b8
SAINT JOHN - The Lewiston Maineiacs will make the Saint John Sea Dogs wait to open the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League regular season tonight.
Before the puck drops on the 2007-08 season, the Maineiacs will celebrate their 2006-07 championship campaign by raising banners and handing out rings. While the Maineiacs celebrate, Saint John has only one thing on its mind - ruining the ceremony.
"I'd love to spoil that party," said Sea Dogs defenceman Jeff McNeil.
"It would be unreal," said forward Ryan Sparling. "They beat us a few times last year, almost every game, hopefully the shoe is on the other foot this year and we're going in there to take this game from them." Saying it is one thing, but doing it is another.
Saint John will need to improve in several areas, judging by their final three pre-season games. The Sea Dogs finished the exhibition schedule with a win over Lewiston and back-to-back losses to the Acadie-Bathurst Titan.
Saint John got off to slow starts in all three games. In fact, the third-year team gave up the first two goals in all three.
McNeil said he doesn't have an explanation.
"I really don't know what it is, but it seems to take us 10 to 15 minutes to get going," McNeil said. "I think it's a big thing for us to be focused and ready to go because it's the start of the regular season and we're playing for points now." Saint John head coach and general manager Jacques Beaulieu said the slow starts are a big concern.
"I don't think our kids are preparing themselves like they should be and it's something we'll be working on," he said.
"It's a concern of mine and I think it's a combination of our youth and game preparation." Getting going early will be extra important in Lewiston due to the pregame ceremony. McNeil said the team should use the ceremony as motivation.
"I think we've got to take it in and see it as that's where we want to be," the 19- year-old said.
Beaulieu, having been through a banner raising before as an assistant coach with the London Knights, said the emotions of the day will have the Maineiacs fired up.
"If that doesn't motivate Lewiston, nothing will," Beaulieu said. "They've got a lot of returning players and they're going to throw everything at us, so we've got to be ready defensively and not give them any momentum." While not taking early penalties will go a long way in keeping the momentum away from Lewiston, capitalizing on their own man advantages will be key for the Sea Dogs.
Beaulieu said the team may struggle at times to score goals, so the power play is crucial. However, Saint John has not taken advantage of its power-play chances lately, going 2-for-18 in their last three games.
Second-year defenceman Yann Sauve said the team is working hard to put the power play together.
"I think we've got the team to do it, we just have to work hard on it," Sauve said.
The return of Chris Di Domenico, Alex Grant and David Stich - all of whom missed the last three contests due to NHL training camps - will be in the lineup. Their presence could be the quickest way to bolster the power play.
QMJHL Saint John Sea Dogs help kick off season tonight with a road game against the reigning league champions
ANDREW MCGILLIGAN
TELEGRAPH-JOURNAL
Published Thursday September 13th, 2007
Appeared on page b8
SAINT JOHN - The Lewiston Maineiacs will make the Saint John Sea Dogs wait to open the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League regular season tonight.
Before the puck drops on the 2007-08 season, the Maineiacs will celebrate their 2006-07 championship campaign by raising banners and handing out rings. While the Maineiacs celebrate, Saint John has only one thing on its mind - ruining the ceremony.
"I'd love to spoil that party," said Sea Dogs defenceman Jeff McNeil.
"It would be unreal," said forward Ryan Sparling. "They beat us a few times last year, almost every game, hopefully the shoe is on the other foot this year and we're going in there to take this game from them." Saying it is one thing, but doing it is another.
Saint John will need to improve in several areas, judging by their final three pre-season games. The Sea Dogs finished the exhibition schedule with a win over Lewiston and back-to-back losses to the Acadie-Bathurst Titan.
Saint John got off to slow starts in all three games. In fact, the third-year team gave up the first two goals in all three.
McNeil said he doesn't have an explanation.
"I really don't know what it is, but it seems to take us 10 to 15 minutes to get going," McNeil said. "I think it's a big thing for us to be focused and ready to go because it's the start of the regular season and we're playing for points now." Saint John head coach and general manager Jacques Beaulieu said the slow starts are a big concern.
"I don't think our kids are preparing themselves like they should be and it's something we'll be working on," he said.
"It's a concern of mine and I think it's a combination of our youth and game preparation." Getting going early will be extra important in Lewiston due to the pregame ceremony. McNeil said the team should use the ceremony as motivation.
"I think we've got to take it in and see it as that's where we want to be," the 19- year-old said.
Beaulieu, having been through a banner raising before as an assistant coach with the London Knights, said the emotions of the day will have the Maineiacs fired up.
"If that doesn't motivate Lewiston, nothing will," Beaulieu said. "They've got a lot of returning players and they're going to throw everything at us, so we've got to be ready defensively and not give them any momentum." While not taking early penalties will go a long way in keeping the momentum away from Lewiston, capitalizing on their own man advantages will be key for the Sea Dogs.
Beaulieu said the team may struggle at times to score goals, so the power play is crucial. However, Saint John has not taken advantage of its power-play chances lately, going 2-for-18 in their last three games.
Second-year defenceman Yann Sauve said the team is working hard to put the power play together.
"I think we've got the team to do it, we just have to work hard on it," Sauve said.
The return of Chris Di Domenico, Alex Grant and David Stich - all of whom missed the last three contests due to NHL training camps - will be in the lineup. Their presence could be the quickest way to bolster the power play.