Apologies for the late post, but sometimes travel gets in the way.
Anyhow, we expected a tight game, and that’s exactly what we got in a 2-0 University of New Brunswick win over Saint Mary’s.
The Dan Lacosta shutout marked just the fourth time in championship game history where a team has been blanked.
The odd year trend continues for the Varsity Reds, who have now won titles in 2007, 2009, 2011 and 2013.
UNB head coach Gardiner MacDougall has used unconventional methods in order to bond his troops. Whatever he does, it’s working.
It was a tough end to the season and university career for Justin Wallingford, the Saint Mary’s captain, who was rocked by UNB’s Tyler Carroll in the first period and did not return.
Carroll then put the final nail in the coffin with his empty net goal thanks to the hard work of Nick MacNeil on a strong backcheck.
I’ll never forget the half hour RJ Broadhead and I spent with the Saint Mary’s coaching staff prior to the start of the University Cup. The group of Tyler Naughler, Tom Lee and Trevor Stienburg is as close as any coaching staff I’ve ever seen.
Keep Lee and his family (wife Leslie, son Cam, and daughters Sierra, Julia and Samantha) in your prayers. He’ll begin the real battle upon returning to Halifax.
Bits and Bites
Speaking of the tournament format, let the griping begin.
It is a little goofy that math or score permutations or three-team shootouts are ever in-play. Two teams from each pool should advance, with a pool crossover to produce two true semi-final games before Sunday’s finale.
Having said that, I wouldn’t have minded if one of those circus acts ended up on our broadcast.
The host team has the option to play its first game on either Thursday or Friday. The Thursday draw allows for a team to have a day of rest in the middle of the tournament and the Friday draw means you have to win three games in three days to win a title.
This year, the Huskies took the Thursday draw and I wonder if they will consider the Friday draw next year.
As always, employees of the Hockey Hall of Fame were in attendance to gather up some items for exhibits down the road.
I was disappointed to see so many checking to the head penalties over the course of the tournament.
Congratulations to the PotashCorp University Cup presented by Co-op Host Committee. You put on an amazing show and the tournament went off without a hitch.
Big thanks to Michel Belanger and Sheila-Ann Newtown from the CIS. Their passion and dedication to all things CIS is truly special.
The many stats and information directors were very helpful throughout the course of the tournament; Matt Gutsch of Alberta, Lori Forbes of Saint Mary’s, Maureen Sparks of UNB, Cedric Pinard of UQTR and Dan Ackerman of Waterloo.
Not to be outdone by Saskatchewan’s Nicole Betker. She and her volunteer staff went above and beyond to provide us with the most updated stats and information from start to finish. Thanks again.
I ran into Lorne Molleken during the University Cup and looks ten years younger than he did when I saw him in January.
For a complete game recap and a list of tournament all-stars, click here.