MACKINNON READY FOR JEERS, MOOSEHEADS STILL PERFECT
Halifax Mooseheads star forward Nathan MacKinnon will be ready for a hostile crowd when the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League championship series reverts to Baie-Comeau for Games 3 and 4.
MacKinnon, who pushed for a trade after being drafted first-overall by the Drakkar two years ago, is anticipating being public enemy No. 1 in Baie-Comeau, Que. A Drakkar fan wore an oversized diaper and taunted the Mooseheads’ forward when he played in Baie-Comeau last season. Given what’s on the line now, MacKinnon and his teammates can expect it will be ramped up even more with the Mooseheads leading the series 2-0.
“I’ve been there twice so it’s not like this will be my first trip up there,” MacKinnon told beat reporter Willy Palov. “The first time I went I was a little nervous about what might happen but the game’s played between the boards and the fans have no impact on what’s happening on the ice. If the guys on the other team want to run around and try to hit me or play dirty because their fans are yelling for them to do that, that’s fine. It’s up to them if they feel they want to please their fans that way. But for me, I’m just happy to be in the finals. Whether it was Blainville or Baie-Comeau, I’m just excited to be a part of it.”
The Mooseheads are a perfect 14-0 in the playoffs, which means some Mooseheads players are already thinking they may have played their last game in Halifax.
“I think the hardest thing for me is to think (Saturday’s) game (might be) my last game in the Metro Centre,” Abeltshauser told Palov. “But as much as I hate to say it, if it was my last game I’m happy, I’ll take it. But it’s still 2-0 and we’ll just try to get the next one in Game 3.”
Should they win the next two games and go 16-0 in the playoffs, they’ll become only the second team in league history to win the championship without a playoff loss. The 1986 Hull Olympiques went 15-0 (when the playoffs consisted of three best-of-nine series). Coincidentally, Halifax GM Cam Russell was a defenceman on that Olympiques team.
Game 2 ended with some controversy as Baie-Comeau forward Alec Jon Banville launched himself into Mooseheads forward Darcy Ashley near center ice. Drakkar head coach Eric Veilleux saw nothing wrong with it, but the league might.
LOWRY CAPTURES WHL’S TOP HONOUR
There was a feel good story for a small community when Swift Current captain Adam Lowry, son of Victoria Royals head coach and former NHLer Dave, was named Western Hockey League player of the year.
Lowry became the first Bronco to win the Four Broncos Memorial Trophy, named after the four players who lost their lives in a bus crash in 1986, since Sergei Varlamov in 1997-98. Lowry is excited to vie for a roster spot with the Winnipeg Jets next season.
Seth Jones was named WHL rookie of the year while Red Deer’s Patrik Bartosak captured goalie of the year honours.
Here’s a list of the remaining award winners.
BENSON GOES FIRST TO GIANTS, BARZAL SIGNS
There was little surprise Tyler Benson was chosen first-overall by the Vancouver Giants in the bantam draft.
The skilled forward from Edmonton, whose brother Cole is a forward for the Oil Kings, was taken with the first pick in the draft on Thursday. Benson, whom many have called Western Canada’s Connor McDavid, comes into the league with a lot of hype.So much so that his bantam head coach is already being recognized four provinces over.
The league also announced the signing of 2012 first-overall pick, Matthew Barzal. He should impress on a young, rising team in Seattle.
The Brandon Wheat Kings are perceived as the big winners of the draft. The Wheaties took Winnipeg forward Nolan Patrick fourth-overall then traded up to sixth to land defenceman Kale Clague.
“We’re absolutely thrilled to be able to select two players that … on any given year might be the first pick overall,” Wheat Kings head coach and GM Kelly McCrimmon told Rob Henderson. “For us it’s a pretty rare opportunity to put two players on our team together that are that elite in their age group.”
The trade with Lethbridge to acquire the sixth pick cost the Wheat Kings goaltender Corbin Boes and the 17th pick overall, which was acquired from Saskatoon at the deadline for Michael Ferland. The Hurricanes drafted goalie Stuart Skinner with the 17th pick, but feel they got a diamond in the rough in the fourth round.
One year after Quinton Howden graduated from the Moose Jaw Warriors’ program, the team took his younger brother, Brett, with the fifth pick.
MEMORIAL CUP ANNOUNCEMENT ON HOLD
This is generally the time of year when the MasterCard Memorial Cup host site for the following season is picked among Ontario Hockey League entries. Such an announcement won’t come so fast with two of the three finalists meeting in the final with the J. Ross Robertson Cup on the line.
“We don’t want one team to gain a psychological edge over the other in the final,” OHL commissioner David Branch told Ryan Pyette. “That’s what we want to avoid. We’re trying to protect the integrity of the game and our championship series.”
The league said it will announce the winner after the league final is complete. London, Barrie and Windsor are in the running.
Meanwhile, Barrie Colts forward Anthony Camara may have played his last game in the playoffs. Camara was given a five-minute major for charging midway through the third period in Sunday’s Game 2. Given the OHL’s swift and decisive action in handing down suspensions, many are expecting Camara to sit.
VELLUCCI NAMED COACH OF THE YEAR
One week after slapping him with a $7,500 fine for comments made following Game 3 of the Western Conference final, Plymouth bench boss Mike Vellucci was named coach of the year for the second time in his career.
Peter Karmanos Jr., who owns the Whalers and Carolina Hurricanes, gave his coach a glowing endorsement.
“I think Mike’s a better coach today than three or four guys now coaching in the NHL,” he told George Sipple. “In fact, I called Mike after this last coach that Tampa hired and told Mike how bad I feel that he’s coaching and being so loyal in the OHL when I think he’s better than (New Jersey’s) Peter DeBoer, he’s a better coach than (Tampa Bay’s) Jon Cooper. He’s certainly a better coach than the kid in Buffalo.”
LAZAR LOSES TEETH, STILL SMILING
What a gamer the Oil Kings have in forward Curtis Lazar. A puck redirected off the crossbar and right into his face the morning of Game 7 against Calgary in the East final. Lazar was rushed for emergency dental work, which was an interesting way to take his mind off the game.
“They froze me up and pretty much pulled that tooth out, or the three-quarters of it that was left hanging,” he told John MacKinnon. “And they put in a new one, or a fake one.”
The Oil Kings are tied with the Portland Winterhawks with a win apiece in the league final. It’s the first time since 1975 and 1976, when the New Westminster Bruins and Saskatoon Blades met, that the league will be determined between the same two teams as the year prior. The Oil Kings won last year’s meeting in the seventh game.
It was evident from the Winterhawks players’ Twitter accounts this was a matchup they wanted.
P.E.I. JUNIOR TEAM REBRAND
The P.E.I. Rocket were to be rebranded and renamed the P.E.I. Islanders next season. Now under new ownership, the team may drop P.E.I. from its title altogether and go with Charlottetown Islanders instead.
New ownership, which still hasn’t been formally announced, is putting together a deal with city council to provide additional funding which is contingent in having the city as part of the name.
COUGARS STAYING PUT
The rumour mill has long seen the Prince George Cougars as a franchise soon to be sold and relocated. Not so, says owner Rick Brodsky in an interview with Sheri Lamb.
“I’ve heard more times (than I can count) that I’ve sold the team,” he said. “I’ve never gotten anybody asking about selling the team. Not ever. Every time I’ve heard that I’ve sold the team my first question is ‘How much did I get?’
“Nobody’s coming to us with a great offer.”
– The Prince Albert Raiders decided not to renew the contract of head coach Steve Young. He led the team to resurgence this season, but a disappointing four-game sweep in the opening round to Red Deer may have sealed his fate.
– Sarnia Sting head coach and GM Jacques Beaulieu was charged with two counts of assault. His son, Montreal Canadiens prospect Nathan Beaulieu, was also being investigated.
– Blainville-Boisbriand Armada starting goalie Etienne Marcoux was perhaps even more courageous than we first thought for his dust up in the “Brawl near Montreal.” Marcoux will have surgery on his left shoulder and will be out approximately four-to-six months.