If you happened to be at the AJL yesterday afternoon for the showdown between the Commandos and Timberwolves, first of all you probably had a better parking spot than me. Secondly, you were treated to possibly the best effort of the season from the hometown squad.
It wasn't just that Dieppe won 5-1... it's how they won. They were quicker, competed harder, continuously forced the T-Wolves into mistakes and received top shelf goaltending when they needed it... and they did this from start to finish. The aspect of this game that stood out for me the most was how Dieppe took advantage of their larger, Olympic sized ice surface, something they don't always get the opportunity to do, especially against an opponent as formidable as Miramichi. There seemed to be a bit more room and a bit more time out there for Commandos skaters yesterday, consistently hitting the opposing blueline with speed and supporting the puck very well, allowing the game to come to them. As a result, Dieppe's goals were mostly the result of activating the trailer or outstanding passing.
Since the beginning of the season, I can't help but be impressed with the strides Matt Bernier has taken in adapting to the game at this level. After playing up front in midget, he has proven to be a much needed body on the Commandos back end (a position he had played in the past). Yesterday was the best outing I've seen from him this season. With Justin MacDonald sidelined due to mono, Bernier ate up valuable minutes and showed great poise on both sides of the puck. His decision making when breaking out of the neutral zone was quite impressive. This, along with the lead the team eventually accumulated, allowed the coaching staff to take a bit of pressure of a guy like Alex Snow and distribute ice time among the remaining blueliners more evenly. Solid defensive effort by the entire team yesterday, but the confident, no-nonsense play of #15 certainly stood out for me.
The newly constituted top line of Joel Blanchard, Robbie Graham and Shane Dallaire continued to shine yesterday. After combining for 10 points in a losing cause in Amherst on Saturday night, the trio piled up another seven against the T-Wolves. The chemistry developing between the three seems apparent even this early into the forming of the line as they were instrumental in creating the chances that lead to both first period goals by Dieppe. If there's one player who seems to be directly benefiting the most from the Chiasson trade, it appears to be Dallaire. Thus far he hasn't missed a beat in his new role, showing more and more of the offensive awareness he displayed in spades at the midget level.
When the trade with Summerside was made, it was immediately understood that this was "addition by subtraction" in the sense that the Commandos were going to be greatly rewarded by this deal at the draft. However, the "addition by subtraction" theory could be applied to the team as it stands right now... I wonder how much that trade has brought the team together, knowing the roles players will now be placed in and what potentially successful scenario awaits the club down the road. It's obviously early... but what I saw yesterday from the home squad was a true team effort. Everyone had a little more jump, this on the back end of a two games in under two days scenario. Is that anything more than coincidence? Or did that trade do more than meets the eye for the Commandos? I suppose we'll get the answer soon enough.
Meanwhile in Bathurst, the Titan defeat the Cats 5-2 with the third line (once again) doing all the damage for Moncton. Can't say much more about this game as I wasn't watching at all and only heard a snippet of the second period... but by all accounts, it's was a familiar storyline for the Wildcats. So let's see... inconsistent efforts from the first line and breakdowns at crucial times from the defensive unit as a whole, plus relying on one player - currently returning from Russia - to spark much of the top 6 offence. It's going to be a very intriguing next 24 hours around the Coliseum.
Meanwhile in Bathurst, the Titan defeat the Cats 5-2 with the third line (once again) doing all the damage for Moncton. Can't say much more about this game as I wasn't watching at all and only heard a snippet of the second period... but by all accounts, it's was a familiar storyline for the Wildcats. So let's see... inconsistent efforts from the first line and breakdowns at crucial times from the defensive unit as a whole, plus relying on one player - currently returning from Russia - to spark much of the top 6 offence. It's going to be a very intriguing next 24 hours around the Coliseum.
No comments:
Post a Comment