On Friday night, the Wildcats make there way to the Centre Bionest in Shawinigan to face off against the Cataractes in an 8:30 Atlantic start. On the surface, this looks like less of a challenge than certain other games on the schedule. However, any good coach will tell you that you can't take any opposing team lightly and overlooking their place in the standings (which for the Cataractes is last, 40 points behind fifth place Moncton) is a step in the wrong direction. Plus, I'm sure more than a few Shawinigan players remember the results of the last meeting between these two teams back in November at the Coliseum, and how less than great things went for the Cataractes. Certainly, Moncton will be mindful of are all factors when it comes time for puck drop.
There is something else to keep in mind when it comes to Moncton playing in Shawinigan, That would be history... and the fact that until recently, it's been lousy.
A very long time ago, I happened to stumble upon a feature on the old Victoriaville Tigres website that allowed you to check the all-time record of any team in the Q against another since the Tigres started play in 1987 (it's no longer there and I miss that surprisingly valuable resource). Naturally, I started looking up the Cats record against various foes. I was somewhat surprised when I came to the realization that, at that time, Moncton had never won a game in Shawinigan. I knew that because Moncton had experienced more down years than up at that point due to being a recent expansion franchise, coupled with the Cataractes consistently rolling out teams ranging anywhere from good to dominant, there hadn't been alot of great moments at the (since abandoned) Jacques Plante arena. However, way back in the day before the current logjam of teams in the Maritimes, Shawinigan and Moncton were divisional rivals. You'd think that the law of averages would demand there be some measure of success up there. Turns out that save for a few ties (remember those things??), there was none.
On October 6, 2002, Moncton finally won a game in Shawinigan. Mathieu Betournay finished off an end to end rush by Evgeni Artukin to bring victory to the Cats at the Jacques Plante after seven long years. Then for a long time, nothing else save for one OT win the year Shawinigan had a mid-pack team and Moncton came within a game of winning a Memorial Cup (guess that was that law of averages thingy kicking in). It's just how it went for the Cats when they went on the road to face the Cats... and it was punctuated in their first game at the brand new Centre Bionest - a 7-0 whitewash for the home squad on National TV. Quite a fitting inaugural venture, one might say.
It would be another seven and half years from that first OT win - the 15th season in the league for the Moncton franchise - before they would win a game in regulation in the City of Electricity.
The crowds in Shawinigan had a reputation for many years for being intimidating. It was this crowd that no doubt played a big part in the Cataractes Memorial Cup triumph last spring. However, there comes a time when the crowd ceases to be the main factor and just not getting the friggin job done takes precedence.
To the Wildcats credit, once they got that first regulation time win under their belt, it was off to the rodeo. In fact, the Cats are now on a three game winning streak in Shawingian. Did the "ghosts" not make their way to the new building (in which case, they are severely directionally challenged... it takes a pretty sub-par ghost to get lost in Shawinigan)? Does new building equal clean slate for the visitors? Does the fact that travel isn't quite as grueling as it used to be thanks to the unbalanced schedule play that much of a factor? Is it a case of luck/unluck of the draw? Probably a bit of everything (except the ghost part...I think). All it means now is that given the state of both teams and recent history on their side, the Cats have a very strong chance at running their win streak to nine games if they enter this game with the right attitude.
But my god, did it ever take a long time to get wins in that city?
Speaking of tough tasks, the Dieppe Commandos have one this weekend. Actually, they have three... in a little over two and a half days. After facing the Tigers in Campbellton Friday night (whom Dieppe has been wildly successful against the past two years... however I just went on a spiel about law of averages, so....) it's off to Summerside for a date against that major junior team disguised as a Jr.A outfit called the Western Capitals on Saturday evening. The fun continues Sunday afternoon at the AJL against Woodstock... the team Dieppe is a) fighting with for second place in the Meek Division and b) the team whom Dieppe pulled off a most ginormous comeback against a couple weeks back. Wonder if the Slammers forgot about that yet? Either way, this weekend is the biggest test of the season for the Commandos... and all bets are off in terms of where they land when the final buzzer sounds. One thing I will be more than willing to bet given this team's post Christmas gameplay: all three opponents will be very much ready, especially as the stretch drive kicks into another gear.
No comments:
Post a Comment