4-0 win for the Wildcats last night over Cape Breton. The Eagles are basically disguised as a pretty good Jr.A team this season, so it was one of those games that the Cats would've had to go out of their way to lose. From the opening whistle to the very end, Moncton played a pretty airtight game by and large. Any coach will tell you the game is alot more fun when you're doing the so-called "little things", and that was evident last night. They were blocking shots (looking like they were addicted to it on the PK in particular), strong on the puck and were opportunistic against an Eagles team that was basically trying to fend off their opponent as best they can. Cole Holowenko got what was no doubt one of his better birthday presents with his first shutout of the season, not facing much in the way of quality chances but staying focused and looking solid when those few shots were directed his way.
Did last night change my mind about what I've been saying all week about my personal stance on this team? No... however, it did show that this team can be quite successful when playing as a collective unit. If Danny Flynn can get everyone to buy in, this season can still be very exciting... but consistency remains the key. They get to do it all over again against the Acadie-Bathurst Titan, the 13th place team that is apparently going for it, if the addition of Marc-Olivier Brouillard from the Drummondville Voltigeurs is any indication. Perhaps with a new coach in Danny Dupont, a (very) modest skein of recent success (three game winning streak, 5-5 in their last 10) and a plethora of trades over the past month (six new players since December 11th, including Brouillard) give the Titan the look they feel they need to have to compete against the upper echelon of teams in the Q, or at the very least play a very viable "dark horse" come playoff time. On the other hand, maybe this is the one last kick at the can - as in, ever - for the Titan in Northern NB.
As for my question last night regarding who the Wildcats would have in uniform to fill out the roster up front, it was Mark Simpson, who again looked good in a limited role while his regular team, the Dieppe Commandos...
... had a rough night. A 10-5 loss to the Amherst Ramblers in which they fell behind 4-0 halfway through the first, lost the bulk of their coaching staff around the same time and forward Mathieu Newcombe has his face rearranged (incidentally, the word that got back to me saying Amherst fans were cheering when a doctor came out to tend to the prone player is not the most classy thing I've heard of... but if they were cheering instead of swearing, I guess that's deemed acceptable). Colton Stairs, making his debut after being acquired from the Woodstock Slammers along with a seventh round pick in 2013 in exchange for a second round pick in 2013, got into a scrap and should hopefully make alot of other players feel a bit bigger when in the lineup going forward.
Dieppe, this game no doubt wiped from the memory banks, are back at it this afternoon - with Mark Simpson back in the mix - against the Miramichi Timberwovles in a 2:30 start. If last night's game proved anything, it's that this team will remain an exciting offensive team to watch, as Robbie Graham, Shane Dallarie and Joel Blanchard combined for 10 points in a losing cause. It should be another entertaining, back and forth matchup again today as the two clubs battle for position in the Meek division standings. Come on down and see for yourself.
Oh, and to the fans of the Oklahoma City Barons... sorry.
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