All season long, whenever the Woodstock Slammers came to the AJL, win or lose, I was left underwhelmed. Great group on paper, strong organization, a coach who has a wealth of big game experience... but still, a beatable team.
Last night that all changed... for the last forty minutes at least.
The expectation in any sport is that good teams turn it up a notch when things really count. The Slammers were that team last night, coming back from a 3-1 deficit to win 6-3 in Game 2 of their Meek Division semi-final series against Dieppe. The Commandos - who lost 6-0 in Game 1 on Saturday night - were full marks in the first period, overcoming an early goal from Woodstock's Ian Lewis and pumping three past Simon-Pier Chamberland. They were seeing alot of ice those first twenty minutes... so much so that the score could've been even more lopsided. The Commandos did a fine job of making things tough on Chamberland - who looked a bit shaky in the first period - jamming into high scoring areas, winning puck battles and forcing the Slammers defense further and further back in their own zone. The were sharp on the breakout as well, with Zack Cahill coming close to widening the Dieppe lead only to miss wide on a breakaway opportunity.
Everything was going well... until the bottom fell out.
The Slammers are good enough in that that they can turn it off and on with the greatest of ease... and once EJ Faust scored on a Dieppe defensive breakdown late in the first, the tide immediately turned in favor of the visitors. The second and third periods saw the Slammers put on an impressive display of the game in all three zones. They used their speed, played through and supported the puck effectively and were about as airtight as you would ever want a team to be in their own zone. The Commandos simply could not adjust. Breakouts weren't as clean, puck support disappeared and the dump and chase - a favorite for Dieppe when entering the offensive zone - was taken away from them at every turn. As the game wore down, so did they. Five unanswered goals (including one empty netter) and a disparity in overall play later and Woodstock was back on the Trans Canada with a comfortable series lead.
So this is where we stand. The Commandos knew going into this series that in order to win four out of seven they would have to defeat Woodstock in their own building at least once... something they could not do during the regular season. Now, they have to do it twice in order to advance. And they have to start with Friday night's game.
I've done alot of thinking regarding this Dieppe squad. I go back in the Fasthockey archives and also replay things in my (admittedly, not always sharp) memory. One of the aspects of this team that always comes to mind is that during the earliest parts of the season, they were still learning to lose in order to learn how to win. During the latter half of the season, I saw a team trying to refine their ability to win... something they became rather efficient at. Now that the playoffs are here, the learning curve gets adjusted again. The overall play is more intense. The compete level ratchets up. And a team at this time of year may not look as beatable as it did in November or December...or even February.
That being said, this game wasn't without it's share of positives for the Commandos. As previously stated, their first period was strong. They were a cohesive unit coming through the neutral zone and into offensive territory. They were backing one another up. There were a few great individual efforts as well, and not just from the guys who's names you always hear, either. Alex Clark (who's skating ability is about as smooth as you could want) was as good in the first period as he was all year. Despite the score, Mathieu Newcomb put together a couple of very impressive shifts towards the end of the game. At the end of the day, you cut your losses and take the good along with you and get ready for the quick turnaround.
Finally, although they are the least experienced of the two teams, I'll say this much. Once the Commandos figure out how to do something, they usually don't forget (doesn't mean they always execute, as seen last night, but they remember). If they can find a way to win Game 3 on Friday night on the road, they can turn this series around. The old adage is that the fourth game is the hardest to win... well, sometimes the third game isn't too damned easy, either. Dieppe has to find a way to make it hard for Woodstock to win. They have to make the Slammers feel some adversity... and not just for 20 or 30 or even 50 minutes. They have to control a game from start to finish. And they have to adjust when needed... just like Woodstock did last night.
The Commandos are facing a team they have beaten this year... and stayed competitive with all throughout the regular season. Now it's time to carry that over to the postseason. The playoffs are a totally different animal in that there's not much time to find a way. Hopefully for Dieppe, two days will be time enough.
Thursday, 21 March 2013
Monday, 18 March 2013
Hey I Heard You Missed Us We're Back!
Greetings... who turned down the frigging heat???
Well, let's see what I missed. For a detailed list of outlandish crap I predicted a couple weeks back, go here.
- The Commandos proved me wrong (losing the appeal against Patrick Bryne as well as their regular season finale in Miramichi), right (unfortunately, losing game 1 of the Meek Division semis in Woodstock 6-0) and undecided (predicting this series to do the distance).
On Wednesday night, the Commandos host the Slammers in Game 2. Which Dieppe team shows up? The one that fought tooth and nail with the Slammers virtually the entire regular season or the one that fell off the rails at the Carleton County Civic Center this past weekend? History says it should be the former before it's the latter.
Another question worth throwing out there is if Conor Wilkinson starts (which I can't see him not doing... dance with who brung you), how long will his leash be? I'm a big Wilkinson fan... great kid, right attitude, has helped win a number of games during the season. However, Alex St-Arnaud recovered from a couple of rocky outings after coming back from the Q to string together a handful of quality starts going down the stretch. He was also solid in relief in Game 1. If it appears that Wilkinson (who I might point out was far from the only person at fault for the Commandos opening game stumbles) is headed for another rough night (either by his own doing or the team as a whole), does St-Arnaud enter the fray as a way to stem the tide and try to shake things up for Jeff Leblanc and company? Again, I don't expect this to come into play as Wilkinson has an entire season of bounce back games to his credit. The team as a whole has done the same. However, having a guy like St-Arnaud on the bench gives the Commandos not only goaltending depth, but a potential momentum shift if needed in what will be a very tough series where every decision - no matter how big or small - could make a difference.
7:30PM start at the AJL. Be there. Seriously, what else do you have to do? That day pass is only good for 24 hours, remember.
- The Wildcats basically did nothing as I expected... oh wait, they defeated Saint John and Bathurst (and lost to Halifax) and otherwise did nothing as I expected. Injuries notwithstanding, it was still ugly at times, with tough losses against Cape Breton and PEI (twice) forcing the Cats into sixth place overall to end the regular season and a date with the Victoriaville Tigres. Why am I not looking forward to facing Victo? Revisit this post... it pretty much sums up why the Tigres concern me as a first round opponent for Moncton. And if you've been reading this blog and following the team all season, you probably know why the Cats concern me as well. If the "circa November or January" Cats show up, this series could end in a sweep. If the "October/December" edition makes an appearance, all bets are off. If Dimitrij Jaskin gets hurt again, I will officially refuse to watch the remainder of the series without a drink in my hand. I'll save an official prediction of any kind for my playoff preview post sometime later this week.
As for the rest of my "fearless" predictions from earlier this month (I use the term "fearless" since I knew at least half would be wrong).
- Truro did indeed defeat Woodstock in their final regular season game, clinching first in the Eastlink Division and facing off against mini-series winners Pictou County. What may not have been so expected was Pictou's opening game victory at the Rath Eastlink Center. Although I'm sure Truro will rebound, the game was certainly food for thought for Shaun Evans' Bearcats.
- Jaskin came within four goals of 50 and one point of the century mark. Had injuries not robbed him of a number of games the past two weeks, I may have been onto something here. I was dead on with my point prediction for Drouin and three off for Peter Trainor (100 instead of 103) and did not in any way expect Ben Duffy to go all Bruce Banner on the season's last day to outdistance everyone else and finish with an outstanding 110 points.
- The Transcript hasn't hired a proofreader... this is simply an educated assumption. God speed, Neil.
- The Bruins are not in first place in the East... but it probably still is PK Subban's fault... or maybe Joe Vitale's.
- Bang on for the first regulation loss for the Blackhawks prediction, right here! They're still my favorite for the Cup as well. Plus, they were the subject of this great little article a couple months back which I plucked off the twitter feed of Dieppe head coach Jeff Leblanc but had overlooked. Pretty crazy when you put it all together, really.
Well, let's see what I missed. For a detailed list of outlandish crap I predicted a couple weeks back, go here.
- The Commandos proved me wrong (losing the appeal against Patrick Bryne as well as their regular season finale in Miramichi), right (unfortunately, losing game 1 of the Meek Division semis in Woodstock 6-0) and undecided (predicting this series to do the distance).
On Wednesday night, the Commandos host the Slammers in Game 2. Which Dieppe team shows up? The one that fought tooth and nail with the Slammers virtually the entire regular season or the one that fell off the rails at the Carleton County Civic Center this past weekend? History says it should be the former before it's the latter.
Another question worth throwing out there is if Conor Wilkinson starts (which I can't see him not doing... dance with who brung you), how long will his leash be? I'm a big Wilkinson fan... great kid, right attitude, has helped win a number of games during the season. However, Alex St-Arnaud recovered from a couple of rocky outings after coming back from the Q to string together a handful of quality starts going down the stretch. He was also solid in relief in Game 1. If it appears that Wilkinson (who I might point out was far from the only person at fault for the Commandos opening game stumbles) is headed for another rough night (either by his own doing or the team as a whole), does St-Arnaud enter the fray as a way to stem the tide and try to shake things up for Jeff Leblanc and company? Again, I don't expect this to come into play as Wilkinson has an entire season of bounce back games to his credit. The team as a whole has done the same. However, having a guy like St-Arnaud on the bench gives the Commandos not only goaltending depth, but a potential momentum shift if needed in what will be a very tough series where every decision - no matter how big or small - could make a difference.
7:30PM start at the AJL. Be there. Seriously, what else do you have to do? That day pass is only good for 24 hours, remember.
- The Wildcats basically did nothing as I expected... oh wait, they defeated Saint John and Bathurst (and lost to Halifax) and otherwise did nothing as I expected. Injuries notwithstanding, it was still ugly at times, with tough losses against Cape Breton and PEI (twice) forcing the Cats into sixth place overall to end the regular season and a date with the Victoriaville Tigres. Why am I not looking forward to facing Victo? Revisit this post... it pretty much sums up why the Tigres concern me as a first round opponent for Moncton. And if you've been reading this blog and following the team all season, you probably know why the Cats concern me as well. If the "circa November or January" Cats show up, this series could end in a sweep. If the "October/December" edition makes an appearance, all bets are off. If Dimitrij Jaskin gets hurt again, I will officially refuse to watch the remainder of the series without a drink in my hand. I'll save an official prediction of any kind for my playoff preview post sometime later this week.
As for the rest of my "fearless" predictions from earlier this month (I use the term "fearless" since I knew at least half would be wrong).
- Truro did indeed defeat Woodstock in their final regular season game, clinching first in the Eastlink Division and facing off against mini-series winners Pictou County. What may not have been so expected was Pictou's opening game victory at the Rath Eastlink Center. Although I'm sure Truro will rebound, the game was certainly food for thought for Shaun Evans' Bearcats.
- Jaskin came within four goals of 50 and one point of the century mark. Had injuries not robbed him of a number of games the past two weeks, I may have been onto something here. I was dead on with my point prediction for Drouin and three off for Peter Trainor (100 instead of 103) and did not in any way expect Ben Duffy to go all Bruce Banner on the season's last day to outdistance everyone else and finish with an outstanding 110 points.
- The Transcript hasn't hired a proofreader... this is simply an educated assumption. God speed, Neil.
- The Bruins are not in first place in the East... but it probably still is PK Subban's fault... or maybe Joe Vitale's.
- Bang on for the first regulation loss for the Blackhawks prediction, right here! They're still my favorite for the Cup as well. Plus, they were the subject of this great little article a couple months back which I plucked off the twitter feed of Dieppe head coach Jeff Leblanc but had overlooked. Pretty crazy when you put it all together, really.
Wednesday, 6 March 2013
Fighting the Power, and Bold Predictions For the Next Week and a Half
The Dieppe Commandos spent a good portion of their day challenging what they felt was unjust authority yesterday. They lost on one front and are still awaiting the outcome of the other.
First, they issued an appeal to the MHL relating to the Patrick Byrne suspension. The Miramichi forward orchestrated an ugly incident early in the first period of the T-Wovles/Commandos game Sunday afternoon at the AJL. After jostling along the boards with Dieppe forward Alex Murray by the Miramichi bench, Byrne ripped off his gloves and delivered a series of punches to the head of the defenceless Murray. This was the second incident between the two players in the past month, as Byrne attempted to enter the Commando dressing room in a game at the AJL on February 7th in an attempt to fight Murray after both players were sent off with misconducts late in the game. As a result of the latest outburst, Byrne was assessed an aggressor minor, fighting major and game misconduct on the play while Murray was sent to hospital for what was originally believed to be precautionary measures. It is now apparent that whatever injuries sustained by the Commandos winger are more severe than originally thought as Murray was not dressed for last night's contest against Woodstock and there is as of yet no timetable set for his return.
Yesterday, the MHL handed down a three game suspension to Byrne (he had been suspended two games for the previous altercation involving Murray). The Commandos feel this punishment is not harsh enough as there was obvious malicious intent, an injury was sustained on the play and Byrne has a history of aggressive behaviour in games against Dieppe this season. The Commandos are still preparing to present their case in the matter and a decision should be rendered shortly following that presentation.
In the evening meanwhile, the Commandos set out to face their pre-determined first round opponent in round one of the MHL playoffs, the Woodstock Slammers. It was a must win game for Dieppe as anything less than a victory in regulation would allow the Slammers to clinch second place in the Meek Division and home ice in their upcoming playoff series. In the end, the Slammers would send the Commandos off disappointed as they would pump three goals home after a scoreless first and second period to win 3-2. However, it was the work of Lyndon Pike that would send the Commandos off incredibly frustrated.
Through 40 minutes, noone had managed to bulge the twine behind Commandos goalie Connor Wilkinson or Slammers netminder Simon-Pier Chamberland. It was a back and forth affair with excellent defensive work, hard hitting, decent scoring opportunities and outstanding goaltending... and only two minor penalties. It literally felt like a chess game being played out on the ice surface. Even the shots were equal after two period... 18 per side.
Sometime between the second and third periods, The guy who was skating around as an obvious impostor for referee Pike was replaced by the genuine article. The result? The game became a show for the head official, a number of borderline at best infractions were called and as a direct result, a couple of deserved penalties out of frustration on the part of Dieppe soon followed. Three powerplay goals, a game misconduct for Commandos head coach Jeff Leblanc and one attempted Dieppe comeback later and the final buzzer had sounded with Woodstock in second place for good.
All of this is not to say that the Slammers didn't play well enough to win. In essence, both teams did that. As well, the Commandos could've done a better job in certain circumstances to hold their emotions in check. However, none of this takes away from the fact that what should've been - and for two periods, was - the most exciting game of the season should never have been decided in the manner that it was. Because one person on the ice - who isn't even a player - couldn't keep up with the action, a potential instant classic was tarnished.
One last point regarding last night's events - it should not take away from the fact that these two teams are about the face off in what will be a wildly entertaining playoff series. Of all the potential first round matchups that are starting to form, this could be the best of them. All bets are off when these two teams collide - except to say you always get your money's worth when they face each other. All the best to the coaches, players and fans on both sides who are going to be participating in and enjoying this series. My only hope is that the players and coaches are the ones who get to decide the victor.
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And with that, I'm outta here for a while. While I'm taking the time to soak up the sights and sounds of the sunny south, alot of hockey will be played and even more excitement will fast approach. Here are just a few things I boldly predict will take place during the next week and a half.
- The Commandos will win their appeal in the Partick Byrne case, and the suspension will be lengthened to around 5-7 games. They will defeat Miramichi in the last game of the regular season on Friday night, sweeping that season series.
- Truro - still fighting to clinch first in the Eastlink division - will defeat Woodstock in their final game, giving them a first round date with the Pictou County Weeks Crushers who will handily defeat Bridgewater in their 3 game "mini-series".
- Dieppe will lose Game 1 of their series on the road. I will be back in time for Game 2 (most likely) and will get the chance to call an OT victory for the Commandos which will even the series. I will not pick a winner, but this series will go the full 7 based on this logic. If I'm wrong (again) and Dieppe wins game 1, I suspect they win the series in 6.
- The Wildcats - who play six times over the next 11 days - will go 5-1 over that stretch, defeating Cape Breton (road), Halifax (road... yes, you read that right), Saint John (home), PEI (road) and Bathurst (road) while losing at home to the Moose. They will finish in 5th place overall and by the time I'm wearing a new tan will be getting set to face the Gatineau Olympiques in round one of the QMJHL playoffs, a series Moncton wins in 5.
- Dimitrij Jaskin will reach both the 50 goal and 100 point plateaus on the season but will finish third in league scoring behind Jonathan Drouin (105 pts) and Peter Trainor (103 pts).
- The Times-Transcript will not hire a proofreader for their newspaper articles, however fans will continue to be amazed at the play of rookie Corey Garland.
- The Bruins will be in first place in the Eastern Conference (not even going to talk about the forgone conclusion that is Chicago in the West) by the time I touch Canadian soil again (March 16th, for the record). They will lose in round two of the playoffs, however. Their defeat will come at the hands of a revitalised New York Rangers team. Claude Julien will somehow blame PK Subban.
- Speaking of those pesky Blackhawks, they will lose in regulation in the next week. Pencil me in for Friday night's game in Colorado. They are my - and many others - favourite to win the Stanley Cup this year. Corey Crawford will win the Jennings with Ray Emery, then find himself a finalist for the Vezina (finishing third in voting behind Carey Price and Tuuka Rask). For the amount of time the 'Hawks stuffed him down in the minors, he deserves the bloody Masterton as well.
Enjoy your time away from this place, folks... I'll be sure to have one for all of you.
First, they issued an appeal to the MHL relating to the Patrick Byrne suspension. The Miramichi forward orchestrated an ugly incident early in the first period of the T-Wovles/Commandos game Sunday afternoon at the AJL. After jostling along the boards with Dieppe forward Alex Murray by the Miramichi bench, Byrne ripped off his gloves and delivered a series of punches to the head of the defenceless Murray. This was the second incident between the two players in the past month, as Byrne attempted to enter the Commando dressing room in a game at the AJL on February 7th in an attempt to fight Murray after both players were sent off with misconducts late in the game. As a result of the latest outburst, Byrne was assessed an aggressor minor, fighting major and game misconduct on the play while Murray was sent to hospital for what was originally believed to be precautionary measures. It is now apparent that whatever injuries sustained by the Commandos winger are more severe than originally thought as Murray was not dressed for last night's contest against Woodstock and there is as of yet no timetable set for his return.
Yesterday, the MHL handed down a three game suspension to Byrne (he had been suspended two games for the previous altercation involving Murray). The Commandos feel this punishment is not harsh enough as there was obvious malicious intent, an injury was sustained on the play and Byrne has a history of aggressive behaviour in games against Dieppe this season. The Commandos are still preparing to present their case in the matter and a decision should be rendered shortly following that presentation.
In the evening meanwhile, the Commandos set out to face their pre-determined first round opponent in round one of the MHL playoffs, the Woodstock Slammers. It was a must win game for Dieppe as anything less than a victory in regulation would allow the Slammers to clinch second place in the Meek Division and home ice in their upcoming playoff series. In the end, the Slammers would send the Commandos off disappointed as they would pump three goals home after a scoreless first and second period to win 3-2. However, it was the work of Lyndon Pike that would send the Commandos off incredibly frustrated.
Through 40 minutes, noone had managed to bulge the twine behind Commandos goalie Connor Wilkinson or Slammers netminder Simon-Pier Chamberland. It was a back and forth affair with excellent defensive work, hard hitting, decent scoring opportunities and outstanding goaltending... and only two minor penalties. It literally felt like a chess game being played out on the ice surface. Even the shots were equal after two period... 18 per side.
Sometime between the second and third periods, The guy who was skating around as an obvious impostor for referee Pike was replaced by the genuine article. The result? The game became a show for the head official, a number of borderline at best infractions were called and as a direct result, a couple of deserved penalties out of frustration on the part of Dieppe soon followed. Three powerplay goals, a game misconduct for Commandos head coach Jeff Leblanc and one attempted Dieppe comeback later and the final buzzer had sounded with Woodstock in second place for good.
All of this is not to say that the Slammers didn't play well enough to win. In essence, both teams did that. As well, the Commandos could've done a better job in certain circumstances to hold their emotions in check. However, none of this takes away from the fact that what should've been - and for two periods, was - the most exciting game of the season should never have been decided in the manner that it was. Because one person on the ice - who isn't even a player - couldn't keep up with the action, a potential instant classic was tarnished.
One last point regarding last night's events - it should not take away from the fact that these two teams are about the face off in what will be a wildly entertaining playoff series. Of all the potential first round matchups that are starting to form, this could be the best of them. All bets are off when these two teams collide - except to say you always get your money's worth when they face each other. All the best to the coaches, players and fans on both sides who are going to be participating in and enjoying this series. My only hope is that the players and coaches are the ones who get to decide the victor.
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And with that, I'm outta here for a while. While I'm taking the time to soak up the sights and sounds of the sunny south, alot of hockey will be played and even more excitement will fast approach. Here are just a few things I boldly predict will take place during the next week and a half.
- The Commandos will win their appeal in the Partick Byrne case, and the suspension will be lengthened to around 5-7 games. They will defeat Miramichi in the last game of the regular season on Friday night, sweeping that season series.
- Truro - still fighting to clinch first in the Eastlink division - will defeat Woodstock in their final game, giving them a first round date with the Pictou County Weeks Crushers who will handily defeat Bridgewater in their 3 game "mini-series".
- Dieppe will lose Game 1 of their series on the road. I will be back in time for Game 2 (most likely) and will get the chance to call an OT victory for the Commandos which will even the series. I will not pick a winner, but this series will go the full 7 based on this logic. If I'm wrong (again) and Dieppe wins game 1, I suspect they win the series in 6.
- The Wildcats - who play six times over the next 11 days - will go 5-1 over that stretch, defeating Cape Breton (road), Halifax (road... yes, you read that right), Saint John (home), PEI (road) and Bathurst (road) while losing at home to the Moose. They will finish in 5th place overall and by the time I'm wearing a new tan will be getting set to face the Gatineau Olympiques in round one of the QMJHL playoffs, a series Moncton wins in 5.
- Dimitrij Jaskin will reach both the 50 goal and 100 point plateaus on the season but will finish third in league scoring behind Jonathan Drouin (105 pts) and Peter Trainor (103 pts).
- The Times-Transcript will not hire a proofreader for their newspaper articles, however fans will continue to be amazed at the play of rookie Corey Garland.
- The Bruins will be in first place in the Eastern Conference (not even going to talk about the forgone conclusion that is Chicago in the West) by the time I touch Canadian soil again (March 16th, for the record). They will lose in round two of the playoffs, however. Their defeat will come at the hands of a revitalised New York Rangers team. Claude Julien will somehow blame PK Subban.
- Speaking of those pesky Blackhawks, they will lose in regulation in the next week. Pencil me in for Friday night's game in Colorado. They are my - and many others - favourite to win the Stanley Cup this year. Corey Crawford will win the Jennings with Ray Emery, then find himself a finalist for the Vezina (finishing third in voting behind Carey Price and Tuuka Rask). For the amount of time the 'Hawks stuffed him down in the minors, he deserves the bloody Masterton as well.
Enjoy your time away from this place, folks... I'll be sure to have one for all of you.
Sunday, 3 March 2013
Every Game's a Playoff Game at the AJL
And the race for second place continues...
The Dieppe Commandos - who have seemingly been playoff hockey since around December - did their part, defeating Miramichi 6-2. It was pretty much as decisive a win as you could ask for... definitely one of those games where the shot total reflected how the play unfolded (53-28 Commandos, for the record). Six different goal scorers found the back of the twine for a Commandos team that essentially got the job done in all three zones.
First off, there was the play in the offensive zone. It seemed for prolonged stretches that every decision the Commandos made in Miramichi territory was the right one. They constantly worked the play to create clear passing and shooting lanes and their positioning around the net was as sound as it's been at any point this season. Going 3/6 with the man advantage never hurts either, as their distribution on the powerplay was both quick and accurate. They were persistent in their ability to force the T-Wolves into mistakes at their own blueline and the offensive distribution (five different players with two points) meant that there was a good chance for fireworks no matter who jumped over the boards. If not for the play of Julien Daigle in the T-Wolves cage, the score could've easily reached double digits.
Defensively, the Commandos have been a work in progress all season. However, that work is paying off as the regular season quickly comes to a close. Since the season began, it's obvious to see the oft-referred to "little things" that produces wins are being properly executed more and more by Dieppe in their own zone. Patience along the wall, effectively going stick on stick against opponents, closing the gaps, angling off oncoming foes and shutting opponents down at the defensive blueline... it's happening more and more consistently for the Commandos. Today, Dieppe forced the play to the outside and simply blocked off the lanes as best they could. At virtually no point in the game did they over-commit on a play in their own zone. At most turns, they forced Miramichi to play the game at a pace they simply can't play. The Commandos allowed the game to play directly into their hands, thereby dictating the flow of the game from start to finish. When required Conor Wilkinson was there, making a handful of key stops when the game was close during one of those tougher games in which he was overly tested.
Unfortunately, they couldn't totally avoid some stupid stuff.
For a game that as a whole was relatively tame in terms of physicality and extracurricular activity, there was one rematch stemming from the last tilt between the two teams. During that game, Alex Murray and T-Wolves forward Patrick Byrne were involved in a heated exchange. After being escorted off the ice, Byrne decided he wanted an impromptu tour of the Commandos dressing room and hurriedly made his way down the connecting hallway to make these arrangements with Murray... or something like that. That was just stupid... today's antics were both stupid and dangerous.
With about three and a half minutes gone in the first, Byrne and Murray found themselves on the ice at the same time. Once again, they started to mix it up. Unlike last time however, the gloves actually came off... well, Byrne's did at least. A couple sucker punches and some general cementhead behavior later and Murray was being helped off the ice, headed to the hospital for precautionary reasons while Byrne was the proud new owner of 19 minutes in penalties including an aggressor minor and game misconduct. The Commandos - awarded a rare seven minute powerplay - would essentially feed off this series of events, scoring twice on the extended man advantage and not looking back.
Simply put, there's something there when it comes to Patrick Byrne and the Commandos. The T-Wolves rookie has 95 penalty minutes on the season... and a staggering 56 have come in three games against Dieppe (not including the 17 he piled up against the Commandos in an exhibition game). If all this kid wants to do is go around acting like some snot nosed punk and put his team at a disadvantage, the Wolves might as well trade him as soon as possible while the getting is still good - preferably to a non-Meek Division team where the "big, bad Commandos" won't stick in his craw so often. It would be of great benefit to Dieppe as well, since they would probably appreciate not having to play some kid solely looking to wreak havoc against their top players quite as much.
Expect Byrne to be called to the carpet once again by league officials - his third such foray as a result of an incident against the Commandos.
Moving on to more important topics, Dieppe plays their penultimate game on Tuesday night at home against Woodstock. Not to be outdone by the performance at the AJL this afternoon, the Slammers kept pace with a 4-1 win at home against Cambellton. The gap between second and third remains three points in favor of Woodstock. Dieppe wins on Tuesday and they stay in the race for home ice. Lose, and the Commandos start their first round series with Woodstock at the Carleton County Civic Center - a building they haven't won in since the 2008-2009 season. To anyone who has read and enjoyed this blog over the last few months - if you have not made your way to a game at the AJL this season and have an interest in doing so, this would be a good time to make the trip. These are two clubs that almost always put on a great show no matter where they play. Allow yourself to be introduced to this exciting young team in our back yard as they take on the defending national finalists in a preview of what should be an outstanding playoff series. If you appreciate good, clean, exciting hockey and you have nothing else to do Tuesday night, go to this game. You will thank yourself.
The Dieppe Commandos - who have seemingly been playoff hockey since around December - did their part, defeating Miramichi 6-2. It was pretty much as decisive a win as you could ask for... definitely one of those games where the shot total reflected how the play unfolded (53-28 Commandos, for the record). Six different goal scorers found the back of the twine for a Commandos team that essentially got the job done in all three zones.
First off, there was the play in the offensive zone. It seemed for prolonged stretches that every decision the Commandos made in Miramichi territory was the right one. They constantly worked the play to create clear passing and shooting lanes and their positioning around the net was as sound as it's been at any point this season. Going 3/6 with the man advantage never hurts either, as their distribution on the powerplay was both quick and accurate. They were persistent in their ability to force the T-Wolves into mistakes at their own blueline and the offensive distribution (five different players with two points) meant that there was a good chance for fireworks no matter who jumped over the boards. If not for the play of Julien Daigle in the T-Wolves cage, the score could've easily reached double digits.
Defensively, the Commandos have been a work in progress all season. However, that work is paying off as the regular season quickly comes to a close. Since the season began, it's obvious to see the oft-referred to "little things" that produces wins are being properly executed more and more by Dieppe in their own zone. Patience along the wall, effectively going stick on stick against opponents, closing the gaps, angling off oncoming foes and shutting opponents down at the defensive blueline... it's happening more and more consistently for the Commandos. Today, Dieppe forced the play to the outside and simply blocked off the lanes as best they could. At virtually no point in the game did they over-commit on a play in their own zone. At most turns, they forced Miramichi to play the game at a pace they simply can't play. The Commandos allowed the game to play directly into their hands, thereby dictating the flow of the game from start to finish. When required Conor Wilkinson was there, making a handful of key stops when the game was close during one of those tougher games in which he was overly tested.
Unfortunately, they couldn't totally avoid some stupid stuff.
For a game that as a whole was relatively tame in terms of physicality and extracurricular activity, there was one rematch stemming from the last tilt between the two teams. During that game, Alex Murray and T-Wolves forward Patrick Byrne were involved in a heated exchange. After being escorted off the ice, Byrne decided he wanted an impromptu tour of the Commandos dressing room and hurriedly made his way down the connecting hallway to make these arrangements with Murray... or something like that. That was just stupid... today's antics were both stupid and dangerous.
With about three and a half minutes gone in the first, Byrne and Murray found themselves on the ice at the same time. Once again, they started to mix it up. Unlike last time however, the gloves actually came off... well, Byrne's did at least. A couple sucker punches and some general cementhead behavior later and Murray was being helped off the ice, headed to the hospital for precautionary reasons while Byrne was the proud new owner of 19 minutes in penalties including an aggressor minor and game misconduct. The Commandos - awarded a rare seven minute powerplay - would essentially feed off this series of events, scoring twice on the extended man advantage and not looking back.
Simply put, there's something there when it comes to Patrick Byrne and the Commandos. The T-Wolves rookie has 95 penalty minutes on the season... and a staggering 56 have come in three games against Dieppe (not including the 17 he piled up against the Commandos in an exhibition game). If all this kid wants to do is go around acting like some snot nosed punk and put his team at a disadvantage, the Wolves might as well trade him as soon as possible while the getting is still good - preferably to a non-Meek Division team where the "big, bad Commandos" won't stick in his craw so often. It would be of great benefit to Dieppe as well, since they would probably appreciate not having to play some kid solely looking to wreak havoc against their top players quite as much.
Expect Byrne to be called to the carpet once again by league officials - his third such foray as a result of an incident against the Commandos.
Moving on to more important topics, Dieppe plays their penultimate game on Tuesday night at home against Woodstock. Not to be outdone by the performance at the AJL this afternoon, the Slammers kept pace with a 4-1 win at home against Cambellton. The gap between second and third remains three points in favor of Woodstock. Dieppe wins on Tuesday and they stay in the race for home ice. Lose, and the Commandos start their first round series with Woodstock at the Carleton County Civic Center - a building they haven't won in since the 2008-2009 season. To anyone who has read and enjoyed this blog over the last few months - if you have not made your way to a game at the AJL this season and have an interest in doing so, this would be a good time to make the trip. These are two clubs that almost always put on a great show no matter where they play. Allow yourself to be introduced to this exciting young team in our back yard as they take on the defending national finalists in a preview of what should be an outstanding playoff series. If you appreciate good, clean, exciting hockey and you have nothing else to do Tuesday night, go to this game. You will thank yourself.
Saturday, 2 March 2013
Winning, Winning and More Winning
Can't the Wildcats just play on Sportsnet every game? I'm willing to put up with Damien Cox and Nick Kypreos every night if this is the usual result.
I nominate last night's 4-2 win as most impressive on the season. Better than the 3-0 win vs Halifax because the Moose played one of their worst games of the season that afternoon. Better than the 3-0 win vs. Blainville because this Rimouski team is better than that Armada squad was in my opinion. And this latest win came on the road. Road games have been less than kind to the Cats at times this season.
Simply put, last night's game had the intensity of a playoff game and commanded a high compete level as well as precise execution. That's what Moncton brought to the table. Their defensive awareness was outstanding, keeping Rimouski to the outside with regularity. Their puck support was as strong as it's been all season. Their distribution in both even strength and powerplay situations was very impressive. They received big saves when required. In a game in which everyone needed to bring their best... and their best players needed to be their best players (that term really is more than a cliche), both occurred. At the end of the day, it's games like last night's that give me hope for the rest of the season. If they come up with performances like this in the postseason, things could get very interesting, indeed.
Make it five straight for the Cats, who head up to road to the ultra awesome house of hockey known as the Colisee Pepst to face the Remparts. Can someone call up Sam Cosentino and get him to just sit in the press box or something?
A couple hours south of Rimouski, the Dieppe Commandos took great strides towards securing their fate in the MHL playoffs, officially clinching at least third in the Meek division with a 5-3 win in Campbellton. Dieppe overcame deficits of 2-0 and 3-1 respectively to pull out win number 26 on the season. Mark Simpson led the way offensively with two goals and an assist... speaking of which.
This Commandos team is an offensive force. As a result, sometimes individual performances can go unnoticed. Mark Simpson is one of those guys who I find goes under the radar... or as much "under the radar" as a 6'5" can go. He's still getting used to life in the MHL and possibly beyond... but he's getting more and more comfortable all the time. He wins faceoffs with alarming frequency. He is very tough to move from in front of the opposing net. Just as important however, he doesn't panic with the puck very easily. And in the midst of all this, the rookie from Saint John is playing some of his best hockey at just the right time, as his seven points in the last five games can attest to.
Simpson and his Commandos are guaranteed a first round date with the Woodstock Slammers... all that remains to be seen is where that series will start. Woodstock remains two points ahead of Dieppe with a game in hand. The Miramichi Timberwolves will play a huge part in who will get that home ice advantage. After playing host to the Slammers tonight, they travel to the AJL tomorrow afternoon for a 2:30 tilt. It's gonna be a very interesting week in the MJL indeed. I highly suggest you come down to the rink and take it all in.
I nominate last night's 4-2 win as most impressive on the season. Better than the 3-0 win vs Halifax because the Moose played one of their worst games of the season that afternoon. Better than the 3-0 win vs. Blainville because this Rimouski team is better than that Armada squad was in my opinion. And this latest win came on the road. Road games have been less than kind to the Cats at times this season.
Simply put, last night's game had the intensity of a playoff game and commanded a high compete level as well as precise execution. That's what Moncton brought to the table. Their defensive awareness was outstanding, keeping Rimouski to the outside with regularity. Their puck support was as strong as it's been all season. Their distribution in both even strength and powerplay situations was very impressive. They received big saves when required. In a game in which everyone needed to bring their best... and their best players needed to be their best players (that term really is more than a cliche), both occurred. At the end of the day, it's games like last night's that give me hope for the rest of the season. If they come up with performances like this in the postseason, things could get very interesting, indeed.
Make it five straight for the Cats, who head up to road to the ultra awesome house of hockey known as the Colisee Pepst to face the Remparts. Can someone call up Sam Cosentino and get him to just sit in the press box or something?
A couple hours south of Rimouski, the Dieppe Commandos took great strides towards securing their fate in the MHL playoffs, officially clinching at least third in the Meek division with a 5-3 win in Campbellton. Dieppe overcame deficits of 2-0 and 3-1 respectively to pull out win number 26 on the season. Mark Simpson led the way offensively with two goals and an assist... speaking of which.
This Commandos team is an offensive force. As a result, sometimes individual performances can go unnoticed. Mark Simpson is one of those guys who I find goes under the radar... or as much "under the radar" as a 6'5" can go. He's still getting used to life in the MHL and possibly beyond... but he's getting more and more comfortable all the time. He wins faceoffs with alarming frequency. He is very tough to move from in front of the opposing net. Just as important however, he doesn't panic with the puck very easily. And in the midst of all this, the rookie from Saint John is playing some of his best hockey at just the right time, as his seven points in the last five games can attest to.
Simpson and his Commandos are guaranteed a first round date with the Woodstock Slammers... all that remains to be seen is where that series will start. Woodstock remains two points ahead of Dieppe with a game in hand. The Miramichi Timberwolves will play a huge part in who will get that home ice advantage. After playing host to the Slammers tonight, they travel to the AJL tomorrow afternoon for a 2:30 tilt. It's gonna be a very interesting week in the MJL indeed. I highly suggest you come down to the rink and take it all in.
Friday, 1 March 2013
Le Colisee de Rimouski... Where (Mostly) Bad, Bad Things Happen
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| Don't let the happy demeanor fool you... he's probably packing heat. |
Think back... way back. 15 long years ago, to be exact. That spring, the Cats were in the playoffs for the first time ever. They vanquished the higher ranked (and - on paper, at least - more talented) Chicoutimi Sagueneens in six games. Off to round two! And who awaited them in round two? The Rimouski Oceanic... as well as the Quebec Remparts... all intertwined in what can only be described as Satan's gift to playoff hockey, the round robin. No matter. The Wildcats defeated first place Quebec in game one (despite being badly outshot... and outplayed). Unfortunately, the ride would soon come to an end as the Cats would lose the next three games of the round robin and Quebec would "miraculously" come from behind in the final round robin game in eliminate the need for a tie-breaker game and send both the 'Nics and the Remps to the league semi-finals. Oh well... Rimouski was a tough opponent... but the Cats were on the upswing. They'll get them whenever they get the chance to face them in the playoffs again.
They got their chance the following year. With home ice, to boot. Here's what happened:
Not
Too
Damned
Much
Five days after it started, it was over. Two blown leads at home and two outright blowups on the road and Rimouski was advancing once again on the backs of the Moncton Wildcats.
However, the following year, the Cats would be even stronger! A powerhouse, in fact! Plenty of big names, tons of valuable playoff experience and this time with enough momentum to take down Bathurst in a four game first round sweep before coming from behind in Game 7 to vanquish the ultra-sketchy Quebec Remparts in the conference (remember conferences??) semi-finals. To the third round we went!
And who was there?
Oh yes... Rimouski.
Did the same thing happen as before?
Oh yes...
And was it the most gut-wrenching defeat yet?
Read this and decide for yourself. Pay particular attention to when the last two Rimouski goals were scored.
In this case, it wasn't just the loss (this was Game 2 of the series, by the way... and it put Moncton down 0-2 in that series)... it's what the loss represented. When Juraj Kolnik's shot deflected off the trapper of Simon Lajeunesse and into the bottom left corner of the net with less than a minute to go in the game, the Wildcat's dream season effectively ended. Until that steamy Sunday afternoon in May, 2006, this was the most demoralizing moment in franchise history. In some ways, this Rimouski loss was still the worst of the two, if only because the organization had not yet tasted any tangible success on which to hang it's hat on. As well, the Memorial Cup final loss didn't have nearly the same far reaching ramifications as this loss - both this one game and the series as a whole - did. They had built for five seasons for this chance (unlike the Wildcats, I actually include the Alpines). They knew after this chance it would be a while for the franchise to reach the top of the mountain again. And it all blew up. Two years of purgatory and four years with a playoff series victory ensued. And where was the final nail hammered in the coffin? Le Colisee, of course!
Revenge eventually does come to those who wait.
2004... still one of my all time favorite years as a sports fan. First off, I'm a Red Sox fan... so that part is pretty self-explanatory. Then there was Montreal's inspired series win against Boston in Round 1 of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Finally, the Moncton Wildcats - who seemed to muddle along like a fractured kind of lot with what some felt was a questionable head coach - were back on top again... sort of.
This wasn't the big, bad powerhouse team many had envisioned. Yes, they were big (one of the toughest teams in franchise history in fact, led by Thierry Douville and featuring Nathan Saunders, Cody Doucette and Luke Pelham and scores of other lads who could hold their own). And some nights, oh lord, were they bad. But when all was said and done, they just weren't the fearsome bunch that many had suffered for the better part of four years to cheer on. They were really good, yes. Just not great.
Sometimes really good can take you pretty darned far, though.
After sweeping Baie-Comeau and taking out an ultra tough PEI Rocket team, Round 3 of the Q playoffs beckoned. And who was there?
The entity that by that time was widely refered to as "Sidney Crosby and the Rimouski Oceanic"... like they were a friggin swing band, complete with bandleader or something!
Simply put, alot of people outside Moncton - and even a few within city limits - wanted to see Moncton lose that series (if only to see Crosby win). If history was any indicator, there was a good possibility those people could've gotten their wish. However, this was one year in which the Cats were solid favorites to beat Rimouski. To do so, they would have to accomplish something they had not done going into that series - win a playoff game at Le Colisee.
Game 1 took care of that. It was a pretty big moment. First, it was the fact that the team had gone ahead 1-0 in a league semi-final series for the first time. Then there was symbolism of that ever-elusive first playoff win in Rimouski. Finally, the conclusion of this game marked the one and only time in my life that I - from my apartment in Moncton - performed the Homer Simpson "floor spin"
Moncton would win two of the next three, setting up Game 5 in Rimouski. A trip to the finals would be on the line for Moncton. All they had to do was win in a building they now had a 1-7 career playoff record in. No biggie.
Any of the fans who were there for Game 5 will never forget it. A tension, pressure packed chess match style game ensued. 60 minutes of ulcer inducing glory. It was all worth it as Kevin Glode's shot off a rebound found it's way past Guillaume Lavallee in the latter stages of the third to give the Cats a 2-1 lead and - minutes later - their first berth in the QMJHL finals.
It's ironic how situations and history play out. Since that night - April 26, 2004 - the Cats have not won another playoff game in Rimouski. They went 0-2 in 2009. Their lifetime record in that building in the postseason stands at 2-10. Some regular season games have been pretty forgettable as well. A number of times, the Cats have snatched defeat from the jaws of victory there. It was a bloodbath of a game in Rimouski that spelled the end of the line for Christian Larue (okay, maybe it wasn't all bad).
Sometimes though, one win can atone for alot of losses. As tough as the sledding has been for the Wildcats in the city of Rimouski, because of one single solitary game, I will always have fond memories of the place. I - as well as a handful of others from this neck of the woods - saw something special there.
And the poutine is outstanding, too.
Wednesday, 27 February 2013
Nothing a Goal or Twelve Won't Solve
Apparently, it was an offensively charged evening in the Maritimes last night.
First off, the 12-2 Cats victory at the Coliseum over Cape Breton... really, what can you say? It was one of those games where you knew the potential was there for it to be a blowout and the only questions were would the Cats take the foot of the gas and could it get ugly in areas other than the scoreboard? The answers were no and (minus one viewing of "The Jimmy Oligny Show" no.
Discussing the squad from CB with a fan from that area last night, the topic of how many MHL teams could beat the Eagles in a playoff series. Based on what I've seen from both the Jr.A ranks and Marc-Andre Dumont's crew, I figure at least six - probably even seven - MHL teams could win a best of 7 from that squad with varying degrees of difficulty (or lack thereof). It's an unfortunate situation for the fans in that neck of the woods, who will almost certainly see their team miss the playoffs for the first time ever (and the first time for the franchise in general since they were the Granby Bisons back in 1993) and even more frustrating for the kids on the ice. Honestly, at this point and time it can be very tough to beat the Eagles without embarrassing them... unless you bring the competitive edge down a notch. Tough situation to be in.
The Cats didn't bring their compete level down. However, the way they dictated the play was commendable. They basically threw the puck around when it got to a certain point in the game and although they continued to find twine, it was the likes of Conor Garland and Ryan Penny (both with hat tricks) providing the offence in the later stages as opposed to Dimitri Jaskin and Phillip Danault. When one good team is that on and one rebuilding team is that off, nights like this will happen. Take the two points and venture forward.
For the Cats, venturing forward means a jaunt to Rimouski and Quebec City this weekend. Friday night's game from the Colisee de Rimouski will be televised on Sportsnet. Channel your inner RJ Broadhead and tune in.
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That made it 22 home team goals within a few blocks radius as the Moncton Flyers got off on the right foot in their first round playoff series against Miramichi. Among the highlights in the Flyers' 10-4 victory was a five goal, six point effort from Joey Richard, a 6/10 success rate on the powerplay and a four goal third period that saw the home team finally pull away in what was up until that point a see-saw affair, the two teams heading for the dressing room after 40 minutes tied at six. This first to eight points series resumes tomorrow night in Miramichi.
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Meanwhile in Dartmouth, the Amherst Ramblers walked into the Sportsplex (that in itself was most likely a harrowing team effort) and trounced the Metro Shipbuilders 10-3. Now yes, this is the Shipbuilders, who have as many wins as what some teams manage in a week and a half (four, to be exact), but even this result adds to my theory that if I'm any team in the Eastlink Division, I'm not looking forward to potentially locking horns with the Rams in the postseason. Simply put, they're good. It's a different kind of "good" than last season as well. Whereas last season Jim Bottomley was trying to mold a talented team on paper into an outfit that he can get through to (which was alot easier said than done), now he has a group that are out for blood - and looking out for the greater good - every single night.
As impressive as certain now bygone names on that squad from last year were, one guy who remains epitomizes that Amherst team to a tee - Kody Orr. That kid should get serious consideration for league MVP. There are some players who do nothing great, yet do everything good. Orr goes everything great. Last night he had two goals, three assists and 14 PIMS. Really, it's a perfect microcosm of what he can bring to the table every night.
In a season during which the Caps and Bearcats and Mariners are the talk of the league, don't be surprised if this Amherst team finds a way into the finals. As tough as it will most likely be for the Commandos to face the Slammers in round one, I'd honestly rather it be them than the Ramblers as an initial test in a best of seven.
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Speaking of those Commandos, they hit the road on Friday, facing off against the Campbellton Tigers in a 7:30 start. In the process, Dieppe will look to go a perfect 7-0 against the Tigers this season while also looking to sow up at least third in the division (and stay in the race for second). On Sunday afternoon, it's back to the AJL to face the Miramichi Timberwolves, another team whom a) the Commandos have been perfect against this year and b) always seem to bring their "A" game against Dieppe. Please join us and watch what you've been missing.
First off, the 12-2 Cats victory at the Coliseum over Cape Breton... really, what can you say? It was one of those games where you knew the potential was there for it to be a blowout and the only questions were would the Cats take the foot of the gas and could it get ugly in areas other than the scoreboard? The answers were no and (minus one viewing of "The Jimmy Oligny Show" no.
Discussing the squad from CB with a fan from that area last night, the topic of how many MHL teams could beat the Eagles in a playoff series. Based on what I've seen from both the Jr.A ranks and Marc-Andre Dumont's crew, I figure at least six - probably even seven - MHL teams could win a best of 7 from that squad with varying degrees of difficulty (or lack thereof). It's an unfortunate situation for the fans in that neck of the woods, who will almost certainly see their team miss the playoffs for the first time ever (and the first time for the franchise in general since they were the Granby Bisons back in 1993) and even more frustrating for the kids on the ice. Honestly, at this point and time it can be very tough to beat the Eagles without embarrassing them... unless you bring the competitive edge down a notch. Tough situation to be in.
The Cats didn't bring their compete level down. However, the way they dictated the play was commendable. They basically threw the puck around when it got to a certain point in the game and although they continued to find twine, it was the likes of Conor Garland and Ryan Penny (both with hat tricks) providing the offence in the later stages as opposed to Dimitri Jaskin and Phillip Danault. When one good team is that on and one rebuilding team is that off, nights like this will happen. Take the two points and venture forward.
For the Cats, venturing forward means a jaunt to Rimouski and Quebec City this weekend. Friday night's game from the Colisee de Rimouski will be televised on Sportsnet. Channel your inner RJ Broadhead and tune in.
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That made it 22 home team goals within a few blocks radius as the Moncton Flyers got off on the right foot in their first round playoff series against Miramichi. Among the highlights in the Flyers' 10-4 victory was a five goal, six point effort from Joey Richard, a 6/10 success rate on the powerplay and a four goal third period that saw the home team finally pull away in what was up until that point a see-saw affair, the two teams heading for the dressing room after 40 minutes tied at six. This first to eight points series resumes tomorrow night in Miramichi.
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Meanwhile in Dartmouth, the Amherst Ramblers walked into the Sportsplex (that in itself was most likely a harrowing team effort) and trounced the Metro Shipbuilders 10-3. Now yes, this is the Shipbuilders, who have as many wins as what some teams manage in a week and a half (four, to be exact), but even this result adds to my theory that if I'm any team in the Eastlink Division, I'm not looking forward to potentially locking horns with the Rams in the postseason. Simply put, they're good. It's a different kind of "good" than last season as well. Whereas last season Jim Bottomley was trying to mold a talented team on paper into an outfit that he can get through to (which was alot easier said than done), now he has a group that are out for blood - and looking out for the greater good - every single night.
As impressive as certain now bygone names on that squad from last year were, one guy who remains epitomizes that Amherst team to a tee - Kody Orr. That kid should get serious consideration for league MVP. There are some players who do nothing great, yet do everything good. Orr goes everything great. Last night he had two goals, three assists and 14 PIMS. Really, it's a perfect microcosm of what he can bring to the table every night.
In a season during which the Caps and Bearcats and Mariners are the talk of the league, don't be surprised if this Amherst team finds a way into the finals. As tough as it will most likely be for the Commandos to face the Slammers in round one, I'd honestly rather it be them than the Ramblers as an initial test in a best of seven.
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Speaking of those Commandos, they hit the road on Friday, facing off against the Campbellton Tigers in a 7:30 start. In the process, Dieppe will look to go a perfect 7-0 against the Tigers this season while also looking to sow up at least third in the division (and stay in the race for second). On Sunday afternoon, it's back to the AJL to face the Miramichi Timberwolves, another team whom a) the Commandos have been perfect against this year and b) always seem to bring their "A" game against Dieppe. Please join us and watch what you've been missing.
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