2010 President Cup Final Preview
Published on April 28, 2010 under Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) News Release
MONCTON
(3rd in the overall standings with 102 points)
VS.
SAINT JOHN
(1st in the overall standings with 109 points)
During the 2009-10 season:
2009/09/27 MONCTON 3 @ SAINT JOHN 4
2009/10/17 MONCTON 2 @ SAINT JOHN 3
2009/12/13 SAINT JOHN 3 @ MONCTON 7
2009/12/31 SAINT JOHN 4 @ MONCTON 3
2010/01/06 MONCTON 5 @ SAINT JOHN 3
2010/02/06 SAINT JOHN 5 @ MONCTON 4
2010/03/05 MONCTON 4 @ SAINT JOHN 3
2010/03/14 SAINT JOHN 2 @ MONCTON 5
MONCTON
The best performers for the Wildcats during their regular season match-ups versus the Sea Dogs (goals-assists-points):
David Savard: 0G-10A-10PTS
Randy Cameron: 3G-6A-9PTS
Daniel Pettersson: 5G-3A-8PTS
Marek Hrivik: 5G-3A-8PTS
The Wildcats defeated the Screaming Eagles, the Huskies and the Voltigeurs in five games in the first three rounds.
The Wildcats' power-play, which ranked first during the regular season with a 27% success rate, has continued its fine work, capitalizing on 25.9% of its opportunities during the playoffs. Moncton also has succeeded in stoning their opposition with a man down at an 82% clip.
The roster is rich with savvy veterans. Kelsey Tessier is the Wildcats' most prolific playoff scorer with 21 points. Gabriel Bourque has been no slouch, registering 11 goals, including 3 game-winners. Finally, Randy Cameron and Nicolas Deschamps have been offensive sparkplugs with 14 points apiece.
Moncton boasts a formidable defensive, led by Mark Barberio (15 points), Brandon Gormley (14 points) and QMJHL Defenseman of the Year, David Savard (8 points; +16 rating).
Goaltender Nicola Riopel has continued his stellar play. He has a 12-3 record with the help of a 1.90 goals-against-average and .939 save percentage. Finally, he has registered three shutouts.
DID YOU KNOW...
...The Wildcats have lost only one game in overtime during the playoffs.
...They have won their last five games on the road.
...Head coach Danny Flynn's troops have certainly been on their best behaviour since the beginning of the President Cup Playoffs. They have received only 9.6 penalty minutes per game.
...Gabriel Bourque has scored 11 goals and added 47 hits, both League highs. He has also registered at least a point in his last six games.
...Scott Brannon will soon reach the 350-game mark. He has played 302 regular season games and 47 playoff contests.
...Nicola Riopel continues to wreak havoc on the record books:
- Best goals-against-average, career, in playoffs
Riopel (2.29) vs. Pavelec (2.27 - Cape Breton)
- Best save percentage, career, in playoffs
Riopel (.927) vs. Desjardins (.927 - Rimouski & Quebec)
- Best goals-against-average, one playoff year
Riopel (1.90) vs. Therrien (1.89 - Victoriaville)
- Best save percentage, one playoff year
Riopel (.939) vs. Crawford (.940 - Moncton)
SAINT JOHN
The best performers for the Sea Dogs during their regular season match-ups versus the Wildcats (goals-assists-points):
Tomas Jurco: 5G-4A-9PTS
Yann Sauvé: 3G-5A-8PTS
Michael Kirkpatrick: 2G-6A-8PTS
Mike Hoffman: 4G-3A-7PTS
The Sea Dogs defeated the Rocket in five first round games, swept the Olympiques in round two and disposed of the Tigres in six games in the third round.
After struggling with a man down during the regular season (78.8%), the Sea Dogs have stepped up their special teams play in a big way during the playoffs. After the first three rounds, Saint John holds the second best shorthanded unit (84.1% success rate). The power-play has also come alive as the Sea Dogs have scored at a 30% clip.
Goal scoring has not been an issue in the playoffs so far. Saint John has recorded 74 markers in fifteen games (4.93 goals/game). The offence is led by veterans Michael Kirkpatrick (24 points), Nicholas Petersen (23 points) and Mike Hoffman (19 points), the regular season's Most Valuable Player.
Rookie sensation Jonathan Huberdeau has stepped up his play following an impressive freshman campaign. He has collected 17 points, including a team-high eleven markers. Moreover, Huberdeau has scored four game-winners.
The blue-line assets are a talented bunch. Simon Després leads all defensemen in scoring with 17 points while Nathan Beaulieu and Yann Sauvé have been strong contributors both offensively and defensively.
Marco Cousineau, a proven backstop and owner of a 2009 President Cup ring, has been rock solid. He has posted a 12-3 playoff record as well as a 2.18 goals-against-average and .925 save percentage. Cousineau has collected two shutouts.
DID YOU KNOW...
...Do you remember the Saint John Flames and their captain, Steve Bégin? They won the AHL's Calder Cup in 2001. Will the Sea Dogs bring a new championship trophy to the city in 2010?
...Notwithstanding the eleven original QMJHL franchises from 1969, only the Longueuil Chevaliers (arrived in 1982-83, won in 1986-87) and the Val-d'Or Foreurs (arrived in 1993-94, won in 1997-98) won President Cups in their first five years.
...The Sea Dogs lost two consecutive games on only four occasions this season. It has yet to happen in the Playoffs.
...Jonathan Huberdeau has eleven goals so far in the playoffs. Only Dale Hawerchuk (Cornwall, 1980) managed more as a 16-year-old.
...Gerard Gallant, the head coach of the Sea Dogs, ranks fifth among all-time playoff leaders in points with 90. He recorded them with Sherbrooke and Verdun in the early 1980's. The record belongs to Jacques Jr. Locas, who registered 153 from 1970 to 1974 with St-Jérôme and Quebec.
...Marco Cousineau is on quite a hot streak. He has 26 playoff wins in only 38 games and posts a .684 save percentage to go along with it. His wins total places him 6th on the all-time list. With his next victory, he'll join Jacques Cloutier. The all-time leader is Roberto Luongo (38). He is followed by Robert Desjardins (30), Emmanuel Fernandez (29) and Adam Russo (28).
Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from April 28, 2010
- Games 1 & 3 Of QMJHL Finals Both Sold Out - Saint John Sea Dogs
- Wildcats - Sea Dogs Meet In First Ever New Brunswick Q Final - Moncton Wildcats
- Game One Of Sea Dogs - Wildcats Series Officially Sold Out - Saint John Sea Dogs
- 2010 President Cup Final Preview - QMJHL
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