QMJHL Week in Review

Published on December 21, 2010 under Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)
Lewiston MAINEiacs News Release


Meet Your MAINEiacs:

Etienne Brodeur, LW, #23 and Samuel Carrier, D, #55

Sitting in the kitchen with Etienne Brodeur and Sam Carrier, I decide to ease into the conversation. We don't know each other well, and I'm going to ask them about their families, their accomplishments, their Christmas plans Ummm right. I decide to start with something basic - a question about breakfast. As we talk, I admire the incredible hockey talent at the table, yes, but more importantly, I appreciate how great these two guys are as people. Without further ado, Etienne and Sam share the following with their fans:

Favorite cereal Etienne: Froot Loops, Sam: Wheaties Fuel (As Sam shows me his cereal box, billet mom Pauline Gudas chimes in to set the record straight - Froot Loops might be a favorite, but you won't find them in her house! The guys make healthy choices as elite athletes.)

Favorite video game Etienne: NHL, Sam: NHL

Best dinner your billets make Etienne: Steak on the grill, Sam: BBQ Ribs

Morning person or Night owl Etienne: Night owl, Sam: Night owl (Although both agree it's more about the choice that involves not waking up early than it is about staying up late.)

If you had to, would you rather sit through an opera or a ballet Etienne: Ballet, Sam: Ballet

Stick or Automatic transmission Etienne: Automatic, Sam: Stick

Movie you most recently saw Etienne: Jackass 3D, Sam: Social Network

Cats or Dogs Etienne: Dogs, Sam: Dogs

Rolling with the conversation from here, Sam recounts a story about living away from home to play Midget AAA. His now 14-year-old brother begged extensively for a dog without being able to convince their parents. The Carriers eventually gave in with Sam gone, though, replacing Sam with a Bichon. Laughing, Sam says the sting of being swapped for a dog was slightly lessened in the end, because his family decided to name the dog Roxy rather than the first consideration...Sam! Despite the snub, Sam speaks warmly of his family. His brother is also a "really good" hockey player, and Sam hopes he'll be a nice addition to the MAINEiacs roster in two years. His dad works at Sleeman Breweries, and his mom works for the SAQ (the government organization regulating alcohol sale and purchase) in Montreal.

Etienne, equally proud to talk about his family, shares his little sister is 17 and still in school, his 22-year-old brother is a hockey goalie and still plays in the Montreal area, his mom cares for children at a daycare, and his father is in the picture framing business.

Of course the first thing both guys clarify is the proximity of their homes in Varennes. The Brodeurs and Carriers live only three streets away from each other. "We first met each other in Peewee or Bantam," Etienne explains. "So that was, like, age 11," says Sam, which means Etienne and Sam developed hockey chemistry long before they both made the MAINEiacs roster. Keeping close, they are not only teammates and friends but also billet brothers. This is now Etienne's third year with Pauline and David Gudas, and Etienne somehow convinced the Gudases to take a second player. "Only for training camp" turned into the season, and the Gudases now feel so lucky to share their home with both guys. The admiration is reciprocal, and both Sam and Etienne say their billets are capital letters THE BEST!! Long gone are the awkward first dinners three years ago, when Etienne's limited English had them sitting at the table with the dictionary. This is truly home during the season.

Speaking on the season, both Etienne and Sam have reason to be proud of the first half. Etienne is the 1st star of November for the QMJHL, and Sam, drafted by the Capitals, had a big game-winning goal against Moncton. About that shoot out goal, Sam shares, "It felt great. I went the first time against Rouyn-Noranda and missed, so it felt good to get it in this time. Plus it was a great crowd!" Unpretentiously, Etienne notes his honor "feels good," and "all of the team had a great month, so it's easier to play well if the whole team is playing well." Carrier and Brodeur also shared success in the recent match-up with Montreal, during which Etienne twice had an assist from Sam on his goals. Sam says and Etienne agrees, "We don't get to play a lot together, so when we do, it's really fun. It's like going back to Peewee."

Going back home to Varennes is something both guys smile about. After their game in Shawinigan on Dec. 18th, their parents will pick them up for a Christmas holiday filled with rest, relaxation, and family. They hope paintball guns are under the tree for many of their teammates this year. The guys have enjoyed playing during past seasons near PO Morin's billets' house, and they'd like to play again soon. Apparently PO's billets also have a great sliding hill, so some decent snow is on the wish list!

As I write this on a game day, Etienne will be having his Noon-3:00pm pregame nap. Sam will specifically not be sleeping but will be relaxing with tv and video games. The pregame rituals will also include certain foods and a specific order for dressing at the rink. And we fans will gather to cheer for Etienne, Sam, and our other MAINEiacs - for points in the win column and for success in all things.

Etienne and Sam, another big thank you for agreeing to this interview. Have a wonderful holiday break, and MAINEiacs Nation will be listening when you retake the ice on the 28th in Victo! - Sarah Alto

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Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League Stories from December 21, 2010


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