Superseries

The Roster for the QMJHL team in the Canada /Russia superseries has been announced and it has some seriously serious goaltenders on it.

International exposure is a great thing.

Goaltenders

Jake Allen (MTL)
Maxime Clermont (GAT)
Louis Domingue (MON)
Olivier Roy (CAP)

Defensemen

Mark Barberio (MON)
Nicolas Deslauriers (ROU)
Simon Després (SNB)
Brandon Gormley (MON)
Hubert Labrie (GAT)
Charles-Olivier Roussel (SHA)
Yann Sauvé (SNB)
David Savard (MON)
Marco Scandella (VDO)

Forwards

Luke Adam (CAP)
Michaël Bournival (SHA)
Gabriel Bourque (BAC)
Jordan Caron (RIM)
Patrice Cormier (RIM)
Philippe Cornet (ROU)
Sean Couturier (DRU)
Nicolas Deschamps (CHI)
Gabriel Dumont (DRU)
Michael Kirkpatrick (SNB)
Jacob Lagacé (CHI)
Philippe Paradis (SHA)
Maxime Sauvé (VDO)
Kelsey Tessier (QUE)
Marc-Olivier Vachon (DRU)

The only thing it is missing are Mooseheads players. *sigh*

People you should know

The QMJHL has posted a Quick hits interview with Moncton Wildcats goaltender and Canada Under 18 Ivan Hlinka gold medal winner Louis Boileau-Domingue.

I am going to rip the whole thing. Louis is a boy you NEED to know more about.

Are you satisfied with the start to your season?

"I’m very satisfied of my accomplishments so far. My expectations were high from the start, especially following Nicola’s (Riopel) exceptional showing last year. I want to duplicate the success he’s had."

Is it difficult mentally to try to meet such a high level of expectations?

"Nic and I have always been very close; we’re long-time friends. When he was selected in last year’s draft, I was very happy for him and at the same time, it gave me an opportunity to establish myself in the League and with the Wildcats. This summer, my focus was on the World Under-18 Championship and nothing else. After we won the gold medal, it shifted to getting ready for the start of the season."

What baggage of experience did you get from participating in the Tournament?

"It’s a tournament that doesn’t give you too much time to make your mark. I had an opportunity to participate in a goaltenders pre-camp in June, which was held a few weeks prior to the opening of the evaluation camp. I think it gave me a bit of a head start. I arrived at the pre-camp in great shape, ready to play and it showed. Then, I benefited from having a month to prepare before hitting the ice again for the evaluation camp. The team was really good, especially on defence, and after earning a shutout during the Tournament, I got the nod to play in the championship final."

Those opportunities are hard to come by. Do you feel that you’ve grown as a hockey player as a result of grabbing hold of it?

"For sure. Representing your country on the other side of the ocean was very special. I appreciated every moment."

Louis is forcing my hand

At the tender age of 17 Louis Boileau-Domingue is pushing for my #1 QMJHL boyfriend spot. Darling Louis, you are far too young. What do you mean you shut out the Czechs this morning in your first game at the Ivan Hlinka tournament? That is your gift to me? Too sweet!


...and now the Canadian team qualifies to play for gold. awww shucks. I will get a batch of cookies ready for your return home.

EDIT- Ohhhh pictures from Hockey Canada

As a Devils fan I know this is wrong but....

I kinda like the Philadelphia Flyers. I guess you could say that I have a crush.

The Flyers have recently done something smart and inked Moncton Wildcats Goalie and their 2009 5th round draft pick Nicola Riopel to a contract. Because some girls like to listen to french boys talk, because west coasters are not familiar with Riopel, and because everybody else hates the Flyers and would never dare to visit their web page - I am including Riopel's draft day video here as a final goodbye.



It appears as if Riopel will not be back with the Wildcats and that the goaltending reigns will be handed over to behbeh LBD, goaltender for Canada's under 18 team and hot list hottie for the hockey news. That is a list of young hotties, right?

So while everybody in Halifax was doing a Stanley Cup /Sidney Crosby birthday celebration pee-dance of excitement yesterday, I was sitting around sighing for goalies and the Flyers. This was followed by soulful Flamenco...the expressive dance of my own personal suffering at the hands of heart breaking goalies.

To get my mind off of goalies today I watched this video of former Gatineau Olympique star forward Claude Giroux, who now also plays for the Flyers. Enjoy, and please don't forget his name. I suspect he won't let you! If you don't know him now you will know him soon enough.




Now my mind is wandering. Why does he have a giant inflatable dinosaur in his back seat? Sometimes it takes the BIG questions to get goalies out of my head.

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Riopel Image from Courrier de St-Hyacinthe via RDS

Sads

Mooseheads forward Gabriel Desjardins did not make the cut for the under 18 squad for the Memorial of Ivan Hlinka tournament. Neither did Brooks Macek of the tri-city Americans. Why does this selection committee hate the pretty?

Gabe had a single goal for the white team in the first scrimmage of the series plus an assist and a tripping penalty in the third game. Team white lost all four games to team red.

In happer news, four boys from the Q did make the team and one of those boys was the adorably fluffy/pouty/toothy Louis Boileau-Domingue of the Moncton Wildcats (and goaltender for team red). Quickly, tie him down while I shove 4 dozen cookies into his mouth. Don't worry - he has a week to digest them before the tournament.

disguised as a kitteh

Monday Updates: Goalies are smart

My internet sucked yesterday and as a result I could not watch the game. I hear players were playing...and playing hard. Sydney will bring out the dirt in everyone. Trust. Big props to my boyfriend elect Mathieu Corbeil for holding Cape Breton to a 2-1 lead after the first despite facing a barrage of 25 shots, and not allowing another goal until overtime (on the PK). All in all he faced 49 shots, stopping 46. Bravo young stud.

In addition I recommend that we all lick Charles Bety: he got the only two Mooseheads goals yesterday, he sings pretty, and he is academic player of the month. It is an awesome combo, non? Unfortunately the Eagles won 3-2 in OT. Oh well, the Moose got a point, which is good, but...

...I suspect that Yuri must have slept with some team brass's wife - why else would he be moved from the top line to the 4th line? Also, Gab has to keep his ass out of the penalty box. Why is it so appealing? Does it have a vibrating bench? Porno videos? Does Cape Breton's penalty box contain multiple tiny whores from New Waterford?

Game news links:
Willy Palov - Eagles edge Moose in OT
Matthew Wuest - Corbeil faces barrage in OT loss
Greg MacVicar - Chouinard nets overtime winner against Mooseheads
Cape Breton posts game highlights on You tube.


QMJHL players of the week:
Offensive player of the week is Paul Byron of the Gatineau Olympiques. Byron is so light and airy that an opposing defencemen breathing on him is enough to propel him forward. His speed is not solely his own doing. Byron had 5 goals and 5 assists in 4 games. Damn. Just damn. Is there any point in mentioning the also rans? Nah, I didn't think so, even though Champagne (PEI) did have a 6 point night on Sunday...and he looks like this.

The defensive player of the week is Charles Lavigne of the Quebec Remparts. Pokey Charley had a 1.37 goals-against-average and .957 save percentage in three road-trip wins against Halifax, Saint John, and a shutout over Moncton. Charles has been nominated a few times, so I am glad that he has finally got his prizes. Two other goalies (Olivier Roy and Marco Cousineau) were also in the running, as was defenceman Marco Scandella (Foreurs).


Sportsnet Hot/Not:
Paul Byron and his Gatineau Olympiques are hot
The Chicoutimi Sagueneens and Nathan Dunnett (Baie Comeau) are not

Smart goalies:
Two of the candidates for my 2008-2009 QMJHL boyfriend have received smarty pants awards. There is nothing hotter than a brain. NOTHING. An excellent sense of humour is second, third is... oh shame on me, I simply can't say that here. Bobby Nadeau (PEI), Louis Boileau-Domingue (Moncton), the Titan's ginger goalie Frédéric Piché and Mooseheads own Charles Bety are total poindexters. 3 goalies out of 18 winners - so they do have brains. Oh hey professor! Wanna school me?

It's about time Louis Boileau-Domingue

The Mooseheads faced off against the Moncton Wildcats tonight and lost by a score of 6-2. This was the final home game before X-mas. I have the DTs already.

Starting in nets for Moncton was their new baby goalie Louis Boileau-Domingue. I have been waiting all year for this. Louis faced 25 shots, allowing only two goals - both were tip-ins off of shots from the point by Justin Pender. Alexis Piette and Charles Bety had the goals for the Moose.

Charles Bety had the second goal of the game

Louis is speedy and he never stops moving. He was not really challenged so I didn't get a chance to see what he can really do under pressure, but given that the only goals he allowed were tip-ins, that in itself is pretty admirable. This is Louis's third win of the season. He is not getting so many games (only 6 so far this year) but hopefully that will change in the second half.

Do you think he knows he is my future imaginary Q-boyfriend?

The Moose played well in the first, getting both of our goals within 10 minutes. We came out of it up one goal, and then were a little dumb in the second allowing the wildcats to tie it up - when the Moose allowed yet another short handed goal... in the form of a break-away only a few seconds into our powerplay.

The third period however was a mess. It killed us. Four goals against! Merry X-mas to me. This loss is the coal in my X-mas stocking sock. Yes, I have been bad.

Moncton goals were scored by Lessard in the first, Brannon in the second (grrrrr), and Brown (x2), Cameron, and Lessard in the third. Brown (1) and Lessard (3) got some of those theoretical shiny stars for their hard effort and winning ways, as did Justin Pender.


Mathieu Corbeil takes the loss in nets for the Moose. This was, by far, not his best game, having allowed 6 goals in 33 shots. Ugh a 5-hole softie!!! Really Mathieu? Were you threatened and afraid that other young goalies would steal my heart? It is not unplausable. He does look like a fluffy baby chick...so very fluffy.

Supposedly, filling in for Yeti is a great learning experience for Corbeil. So this is him strutting his stuff, eh? Oi! Strangely enough, Dumaresque was not backing up Corbeil. The team had Yetman dressed even though he is still injured an hasn't skated for a week.


There was plenty of fun in fight form: O'Connor vs Sill (dreamy), Bona vs Boyle (ugh that hair - disgusting) and MacMillan vs Boyle (Logan made him bleed). For your entertainment may I present the Logan MacMillan strip tease (Courtesy of BelarusRikk).





Edit*
I forgot to mention that our PK was awesome today. The Moose killed 6 of 7. Good job PK boys. Kisses to the boys on the PK. Now, do that in Sydney too.

mmmmm baby goalies

Yesterday the Moncton Wildcats, who are currently undefeated in regulation, spanked the Halifax Mooseheads 6-2. I took notes while I lazily watched the game. This is all you get…replace the word today with yesterday, because I am too lazy to edit my post, and was clearly too lazy to post yesterday.

Mathieu Corbeil gets the start:
Ohhhh look out Yeti, my boy MCT has gotten two straight starts…and today he is getting a start against one of the best teams in the league, the Moncton Wildacats. My other little coo liebe LBD is also between the pipes…so today it is like I am catching all kinds of young little fishes in the nets. Do you feel emasculated my darling Mark, do you feel threatened, are you scared? Might you end up getting dumped? Will your cocky arrogance wane? I hope so. I think I hate you...that's why this is so hot.

Edit* Cam Russel is quoted in today’s issue of the Chronicle Herald

"I thought Corbeil played really well," Russell said. "He was good on the first shots and the rebounds so that was a real bright spot for us. He looked real composed against a team that’s ranked second in Canada.

"(Mark) Yetman was sick the past week so that’s why we played Corbeil against Saint John. But he played so well that’s why we thought he deserved to start again tonight. We’ll go back with Yetman for tomorrow’s game."

NUTS

1^st
Moncton score two powerplay goals in the first period (Jodoin and Brown). The Mooseheads have managed to kill off a long five on three only to allow the Wildcats to score a with a few seconds remaining on the proceeding five on four. A third goal is allowed after MacAskill tries to dump the puck deeper into the Moncton zone from the blueline, only to have Gormley intercept and start a rush that results in an even strength goal from Brannon in the slot. Gormley gets an assist. Ben MacAskill gets a paddling.

With less than a minute remaining in the first Baby Louis B-D allowed a fluke Mooseheads goal by Chad Earle, which was scored while Chad was behind the red line and tried to put the puck forward only to have it bounce of Domingue and go in the Moncton net. Hopefully this provides motivation for the next period.

2^nd
I tune in during a Gabe O’Connor fight. Apparently I missed another Moncton goal (by Savard on the powerplay) which put them up 4-1. Chad Earle then does a wrap around the Moncton net and takes a shot which bounces off Domingue and gets picked up by Piette for the second Mooseheads goal

My impression of LBD so far: he looks fast. His movements are fast, such as his ability to get down then back up and into position, and his moves are smooth and fluid. He is likely a good dancer, no one can be that smooth and not know how to dance. It is difficult to judge on live feeds, Louis is small, less than a cm big…but I will continue to judge him as smooth.

Moncton’s feeds are much better than they were last year. Much better. Sometimes they don’t track the guy with the puck, but at least there are not multiple camera angles or a 5 minute shot of the Camera man’s shoes. Serious Q fans know what I am talking about.

At the end of the second the score is 4-2 Moncton. MCT has faced 38 shots so far this game, 26 of which have been considered dangerous. He has to be applauded for keeping himself so composed while facing a team like Moncton. The Moose have to step it up on the penalty kill. Honestly guys, allowing 3 in 5 is sad.

We are also not getting in our requisite number of hits. We should be doing that. Today’s game is not as physical as our game against the Sea Dogs, where we ended up with 36 good hits. Sure the Moose were not "taking the body" enough for my seat neighbours, Fatty Wingus and Peglegs Dingus, but those idiots only know three phrases: 1) take the body, 2) goddammit Bona/Pender (and last year Monast), and 3) shoot (yelled most frequently when the shooting lane is clogged – and when the puck hits a body they get upset). This differs greatly from today’s game where, in two periods, the Moose only have 6 hits, two courtesy of Bahm and two courtesy of ELXVI. So far none of our huge defenceman has thrown a hit…bitches please, use your size to your advantage.

3^rd
With about 5:34 to go in the period the Wildcats get another goal, this time by Matt Lahey. Boo on us. So far the Moose have only put put 10 hits and have 26 shots on net. This is followed by the Moose allowing Moncton to get another goal, this time by the Cats captain Matt Eagles, the puck went off of Corbeil and in.

Overall:
Moncton outshot Halifax 52 /29. We were just not putting up the hits. We also only had one PP opportunity. The only D to hit anyone was Bona, who put out only 1 hit all game. Way to go defence. If I had to stuff anyone full of cookies it would be Desjardins and Earle. Earle had 5 shots on net, 4 of which were dangerous, and Desjardins had 4 shots. He also did a lot of hitting.

Moncton dominated the stars:

1. MON - Jodoin, Simon
2. MON - Savard, David
3. MON - Brown, Matt

Ohhhhhh baby

I was wandering about on the East Division chat boards when I came across some scouting footage of my favorite new baby goalie Louis Boileau-Domingue, 1st round draft pick of the Moncton Wildcats. I am so desperate for some sweet sweet puckhandling right now that I will settle for watching 16 year old boys do their thing.

Here is Louis in warmup... and here is a game time video montage.

He is a righty, which makes him different (special even), and he looks calm under pressure. He does some of that athletic spinning and rolling around, and like he likes to handle the puck, which by Q-girl standards makes him excellent future 'imaginary goalie boyfriend' material. I even see him there communicating with his boys - and every girl likes a boy who keeps the lines of communication open.

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Picture from Le Messager LaSalle