Oh... I think I just got a femmeboner.

From the Metro:

It’s sounding like there will be a little more bite at the Halifax Mooseheads’ training camp in August.

“We’re going back to five-on-five hockey with whatever goes,” said Mooseheads head coach and general manager Cam Russell. “You want to drop the gloves and fight? Go ahead. If players are tough guys, fighters, we’ll allow them to do what they do in camp so we can assess their ability, too.”

I think I might just actually like Cam Russell. The Jury is still out on him and I have been shifting back and forth in my team management related emotions, but with how I'm feeling right now I would say that quote deserves at least a handjob. I will have to wait and see what he can get out of the boys this upcoming season. It could get interesting.

In other Moose news - 20 year old forward Matt Boland is no longer of the team's protected list. I suspect he is off drowning his sorrows with a couple of chocolate bars, maybe even rubbing chocolate on his oft injured shoulder. Mmmmm chocolate. Right now I am so desperate for sweets and I would even lick chocolate off of Boland just to get some.

Otherwise:
I am still festering about the possible re-inclusion of green into the team wardrobe after they spent 3 years phasing it out. Fuck! I mean grean is ok, and it looks really good on redheads... but red, black and white is totally 'teh hot'. The boys were stylin' and totally sexy in the thirds. The all black was totally RAWR. Amyot looks like such an intellectual in all black, like as if next season he will be founding the Halifax Beat Poetry society.

image from the Mooseheads Website

Dudes, there is a company down on the waterfront called BREAKHOUSE. They specialize in design. They can do advertisements, campaigns, interior etc. etc. etc. Look them up. Then, as soon as a contract becomes available, give it to them. Now, don't say I never did anything for you.

Did somebody here order a pizza?

Wednesday has come and gone, so while my lazy ass started this blog post yesterday, it is not getting online until today...because life is not all about blogging and cooing at young hockey players.

The CHL has named its top 10 as well as its players of the week....and the Q is totally representing.

The CHL top 10 are:
1. Windsor Spitfires (48-6-0-1)
2. Calgary Hitmen (48-7-3-1)
3. Vancouver Giants (46-5-0-3)
4. Shawinigan Cataractes (42-11-2-0)
5. Drummondville Voltigeurs (43-9-0-3)
6. Quebec Remparts (41-10-0-3)
7. Saskatoon Blades (41-13-3-1)
8. Brampton Battalion (36-14-1-1)
9. Belleville Bulls (35-15-2-2)
10. Brandon Wheat Kings (38-15-3-1)

The CHL pizza delivery boy (bow-chicka-wow-wow) of the week is Drummondville's Yannick Riendeau, while the security guard is Moncton goaltender Nicola Riopel. Why are Riendeau and Riopel dressed up as a pizza delivery boy and security guard, respectively, you ask? Sexy games!!! Oh, don't act like you have never seen one of 'those' movies!

Riopel won three games with one shutout posting a goals-against-average of 0.67 and a save percentage of .975. Riopel started his week on Thursday at home to the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies where he made 21 saves in the 6-1 win. His best game of the week was on Saturday when the Wildcats hosted the Chicoutimi Sagueneens. Riopel earned second star of the game honours with his fifth shutout of the season turning aside all 23 shots fired his way. Riopel was sensational to finish the week on Sunday on the road in Saint John where he was recognized as first star of the game for making 33 saves to beat the Sea Dogs 3-1.

Moose Stuffing:
Sometimes you learn the most delightful things from game programs. One of those things being that Matt Boland's proudest hockey acheivement was having once won an Academic player of the month award. That is just too fucking cute. Then he told us his nickname is Goose, I presume because he is from Gander Nfld and not because he swallows his food without chewing. He is trying to make me want to sit in his lap and mess up his fauxhawk. Stop charming me Boland *side eye*. What are you up to? Nothing good I am sure!

Jan Stransky was January's player of the month for his 6 goals and 2 assists (+2) in 7 games played. Alexis Piette was awarded academic player of the month.

Mark Yetman has started wandering around the ice during breaks in play because he suddenly thinks that he is other goalies. Pffff the other goalies look up, silly fool!!! Look up (oh hello!), or don't look up (pout)... all that matters is that we don't do anything that messes with his 'game'. It has been decent lately, and sometimes it gets downright sexy. Do we give credit to the boy or his beastly *rawr* new beard? We call this goaltender February- March Yeti. Yeah... this is the guy everyone fell in love with at the end of last season. Don't get too attached... it is just a spring fling. Moose fans will use him up and spit him out. They are the cruelest to their tender little netminders.


CIS stuffing:
Former Moosehead Colby Pridham has been playing with the Saint Mary's Huskies hockey team this year.... you know, when he is not wandering around the concourse of the Metro centre longing for his glory days as a Moose. There was an article in the Chronicle Herald earlier this week, and it praised all things Colby Pridham.

But it’s Pridham — who has scored six goals and 22 points but skates against the opponent’s top players — whom SMU head coach Trevor Stienburg says is as valuable to his team as anyone.

"The thing about Colby is that he plays well on both sides of the puck," Stienburg said.

"He has some speed and he’s a very versatile player for us. We can put him in a lot of different positions; we can put him on the point during the power play. He’s a good centreman who understands the game well. He can play in any situation and that’s something not a lot of guys can do."

According to Pridham... "The two-way role is my game and I don’t think that’ll change. Playing both ends of the rink is what I do. I’m not the guy who’s going to be the leading scorer. I think it’s important for myself and the team to take care both ends of the rink. We have lots of guys who can put the puck in the net. I’ll just try to keep them out."

In other AUS news, former Saint John Seadog/Lewiston MAINEiacs goaltender Travis Fullerton's shutout run with the UNB Varsity reds lasted a total of 292 minutes and 39 seconds. How orgasmic is that? It came to an end at the hands of StFX's Will Colbert. In 12 games played Fullerton has a 7:3:0:3* record with a 1.78 GAA and a 0.913 Save %. Those stats are too hot for words...let's just bask in them for a quick second * bask*. After a slow start to the season it is always nice to see a goalie pick it up and reaffirm my faith in him. When it comes to my goalie-loves I hate to make mistakes and choose the wrong boy.

On that note may I also point out that Pier-Olivier Pelletier is leading the OUA with a 1.97 GAA and 0.939 save % in 9 games and a 6:1:0:1 record. Waterloo are the 9th ranked team in the CIS.
I mean, sure he has played less games then all of the other goalies, and stats do not tell you everything about a game, but still, you have got to give him props for this season... and you DO have to awknowledge when stats are totally squeeworthy.


In other AUS/ Former Mooseheads news:
Garrett Peters (SMU) has 3 goals and 5 assists for 9 points in 27 games.
Bryce Swan (StFX) has 13 goals and 9 assists for 22 points in 25 games.
Ryan Seymour (UNB) has 3 goals and 2 assists for 5 points in 20 games.

Logan MacMillan (Halifax Mooseheads/ Rimouski Oceanic) has been interviewed for inside the Q.

...and just as a bonus - Peter-James Corsi, who plays for the Charlotte Checkers of the ECHL, has 4 goals and 12 assists for 16 points in 28 games. You wanna know about Hiller too? Check it out yourself you damn hobo. I mean, shouldn't the Ryan Hiller dick sucking committee/local newspapers be covering that stuff? I do the vast majority of my cooing at French boys, Newfies and that delightful new undergrad I work with... he smells good and has the fluffiest hair.

* I am well aware that it doesn't add up.... which is why I fixed it to add the Shootout losses.

So it is a supper date then?

Just a few quick points:

1) The Montreal Junior now have pictures from Monday's game up on their website. Most of the pics are of Junior players, but I saw Yeti, Stransky, MacAskill, Yeti, Randell, the backs of some Moose jerseys, and Yeti again.

2) The Chronicle Herald has posted a story and interview with Logan MacMillan in which they discuss his return to the Metro Centre this Saturday with the Rimouski Oceanic.

"I really have no idea what to expect," MacMillan said. "I’ve never been in the situation of getting traded and then coming back to the place where you played three and a half years. It’s all going to be new to me.

"I remember Kevin Cormier getting traded and Garrett Peters too. I was close to those guys and they just said it was all really weird; walking into the building and going to the visiting dressing room, then coming out on to the ice from the other end. I’m expecting it to feel the same way for me — weird."

"I kind of knew it was coming so it wasn’t too bad, but it was definitely different coming to a new city and putting on a different jersey," said MacMillan, selected in the second round of the 2005 QMJHL draft by the Mooseheads. "Those kinds of things did take a while to soak in.

"But it’s been great here. There have been great crowds in all the games up here. They pack the rink every night and they’re right on top of you and they’re really into it. That’s been fun."

Logan still owes me a dinner at The Cut Steakhouse from way back in July when he signed his contract with the Ducks. Cha-ching. Well he probably doesn't remember that he owes me a dinner, in fact he probably never knew he owed me a dinner... so I just thought I would let him know. He needs a good gourmet dinner since he is a boy in recovery. He was not playing with Rimouski last week because of injury. When he was out they suddenly became awesome, and have won their last 5 contests. Do you think that Logan is cursed?

3) News links, now with more criticism:
Chris Cochrane (Chronicle Herald) - Rainmen, Moose send bad vibes.
*bad link now corrected

4) Did you see that "hooked-up" segment with Matt Boland that aired on Eastlink when the Moose were playing the Remparts? Delightful! Personality is 1/2 of hockey, at least for women. Look at Boland laugh at children (or with children, whatever) because they can't read. Equally delightful. If they stick around long enough I do eventually grow to like them.

5) Oops - Moncton have fallen out of the CHL top ten:
1. Windsor Spitfires (44-6-0-1)
2. Vancouver Giants (44-4-0-3)
3. Calgary Hitmen (44-7-3-1)
4. Shawinigan Cataractes (40-11-2-0)
5. Drummondville Voltigeurs (40-9-0-3)
6. Quebec Remparts (39-10-0-3)
7. London Knights (37-12-0-2)
8. Belleville Bulls (34-14-2-2)
9. Saskatoon Blades (38-12-3-1)
10. Brampton Battalion (34-14-1-1)

One of three in three: A Piss Poor blog post

The Mooseheads are on the road, having taken on the Baie Comeau Drakkar last night. This is the second game of a five game road trip and the first of a weekend three in three. Yetman was in nets for the Moose, while Marek Benda and Cousineau both stood watch for the Drakkar. MacMillan is still out with a knee injury while forwards Snow and Desjardins, and defencemen Matheson and Greer sit out for the Moose.

1st
I tune in late only to discover that the Mooseheads are down – 2 goals (Laroche and Goulet) on 3 shots in three and a half minutes. The Laroche goal was a PP marker goal on a Knotek penalty. Boo. I quit my team.

I go to the kitchen, because I am baking my road-tripping boyfriend(s) a banana bread. I consider burning it. Then I return just in time to discoverer that the Mooseheads have magically gone up 3-2. What the hell? They must smell the banana bread. Excellent noses on those boys. Apparently the first goal was by Knotek (from Pender) at 13:56, possibly an attempt to make up for his earlier penalty, the second was by Bernard (from Knotek and Cheremetiev) at 14:48 and the last was by Gerad Grant unassisted at 17:30. All were even strength.

Honestly…you miss 5 minutes of a hockey game and madness ensues. I am beginning to think that my watching brings bad luck.

This Cheremetiev, Knotek, Bernard line is amazing. They have some real chemistry. Will they be broken up when MacMillan returns? My guess: most likely. In Moose Universe solid line combinations are fairly short lived.

2^nd
Cousineau replaces Benda in nets for the start of the second period. Pender and Trembley fight early (very early) in the second. Did they really need to fight? Pender is kinda essential. It is not always good to be sitting in the box for 5 when the team needs defence.

Moose get a PP -Bona carries the puck cleanly down the ice and deep into the Drakkar zone but then we lost the puck, allowing the Drakkar get a two-on-two during our PP. Bernard does a good job breaking up a cross ice pass and taking the puck back out of the Moose zone. We are still unable to get a goal in the PP – this is a HUGE problem.

The Drakkar get a two on one…but they really suck at opportunizing. They stop and think, then start to write an essay detailing their next move…they lose the puck. Hey I’m not complaining. The Drakkar are really messy tonight. It took them forever to notice the puck had left the Moose zone and they were all offside. By the time they realized this, the Moose were down in the Drakkar zone. If they have a female blogger she is likely baking them pot brownies.

I can smell the Banana bread. I decide the boys deserve it (it is rich in Vitamin K)...I shouldn't let it burn. I go to check on it and while I am on my way down the stairs I can hear: "Drakkar get a goal". Damn. Why have I missed every goal this game. I am going back downstairs to the kitchen…magic happens when I am there. Oh…all I am doing is thinking of leaving and we get a goal.

Matt Boland from Earle and Bety. In only two games Boland is 2/3 of the way to matching his 3 year career points total of 1 goal and 2 assists.

On a 4^th PP we are having a hard time keeping the puck in the Drakkar zone. I don’t like when the other team is getting shots on our net during our PP. Bona carries the puck all the way in. DEEP. Then he is out of position when he should be on the point. Is this a problem? I think this is a problem.

3^rd
Moose get a PP when the Drakkar get caught with too many men on the ice. We just had two exciting end-to-end chances: the Drakkar had a break-out but as the puck neared the Moose net Yeti left the crease and poked it away, then the Moose picked it up for a reverse rush, allowing Piette to get a chance but Cousineau denied him.

Damn, with about 6 minutes left the Drakkar get a goal on their fourth PP to tie the game 4-4.

OT
While I was distracted Yeti made the most spic-spectacular save. Why did Pender take a penalty in OT? Damn…Ouimet scores, Drakkar get a goal against a screened Yetman to win the game 5-4. The Drakkar have just jumped the Mooseheads in the league standings.

Team in need of a PP?
Honestly boys: 0 for 7. Two power play goals in the past 37 chances (???). We have a 15% efficiency. That is piss poor. This is one problem that no one can blame on Yetman.

Yetman: 5 Goals on 26 shots
Marek: 3 goals on 15 shots
Cousineau: 1 goal on 22 shots

Stars:
BAC - Petit, Félix
BAC - Ouimet, Maxime
HAL - Knotek, Tomas