gone dark

Yeah, sorry about that. At first I swore I would not blog until I had dealt with pressing real-life issues. Those were dealt with by last Wednesday so I really have no excuse for not blogging about the last two games in a timely manner. Needless to say, not having to write anything for a whole week was like a dreamy dream. Fuck the English language.

So, I guess I should get to it.

Mooseheads vs Montreal Jr (Moose lose 4-1)
Well, the first period was exciting. When the team allowed 4 goals in the second period I gave up on life. Sitting through the third period just felt like torture because of the sense of complete helplessness. It must be how my cat feels when I force her to cuddle me. I never want to experience that again. Can you do that for me my sweet, darling mooselets?

Cookies to Grant for the only goal in what felt like the longest stretch of goallessness in the history of hockey.  Cookies are for eating, not for hiding in your underware.


Mooseheads vs Screagles (Moose lose 2-0)
Despite the fact that the team were shutout, this game was decidedly less painful. Games against the Screagles are always delightful and scrappy...even when there is no actual scrapping. Cookies are to be shared between Bety and Bernard for coming out in this game with full force, and new goalie Delmas for decreasing my sense of hopelessness with his >0.9% sv%. There is a chance for you yet Delmas, but remember: cookies are for eating, not for hiding down your pants.

PS J.Bernard. We are soooo back on. I was going to give you a choice about it but then I realized we never talked...so how could you let me know? You can't!!! I have made an executive decision for us. If I catch you sexy dancing for Alex MacDonald I will rip his mullet weave out...unless, of course, I can have you both.

Mooseheads vs Wildcats (Moose lose 3-0)
In a homage to the loss of Baby LBD I did not pay attention to this game. How dare LBD leave me to go to Quebec? The only benefit of this move was our acquisition of Delmas...Oh, and the fact that LBD gets to work with Roy. I just don't think he was taking my feeling into consideration. ...and to think that I cooed for his wearing of white belts and shoes (yes, gentle readers, he goes all Frenchy style on us too). 

Twenty-five shots on goal and yet, nothing. I blame Nicola Riopel. He probably shouldn't be in this league.

Cookies go to me because I have a tendency to drown my sorrows in food.

Mooseheads vs Sagueneens (Moose win 5-1)
Ah now that is more like it. Randall's one timer was a thing of pure beauty. Who knew that anybody on this team could 'one-time' it. Sometimes, as a group of intelligent, deep thinking and gentle boys, my moosies spend far too much time coddling the puck with their stick and contemplating their next move. Pucks are for shooting, not for coddling... and definitely not for putting down your pants in an attempt to look like you have a bigger schlong.

Pucks were getting all up in the Sags' net. The Mooseheads had 5 goals (Randell, Bernard, Gelinas, MacDonald and Andrews) in 40 shots and boys were driving the net to get those rebounds.  Amazeballs. Why can't they do this every night?

It's as easy as that!

With the Sags came a return to winning and the second coming of Alexis Piette (the first, of course, being his visit with the Lewiston Maineiacs before being traded to the Sags at X-mas). At some point Alexis played an excellent game of keep-away, scooting around the entire perimeter of our zone with the puck, and at that moment I desperately wanted him back. It's not just for the eyebrows.

Cookies go to MacDonald and Bernard. MacDonald had his first goal as a Moosehead, which is always something to be celebrated with abundant overeating and a few beer. Of course I am terribly selfish and I demand more goals. Immediately if possible. Yes Jessyko, cookies are for storing in your pants but only if I can...

Mooseheads vs Voltigeurs (Moose win 2-1)
Bitches. The Volts stole Delmas' shutout with just over 3 minutes left in the game. Peter Delmas stopped 35 shots on his way to a win over the league powerhouse Drummondville Voltigeurs (33-13-0-2). It was brilliant.

Abeltshauser (big slapshot from the point) and Amyot both got their goals on the powerplay. Knotek, Bernard, Gelinas and Andrews had assists.

Jake Allen was in nets for the Volts, playing what was his 3rd game in  a row. Why they felt the need to play him against one of the worst teams in the league is beyond me? I was tempted to throw Allan off his game by holding up a big sign that just said "SILVER" on it, but I had no bristle board and I had not thought of this in advance of the game. It turns out that it was not necessary to be so mean and the Mooseheads could defeat the Volts without my help.

To say that the final three minutes was stressful is an understatement. The Moose had lost their 2 goal cushion and spent the last minute playing 6-4 after taking a penalty for too many men on the ice. The defensive effort was staggering and I was desperately hoping one of the boys could thoroughly crush the Volts' spirits with an empty net goal but everyone knows that empty net goals are really not part of the Mooseheads' skill set.

Dear Peter Delmas,
Congratulations on your QMJHL defensive player of the week award. In two games you recorded two wins and had a 1.0 GAA and a 0.964 sv%.  I would lick cookie crumbs off your taint for that. Please, don't tell your mother I offered... and for God's* sake don't tell my mother either. What do you mean, you don't read my blog? You should get on that boy!
xxxooo
Q-girl

News links
Palov - Another upset win for Moose

Wuest - Mooseheads pull off major upset 

* God = Martin Brodeur 

In the springtime of his voodoo

The NHL has released it's preliminary rankings for the 2010 draft and some Moose are on there.

Check it out: http://www.nhl.com/league/ext/Central%20Scouting/2010/PrelimRankingsDomestic.pdf

Mooseheads import defenceman Konrad Abeltshauser is listed as #13 amongst QMJHL skaters. I hope he is excited but not so excited that he jumps around. That might aggravate his knee injury.

While Mathieu Corbeil may be sad that he lost  the CHL goaltender of the week award to Calvin Pickard of the Seattle Thunderbirds, he can be reassured in his recent success by being ranked the # 2 goalie in the QMJHL. Yes, he's ahead of Maxime Clermont. That is sooooo cookie worthy. 

Corbeil had previously also been listed as a player to watch in the QMJHL.

Hockey's future has also released the ISS top 30 with a list of rising and falling NHL hopefuls. Corbeil and Hannay are both RISING.

Mathieu Corbeil-Theriault, G -- Halifax Mooseheads
Height: 6.05.7 Weight: 186
Corbeil has had four outstanding games in a row for the last-place Halifax Mooseheads, three have been wins where he was named the first star of the game. Seems to be turning corner; positioning is better, battling, better rebound control, and flashing a quick glove.

Sawyer Hannay, RD -- Halifax Mooseheads
Height: 6.04 Weight: 190
Tough and respected. Word is already circulating that there is a new heavyweight champ in the QMJHL after young Hannay went toe-to-toe with Ashton Bernard in Cape Breton. Not afraid of anybody. Team-first guy. Teammates love him. Any NHL team selecting after the fifth or sixth round looking for character will find it in aces with this kid.

Congrats boys

Can I just touch your statisticals?

Admittedly the Mooseheads are still in the QMJHL basement but they just got a raise and are planning on moving up to a fancy condo sometime very soon.

Veteran goaltender Mathieu Corbeil has once again taken home QMJHL defensive player of the week honours. In his past two games against the Wildcats and the Drakkar he had a 1.0 GAA and a 0.9714 save %, having made 68 saves on a combined 70 shots. This will definately put him in the running for CHL goaltender of the week.

Not only is MCT (and bonus props to Trapper) the Defensive player of the week but he is also Sportsnet's hot player of the week for the QMJHL.

The Mooseheads' resurgence is headlined by their veteran goaltender who captured the league's defensive player of the week honours last week. In his last two starts, Corbeil-Thérieault allowed just two goals on 70 shots for a sparkling .971 save percentage. Halifax is now riding an impressive four-game winning streak.

If we take a look at league goaltending stats we can see Mathieu clawing his way up through the rankings. Right now his 0.895 save % is just short of Olivier Roy's and OHHHHHH so close to 0.9%. A slow start has left his stats lagging, but in the past 10 games he actually has a 2.47 GAA and a 0.925 save%. Yes, 0.925%.

Dear bitches, cross your legs and stay away from my man.

gute Nachricht

Mooseheads defenceman Konrad Abeltshauser has been invited to play for his home country of Germany in the World Junior hockey tournament this year.

A trip to the world juniors means that Konrad will be away for most of December but I am OK with that because I have other unusually tall defencemen to keep me warm (right Hannay). A trip to the world Juniors will increase his exposure and a good performance combined with worldwide exposure will increase his odds of being drafted by an NHL team. Drafty is good.

Special K

According to an interview with Konrad on Sports and Moore Konrad was "freaked out. He was soooo excited he jumped around and turned up the music. I was happy that my billets weren't home because they would think I'm crazy"

Konrad is being too cute. He needs to stop cougarbaiting because it could get dangerous (for him).


I also expect Tomas Knotek to receive an invite from the Czech team, so there will be no 'Special K' (choose your favorite flavour - Konrad or Knotek) for Moosefans in December. I can deal.

Edit: for more information see the Q-files

Oh hey baby, how you doin'?

You are looking good today, all white and leathery. What's your name?

Trapper Thériault? So that's where the T in MCT comes from. Trapper, why, that's a rugged name. You aren't related to Sarah Palin are you?

No! Good. You scared me for a second there. That really sounds like the name of a Palin Family kid. Maybe it's what Sarah calls her....oh never mind

Listen honey. I've been kinda lonely lately. Tell me a little bit bout your fine self. If I like you I'll give you a whirl.

You are friends with Mathieu Corbeil. That's hot.
You helped him win stars in three consecutive games against Saint John, Val d'Or and PEI.
I'm still listening.
You helped him defeat Val d'Or and PEI
In three games the two of you had a 1.67 GAA and a 0.945 save % after having stopped 86 of 91 shots.
How many of those saves in the game against PEI were made by you? A billion! Wow!

...and now Mathieu Corbeil is taking all the credit for the QMJHL defensive player of the week award. How selfish. You must feel bad.

I have just the thing to make you feel better. Follow me under the bleachers...

Monday updates: "Oh heyyy Rookie"

Players of the week
The QMJHL has announced its players of the week. Benjamin Casavant of the PEI Rocket is the offensive player of the week and (no longer Captain) Alex Grant of the Shawinigan Cataractes is the defensive player of the week. I keep having captain Alex problems - like, I refuse to believe he is now with the Cataractes. Last night I was watching snippets of the Moncton vs Shawinigan game and Grant got in a fight with Zachmmmmm Sill and I was confused. I momentarilty thought there were two Alex Grant's in the Q and wondered why I didn't know this. I love when my brain plays stupid on me - it brings me back to Earth.

Speaking of Moncton vs Shawinigan - Moncton goaltender Nicola Riopel's allowed 4 goals last night before being replaced by that delightful little LBD. As a result his GAA has fallen to a 2.03. How very semi-human of him.

OK did you click the links above? ---> because something AMAZING has happened with the QMJHL website - they now have player stats associated with the individual player profiles. Getting with the times is a beautiful thing. They also have team photos from every season, records, career history, multimedia files, and game by game stats. I AM IN HEAVEN. This makes life so much easier.

Sportsnet Hot/Not:
Hot team: Rimouski Oceanic
Cold team: Acadie-Bathurst Titan
Hot Player: Benjamin Casavant (PEI)
Cold Player: Nicola Riopel

The league's top goaltender is human, after all. While Riopel can hardly be blamed for his team's shortcomings on their Québec road trip, his numbers were far lower than he has proven capable this season. Through three games, Riopel was beat 11 times on 76 shots for a 0.855 save percentage. The lowest point came Sunday in a game televised nationally on Rogers Sportsnet where Riopel was pulled early in the second period after allowing four goals on 18 shots.

Oh Heyyy Rookie:
Did you know that Mooseheads Jan Stransky (20G 19A), Alexis Piette (18G, 14A), Jessyko Bernard (13G, 12A), Charles Bety (13G, 9A) and Gabriel Desjardins (10G, 11A) are all in the top 30 for rookie scoring in the league? Well now you do.

Everyone loves a poindexter

Every year teams in the QMJHL select one player from their roster whom they believe to display exemplary academic standards. These are the candidates for the Marcel-Robert Trophy. They are basically saying to me, hey Q, if you were to crush out a boy from this team then I think you should pick:

Acadie-Bathurst Titan – Nicholas Champion
Baie-Comeau Drakkar – Guillaume Goulet
Cape Breton Screaming Eagles – Chris Culligan
Chicoutimi Saguenéens – Dominic Jalbert
Drummondville Voltigeurs – Dany Massé
Gatineau Olympiques – Jean-Philip Chabot
Halifax Mooseheads – Ben MacAskill
Lewiston MAINEiacs – Éric Gélinas
Moncton Wilcats – Nicola Riopel
Montreal Juniors – Philippe Fontaine
P.E.I. Rocket – Bobby Nadeau
Quebec Remparts – Hubert Genest
Rimouski Océanic – Emmanuel Boudreau
Rouyn-Noranda Huskies – Pier-Luc Giguère
Saint John Sea Dogs – Payton Liske
Shawinigan Cataractes – Pierre-Alexandre Vandall
Val-d’Or Foreurs – Jean-François Caron
Victoriaville Tigres – Joël Chouinard

Wow, look at all those goalies...and Ben...again. What a total smarty pants. Wait, where is Slaney? Can you not win the award twice or has he been drinking tar ponds water?

Monday updates: Tommy can you hear me

The QMJHL players of the week have been announced. The offensive player of the week is...oh just guess. His initials are Y.R. he plays for Drummondville, he wins this award every week. The defensive player of the week is a small troll like goalie with douchey facial hair who makes fun of one of my favorite Moose. Whatever. Who cares?

What does matter is that Tomas Knotek was nominated for offensive player of the week. In four games he had 2 goals and 5 assists. Also, he looks like he was made by melding a bunch of elves together and placing them into a boy mold. He is totally spriggin'.




Sportsnet Hot/Not:
Hot team: Rimouski Oceanic
Hot player: Yannick Riendeau (yawn)
Cold player: Mikhael Stefanovich
Cold team: Victoriaville Tigre - Playing in a division with two elite teams and missing their starting goaltender, Kevin Poulin, due to injury did little to stop the bleeding in Victoriaville. The Tigres lost all three games last week, including a shootout loss to the league's worst team, the Halifax Mooseheads. Victoriaville has not won since Jan. 31 as their losing streak sits at seven games.

Ha Ha - they lost to the Moose...ohhhhhh wait *pout*, my team is the still the worst in the league. Let's remedy that OK!

Monday updates: Not you again!

QMJHL players of the week:
Moncton Wildcats goaltender Nicola Riopel is the defensive player of the week. It is his 4th defensive player award this season. Yannick Riendeau of the Drummondville Voltigeurs is the offensive player of the week... also his fourth award this season.

It is a conspiracy. A very, very lazy man's conspiracy. Of the 400-450 or so players in the Q what are the odds that these two, whose names follow each other alphabetically in the league's player profile list, have each won 4 player of the week awards? Not very likely.

I mean really, what are the odds?

Am I paranoid? Such a diagnosis could explain my chronic paranoia! There are all sorts of crazy possibilities floating around in my brain as to what could actually be going on... but I will never know the real truth, so I have no choice but to take people at face value even if they are big fat lying liars.

Maybe Riendeau and Riopel are awesome; I have no choice but to take the QMJHL's word on it. I'll just give them a little side-eye to make my point, which is that I don't trust them. Is there such a thing as virtual side-eye, you know, for use on the internets? There! I have given the QMJHL my side-eye. Take note of it.


Sportsnet Hot/Not is now Mooseheads free:
Hot team: Rimouski Oceanic
Hot player: Yannick Riendeau (Drummondville Voltigeurs)
Cold team: Lewiston MAINEiacs
Cold player Nicolas Deschamps (Chicoutimi Sagueneens)

Come sit next to me you fine fellow!

Raffaele D'Orso is the CHL ADT Goaltender of the week, beating out Spokane Chief's Dustin Tokarski and Scott Stajcer of the Owen Sound Attack for the honours. Toka and Stajcer think they are so fancy with their gold medals, memorial cups and being the 2nd overall CS North American goaltending prospect in the 2009 draft. Bah on their fancyness! Raf is still our boy; our itty-bitty, teenie-tiny chinstrapified goalfenceman.

Last week he "won three games for the Foreurs including one shutout victory stopping a total of 133 shots with a goals-against-average of 1.33 and a save percentage of .971.

D’Orso, who celebrated his 20th birthday this week, is from Montreal, Quebec and in his third full QMJHL season with the Foreurs. D’Orso and the Foreurs have now won four games in a row and are making a late season push for the playoffs."

20 eh? (tick, tick, tick)

Monday updates: Where Raf is king!

Ahem, Cold team again! Poor boys. Here, have some hot chocolate and a nice warm blanket straight from the dryer. Extra marshmallows? Ok. Whatever you want as long as you promise to keep trying, and not give up on yourselves or your teammates... and stay away from girls silly enough to wear short shorts in an ice rink.

Yep, sportsnet have once again named the Halifax Mooseheads the cold team of the week:

A trip to Northern Québec did little to stop the bleeding for the Mooseheads, who dropped both contests at Val-d'Or and Rouyn-Noranda. Halifax has lost six straight games and won just twice in their last 10. With the recent emergence of the Foreurs, Halifax has the inside track on the first overall pick as they hold the fewest points at 31.

Hilarious, but sadly no... the Foreurs not only have their own 1st round pick, but they also have the Mooseheads' - *sighs*.

The Oceanic are the hot team, Raf D'Orso (Foreurs goaltender) is the hot player and Pierre-Luc Lessard (Drakkar defenceman) is the cold player.

The QMJLH Players of the week are the aforementioned Raffaele D'Orso (seen to your left, looking hot in goalie gear... as this is what goalie gear is prone to do to the average boy) and Jacob Legace of the Chicoutimi Sagueneens.

See my Moosies, it is not your fault you could not win, Raffaele would not have allowed it. Raf was just feeling all fancy this week, bolstered by his shutout over the Junior de Montreal and his 1.33 GAA /0.971 save%. He just wanted to feel like the old Raffaele, the dreamy girl magnet with the good stats... let him have this one little joy. Then pin him down and shave his douchetastic chin strap - it does not do him justice.

Tee Hee:
I would recognize those eyebrows from across an ocean (Image from the U Waterloo Warriors homepage). WTF Pier? You are not allowed to wear RBKs, you are a Vaughn's man!!!

This past weekend Pier backstopped the U Waterloo Warriors in back-to-back wins over Thunder bay's Lakehead Thunderwolves.

Pier Pelletier continued his phenomenal play for the Warriors this weekend as he turned aside 71-75 shots, earning him Warrior of the week honours.

Some peeps can fuss over Marchand and Bodnarchuk but I am going to stick with fussing over Pelletier, thank you very much. I am glad he is appreciated somewhere.

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?

Monday updates: Yeah...it's still monday

Today is Monday Jan 19th 11:00am-ish. Weather is shitty. I am home, alone, again - fool me three times... super shame on me (facepalm).

I am just taking a break from the excitement that is hymenopteran mushroom bodies to let you know who is hot, who is not, and who is left out in ze cold (besides moi). I did not do this last week because sometimes work supersedes laziness, which supersedes blogging (FYI it was Steven Anthony and Olivier Roy...Anthony was also CHL pizza delivery boy of the week, and Roy wins a home security system...or something like that).


QMJHL Players of the week:

For the second time since he joined the Mooseheads, Jan Stransky is the QMJHL offensive player of the week. Let's just put it this way: when he is playing, and not suspended, Stransky is hot. Ice melts in his wake, girls strip, and the Metro Centre goes wild. We don't need a zamboni, roll Stransky on the ice during intermissions - he will melt it and make it all smooth, because he himself is all hot...and slick.

In two games this weekend Stransky had 4 goals, 2 assists and was a +6. He also had a totally unexpected technique for making panties melt (the Q-site did not mention this, but it is very important) - damn that boy can hit.

Also rans include our own Yuri Cheremetiev, linemate of Jan Stransky and thus recipient of some of his radiant hot-hot-heat, Philippe Cornet (Rimouski), and Danick Paquette (Lewiston).


The Defensive player of the week is Maximum Chubby-Cheeks, I mean Maxime Clermont, of the Gatineau Olympiques. Gatineau are well out of their early season slump (all it took was a new Coach), and this week have defeated two league leaders, Drummondville and Shawinigan. Clermont was instrumental in the wins, coming out of the week with a 1.97 GAA and .940 sv% in two games. Props to Sébastien Piché (Rimouski), Maxime Robichaud (Victoriaville) and David Savard (Moncton) for trying, but Clermont has chubby-cheek power and goalie charms, so he wins.


Sportsnet Hot/Not:
Stransky is hot (see above)...there is simply no denying it. It is just like how I could not deny him cookies two games in a row.

The cold player is, ohhhhh snap, Logan MacMillan (Rimouski). Stransky stole his #11 and his hot game.

Considering the package the Océanic paid to acquire him before Christmas, MacMillan will need to step up. The first round pick of the Anaheim Ducks in 2007 was held pointless in three games with a minus-1 rating. The Memorial Cup-hosts may have bankrupted their future at this year's trade deadline by moving many draft picks which means players like MacMillan will be expected to bring a championship to the Océanic.

*aside to Logan* ...damn boy, look at you in your new jersey with all that hair; you look good... for a Rimouski player. The hair is hot in a "the morning after" kinda way. You, me, Veilleux and Cormier. Tell Cormier to leave the medal on. How 'bout it? Nah, I didn't think that would actually work. You are not a Tallindering kind of guy.

Quebec Remparts are the hot team and Chicoutimi the cold team.


Other stuffs:
1) Chad Earle got a goal with Victoriaville. *sighs*

2) If I had a chance to win a pair of small forwards, would I choose either of these? With his small form and his luxurious locks, Eagles looks like a bearded lady on the ice. I would not chose him as one of my slaveboys.


Did you know that Wildcats announcer Les Stoodley has a blog? Did you know that the Wildcats themselves have a blog (but it only crosslinks Stoodly's stuff for now)? Did you know that Moncton Wildcats Captain Matt Eagles has a blog? He totally has to update it, but still, it exists. Did you know that both are linked from the Moncton Wildcats homepage under "news". I had no idea. The Wildcats are Fucking Brilliant.

On that note...I have updated some of the links in my sidebar.

3) Willy Palov - Russell talks about new job.

Congrats Bitches!!!

Patrice Cormier, Christopher DiDomenico and Angelo Esposito now available in gold

*Images from TSN 's World Jr website

Monday updates: ahhh, there you are.

1) QMJHL offensive and defensive players of the week
Offensive props go to Mikhail Stefanovich of the Quebec Remparts, for 7 goals (2 game winners) and an assist, in three games last week. Chabot (Gatineau), Brown (Moncton) and Adam (Montreal) were also considered.

Defensive props go to ex-boyfriend Guillaume Monast. Ugh - take off that filthy Remparts Jersey, it does not do you justice, sweet Guillaume. Here, let me show you in a Moose jersey... ahhh much better. Guy had 8 assists in three games last week. Nicola Riopel (Moncton - since when is he not nominated?), Charles Lavigne (Quebec) and Alain Goulet (Gatineau) were also rans.


2) Sportsnet Who's Hot/ Who's Not
Hot team: Quebec Remparts
Hot player: Mikhail Stefanovich (Remparts)
Cold Team: Lewiston Maineiacs
Cold Player: Maxim Gougeon

HaHa Gougeon sucks. I know that is mean, but I can't help it. Everyone needs an enemy, and Gougeon is my make-believe enemy. Such meticulously groomed facial hair can only mean one thing - he is evil. A flopping, small, evil, little, net troll.

God luck with your Memorial Cup run, suckas (that is TOTALLY going to came back to bite me in the ass. Never kick a wounded dog.)


3)Trades:
It has happened. Captain Alex has been booted from the Sea Dogs. According to the QMJHL website: The Saint John Sea Dogs traded all-star defenseman Alex Grant (89-01-20) and a fifth round pick in 2010 to the Shawinigan Cataractes for Danick Gauthier (91-10-24), a second round pick in 2009 and a first round selection in 2010.

Sea Dogs GM Jacques Beaulieu said “It was a difficult decision to trade Alex. He has been a major part of the Sea Dogs for a long time and has done a lot for this franchise - both on and off the ice. We’re excited to be adding Danick Gauthier to our roster, and we wish Alex all the best in all of his future endeavours.” ...but with Grant's lackluster 2008-2009 season it seems like the writing was on the wall with this trade for quite some time.

Grant was a QMJHL first overall draft pick, and the Sea Dog's first ever draft selection as a league expansion team in 2005. He was also a fourth round selection of the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2007 NHL entry draft.

Weird to see Alex go. What are the Sea Dogs without Captain Alex, and will Kirky then get the captaincy?

Also (edit*):
Amyot to Halifax? - hmmmm. FYI, the Moose currently have 9 defencemen (Bona, Pender, MacAskill, O'Connor, MacDonald, McDonald, Dunn, Matheson, and Greer)... Amyot makes 10.
Yep. It's a done deal. Welcome Pascal. The Moose have swapped our 1st round pics in the European draft with the Saint John Sea Dogs, and given up a 4th round QMJHL draft pick in 2010. This means we now have to clear at least three players from our roster.

This is bound to be a running edit- trades are going on like crazy today - Rimouski picked up 19 year old goaltender Matt Dopud from Rouyn-Noranda. Rimouski LOVES tiny goalies. Lookit- Gougeon - 5'8", Dopud -5'9", Perreault - 5'8", and Lacerte at a whopping 5'11".

4) What the hells?:
Gatineau 10, Drummondville 2 - shiiiiiiit

Monday Updates: Not Hot

Since it is Moose related, let me first take the time to point out that the Halifax Mooseheads are COLD, at least according to Sportsnet's Who's Hot, Who's not list. No matter how many Moose I pile in my bed, no matter how many blankets I put atop us, no matter how high I crank the heat...we just can't warm up.

Cold team: Halifax Mooseheads
The Mooseheads managed just a single point in four road contests last week as their losing streak has now hit six games. Halifax sits in last place in the Atlantic Division, a position they will be hard-pressed to vacate as the season goes on. The Mooseheads are among the league’s worst at scoring goals and preventing them.

Don't worry though, Cam says you played good. I can't wait for us to trade Logan and maybe Knotek or Cheremetiev. Then we will be true cellar dwellers...and then Val d'Or will kiss us all over for having given them our awesome first round pick. I hope they send D'Orso to give us those kisses.


QMJHL nods:
The QMJHL have announced their offensive and defensive players of the week. FOr the second week in a row Drummondville Voltigeurs forward Yannick Riendeau was given Offensive honours, for his 3 goals and four assists in three games.

The defensive player of the week is Simon Despres (hooray). What I find funny is that defensemen never win defensive player for being good defensively...they win for being good offensively. You should be able to win for being a shut-down machine.

Simon Després is the award winner on defense. The Sea Dogs’ defenseman played a key role in three Saint John wins, registering one goal and five assists. He contributed balanced scoring with two points in each contest. Després was also a healthy +3. He will be in uniform for both ADT Canada-Russia contests this week.

Updates: Better late than never

The QMJHL has announced its offensive and defensive players of the week . After weeks of being in the running our Bavarian Liebe Timo Pielmeier has finally won the prize. New jersey, same pretty face, same mad skillz.

The Cataractes’ goaltender was stellar in two road wins versus the Montreal Juniors and the Quebec Remparts, posting a 1.00 goals-against-average and .960 save percentage. The German native, a third round draft pick in 2007 (San Jose), is second in the QMJHL in goals-against-average at 2.09 and tied for second in wins with 12. Shawinigan has won twelve straight, one short of the franchise record.

Ich spreche kein Deutsch my dearest Timo, but I still liebe you. Montreal goalie Jake Allen, and defencemen Jordan Southorn (PEI) and Marc-Andre Bourdon (Rouyn-Noranda) were also in the running.

On the offensive end, the Mooseheads own Tomas Knotek was nominated (3G, 3A, +2 in 2 games), but prizes were instead awarded to Yannick Riendeau of the Drummondville Voltigeurs for his 5 goals, 2 assists and +4 rating.


In Sea Dogs News:
The Dogs have released free-agent forwards Andrew Howes and Kyle Paige. I bet they (JB) are regretting giving up Francois Gauthier now. Silly bunts. Francois has 11 points since joining the Foreurs, 5 goals and 6 assists in 11 games. Paige has 1 goal and 2 assists in 11 games since the Sea Dogs chose him to replace Gauthier...because he is taller. I want to flick JB in the middle of his forehead. If I stand on Francois' shoulders together we might be able to reach.

18 Year old rookie Andrew Howes, despite lighting it up in the pre-season, had only 2 goals and 2 assists in 13 regular season games, and was a -3. Poor baby Howes.

What I don't get is the lackadaisical treatment of Matthew Stoddard. 18 year old Stoddard has played in 20 games but only has one goal, and is a -9. Stoddard's only advantage is his face offs win %, which stands around 56%. My Conclusion - the Sea Dogs are Fucked up.


News Links:
Read a Yuri Cheremetiev story
My darling Travis Fullerton is not having a good time in the AUS, everyone blow him kisses.
Because I never talk about the Titan- The Frechette Factor: a Maxime Frechette story.
Sportsnet's hot/not list: Poor Delmas, so cold. It is not you Peter...it is your team.

Where art thou goalie?

My impossible immaculate conception child, Baby Steve Mason, did something special today. He made his first appearance in the NHL and won his first NHL game. Good for him.

This is my immaculate conception baby: Baby Steve Mason
I miss him: Last I heard Pelletier was raising him. I figured he would do better raised by another goalie. Me? I really do not know how to raise a goalie.
I wonder what happened to my impossible child?

You grew up.
Oh, you haven't changed a bit. Adorable.


We love your exceptionally beautiful eyebrows, which is why you are still a chairperson in my CHL eyebrow club, despite being grown-up now.

...yes they are beautiful.

...but you have a lame-ass tattoo. Shame.
Is THAT what goalie bodies look like?
My imagination overtakes common sense sometimes!
PS. Fix your posture.

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Oh yeah...the QMJHL

Nicola Riopel was awarded the QMJHL defensive player of the month, beating out our Bavarian liebe Timo Pielmeier (Shawinigan) for the big prizes. From the Q website:

Defensively, Moncton Wildcats backstop Nicola Riopel gets the nod for a second straight month. The Wildcats backstop continues to dominate. He registered eight wins against only one overtime loss in October while posting a 1.42 goals-against-average and .952 save percentage. Furthermore, he accumulated two shutouts and allowed three goals only once in his nine starts. Moncton has yet to lose a game in regulation so far this season

Oh Nicola I would, but I am saving my love for the next generation: baby LBD. He is like your family, so to take on both of you would be gross.

Three Q teams have made the CHL top 10 - Cape Breton and Drummondville are right out:
1. Windsor Spitfires (17-1-0-0)
2. Moncton Wildcats (16-0-2-0)
3. Vancouver Giants (12-0-0-3)
4. Shawinigan Cataractes (17-4-0-0)
5. Calgary Hitmen (15-4-0-1)
6. Quebec Remparts (13-3-0-1)
7. London Knights (11-5-0-1)
8. Swift Current Broncos (13-5-0-0)
9. Spokane Chiefs (10-3-0-3)
10. Guelph Storm (11-6-1-1)

MacAskill is still a Smarty Pants

From the Mooseheads website:

Twenty-year-old defenseman Graham Bona is the Mooseheads’ “Citadel Halifax Hotel Player of the Month” for September*, 2008. Bona received the award from Mooseheads’ Head Coach Cam Russell at the team’s monthly luncheon at the Citadel Halifax Hotel today.

Bona participated in all 10 of Halifax’s games during the month, exhibiting strong play in his own end as the team recorded a record of 4-6-0 on the month, winning four of their last seven games.

“Bona has been a leader both on and off the ice for the Mooseheads this season,” Head Coach Cam Russell remarked. “With twelve new players in the lineup this season, Bona’s strong leadership qualities are beginning to bear fruit, especially with our new players, in making our team more competitive as the season progresses.”

At the same time, fourth-year defenseman Ben MacAskill received the “Scholastic Player of the Month” Award, awarded to the player who best combines talent, academic and general performance. The 19-year-old, who recorded nine assists, while playing at a plus five rating, in 10 games during the month, received his award from Mooseheads’ Education Advisor Ross Thompson.

*that should say October

Again? You are wearing me out

Martin Brodeur is right. I need a real man. I don't know why I keep messing around with these kiddies like Mark Yetman. Marty can give me the consistency I need...and he has been doing it for years. It is the only satisfaction I seem to be getting nowadays. Martin Brodeur has his second shutout of the season as the New Jersey Devils defeated the Dallas Stars (with that tick Avery) by a score of 5-0. That is 98 career shoutouts...6 more to go.

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In QMJHL News: the roster for the Canada Russia challenge has been announced. Mooseheads own Logan MacMillan has made the cut, and he is not even the biggest Beefcake in the MacMillan family. The Roster includes:

Goaltenders

Jake Allen (MTL)
Maxime Clermont (GAT)
Olivier Roy (CAP)

Defensemen

Mathieu Brodeur (CAP)
Marc-André Bourdon (ROU)
Simon Després (SNB)
Brandon Gormley (MON)
Alex Grant (SNB)
Hubert Labrie (GAT)
Kevin Marshall (QUE)
Charles-Antoine Roussel (SHA)
Marco Scandella (VDO)
Yann Sauvé (SNB)

Forwards

Luke Adam (MTL)
Paul Byron (GAT)
Jordan Caron (RIM)
Patrice Cormier (RIM)
Philippe Cornet (RIM)
Nicolas Deschamps (CHI)
Christopher DiDomenico (SNB)
Angelo Esposito (MTL)
Olivier Fortier (RIM)
Dave Labrecque (SHA)
Logan MacMillan (HAL)
Maxime Sauvé (VDO)
Kelsey Tessier (QUE)

It is shocking that our league's current best overall goaltender, Nicola Riopel of the Moncton Wildcats, who was invited to the CRC last year, did not make the team this year.


Once again four QMJHL teams have cracked the CHL top 10 rankings:
1. Windsor Spitfires (12-1-0-0)
2. Quebec Remparts (11-1-0-0)
3. Moncton Wildcats (11-0-2-0)
4. Spokane Chiefs (8-1-0-3)
5. Cape Breton Screaming Eagles (11-4-0-0)
6. Calgary Hitmen (10-3-0-0)
7. Vancouver Giants (7-0-0-3)
8. London Knights (8-3-0-1)
9. Shawinigan Cataractes (11-4-0-0)
10. Guelph Storm (8-4-0-1)