So I’m not sure what the Guinness Book of World Records ‘most hockey games watched in a single day’ is, but I would imagine I came close to the record on Saturday. With lots of watching means lots of hot takes, so here we go
*** Taitt Dobbin of the Eastern U15AAA Thunder really jumped off the page at me this weekend. Dobbin’s skating stride is mechanically sound, pucks pop out to him in the offensive zone because he knows where it’s going to be, and – like his brother currently playing for the Pinnacle Growlers – can thread the needle with slick passes. The youngest Dobbin took the better part of the season to get acclimated to the U15AAA circuit, but seems to have found his stride of late.
*** The Eastern Thunder have 5 AP’s playing this weekend, but you wouldn’t know it the way they played. Ethan Griffiths looks every bit the part of a 2nd year defenceman – not a 1st. Jack Davis is a buzzsaw and potted a hatty in Sunday’s game. Graham ‘G Unit’ Cleary is a smooth skater who hits the net from the blue line. Parker Banks is a beast. Ben Power plays to his strengths and buys into a hard-nosed role (and it works for him). The depth of the Thunder is just another reason why 3 teams in U15AAA inside the overpass gets my vote – there are enough players in U15 AA to ice a competitive 3rd team. Don’t shrink the funnel too soon.
*** Tri-Pen have plenty of talent, but they have lengthy let-downs that really sway games. One goal turned into multiple on Friday night vs the Hitmen; the Ice will look to put it all together in the Provincials weekend, because – quite frankly – the regular season doesn’t matter when everyone makes the playoffs. The Ice have the pieces to do it.
*** Yeah I watched 7 games of hockey on Saturday (well, 6.5 because I left early from Tri-Pen vs Central in U15AAA Female). I need a new hobby. Trivial Pursuit, anyone?
*** Wearing -57 rated winter boots inside rural arenas is my new go-to move. Who cares about fashion, warmth is where it’s at!
*** The Central IcePak U15AAA Female squad have some nice second-year players that will help their U18 program next year. Coupled with their solid crop of 07’s, things are already looking optimistic between Springdale and Glovertown next season.
*** Claire Colford has really developed this season under ‘Breakers coach Brian Pittman and company. Colford has gotten faster, listens well and has a heckuva wrist shot which was the cause of the ‘Breakers 4th goal. The ‘Breakers are super young (they only have a couple of ’08s); the future is bright.
*** The officiating in Bishop’s Falls was bang-on when Brian Rice was wearing the arm bands. “Ricey” is a legend and was always a good referee in my playing days. Without seeing his face, I could tell it was him based on the way he skates and wears his baggy pants around the tongues of his skates. Senior hockey veteran official.
*** Back in the Summer of 2021, I made a YouTube video talking about how I saw the Central Impact as a 2021-22 contender in U18 (video here) Insert foot in mouth. Fast forward one season and the Central Impact – as Dennis Green once proclaimed – “Are, who we thought they were”. A lot of credit goes to the valiant work of Brian Casey, but one should not overlook the contributions of “Tremmy” Tremblett on the Impact bench either. Tremmy is a players coach – a good soul who is in it for the right reasons. Tremmy has a lot of experience behind the bench and cares about the b’ys. I remember getting a serious concussion in the 2023-14 season, and Tremmy was one of the first people texting me to see how I was. Loved Trem as a coach and I’m sure the Impact do too.
*** The Impact swept the East Coast Blizzard in an exciting finale on Saturday night; this game featured lead changes, more iron than a bucket of lentils and a playoff performance by none other than Greyson Pardy. It seems to be a different person every night for the Impact right now, as last weekend it was Ethan Simms and Adam Hedges with gargantuan performances. For the Blizzard, this will be a long off-season. Being ousted in the first round in back-to-back seasons will be a bone of contention for Coach Jeff Brewer and co, who need to hit a home run in the upcoming draft to get back to the Provincial promise-land.
*** In the other U18 Major Semi-Final, the Growlers got the brooms out and did some sweeping of their own in Bay Roberts. I have been in and out of the U18 arenas for multiple years now, and the same fiery demeanour that I was used to seeing from the Osprey come playoff time did not seem there (to me). This program has gone deep into the NL U18 Major Playoffs in back-to-back seasons, but hit a wall tonight against a Growlers team that has a lot of depth and has been hot as a tea kettle since the IceJam. Fiddy cent reference there, you caught it.
*** Arenas around the province should be mandated to use (pegs like these) in all AAA league games. Players were visibly frustrated with the amount of times the nets came off their moorings in U15AAA hockey this past weekend in Bishop’s Falls, and I can understand their frustration.
*** I have said this in previous articles, but the quality of streaming across the province has improved dramatically. Hockey Streams NL saved me a trip to Central this weekend, with numerous parents providing crystal clear HD video (with commentary to boot). The U18 Major Male streams were top notch as well, with George ‘n Rob – the OG’s of the provincial hockey streaming craze – and (not sure who did the broadcast in Bay Roberts but it was good).
Until Next Time
AP