Been taking in some hockey games via live action and via the video scope this week – here are some takes.
Take #1 – Parity in AAA Hockey. It might not always be consistent parity, but parity has been rearing its head in NL AAA arenas this week. As stated in a previous article, I mentioned that the Tri-Pen U15AAA Male Ice have the roster to be successful. This morning at the Unity Parc Arena in Placentia, the Ice shut-out the top-ranked Eastern Thunder 4-0. No easy task on a small surface after the Thunder hung 10 on Central the night before, but it happened like we predicted it could. I have this sneaky suspicion that the Ice are a massive trap game in Provincials for all teams. It’s easy to dismiss their record, but there is no denying that that have some weapons and tremendous goaltending. Akerman and Pitcher can beat you in a one game scenario, as proven this morning.
To further my parity point – the Central IcePak dropped both of their Saturday games, but went out and defeated the top-ranked Eastern Thunder on Sunday morning. One has to take a closer look at goaltender Jayden Lynch, who has played some good hockey in the games I have watched this season. I could see Lynch stepping into a regular role with the Traction U18AAA Impact in 2023-24, who will likely have an opportunity with Adam Hedges graduating at the end of the season.
I caught some U13AAA exhibition play at the Twin Rinks on Wednesday night, and this was a tightly-checked affair. The Thunder won the game, but these two teams have been beating up on one another all season long and it shall be a coin flip to see who wins U13AAA Provincials in a couple weeks time. This isn’t a division where it’s a 2-horse race, either; Central are .500 on the season. The Western Kings have beaten the Thunder, tied the Hitmen, beat the IcePak and lost a 1-goal game to the Knights since September. This division comes down to a hot team and/or a hot goalie, mark it down!
Take #2 – People need to be more positive to one another/towards other players/towards officials in the stands. As a fly on the wall in local buildings, you hear some things being said that make you stop and wonder! Growing up, my mother never went to the games and my father watched from the loneliest corner of every building. As I have gotten older, I think I have a clearer understanding as to why. Remember – referees are a dying breed (old article about this here)
Take #3 – It will be interesting to see how Team NL’s Female CWG team deploys their roster in PEI. Selecting 11 D and 7 D makes for some intriguing line-up decisions for Coach Linda Massie and company. I have not attended any of the regroups so I do not know what their line-up will look like until they hit the ice in Charlottetown on Monday. At ACC, the coaching staff moved players in and out of the line-up and used the tournament as another tryout, giving players different looks each game (from my vantage point). For fun, here’s what I would go with based on my experience with the players (in no particular order, this is like a fantasy football lineup and has 0 relevance other than for fun):
LW-C-RW
Drover – – Ryan – – Gill
H Taylor – – Burton – – Shute
Sparkes – – Hancock – – Pitcher
Wicks – – M Power – – Kitchen
LD-RD
Shea – – Fillier
Bugden – – Brown
Spencer – – Mercer
G
Bigelow/Murphy
Side note – 18 of the 20 players on this team have attended VHG’s U18 Female Development Program at one point or another. NBD.
Take #4 – Suspect body lingo. This is one of those ‘do as I say and not as I do’ moments as I was guilty for having bad body language in my youth hockey days (until Junior I’d say). Straight up – I was an immature kid who didn’t grow up until much, much later in life (or ever). But wearing a scouting hat, it’s so noticeable on tape when players have suspect body language. The hands don’t need to go up every time a puck doesn’t go in. The ref does not need to be addressed every time the pegs come off. Your team mates aren’t going to be open every time; ya might have to make something outta nothing. If the play is whistled dead because it’s offsides, give the puck to the linesman and re-focus on the next action (the face-off). It’s difficult to control such emotions, but learning to do so will serve you very well in the game of life. Start early.
Until Next Time,
AP