2014-15 AUS Regular Season

[Rob]

Tigers are now tied with X for the last playoff spot. Doubt they can stay there but they do have the goaltending.

 

[radapex]

Well, this is interesting. It's like I'm watching a slideshow of the UNB @ DAL game.

 

[Big Bad Jon]

Poor STU...another tough loss. Just not their season.

 

[UNB Bruins Fan]

Poor STU...another tough loss. Just not their season.

Just an epic fail on their part tonight.

I don't know what they are up to now but Saint Mary's winning streak over STU has to be approaching, if not already exceeded, UNB's over the Tommies.

Moncton and X also going to OT tonight...all of these 3 point games so far are going to make the standings even tighter than usual.

 

[AUS Fan]

A different result over two nights at Dal. After a good effort against UdeM, the Tigers were unable to come close to matching the speed and skill of the Red Army. Carroll with the 2 Phils were fun to watch. Brace had a great game, IMHO. Got a chance to chat with Rob Hennigar; had not seen him since Torino in 2007. I asked Gards how the handshake went at SFX Friday and he just laughed and said "no problem".

 

[RED ARMY EAST]

Just an epic fail on their part tonight.

I don't know what they are up to now but Saint Mary's winning streak over STU has to be approaching, if not already exceeded, UNB's over the Tommies.

Moncton and X also going to OT tonight...all of these 3 point games so far are going to make the standings even tighter than usual.

STU with another game blown!
Penalties, breakdown"s, all in the last few minutes of that game.
They play hard, but can't hold on to a 3'rd period lead.
The home losses to Dal and now SMU are examples of why they won' t be in the playoffs in Feb!
Peters with the night off for SMU.

 

[Big Bad Jon]

What happened to Moncton...5 wins to start the season and now 4 straight loses.

 

[UNB Bruins Fan]

What happened to Moncton...5 wins to start the season and now 4 straight loses.

I think they were playing a bit over their heads to start the year. Heading into the season I thought they looked worse on paper than last year (I think I predicted them for 6th or so)...things are probably just starting to even out a bit for them.

 

[AUS Fan]

Took in the game last night at Acadia. Good effort by SMU, less so by ACA. Peters and Glover both were solid. ACA were 2 for 7 PP chances ( 4 which were Delay-of-Game), while SMU was 2 for 2. Other than a couple of good individual rushes by Cazzola, the big line was invisible. Heelis and Thompson were mostly spectators. I came away thinking that if ACA had brought their A game, the result may have been different. I saw again how "easy" it is to play against Duffy and Beyers on the cycle, as they just aren't strong enough.
No game in the big city tonight, so I'll make the trek to Acadia and watch SFX.

 

[RED ARMY EAST]

Took in the game last night at Acadia. Good effort by SMU, less so by ACA. Peters and Glover both were solid. ACA were 2 for 7 PP chances ( 4 which were Delay-of-Game), while SMU was 2 for 2. Other than a couple of good individual rushes by Cazzola, the big line was invisible. Heelis and Thompson were mostly spectators. I came away thinking that if ACA had brought their A game, the result may have been different. I saw again how "easy" it is to play against Duffy and Beyers on the cycle, as they just aren't strong enough.
No game in the big city tonight, so I'll make the trek to Acadia and watch SFX.

SMU is red hot and finding ways to win close games. They have, in my opinion "the best goaltender in the CIS ".
Should be a big game next week at the AUC vs the V-Reds.

 

[Rob]

I think they were playing a bit over their heads to start the year. Heading into the season I thought they looked worse on paper than last year (I think I predicted them for 6th or so)...things are probably just starting to even out a bit for them.

Coach Bourgeois was pretty disappointed with his team's lack of attention to defensive hockey last night. He chastised them for trying to go toe to toe with the VReds and said their dmen need to stick to defence first. He also said being nationally ranked after going 5-0 may have gone to their heads.
They also lost veteran defenceman Christopher Guay for the rest of the first half after being injured last night.

Should be back in the win column against the Tommies tonight though.

 

[radapex]

UPEI's Tyler Brown being carried off the ice. Leg or knee injury. You could tell he was in a lot of pain.

 

[Rob]

UNB 4 UPEI 2 - Very entertaining game. Shots were close. Great goaltending. Fast hockey.
Panthers new goaltender Matt Mahalak made one of the best saves I have ever seen. Looks like he could be another Andrew Peters. Shanks was solid in nets for the VReds. Phillipe Halley finally scored his first goal of the season plus getting the empty netter. Nice to see Tyler Carroll back into form.
Anxious to hear about the injury to Tyler Brown. Might be a broken leg.

Moncton 5 STU 3 - Tommies pulled their starter for the second game in a row. Down 5-0 in the third they at least scored three goals to make a game of it.

STFX 2 Acadia 0 - This score surprised me. I think 'AUS Fan' took in this one.

So the Huskies and VReds are now tied for first. Game on this Friday.

 

[FreddyFoyle]

Heard last night that STU tried to recruit Mahalak. Wonder what difference that might have made ...

Tyler Brown was taken to the hospital. Even UPEI coach Forbie MacPherson was unsure of his condition after the game, but figured it was bad at Brown is one of the toughest guys on his team who never stays down on the ice. The team bus was going to stop at Chalmers hospital right after leaving the AUC.

 

[freddy123]

According to the UNB game story Tyler Brown broke his fibula and is having surgery to repair it today.

 

[timbitca]

What's with this Mahalak kid?

Parks or Wilkinson hurt?

 

[UNB Bruins Fan]

What's with this Mahalak kid?

Parks or Wilkinson hurt?

Parks got injured in the St. FX game back on October 25th. I think he was expected to miss a decent amount of time.

I don't know if Mahalak has been with them all year, or if they brought him in after Parks went down. According to the AUS stats he didn't see any action until after Parks got injured.

EDIT: Looks like Mahalak was released from the Tulsa Oilers on October 16th so it looks like it kind of worked out pretty good for UPEI in terms of the timing. He was a former draft pick for Carolina.

 

[UNB Bruins Fan]

According to the UNB game story Tyler Brown broke his fibula and is having surgery to repair it today.

I think it is safe to assume that he is now out for the rest of the season. It's cases like this that make me really dislike the roster cap as UPEI won't be able to fill that spot for the rest of the year due to a freak injury. There should be exceptions for situations like this, where players are going to be out for the year.

Just taking a look at their roster breakdown...they have used 20 skaters already with defenceman Ryan Taylor (who has played sparingly in last 3 years) and Nick Czinder (was announced last January but was injured at the time...anyone know what is status is? Is even still with them?) listed on the AUS site but yet to play. You have to figure Czinder will be in line-up as soon as possible, but I can see them adding someone else and just having Taylor sit the year, unless they get into some big time injury trouble between now and Christmas.

 

[Rob]

Heard last night that STU tried to recruit Mahalak. Wonder what difference that might have made ...

A big one.

 

[gleanerguy]

Parks got injured in the St. FX game back on October 25th. I think he was expected to miss a decent amount of time.

I don't know if Mahalak has been with them all year, or if they brought him in after Parks went down. According to the AUS stats he didn't see any action until after Parks got injured.

EDIT: Looks like Mahalak was released from the Tulsa Oilers on October 16th so it looks like it kind of worked out pretty good for UPEI in terms of the timing. He was a former draft pick for Carolina.

Mahalak thought he was going to play pro. Squeezed out in Tulsa when the CHL merged with ECHL. Went from there to Peoria and was cut after two days. Was weighing his options, picked UPEI, registered for courses in the car on the way up. Landed in PEI on Thursday, Oct. 30, played goal the next night vs. Acadia before he had so much as been to a class (apparently UPEI doesn't have business classes on Friday). He's a difference maker for sure.

 

[UNB Bruins Fan]

Through 19 minutes at the AUC....shots 9-3 UNB...score 3-0 SMU. UNB still can't score on Peters to save their life.

 

[AUS Fan]

Dal over STU 3-0. Entertaining game, both teams played physical, but nothing mean or dirty. Dal scored a weak 2nd goal and added an empty-netter. Boes was steady, but not spectacular. STU just does not have a lot of finish.

 

[RED ARMY EAST]

SMU wins 4-3 in Freddy. Turn overs in the defensive zone by UNB in the first period by both defenseman and forwards cost the V- Reds the game!
Shots again favoured UNB by a wide margin, but you can't fall behind to that team 3-0 and expect to win. SMU is well coached ,structured and solid in goal. They can play a game with 40 % puck possession and win.
This is a young UNB team that has a ton of skill and I would bet that you will see them in Halifax.
Saint Mary's may be as good or better than the team that won silver in Saskatoon in 2013.

 

[Rob]

Dal over STU 3-0. Entertaining game, both teams played physical, but nothing mean or dirty. Dal scored a weak 2nd goal and added an empty-netter. Boes was steady, but not spectacular. STU just does not have a lot of finish.

Actually their offence has been their best asset this year. It is their defense and goaltending that has let them down thus far. I thought tonight was going to be their night.

 

[Rob]

Didn't see any of the games tonight. Most surprising result for me was X blanking the Panthers 5-0. Chased Matt Mahalak out of the net. Move within one point of Moncton for 4th place.