2017 U Sports Playoffs/University Cup (March 16th-19th in Fredericton, NB)

[AUS Fan]

Hear, hear....

 

[UNB Bruins Fan]

I wondered the same thing. It's not like this was a freak storm.

For those interested, the Awards Gala will be web-cast here - http://sportscanada.tv/usports/2017-mens-hockey-championship

 

[Prov1X]

I was actually wondering the same thing, this storm was on the radar late last week, so there was plenty of time to still come by bus. I understand that flights into Fredericton were probably not the easiest to find, but I am sure that flying into either Moncton or Halifax would have been an option.

So I assume that they will get in late tonight?

 

[UNB Bruins Fan]

Victor Findlay just tweeted that Queen's is stuck in Quebec for the night....brutal. They appealed to get schedule changed but were denied.

EDIT: McGill too.

 

[Prov1X]

At least McGill doesn't play until Friday!

 

[AUS Fan]

I know McGill skated today and would assume that Queens did also. Quebec City is a 6 hour drive and Riviere du Loup is around 4 hours. I would think that as soon as the roads are open these guys will be moving.

McGill doesn't play till Friday night and would have time for a skate Thursday and get settled in but Queens will be hard pressed to do much before their game. Tough enough to play UNB without all this extra stress.

 

[Prov1X]

Queens game day skate is scheduled for 11:00 am tomorrow

 

[MiamiHockey]

I know McGill skated today and would assume that Queens did also. Quebec City is a 6 hour drive and Riviere du Loup is around 4 hours. I would think that as soon as the roads are open these guys will be moving.

McGill doesn't play till Friday night and would have time for a skate Thursday and get settled in but Queens will be hard pressed to do much before their game. Tough enough to play UNB without all this extra stress.

If I was Gibson, I'd treat this as a blessing in disguise. Attending the Awards Gala would do little for the team other than heighten the magnitude of the event. Now, they get to avoid that, do a little team bonding in Quebec, and come in with a chip on their shoulder. Still a Longshot to beat UNB, but this doesn't hurt them really.

 

[AUS Fan]

Good point. We'll see in 24 hours how it turns out.

 

[RED ARMY EAST]

They are sold out. If anyone has a spare I might be interested in buying it.

I'm hearing that the UNB vs Queens game has been sold out?
Can anyone confirm.

 

[UNB Bruins Fan]

I fully expect it to be...I'd be disappointed if it wasn't. Haven't heard if it is sold out yet, though. I am sure tickets will pop on Kijiji if anyone is looking for some.

 

[RED ARMY EAST]

Quebec City is 6 hours northwest of Freddybeach and weather is unpredictable during winter months.
Parts of the Saint Lawrence received 50-70 cm of snow on Tuesday.
Ythey should have flew in early Monday. bus???

 

[RED ARMY EAST]

Alberta

Alberta coach, Serge Lajoie was interviewed today on the "Oilers Now" show, by Bob Stauffer.
With 11 freshmen, the coach doesn't consider the Bears a #1 seed, but playoff upsets have put them in that position. Gotta love Bob's passion for the Golden Bears and CIS hockey!!

 

[AUS Fan]

Award winners announced:

http://en.usports.ca/championships/mice/2017/files/awards

 

[UNB Bruins Fan]

Award winners announced:

http://en.usports.ca/championships/mice/2017/files/awards

I don't think there are any surprises there.

 

[AdamMcg83]

Several people I chatted with after today's coaches' press conference wondered why McGill and Queen's put themselves in such a travel bind weather wise.

The general consensus was that everyone knew for days that a storm was coming, so why didn't those two teams leave for Fredericton earlier?

So sympathy at their plight, while at the same time shaking their heads as the other teams made sure they got here ahead of the storm.

Everyone else wants to win, so not a lot of pity available ...

With all due respect to all the knowledgeable and connected posters on this board, this sentiment is absurd!

Given the schedule of events, teams basically have to decide to fly in either Monday or Tuesday. There are a number of reasons why a team might choose Tuesday over Monday - namely, one fewer day in a hotel and one extra day of classes not missed (we're talking about two of the top academic schools in the country, after all).

The travel bookings would have been made long before the forecast (maybe a week or more prior, in Queen's' case). Once the forecast started calling for the storm, there would be NO chance that an Athletic Dept would authorize the costs associated with last-minute flight changes and/or abandoning flights for a bus. By the time the forecast started warning everyone about the storm (over the weekend), there was nothing to do but hope the flights could get off the ground and get you to your destination in a reasonable time.

Imagine the uproar internally if the Gaels decided to incur thousands of dollars of change fees for an earlier flight, if no flights were cancelled on Tuesday. On the same page, imagine telling your players that they will miss an extra day of school, and instead of flying to Freddy, they're bussing 14 hours - and imagine it if the storm wasn't nearly as impactful as it was on Tuesday.

 

[FreddyFoyle]

Some of the people I was talking to mentioned making those same expensive decisions you describe to adjust to weather conditions to attend national finals. This is Canada and you get weather.

If you're going to compete with the big boys ...

 

[AUS Fan]

Getting on the road to Freddybeach in about 20 min. A bit of snow falling in Halifax, but Moncton and beyond looks good. Hope Cobequid pass is not the Donner Pass. See y'all in about 5 hours.

 

[cishockeyfan]

Todays opening day scores are already in.

Alberta 5 Acadia 3
UNB 6 Queens 1

 

[Prov1X]

I guess that the UNB game is scheduled for 8:00pm now

Brad Perry‏ @BradMPerry 2m2 minutes ago
More
Tonight's men's hockey quarter-final between the UNB @VarsityReds and Queen's will now start at 8 p.m. instead of 7 p.m

 

[AdamMcg83]

Some of the people I was talking to mentioned making those same expensive decisions you describe to adjust to weather conditions to attend national finals. This is Canada and you get weather.

If you're going to compete with the big boys ...

Totally understand your point. But as an AD, you can't expect to explain away a massive budget overage to your VP of finance as "competing with the big boys." National championship appearances are obviously what every program strives for, but there are also a lot of un-budgeted costs associated with them, as well. For a department with multiple teams going to nationals (McGill had four, Queen's had two, plus hosting duties at WHOC), I'd bet the travel pennies are already pinched pretty tight. It's a tough position to be in, for sure. And on top of it all, the reality is that many athletic departments don't want to compete with the big boys, if it means drowning financially.

 

[MiamiHockey]

... This year will mark McGill Head Coach Kelly Nobes' 6th trip to the U Cup in the past 9 seasons. He is the big boys.

I know the AUS is not accustomed to travel, but McGill is. I can assure you that this is nothing they have not encountered in the past. They're probably quite enjoying themselves in their home province, away from all the hullabaloo of the U Cup. They're still practicing, they're still sleeping in a hotel, and they have no distractions. They'll arrive the day before the game, as they always do for long roadies, and get prepared. This will have zero effect on McGill.

 

[UNB Bruins Fan]

Agreed, the effect on McGill will be minimal at best.

 

[UNB Bruins Fan]

Getting on the road to Freddybeach in about 20 min. A bit of snow falling in Halifax, but Moncton and beyond looks good. Hope Cobequid pass is not the Donner Pass. See y'all in about 5 hours.

We'll call Jamie Davis Towing if you get stuck haha

 

[Prov1X]

Well there goes the #1 seed, long way to travel for one game. Congrats to Acadia!