Preview: October 15-16: MANITOBA at CALGARY
After a missed season, I am excited for the return of hockey. Only Bugs Bunny and his pals can bring the true level of excitement this moment deserves. You can sing along to the video!
Overture, curtain, lights
This is it, the night of nights
No more rehearsing and nursing a part
We know every part by heart
Overture, curtain, lights
This is it, we'll hit the heights
And oh what heights we'll hit
On with the show this is it.
Tonight what heights we'll hit.
On with the show, this is it.
So here we go ....
MANITOBA BISONS (0-0-0, 1-3-0, OHT35 #14)
CALGARY DINOSAURS (0-0-0, 4-5-0, OHT35 #8)
Friday, October 15th at 7:00 MT/8:00 CT at FDB Arena, Calgary
Saturday, October 16th at 2:00 MT/3:00 CT at FDB Arena, Calgary
Live Links:
➤ Video: CanadaWest.tv
➤ Friday: Live Stats ∞ Hockey Tech
➤ Saturday: Live Stats ∞ Hockey Tech
Manitoba Links:
➤ GoBisons: SEASON PREVIEW | Bisons men's hockey energized in return to the ice
➤ CW: Stats ∞ Schedule/Results/Links
➤ LeagueStat: Stats ∞ Schedule/Results/Links
Calgary Links:
➤ GoDinos: 10 new recruits, 10 days until the season begins
➤ GoDinos: The puck drops with a battle against the Bisons
➤ CW: Stats ∞ Schedule/Results/Links
➤ LeagueStat: Stats ∞ Schedule/Results/Links
Other Links:
➤ USports: Schedule/Links ∞ Standings
➤ CW: Home Page ∞ Schedule
➤ LeagueStat: Media Stats
I gave a synopsis of the Bison roster in a prior post. Here's a look at the Dino roster:
Returnees (10)
Forwards (5)
11 Kaden Elder - 15 Tim Vanstone - 23 Ryan Graham
18 Jordan Xavier - 26 Bradley Schoonbaert
Defence (3)
3 Ryan Gagnon - 29 James Shearer - 20 Brendan De Jong
Goaltenders (2)
31 Brodan Salmond - 30 Tyler Gutenberg
Newcomers (17)
1
Carl Stankowski - G - Winnipeg Ice (WHL)
2
Dakota Krebs - D - Calgary Hitmen (WHL)
4
Sean Strange - D - Kamloops Blazers (WHL)
5
Matt Quigley - D - Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
7
Noah King - D - Spokane Chiefs (WHL) / Stockton & Manitoba (AHL)
8
Connor Gutenberg - F - Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)
9
Zach Wytinck - D - Regina Pats (WHL)
10
Arjun Atwal - C/LW - Sherwood Park Crusaders (AJHL)
17
Brad Ginnell - F - Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL)
19
Jaeger White - F - Kootenay Ice (WHL)
21
Josh Maser - F - Allen Americans (ECHL)
22
Josh Rieger - D - University of North Dakota (NCAA)
27
Tyson Upper - F - Prince George Cougars (WHL)
28
Colson Gengenbach - F - Drayton Valley Thunder (AJHL)
33
Max Patterson - F - Everett Silvertips/Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)
41
Jake Gricius - F - Portland Winterhawks (WHL) / Allen (ECHL)
42
Riley Stotts - F - Calgary Hitmen (WHL)
Departures (17)
Forwards (10)
16 Matt Alfaro - 17 Coda Gordon - 22 Mitch Cook
9 Graham Black - 21 Logan Fisher - 27 Chris Rauckman
24 Luke Harrison - 39 Lane Zablocki - 10 Robbie Fisher
28 Josh Uhrich
Defence (6)
44 Dallas Hines - 7 TJ Brown - 41 Sahvan Khaira
42 Dane Gibson - 2 Jake Kearley - 5 Jordan Henderson
Goaltender (1)
1 Matthew Greenfield
The Dinos are losing not only way more players than most, they are losing upper level players, including the league's leading scorer (Alfaro), their top two scorers (Alfaro and Gordon), and three of their top five (Alfaro, Gordon, and Cook). They also lose five of their top seven defencemen and Matthew Greenfield (a goalie who split the load). The 17 recruits have lot of holes to fill. While some good players have been recruited, this team (on paper) is not as good as the 2019-20 team.
Also, the Dinos have an exceptionally tough schedule. The CW season has been reduced to 20 games. Everybody gets a two game series against each of the other eight teams, for 16 games. The four additional games are done regionally. Manitoba gets two games against each of Regina and Saskatchewan. Calgary gets two against Mount Royal and one against each Edmonton team (Alberta and MacEwan). UBC gets an additional four games against Holy Trinity. Thus, Calgary and Mount Royal have very unforgiving schedules.
For the Bisons, this is an opportunity to avenge their playoff loss to the Dinos in 2020. Over the past 5 years, Calgary has a 9-7 edge with an OTL for each team in those totals.
The main thing I'll be checking out is the Bison powerplay. Last year it was a major weakness, largely because they gave up so many shorthanded goals. I compiled the following chart at the end of the last season:
On their own powerplay, the Bisons just outscored their opponents 21-11. When killing penalties, they were outscored 32-1. Add that all together and they were -21 in 28 games. Even a break-even season would significantly boost their standing.
ELSEWHERE IN THE CW
ALBERTA GOLDEN BEARS (0-0-0, 6-2-0, OHT35 #2)
MOUNT ROYAL COUGARS (0-0-0, 3-2-1, OHT35 #6)
Links:
➤ UofA: Team Site
➤ MRU: 2021 Season Preview
Some of the best games I have seen have featured the Bluegars. Yet they always seem to not quite reach their full potential. For example, in the 2020 playoffs they were upset by UBC. That is something they have in common with the Evil Monkeys. I have not yet been able to do a full roster review of these two teams. However, they both played well in the pre-season and split a pair of games between them. The games start at 7:00 MT/8:00 CT on Friday and 6:00 MT/7:00 CT on Saturday.
MACEWAN GRIFFINS (0-0-0, 2-4-0, OHT35 #13)
REGINA COUGARS (0-0-0, 3-2-0, OHT35 #11)
Links:
➤ MacU: With strong mix of experience and youth, Griffins ready for Canada West debut at Regina
➤ UofR: Team Site
This series is the maiden voyage in the big leagues of university hockey for the Mythical Mutants. They experienced some rough nights and some fine rebounds in the pre-season. The games I caught on CWTV were reasonably good. But their worst games were not streamed. The Banjo-Cats seemed to be making a playoff push in 2020. They came out strong in the new year, going 4-0 including a sweep of UBC. They even rose up the standings into 6th place ahead of UBC. However, they closed at 2-5-1 and UBC coasted to a playoff berth. The games start at 7:00 CST/8:00 CDT on Friday and 3:00 CST/4:00 CDT on Saturday. I'll be trying catch some of this series.
TRINITY WESTERN (0-0-0, 3-2-0, OHT35 #16)
U.B.C. THUNDERBIRDS (0-0-0, 5-0-0, OHT35 #9)
Links:
➤ TWU: TWU FINISHES SECOND IN CAPTAINS CUP
➤ TWU: SEASON PREVIEW I SPARTANS READY TO PROVE THEMSELVES IN U SPORTS DEBUT
➤ UBC: T-Birds host Spartans in long-awaited season opener
For the first time in over 40 years, the T-irds have an intra-provincial rival due to Holy Trinity's cross-over from the BCIHL. Nevertheless, these teams played only within British California against one another and BCIHL teams in the pre-season. Therefore, they may well face a baptism of fire when they venture beyond the Rocky Mountains. UBC already has two pre-season wins over TWU with six more regular season games to go. Of note, the UBC linked story says Friday's game is sold out. These games start at 7:00 PT/9:00 CT on Friday and 3:00 PT/5:00 PT on Saturday. So I will likely be able to catch the 3rd periods.
RED DEER POLY KINGS (0-0-0, 0-3-0, ACAC)
SASKATCHEWAN HUSKIES (0-0-0, 4-2-0, OHT35 #4)
Links:
➤ RDP: Scheudle & Results
➤ UofS: Team Site
With 9 teams in the CW, somebody always has a bye. The Banjo-Mutts draw the opening bye this year, and fill the space with games against Red Deer Poly. The Kings were formerly coached by new Mutt coach Mike Babcock. They lost 4-1 and 6-3 to the Evil Monkeys earlier this pre-season. They then had three weeks off before losing 2-0 to Augustana last weekend.
OUT EAST
ONTARIO
Wed Oct 13 Concordia 2 U.Q.T.R. 3
Wed Oct 13 Queen's 4 McGill 2
Wed Oct 13 Toronto 2 Ryerson 4
Wed Oct 13 Windsor 5 W. Ontario 6
Thu Oct 14 Brock at Waterloo
Thu Oct 14 Laurier at Ontario Tech
Fri Oct 15 Ontario Tech at Laurier
Fri Oct 15 U.Q.T.R. at Concordia
Sat Oct 16 R.M.C. at McGill
Sat Oct 16 Toronto at Guelph
Sat Oct 16 Waterloo at Western Ontario
ATLANTIC
Wed Oct 13 Acadia 1 New Brunswick 4
Wed Oct 13 Dalhousie 2 St. F.X. 5
Fri Oct 15 St. F.X. U.P.E.I.
Fri Oct 15 Moncton Acadia
Sat Oct 16 U.P.E.I. Dalhousie
Sat Oct 16 Saint Mary's Moncton
Sun Oct 17 Saint Mary's New Brunswick
Links:
➤ USports Presto S&R
➤ OUA LS Daily
➤ AUS S&R