AUS Regular Season 2017-18

I don't think that it will have any affect on StFX as I believe that they are at the roster cap already.

 

SMU 4 Acadia 3 - Heartbreaker for the Axemen as the Huskies score on the PP with under a minute to play.

 

Good for the rest of the league though...that was looking like a 3 point game.

 

So does Peddle get an assist on that win?

 

Don't be a hater.....

 

Bit of a rough game for Woodworth. 4 penalties including Delay-of-Game that resulted in the PP goal. I didn't think the trip was worthy of a call. Looking at the calls, 6 of 7 were on the defense, probably a result of being short staffed and under pressure at times. While it doesn't translate into points, Acadia did a good job with a short bench against a good team. So, a moral victory at least. Barring anything happening on Friday night, they will have a full compliment on the backend when they play SMU on Wed night.

 

According to Bruce Hallihan’s latest article DiFruscia got 1 game, Spears 2 games, and Hendsbee 3 games.

Clapperton has improved and was in classes yesterday, but still hasn’t been on the ice.

 

I wouldn't expect him on the ice yet. For him to play before January would be a bit of a mockery considering the gloom and doom scenario by the A.D and in the Gleaner.

 

Can't see him playing until the break
UNB most likely will announce an exhibition game against a possible international opponent, in December.

 

Team Poland Dec 10

 

What’s the story with Daniel Robertson for X? He hasn’t played a game yet and they were short two guys last night, which would seem like the ideal time to get him in the line-up....leads me to believe that unless he is injured, they are going to try and keep that roster spot open until Christmas.

 

I will try to find out, but if you look at his stats from Junior, he didn't exactly light the league up.

 

Good game last night between ACA and SMU. I felt that SMU controlled the 1st, ACA the 2nd and they split the 3rd. Both Steeves and Brassard were solid

 

SMU has been on a roll now just a point back of X.
X vs UNB is a big tilt. X will close the gap or be sitting 5 puts back, if they lose.

 

So DiFruscia and Spears will be back, and Hendsbee has one more game to serve?
Should be a good one down in Antigonish tonight!

 

No Studnicka or Cianfrone tonight (I assume due to injury) so they are still icing less than a full roster I believe.

 

Acadia demolishes UdeM 9-1 in Moncton. Les Aigles are really going to have to turn things around next season or they are going to end up like STU.
They've added a couple of high end recruits for next year.

 

7-2 loss to SMU last night. UdeM looked better in the 2nd but then fell apart in the 3rd and SMU scored 4 in 4 minutes. But, they are 1 point out of the last playoff spot.

 

The talent gap between the top 4 National calibre teams (UNB,X,SMU,Acadia) and the bottom 3 is obvious, but I am surprised that Dal doesn't have a better record? They have lost two games to UNB, by giving up goals late in the third period. UPEI should be better, Moncton needs a lot more than a blue chip goaltending prospect, to compete with the upper teams in this conference.
In comparison to CanadaWest, where you have 8 teams, you are playing top 10 schools on a more consistant basis, that is my opinion only. You have Alberta, Sask, Calgary that are at that level and then a talent gap between the bottom 5 teams.

 

On an unrelated note, has anyone noticed the absence of the Moncton "entourage" at road games. When Serge was there at least 6 of the major volunteer people would make the trip. This year, no one. I spoke with Leo, the Godfather, on Saturday in Moncton and he was non-committal, adopting a wait-and-see approach.

 

Over the season, the number of matches versus ranked teams are likely the same quantity (for AUS & CW), but they come in different forms. The CW schedule is such that they (a top team) either gets a double-header vs an easy team or a ranked team. In the AUS, you can split weekends where the two opponents are easy & hard. I think the AUS schedule builds a better team having to deal with a new team the next day. In the CW schedule, a good team can regroup and make changes for game two to get the split (case in point this past weekend ALB/USK, Alberta wins game one 6-1 then lose 4-0).

The OUA is least competitive, and as such, they can go a long time without playing a ranked team, especially if your division is weak (Guelph has played 12 games but only two against a Top-1o team - McG and York)

 

New subject - predicting the probably six AUS players who will be named to the USports team to play against the World Junior team next month. I'm guessing six, because that is what they went with last year.

Forwards: Stephen Harper (Acadia), Hunter Garlent (SMU), Holden Cook (StFX)
Defence: Ryan Gazzola (UNB), Ryan MacKinnon (UPEI)
Goalie: Chase Marchand (StFX)

I would think Chris Clapperton would be a lock for left wing, but he's obviously not healthy.

 

Forwards: Stephen Harper (Acadia), Hunter Garlent (SMU) & Kameron Kielly (UPEI)
and the backups - Boston Leier (Acadia) or Holden Cook (StFX)
Defence: Ryan Gazzola (UNB) & Cole MacDonald (StFX) with Jagger Dirk|(StFX) as the backup
Goalie: Chase Marchand (StFX) or Corbin Boes (Dal)

 

I’ve noticed their support at the AUC has declined quite considerably over the years. They used to have a nice little contingent come up every game. Then again, they may still be there but just not as noticeable as they haven’t had too much to cheer about lately.

 

I have no doubt that it is all about the poor results on the ice. Remember they were once a dominant team. It was either them or Acadia going to the Nationals.