Mid-term report: CWUAA
CANADA WEST MID-TERM REPORT: DECEMBER 2014
With no games to watch, it is necessary to do something. Hence, I usually issue conference mid-term reports. So, here we are with a look back at the first half of the CWUAA men's hockey season.
Actually, 64% of the regular season is now completed. Two weekends of activity which would normally have fallen at the end of the schedule have been bumped up so as to allow the Canada West all-stars to travel to the Universiade in February. There will therefore be a gap of two bye weeks between the regualr season and the quarter-finals. The 1st and 2nd place teams will face a 3 week layoff before hosting their semi-finals. IMO this somewhat enhances the chances for upsets in the semi-final round.
When play resumes on January 3rd and 4th (each series is using a Saturday-Sunday format due to coming off holidays) a first place showdown between the Saudi Alberta Evil Monkeys and Bedrock U Dinos will be featured. The other series will be UBC-Manitoba, Lethbridge-Sask, and Cougars-Cougars.
Here are the OHT36 rankings for the CW teams:
```````````````` ------------------------------------------------------------------
````````````````|`` A``|`` B``|``C/D | Conf. |Conf-X|Oth-CX|``CIS``|OtherX| TOTAL``|
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|`` A`````````` |``````|``````|``````|`````` |``````|``````|`````` |``````|````````|
| 1 ALBERTA```` | 2 2 0| 9 1 0| 4 0 0|15``3 0|4 1 0 | 0 0 0|19``4 0|2 2 0 |21``6 0 |
| 5 CALGARY```` | 2 2 0| 7 3 0| 4 0 0|13``5 0|4 1 1 | 0 0 0|17``6 1|0 1 0 |17``7 1 |
|`` A-``````````|``````|``````|``````|`````` |``````|``````|`````` |``````|````````|
| 7 MOUNT ROYAL | 2 2 0| 5 3 0| 5 1 0|12``6 0|1 0 0 | 2 0 0|15``6 0|2 0 0 |17``6 0 |
|`` B`````````` |``````|``````|``````|`````` |``````|``````|`````` |``````|````````|
|12 UBC```````` | 4 4 2| 0 3 1| 3 1 0| 7``8 3|2 1 0 | 0 0 0| 9``9 3|1 0 0 |10``9 3 |
|13 MANITOBA````| 2 8 0| 4 0 0| 2 2 0| 8 10 0|2 1 0 | 3 0 0|13 11 0|0 1 0 |13 12 0 |
|16 SASK.`````` | 1 6 1| 2 2 0| 5 1 0| 8``9 1|2 1 2 | 0 0 0|10 10 3|0 0 0 |10 10 3 |
|`` C+``````````|``````|``````|``````|`````` |``````|``````|`````` |``````|````````|
|21 REGINA``````| 1 5 0| 2 5 1| 3 1 0| 6 11 1|0 3 0 | 0 0 0| 6 14 1|2 3 0 | 8 17 1 |
|`` C`````````` |``````|``````|``````|`````` |``````|``````|`````` |``````|````````|
|31 LETHBRIDGE``| 0 8 0| 2 4 0| 1 3 0| 3 15 0|0 4 0 | 0 0 0| 3 19 0|2 0 0 | 5 19 0 |
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# indicates tie game included
ALBERTA GOLDEN BEARS
Thu Sep 04 Augustana 6 Alberta 0`````````````` ACAC
Fri Sep 12 UBC 4 Alberta 2```````````````````` B
Sat Sep 13 Alberta 6 Regina 3``````````````````C
Sun Sep 14 Manitoba 0 Alberta 5````````````````B
Wed Sep 17 Alberta 2 Edmonton Oilers 4```````` NHL
Fri Sep 19 Saskatchewan 1 Alberta 2 (ot)`````` B
Sat Sep 20 Calgary 4 Alberta 5 (ot)````````````A
Fri Sep 26 Alberta 3 UBC 2```````````````````` B
Sat Sep 27 Alberta 2 UBC 5```````````````````` B
Fri Oct 03 Lethbridge 0 Alberta 10```````````` C
Sat Oct 04 Lethbridge 3 Alberta 7``````````````C
Fri Oct 10 Alberta 2 Regina 1``````````````````C
Sat Oct 11 Alberta 5 Regina 2``````````````````C
Fri Oct 17 Saskatchewan 1 Alberta 3````````````B
Sat Oct 18 Saskatchewan 3 Alberta 6````````````B
Fri Oct 24 Alberta 3 Yale 0````````````````````NCAA
Sat Oct 25 Alberta 6 Dartmouth 1`````````````` NCAA
Fri Oct 31 Mount Royal 1 Alberta 7```````````` A
Sat Nov 01 Alberta 4 Mount Royal 3```````````` A
Fri Nov 07 Alberta 3 Manitoba 2````````````````B
Sat Nov 08 Alberta 4 Manitoba 2````````````````B
Fri Nov 14 UBC 1 Alberta 5```````````````````` B
Sat Nov 15 UBC 0 Alberta 5```````````````````` B
Thu Nov 20 Alberta 3 Calgary 5```````````````` A
Fri Nov 21 Calgary 2 Alberta 1```````````````` A
Fri Nov 28 Manitoba 3 Alberta 5````````````````B
Sat Nov 29 Manitoba 2 Alberta 3````````````````B
v CW-x````````4-1-0
v ACAC-x``````0-1-0
v NHL-x`````` 0-1-0
v NCAA-x``````2-0-0
Exhibition```````````` 6-3-0
v A`````````` 2-2-0
v B`````````` 9-1-0
v C/D```````` 4-0-0
Conference````````````15-3-0
Total```````````````` 21-6-0`````````````````` A
Links:
:. [LS Stats]
:. [LS Schedule/Results/Links]``
The Monkeys have a high-powered offensive team. They have 7 of the top 20 scorers in the conference. They are led by the league's #1 (Jordan Hickmott, 29 points) and #3 (T.J. Foster, 27 points) scorers. Their 78 goals scored are miles ahead of the next best team (MRU with 57). In almost every game (even losses) the Monkeys enjoy a substantial lead over their opponents on the shot clock.
Yet for all the positives, the Monkeys do have an achilles heel, or two. They started the season with a very wobbly record, including exhibition losses to Augustana and UBC. All seemed to be sorted as they climbed the standings. After another early season loss to UBC, they won 12 straight conference games and easily dispatched a couple of teams from the Ivy League in non-conference action. In that stretch, their only close shaves were a pair of tight wins over Manitoba. Then they were swept in a home-and-home against Bedrock U and suddenly there was a semblance of arace for first place. In all those games the shot clock indicated a one-sided game, but the scoreboard said different. This recurrent theme must be troubling.
The other potential dark cloud on the horizon is in goal. Kurtis Mucha is at .911 and Luke Siemens at .888 in save percentage. Those numbers make them vulnerable. Still, every team in the CIS would gladly trade places with them.
CALGARY DINOSAURS
Sat Sep 06 Mount Royal 4 Calgary 2```````````` A
Fri Sep 12 Calgary 5 Regina 2``````````````````C
Sat Sep 13 UBC 3 Calgary 4```````````````````` B
Sun Sep 14 Calgary 2 Sask 0````````````````````B
Wed Sep 17 Calgary 3 Calgary Flames 1``````````NHL
Thu Sep 18 Lethbridge 0 Calgary 4``````````````C
Sat Sep 20 Calgary 4 Alberta 5 (ot)````````````A
Fri Sep 26 Manitoba 1 Calgary 6````````````````B
Sat Sep 27 Manitoba 1 Calgary 4````````````````B
Fri Oct 03 Calgary 1 Mount Royal 3```````````` A
Sat Oct 04 Mount Royal 2 Calgary 1```````````` A
Fri Oct 10 Lethbridge 1 Calgary 5``````````````C
Sat Oct 11 Calgary 3 Lethbridge 2``````````````C
Fri Oct 17 Regina 0 Calgary 5``````````````````C
Sat Oct 18 Regina 2 Calgary 3``````````````````C
Fri Oct 31 Saskatchewan 0 Calgary 2````````````B
Sat Nov 01 Saskatchewan 1 Calgary 2````````````B
Fri Nov 07 Calgary 3 UBC 0```````````````````` B
Sat Nov 08 Calgary 3 UBC 4```````````````````` B
Fri Nov 14 Calgary 1 Manitoba 4````````````````B
Sat Nov 15 Calgary 3 Manitoba 0````````````````B
Thu Nov 20 Alberta 3 Calgary 5```````````````` A
Fri Nov 21 Calgary 2 Alberta 1```````````````` A
Fri Nov 28 UBC 3 Calgary 4 (ot)````````````````B
Sat Nov 29 UBC 3 Calgary 1```````````````````` B
v CW-x````````4-1-1
v NHL-x`````` 0-1-0
Exhibition```````````` 4-2-1
v A`````````` 2-2-0
v B`````````` 7-3-0
v C/D```````` 4-0-0
Conference````````````13-5-0
Total```````````````` 17-7-1`````````````````` A
Links:
:. [LS Stats]
:. [LS Schedule/Results/Links]``
When it appeared that the Boys from the Stone Age could aspire to no more than a race with crosstown rivals MRU for second place, along came a sweep of the Monkeys and new-found hope for a race to the top. Then they barely scraped a home oce split against UBC to end the semester.
Although the Dinos have good scoring (they rank 3rd with 54 goals) it is their goaltending which is their strength. They have two veterans, Kris Lazaruk and Jacob DeSerres, sitting at #1 and #2 in GAA and #1 and tied for #4 in save percentage. While they have several offensive weapons, it is a bit of a surprise that their scoring is led by 2nd year Elgin Pearce (who had 5 points last year, and 20 already this year) and defenceman Kodie Curran (7th in conference scoring with 18 points).
MOUNT ROYAL COUGARS
Sat Sep 06 Mount Royal 4 Calgary 2```````````` A
Fri Sep 12 NAIT 1 Mount Royal 4````````````````ACAC
Sat Sep 13 NAIT 4 Mount Royal 5````````````````ACAC
Fri Sep 19 Mount Royal 2 Lakehead 2````````````OUA-C
Sat Sep 20 Mount Royal 5 Lakehead 4 (ot)`````` OUA-C
Thu Sep 25 Mount Royal 2 Lethbridge 0``````````C
Sat Sep 27 Lethbridge 2 Mount Royal 7``````````C
Fri Oct 03 Calgary 1 Mount Royal 3```````````` A
Sat Oct 04 Mount Royal 2 Calgary 1```````````` A
Fri Oct 10 Mount Royal 3 UBC 5```````````````` B
Sat Oct 11 Mount Royal 3 UBC 2 (ot)````````````B
Fri Oct 17 Mount Royal 4 Manitoba 0````````````B
Sat Oct 18 Mount Royal 0 Manitoba 1````````````B
Fri Oct 31 Mount Royal 1 Alberta 7```````````` A
Sat Nov 01 Alberta 4 Mount Royal 3```````````` A
Fri Nov 07 Mount Royal 4 Saskatchewan 1````````B
Sat Nov 08 Mount Royal 3 Saskatchewan 6````````B
Fri Nov 14 Mount Royal 3 Lethbridge 2``````````C
Sat Nov 15 Lethbridge 3 Mount Royal 5``````````C
Fri Nov 21 Mount Royal 5 Regina 1``````````````C
Sat Nov 22 Mount Royal 3 Regina 4``````````````C
Fri Nov 28 Saskatchewan 3 Mount Royal 4 (so)`` B
Sat Nov 29 Saskatchewan 1 Mount Royal 2````````B
v CW-x````````1-0-0
v OUA-x`````` 2-0-0
v ACAC-x``````2-0-0
Exhibition``````````````5-0-0
v A`````````` 2-2-0
v B`````````` 5-3-0
v C/D```````` 5-1-0
Conference```````````` 12-6-0
Total``````````````````17-6-0``````````````````A
Links:
:. [LS Stats]
:. [LS Schedule/Results/Links]``
The New-Kittens-on-the-Block are having somewhat of a breakthrough season. They have operated somewhat under-the-radar on the national scene. I, however, have enjoyed their games with the Bisons. Those games have been tougher and rougher than typical CW games. However, I am not completely sold on them as an A level team. Though they have a great chance to hang onto 3rd place, I believe that the 6th place team would stand an excellent chance to beat them in the quarter-finals. Then again, they would stand a very good chance of beating Bedrock U in a semi-final, should they get that far.
Their scoring is somewhat top-heavy. Cody Cartier (2nd with 28 points) and Tyler Fiddler (4th with 24 points) are high-end scorers, then not much after that. They key to their start was goaltender Dalyn Flette and his .934 save percentage. He was hurt and under-study Cam Lanigan posted a .915 in capable relief.
UBC THUNDERBIRDS
Tue Sep 09 Simon Fraser 0 UBC 6````````````````BCIHL
Fri Sep 12 UBC 4 Alberta 2```````````````````` A
Sat Sep 13 UBC 3 Calgary 4```````````````````` A
Sun Sep 14 UBC 5 Lethbridge 4``````````````````B
Fri Sep 26 Alberta 3 UBC 2```````````````````` A
Sat Sep 27 Alberta 2 UBC 5```````````````````` A
Fri Oct 03 UBC 1 Saskatchewan 2 (ot)`````````` B
Sat Oct 04 UBC 0 Saskatchewan 4````````````````B
Fri Oct 10 Mount Royal 3 UBC 5```````````````` A
Sat Oct 11 Mount Royal 3 UBC 2 (ot)````````````A
Fri Oct 17 Lethbridge 1 UBC 5``````````````````C
Sat Oct 18 Lethbridge 3 UBC 7``````````````````C
Fri Oct 31 UBC 4 Regina 2``````````````````````C
Sat Nov 01 UBC 0 Regina 2``````````````````````C
Fri Nov 07 Calgary 3 UBC 0```````````````````` A
Sat Nov 08 Calgary 3 UBC 4```````````````````` A
Fri Nov 14 UBC 1 Alberta 5```````````````````` A
Sat Nov 15 UBC 0 Alberta 5```````````````````` A
Fri Nov 21 Manitoba 2 UBC 1````````````````````B
Sat Nov 22 Manitoba 3 UBC 1````````````````````B
Fri Nov 28 UBC 3 Calgary 4 (ot)````````````````A
Sat Nov 29 UBC 3 Calgary 1```````````````````` A
v CW-x````````2-1-0
v NCAA-x``````0-0-0
v BCIHL-x```` 1-0-0
Exhibition``````````````3-1-0
v A`````````` 4-4-2
v B`````````` 0-3-1
v C/D```````` 3-1-0
Conference```````````` 7-8-3
Total``````````````````10-9-3``````````````````B
Links:
:. [LS Stats]
:. [LS Schedule/Results/Links]``
The Tweety-Birds are tough to figure. For years they acquired highly touted recruits who take them precisely nowhere. After a couple of seasons of being nosed out by Calgary for 4th, they actually went into reverse last year. A late-season collapse by Regina allowed UBC to squeak into the playoffs. On the positive side, they managed to win their quarter-final series against Saskatchewan. This was a significant win. UBC qualified for the 1977 University Cup as the CWUAA runner-up (back when it was a 4-team conference). Since then they ony made the playoffs when the league used a 6-team format, and often still missed as often as they qualified. And their only series wins were over Lethbridge, both in sub-.500 seasons. I believe they only had two winning seasons in this period as well. So knocking off Saskatchewan was indeed a big deal.
So where do they fit in this year? Well, the Birds and Bisons have parallel schedules. Both sides are finished with Calgary and Alberta. I suspect that the winner of their new year's series will have the inside track on 4th place, and that the two teams are likely to face one another in the quarter-final round. Neither side can take for granted the other teams.
The British Californians have only one player in the top 20 scorers, Anthony Bardaro, who has 4 goals and 9 assists for 13 points. In goal, rookie Eric Williams (at .924) has moved ahead of Mark Hewitt (at .894) as the starting goaltender. As I look over their stats and results I just find myself saying “average” a whole lot. Nobody is really scared of them, but nobody can take them lightly, either.
MANITOBA BISONS
Fri Sep 12 Saskatchewan 1 Manitoba 2 (ot)``````B
Sat Sep 13 Manitoba 4 Lethbridge 2```````````` C
Sun Sep 14 Manitoba 0 Alberta 5````````````````A
Fri Sep 19 Manitoba 4 Toronto 0````````````````OUA-C
Sat Sep 20 Manitoba 4 Toronto 0````````````````OUA-C
Sun Sep 21 Manitoba 5 Ryerson 4````````````````OUA-B
Fri Sep 26 Manitoba 1 Calgary 6````````````````A
Sat Sep 27 Manitoba 1 Calgary 4````````````````A
Fri Oct 03 Regina 0 Manitoba 6```````````````` C
Sat Oct 04 Regina 1 Manitoba 4```````````````` C
Sun Oct 05 Manitoba 0 North Dakota 4`````````` NCAA
Fri Oct 10 Manitoba 4 Saskatchewan 1`````````` B
Sat Oct 11 Manitoba 5 Saskatchewan 2`````````` B
Fri Oct 17 Mount Royal 4 Manitoba 0````````````A
Sat Oct 18 Mount Royal 0 Manitoba 1````````````A
Fri Oct 31 Manitoba 1 Lethbridge 3```````````` C
Sat Nov 01 Manitoba 2 Lethbridge 5```````````` C
Fri Nov 07 Alberta 3 Manitoba 2````````````````A
Sat Nov 08 Alberta 4 Manitoba 2````````````````A
Fri Nov 14 Calgary 1 Manitoba 4````````````````A
Sat Nov 15 Calgary 3 Manitoba 0````````````````A
Fri Nov 21 Manitoba 2 UBC 1````````````````````B
Sat Nov 22 Manitoba 3 UBC 1````````````````````B
Fri Nov 28 Manitoba 3 Alberta 5````````````````A
Sat Nov 29 Manitoba 2 Alberta 3````````````````A
v CW-x````````2-1-0
v OUA-x`````` 3-0-0
v NCAA-x``````0-1-0
Exhibition``````````````5-2-0
v A`````````` 2-8-0
v B`````````` 4-0-0
v C/D```````` 2-2-0
Conference```````````` 8-10-0
Total``````````````````13-12-0```````````````` B
Links:
:. [LS Stats]
:. [LS Schedule/Results/Links]``
This Bison team has been almost completely rebuilt over the past two years. The team has added a lot of Junior A role-players who have largely exceeded expectations in 4th line roles. Two productive forward lines have evolved and it seems the team has an endless supply of quality defencemen coming their way. I will have more to say once the weekend previews begin again.
The keys for the second semester will be whether the depth forwards can produce enough and if Deven Dubyk maintains his exceptional goaltending performance. His .929 save percentage is tied for 4th best in the league. One question is whether veteran Brenden Rowinski and rookie Rene Hunter will be able to return to action in the new year. Both have major junior experience and could make the team that much better.
As mentioned in the UBC segment, the Bisons are done with Calgary and Alberta. The first time around against their remaining opponents they went 7-3-0, and that includes two losses to Lethbridge. They ought to be able to duplicate that record, in which case they would likely finish 4th.
SASKATCHEWAN HUSKIES
Thu Sep 11 Saskatchewan 7 Regina 5```````````` C
Fri Sep 12 Saskatchewan 1 Manitoba 2``(ot)```` B
Sun Sep 14 Calgary 2 Saskatchewan 0````````````A
Fri Sep 19 Saskatchewan 1 Alberta 2 (ot)`````` A
Sat Sep 20 Saskatchewan 3 Lethbridge 0```````` C
Fri Sep 26 Regina 0 Saskatchewan 2```````````` C
Sat Sep 27 Saskatchewan 4 Regina 2```````````` C
Fri Oct 03 UBC 1 Saskatchewan 2 (ot)`````````` B
Sat Oct 04 UBC 0 Saskatchewan 4````````````````B
Fri Oct 10 Manitoba 4 Saskatchewan 1`````````` B
Sat Oct 11 Manitoba 5 Saskatchewan 2`````````` B
Fri Oct 17 Saskatchewan 1 Alberta 3````````````A
Sat Oct 18 Saskatchewan 3 Alberta 6````````````A
Fri Oct 31 Saskatchewan 0 Calgary 2````````````A
Sat Nov 01 Saskatchewan 1 Calgary 2````````````A
Fri Nov 07 Mount Royal 4 Saskatchewan 1````````A
Sat Nov 08 Mount Royal 3 Saskatchewan 6````````A
Fri Nov 14 Saskatchewan 1 Regina 3```````````` C
Sat Nov 15 Regina 1 Saskatchewan 2 (so)````````C
Fri Nov 21 Saskatchewan 3 Lethbridge 2```````` C
Sat Nov 22 Saskatchewan 5 Lethbridge 1```````` C
Fri Nov 28 Saskatchewan 3 Mount Royal 4 (so)`` A
Sat Nov 29 Saskatchewan 1 Mount Royal 2````````A
v CW-x````````2-1-2
Exhibition``````````````2-1-2
v A`````````` 1-6-1
v B`````````` 2-2-0
v C/D```````` 5-1-0
Conference```````````` 8-9-1
Total``````````````````10-10-3```````````````` B
Links:
:. [LS Stats]
:. [LS Schedule/Results/Links]``
The end of the first semester for the Banjo-Mutts brings forth good news and bad news. The good news is, first, that their semester-ending sweep against MRU ends that season series and, second, they open the second semester at home against Lethbridge. The bad news is that they will end the season with four series in which they are the under-mutts. They are at home with Calgary and Alberta and on the road against UBC and Manitoba. Against those four teams they went a cumulative 2-6-0 in the first semester.
Now the question is whether the defending national finalists can rally so as to find some pride in the doghouse. The team lacks the scoring depth of previous teams. They have two top 20 scorers (Craig MacCallum and Josh Roach, sitting at #11 and #12 respectively). In goal they are solid. Instead of Ryan Holfeld starting very game, he is in a platoon with rookie Jordon Cooke. Their stats are similar (.929 for Holfeld and .930 for Cooke).
All-in-all, Sask's numbers scream out “average”, placing them in a lump with UBC and Manitoba. All things being equal, one would expect Sask to be a quarter-final road team for the first time barring a fairly significant second semester boost.
REGINA COUGARS
Sun Aug 24 Regina 1 Ravensburg Towerstars 3````Europe
Tue Aug 26 Regina 2 Thurgau 8``````````````````Europe
Fri Aug 29 Regina 3 Reissersee 4`````````````` Europe
Tue Sep 09 Regina 5 Briercrest 2`````````````` ACAC
Thu Sep 11 Saskatchewan 7 Regina 5```````````` B
Fri Sep 12 Calgary 5 Regina 2``````````````````A
Sat Sep 13 Alberta 6 Regina 3``````````````````A
Sat Sep 20 Regina 3 NAIT 1```````````````````` ACAC
Fri Sep 26 Regina 0 Saskatchewan 2```````````` B
Sat Sep 27 Saskatchewan 4 Regina 2```````````` B
Fri Oct 03 Regina 0 Manitoba 6```````````````` B
Sat Oct 04 Regina 1 Manitoba 4```````````````` B
Fri Oct 10 Alberta 2 Regina 1``````````````````A
Sat Oct 11 Alberta 5 Regina 2``````````````````A
Fri Oct 17 Regina 0 Calgary 5``````````````````A
Sat Oct 18 Regina 2 Calgary 3``````````````````A
Fri Oct 31 UBC 4 Regina 2``````````````````````B
Sat Nov 01 UBC 0 Regina 2``````````````````````B
Sat Nov 08 Regina 3 Lethbridge 5`````````````` C
Sun Nov 09 Regina 4 Lethbridge 1`````````````` C
Fri Nov 14 Saskatchewan 1 Regina 3```````````` B
Sat Nov 15 Regina 1 Saskatchewan 2 (so)````````B
Fri Nov 21 Mount Royal 5 Regina 1``````````````A
Sat Nov 22 Mount Royal 3 Regina 4``````````````A
Fri Nov 28 Lethbridge 1 Regina 3`````````````` C
Sat Nov 29 Lethbridge 2 Regina 8`````````````` C
v CW-x````````0-3-0
v Europe-x````0-3-0
v ACAC-x``````2-0-0
Exhibition``````````````2-6-0
v A`````````` 1-5-0
v B`````````` 2-5-1
v C/D```````` 3-1-0
Conference```````````` 6-11-1
Total`````````````````` 8-17-1```````````````` C
Links:
:. [LS Stats]
:. [LS Schedule/Results/Links]``
The Banjo-Cats dug themselves into some deep kitty litter early in the season and will likely have a hard time digging themselves out. After losing 9 straight games to start the season, they managed a split with UBC then followed with splits against Lethbridge, Saskatchewan, and MRU. In a key semester-ending showdown with Lethbridge they managed a sweep to bring some new year's hope to the land of tractors. On the downside, they cannot make up any ground head-to-head against Saskatchewan. And they play the top 5 CW teams in the OHT36 rankings. In the first semester, they went 2-8-0 against those teams. Yikes!
A statistical run-down goes a ways to explaining the plight of the Kittens. They have no scorers in the league's top 20. Their top scorer (Cody Fowlie) has 11 points, which is only one point away. On offence, they have scored fewer goals than everybody but Lethbridge. On defence, they have surrendered more goals than everybody but Lethbridge. They did start the season with some skaky goaltending performances. However, the veteran tandem of Lucas Gore and Mitch Kilgore have both risen to a below-average-but-not-horrible .906 save percentage. Another veteran, Andrew Hayes, has yet to play this year.
Last year the Kittens collapsed and missed the playoffs. They would have to produce a 180° turn-around from last year to become the team that surged to a playoff berth.
LETHBRIDGE PRONGHORNS
Fri Sep 05 Portage College 1 Lethbridge 7``````ACAC
Sat Sep 06 Portage College 2 Lethbridge 11```` ACAC
Sat Sep 13 Manitoba 4 Lethbridge 2```````````` B
Sun Sep 14 UBC 5 Lethbridge 4``````````````````B
Thu Sep 18 Lethbridge 0 Calgary 4``````````````B
Sat Sep 20 Saskatchewan 3 Lethbridge 0```````` B
Thu Sep 25 Mount Royal 2 Lethbridge 0``````````A
Sat Sep 27 Lethbridge 2 Mount Royal 7``````````A
Fri Oct 03 Lethbridge 0 Alberta 10```````````` A
Sat Oct 04 Lethbridge 3 Alberta 7``````````````A
Fri Oct 10 Lethbridge 1 Calgary 5``````````````A
Sat Oct 11 Calgary 3 Lethbridge 2``````````````A
Fri Oct 17 Lethbridge 1 UBC 5``````````````````B
Sat Oct 18 Lethbridge 3 UBC 7``````````````````B
Fri Oct 31 Manitoba 1 Lethbridge 3```````````` B
Sat Nov 01 Manitoba 2 Lethbridge 5```````````` B
Sat Nov 08 Regina 3 Lethbridge 5`````````````` C
Sun Nov 09 Regina 4 Lethbridge 1`````````````` C
Fri Nov 14 Mount Royal 3 Lethbridge 2``````````A
Sat Nov 15 Lethbridge 3 Mount Royal 5``````````A
Fri Nov 21 Saskatchewan 3 Lethbridge 2```````` B
Sat Nov 22 Saskatchewan 5 Lethbridge 1```````` B
Fri Nov 28 Lethbridge 1 Regina 3`````````````` C
Sat Nov 29 Lethbridge 2 Regina 8`````````````` C
v CW-x````````0-4-0
v ACAC-x``````2-0-0
Exhibition```````````` 2-4-0
v A`````````` 0-8-0
v B`````````` 2-4-0
v C/D```````` 1-3-0
Conference```````````` 3-15-0
Total``````````````````5-19-0``````````````````C
Links:
:. [LS Stats]
:. [LS Schedule/Results/Links]``
The H0rny Ones look destined to have yet another disappointing season. They started the season with 8 straight losses. However, they only had two home games in that stretch. One was a 2-0 loss to MRU and the other a 3-2 loss to Calgary. After a sweep of Manitoba and a win over Regina, it looked like this was a team to reckon with, at least on home ice. However, that home loss to Regina in game 2 of their series was the turning point for the Horns. A win could have provided them with a “faint hope” at least. Instead, the loss was the start of a 7 game losing skid that has knocked them out of contention.
The stats are bad. The team is last in GF (but only 2 behind Regina) and GA (an incredible 28 worse than second-worst Regina). They have no top 20 scorers. Nobody is a “+” in the plus-minus. (Defenceman Cason Machachek is a “0”, which in this context is a compliment.) They have gone through 4 goaltenders, although one (Alex Sirard) has played only 17 minutes. The other three have seen more rubber than Lindsay Lohan. Damien Ketlo, with a .900 save percentage and 4.12 GAA, has the best stats. Warren Shymko and Dylan Tait have also seen considerable minutes.
When I have seen this team the last couple of seasons they have always put in an effort and played a gritty game. They just don't have the talent of the other teams. That said, they have been consistently tough on home ice. They should be able to find a win there somewhere in the new year.