(Editor's Note: Thunderwolveshockey.com is happy to welcome Dave Kilfoyle back for the 05-06 season!) Atlantic Waves November 8, 2005
By David M. Kilfoil
Well it has been a little longer than I expected to get back to the column a busy work schedule and a lingering cold have kept me from a few games and the keyboard. However, Im back, and enjoying the Atlantic University Hockey Conference once again.
What never seems to change in the Maritimes is the bunched up standings. After nine games played so far, UNB finished the weekend in first place, just two points up on StFX who have a game in hand. Last years Atlantic runner-up Acadia is tied for third place with SMU and STU. Defending champion UdeM is in sixth place but of course there is a story there Ill get to later. Dalhousie has come up short in too many close games and UPEI is off to a surprisingly slow start with only one win so far and is mired in last place.
The University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds have only lost one conference game this season, a 7-1 blow-out in Halifax against the Dalhousie Tigers October 21 that saw them give up three short-handed goals in one period, two on the same power play! Keewatins Reg Bourcier graduated last season but returned to UNB to add an education degree to his resume and has been strong in nets, other than that Dal game. UNB added only three players this season and rookie Rob Efthimiou from Mississauga has stepped into the limelight with a team-leading seven goals and 14 points in nine games. Former Toronto Mike centre Darryl Boyce from Summerside, PEI has already scored a couple of jaw-dropping goals this season and Vallentuna, Swedens Andreas Johansson is still looking for his first point and more ice time.
However for me perhaps the key factor in the V-Reds success so far this season has been the big play of the bang, crash and score trio: the Nathan ONabigon Denny Johnston Rob Pearce line. Roseton, SKs Johnston is in his third season and leads this punishing line, and oh yeah, Denny has the only hat trick in the AUHC so far. Sophomore ONabigon from Longlac and Thunder Bay is coming into his own this year as a power forward, mirrored by roommate and fellow second year forward Pearce from Fredericton. This line is dominant on the cycle in the offensive zone, is often double-shifted in third periods of close games due to their apparent tirelessness and now takes a regular turn on the improved UNB power play. Add UNBs veteran defensive corps and you have a difficult team to beat when theyre on their game and they are right now.
Second place StFX X-Men have only two losses this season their two games against UNB. Veteran Stuart MacRae leads the points race with 18 points in 8 games, closely followed by captain Ryan Walsh and 16 points and conference leading 11 goals. X has 11 new players this season and two of the most impressive are forward Nick Lees from Peterborough and defenceman Sam Roberts from St. Johns, NF. StFX leads the AUHC in goals scored, and as the 11 rookies get used to the brand of hockey this season I can see those numbers getting even bigger.
Acadia and SMU host UNB this coming weekend, and that may help separate the logjam in third place. The Huskies have the best goals against and the Axemen the second best this season, so one wouldnt expect high-scoring games. SMU second year forward Ryan Lauzon has five goals in seven games and rookie Marc Rancourt from Gloucester is tied with veteran Brad Self (cousin of Lakeheads Mike) are tied for second in team scoring with ten points each. Scoring machine Kevin Baker leads the attack again in Wolfville, with six goals in eight games. Look to see the rest of Acadias scorers to get going soon.
As for STU, the Tommies have come out on the wrong end of overtime with a conference-leading (or is that non-leading?) three losses in extra time. On the good side, their veteran