FREDERICTON (CUP) — Six of Canada’s top teams are competing this weekend for the University Cup at the CIS men’s hockey championship in Fredericton.
Here is a preview of each squad vying for a shot at varsity hockey supremacy.
1. UNB Varsity Reds
(Host, Atlantic University Sport champion; Season: 23–5–0, Playoffs: 6–3)
The nation’s top-ranked squad is sitting comfortably and confident on home ice as they begin their pursuit of a fourth CIS championship.
The University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds plan to welcome their five CIS counterparts to the Aitken University Centre with furious physical play and a high-octane offence. The tournament will mark the club’s fourth trip to the nation’s premiere event for university hockey in five years — a strong asset according to head coach Gardiner MacDougall.
“I think it helps when you’ve been there before,” he said. “We’ve got players in the dressing room that have won two national championships and we’ve got players that know the bitterness of getting to the finals and not winning. And we’ve got a younger group that’s excited to make their mark on the tradition.”
Under the guidance of MacDougall, the Reds skated to a 23–5 regular season record, finishing atop the AUS standing on their way to an 11th conference title. The feat was done in style by capping off a hard-fought playoff run with team captain Kyle Bailey’s OT winner over the St. Francis Xavier University X-Men in Game 5 of the AUS championships.
“We were fortunate to get the OT winner,” MacDougall said. “It was a huge goal for the whole team. It’s a good kick-start to the nationals, but there’s still a lot of work to do in their practices.”
In a weekend where every shift counts, fatigue from the extended AUS playoffs could have detrimental effects to the team’s performance. However, the UNB coach remains confident in his squad and doesn’t see fatigue as an issue.
“You’re in a competitive mode and I think at this point that takes over. I think, when you get to the nationals, every shift is important,” MacDougall said. “So you’re not really looking at how many games, you’re trying to win your shift and if you win enough shifts, you win a period. If you win enough periods, you win a game.”
Leading the Reds into the final weekend of CIS action is their one-two punch of Hunter Tremblay and Chris Culligan, who devastated their AUS opposition all season. Tremblay led the league with 22 goals and 44 points, while Culligan sat fourth overall with 38 points.
MacDougall prides himself in having four lines and six defencemen that can score and sees his squad’s depth as a cornerstone of their success.
“Our scorers have to play a two-way game and our grinders have to contribute offensively. We’ve been fortunate this year. We needed all four lines and we needed all six D. In fact, we used 11 players as defencemen this season. So the depth has certainly helped.”
2. McGill Redmen
(Ontario University Athletics champion; Season: 24–2–2, Playoffs: 7–1)
After finishing 0–2 at last season’s CIS championships at Lakehead University, the McGill Redmen are back on the national stage, ready to show why they deserve their ranking. It was certainly no easy route to get where they are.
Similar to the hometown Varsity Reds, the Redmen were hit with multiple injuries this season, but the bigger issue came when three of their athletes were also away at the 2011 Winter Universiade. Head coach Kelly Nobes said it was the biggest obstacle his team had to overcome this season.
“I think missing a lot of our key guys through the FISU games and having the amount of injuries we had at the same time was probably one of our biggest challenges as a team this season,” he said. “There were several games we couldn’t even dress a full lineup, but somehow we pushed through it all.”
Having his full team with him for the final and most crucial weekend of the season will make a huge difference in preparation, but he also said playing some of these teams throughout the season will pay off as well.
“First and foremost, we prepare ourselves and make sure we’re ready to play our game and we make adjustments for our opponents based on our work in the video room,” Nobes said. “Keep in mind, we played Western Ontario twice, and UNB and StFX once each so we have a good idea what to expect.”
Coming in, he also feels his team is in a good position to succeed, if they continue doing the things they’ve been doing to succeed all season.
“We’ve got good team speed and our discipline is very good,” Nobes said. “We were 12th out of 19 teams in penalty minutes this season. We had no suspensions, no major penalties and a game where we didn’t have a penalty against us. We’ve got a very disciplined group, so that’s key for us and our work ethic and our relentless play are huge. We call it our skill, our will and our discipline.”
Finally, Nobes made it clear for this Redmen team to take home the University Cup, it’s going to come down to execution.
“We’re going to have to play at the top of our game without a doubt. I think execution is going to be critical. Our skill, our will and our discipline will be keys for us.”
3. Alberta Golden Bears
(Canada West champion; Season: 19–6–3, Playoffs: 4–0)
When asked about what his thoughts on challenging one the top teams in the country in the house of the number one-ranked team, Alberta Golden Bears head coach Eric Thurston humbly responded, “It’s a daunting task to say the least.”
Humble being the optimal word as the Golden Bears can be considered the kings of CIS hockey with 48 conference titles and 12 national championships, four of which were won since 2000.
On the road to another appearance at the national tournament, the Golden Bears finished the regular season first in Canada West with a 19-6–3 record. While their conference opposition kept pace, Thurston’s club jumped to the next level during the playoffs.
As the Golden Bears prepare to travel east, the head coach is ensuring that his team knows stumbling out of the starting gate can be fatal.
“You play every game as a best-of-one and there’s no chance to get your feet underneath you again to hope you have a second game to build off of — there’s no moral victories,” Thurston said.
“It’s such a tough tournament to win, but the team that comes in and wins three and has that mental toughness and mindset really deserves to be champions.”
The skill level of this club was evident throughout the regular season as the Bears finished with three players in the top five of scoring. Derek Ryan led the league with 17 goals and 47 points, while being followed closely by teammates Chad Klassen and Sean Ringrose with 46 and 27 points respectively.
Thurston’s defensive unit is not to be outdone, however. Rookie netminder Kurtis Mucha notched a 13–4 record with a 2.45 GAA and a .911 save percentage.
“I really like our goaltending. Kurtis Mucha has been great for us,” Thurston said. “And I like the way our defence moves the puck. It’s something we like having in our repertoire, having defencemen that can skate and move the puck.”
Even though the Golden Bears have a long, illustrious history in the CIS, they enter the weekend with plenty of youthful players with no experience on university hockey’s national stage. Alberta has nine first-year players and four second-year players.
“We have a real young team coming in, but that type of experience that you’re able to get at the nationals is two-fold in their development. Players see how great the competition is out in the east and we’re just hoping to build off that experience.”
The Golden Bears are forced to wait and see if they play StFX or McGill first, but Thurston remains resolute in preparing his squad mentally. Their plan is simple no matter the opponent.
“You’re best players have to be your best players. If not, you’re sort of playing Russian roulette,” he said. “There are so many swings in momentum and emotions and you’ve got to control that. I think that’s an important thing from our veterans to show our young guys.”
4. Western Ontario Mustangs
(Ontario University Athletics silver medallist; Season: 20–3–5, Playoffs: 6–2)
The University of Western Ontario Mustangs finished first in the OUA West standings, having only lost three games in the regular season and with their strong track record, and a lot of ice time for younger players throughout the season, the team is ready for nationals.
“We’re really excited about coming down to UNB and Fredericton and getting the opportunity to play hockey against some of the best schools in the country,” Mustangs head coach Clarke Singer said.
The Mustangs, a young team compared to such rivals like McGill and UNB, have worked hard over their regular season to maintain a 20–3–5 record.
Although Western may not have the same experience as the older teams heading into nationals, Singer believes the youth of his team is as much an asset as a weakness.
“We’re a pretty young hockey team. We’ll have probably nine first-year guys in the lineup out there,” Singer said. “You know we do have a number of guys who have played at that stage before a couple years ago, but we have a number of guys who haven’t. So our youth is something that is a positive and a bit of a negative for us.”
The few seniors on the team, Singer said, have been role models to the younger guys and helped bring the team to where it is today.
The Mustangs have suffered a few injuries over their regular season, such as losing Aaron Snow, a left-wing leading scorer who was hurt in mid-January and will not return for the rest of the season.
“I’ve been happy with our group because we’ve played without a number of our key guys, and that just means more ice time for some of our young guys. That hopefully adds to the experience of what they have in preparation for coming to Fredericton,” Singer said.
The OUA conference holds a lot of talented teams in its division, which Singer believes is one the key ingredients to the Mustangs’ success.
“There’s a great deal of parity, so I mean you have to play well every night to win it in this conference and that has really helped us as we’ve grown as a team throughout the season.”
On top of talent, youth and drive, the Mustangs are a team that Singer describes as a character group, who have worked hard to get to this point.
It’s not just the Mustangs’s depth at the net that has brought them this far, but key players such as captain Kyle Lamb and CIS second-team all-star Scott Aarssen, as well as goaltender Anthony Grieco.
“There are so many great teams out there and I’ve had the opportunity this year to see most of the teams play, but when you get to a tournament like this and you look across the quality of opponents out there I think the tournament is pretty wide open,” Singer explained.
5. StFX X-Men
(Atlantic University Sport silver medallist; Season: 17–10–1, Playoffs: 7–5)
The StFX X-Men were a goal away from AUS glory until UNB captain Kyle Bailey dashed their hopes with his series-clinching goal in the first period of overtime in Game 5 of the AUS championships.
Undeterred, the X-Men will return the Aitken University Centre primed to exact their revenge on their bitter conference rivals and four others.
X-Men head coach Brad Peddle remembers the sting of defeat and the feeling on the long ride home afterward. However, granted with a second life, Peddle and his club are gearing up for a tournament where any team can emerge triumphant.
“We talked a lot about it on the way home and they’re excited that we have another chance,” Peddle said. “When you lose the AUS championship and you’re fortunate enough to go the CIS Championships, it’s a good thing. And our guys are obviously excited for it and looking forward to a good tournament this weekend.”
StFX has been thorn in the side of the Varsity Reds for years. Through stellar goaltending and strong, defensive play, the X-Men shocked UNB in last season’s AUS semifinal series and were one lucky bounce away from stealing this year’s conference title.
“We certainly enjoy playing in Fredericton. There’s a great rivalry between both clubs and I think we certainly saw that in the AUS finals,” Peddle explained. “But our mindset right now is not about the rink; it’s about the opponent. The only we can concentrate on right now is McGill on Thursday and Alberta when we play them.”
The centerpiece of their AUS playoff run was netminder Joseph Perricone. The third-year California native was also instrumental in achieving their 17–10–1 regular season record and posted a 2.37 GAA, a .925 save percentage and 14 wins in 19 games.
“I’ve yet to see a team go to the national championship or deep into the playoffs in any league, amateur or pro, without a good goalie. That’s the story there,” Peddle said. “[Perricone] has been rock-solid for us, but our guys have been playing solid around him. Any team with goals for a national championship needs a top notch goaltender and we certainly have that.”
StFX is no slouch offensively, however. Peddle will ice six forwards in the top 25 of AUS scoring. Chris Hulit led the team with 15 goals and 31 points to sit ninth overall.
Having such a diverse offensive attack is an asset, but Peddle asserts the real key to success is mental toughness.
“I think we have to focus on our game. We have to focus on how we’ve been playing through the playoffs and bring that into each and every game. There’s no room for error. There’s no room for sitting back and not having your best game. You’ve got to bring you’re A-game every night.”
The X-Men will travel to Fredericton with limited experience on the national stage — a fact that would trouble most coaches. However, Peddle remains confident in his team’s ability to stay focused on the game and block out the rest.
“We have to focus on being in the now and not worrying about who’s watching, big crowds and TV. That’s not our style; we’re not that kind of team. We don’t let those things get to us and we have to come in there and put it all aside and not play it like it’s any other game,” Peddle said.
“We realize that each game is a Game 7. It’s pretty much a do or die. That’s our mindset.”
6. Calgary Dinos
(Canada West silver medallist; Season: 17–8–3, Playoffs: 2–3)
The road to the University Cup was far from easy for the Calgary Dinos. It started two years ago when they decided to hire a decorated coach and general manager with major-junior success, Mark Howell.
Howell was tasked with rejuvenating Calgary’s team at a fundamental level and it has certainly paid off for them this season.
“When we came in two years ago, I talked to a number of people around the city within the hockey community and figured out where the program was at,” Howell said. “Our biggest thing was just establishing a culture and a team identity that could help us become a championship program.”
The Dinos season came down to the wire and the team needed that character and grittiness to keep them in the race. Coach Howell recalls the last weekend quite well.
“It went right down to the last weekend of who was going to make the playoffs, what position you were going to be in. It even went down to the Saturday night, the last game of our regular season,” Howell said. “It was extremely difficult and challenging every single weekend to make sure you brought a very good effort to seed yourself properly.”
The young Calgary squad is getting their first crack at the title as a group, and much of the coaching staff is making their first trip as well.
“I think it’s going to be a great experience for everybody. It’s exciting to be recognized at a national tournament and go to those events. And yet, the big important part is just understanding that it is a business trip,” Howell admitted.
“It’s not a social holiday, we’re going there for a reason and we want to be successful and put ourselves with a chance to win every game,” he continued. “If we can come out of there successful and raise the trophy, we’d be thrilled, but knowing that there is a ton of work to get to that point.”
According to Howell, readiness to work is what sets the Dinos apart from the pack in this competition. He is no stranger to high-level national competitions and said he, his staff and his players are ready for the challenge.
“The one thing we have worked a lot on is our work ethic, but also our level of compete and making sure we’re honest hockey players everyday and we battle for pucks,” Howell said.
One thing that always helps a team in these high-pressure situations is experience. As stated before, none of the players on this Dinos roster have University Cup experience, but they do have plenty of experience from junior that should come in handy.
“We’ve got three or four guys that played in Medicine Hat with the Tigers that won a [Western Hockey League] championship a couple years ago. We’ve got a couple guys that have won Junior A championships. We’ve got some guys that played in real good programs in the [WHL], but didn’t quite win,” said Howell.
“They went deep in the playoffs and played for respectable coaches. We’ve got enough guys that have been in important situations that they can build from that experience.”
But in Howell’s mind, the winner of this tournament will have to be the best of the best; there aren’t any teams who are a runaway favourite and all of them have a decent chance.
“I think anybody that’s going to win the national tournament, us or whoever it is, is going to have to be very, very good and not play a sloppy game,” Howell said. “That’s the beauty of being at this point of the season for everybody: knowing you’ve got to bring your A game to win hockey games, and if you don’t, you don’t deserve to win.”
