Cataractes, Sea Dogs look to carry on winning traditions
(Photo: Shawinigan Cataractes – Judith St-Pierre / Saint John Sea Dogs – David Connell)
Wednesday March 2, 2016
By Josh Sweetland/CHL
Both franchises with recent MasterCard Memorial Cup titles to their credit, the Shawinigan Cataractes and Saint John Sea Dogs are reaching into their recent past for inspiration and a shining example of how to win when it matters most.
With the regular season schedule winding down, both clubs have remained in the discussion as QMJHL contenders throughout the year, showing glimpses of greatness at various points throughout the 2015-16 campaign.
While the powerhouse Rouyn-Noranda Huskies further cemented their grip on first place with a 6-5 comeback win in overtime over rival Val-d’Or on Tuesday, Shawinigan and Saint John have joined the aforementioned Foreurs, the Gatineau Olympiques, Moncton Wildcats, Cape Breton Screaming Eagles and defending champion Rimouski Oceanic in rounding out the QMJHL’s top eight.
Overall consistency has been a concern for both the Cataractes and Sea Dogs throughout the season as both have put together lengthy runs of success while also struggling to put together quality results in pockets of the schedule.
“Early in the year we were supposed to be one of the best teams in the country and maybe that got to our heads,” said Saint John Sea Dogs defenceman Luke Green who was the first overall pick of the 2014 QMJHL Entry Draft. “We’re a younger team that had a lot of guys drafted last June and we have always maintained high expectations for ourselves.”
The Sea Dogs had a franchise high seven players selected in Florida last summer, the most of any CHL club. First round selections Jakub Zboril (Boston Bruins) and Thomas Chabot (Ottawa Senators) have served as valuable mentors to Green who hopes to hear his name called in Buffalo come June.
“It was a bit of an adjustment losing Zboril and Chabot to world juniors, but our team really started to come together just as they returned to the lineup and we ended up winning seven straight games,” said Green. “They’ve both been great examples to me this season and have had a lot of really sound advice for a guy in his draft year.”
Green, who has a close teammate in twin brother Matt, has helped the 39-16-4-0 Sea Dogs with nine goals, 23 assists and 32 points in 53 contests with a plus/minus rating of plus-18. The 18-year-old represented Team Orr at the 2016 BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in Vancouver and is making continued efforts to develop a multi-dimensional game on the blueline.
“When I was first drafted I really put a lot of emphasis on my offensive skills and abilities,” said Green, the 37th ranked North American skater in January’s midterm draft rankings. “I was informed pretty quickly that if I ever wanted to play in the NHL I’d have to get better defensively, so ever since I’ve been working on becoming a quality two-way defenceman.”
For Green, who grew up in Halifax, the memories of the 2009-2012 Sea Dogs dynasty are still fresh in his mind.
The star-studded 2011 Sea Dogs were the first Maritimes team to ever win a MasterCard Memorial Cup title. The franchise is just one of four in CHL history to put together three consecutive 50-win seasons (2009-12).
“It’s still a big part of the culture here in Saint John,” he added. “You still see a lot of Huberdeau, Beaulieu, Coyle and Phillips jerseys around the rink and everyone remembers the champs. It’s great to be a part of such a successful organization and I think looking up at those banners inspires all of us.”
Saint John isn’t home to the only recent QMJHL success story.
700km away on the other side of Maine and about two hours north of Montreal, Shawinigan experienced MasterCard Memorial Cup magic in 2012.
The host Cataractes, with a packed house rallied behind them, put a second round playoff exit in their rearview mirror to hoist the Memorial Cup for the first time in franchise history on Anton Zlobin’s overtime winner against the London Knights.
The path to glory wasn’t an easy one either. The Cataractes became the first and only host team in MasterCard Memorial Cup history to eliminate three league champions, having defeated the Edmonton Oil Kings in a tie-breaker, the Saint John Sea Dogs in the semi-final and OHL champion London to complete the quest.
“It’s an incredible part of our team’s history,” said Cataractes blueliner Samuel Girard who is another prospect for the 2016 NHL Draft. “Shawinigan is a great town and the fans are always loud and supportive. It gives us that extra push that we need and I could see how it would be a big boost at the Memorial Cup.”
Described by NHL Central Scouting as “an undersized puck moving defenceman that is dynamic on the offensive side of game,” Girard leads all QMJHL blueliners in scoring with seven goals, 55 assists and 62 points in 59 games. The third overall pick of the 2014 QMJHL Draft is the 40th ranked North American skater in January’s midterm rankings.
With a prominent role as a 17-year-old on the 39-17-4-0 Cataractes, Girard has seen two sides of his club this season.
“Just before Christmas the season was so-so, we lost like eight of ten games and things weren’t going well. Our general manager (Martin Mondou) did a really great job of bringing in talented players like (Dmytro) Timashov and (Danny) Moynighan and we started to play better.”
The Cataractes proceeded to win 11 of 13 from December 31st to February 3rd, rocketing up the QMJHL standings.
“We have a really great captain in Anthony Beauvillier,” Girard continued. “He is a strong leader, does a great job in the faceoff circle and has one of the best shots in the Q. He is a big part of our team on the ice and in the dressing room.”
Shawinigan could clinch their first East Division title since 2012 this weekend as they jostle with Saint John for the second seed in the upcoming QMJHL playoffs.
Girard and the Cataractes have their immediate sights set on one thing.
“We want the President Cup,” he said. “The 2012 Memorial Cup Champions never won the QMJHL title and we really want that. When we are at our best we can beat any team in the league, so we believe it can happen and that’s our big goal.”
The playoff quest for the 2016 President Cup gets underway after the regular season wraps up on March 19th.