2012-2013 AUS Regular Season Thread
 

UNB 5 STU 2:

The Tommies get an A+ for shot blocking. New goalie Groenheyde looks like he will fill in nicely for Lavigne. UNB looked a little lackluster at times but got the job done against a weaker opponent. Tyler Carroll with the hat-trick.



UPEI 4 Moncton 3: A little surprised.

STFX 5 Acadia 4

SMU 5 Dal 2

You wouldn't be so surprised had you seen the game. I had to throw my own guys under the bus but we played horribly in the first half of the game, and you aren't going to win many hockey games playing 30 minutes. The 5-minute power play we didn't score on in the 1st probably didn't help too much either.

UPEI have a hard working team, they don't have much for offense and aren't likely to win many shootouts but they're a hard working bunch and that should get them a few W's. If and when DeSousa comes back will help them a lot.

wow Acadia Outshot St FX 19-0 in the 3rd Period and 43-14 overall and lost 5-4

I noticed SMU, St. FX, and Acadia are using live stats this year. Dal has switched from using SSN to Stream It (same as UNB) for their web-casts.

Moncton over UNB by a 5-2 score

That was certainly one of the most uninspiring and lackadaisical efforts I have seen out of the V-Reds in a long, long time. They looked terrible out there for long stretches, and Moncton's speed gave them all kinds of fits all game long. I didn't think the D looked very good at all...got walked around on at least 3 goals (1st, 4th, and 5th)...took way too many risks in the offensive zone than they should IMO. It didn't help that Fullerton wasn't on top of his game either. They were also way too undisciplined and took too many penalties (42 PIM, 3 10 minute misconducts), some of which were no doubt out of frustration as Moncton absolutely shut them down. I hate to sound so negative but there wasn't much positive to take out of this one. Moncton looks like they will be right in the mix for a top-2 spot once again.

Oh well, better to have a game like this now rather than later....hoping for a much better effort next weekend against SMU/X.

Just got back from the game and I agree. There was clearly frustration all round. Outside of Daine Todd, there weren't may bright spots on the blueline. And Fullerton didn't give the team any room for error.

However, for the majority of the second (3-1 at this point) I thought for sure it'd be a tie game. UNB went into the 2nd intermission looking good but they came out for the 3rd completely flat and didn't do a thing for the entire 3rd period.

I agree, they did have a good stretch during the 2nd period during which time Houde-Caron made it 3-2...it looked like they might have been able to keep the momentum going but the 4-2 goal killed them.

Moncton 5 UNB 2: nothing much left to be said. Moncton really took the body hard to UNB. They have a big team. The Vreds didn't play any worse than they did Friday night. Unfortunately Moncton is a much tougher opponent.

UPEI 3 STU 0: Looks like the Tommies are going to have a tough time scoring goals this season. Panthers improve to 2-0.

Acadia 5 Dal 4: OT win for the Axemen. First win of the season.

STFX 5 SMU 3: X improves to 2-0.

Full Credit to Moncton they played well and deserved the win.

UNB is certainly missing the energy spark Bailey brought with his constant hustle.

Positives from the first two games for UNB

Colby Pridham is a great addition I like the way he plays, a two way game

Marc Antoine Desnoyier Ive never been a fan yet but he has improved a lot

Taylor MacDougall did not play the first two games.....thats a positive

I was thinking that last night as well....they really needed a Bailey, or even Harty, do get the team going like they so often did.

Don't get too excited about MacDougall...I suspect he will be right back in there after he recovers from his injury.

This weekend showed that they are really missing MacDougall for defensive-zone faceoff wins.

Gardiner MacDougall = none too happy about the roster cap being implemented next season

http://thechronicleherald.ca/sports/...hockey-rosters

I guess that's what happens when other coaches get pissed off at what they consider "stockpiling" players at UNB.

My personal observation is that this will come back to bite some teams when they lose guys to injury during the season.

Roster Cap
 

I think that the roster cap is absolutely ridiculous. If the entire CIS is going to go that way, then fine. For the AUS it's a step backwards and advantage to OUA and Canadawest, when time comes to icing rosters for Nationals. What happens when you have 5 injuries? Let alone, it also takes away from competitive practices, as there is less competition for roster spots on a game by game basis. Which cry babies supported such bs........... . The hammer comes from MT A, last time I looked, they didn't even have a men's program. Dum................................!

My guess, is that they come from SMU and X. Not hard to figure that one out, is it!

I don't like watching games when one team has only 16 or 17 players. Manitoba has 26 players and any less and they would have been short last weekend. (Unless the 3rd goalie played out!)

So now if you already have 21 skaters and a good student-athlete wants to play for your school you have to turn them down? Makes sense.

They should have a roster cap and it should be set to 45 skaters and 10 goalies.

at a 21 player Cap, UNB would have been screwed in 2011 when they won Nationals, they were decimated by injuries all year long. This rule will also force Guys from various teams to risk injury sooner than they were ready to come back.

Im not sure which teams would have complained, I know UNB wasn't one, I don't think Dalhousie was one. I also dont think Moncton was one

Im guessing St Thomas was one, by evidence of their shortened bench this year and Maybe St Fx I don't think Peddle is a big UNB fan

Cap
 

Fred at SMU and Barney at X you can bet. Burns'y maybe?

X
 

I remember rumours of not having enough depth and guys not competing hard enough at practice during X's free fall from the AUS standings last season. Players compete harder in practice when someone else could take away their playing time, if they aren't performing up to expectations. This was mentioned on the boards.
Does the NCAA have such a rule? I think that if they are going to set a cap, set it at 23 or 24 at the least.
Timbit, how does UdeM stand on this? Did they push for this??

Do you guys know, for sure, that a team(s) complained? Or is it just an assumption?
I agree that a 21-player cap is not reasonable or even fair. If you absolutely have to put a limit on things, I would suggest 25 or 26 would be a more realistic and workable number.
My question is, would the AUS rosters have to be declared (other than additional goaltenders) prior to the season opener or can teams leave 2-3 spots open?
If it's the latter, what's stopping teams from stockpiling players to fill those remaining spots later, depending on injuries and specific needs. Teams could still have a Black Aces or Taxi Squad going strong.

Rosters
 

Acadia and SMU currently have 22 skaters, UNB 21 and X has 20. Not including goaltenders.
UNB had counted on Clendenning and Campbell coming back. They also were trying to bring in Tam, but he has gone pro. So, they may have been up to 24, but as of now, they have their smallest roster in years. As a result, many MHL (Jr A ) will have to look at OUA schools to play hockey.

Haha, Fred and Barney. I like that, that's funny.

I think there are some pro's and con's to the cap. It also forces coaches to be more creative when it comes to player selection. Maybe the last forward selected now has to be a guy that can spot in on defense at times too, if injuries occur.

According to Twitter reports, SMU (Student Union?) has three buses arranged to carry students to tonight's UNB-SMU game at the Halifax Forum. I've been chirping at them for years to do this so glad to see it happening. Hope it works out.

I also see in the Gleaner that STU is planning on having a charter bus run for every Friday home game at the Grant-Harvey, starting tonight.

Do any AUS teams carry their games on the radio anymore?