And I have always maintained Acadia's real feat that championship year, in 1993,...
These were the years that UNB would lose two AUAA titles in a row to Acadia. I think we're one of the few teams to defeat Acadia that season '93 (3-2 at the AUC). We lost 3-1 and 6-0 in the best of three after sweeping UPEI and UdeM. The next year ;94 we lost both regular season games (6-0 & 7-1) then two straight in the finals (5-3 and 7-3).
It was Colin Gregor who as also suspended for Nationals.
He is from just outside Edmonton and his brother Jason and me worked at 1260 in Edmonton for seven of the last nine years.
When I left to go do the Oilers Colour, Jason took over the afternoon drive slot on the Team 1260 from me.
The Bears lost to UNB in both '97 (Dax MacLean OT winner) and in '98 (2-0 lead but lost captain Troy Hjertaas on a very suspect hit-from-behind call...in front of the net!).
Alberta got their revenge in 2000 and 2008 University Cup Finals against the V-Reds.
In truth the Bears best teams were in the mid 2000's.
It always pissed us off that UNB didnt win the AUS when Alberta hosted in 2005 and 2006.
I fully expect UNB to win their second straight title and fourth in six years in two weeks.
The Bears let Saskatchewan off the ropes last week, and end result dont deserve to be in Fredericton this year.
But they got a good shot next March in Saskatoon as all of their best players were freshman or sophmores this year.
As a UNB fan, Calgary scares me more than any other team...they have proven that they can play a very defensive game..and if you can score on your limited opportunities you have the recipe to beat UNB...the Ontario teams and Moncton try and skate with UNB and will have little chance baring a monster goalie performance...Calgary proved last year that they have the formula, it will just be a matter of burying their limited chances (assuming they can finish off Sask)
As a UNB fan, Calgary scares me more than any other team...they have proven that they can play a very defensive game..and if you can score on your limited opportunities you have the recipe to beat UNB...the Ontario teams and Moncton try and skate with UNB and will have little chance baring a monster goalie performance...Calgary proved last year that they have the formula, it will just be a matter of burying their limited chances (assuming they can finish off Sask)
Agreed...I would much rather see Saskatchewan than Calgary...plus, it seems like Butler is back to the level that made him the best goalie in the country last year after having a so-so regular season.
Disagree.
If I'm paying $140 for tickets, driving to Freddybeach and spending 5 nights in a hotel plus meals and bevvies, I want to see the best teams play, not just the teams that UNB can defeat.
Ya, it wasn't much fun watching Brock that year in Moncton after they used the trap and a hot goalie to get through the OUA playoffs.
They were NOT an entertaining team to watch and were outclassed on the national stage.
Calgary showed on their Maritimes tour in September that they've got talent, so I have been puzzled all season why they struggled. Maybe it was having a three-headed dragon in nets? Or guys not willing to work hard until the big games. To me it doesn't reflect well on Mark Howell, who was the CIS coach of the year last season.
Any team that has a hot goalie and can be opportunistic (like Calgary last year at Nationals) can be a challenge for UNB or any other favoured team.
YOU tell Mark Howell that! Maybe it's a question of finally sorting out the three goalies and a talented team getting it together at the right time. I see Howell as Gardiner MacDougall very early in his career -- taking over a program, getting a team and a culture in place and building it to be a contender for the long haul. Coach of the year is the guy who traditionally does the most with the least, has a big surprise season, or runs a dominant team. Dinos were the surprise team last year. But he's got them playing well at the right time. And they came within 2.1 seconds of scaring the sh@t out of UNB in the opener last year. Bottom line is, you've got to respect anybody who makes the final 6, regardless of the path they took to get there. "Entertaining" is not their mandate at that stage. In the immortal words of Herman Edwards: "You do what you have to do to win The Game!"
And, AUS Fan, you'll think I'm arrogant, drinking the Kool-Aid, whatever...believe me, I'm not. But I'll be surprised if UNB loses to any of the incoming teams...two pretty dynamic scoring lines, dominant in the faceoff dot, solid veteran defence and a healthy goaltender. Despite their number one ranking most of the year, they hadn't really been firing on all pistons. Then, when Wiebe and Wudrick joined them at Christmas, it took a little time for everybody to find roles. But the Wiebe kid is pretty dynamic and gives them a big time scoring element. They'll be tough. You're $140 on tickets, nights in a hotel, etc. is always welcome in the local economy. AUS Trooper will be back. There will be some good hockey, as there always is. But if you expect to see anybody but UNB win, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed.
Hey Mr. Titleist, this is a hockey forum! Good golf ball, though.
Of course, you could be a ProV1 from X??
Back to hockey. Were you at Rutherford last night? If the shots were any indication, it looks like the Huskies had a territorial advantage? They went 0-6 on the pp, and obviously luck wasn't on their side in ot.
Dino's now 5-0 on the season against U of S, but 3 games have gone in ot.
Sask did beat U of A in game 2 and 3 last weekend, but this is a different team (Calgary).
A team that has prepared itself with the pressure of playing 5 times in a year against New Brunswick and has the experience of playing in the Nationals last year.
It goes a long way in preparing their players for this time of the year, when it counts most.
I am not counting the Huskies out, the talent is there, but they need to find a way to solve Butler in back to back games.
Looking at the game stats, Calgary took the last 5 penalties in that game, including one with 3 minutes left after Sask had tied it up at 1-1. Took another in ot, but the Huskies didn't make them pay. Sounds like the Huskies were all over them?
"And, AUS Fan, you'll think I'm arrogant, drinking the Kool-Aid, whatever...believe me, I'm not."
I agree with you!! Very impressed with Wiebe, less so with Wudrick. UNB should win the whole show.
My point was that I would rather watch the best hockey I can, not just teams that are beatable. Having said this, UNB (should they win the AUS) will have a weaker pool with the wildcard and OUA runner-up. They wouldn't meet Calgary until the final if everything falls into place.
On the subject of Kool-Aid, will we be having one with Dave Adolph in the "suite" or watching his team play? Will definitely be having one with the "Dave from away".
Calgary showed on their Maritimes tour in September that they've got talent, so I have been puzzled all season why they struggled. Maybe it was having a three-headed dragon in nets? Or guys not willing to work hard until the big games. To me it doesn't reflect well on Mark Howell, who was the CIS coach of the year last season.
Maybe last year they kind of flew under the radar and snuck up on some teams...not so this year. Other teams knew Calgary was good and had to bring their 'A' game to beat them this season, whereas last year they may have surprised some teams. Often in sports you see a team have a better than expected season, people predict big things the following year, and then they don't live up to those expectations.
Do the St. FX XMen come to mind? After their 5 game loss to UNB last year and their strong showing at Nationals many "Experts" suggested that they would give UNB all they could handle in the regular season. After Kirkpatrick made his decision some felt that X had the edge.
I'd have to say that X had a disappointing season but remember that's in the toughest league in the CIS.
And, AUS Fan, you'll think I'm arrogant, drinking the Kool-Aid, whatever...believe me, I'm not. But I'll be surprised if UNB loses to any of the incoming teams...two pretty dynamic scoring lines, dominant in the faceoff dot, solid veteran defence and a healthy goaltender. Despite their number one ranking most of the year, they hadn't really been firing on all pistons. Then, when Wiebe and Wudrick joined them at Christmas, it took a little time for everybody to find roles. But the Wiebe kid is pretty dynamic and gives them a big time scoring element. They'll be tough. You're $140 on tickets, nights in a hotel, etc. is always welcome in the local economy. AUS Trooper will be back. There will be some good hockey, as there always is. But if you expect to see anybody but UNB win, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed.
careful, You must respect the competition! I've seen UNB dominate Alberta in 2008 and lose, they dominated and outshot Guelph double in 97 and lost. Running into a hot goaltender (Sorochan, Mullin) It could happen again, just like that and it may be you that is disappointed!
careful, You must respect the competition! I've seen UNB dominate Alberta in 2008 and lose, they dominated and outshot Guelph double in 97 and lost. Running into a hot goaltender (Sorochan, Mullin) It could happen again, just like that and it may be you that is disappointed!
Exactly, and the way the field is shaping up goal scoring could be at a premium. Calgary and Saskatchewan both gave up 70 goals this season, McGill gave up 62, and UNB and Western 71. Moncton gave up 87. UQTR and Windsor would be the weak links with 98 and 95 GA respectively.
In terms of individual goalies: Unice (Western) had a 0.931 save percentage this season, Holfeld (Sask) - 0.930, Morin (McGill) - 0.921, Marion (Moncton) - 0.913, Fullerton (UNB) - 0.909, Butler (Calgary) - 0.907, Van Buskirk (Windsor) - 0.907 . Nadeau from UQTR was the worst at 0.892.
Yes they were outshot and UNB on the balance of play was the slightly better team, but the Golden Bears were not dominated in that game.
All that said.
Since that game in 2008 Alberta has been going in the wrong direction, and UNB keeps getting better.
To be honest, I knew once Rob Daum left the U. of A. in 2005 to go to the AHL, the Bears program would start sliding.
Daum's Assistant Eric Thurston took over the program and won five Canada West titles and two University Cup's (losing another in OT to Saint Mary's in a game in which they outshot but did not dominate the Huskies) in six seasons.
Thurston's end results weren't bad...but the program no longer dominated as they once had.
Yes they were outshot and UNB on the balance of play was the slightly better team, but the Golden Bears were not dominated in that game.
All that said.
Since that game in 2008 Alberta has been going in the wrong direction, and UNB keeps getting better.
To be honest, I knew once Rob Daum left the U. of A. in 2005 to go to the AHL, the Bears program would start sliding.
Daum's Assistant Eric Thurston took over the program and won five Canada West titles and two University Cup's (losing another in OT to Saint Mary's in a game in which they outshot but did not dominate the Huskies) in six seasons.
Thurston's end results weren't bad...but the program no longer dominated as they once had.
I agree and despite UNB having a large shot advantage, the Bears played smart opportunistic hockey and countered every time UNB scored. You must agree that if it wasn't for Sorochan's heroics, it may have spelled trouble for Alberta in the end result?
Unice imay have a good save percentage but there are times when he looks SO weak. In the 4 - 3 loss to Windsor in the last round the Lancers put 3 past him while he was on his knees...when there was no reason for him to be on his knees. On the second goal McGill just scored same thing...half the net was open because he was on his knees and there was no play that put him on his knees. Argghh.
Unice imay have a good save percentage but there are times when he looks SO weak. In the 4 - 3 loss to Windsor in the last round the Lancers put 3 past him while he was on his knees...when there was no reason for him to be on his knees. On the second goal McGill just scored same thing...half the net was open because he was on his knees and there was no play that put him on his knees. Argghh.
Where was that play agains Lakehead! haha He was a stone wall against us! So was the windsor goalie.
Make the final 4-1 Sask. Cal scored on the PP with 30 seconds left. Very physical and chippy game. Wish I could watch game three, but will be in Moncton. The web guys were commenting about buying tickets after the game, and by the sounds of it, the rink only seats 900. Is that correct?
I see McGill beat Western 4-1 to win their second straight Queen's Cup.
I believe this means Mcgill will be in the same division as the Canada West winner and the AUS runner up. Western will be in the same division as the OUA runner up and the AUS winner.
