Page 5 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 13

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Eastern Ontario Jr. B Update

Well, a month has come and gone and there have been a few developments in the St. Lawrence division of the Eastern Ontario Jr. Hockey League, but not
necessarily the ones that you would have expected.
Perennial powerhouse Casselman continues to ride atop the division with 38 points in 21 games. Not quit within striking distance are the Winchester
Hawks, with 30 points in 20 games. The biggest concern for the Hawks isn’t necessarily catching Casselman, but rather putting some distance between
themselves and the Char-Lan Rebels, who sit three points back with 27 points in 19 games. It is with Char-Lan that we will start things off this month.
Akwesasne Alexandria Morrisburg
By Sports Energy Staff
Wolves Glens Lions

Char-Lan The Wolves have made it back Things are not going well in the Well, the Morrisburg Lions

Rebels to the .500 mark with ten wins, ten Glen. With nineteen points in 21 doubled their win count over the last
games, they aren’t in a bad spot, but
As of November 27, the Rebels had losses and one overtime loss. With month, but the problem is they only
being in a six game losing streak and

managed four wins, two losses and the success they had last season, you had one to build on. With five points
undergoing a coaching change is
one shoot-out loss. The Rebels have had to expect that they would fi gure never a good thing. In the month of in twenty games, there can be no
shown they can fill the net on any it out sooner rather than later and a November (as of Nov. 26) the Glens arguing that it appears to be a long

given night, and have the luxury of good month of November combined had managed only two wins along road to travel before South Dundas’s
with a dismal month by Alexandria with six losses and an overtime loss. favourite team can manage to get out
six players who are at or better than
allowed them to move into fourth The team has a solid offensive of the basement.
a point a game. Their goaltending

place. Anything is possible, but most core, but quite clearly have difficulty I hate to sound like a broken record,
is overall pretty solid with Ryan keeping the puck out of the net. You
likely is that they will battle with but once again, it is team defense

Cooper establishing himself as the Alexandria for the fourth-fifth spot can’t allow over five goals per game that is causing the most noticeable

against and maintain a team save
number one (nine wins, one loss, for the remainder of the season. If the problem for the Lions. Approaching
percentage of .872 and expect to win
.930 save percentage) even though Rebels should falter, however, they the six goal against per game mark,
more than you lose.
the team seems to be splitting playing might just fi nd the Wolves ready to Unfortunately, when a team is particularly on an offensively
time almost down the middle with take a bite out of third spot. losing, it is often the coach who pays challenged team just doesn’t work.
Alex Boileau playing in eight games Allowing four goals a game has to the price and that is what happened You have to sympathize with the
be a concern, particularly on a team in Alexandria. Head coach Mathieu Lion’s fans, who live and die with
(four wins, four losses, .855 save
that could use another goal scorer or Pilon and assistant coach Marc their team. Things will change; they
percentage. If this team can tighten- Rosseau were relieved of their duties.
two, but the Wolves always seem to have to, but it is probably too late to
up on defense, they could find a spot Dominic Decoeur has assumed the

get the best out of what they have to make a difference this season.
in the top two. work with. interim coaching responsibilities.
Recruitment / Retention By Richard Waldroff

Well what a pair of subjects, do you think they are related? A few months back I talked about changing the
seasons of the game to allow players who have interest in other activities, not necessarily other sports, or who may
wish to enjoy a shorter season of our beloved hockey the ability to do both.
As I converse with the hockey decision makers I discover more and more of them have no strong guidelines for
how recruitment should be driven, and least of all who should be the driver. Well, if any of you have noticed lately
how Tennis is using PSA’s (public service announcements) in a subtle way to bring their sport to your attention.
Simply they say, “Not everyone likes hockey.” These are an excellent attention-getter and hockey folks should be
paying attention and doing something similar. Instead they focus on their own selfish attitude that “this is what

we offer, take or leave it.”
The mother ship for Hockey in Canada is “Hockey Canada” with millions of dollars at its disposal for what should
be their true goal, finding and promoting innovative ways to draw players to the game. Instead their only focus

seems to be winning “Gold Medals”. Well, don’t let me be the first to tell you if you don’t promote and help attract

players you will have no one to win the “GOLD” for you.
I hear from Hockey Canada that we need to reach into the communities of new Canadians, and that this is what
the goal should be. I agree making these people feel at home here is an excellent idea, but they are not the only
communities in this country who need attention. If we all take a couple of minutes to think about it, we will
discover that there are children within a few houses of our own who don’t take part.
If every active employee and volunteer of Hockey Canada and it associates reached out to one child who is not
playing our game, just imagine the hundreds we could sign up.
Keep your stick below your waist
Next month: retention.