Page 8 - Sports Energy News, Cornwall, Issue No 20

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Presents...Then and Now

Cornwall Royals Edition - Rick Plamondon

Plamondon Says Hockey Career Based On “Right Place, Right Time”

By Morley Seaver news that night. Actually, I only played
a period and a half. The second half we
etting Rick Plamondon to talk played all of our younger players for
Gabout his on-ice triumphs is like the rest of the game. It’s memorable in
pulling teeth. The modest former one sense but laughable in another, you
Cornwall Royal puts a lot of it down to know?”
“right place, right time.” The classy 67 Education was as important to
year-old centre, who spent a season and Plamondon as hockey. While playing
a half (1965-66 and 1966-67) with the with the Royals, he took university
Royals is built, disposition-wise, along courses. In fact, during the Thetford
the lines of a Jean Beliveau or Henri Mine series, Ed Lumley (former mayor
Richard. “When you spend a lot of and MP) drove him to and from the
time on the ice, you get a lot of scoring game so that he could write some final

opportunities,” says Plamondon. university exams.
There’s no denying Plamondon made “That was the toughest part,” he

an immediate impact in his first game admits, “especially in the playoffs. I
as a Royal. “I was cut at the start of the was writing final exams in April and

season,” he remembers. “But they called then playing hockey in all these places
me back up in November. I scored three where he had to travel to. That was
or four goals against Brockville and difficult. But, hey I enjoyed the game. I

stayed with the team for the rest of the had a lot of support with people moving
year.” me around. But it was stressful in some
That was the beginning of many instances.”
successful games for Plamondon. The Plamondon opted for a teaching career

first year, he scored 22 goals, ending post hockey. “I was offered a tryout with
with 44 points. The second year he Tulsa in the Central Hockey League in
was even better, netting 51 goals and the States,” he says “but I only had one
56 assists and winning the scoring year left for my university degree so I
championship. you just have to be at the right place at you learn to play hockey. You learn how had a decision to make. I decided to go
One of his favorite memories is the the right time. Like the second goal in to stickhandle because you didn’t have to school because at that time, I couldn’t
series against Sault St Marie in his the last game, there was a shot from the a whole lot of room there.” remember any of the previous guys ever
second year. point and I just happened to be going by From there, it was onto playing staying in the NHL. I mean some had
“They had a good club,” he says. and it just tipped off my stick and went in the Juvenile Hockey League in been at minor pro leagues but none had
“They had just beat North Bay and we into the net. So very often, it’s just right Cornwall where he also won the scoring hit the NHL at that time because there
had a good run with them. We were place, right time.” championship, and got the Royals were only six teams. So the prospect of
losing three games to two and had to go The next series against Thetford attention. getting to the NHL was not terrific.

back to their own building, so that was Mines and Rejean Houle, Marc Tardiff His scoring prowess resulted in “My father always made sure that I
tough but we were able to win the sixth and Gilbert Perreault was a short one. another amazing stat, namely eight went to school first. That was important.

game up there and then the seventh “So those three guys killed us in that goals in the team’s 43-0 domination I think I made the right choice. I mean, I
game there 2-1, so it was great.” series. I think we lost that series four over Hawkesbury. “Well, those statistics was offered more money to play hockey
Plamondon skips over the fact he games to one.” never counted,” he laughs. “They threw than I made in my first year of teaching

scored three goals in the sixth game and Plamondon started playing hockey at out the statistics of that game. What but in the end, it turned out great. I had
the winner in the seventh game, short- the bantam level, but says he developed happened was, there was a problem a great teaching career so no regrets.
handed, with three minutes to play. his skills in the backyard. “I remember with the players on the Hawkesbury I mean, sometimes you wonder what
When reminded about it, he simply playing on a creek behind our place. team and the regular players didn’t want could have happened and just a few
says, “We were definitely out to avenge The creek was only about three feet to play so they sent in a lot of midget years after that, that’s when the league

the losses back home. I guess I just wide and we had 10 guys playing on players. They didn’t want to forfeit the expanded and there could have been
don’t like to lose (laughs), so you do it. (laughs) It’s just like the stories you game because it would have cost them a some possibilities but I think I made the
whatever you have to do to win. But hear of old-time hockey but that’s how fi ne or something. We made the national right choice.”

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