Defenseman Kevin Gagne will miss games one and two of the Saint John Sea Dogs’ semi-final series against Victoriaville according to Vincent Gauthier and the Telegraph-Journal.Gagne has not played since game five of the first round against the PEI Rocket when he injured his knee. He did not even travel with the team to Gatineau last week.
In 63 games played in this year, the Edmundston native had four goals and 25 assists. In this post-season, Gagne has one assist in five games.
Filling his spot on the backend has been rookie Gabriel Bourret.
“Gallant remains hopeful the Edmundston native will return to the lineup at some point in the series,” reported today’s Telegraph-Journal.
Also injured is Vancouver Canucks prospect Steven Anthony. The recently turned 19-year old has played in only two post-season games because of a nagging groin injury.
Anthony, who had 41 points in 61 games during the regular season, played in game three in Gatineau but left the tilt early due to the injury.
The following is from today’s Chronicle-Herald:
"It’s been nagging for the last six weeks and it’s been tough on him. He comes back for one game and then he gets sore again," Saint John head coach Gerard Gallant said on Monday. "We’re really hoping that this long layoff this week is going to help a lot. He’ll have a light skate today and see how it’s come along.
"He played a period and a half in Game 3 (of our last series) and he felt pretty good but then all of a sudden it got tired and weak on him again late in the second period. He didn’t want to hurt it again with the score being the way it was so he just took the rest of the time off."
Good breakdown on Victoriaville. One factor that will be of major importance is both teams efficiency in the face-off circle. If you breakdown their WF% of Victoriaville's top 3 centers during the regular season you got Devos at 50.2%, Champagne at 58.5% and McIsaac at 50.7%. For the Sea Dogs, only Kirkpatrick did very well at 58%, while Hoffman, Gauthier and Phillips were all below 50%.
ReplyDeleteIn the playoffs, Hoffman has been a lot better and Huberdeau has really become a big factor giving St-John the possibility of better matching their lines to their advantage. If they keep it up, the Sea Dogs will really be able to implement their style. If not, it will be a hard battle in which they will have to work harder to play their style.
Either way, i say Sea Dogs in 6.
Rick1042
Faceoff statistics can be deceiving in that a players may take the draw and never touch the puck but if his team controls the puck off the scrum the team possessing the puck are deemed the face off winners. A lot of players are credited with with face off wins who never really 'won the draw'.
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