SEA DOGS NOTEBOOK

STICH SIGNS WITH RIVERMEN
Former Sea Dogs captain David Stich has signed an amateur tryout contract with the American Hockey League’s Peoria Rivermen. The parent club of the Rivermen, the St. Louis Blues, called up two players yesterday and forced the AHL team to sign Stich and two others.

Stich is eligible to play in the team’s final two games in Winnipeg tonight and tomorrow. Peoria did not qualify for the post-season.

From the Peoria Journal Star:

David Stich, a 6-2, 215-pound defenseman from the Czech Republic who was captain of Montreal’s team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, where he had six goals, 17 assists, 83 penalty minutes and a plus-12 rating in 47 games. Stich played four games with AHL Hartford last season.

SCHEDULING PROBLEMS SOLVED
The Sea Dogs have solved their semi-final scheduling issue that we reported last week.

Game One of the Sea Dogs’ as-yet-hypothetical semi-final series versus a to-be-determined opponent would go Friday, April 16 at 7:30pm. The series’ second game would then be staged at Harbour Station on Sunday, April 18 (puck drop: 4pm).

A Drummondville win tonight would officially make Victoriaville the Sea Dogs' next opponent.

COUSY AND HIS FRIENDS
Solid article in today’s Telegraph-Journal about Marco Cousineau likely playing his old team mates Chris Doyle and Joel Champagne in the next round.

The article also had this sweet factoid about Saint John’s 4-0 loss in PEI earlier this year:

That night, Cousineau was named first star, Doyle, a six-foot, 203-pound left winger, earned second star honours and Champagne, a six-foot-four, 214-pound centre, was recognized as the third star.

DOYLE NOT GUILTY
Speaking of Doyle, he was found not guilty in a PEI courtroom this morning. The judge, however, isn’t going to buy his jersey any time soon.

"If he was charged with being a colossal asshole, I would find him guilty," said Douglas, chief judge of the provincial court according to CBC.

More Doyle and his legal trouble next week.

HISTORY LESSON
The only thing we learned in high school history was that our teachers' cat was a national champion back in his prime. Thank goodness for Nathan White and his Keep Your Stick on the Ice blog.

This was posted in his QMJHL roundup:

Another interesting note on Galiev: He could be the first Russian-born (i.e. not USSR) player drafted since the fall of the Soviet Union. A whole new generation of players that remember world championships and Ovechkin more than Summit Series, Canada Cups, Kharlamov and Makarov.

My mind has been blown.

MAIL BAG
We got an awesome e-mail from Station Nation reader Lorne W. this week. Here is what he had to say:

While I am confident that the Sea Dogs have a legitimate shot at winning the league championship, I am also pretty excited about where the Dogs stand for the future. It is not hard to argue that our 20 year-olds are the best group in the league ... but it is clear that our rookies are performing way above the level of any other group in the league.

One statistic I find interesting is the number of 19 year-olds on what should be the final four in the Q. Based on a count of "1990" birth dates on the QMJHL website, I see;

Moncton - 11
Victoriaville - 10
Drummindville - 9
Saint John - 6 (includes St. Laurent, Sauve, Morin, Kirky, Thomas and Pard). We don't have many 18 year olds either ... only 3 (Despres, Anthony and Gauthier).

Good info because we are way too lazy to look this stuff up. Send us your stuff at stationnation@yahoo.ca and we’ll post it up (as long as the words Station, Nation, and Sucks are not it in).

PETERSEN GETS THE GOAL
Mike Hoffman’s goal in game two against the Gatineau Olympiques has been awarded to Nicholas Petersen. Petersen appeared to get wood on Hoffman’s point shot but the Ottawa Senators prospect was given the goal. According to News 88.9, the announcement came well after their post-game show.

KIRKPATRICK ARTICLE
Some scouts chime in on the play of Michael Kirkpatrick in Metro Halifax and the possibility of him playing the NHL.

"He's got the ability, for sure, to play in the Q as a solid No. 2 centre," a scout said. "He'll be steady in the Q and run your second power-play."

"He fits the new rules," another scout said. "He'll be a great second-line centre next year or the year after, and he could be a real impact player."

The article also states that the Halifax Mooseheads were rumored to be going after Kirkpatrick at the 2007 entry draft.

ANOTHER HOFFMAN ARTICLE
The Junior Report filed an article about the feel-good story that is Mike Hoffman. The 20-year said this in regards to his trade to Saint John:

“It was a bit of a surprise, but I was glad to come to another good team,” said Hoffman.

Hoffman said this about being named league MVP and Top Sportsman:

“I was there for both, so I was a little surprised to come away with both,” said Hoffman.

MORE HOFFMAN STUFF
The Gatineau/Ottawa based blog Highlight of the Night (whose motto is “randomness”) had a scouting report on Mike Hoffman this week and seems to be quite accurate.

Report Card (Excellent, Good, Average, Below Average, Poor)

Size/Strength Average
Skating Excellent
Shot/Scoring Excellent
Puckhandling Good
Physical Play Average
Offensive Play Excellent
Defensive Play Average
Hockey Sense Excellent
Competitiveness Good

To read more and to see two oddly proportioned videos click HERE.

POLL RESULTS
Last week’s question: Who has been the Sea Dogs’ best rookie in the playoffs?

Jonathan Huberdeau- 17
Tomas Jurco- 12
Stanislav Galiev- 7
Pierre Durepos- 7
Zach Phillips- 0
Other- 0

PICTURES
A Gatineau Olympiques Facebook page has pictures up from game four warm-up.

Hardly any Sea Dogs in the photo gallery, but it does show that the Olympiques are pre-game billboards.