NEUGSIE’S AROUND THE RINKS

By: Jamie Neugebauer
Voice of the ND Hounds/DUBNetwork MJ Warriors Beat Writer

• Canadian dominance: Really impressive how the Canadian women maintained their dominance of performance and result throughout the Olympic hockey tournament, especially given the bunch of games cancelled in the lead-up, and in a way that the Americans were unable to do so. Two more goals for Marie-Philip Poulin in a gold medal game prompted a journalist to ask her about whether she’s the female Sidney Crosby, or if Crosby is the male Poulin…I thought it was a funny, clever question, but as was unsurprising Marie-Philip was modest and humble. Can’t understand how the Americans didn’t have Hilary Knight out there more often down two late in a gold medal game with a power play. Their bizarre ice-time distribution has been well-documented already, and while it’s never easy to know what’s exactly going through a coach’s head (or what on or off-ice things led to certain decisions), to not have the living legend out there is remarkable. Big-time props to the Canadian women! Enjoyed Shannon Szabados’ commentary as well.
• Canada crashes out: On the flip side, the men were brutal. Glenn Healey, who was extremely entertaining through the Olympics, was right on when he basically called this game, and this team, one big snooze fest. Claude Julien, Shane Doan, and the staff could have brought in more skill from the CHL and the NCAA, but did so very sparingly or not at all, and elected to go with a heavy (read slow), mostly veteran team of European pros to put us to sleep at midnight central. If they had uglied their way into a 2-1 gold or bronze medal game, maybe I’d just shrug, but to go down with your eyes bleeding is a tough way to go down! That all being said, how on earth will the University of Michigan not win the NCAA? Kent Johnson, Owen Power, Matty Beniers, etc…these are NHLers playing college. I do feel for Boston College’s Jack McBain, who was a 16-year-old for the Toronto Jr. Canadiens the Ontario Junior Hockey League when I was there, who coughed up the puck in the game vs. Sweden that led to the game-losing goal…but this failure is very much not on Jack.
• Why did you bring him??: Speaking of the NCAA, why did Canada bring Northeastern University superstar and Sabres prospect, Devon Levi, if he was not going to even be a backup? “The Olympic experience” is more important than him continuing to play, dazzle, and work his way to more development and a potential Top Goalie honour in college? I don’t get it. I get it’s easy for me to be frustrated with these decisions in hindsight, but this is my column!
• Same old Leafs: I watched a bit of the Leafs-Habs game Monday and it made me sick. Good for the Habs: they have going what is called “the Dead Cat Bounce”, which is when a team fires a coach the players didn’t like, they get a boost, win a few games, but still aren’t very good and eventually come down to earth. Still, Petr Mrazek was really poor, but the disparity between the quality upfront and the lack thereof in the depth of the backend is intense. Another injury to Jake Muzzin hurts a lot, but we rinse and repeat Dermott, Sandin, Liljegren, etc…it’s making my head spin. I’ve had a lot of conversations this year with people about how you win in hockey, and 99.9% of the time it’s heavy, strong, competitive, defence-first, with enough offence sprinkled in. Does this Leafs’ team have it to turn that percentage around? Hard to see after Monday.
• Homestretch: The Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League is heading down the final stretch and the playoff picture is anything but settled! With eight-to-ten games left, (Humboldt only has five believe it or not!), the dog fights between first and second, third to fifth, sixth and seventh, and the final spot, are all really up in the air. Should be a lot of fun! Probably it’s a bridge too far for Nipawin, and Weyburn, to make the post-season, but everyone else is still in the game!
• Hittin the road: My Hounds head up to Nipawin, Flin Flon, and La Ronge this weekend coming up and it will be a really interesting task for this team. They have been slogging it back and forth for the final spot with Kindersley, and while people keep saying “they have games in hand, you’ll be fine”, that’s all well and good only if they take those points by force – nobody is going to give it to them. Even Nipawin has been playing tough, but who doesn’t love a long road trip near the end to rally together, and find a way in! There won’t be any easy games at all the rest of the way. On a side note, I’ve actually never been to Nipawin’s Centennial Arena, so I’m looking forward to seeing it for the first time Friday!
• Nicest in Sask? I was in Estevan for the Sasktel Game of the Month presented by Bamboo Shoots this past Tuesday. In taking further reflection, I have arrived at this: Affinity Place is the most beautiful arena in Saskatchewan. Yes, Sasktel Centre in Saskatoon is huge, Brandt Centre in Regina is nice with plenty of charm, as is Mosaic in Moose Jaw, but I dunno what it is, Estevan takes the cake for me. Bruins’ coach and GM Jason Tatarnic showed me and my colour guy, Jordan Frey, around a bit, and wow, just wow. Beautiful everywhere with more than enough feel of community! Sorry ‘Dub only’ fans.
• No controversy: Speaking of Estevan, Rory and I chatted on the last episode of SJ at Noon about if there was any question whether veteran WHLer Boston Bilous had sole possession of the net into the playoffs and beyond, or if star rookie Cam Hrdlicka was giving the Bruins’ brass moment for thought. Tarts is a great supporter of what Rory and I are doing (which we really appreciate) and chimed into me that there simply was no controversy: the net will be Bilous’ when the post-season begins and beyond. One of the things I find really interesting about this Centennial Cup hosting Estevan team is that while they are loaded with talent the likes of which I have not seen in my time in the league, those guys have not had much individual success or experience in the playoffs at the Major Junior level. It’ll still be very hard to bet against them at any point in the next couple of months…
• Doing it for Kyrell: To the ‘Dub’ and apart from a ton of talent on a well-constructed roster, the Kamloops Blazers have the extra motivation of doing it for Kyrell Sopotyk. The 20-year-old from Aberdeen, SK was in a paralyzing snowboard accident in Jan. 2021 and made his return to the Sandman Centre for a night to honour him this past week. Led by local boy and Dallas Stars pick Logan Stankoven, this is one of several teams that could definitely go all the way in the post-season, and with a story like Sopotyk’s in their hearts, they’ll be tough for anyone to beat. The Dub playoffs are going to be AWESOME. Edmonton is still winning it all, been saying it all year.
• Take a look at Crank: Finally, it’s been an up and down year for the Saskatoon Blades, but not for undrafted 2002-born winger Kyle Crnkovic. The WHL’s points leader is so, so, so electric, and alongside San Jose Sharks prospect Tristen Robins forms the heart of one of the deadliest lines in the CHL. That type of speed and skill went undrafted, is solely down to his size at 5’7 (maybe…) and 165-pounds (also maybe), but in this day and age, if Johnny hockey and others can do it, the Crank can too. If you’re near the Toon, or the Blades are coming to your town, BELIEVE ME, he is worth the price of admission.

(Follow Jamie on Twitter at @Neugsie)