PEI Rocket

News

ROCKET HITS RIGHT CHEMISTRY

February 4, 2010 :-: Charles Reid - The Guardian

Rocket News P.E.I., Moncton are two of the hottest teams in the QMJHL, thanks to recent moves

Sometimes tinkering with a roster works, sometimes it doesn�t.

For the P.E.I. Rocket and the Moncton Wildcats, the tinkering has worked as the teams, which meet tonight at the Civic Centre (7 p.m.), are two of the hottest squads in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

Moncton (35-11-1-3, 74 points) is second in the Atlantic Division and riding a 12-game winning streak.

P.E.I. (29-18-2-4, 64 points) is fourth in the Atlantic and has nine wins in 12 games and points in 11 of those contests.

Both hot runs have come after the respective teams made deals at the recent trade deadline.

�We have a better chemistry on the ice,� said Serge Savard Jr., Rocket president and governor, about his team�s improvement after the deals. �I talked to my father (Monreal Canadiens legend Serge Savard) before the moves and he said �sometimes chemistry beats talent�.

It�s not that the Rocket isn�t talented, but removing forwards Chris Doyle and J�el Champagne and their 76 combined points (up to that juncture of the season) and proven goalie Marco Cousineau could have left P.E.I. floundering.

The Rocket started the second half with four straight losses until players like Samson Mahbod, 20, Jarrad Struthers, 19, Benjamin Casavant, 19, and captain Jean-Philippe Mathieu, 18 decided a Rocket swoon wouldn�t happen.

Help also came from newcomers Jonathan Bonneau (four goals and seven points in his last six games) and Michael Stinziani, who has exploded with 18 points in the 14 games he�s played with the Rocket.

Add �ric Bouchard, 19, to both lists.

The rugged winger, part of a President�s Cup runner-up Shawinigan team last year, has points three goals and six points in his six last games on a line with Bonneau and Struthers.

And he�s one of those veterans who won�t let the Rocket fade and he knows this altered version of the Wildcats is a test of of the new-look Rocket.

The teams haven�t played since Dec. 8, a 3-0 shutout by Moncton at the Civic Centre.

�Moncton really has been our rival. We�re anxious to play the top teams,� said Bouchard.

Maybe not too anxious, as Moncton is loaded with talent.

First, goalie Nicola Riopel returned from an American Hockey League stint with the Adirondack Phantoms in mid-December and has gone 11-1 with a 1.83 goal-against-average and a .926 save percentage in 12 starts.

Then, the Wildcats picked up sniper Nicolas Deschamps (70 points) and solid wingers Gabriel Bourque (42 points) and Kelsey Tessier (48 points) to add more offence to its already stifling defence.

The Moncton defence leads the league in goals against, surrendering just 121, while its fifth in goals score with 204.

Bouchard also knows something about winning streaks, as at one point last season Shawinigan won 15 straight games.

But, Bouchard is not worried a few losses down the stretch will affect the Rocket in the playoffs, which are just 15 games away.

�I think with the leaders and veterans we have in this room, we�ll get back on (track).�

ROCKET PARTNERS

more �