The London Knights are known for making enemies quickly – but not even close to the rate of the winless Drummondville Voltigeurs so far at the Memorial Cup in Saginaw.
Article content
SAGINAW, MICH – The London Knights are known for making enemies quickly – but not even close to the rate of the winless Drummondville Voltigeurs so far at the Memorial Cup in Saginaw.
The Quebec league champs rankled the Knights at the end of London’s 4-0 victory Saturday when Slovakian forward Peter Repcik took the game puck and tossed it into the stands. He was handed an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for his troubles.
Advertisement 2
Story continues below
Article content
Article content
Repcik clearly didn’t care where he was throwing it.
“I think a London fan caught the puck and ran it down to (Knights security director) Bob Martin,” forward Denver Barkey said. “We got the puck back at the end of the day. We’re going to keep this one.”
On Sunday, Drummondville captain Luke Woodworth made a show of trying to win the ceremonial faceoff against bewildered Saginaw captain Braden Hache.
“After that, we scored two goals (in the first period),” Volts forward Mikael Huchette said with a grin. “It’s fun that it started right off the bat.”
Drummondville was officially the home team instead of Saginaw for that game. So to them, Woodworth was well within his rights to secure the puck.
“He leads by example,” Volts coach Sylvain Favreau said. “He leads in many different ways.”
JAW SPA: Playing major junior in Moose Jaw is much the same as other smaller Canadian Hockey League centres like Owen Sound, Saginaw and Drummondville.
“It’s small-town Saskatchewan and the fans love you there,” 19-year-old Warriors defenceman Kalem Parker said. “Everyone knows who you are walking around town. It’s a small, friendly city and if you’re a hockey player, you’re really going to like it there.”
Ryan “Pucks” Pyette on the OHL
Article content
Advertisement 3
Story continues below
Article content
What do the Warriors do for fun there beyond the usual video games and movies?
“We go to the spa every now and then,” Parker said. “There’s a big spa in Moose Jaw (Temple Gardens). It’s pretty well known for people coming through. You can go in a big (geothermal) hot tub and hang out with the boys.”
Parker spent his first three years in the Western league living in Victoria, B.C., before being acquired by the league champs in the fall.
“Going from living right by the ocean to the middle of Saskatchewan is a little different,” he said with a grin, “but I’m from small-town Saskatchewan (Clavet, with a population of 410). So not too big (a change).”
GOOD EATS: The London Knights took a literal approach to the phrase, ‘Winner, winner, chicken dinner’ over the weekend.
On Sunday, they basked in their Cup-opening win over Drummondville with loads of drum sticks and wings at the world-renowned Zehnder’s of Frankenmuth restaurant just outside Saginaw.
The famous eatery has served traditional family-style chicken dinners in the town with Bavarian roots for more than 160 years.
“It was a lot of food and a great spot,” Barkey said. “We didn’t know what we were getting when we came here this week, but Frankenmuth is a beautiful, small town and the boys have loved walking around it.”
Advertisement 4
Story continues below
Article content
The next goal is to finish atop the round-robin standings and get a chance to visit the nearby Birch Run shopping outlets.
“We were talking about it,” Barkey said. “If we earn a couple of days off, we’ll probably find some time to go there.”
WIFE ADVICE: Saginaw coach Chris Lazary’s wife Jackie played a major part in making a crucial decision before the Spirit’s Cup-opening win over Moose Jaw.
Lazary had been leaning toward giving Nolan Lalonde the start in net until Jackie reminded him what Andrew Oke had done before getting hurt in the second round against Sault Ste. Marie.
“He won five in a row and it was a one-goal game at the time of his injury and he was on a nine-game heater,” Chris recalled. “How do you not play him? It’s probably the first time she’s given me useful hockey advice. She texted me and said, ‘I saw you picked Oke’ . . . I texted back, ‘You better be right.’”
Oke has won both his starts and is a no-brainer to start Wednesday against London. But as for strategy, that’s all you will hear from Jackie Lazary.
“She retired,” Chris quipped. “She wants to stay at 100 per cent. She wants to bat 1.000.”
Recommended from Editorial
Article content
Comments