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Post by wade on Dec 3, 2013 12:11:29 GMT -5
There has been an exciting development out here in Army country. The defending Allan Cup champions have made arrangements to play an exhibition game against the top ranked CIS team in Canada this weekend! The Bentley Generals will travel to Calgary this Friday and play the University of Calgary Dinos at Father David Bauer Arena. The Dinos' have not lost in regulation this year and are now entering there Christmas break with just an OT loss to U of A Bears. The Dinos also have a shut-out WIN over the Bears, who are ranked #2 in the nation. This game is NOT "historical". The Gens' played an exy against this same faculty back in 2003 and beat the Dinos is a memorable game that winter. Thing is...those versions of the Dinos' were not among the top University teams in the nation. Back then...Alberta was a clear cut ahead of their Provincial rivals...as well as pretty much everyone else in Canada. The Army has repeatedly approached U of A about exhibition games. They had successfully scheduled a game last year...but...Alberta Coach, Ian Herbers, backed out a couple weeks before the big moment. This season...the Dinos appear to be as good or better than the Bears and a heck of a lot more open to the challenge of playing one of the best Senior AAA teams in Canada. So...how will it all shake out? I honestly don't know. Bob Stauffer...a sports radio personality in Edmonton...argued with me last year that there was NO WAY the Bentley Generals would have the conditioning or the depth to make it worthwhile for the Alberta Bears' to bother with the Bentley Generals. Personally...I felt Bob was severely underrating the Bentley Generals...but...there were even some players from last years' Gens roster who felt a game against U of A might be a bit of a stretch for them. To be fair...not all Gens players were on that same page. Others felt they were up to the challenge. Theres really only one way to find out...but...Alberta Bears won't go for it. The Dinos...thankfully...will this weekend! That's not all The Army has on their itinerary this weekend. The Gens' will play the top ranked team in the Alberta College league (Red Deer College Kings) the following evening in Penhold. I tend to think The RDC Kings...will be needing their very best hockey in order to skate with the Gens'...but...I could also say the same for the Gens.
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Post by munzie on Dec 3, 2013 13:56:04 GMT -5
Very interesting wade. I wouldn't try to predict the outcome of that match either. Both certainly have their strengths which generally outweigh any weakness's.
Unless one or the other gets blown away, I would think there will be no shame for either side, so best of luck!
As you have informed before, it is not knew for the Gen's to play various exhibition games to augment your regular schedule. So long as it is competitive it can only be a long term plus to put yourself up against other styles of play, regardless of who the actual game winner is. Nevertheless when bragging rights are on the line I'm sure both teams will be trying to show their best, and I'd love to be there for that!
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Post by naitch on Dec 3, 2013 15:34:19 GMT -5
This is a great idea for both sides. Expose both teams to a different style of hockey...definitely a positive experience. Great exposure for Senior Hockey in Alberta to boot....
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Post by wade on Dec 3, 2013 18:01:31 GMT -5
This is a great idea for both sides. Expose both teams to a different style of hockey...definitely a positive experience. Great exposure for Senior Hockey in Alberta to boot.... Its funny you bring up exposure, naitch. A couple weeks ago...Albertas' 2 University teams were hyping their first meeting(s) of the season schedule...which...at the time...was a historical event in that no UNI' squads had both put undefeated records on the line at such a late juncture in the season. They had a "home & home" engagement & unfortunately the first game (in Calgary) didn't get a huge draw. The next night they played in Edmontons' Butterdome and the crowd was much bigger. For the most part...University hockey has a very hard time generating any buzz....drowned out by the infinite wave of NHL coverage which occurs in both Alberta's major cities. I've talked about our SR AAA hockey facing the same challenges...but to be honest...neither the Bears nor the Dinos have been able to come CLOSE to the kind of seat-filling The Army has done during playoff time(s) in the past 10 years or so. In fact...I clicked onto the Dinos' Twitter account today and was alarmed & appalled to discover they've got only a paltry 200-ish followers! To compare this...I have over 500 on my personal account. The Gens' official twitter page is closing in on 1000. Of course...these are all tiny numbers when we remember NHL accounts and major sports-casting/journalist/media type(s) are in the 100's of thousands...some...maybe even in the millions out east... Long story shortened...I expect The Army will play the U of C in a relatively empty rink...I will probably be the ONLY person who offers any attempt at "coverage" and the next night...when the Gens play versus RDC Kings...the rink will fill up with 70-80% Army members and a scattering of college kids. Of course...it will be excellent hockey! But it won't do jack for exposing either brand to a new fan. Sorry...but...that's just the cold hard truth. I am curious to see the outcome of the Dinos' game. One has to expect the University squad should have us edged on conditioning. I assume they're on the ice and in the gym every day and I know they've been at it since late August. I'm tempted to suggest this advantage won't be enough for them...but...lets drop the puck and find out.
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sniper
Junior Member
Posts: 58
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Post by sniper on Dec 4, 2013 0:02:48 GMT -5
IMO seeing some OUA games here the speed and physical play at the university level is much higher than senior. On the other hand, experience and puck movement is better amongst the top senior teams.
Both Dundas and Brantford have had some current students who haven't made their university teams in their later years that had a bigger impact in senior than they did in university hockey in the prior year. I think that may tell the tale as far as we know it but it's good for senior teams to take on the challenge anyway.
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Post by naitch on Dec 4, 2013 8:39:07 GMT -5
This is a great idea for both sides. Expose both teams to a different style of hockey...definitely a positive experience. Great exposure for Senior Hockey in Alberta to boot.... Its funny you bring up exposure, naitch. A couple weeks ago...Albertas' 2 University teams were hyping their first meeting(s) of the season schedule...which...at the time...was a historical event in that no UNI' squads had both put undefeated records on the line at such a late juncture in the season. They had a "home & home" engagement & unfortunately the first game (in Calgary) didn't get a huge draw. The next night they played in Edmontons' Butterdome and the crowd was much bigger. For the most part...University hockey has a very hard time generating any buzz....drowned out by the infinite wave of NHL coverage which occurs in both Alberta's major cities. I've talked about our SR AAA hockey facing the same challenges...but to be honest...neither the Bears nor the Dinos have been able to come CLOSE to the kind of seat-filling The Army has done during playoff time(s) in the past 10 years or so. In fact...I clicked onto the Dinos' Twitter account today and was alarmed & appalled to discover they've got only a paltry 200-ish followers! To compare this...I have over 500 on my personal account. The Gens' official twitter page is closing in on 1000. Of course...these are all tiny numbers when we remember NHL accounts and major sports-casting/journalist/media type(s) are in the 100's of thousands...some...maybe even in the millions out east... Long story shortened...I expect The Army will play the U of C in a relatively empty rink...I will probably be the ONLY person who offers any attempt at "coverage" and the next night...when the Gens play versus RDC Kings...the rink will fill up with 70-80% Army members and a scattering of college kids. Of course...it will be excellent hockey! But it won't do jack for exposing either brand to a new fan. Sorry...but...that's just the cold hard truth. I am curious to see the outcome of the Dinos' game. One has to expect the University squad should have us edged on conditioning. I assume they're on the ice and in the gym every day and I know they've been at it since late August. I'm tempted to suggest this advantage won't be enough for them...but...lets drop the puck and find out. Interesting. I should not have made an assumption...thanks for clarifying Wade. Re: university hockey in this country...underrated in my books. Doesn't get the credit it deserves.
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Post by wade on Dec 4, 2013 8:40:46 GMT -5
I'm going to be honest...I haven't watched any University or college teams play out here this year.
The most recent "scouting" I've got is an exy' between the now defunct Sylvan Admirals and Augustana Vikings last fall. That particular game backed up what Sniper is saying...but...I also feel your begging for an ass kicking if/when you play your first game of the year versus a team already a month into their schedule.
The Generals should be going into this with about the best conditioning level anyone can ask of a SR team...but...that's still not likely to measure higher than the Dinos fitness level. It MIGHT be enough to make it only a marginal advantage for the Dinos', however.
Any-hoo...I can only re-state the same thing...We will have to play the game to find out. The Gens wouldn't duck the game if they felt they MIGHT get blown out. So, the fact were playing it at all...doesn't garuntee were going to come out winners. Were going in totally blind. Probably best to shoot first & ask questions later.
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Post by wade on Dec 7, 2013 2:10:57 GMT -5
Well...ok...so it didn't go as well as The Army had hoped. The defending Allan Cup Champions got even more than I expected from the U of C Dinos. Final score was 6-1. Before this game even started, I was thrown for a loop when I realized the Dinos' play on an Olympic size ice surface...and practice on it too. Everyday. Hard. And it showed. Right away. The Dinos' were able to zip passes in all directions, at all times and when they didn't have the puck...they were quick to track it down, too. To be fair...there were several Gens' who DID appear to be going stride for stride with the Dinos' top players...but...there were also a few of our fellas' who did NOT have the legs or the stamina to play the type of game going on out there tonight and those guys got exposed, several times. As for the Dinos' weaker players...they must have been studying for exams tonight. There was simply NO soft spots in their line-up. At all. None. Calgary dressed 3 goalies. Each played a period and they all looked excellent. They DID run their special teams units against us...and they did so effectively all night. Ten minutes into the game...I could tell we were in over our heads. I do INSIST however...The Army can play much better than what tonight indicated. But we absolutely CAN'T play the style of hockey the Dinos' play. Especially not on the big ice. Gens' line-up had lots to be excited about going into the game...a few new guys with impressive resumes...but...that experience was useless going up against a team as cohesive, conditioned and crisp as Calgary. At the risk of sounding pitiful...I would love a re-match on the smaller Bentley ice surface. Thing is...the Dinos' proved themselves against us tonight and...sometimes...you just take those games off the chin and accept the fact that...as good as Bentley Generals might be right now...there is still a lot of room for them to get better and an outcome like this...even though it was only an exhibition game...can and will serve as good motivation for the team to get down to brass tacks and work even harder for the remainder of our SR AAA season. This game was 1-1 after 20...Dinos pulled ahead 3-1 after 40 and before we had any chance to get a convincing rally going...the legs gave out and Dinos' devoured the final 10 minutes, scoring 3 more times. Not sure how else to spin it. We got an ass kicking. It happens. We could do things differently than we did tonight...but tonight...we were the team trying to figure out solutions...rather than the team posing the problems. It was a funny feeling...to be humbled like that. But...that's all part of "staying grounded" I guess.
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Post by munzie on Dec 7, 2013 14:49:04 GMT -5
Excellent report wade, and I thank you for putting it on here right up front and center, as I new you would. I had mentioned in an earlier post, that I would love to be there and see it live for myself. But for one significant little matter I would have made it, braving the present Arctic Alberta wind chill and all. If indeed I had gotten there, the score as it turned out to be would not have made me sorry for the trip. When I mentioned "no shame unless one team or the other would get blown away", I meant by that something like 15-0 or 13-2, something of that magnitude. The score here sounds obviously quite convincing, but definitely not in the category that I was referring to, so I'd like to repeat, "No Shame to you or the Generals" at least in my opinion. In fact to the contrary, the Gen's should be complimented for seeking out the opportunity and putting up the challenge even though I'm sure they were well aware they would be putting themselves up against a well trained and skillful opposition. Good for them! While we are absolutely not trying to make any excuses here, your comments about the larger ice surface do however ring a bell. I had totally forgotten about the Olympic size ice at the Father David Bauer Arena. It is amazing the difference it can make from one ice surface to another. Even within our own leagues sometimes we talk about this bigger rink or that smaller rink, or the radius of the corner boards, and we are generally speaking of just a few feet here or there that make a difference. Olympic size ice is another story. If you have not been exposed to or trained on it, you may be in for an unexpected shock. I can speak to it personally. Kingston Royal Military Academy rink, a couple of times at Lake Placid N.Y., and some other place that I can't & don't even care to remember. The difference is huge no matter what, and if you are there to lets say, be less than serious the night before, good luck even getting back to the bench from any position on the far side of the ice. It can seem like you are playing on a very large lake, with the shoreline just a blur in the distance. Yes, I too would like to see a rematch sometime at the dynamic Bentley Ice Palace/Shrine. Not suggesting the outcome would be any different at all, who knows for sure, but it would be fun to see. If nothing else it could be used as a good will venture, because guaranteed some of those young university guys are going to be looking for a good Senior hockey club to play for, and probably sooner than they might think. I would imagine also that the house would be full.
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Post by wade on Dec 8, 2013 10:29:51 GMT -5
The Army followed up the loss to U of C with a 5-1 loss to RDC Kings the next day in Penhold Arena...a REGULATION sized rink. It was a very disappointing weekend. I think we all expected to see the younger legs have a conditioning & quickness advantage...but...older more experienced players are "supposed to" play smarter and execute more consistently. Or at least I thought that's how it might go. Truth is...despite the Generals solid CHL record...(just one official loss in league play) they have work to do. I think the team already knows this. They didn't need to lose 2 lopsided exhibition games to have it drilled home...but...its drilled home now for sure. With that being said...I still can't be too critical of the Generals. I'm not sure they had much to gain other than "learning, conditioning & improvement" from this weekend. Looked to me like that's all they were trying for.
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