FOOD BANKS THE WINNERS IN RIVALRY CUP
The results are in and New Brunswick food banks were the winners in the Brunswick News Rivalry Cup food bank challenge.
To make the annual New Year’s series between the teams a little more interesting, the Saint John Sea Dogs and Moncton Wildcats co-hosted a friendly competition for a good cause. Each city was challenged to bring non-perishable food donations to the rink, and the teams combined to raise roughly 4,000 pounds of food for the *Moncton Food Bank Name* and the Saint John Community Food Basket.
Generous Moncton fans piled food high at the Coliseum on New Year's Eve and the Wildcats were able to secure an industrial scale to actually weigh each food item, for a grand total of 1,911 pounds. Saint John raised a similar amount of food at its home game Jan. 2, with a total determined based on a national formula for calculating food bank donations.
“Healthy competitions such as the Rivalry Cup reach far into the community, evidenced here by this very generous donation that will benefit the people that we help. I would like to thank fans of the Sea Dogs who do such a great job supporting them,” said Carolyn Danells, executive director of the Community Food Basket.
Because of the differences in methods used to compare the totals, the teams have agreed to split the three bonus Rivalry Cup points and declare the food banks the real winners.
“The Rivalry Cup certainly adds an extra element of competition as a friendly challenge between the two cities,” said Sea Dogs President Wayne Long. “The fans in both Saint John and Moncton deserve credit for stepping up to support their communities.”
Moncton remains in the lead in the overall Rivalry Cup standings, holding an 11.5-10.5 edge in the competition, which is based on on-ice results, attendance, and various off-ice elements. Still underway is the social media challenge, with five points on the line for the team with the most engaged fans on Twitter and Facebook. (as reported on the Sea Dogs website)
Overage defenceman Charles-Olivier Roussel wasn't with the Sea Dogs last year when they had their magical run that lead to winning the Memorial Cup. It wasn't much fun when his Montreal Juniors team was knocked out of the playoffs by the now defunct Lewiston Maineiacs. Roussel joined the Sea Dogs at the start of the season through a trade and has recaptured the fun of playing the game of hockey as Scott Briggs reports in the Telegraph Journal today.
The results are in and New Brunswick food banks were the winners in the Brunswick News Rivalry Cup food bank challenge.
To make the annual New Year’s series between the teams a little more interesting, the Saint John Sea Dogs and Moncton Wildcats co-hosted a friendly competition for a good cause. Each city was challenged to bring non-perishable food donations to the rink, and the teams combined to raise roughly 4,000 pounds of food for the *Moncton Food Bank Name* and the Saint John Community Food Basket.
Generous Moncton fans piled food high at the Coliseum on New Year's Eve and the Wildcats were able to secure an industrial scale to actually weigh each food item, for a grand total of 1,911 pounds. Saint John raised a similar amount of food at its home game Jan. 2, with a total determined based on a national formula for calculating food bank donations.
“Healthy competitions such as the Rivalry Cup reach far into the community, evidenced here by this very generous donation that will benefit the people that we help. I would like to thank fans of the Sea Dogs who do such a great job supporting them,” said Carolyn Danells, executive director of the Community Food Basket.
Because of the differences in methods used to compare the totals, the teams have agreed to split the three bonus Rivalry Cup points and declare the food banks the real winners.
“The Rivalry Cup certainly adds an extra element of competition as a friendly challenge between the two cities,” said Sea Dogs President Wayne Long. “The fans in both Saint John and Moncton deserve credit for stepping up to support their communities.”
Moncton remains in the lead in the overall Rivalry Cup standings, holding an 11.5-10.5 edge in the competition, which is based on on-ice results, attendance, and various off-ice elements. Still underway is the social media challenge, with five points on the line for the team with the most engaged fans on Twitter and Facebook. (as reported on the Sea Dogs website)
Overage defenceman Charles-Olivier Roussel wasn't with the Sea Dogs last year when they had their magical run that lead to winning the Memorial Cup. It wasn't much fun when his Montreal Juniors team was knocked out of the playoffs by the now defunct Lewiston Maineiacs. Roussel joined the Sea Dogs at the start of the season through a trade and has recaptured the fun of playing the game of hockey as Scott Briggs reports in the Telegraph Journal today.
Mixing Business With Pleasure-
Whether it was the expectations that come with being an NHL draft pick or the pressures of winning, Charles-Olivier Roussel wasn’t having much fun last season. Roussel wanted to help the Montreal Juniors to a long playoff run, but they ran into an upstart Lewiston Maineiacs team in the second round.
Whether it was the expectations that come with being an NHL draft pick or the pressures of winning, Charles-Olivier Roussel wasn’t having much fun last season. Roussel wanted to help the Montreal Juniors to a long playoff run, but they ran into an upstart Lewiston Maineiacs team in the second round.
The defeat still stung after the season, so the Nashville Predators prospect welcomed a trade to Saint John this past fall.
“I’m enjoying the game again,’’ Roussel said after finishing a three-on-three competition after Tuesday’s practice at Harbour Station. “I lost that last year in Montreal, but the guys here and the coaching staff here (have helped) me to start loving the game again. I think that’s the most important thing. I can’t wait to come to the rink and see the guys, and that has been the biggest difference this year.’’
Drafted 42nd overall by Nashville in 2009, Roussel was poised to play for the Predators’ American Hockey League affiliate in Milwaukee, Wisc., in 2011-12. But the Preds supported a trade that brought the 20-year-old blue-liner to the Port City. The native of St. Eustache, Que., has nine goals and 28 points, just two shy of last year’s output.
“I had a bit of a down season last year,’’ Roussel said. “I think I focused on the wrong things. I came back this year playing to my strengths and having fun. I’m a player who’s good when I have fun and play a lot, and I think last year I didn’t play that much. This year the coaches have confidence in me and they’re putting me out there and I’m having fun.’’
Roussel will be looking to build on his strong season when the Dogs (32-13-0-2) host the Halifax Mooseheads (26-14-1-3) Saturday at 7 p.m. at Harbour Station. Saint John’s other weekend contest goes Sunday at 4 p.m. versus the Acadie-Bathurst Titan at the K.C. Irving Regional Centre.
“We’re happy with him,’’ Dogs head coach Gerard Gallant said about Roussel. “He’s competing real hard and he’s a big part of our blue-line. Nashville was comfortable sending him back here and they trusted he would play a lot and work hard and play in all situations. I think they’re real happy and we’re happy with what we see, too. He’s just a solid guy and he’s doing a good job.’’
Roussel joined the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League when Shawinigan drafted him third overall in 2007. He spent three years with the Cataractes and came within a game of winning the President’s Cup in 2009. All that history means there’s plenty of anticipation building toward Saint John’s two games in Shawinigan – Feb. 4 and March 11.
“I’m pretty excited, but that’s not all I’m thinking about,’’ Roussel said. “I’d rather play in Shawinigan in the month of May (during the Memorial Cup). That would be way more exciting. Those games (this winter) are going to be important, but the real ones are going to be in May.’’
Until then, Roussel is intent on appreciating every day at the rink, whether it’s a game or practice.
“You always have to keep in mind that it’s a sport and you do it for fun,’’ he said. “We’ve done this since we were young and it’s because we love the game. There’s always a time to be serious and always a time to have fun.
“I think our coaches and players understand that. (Our coaches) have been in the NHL and they know how to treat their players. They know how to manage. I just love it so far, there’s not one bad thing I can say about Saint John.’’
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