John Chidley Hill.com A blog about reading, writing, pop culture and sports.

My weekend in junior hockey Nov 26-28

When I’m writing or editing Canadian Hockey League stories I always try to keep in the back of my mind that these players are amateurs.

Not just amateurs, but young men (and occasionally women) who are completing high school or starting university soon. More often than not they’re living far away from home, away from their families and friends.

Because of that, I try to focus on the positives in a game.

For example, I don’t like to mention who took a costly penalty that led to a power-play game-winning goal. It may have been an honest mistake and sometimes penalties are worth taking – like tripping or hooking to stop a breakaway.

Also, I try to avoid over-emphasizing that a team lost. I would never write “Bobby Jones made 10 saves in a losing effort.” There’s no need to underscore that a team lost, it’s already apparent in the story’s lede. It might be true, but it’s unnecessary to rub it in poor Bobby Jones’ face.

There’s just no need to go out of my way to point out the mistakes of amateur athletes who, in some cases, aren’t even old enough to vote.

But I had to break that rule for Friday’s Quebec Major Junior Hockey League round up. The Baie-Comeau Drakkar finally won their second game of the season, bringing an end to a 25-game losing streak, the third longest winless streak in league history.

Although most of the article detailed the historic significance of Baie-Comeau’s skid, there was a focus on the fact that they had won, and on the remarkable play of Lukas Cingel.

Friday, Nov. 26^th 2010
QMJHL: DRAKKAR SNAP 25-GAME WINLESS SKID
It took months, but the Baie-Comeau Drakkar finally won again.

Lukas Cingel scored on the power play with 17 seconds left in the game to lead Baie-Comeau past the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies 4-3 in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action Friday night.

It was just the second win of the season for the Drakkar, snapping a 25-game winless streak.

OHL: SPITFIRES TOO MUCH FOR GENERALS
Ryan Ellis was the star of the show without even scoring a goal on Friday night.

Zack Kassian scored twice and Ellis had three assists as the Windsor Spitfires defeated the Oshawa Generals 5-2 in Ontario Hockey League play.

Ellis, Windsor's team captain and the 2009 first-round draft pick of the Nashville Predators, was honoured in a pre-game ceremony for becoming the all-time leading scorer in Spitfire history.

WHL: SUNDHER LEADS BRUINS PAST LEAGUE-LEADING WINTERHAWKS
Kevin Sundher had two goals and two assists as the Chilliwack Bruins thrashed the Western Hockey League-leading Portland Winterhawks 7-2 Friday night.

Ryan Howse registered a goal and an assist, while the Bruins (12-9-3) scored seven unanswered goals in the second and third periods.

Saturday, Nov. 27^th 2010
QMJHL: TIGRES' HONZIK BLANKS ROCKET
David Honzik is starting to find his legs in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

Honzik made 27 saves as the Victoriaville Tigres rolled over the P.E.I. Rocket 6-0 on Saturday night.

It was the 17-year-old goaltender's first shutout in his rookie season in the QMJHL.

OHL: CATENACCI CONTINUES TO ROLL WITH TWO GOALS
Saturday night was a good night for scoring streaks in Barrie.

Daniel Catenacci scored a pair of goals to lead the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds to a 6-5 victory over the Barrie Colts in Ontario Hockey League action.

Catenacci, who extended his current goal streak to six games, has now picked up a point in 19 of his last 20 contests.

WHL: BOOMER LEADS ICE IN ROUT OF THUNDERBIRDS
Once the Kootenay Ice got scoring there was no stopping them Saturday night.

Kootenay ended a long scoring drought with three power-play goals in the first period and went on to rout the Seattle Thunderbirds 6-2 in Western Hockey League play on Saturday night.

Sunday, Nov. 28^th 2010
QMJHL: SEA DOGS CONTINUE HOT STREAK WITH ROUT OF MOOSEHEADS
The Saint John Sea Dogs are riding their hot streak to the top of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League standings.

Zack Phillips opened scoring for Saint John with back-to-back goals as the Sea Dogs trounced the Halifax Mooseheads 7-1 on Saturday afternoon.

OHL: MAJORS WIN EIGHT IN A ROW FOR TEAM RECORD
Casey Cizikas, Devante Smith-Pelly and Riley Brace kept their team rolling on Sunday afternoon.

The line combined for four goals and seven points in leading the Mississauga St. Michael's Majors to a modern-era franchise record in the Ontario Hockey League with a 6-3 victory over the Owen Sound Attack.