Presidents Cup Preview

Press Release

SHAWINIGAN
(2nd in the overall standings – 105 points – 2nd in the TELUS CENTRAL Division standings)

VS.

DRUMMONDVILLE
(1st in the overall standings – 112 points – 1st in the TELUS CENTRAL Division standings)

During the 2008-09 season:

2008/10/14 DRUMMONDVILLE 0 @ SHAWINIGAN 7
2008/10/26 SHAWINIGAN 6 @ DRUMMONDVILLE 3
2008/11/01 DRUMMONDVILLE 2 @ SHAWINIGAN 5
2008/12/12 SHAWINIGAN 1 @ DRUMMONDVILLE 4
2008/12/18 DRUMMONDVILLE 3 @ SHAWINIGAN 2
2008/12/28 SHAWINIGAN 4 @ DRUMMONDVILLE 3
2009/01/06 DRUMMONDVILLE 5 @ SHAWINIGAN 4
2009/01/28 SHAWINIGAN 5 @ DRUMMONDVILLE 3

SHAWINIGAN

The best performers for the Cataractes during their regular season match-ups versus the Voltigeurs (goals-assists-points):

Cédric Lalonde-McNicoll: 6-9-15
Matthew Pistilli: 8-3-11
Nicholas Petersen: 4-6-10

The Cataractes swept the Victoriaville Tigres before defeating the Gatineau Olympiques and the Quebec Remparts in five games.

The Shawinigan power-play is impressive. The Cataractes have recorded 28 goals in only 86 opportunities (32.6%). Moreover, they have allowed only 11 goals with a man down; third-best in the League at 85.5%.

Head coach Éric Veilleux counts on a strong core of veterans. Cédric Lalonde-McNicoll is the team’s most prolific scorer. In fourteen games, he has 11 goals and 14 assists. The 20-year-old native of Longueuil has gotten plenty of support from Pierre-Alexandre Vandall (4-16-20) and Nicholas Petersen (9-9-18).

Matthew Pistilli, who won the President Cup with the Gatineau Olympiques last season, is the team’s game-breaker. He has recorded four game-winning goals.

The additions of Mathieu Bolduc and Alex Grant at the trade deadline have fortified an already strong blue-line. Charles-Olivier Roussel has continued to impress in the playoffs. He has fourteen points in as many games.

Goatlender Timo Pielmeier has been steady. He boasts an 11-2 record with a 2.43 goals-against-average and .905 save percentage.


DRUMMONDVILLE

The best performers for the Voltigeurs during their regular season match-ups versus the Cataractes (goals-assists-points):

Yannick Riendeau: 7-6-13
Dany Massé: 4-4-8
Mike Hoffman: 4-3-7

The Voltigeurs have yet to lose a game so far this postseason. Drummondville swept the Lewiston MAINEiacs, the Montreal Juniors and the MasterCard Memorial Cup hosting Rimouski Océanic.

The Voltigeurs possess the League’s best offence. They have scored 85 goals in 12 games – an average of slightly more than 7 goals per contest. Their offensive output is largely due to their extraordinary power-play, which boasts a League-best 40.2% success rate (43/107).

Seven players have registered at least one point per game in the playoffs. The team’s top point-getters have been Yannick Riendeau (19-16-35), Chris DiDomenico (4-29-33), Dany Massé (11-19-30) and Mike Hoffman (17-9-26).

Rookie sensation Dmitry Kulikov is the quarterback of the defensive squad. He has 2 goals and 17 helpers in the second season.

Since the beginning of the semi-final, Marco Cousineau has gotten the nod in net. In ten starts, Cousineau has earned 9 wins while posting a 2.20 goals-against-average and .899 save percentage.

(Nathan also is a writer for Maineiacs Post to Post and the Maine Hockey Journal. He can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)