The St. Paul Canadiens got back on track at the Clancy Richard Arena in a big way by downing the Saddle Lake Warriors 10-1, Friday night.
Just a week before the friendly confines of the St. Paul arena were not so friendly on the scoreboard as the Canadiens allowed six goals in both of the games it hosted.
Joe Young, the Canadiens’ head coach, said every Habs player did a good job contributing to the big bounce back triumph.
“It is a game where everyone got involved early. Obviously we used our speed very well tonight and were able to get on the forecheck and create lots of traffic,” he said.
“We obviously want to protect our home ice and we did not do it last weekend very well but sometimes that is going to happen during a long season. I am really happy with how they played at home tonight and it could be a good building block for us.”
Team speed really was the defining difference between the Canadiens and the Warriors in this hockey game. While all the Canadiens blazed up and down the ice at a frenetic pace, the Warriors at times looked like a group standing completely still and drowning in quicksand.
Warriors’ head coach Terry Ewasiuk told the Journal on Sunday that his team was “not prepared” to match up against the Canadiens.
“I also think our team was defeated before we even started the game,” said Ewasiuk. “The guys were a bit intimidated. They were reaching with their sticks instead of initiating body contact like they did tonight (Sunday) or yesterday (Saturday) and their feet just weren’t moving.”
The speed advantage created many top-notch scoring chances in the primetime scoring areas such as the slot, faceoff circles and from the point. Canadiens’ players were given room to cruise into those areas and unleash a lot of rubber.
Mikael Beaudoin scored the first goal for the Canadiens at 4:23 of the first. Rick Frechette earned the assist. At 9:47 the lead was expanded to 2-0. Wes Thompson earned the goal and Tristan Buchta earned the assist.
The Warriors managed to get some pressure and draw a power play chance, on which it capitalized. Dallas Jackson beat Jared Lafond to make it a 2-1 game at 11:55.
The Canadiens earned a power play chance of its own late in the period. Beaudoin cashed in his second goal of the game to make the score 3-1 at 18:25.
After the first period the shots were 20-5 for the Canadiens.
Perhaps what is equally impressive to the 10 goals for the Canadiens is that it managed to hold the Warriors to a single shot in both the second and third period for a game total of seven shots against.
The Habs continued to apply heavy pressure on the rush and the cycle for the rest of the game,, and as a result forced many mistakes from the Warriors that led to goals.
Beaudoin struck 36 seconds in to the second period for the hat trick goal to make it 4-1, with Roddy MacDougall earning the assist. Through 10 games this season Beaudoin is at a goal-a-game pace (10 in 10) and nearly a two-point-a-game pace (19 in 10).
Bryton Beattie lit the lamp for the Canadiens fifth goal of the game at 6:40. That marker was unassisted.
At the midway point of the period (9:51), Brodin Ference found the net and made the game 6-1. Bailey Lonsberrry and Beattie assisted him.
Dyson Roy scored the Habs’ fourth goal of the middle frame and seventh of the game with 1:51 remaining. Tanner Hellquist provided the lone assist. The Canadiens outshot the Warriors 17-1 in the second period.
In the third period, the Canadiens also held a 17-1 edge in shots and potted three additional goals.
Wes Thompson scored his second goal of the game at 5:17. Tristan Buchta and Bryton Beattie earned the helpers.
Just over a minute later at 6:30 the Canadiens scored its ninth goal. Kyle Braybrook beat Warriors backup goaltender Jerry Dryden. Ference and Beaudoin helped Braybrook.
Roddy Macdougall put the Canadiens into double-digit status on the scoreboard with 46 seconds left in the game. Earning assists on the play was Ryley Wozniak and Buchta.
The Canadiens’ win improved its home record to 6-3 and 9-5 on the year. On Saturday the Canadiens earned its tenth win of the year in Vermillion. The Habs downed the Tigers 6-3. Beaudoin potted three goals and one assist for the second night in a row. Frechette also earned four points in the game (1G and 3A). Other players that had good nights on Saturday were Wozniak (1G and 2A), MacDougall (0G and 3A) and Beattie (1G and 1A).
The Canadiens next suit up at home this Friday against the Frog Lake T-Birds. Puck drop is 8 p.m.
