LNAH Early Season Indicators
Three weekends of play may not seem like a long time, but in a 36 game schedule it gives fans a chance to size things up. With each team having played 5 or 6 games, they’re just about gelled. They’ve been at home and on the road, and have each played at least one high emotion or rivalry game. With that, it’s time to see how things are shaping up in the early part of the season.
Picking up where they left off:
Saint-Hyacinthe spent last season volleying between being good and great. The season ended with them coming up short in the finals against Laval. After five games, the Bataillon are the league’s only unbeaten team. The team retained its core, stayed the course with its drafting style, and didn’t inject any high profile change with the Laval dispersal. The Bataillon are in prime shape to make another run at the cup.
Still trying to put it together:
The Quebec National are kicking off their third season looking like they, as a franchise, may be Bad News Bears of the league. Year one required a half season to get in the win column, and year two saw a late season drop off that had the coach suiting up for a few games. In year three, they have the dubious distinction of being the first win for the expansion Manotick Mariners. After 3 weeks of play, the National are the league's only winless team.
Speaking of Manotick:
The kids are alright. Despite coming from a Single A league and having some additional roster requirements than the other teams, the Mariners have been a legitimate competitor on the ice. Their 1-3-1 record has them in 7th, but the team has been in every game and has yet to be blown out. The on-ice questions have been answered, but LNAH TV has only amplified fan questions about an arena (rink) that seats only a few hundred fans. The team is solid but questions about the long term finances & viability remain.
Hot on the trail:
At 4-1 on the young season, the Assurancia have the makings of a team to watch. Beyond an impressive record, the Assurancia have been offensively explosive with 31 goals thus far, including a deadly 42% (8/19) on the power play. An opening night loss to undefeated Saint-Hyacinthe is the lone blemish on their record.
Back to their winning ways:
After back-to-back trips to the finals, Riviere-du-Loup fell off a cliff last season, spending most of the year in or near last place. After 3 weekends, it appears the good times have returned to the South Shore. The 3L sit at 4 and 2 in third place, giving fans plenty of reason to head to the Premier Tech Center.
Uncharacteristically inconsistent:
The Eperviers are a head scratcher so far. At 3-2 the record is only a fraction of the story. In their wins they’ve shown the determination of champions, in their losses they’ve looked like cannon fodder. On opening night, they displayed steely resolve in an OT win, only to get the brakes beaten off them the next night. Three wins have come by a combined 5 points while two losses have come by a combined 11 point deficit. The Eperviers have shown they have what it takes to win, but may have a mentality issue to resolve.
Fun to watch:
The Cool FM sit in the middle of the pack at 2-3-1, but have plenty of reasons for fans to come out to the Lacroix Dutil Center. The team won the Anthony DeLuca sweepstakes, and the move is providing Beaucerons with plenty of entertainment with 5 goals. And who can talk about offensive entertainment without mentioning Dave Hamel’s first LNAH point??? Offensive weapons, an enforcer on the scoreboard, and an OT Rivalry game to start the season. Life’s good for fans in Saint-Georges!
More of the same:
Jonquiere spent most of last season in the middle of the pack and finds itself there again at 2-3. The team drafted two big names from Laval but signed neither, leaving their star power the same as last year. An 0-2 start has been followed by a 3-0 streak. As with last season, the Marquis have shown they can be good, or not, and balance out in the middle. How long they can keep the good streaks going will determine their fate.
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