Tuesday November 17, 2015

By Josh Sweetland/CHL

On a furious pace to begin their 20th anniversary season, the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies appear to have something special in store as they lead the QMJHL with a record of 18-2-3-1 through their first 24 games.

The Huskies have won eight of their past 10 contests entering Game 5 of the CHL Canada Russia Series at Arena Iamgold on Tuesday, scoring recent victories over worthy opponents in Val-d’Or, Rimouski and Saint John.

Five Huskies will suit up for Team QMJHL on Tuesday, including captain and leading scorer Francis Perron, Colorado Avalanche prospect Jean-Christophe Beaudin, centreman Julien Nantel, highly touted defenceman Jeremy Lauzon and recent addition Philippe Myers. Behind the bench, Huskies coach Gilles Bouchard will serve as an assistant to Halifax’s Dominique Ducharme.

The offensive trio of Perron, Beaudin and Martins Dzierkals has accounted for a large portion of Rouyn-Noranda’s offence this season, as the three have combined for 42 goals, accounting for approximately 40% of the team’s offence.

Perron is currently in his fourth QMJHL season after scoring 29 goals last year. The Ottawa Senators prospect is third in QMJHL scoring with 16 goals, 24 assists and 40 points in 20 games and has points in every one of his outings this season. Perron’s 20-game point streak is the longest in the league this season.

Beaudin was a third round pick of the Avalanche this past June. The 18 year-old enters action on a nine game QMJHL point streak and has a total of 13 goals, 16 assists and 29 points in 21 games as a sophomore.

Latvian talent Martins Dzierkals was also a third round NHL draft pick in June, being selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs before Rouyn-Noranda took him with the 22nd overall pick of the CHL Import Draft. He’s scored 13 goals, 15 assists and 28 points in 20 contests.

Perron and Beaudin will be joined by 19 year-old Colorado prospect Julien Nantel in representing Team QMJHL up front. Nantel is a solidly built two-way centreman who has eight goals, ten assists and 18 points in 21 games.

Perhaps the most intriguing member of the Huskies this season that has yet to be mentioned is 18 year-old rearguard Jeremy Lauzon, who recently signed an entry-level NHL contract with the Boston Bruins.

Lauzon is currently second in scoring among QMJHL defencemen with three goals, 24 assists and 27 points in 19 games. The Val-d’Or, QC, native was the QMJHL’s first star of the month for October, recording three goals, 17 assists and 20 points in 12 games with a plus/minus rating of plus-12.

After being Boston’s second round, 52nd overall pick in June, Lauzon inked a three-year, entry-level contract with the big club last Thursday, joining fellow CHL talent in Jake DeBrusk (Swift Current Broncos) and Zach Senyshyn (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds) in doing so.

With an injury to Sherbrooke Phoenix defenceman Jeremy Roy, 6’4″, 205Ib Philadelphia Flyers prospect Philippe Myers will be added to Team QMJHL. The 18 year-old has eight goals, nine assists and 17 points in 22 games from the blueline. The Moncton, NB, native is in his third season with the Huskies.

Though they’ve never had a 50-win season in the history of their franchise, the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies have been doing something special so far this season and are definitely a team worth keeping an eye on down the stretch.

The CHL Canada Russia Series returns to the city of 41,000 on Osisko Lake for the first time since 2006 when current day Winnipeg Jets forward Mathieu Perreault, then of the Acadie-Bathurst Titan, led the way with two goals and an assist in a 6-2 win over Russia.

Though Team OHL already clinched the series title with a 2-1 win in Windsor on Monday, there remains a score to be settled after Russia narrowly defeated Team QMJHL in a decisive Game 6 last year to win the series 11-7 in points.

After scoring just once over their past two games, the Russians will get an offensive boost with the addition of Cape Breton Screaming Eagles forwards Evgeny Svechnikov and Maxim Lazarev along with Gatineau Olympiques winger Yakov Trenin.

Tuesday’s action can be seen live on Sportsnet East, Ontario and Pacific as well as on TVA Sports at 7:00pm ET.

For more information including how to purchase tickets please visit canadarussia.chl.ca.