WHL looks for clean sweep of the SUBWAY Super Series

Wednesday – November 25, 2009
By Aaron Bell

 

When the 2009 SUBWAY Super Series heads to Western Canada for the final two games this week, Team WHL will be looking to continue on the success that the CHL has already enjoyed against the Russians.

The QMJHL opened the SUBWAY Super Series with a pair of wins – first a 3-1 win in Drummondville, QC last Monday and then an 8-3 win on Wednesday in Shawinigan. The OHL continued the trend with a pair of 5-2 wins – first last Thursday in Barrie, ON and then on Monday in Windsor.

The series concludes in the WHL with games in Victoria, B.C. on Wednesday and in Kelowna, B.C. on Thursday.

Each of the three leagues in the CHL have assembled teams to compete against the touring Russian team for the final evaluation step before Canada’s final selection camp roster is selected for the World Junior Championships next month.

“I like this concept way better than an all-star game, because in a lot of all-star games, there isn’t much intensity,” Kelowna Rockets’ President and GM Bruce Hamilton told the Kelowna Daily Courier. “But this one will be (intense) because the Canadian guys will be fighting for a chance to get invited to the national junior team tryout camp. I don’t think anybody’s going to take anything for granted.

“They’re going to make the best of it, because for some, it’ll mean they won‘t get a chance if they don’t play well. For a number of them, it’ll open the door. And besides, any time you get a chance to play Russia, you jump at it.”

All three CHL teams have had coaches that will be with Canada at the World Juniors, including Willie Desjardins of the Medicine Hat Tigers, who will take the head coaching reigns this Christmas when Canada goes for its record sixth straight gold medal on home ice in Saskatoon, SK.

Dave Cameron of the Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors was an assistant coach with Team Canada last year in Ottawa and will be an associate coach with the squad this year. He said that it was important for the OHL to win both of its games against the Russians and keep their perfect record in the seven-year history of the tournament intact.

“We’re in the business of winning,” Cameron said after Monday’s win in Windsor. “You never want to lose no matter what game you are playing. We’re the only league that hasn’t been beaten yet so yeah, we’re proud of that.””

Despite their 0-4 record in the series so far, Hockey Canada Head Scout Al Murray said that it would be a mistake for the WHL team to underestimate their opposition. He has seen al four games in the series and said that the games have been a good test for the CHL squads.

“The last two years, they (the Russians) probably had more offensive skill than this year’s team,” Murray told the Saskatoon Star Phoenix. “But this team works hard, has energy and plays grittier than some of the teams that have come over in the past.

“Our guys have to turn it up and play hard and if they don’t, they’re going to get smacked.”

The final two games of the SUBWAY Super Series will be shown on Rogers Sportsnet across Canada on Wednesday (12:30 a.m. Eastern) and Thursday (1:00 a.m. Eastern). For complete broadcast schedules including live online webcast info, scoring information and stats, please visit www.subwaysuperseries.com.