VOYAGEURS SPLIT WEEKEND EXHIBITION MATCHES WITH CHINESE NATIONAL TEAM
LAC LA BICHE – They're probably glad it wasn't a home-and-away weekend series, given the 8,000-plus kilometre journey. The Portage College Voyageurs took a break from their regular season ACAC schedule to host the Chinese National Team at the Bold Centre January 23 and 24 in a pair of close, entertaining exhibition games.
The National Team, led by former NAIT head coach and NHL assistant coach Perry Pearn, are currently on a month-long tour of ACAC schools as they bring their fast-paced, hard-working style of hockey to Northern Alberta and Saskatchewan. They gave the Voyageurs all they could handle, losing 6-5 on Friday night before taking the rematch 3-1 on Saturday afternoon.
Portage Head Coach Kevin McClelland was impressed by the lunch-bucket attitude the visitors brought to the Bold Centre.
"We played against a team that has quite a bit of talent but also their work ethic is good," said the four-time Stanley Cup Champion, who rarely took a night off in his playing career. "A lot of times we win games because of our work ethic and I thought we worked hard again this weekend but it just shows how difficult it is when you're out there against a team that really works hard…But it was a good experience for the guys and I thought we conducted ourselves very well."
On Friday night, what was billed as a friendly exhibition match turned into a feisty, hard-hitting, drive-to-the-net, back and forth affair, with various lead changes and last-minute heroics. The teams may have exchanged gifts, handshakes, and posed for pictures before and after the game, but Friday night showed that there are no friends once the puck is dropped. The Voyageurs quickly raced out to a 2-0 lead before the Chinese National Team roared back with three unanswered goals to take the lead seven minutes into the second period. After the Voyageurs tied it shortly thereafter, the visitors pulled away with two quick markers, ending Ethan Baron's night between the twine. The never-say-die home squad regrouped in the second intermission, however, and roared back with the only three goals of the final frame, including Ezra Baer's winning marker with 70 seconds left.
Saturday afternoon's contest, by contrast, was a much tamer affair, although there were still quite a number of big hits and quality scoring chances. This time it was the Chinese National Team that jumped out to a 2-0 lead early in the second, and then rode the strong play of netminder Colin Gao (Anglicized name) to a 3-1 win, with an empty netter sealing the deal in the final seconds.
Pearn was pleased with the weekend games, particularly as they gave his young team a chance to play in tight, down-to-the-wire matches.
"It's been good," he said of the ACAC tour so far. "We need to play in tough games and you know every game has been a close game. Today was a one-goal game with an empty net goal, and last night a one-goal game…It's been really good for us to play in that kind of competition, those kinds of games."
He added that the different style of play they've experienced on their tour will help with his players' development.
"We're playing bigger, strong guys and we've got some young guys with us so it's exposure to a little bit different style and you now, they have to be a little bit more physical than they have been in China so that's an awful good thing for us."
McClelland used the weekend to dress some players who hadn't seen much action this season as well as rest some of his walking wounded. He noted the experience will be key as the Voyageurs fight for a playoff spot in the very tight ACAC standings.
"You know especially coming down the stretch here we've got some key guys that are in the stands right now so it gave us time to evaluate the guys that didn't play a lot, (especially) on the back end," he said.
With the difference between third and seventh place a matter of only a few points, the head coach knows that the Voyageurs need to be ready to grind it out until the regular season finale if they hope to taste the playoffs.
"We're in a very tight race and we've just got to make sure guys are feeling confident, positive, and ready to work hard, and like I said, we're a team that gets results by working so we've just got to make sure that we work hard."
Players of the Game
January 23
Chinese National Team: #6 陈梓蒙 (Anglicized name: Simon Chen)
Portage: #13 Xavier Halterman
January 24
Chinese National Team: #30 高鹏 (Anglicized name: Colin Gao)
Portage: #12 Stavros Koutsantonis