Rimouski Océanic assistant coach Alexis Loiseau expects more offensive production from the team’s veterans, who are returning from a trip of two losses in as many days to Chicoutimi and Quebec where the team only scored three goals.
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Loiseau is well placed to talk about the importance of 19- and 20-year-old veterans for a junior squad, having amassed 96 points as a 20-year-old in 2014-15, in addition to adding 26 points in 20 playoff games. His offensive production had exploded at 19 after two less consistent seasons in scoring.
“Our 16 and 17 year olds give us good hockey, but we don’t expect the same consistency from the younger players over a long season. Normally, it’s the third and fourth year players who have to show this consistency that we don’t always see this season. Guys know it. They work hard. These are players that we have developed and that we like,” commented Alexis Loiseau on the eve of a home game against the Chicoutimi Sags.
On Friday, before the two road games, head coach Serge Beausoleil said he expected more from his 20-year-old players. Patrick LeBlanc picked up an assist while Luka Verreault and William Dumoulin were shut out.
A defender leading the scorers
When we analyze the ranking of Océanic scorers, we realize that despite the presence of three 20-year-old forwards, it is 19-year-old defender Frédéric Brunet who sits at the top with 17 points ahead of the 17-year-old forward Alexandre Blais (14 points, including 5 assists in a game last week).
“When a 17-year-old makes five points in a game, we take it, but we know it won’t happen in every game,” says Alexis Loiseau, who works mainly with forwards and who is responsible for the numerical advantage.
The power play has been producing more for a few weeks.
“We finally have a more stable first unit that is successful,” said Alexis Loiseau about the quintet made up of Brunet, Blais, William Dumoulin, Jan Sprynar and Maël St-Denis. It is this unit that scored the only goal for the Océanic, Sunday in Quebec.
- Monday night, the Océanic will try to avenge its 3-2 loss suffered Saturday against the Sags in Chicoutimi.