Indiana gave up 3 late goals to lose to Quebec 5-3.
Omaha demolished Rimouski by a score of 6-0.
Match stars (Indiana vs Quebec):
- QUE - Petit, Félix
- IND - Kemp, John
- QUE - Sauvé, Maxime
Match stars (Omaha vs Rimouski):
- OMA - Connolly, Chris
- OMA - Hepp, Christopher
- OMA - Sacchetti, Nico
Regardless, it was an excellent series and all games, minus the Omaha-Rimouski game, seemed to be highly competitive. It's hockey time! =)
31 comments:
it will be interesting to see how the line ups from these games match the starting line ups for these teams regular season opener. Q teams had 9 and 10 players with 1990 or 1991 birthdates respectively. good for the USHL teams performance however don't read too much into these games.
I take these games as a great experience and advantage for Omaha and Indiana. There's nothing like a 2,500 mile trip and international competition for team buidling. Hopefully the two teams don't get burned out before the season ends though.
Does anybody know why Indiana was the other team that went as opposed to any other USHL team? Were other teams interested?
Omaha must be so very proud to beat a bunch of 90's and 91's! The team traveled 2,500 miles for that!
Also, Indiana let in 3 late goals to lose...wow! I thought their goalie was suppose to be so great!?
Who knows why these teams went...vs. other USHL teams!
Congrats to Connelly!! He is another great example of an NAHL Star that can EASILY be a USHL Star!! And everyone says the leagues are so different.........
A look at the rosters will indicate hardly any 90s and 91s played for Canadian teams. I could find a number of 87's and 88's.
I'm guessing Indiana went because they had/were willing to spend the money to do so. A team like Chicago could never afford to make a trip like that.
The USHL wouldn't want Chicago representing them anyway. Same with Ohio.
http://juniorhockey.blogspot.com/
anonymous 4:50pm, check this blog and go to the link and even you will find the facts about the canadiens line ups. several (9-10) 90 and 91 birthyear players dressed for the Q teams. do not let the facts get in your way.
just click on the Q players name and check the birth dates for yourself
Here come the excuses from the Q fans. If Omaha and Indy would have been blown out, the Q fans wouldn't be talking about the age of the players at all. The USHL proved that they play competitive hockey. Hopefully they earned some respect from some of the more level-headed Q fans.
This was the brainchild of Luc Robataille (part owner of the Lancers) and his friend Patrick Roy (Owner/Coach of the Ramparts). They are the ones that brought it together. Gino got to sign off on it, but he didn't do anything to put it together, the Lancers (Robataille) did. No one's ever said why the other USHL team was Indiana, but they were probably the first ones who said yes and thankfully, it wasn't Chicago. Regardless of whether it was exhibition or not, it's still a great statement of the level of play in the USHL against Canadian major junior hockey, because we still succeeded against a league supposedly 1-1.5 levels above us. Remember, the USHL primarily prepare players for college, while the CHL leagues (QMJHL, WHL, OHL) readies players for the NHL. And as for Connelly, good work this weekend, but the NAHL is still inferior to the USHL, you better strap it up now because the real competition for you is about to begin. Let's see if you can do it on a weekly basis against better players than you've ever played against on a regular basis than before.
The last time I checked these leagues mainly consist of 17-20 year olds. I dont understand the relevance of the canadian fans continueing to mention 91's. On Saturday's roster both Canadian rosters listed ONE 91. Omaha also played one 91. I didnt check Indiana's roster. In other words both teams were made up primarily of 17-20 yearolds. Do the canadian teams critique rosters during the regular season every time they lose to see which team played the most 90's? If it isn't relevant during the regular season why is it now?
First off a congratulations to both Omaha and Indiana for a job well done.
Should USHL fans be excited? Perhaps but its also relavent to note that Quebec and Rimouski are either much younger than other Q teams (by looking at other rosters) or just used alot of young players in order to get a better look at them. I know that both Rimouski and Quebec were missing some players as well.
So what does it all mean....probably not much! After all they were just exhibition games. I certainly would love to see more and would hope they include other leagues like the NAHL and BCHL.
Don't assume any/all pro Q comments are the opinion of all Canadians. This particular Canadian think both leagues are pretty even, the better Q, W, and O teams are comparable to the better USHL teams, as are the poorer teams comparable from each each league
Rimouski and Quebec have been together for a little over a month and the games against Omaha and Indy were their 11th and 12th exhibition games, give the guys from the USHL a month to practice and play together and play 10 games or so, I think the games would have been a little different.
Try again, it was only Quebec and Rimouski's 5th and 6th exhibition games. They both began camp on Aug 15th, compared to Aug 30th for Omaha and Indiana. That's about a 2 week difference people.
The only advantage the Q teams had was that they were able to run more players through their roster during exhibitions and then make cuts. Its a very slight advantage though.
Lets be real here folks, two of what many consider to be among the top USHL teams this year faced off against two of the weakest Q teams. One of them lost both games while the other won a tight one before handily beating a team that was without 4 of its top players and one who finished at the bottom of their league last year and is expected to finish last again.
Congratulations, I guess.
Funny, I don't remember any of the Q fans a few weeks ago saying that Rimouski and Quebec were the bottom of the barrel, in terms of Q teams. The excuses continue. Again, if they had one...they'd be here gloating. Instead, we get excuses.
Anon 9/10/07 2:51 AM
With pre-season records 4-1-1 for Québec and Rimouski 4-1-0 prior to the USHL matchup, its kind of hard to believe your comment of "two of the weakest Q teams".
Anon 9/10/07 2:51 AM
With pre-season records 4-1-1 for Québec and Rimouski 4-1-0 prior to the USHL matchup, its kind of hard to believe your comment of "two of the weakest Q teams".
Does anyone really understand what exhibition preseason is?
Windsor smoked London in 2 games this weekend. How can that be when London is going to have a top ranked team in the CHL and Windsor will be fighting for a playoff birth in their division?
Rouyn-Noranda only beat Sudbury by one goal. How can that be when RN is going to be one of the better teams in the Q and Sudbury will be fighting for the 1st overall pick in the 08 draft?
There are lots of examples of teams from other leagues competing with CHL teams in exhibition hockey. So what makes these USHL games so different?
Good or bad, the game don't prove anything.....but to anyone who was there realized is that the players from both sides of the border are very good. Yeah, the "Q" teams were missing some very good players who would have made them better, and the USHL team will be better after a few weeks of practice....I saw two of the games and my reaction is that both leagues are very equal and the USHL should be given much more respect in Canada.
omaha 3- 90's 1 91 Rimouski 7 90's 1 91 Not that much different .........omaha played well...give em some credit
"omaha 3- 90's 1 91 Rimouski 7 90's 1 91 Not that much different" ...
Hard to give credit when you can't even count there buddy! Rimouski had 9-91 and 1 91. Omaha had only 2 90's and 1 91.
Thats a hell of a difference!
Quick question. Say one of the better teams in the NAHL plays Chicago of the USHL? Who would win? O.K. now take the same two teams but have Chicago sit out 3 of their top 4 forwards and 2 of their top Dmen. Who would win now???
Rimouski was missing Frolik, Skokan, Fortier, Garnier and Dupont. Put those players in the place of the 17 year old kids they had and honestly try and tell me Omaha would win????
Put Esposito, Lacroix and Stefanovich and it is very unlikely that Omaha would have pulled off a win against Quebec
Just the facts folks!
The excuse machine continues! This is great. Keep it going, Q fans.
Hey just answer the question!
enough with the damn excuses, the games meant next to nothing. Get over it. We have.
Chris Hepp is one of the greatest defensive players around. Good to see he got a star, well deserved.
i think Hepp is going to get a diploma after this season 4 years in the ushl haha that guys like 30!
that guy just turned 19 or 20 and he is greaaaaaaaaat, have you watched this guy at the blue line?
Geeeezzz! And I thought I could be a whiner about stuff.
I note from the box scores, that Omaha played both games without Barry Almedia or Will O'Neill. Almedia is listed by Chris H as being the third most touted college recruit in the USHL. Couple that with Nick Larson being a no-show to the Lancers, and the Lancers played both games without 2 of there best forwards from there preseason roster.
I don't know why young D-Man Jake Sloat did not play. Remember, the Lancers took off on like 9-3 or 9-4 to play these games, and any high school kid would have missed an entire week of school to play these exhibitions.
Tom
Wahoo, NE
Hepp returned last year ONLY after reconsidering his decision to go to the Air Force Academy. Shortly after coming back to Omaha did he receive his scholarship to St. Cloud State for 2008-09. Don't fault someone for trying to keep his game together by continuing to play in the USHL, if he's eligible, and Chris is.
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