Don't expect changes
Published Saturday October 10th, 2009
QMJHL: Mike Thomas returns from six-game suspension Sunday in Cape Breton
SYDNEY, N.S. - Mike Thomas won't alter his approach when he returns to the Saint John Sea Dogs' lineup.
"I can't change my game or else I just wouldn't be the same (player),'' the roughhouse winger said. "I just have to be a little smarter and try not to react to too many things.''
Thomas was tagged with a six-game suspension for being the aggressor in a fight during a Sept. 23 game against Prince Edward Island.
The 19-year-old from Fredericton has one game left in his sentence, tonight's tilt against the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles (5-2-1-1) at 7 p.m. at Centre 200 in Sydney, N.S.
The Sea Dogs (6-3-1-0) face the same squad Sunday at 4 p.m., and Thomas is expected to suit up.
"I want to play the exact same as I've always played,'' he said. "I'm going to come back and still do what I need to do on the ice, and try to work at other parts of my game as well.
"I've only played one period in the first 10 games. It's been rough, but it's good that the guys are doing well without me.''
Still, Thomas' return couldn't come soon enough for Saint John head coach Gerard Gallant.
"It feels like he's been out for a couple of months now,'' the bench boss said. "Mike is a big part of our team with the physical play that he brings and he's a character guy.
"He definitely creates space for our hockey team, but he's got to be careful, too. He just served a suspension and we want him playing hockey.
"We have to make sure he's staying away from the stuff where he's going to get suspended. He doesn't want that, we don't want that and the league doesn't want that.''
Thomas' robust style also led to lost ice time during the pre-season. Back on Aug. 29, he was charged with a game misconduct for a hit that leveled Cape Breton defenceman Ian Saab.
The 17-year-old sustained a concussion and had to be removed from the ice by stretcher. Saab isn't on Cape Breton's current roster.
In between that forgettable exhibition game and the Sept. 23 incident, Thomas attended training camp with the Philadelphia Flyers. The experience had him fired up for his fourth season in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
The suspension, however, brought all that energy to a halt.
"I felt it was a little bit long,'' Thomas said about the length of the punishment. "But I guess the league is trying to cut down on things like that. There's nothing I can do about it.''
After spending more than two weeks on the sidelines, Thomas admits he's anxious and antsy.
"I've been in the gym a lot more than I regularly would,'' he said. "That extra time in the gym could help me, but I've also missed some game time, which really hurts me.
"I've been working hard in practice and trying to keep myself in game shape. I can't wait to get back.''
Neither can his teammates.
While Saint John is 2-0 against Cape Breton, the Screaming Eagles boast size up front with the likes of Nick MacNeil (6-4, 211), Taylor MacDougall (6-3, 217) and Luke Adam (6-1, 210). Having the 6-foot-1, 204-pound Thomas in the lineup can only help.
"They're a physical team and they've got some big forwards,'' Gallant said. "The last time we played them, they pretty well dominated us down low in our zone.
"We didn't have our two big defencemen (Yann Sauve and Simon Despres) and we didn't have much size. I think it will be a different game (this weekend).
"Overall, we're just going to play our game. We have a good hockey team with some good speed and skill up front. We're not going to change because of some other team's system.''
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