C12

JON MACNEILL
TELEGRAPH-JOURNAL

Stumble Upon

del.icio.us

Digg

Facebook

Print

Email

Speak Up

SAINT JOHN - The Saint John Vito's return to New Brunswick-P.E.I. Major Midget Hockey League action after competing in the prestigious Beantown Classic in Exeter, New Hampshire, this past week.

Enlarge Photo

Cody Kennedy

The Vito's hosts the Moncton Flyers today at 4 p.m. at the Lord Beaverbrook Rink and travel to Fredericton Sunday to face the Canadiens. It will be Saint John's second meeting with each squad.

Head coach Jeff LeBlanc is expecting an energized performance after a slate of solid competition south of the border.

The Vito's went 0-3-1 at the tournament, a record the bench boss is more than satisfied with considering they faced squads housing numerous 18 to 20-year-olds.

"It was a great experience for our kids," LeBlanc said during a practice Thursday.

"I thought we played really well. But more importantly the whole trip was to gel as a team and I think we've done that.

"I haven't seen a team this close this early in the year, which is so very important."

Aside from playing premier clubs, the Vito's did a tour of the University of New Hampshire campus, including the school's arena, and watched the Boston Bruins down the Nashville Predators 3-2.

LeBlanc said he can already notice the positive team-building effect the trip produced, a dangerous prospect for their major midget competition. The Vito's have stormed out the gates with five straight wins this season.

"We don't want second place this year, we want to win an Atlantic championship and that's been our goal since the puck was dropped at training camp," LeBlanc said.

"The coaching staff has been preaching to the players that we want to win and this could be the year."

One threat to that goal is the Moncton Flyers, the defending champions who swept the Vito's in the playoffs last season.

"Moncton is always a tough team to beat and they're one of the teams we have to knock off this year for sure," the bench boss said.

Cody Kennedy, a veteran 17-year-old defenceman, said his team's offensive strength may have caught the Flyers off guard in the Vito's 6-3 win earlier this season.

He isn't expecting any favours in round two.

"They won't let us have it that easily this weekend. They definitely didn't expect us (to be so strong) last time we played them and we're expecting a battle this time," said Kennedy, who has one assist and eight penalty minutes this season.

As for Fredericton, LeBlanc said goaltending was a major factor in the Vito's 4-1 win Oct. 17.

"Fredericton played us hard. (Andrew) Mergl stood on his head; he made 17 saves in the first period. If he didn't stand on his head that game could have been a totally different story."

LeBlanc will be looking for a stronger defensive effort to shut down the Canadiens in their own house. Fredericton has struggled on the road, going 0-4, but has gone 2-1 at home.

"They should be fired up with the home crowd on their side," Kennedy said.

That's where the 6-foot, 160-pound blueliner comes in.

"Big hits get (your) team into it and kind of take away (home ice) advantage," Kennedy said. "But Fredericton is not a team to take too lightly. It should be a good game."