With one simple drop of the puck, all the action gets underway. Every face off is important, every face off matters. The general viewing audience only zeroes in on those deemed to be important or in the waning moments when everything is on the line. For those that put their sticks down it’s the ultimate duel, a game within the game, a puck battle that has to be won.
Every face off matters. One simple drop of the puck can change the landscape of a game. Face offs are all about the little things, all about the details and that’s exactly why the Moncton Wildcats have longtime NHLer and proud New Brunswicker Mike Eagles on their staff. For the past two seasons Eagles has worked with the Cats as a Face Off Coach and it’s clearly paying dividends.
Mike Eagles epitomized hard work and dedication as a player. Eagles did his best work in the face off dot and on the defensive side of the puck at hockey’s highest level for 15 seasons. Eagles thrived on the details during his playing career and the same thing can be said about his ability to convey those to the Cats forward group. The details of the game often times get overlooked. Behind a dominant Wildcat Game 5 home ice victory was dominance in the face off dot. The Wildcats absolutely owned the dot and obviously created a ton of possession and transition because of it in Game 5. Starting with the puck is essential for any high powered quick strike offensive group and that’s exactly what the Cats did.
In 54 face off attempts during Game 5, the Cats won 36 of them. For those analytical types that’s 67% which pretty damn good.
The smallest of details matter the most when everything is on the line. Gardiner MacDougall and the entire Wildcat staff empathize the details of the game and that’s exactly why the Cats are one game away from QMJHL final for the second year straight.
The game with in the game, the ultimate duel, the initial battle might be tougher for the Wildcats on the road where the Armada will have last change and perhaps try to establish themselves in dot, but that’s what is so special about playoff hockey, the details, and that all starts when the puck is dropped. The battle within the battle, the game within the game, keep a close eye on the dot today.
The Quick Shift 