Losing skid finally ends at 11

Brendon MacDonald tries to get a shot past St Thomas | goalie, Charles Lavigne. Photo by Martina Marien

Brett Theberge didn’t let an injury stop him from regaining full form. In his first game back since being sidelined once again this season in late November, the forward’s goal 3:59 into the third period was enough to lift Dalhousie’s men’s hockey team to a 1 – 0 win over the St. Thomas Tommies Jan. 6 at Memorial Arena.

The victory was the Tigers’ first since Oct. 21, in which they defeated the Tommies 5 – 3. Aside from exhibition victories, St. Thomas is the only team the Tigers have had success defeating. Dal would lose 11 consecutive games since their last meeting with STU.

The Tigers’ 2-11-1 record may have played a part in head coach Pete Belliveau’s decision to step down during the holiday break to focus his time primarily on general manager duties and the business side of the program. Meanwhile, he assigned assistant Chris Donnelly to his prior responsibilities. This contest was Donnelly’s first victory as head coach.

“It was a team effort,” said Theberge, referring to Dal’s long-awaited triumph. “Bobby got a shutout and it was big for Chris, good to start his new career as a head coach with a win. Also, from the team standpoint, it was good to get the W against an opponent we should have beaten.”

Along with Theberge, the squad has suffered a rash of injuries dating back to the beginning of the season. Those injured include veteran starting goalie Bobby Nadeau and forwards Brad McConnell, Patrick Daley and Pierre-Alexandre Vandall; a group that composes the Tigers’ core.

Of the five players mentioned, only McConnell, nursing a concussion, remains out of the lineup. As well, Kyle DeCoste, another injured forward, is sidelined due to an off-season surgery.

Getting these key players to play to their full potential will be integral to the Tigers’ success, and having them on the ice has considerably improved their play.

“We have been more conscious of our defensive play, and we have also been putting more of an effort on the forecheck,” said Dal defensemen Ben MacAskill. “In our own end, so far, we have been more responsible which has definitely gone a long way to improve our goals against. Having Bobby back has been huge, too. We had a lot of guys that were injured and having those guys back completes our hockey team, which is a big plus for us.”

Nadeau turned aside 22 shots to earn the shutout for the Tigers. His counterpart Charles Lavigne stopped 28 for the Tommies.

This is not the last the Tigers will see of the Tommies, who sit just ahead of Dal in seventh place. The two will face off one last time Jan. 13 in Fredericton.