Good morning-soon-to-be-afternoon, and here are the current standings in the Q:
Tonight's opponent is Gatineau. They are currently free-falling in the standings, having lost three in a row and seven of their last ten.
Easy pickings? Not necessarily!
In light of this game and what it might mean, I started getting a little nit-picky with the above table and the highlighted number 10 spot, and how it breaks down on either side of the grey line. Some of it is a little disconcerting, if looked at under a certain context. But this is just me being cautious if not somewhat cynical considering the fact that I remember when Gatineau-Drummondville meant a lot more than it does currently, which is important to keep in mind.
Drummondville has won 11 of their 21 games this season. They are at exactly .500 in their last 10. They could fall to .500 overall, should tonight continue a certain trend.
Of the 21 games played, 11 of them have been decided by one goal. With the exception of one 4-3 loss against #theshawi, none of the Volts' losses to teams 11-18 in the standings are part of these 11. In fact, they can even be classified as blowouts. The most recent case was, of course, Chicoutimi (who return to the CMD on Sunday). In other words, while no one says they're going to underestimate a number 16, if the Olympiques even get a hint of the gas pedal at any point during this game, they have good odds of shoving it to the ground, handing the Volts another embarrassment.
Meanwhile...
Eight of the eleven one-goal games have been wins, and while the value of two points is not being questioned, the fact that over half of those eight one-goal games have been wins against teams 11-18 deters a little from the final score in each of them. For example: the 5-4 "win" against Bathurst on Sunday. As for that gas pedal...Drummondville simply let go of that one when they should have been as unforgiving as the Saguenéens et cie.
No need to panic, at least not just yet. The season is barely a quarter of the way through, after all. But to this cautious if not cynical bystander, tonight's matchup is just as crucial as any in March.
Gatineau: 6-12-1-0, 13 points, 16th in the league, 53 GF, 83 GA, lost three in a row, Martin Reway has 20 points in 19 games, Michael Nishi is the main goaltender for that club with a 4.13 GAA and .874 SV%.
Drummondville: 11-10-0-0, 22 points, 10th in the league, 62 GF, 71 GA, two wins in a row, M-O Brouillard still leads with 26 points in 21 games followed by Verrier with 22 points, rookie goaltender Louis-Philip Guindon is getting the start tonight after a two-game absence, he stands at a 3.36 GAA and .872 SV%. For his part, Domenic Graham has a .857 SV% and a 3.23 GAA.
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