CIS men's hockey - Host Aigles Bleus seeded No. 1 for Cavendish University Cup
OTTAWA (CIS) - The Universite de Moncton Aigles Bleus are favoured to capture the University Cup on home ice on Sunday, March 25.
Topping the national media poll since November 21, the Aigles Bleus have been seeded No. 1 for the 2007 CIS men's hockey championship to be held at the Moncton Coliseum March 22-25
Championship web site: www.cisport.ca/e/championships/m_hockey/2007
Following Moncton in order in the seedings are the No. 2-ranked Saskatchewan Huskies (Canada West champions), No. 3 UQTR Patriotes (OUA champions), No. 4 Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks (OUA finalists), No. 5 UNB Varsity Reds (AUS finalists) and No. 6 St. Francis Xavier X-Men (AUS bronze medalists).
The Aigles Bleus, looking for a first CIS ring since 1994-95, hope home ice will be as welcoming as it was the last time they hosted the University Cup tournament for a two-year period. The first year, in the spring of 1982, a Moncton team led by future Stanley Cup-winning coach Jean Perron successfully defended the national title it had won 12 months earlier in Calgary.
The 2006-07 edition of the Aigles Bleus has been dominant to say the least. Entering the nationals on a seven-game win streak, including a 5-0 playoff record, the AUS champions (22-4-0-2) lost only four times in regulation over a 28-game conference schedule as they led the nation with 142 goal scored and finished first in the Atlantic (tied 5th CIS) with 79 goals allowed.
Moncton is grouped in Pool A with the Golden Hawks and X-Men. Laurier and StFX are set to face off in the late Thursday round-robin game (7 p.m. local), with the Aigles Bleus opening their tournament against the loser of that match-up on the Friday night.
In Pool B action, No. 2 Saskatchewan will battle UNB in the University Cup opener in the Thursday 2 p.m. match. UQTR will face the loser the next day.
The Huskies upset two-time defending national champion Alberta in three games in the best-of-three Canada West final, preventing the Golden Bears from advancing to the CIS championship for the first time since 1995-96.
SEEDINGS & POOLS
1. Moncton Aigles Bleus (AUS champions / 22-4-0-2 regular season, 4-0 playoffs)
2. Saskatchewan Huskies (Canada West champions / 16-9-0-3 regular season, 4-1
playoffs)
3. UQTR Patriotes (OUA champions / 17-5-3-3 regular season, 5-1 playoffs)
4. Laurier Golden Hawks (OUA finalists / 22-5-1-0 regular season, 4-1 playoffs)
5. UNB Varsity Reds (AUS finalists / 18-8-0-3 regular season, 3-3 playoffs)
6. StFX X-Men (AUS bronze medalists / 17-9-0-3 regular season, 5-3 playoffs)
Pool A
1. Moncton
4. Laurier
6. StFX
Pool B
2. Saskatchewan
3. UQTR
5. UNB
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE (all times LOCAL)
Thursday, March 22
14:00 Pool B #1: Saskatchewan vs. UNB
19:00 Pool A #1: Laurier vs. StFX
Friday, March 23
14:00 Pool B #2: UQTR vs. Loser Pool B #1
19:00 Pool A #2: Moncton vs. Loser Pool A #1
Saturday, March 24
12:30 Pool B #3: UQTR vs. Winner Pool B #1 (Live on TSN)
20:00 Pool A #3: Moncton vs. Winner Pool A #1 (Live on TSN)
Sunday, March 25
20:00 Championship final (Live on TSN & RDS)
