All-star weekend allows players to let loose

BY MICHAEL PIASETZKI

It was time for the cream of the crop to forget about defensive systems and let loose last weekend as the Lac St. Louis Hockey Association’s all-star extravaganza unfolded.

Eight boys’ contests from atom BB to junior AA took place on Saturday at the Dollard des Ormeaux Civic Centre. Meanwhile, five girls’ encounters from atom to junior were played on Sunday at the Denis Savard Arena in Verdun.

Always a prime attraction was the bantam AA affair, partly because those selected knew representatives from local midget AAA and midget espoir clubs as well as United States prep schools were probably in the crowd, taking notes and observing.

Head coach Gord Kilgallen of the Quebec Midget AAA Hockey League Châteauguay Patriotes was present, focusing mostly on players from the Patriots division, made up of those who performed for the Suroît Express, Trois Lacs Eagles, Beauval Stars and Verdun/LaSalle Cobras. Representatives from the Lac St. Louis Lions, meanwhile, had their eyes on the Lions division all-stars, comprised of players from the Lakeshore Panthers, Dollard Vipers, Deux Rives Dauphins and West Island Royals.

For the first period at least, it looked like Patriotes division players not only wanted to impress Kilgallen, but seemed intent on exacting revenge for last year’s 3-1 defeat at the hands of the Lions division. They came out of the gate like gangbusters, built a 3-1 lead early into the second period, only to ease up and let it slip away, as the Lions division roared back for a 7-4 victory. Stéphane Fournier of the Royals scored three goals, including one into an open net to lead the Lions division while Matthew Bissonnette of the Panthers added a pair, both in the third period.

“Our approach coming into this game was simple,� said Lions division head coach Kirk Mullen of the Royals. “Have fun, work hard and share the puck. This is a big deal for the kids. They work hard through the year and this is a nice little treat for them.�

The Pats division jumped off to a quick 2-0 lead midway through the first period on goals by the Eagles’ Joel Chayer and the Cobras’ Éric Lomano, who played on an all-Verdun/Lasalle line along with Yassin Cissé and Sébastien Payette. Fournier narrowed the gap to one with a little over two minutes left in the opening period, but the Stars’ Jonathan Roy increased the lead to 3-1 early in the second. Fournier with his second and Gagnon evened things up heading into the final frame.

Fournier’s goal with a little over eight minutes left proved to be the difference in the game. It woke up the sleeping giant that was the Lions division, and from that point onward, they dominated the contest.

Gagnon and Bissonnette made it 5-3 Lions division in the third before the Stars’ Frederick Farmer narrowed it to 5-4, but the Pats would get no closer as Bissonnette with his second and Fournier to complete the hat-trick sealed the deal for the Lions division.

“The intensity was high on our side in the first period,� said Pats division head coach Jocelyn Fortin of the Cobras. “For some reason though, we didn’t come out sharp in the second.�

For all the scores of last weekend’s all-star games, go to www.hockeylacst-louis.qc.ca.">www.hockeylacst-louis.qc.ca.">www.hockeylacst-louis.qc.ca.

Puck note: Léo Bédard of the Eagles assisted Fortin behind the bench. Bédard coached the midget AAA Lac St. Louis Lions to a pair of national titles and a silver medal during the 1980s.