VIDEO: St. Paul Jr. Canadiens off to tough start in NEAJBHL season

St. Paul Canadiens captain Rylan Cardinal with Husband Chad.

It’s a new season for the St. Paul Jr. Canadiens, with some key players gone from last year’s lineup, and an opening weekend full of suspensions and early injuries. 

Unfortunately for fans, that showed in the results as the Yens started the season winless following 7-1 and 9-4 losses to the Wainwright Bisons and Lloyd Bandits. 

“They’re the defending champs like usual. They’re a good hockey club,” said head coach Corey deMoissac following the Bisons loss.

“We have a lot of new guys getting a taste of what it’s like to play in Wainwright, it’s an experience for sure.”

With key offensive pieces like Will Chemago and Quinn Szpak gone, there was also a vacancy at captain. Rylan Cardinal now dons the “C” for the club.

“It was awesome,” said Cardinal in the 1st intermission.

“We had Watty [Isaak Watters] and Labant the years before, so it’s pretty cool to have the C. Wearing an A last year was nice to get into the flow of it, I like it. We have a good group this year.”

A couple new players to watch for will be Jayce Lessard and Connor Goffers, who both attended Jr. A Pontiacs camp.

St. Paul will continue on the road to play the Killam Wheat Kings on Friday, Oct. 4. Their home opener arrives on Friday, Oct. 11.

The Cold Lake Ice are also 0-2. They lost 9-2 to the Bandits, before a tight 8-6 loss to the Vegreville Rangers.

Cold Lake’s home opener is against Onion Lake on Friday night.