After 60 minutes, IceCaps have been extra special
St. John’s is 5-1 in games decided in overtime or shootout
It would be a stretch to say the St. John’s IceCaps have been extra good so far this American Hockey League season. After all, their 1211-1 record has them just above .500.
They have, however, been very, very good in extra time.
The IceCaps have five wins in their six games that have gone beyond regulation, giving St. John’s an .833 winning percentage in contests extended beyond 60 minutes, putting them behind only the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, who are a perfect 6-0 in such instances.
The IceCaps dropped their first extra-time game of the season — an overtime loss to the Springfield Thunderbirds on Oct. 22 — but have won their two OT and three shootout games since then. In fact, four of St. John’s last five wins have come in overtime or shootouts and all three victories in the first six games of their current home stand have all been achieved beyond regulation — shootout decisions over the Providence Bruins and Syracuse Crunch and Sunday afternoon’s 3-2 overtime win against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
Interestingly, the constant in the IceCaps’ three shootout wins has been rookie centre Daniel Audette, who has been the first shooter on each occasion and has scored each time.
Given that Audette has only two goals through the IceCaps’ 24 games this season, he might not have seemed like an obvious choice for the shooutout, especially in the lead-off position.
But coaches pay attention — or are at least aware of — players’ success when working on their shootout moves, usually at the end of practices or during warmups. And they pay attention to history.
“I knew from junior that he was good in shootouts,” said IceCaps’ head coach Sylvain Lefebvre of Audette, who was 5-for-14 in shootouts over four seasons with the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s Sherbrooke Phoenix.
“I like his skills. When he has time, he can find holes. He’s scored three nice shootout goals for us.”
As for the three-on-three overtime, the IceCaps — with so many forwards with quickness and skill — would seem to be at an advantage in most matchups. One thing’s for sure, with so much back-and-forth action, it’s exciting, even for coaches.
“You get to enjoy it more than the first couple of years … we had overtime,” said Lefebvre, referring to the days when OT was conducted with five, and then four, players aside.
“When you have players who can skate, it’s a lot more exciting to watch.
“At the same time, it’s always a lot more fun when you are on the right side of (the score).”
Notes
Audette and defenceman Brett Lernout, who has a team-best plus-six rating, are the only two IceCaps to have dressed for all 24 games so far this season … This week marks the first of four times this season that the IceCaps have four days off between games in the midst of a stretch at home. St. John’s closes out its eight-game homestand with games against the Thunderbirds, the farm team of the Florida Panthers, Friday and Saturday nights at Mile One Centre … The IceCaps, accompanied by Buddy the Puffin, make their annual visit to the Janeway Hospital this afternoon …