The College of Saskatchewan Huskies rookie ahead Pelletier batted in a puck out of mid-air throughout a lop-sided 10-0 win over the Grant MacEwan College Griffins.
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Raphael Pelletier has 10 objectives in 17 video games this season, however one stands out as a house run.
Final Friday in Edmonton, the College of Saskatchewan Huskies rookie ahead batted in a puck from mid-air throughout a lop-sided 10-0 win over the Grant MacEwan College Griffins. The puck was within the coronary heart of the strike zone.
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“I’ve by no means actually scored a aim like that,” admitted Pelletier, whose Huskies are at house Friday and Saturday for video games in opposition to the arch-rival College of Alberta Golden Bears at Merlis Belsher Place.
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Recreation-time is 7 p.m. Friday and 5 p.m. Saturday.
“(Ty) Prefontaine jumped up on the push to make it slightly two-on-one and he handed it over, sort of hit (the Griffins defender’s) stick,” defined Pelletier, “and I simply sort of rapidly reacted and simply batted it out of mid-air.”
It was a spotlight aim, for certain. The MacEwan broadcast staff known as it a doable goal-of-the-year candidate.
U of S head coach Brandin Cote known as it extra of the identical for Pelletier.
“Nice eye-hand coordination,” praised Cote. “However, once more, he went to the online. He went to the appropriate areas and he’s been doing that every one 12 months.”
Pelletier, a former member of the WHL’s Swift Present Broncos, performed slightly baseball in his time however he admits he’s had extra swings and misses than precise hits. “In all probability under .500 (batting common), undoubtedly,” mentioned Pelletier, who grew up in Authorized (pronounced le-GELL), a bilingual neighborhood north of Edmonton.
Pelletier is certainly one of 11 newcomers to the Huskies males’s hockey staff this season and one of many many smaller, fast, expert and dynamic forwards on the squad.
“I simply suppose his angle and work ethic are second to none,” mentioned Cote, whose staff enters the weekend ranked No. 10 in Canada’s U Sports activities with a 15-5-0 document whereas Alberta is 15-5-2.
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“He desires to be a participant. Once more, with quite a lot of these new guys, I’ve had the advantage of having some historical past with them, whether or not it’s within the Western League and I had Raph as a 15-year-old after I coached Staff Alberta. That was the primary time I obtained to satisfy Raph, so I’ve recognized him for a very long time. I do know his character. He comes from an ideal household. He’s simply obtained an ideal angle. He matches in effectively within the room, however, extra importantly as a participant, he by no means stops. He’s actually quick and he’s obtained quite a lot of talent.”
MOVE EAST, YOUNG MAN
Fairly than keep in Alberta and play post-secondary hockey there, Pelletier returned to Saskatchewan the place he performed most of his junior hockey earlier than ending up with the Everett Silvertips.
“It was undoubtedly a troublesome determination and took me some time, however I imply, first off, the U of S is a company like no different,” mentioned Pelletier, 21. “You’ll be able to inform by the rink, the campus. It’s superb and we get handled like professionals right here. I even have an ideal relationship with Cote. He coached me again in Swift Present a few years and I do know fairly a couple of of the blokes (Carter Stebbings, Jaxan Kaluski, Cohner Saleski), too, coming in right here. It’s an ideal group of fellows.”
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Pelletier attended a francophone college in Authorized so he’s bilingual. He’s at the moment enrolled within the School of Arts and Science however he’s contemplating a doable profession as a instructor.
“I’ve been taking a couple of French courses and I’ve been fascinated with going into Schooling subsequent 12 months, however I’m nonetheless attempting to determine my approach.”
Hockey sensible, Pelletier wasn’t anticipating a lot alternative as a rookie, however he’s seized his probability.
“I began out with Keels (Liam Keeler) getting damage there and Cotesy put me in a spot to get some alternative and I simply saved rolling with it, coming to the rink day-after-day and simply working for a spot,” provided Pelletier. “I really feel just like the work ethic is absolutely vital and I really feel that Cote does a extremely good job of preaching that.”
BIG WEEKEND AGAINST ARCH-RIVAL BEARS
It’s a giant weekend at Merlis Belsher Place, as at all times, when the Golden Bears come to city.
“We’re rolling proper now and now we have quite a lot of momentum,” mentioned Pelletier. “Having no bye weekends this second half retains us engaged and I really feel like this week of practices have been actually up-tempo. I feel we’re prepared for the problem and excited to get issues going.
“We will win this league. Now we have the group to do it. We simply must belief one another. It’s the next-man-up mentality. We simply must preserve working.”
And swing for the fences.
dzary@postmedia.com
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