With Spire Holdings taking over the club, there was renewed optimism about the Trois-Rivieres Lions heading into the season. The stability of the new ownership group translated to the ice as the Montreal Canadiens’ ECHL affiliate finished the season with an impressive 45-19-8 record and securing the top seed in the North Division.
Record Breaking Season
Anthony Beauregard was named the Lions’ player of the year after tying for the team lead with 25 goals and setting a new franchise record with 67 points in a single season. He also became the Lions’ all-time leading scorer, surpassing former captain Cédric Montminy.
Jakov Novak and Logan Nijhoff matched Beauregard’s team-leading 25 goals, had productive offensive seasons that earned them short stints with the Laval Rocket of the AHL.
Alex Beaucage split the year between Trois-Rivieres and Laval. He had a significant impact in the ECHL, collecting 33 points in 24 games.
Solid Goaltending
Coach and General Manager Ron Choules primarily rotated goaltending duties between Luke Cavallin and Hunter Jones. The duo delivered outstanding results throughout the entire season. Cavallin was named to the All-ECHL Second Team after posting a 19-10-2 record, a 2.13 goals against average, and a .929 save percentage. He also made three appearances in Laval during the season.
Experienced Defense
The defensive units were on the same page and minimized the dangerous chances allowed to opponents. In a league where rosters undergo significant changes annually, Choules was able to count on five returning defensemen, which allowed them to quickly get on the same page.
Chris Jandric led defensemen by contributing offensively 50 points in 54 games. Jandric along with Vincent Sevigny obtained recalls from the Rocket during the season when they needed reinforcements at the blue line.
Road to Kelly Cup
The Lions began their quest to the Kelly Cup by sweeping the Reading Royals (Philadelphia Flyers) in a best-of-seven series. Their next opponents will be the Norfolk Admirals (Winnipeg Jets) in a series that will begin at Colisee Videotron on Friday.
by Chris G, Senior Writer, Rocket Sports
