It wasn’t exactly a “me-against-the-world” proposition, but Jakub Bundil felt like he had something to prove in last Tuesday’s fastest-skater competition.
Often looked at as a grinder, the 6-foot-5 Slovak showed Tuesday that he also has some jets.
Bundil raced one full turn around the rink in just 14.27 seconds to edge defenseman Kevin Marshall by a half-second to win.
“You didn’t think I would win?” Bundil kidded afterward. “Did you bet on me?”
One fan, skating with Bundil after the competition was over, shrugged.
“I knew you were fast,” she said. “But that was great.”
Bundil lumbered off, swaying side-to-side, with a little extra pride in each long stride.
Chasing 100
Chad Denny won the hardest-shot competition last Tuesday with a shot registered at 97 miles per hour.
But that wasn’t enough.
“I’m going to get them to bring the gun back next week during practice,” Denny said. “I have to hit 100.”
Last year, Denny topped out at 101 miles per hour.
Not your normal Maineiac
There’s no truth to the rumor that the Maineiacs are interested in signing former Lewiston High School goalie Matt Roy as a free agent.
He’s too old, at 22.
But he certainly made a case for himself as a penalty shot specialist last Tuesday.
Filling in for an injured Jonathan Bernier, Roy was overmatched in the rapid-fire and 3-on-0 portions of the competition.
In the shootout, though, with Team Black leading by two points, Roy stepped up and stopped seven of the nine breakaways he faced.
Smarty-pants
Marc-Andre Cliche is a smart kid.
He’s a captain and a leader for a reason.
But this week, Cliche was honored as a smart hockey player, both on and off the ice.
The QMJHL announced this week the five finalists for the Marcel-Robert Trophy for the student-athlete of the year, which will be awarded at the league’s annual Golden Puck Awards Gala in April.
The winner is awarded the $6,000 Guy Lafleur scholarship.
Other finalists for the award are Alexandre Picard-Hooper of Baie-Comeau, Jason Swit of Cape Breton, Maxime Lacroix of Quebec and Vincent Zaore-Vanie of Victoriaville.
Interviews of each candidate will take place Monday in Montreal.
Emergency keeper
Another goaltender made his debut for the Maineiacs this weekend.
Seventeen-year-old goalie Alexander Fontaine of Cowansville, Quebec, whom the Maineiacs signed in December as a free agent for emergency reasons, was the team’s backup in three games this weekend.
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