Team News

 

Ottawa, ON - The Ottawa Jr. Senators Hockey Club is pleased to announce that goaltender Alexandre Savard-Bélanger has verbally committed to Canisius College for the 2015-16 season.

 

"This is great news for the entire OJS family. Alexandre has been with the team since the 2012-13 season, and in the past two years, he has evolved has one of the best Junior A goaltenders in the country, said head coach & general manager Martin Dagenais. His ability to perform under pressure is what sets him apart from other great goaltenders in our league."

 

The 21 year old from Brossard, Québec came to the Senators from the CIH Academy in Rockland, Ontario. In the span of three years, he participated in 124 regular season games, and finished with an stunning record of 78-28-4 with a goals against average of 2.48. His playoffs numbers are even more impressive as he recorded 13 wins in 19 games while giving up an average of 1.95 goals per game.

 

"I would like to thank all my coaches over the years, particularly some of my current coaches with the Senators, Martin Dagenais, Jamie Mayo, and Stéphane Levere. These three did a lot of work behind the scenes to help me secure a scholarship, said Savard. I also want to thank my former coach Rick Dorval for providing me with an opportunity to play in this great league, and all my teammates for their hard work, and great team spirit. At last but not least, my deepest thanks to my parents who always believed in me, and supported me for so many years."

 

Canisius College finished in 2nd place in the Atlantic Hockey Conference with an overall record of 18-12-7 before falling to RIT in the division's semi-finals. Dave Smith is their current head coach while Scott Moser and Trevor Large, who are mainly responsible for recruiting Alexandre, are serving as associate coaches.

 

"I chose Canisius College because it offers top level hockey as well as a strong academic program. The campus has an impressive setup, and the new hockey facilities are amazing, especially the rink, mentionned Savard. My first contact with the coaching staff was warm and positive, and I also felt welcomed by all the players when I visited the facilities. As for the school, I love the fact that classes are very small thus allowing for a close teacher/student relationship, and that is very important to me. Canisius College is the perfect fit for me."

 

After suffering a concussion in the playoffs, Savard-Bélanger will be forced out of action for another week or two. If the Senators do not reach the final round, it will mean that his next start will be at the NCAA level. Whether he plays another Junior A game or not, Savard knows that he will have to work hard during the summer in order to be ready for his first NCAA training camp.

 

''To be succesful at the NCAA level, I need to keep working hard on the ice, at the gym, and also in school, said Savard. I know that hard work and determination always pays off. I'll be ready to go in September''