DAGENAIS COOLS JETS, TAKES DEFENSIVE STAND FOR RATS.(SPORTS)

Byline: PETE DOUGHERTY Staff writer

ALBANY -- There is no ``D'' in Quebec, or anywhere in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

As Pierre Dagenais, the highest-scoring junior player in Quebec last season, adjusts to life in the United States, he is learning that the game at the professional level does not begin and end in the offensive zone.

``In junior, my league is not defense, just offense,'' said Dagenais, a rookie wing for the Albany River Rats. ``This year Red (Gendron, assistant coach) and Cunny (John Cunniff, head coach) have me working on all parts, especially my defense. Now I'm better. I'm not perfect, but I'm better.''

Dagenais, 20, is coming off a QMJHL season in which he had 66 goals and 67 assists in 60 games. The goals aren't coming nearly as fast in the American Hockey League.

He enters tonight's home game against the Adirondack Red Wings with two goals and three assists in 20 games. Both goals came against the Syracuse Crunch, the most generous defensive team in the league.

``He was frustrated because he was scoring a goal just about every game in junior hockey,'' Cunniff said. ``Then he comes here and that stuff is hard to come by. We're on him defensively and (about) intensity and things like that.

``Every time he turns around either Red or I are on him, and he wonders what's going on. But he's really responded well to that type of thing. I really love his attitude.''

As he adapts to the professional hockey philosophy, Dagenais gradually has been getting more ice time.

``It's an adjustment, for sure,'' said Dagenais, a native of Blainville, Quebec. ``I'm not playing a lot. It's tough. I go on the ice only a couple of times. It's just my first year. They're not putting pressure on me. We have a lot of good guys on this team.''

``Of course, he likes to work on his shot,'' Cunniff said. ``The same thing with (rookie Wes) Mason. They have to learn to play without the puck. They have to learn second effort. A lot of times first effort in junior hockey normally works.''