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A battle between the Lakeshore Canadiens and Essex 73’s is nothing new.
The final 18 league titles have been cut up between the 2 groups relationship again to 2005 and the 2 staged a season-long battle for prime spot within the Invoice Stobbs Division of the Provincial Junior Hockey League.
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In the long run, the Canadiens closed with 4 wins over 5 days – permitting only a single purpose over that stretch – to take the regular-season title by a single level over the 73’s.
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“A bit little bit of strain on the finish, in order that’s at all times a very good factor,” Canadiens’ head coach Anthony Iaquinta mentioned. “In case you ask anybody in room, it’s not like we have been celebrating.
“You get the perk of beginning at house and final change (all through the division playoffs) and that may be good for us, however on the finish finish of day everybody in our dressing room is targeted on the identical factor.”
That may be a fifth-straight title and whereas it appears like it will likely be a battle between the Canadiens and 73’s within the closing, the 2 membership’s should first get via quarter-final play, which bought underway Tuesday, after which the semifinals. Following is a fast have a look at the quarter-finals matchups.
No. 1 Lakeshore Canadiens (37-5-0-0) vs. No. 8 Walpole Island Wild (6-36-0-0)
The Canadiens received all six regular-season conferences between the 2 groups and outscored the Wild 41-3 whereas posting three shutouts.
Lakeshore is deep up entrance with 9 gamers in double figures in objectives and 5 with at the least 20 objectives or extra led by Trevor LaRue’s 30-goal efficiency.
It’s a troublesome matchup for the Wild, who allowed a league-leading 249 objectives whereas scoring the fewest objectives within the league. Now, the membership goes up towards the Canadiens, who allowed simply 70 objectives in 42 video games.
Ryan “Pucks” Pyette on the OHL
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“Walpole Island’s been in much more shut video games currently and it may be harder than some anticipate,” Iaquinta mentioned. “We wish to ensure we’re taking part in a sure model.
“The final three or 4 weeks, we’ve hammered house play in our personal finish. We wish to play with some toughness and with some duty they usually’re responded. Heading into the collection, we’re just a little extra assured of how we’re taking part in in our personal finish.”
No. 2 Essex 73’s (35-4-1-2) No. 7 Dresden Kings (6-34-2-0)
The 73’s opened the season with a 14-game successful streak, ultimately made a training change in bringing again former head coach Tony Piroski, however couldn’t maintain off the Canadiens.
“Offensively, we’re as a very good as anybody and nonetheless are, however I assumed some issues (defensively) that we perhaps wanted to do to have success within the playoffs,” mentioned Piroski, who went 15-2 behind the bench after taking on and allowed simply 30 objectives. “When it will get right down to the nitty-gritty, that’s what it comes right down to.”
Essex additionally went 6-0 towards the Kings within the common season and the league’s prime offence scored 50 objectives in these six video games.
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For Piroski, the primary spherical may very well be about persevering with to construct on that defensive recreation and attempting to choose a No. 1 goalie between Adrian McBride, Cavan McCabe and late addition Wyatt Sloetjes, who play junior B in St. Thomas.
“We now have to slender it down to 2, however all of them need to play as a result of they’ve all performed nicely,” Piroski mentioned.
No. 6 Amherstburg Admirals (10-32-0-0) vs. No. 3 Blenheim Blades (28-12-1-1)
For a younger Amherstburg Admirals squad, it is a collection to construct on.
The Admirals completed 38 factors again of the Blades and misplaced five-of-six conferences, however three of these conferences have been by two objectives and one other by a single purpose. Plus, the Admirals’ solely win of the season got here in Blenheim.
“I assumed we really did pretty nicely,” Admirals’ first-year head coach Beau Hunter mentioned. “I assumed we performed nicely towards them. They play a bodily recreation and I feel it will get our guys extra concerned.”
Blenheim was probably the most penalized workforce within the division by almost 200 minutes than another squad. The Admirals might want to take benefit with any manpower probabilities and lean on veterans Jacob Archer, who topped the workforce with 21 objectives in 38 video games, and Mitch Demelo, who is about to return from suspension in the course of the collection. With half the roster stuffed with rookie gamers, first-year ahead Stefan Jacobs was the one different participant to hit double figures in objectives this season with 12.
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“Archer for certain has been within the playoffs and is aware of what it takes to make a run,” Hunter mentioned. “I feel we’re taking part in significantly better and we wish to construct on our younger core.”
No. 4 Wheatley Sharks (25-14-2-1) No. 5 Mooretown Flags (18-17-5-2)
For a lot of the primary half of the season, the Sharks went toe-to-toe in battling for the division’s prime spot earlier than setting in fourth.
“It was a good race just about all through,” Sharks’ head coach Josh Carnevale mentioned. “We had just a little little bit of a nap after Christmas and that was sort of the distinction.”
Wheatley has loads off offensive weapons with the likes of Braedon Caetano (26 objectives), Shannon Olson (23 objectives), Ethan Hamelin (28 objectives) and Kyle Bleau (20 objectives).
General, the Sharks have been plus 72 in objectives for and towards, however should guard towards an opportunistic Mooretown workforce that completed fifth regardless of permitting 10 extra objectives than it scored.
Wheatley received 4 of the six conferences between the 2 groups, tied one other, however misplaced the final assembly in late January at house.
“They benefit from turnovers they usually’ve bought a very good transition recreation,” Carnevale mentioned of the Flags. “With the suitable guys on the ice, they are often harmful. We simply must bear in mind and take away time and house.
“If we play proper approach and the way in which we’ve performed previous few weeks, we’ll be OK, however we’ve to play nicely.”
jpparker@postmedia.com
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