February 13, 2008
2008 OUA MEN'S HOCKEY PLAYOFF PREVIEW
HAMILTON, Ont. - A quick look at the 2008 Ontario University Athletics (OUA) men's hockey first round playoff match-ups.
Western vs York- #3 West vs #6 West
In a tight battle for playoff positioning in the west division down the stretch, the York Lions (14-11-0-3) find themselves matched up with the No. 9 Western Mustangs (18-5-0-5) for the first round of the playoffs. In a regular season series which saw the Mustangs take the home and home series 2-0 (2-1 and 4-1) the Lions will have to find a way to put the puck past Western goaltender Brad Topping (Strathroy, ON). Topping currently sits fourth in the CIS and third in the OUA with a goals against average of 2.15, has two shutouts on the season and a .920 save percentage. York will need to find their leader in forward Tyler Harrison (Whitby, ON) who leads the team in points with nine goals and 20 assists on the season. Western will also have to watch their power play opportunities as the Lion's Chris Jones (Grafton, ON) has eight short handed goals on the season. The Mustangs will counter with veteran Kevin Richardson (South Surrey, BC) who currently sits third in the OUA in points with 18 goals and 26 assists on the year.
Playoff Series Game Times
Game 1- February 14 - 7:00 pm @ Western
Game 2- February 16 - 2:00 pm @ York
Game 3- February 17 - 7:00 pm @ Western (If Necessary)
Waterloo vs Laurier- #4 West vs #5 West
In what might be the most exciting series of the first round, the battle of Waterloo will take centre stage in the west which sees the Waterloo Warriors (18-10-0-0) take on the Laurier Golden Hawks (16-9-0-3). Both teams finished their regular season last weekend against the Windsor Lancers, which saw the Golden Hawks lose a tight battle in overtime 5-4. Waterloo had a different outcome as they will look to carry their momentum of their 6-0 victory into the playoffs. With a regular season series tied at two games a piece, these two teams will see a tough first round draw. The Golden Hawks will look to the one-two punch of brothers, Craig and Mark Voakes (St.Thomas, ON) who both finished the season tied for sixth in the OUA scoring race with 42 points. Waterloo will counter with their offensive power of Kevin Hurley (Kitchener, ON) who finished with 13 goals and 22 assists on the season. Both goaltenders will need to step up their game if their team is to move on to the next round. Warrior netminder, Jimmy Bernier (Baie Comeau, QC) comes into the series with a .896 goals against average, while Golden Hawks veteran Jeff MacDougald finished the regular season with a .890 goals against average.
Playoff Series Game Times
Game 1- February 13 - 7:30 pm @ Waterloo
Game 2- February 15 - 7:30 pm @ Laurier
Game 3- February 17 - 7:30 pm @ Waterloo (If Necessary)
McGill vs Carleton- #3 East vs #6 East
No.10 McGill Redmen and Carleton Ravens are set to go toe-to-toe during the first round of the OUA hockey playoffs tonight. Both teams concluded their regular season this past weekend as the Redmen dropped a close one to the No.5 UQTR Patriotes 1-0 while Carleton skated to a 7-1 victory over the Ottawa Gee-Gees to clinch their berth into the playoffs. McGill who finished the regular season with a 18-9-0-1 record will rely heavily on veteran goaltender Mathieu Poitras (Gatineau, QC) who sits fourth in the OUA with a goals against average of 2.24. For their offensive power McGill will turn to fifth-year Shawn Shewchuk (Lloydminister, AB) who finished the season with a team leading nine goals and 26 assists for 35 points on the year. Carleton (12-13-0-3) will have to bring everyone to the table in this series as McGill won the head-to-head competition during the regular season three games to one, with their most recent win coming February 8, with a score of 5-3. Carleton's leadership will come from Jared Cipparone (Tecumseh, ON) who is the front man of the team offensively with 11 goals and 26 assists.
Playoff Series Game Times
Game 1-February 13 - 7:00 pm @ McGill
Game 2-February 15 - 7:00 pm @ Carleton
Game 3-Februray 17 - 5:00 pm @ McGill (If Necessary)
Ottawa vs Toronto- #4 East vs #5 East
The Ottawa Gee-Gees (14-12-0-2) and Toronto Varsity Blues (13-13-0-2) set to make a return to the OUA playoffs in 2008 Wednesday night. Ottawa will try to take their first win of the season against a tough Toronto team who has taken all four points this season with scores of 4-3 back on December 2, and 3-1 January 5th. Ottawa is coming in with a bit of momentum after rebounding from their 7-1 defeat at the hands of the Carleton Ravens to take a 4-3 victory in their last game of the season against Concordia. With the graduation of last year's front man Ben McLeod (Edmonton, AB), Ottawa will turn to third year left winger Dan McDonald (New Liskeard, ON) who led the team offensively this season with 14 goals and 18 assists. Ottawa will rely on strong performances from rookie goaltender Riley Whitlock (Calgary, AB) who finished the season fifth in the OUA with a goals against average of 2.36. Toronto will counter with the offensive power of Anthony Pallotta (Bolton, ON) and Mark Heatley (Calgary, AB) who led the team in points this season with 40 and 38 respectively in 28 games. Pallotta finished the season tenth in OUA scoring tallying 22 goals and 18 assists on the season.
Playoff Series Game Times
Game 1- February 13 - 7:30 pm @ Toronto
Game 2- February 15 - 7:00 pm @ Ottawa
Game 3- February 17 - 7:00 pm @ Ottawa (If Necessary)
- OUA -
Michelle Church
Communications & Media Relations Coordinator
Ontario University Athletics
Tel: (905) 540-5156
Fax: (905) 574-2840
E-mail: michelle.church@oua.ca
Web: www.oua.ca
Western vs York- #3 West vs #6 West
In a tight battle for playoff positioning in the west division down the stretch, the York Lions (14-11-0-3) find themselves matched up with the No. 9 Western Mustangs (18-5-0-5) for the first round of the playoffs. In a regular season series which saw the Mustangs take the home and home series 2-0 (2-1 and 4-1) the Lions will have to find a way to put the puck past Western goaltender Brad Topping (Strathroy, ON). Topping currently sits fourth in the CIS and third in the OUA with a goals against average of 2.15, has two shutouts on the season and a .920 save percentage. York will need to find their leader in forward Tyler Harrison (Whitby, ON) who leads the team in points with nine goals and 20 assists on the season. Western will also have to watch their power play opportunities as the Lion's Chris Jones (Grafton, ON) has eight short handed goals on the season. The Mustangs will counter with veteran Kevin Richardson (South Surrey, BC) who currently sits third in the OUA in points with 18 goals and 26 assists on the year.
Playoff Series Game Times
Game 1- February 14 - 7:00 pm @ Western
Game 2- February 16 - 2:00 pm @ York
Game 3- February 17 - 7:00 pm @ Western (If Necessary)
Waterloo vs Laurier- #4 West vs #5 West
In what might be the most exciting series of the first round, the battle of Waterloo will take centre stage in the west which sees the Waterloo Warriors (18-10-0-0) take on the Laurier Golden Hawks (16-9-0-3). Both teams finished their regular season last weekend against the Windsor Lancers, which saw the Golden Hawks lose a tight battle in overtime 5-4. Waterloo had a different outcome as they will look to carry their momentum of their 6-0 victory into the playoffs. With a regular season series tied at two games a piece, these two teams will see a tough first round draw. The Golden Hawks will look to the one-two punch of brothers, Craig and Mark Voakes (St.Thomas, ON) who both finished the season tied for sixth in the OUA scoring race with 42 points. Waterloo will counter with their offensive power of Kevin Hurley (Kitchener, ON) who finished with 13 goals and 22 assists on the season. Both goaltenders will need to step up their game if their team is to move on to the next round. Warrior netminder, Jimmy Bernier (Baie Comeau, QC) comes into the series with a .896 goals against average, while Golden Hawks veteran Jeff MacDougald finished the regular season with a .890 goals against average.
Playoff Series Game Times
Game 1- February 13 - 7:30 pm @ Waterloo
Game 2- February 15 - 7:30 pm @ Laurier
Game 3- February 17 - 7:30 pm @ Waterloo (If Necessary)
McGill vs Carleton- #3 East vs #6 East
No.10 McGill Redmen and Carleton Ravens are set to go toe-to-toe during the first round of the OUA hockey playoffs tonight. Both teams concluded their regular season this past weekend as the Redmen dropped a close one to the No.5 UQTR Patriotes 1-0 while Carleton skated to a 7-1 victory over the Ottawa Gee-Gees to clinch their berth into the playoffs. McGill who finished the regular season with a 18-9-0-1 record will rely heavily on veteran goaltender Mathieu Poitras (Gatineau, QC) who sits fourth in the OUA with a goals against average of 2.24. For their offensive power McGill will turn to fifth-year Shawn Shewchuk (Lloydminister, AB) who finished the season with a team leading nine goals and 26 assists for 35 points on the year. Carleton (12-13-0-3) will have to bring everyone to the table in this series as McGill won the head-to-head competition during the regular season three games to one, with their most recent win coming February 8, with a score of 5-3. Carleton's leadership will come from Jared Cipparone (Tecumseh, ON) who is the front man of the team offensively with 11 goals and 26 assists.
Playoff Series Game Times
Game 1-February 13 - 7:00 pm @ McGill
Game 2-February 15 - 7:00 pm @ Carleton
Game 3-Februray 17 - 5:00 pm @ McGill (If Necessary)
Ottawa vs Toronto- #4 East vs #5 East
The Ottawa Gee-Gees (14-12-0-2) and Toronto Varsity Blues (13-13-0-2) set to make a return to the OUA playoffs in 2008 Wednesday night. Ottawa will try to take their first win of the season against a tough Toronto team who has taken all four points this season with scores of 4-3 back on December 2, and 3-1 January 5th. Ottawa is coming in with a bit of momentum after rebounding from their 7-1 defeat at the hands of the Carleton Ravens to take a 4-3 victory in their last game of the season against Concordia. With the graduation of last year's front man Ben McLeod (Edmonton, AB), Ottawa will turn to third year left winger Dan McDonald (New Liskeard, ON) who led the team offensively this season with 14 goals and 18 assists. Ottawa will rely on strong performances from rookie goaltender Riley Whitlock (Calgary, AB) who finished the season fifth in the OUA with a goals against average of 2.36. Toronto will counter with the offensive power of Anthony Pallotta (Bolton, ON) and Mark Heatley (Calgary, AB) who led the team in points this season with 40 and 38 respectively in 28 games. Pallotta finished the season tenth in OUA scoring tallying 22 goals and 18 assists on the season.
Playoff Series Game Times
Game 1- February 13 - 7:30 pm @ Toronto
Game 2- February 15 - 7:00 pm @ Ottawa
Game 3- February 17 - 7:00 pm @ Ottawa (If Necessary)
- OUA -
Michelle Church
Communications & Media Relations Coordinator
Ontario University Athletics
Tel: (905) 540-5156
Fax: (905) 574-2840
E-mail: michelle.church@oua.ca
Web: www.oua.ca
