February 27, 2008
2008 OUA MEN'S HOCKEY CONFERENCE FINALS PREVIEW
HAMILTON, Ont. - A quick look at the 2008 Ontario University Athletics (OUA) men's hockey conference finals.
Lakehead vs Brock - #1 West vs #2 West
The No. 3 Lakehead Thunderwolves open OUA Semi Final playoff action on the road Wednesday at the Seymour-Hannah Centre in St. Catharines as they will challenge the formidable Brock Badgers in the best-of-three series; with the winner having the right to play for the Queen's Cup and a guaranteed trip to the CIS National Championships.
Lakehead ended regular season play with a 23-4-1 OUA record (2-1 OUA playoffs); tops in the OUA West and the OUA conference (25-5-1 OUA overall). The Wolves then had the bye week in the OUA first round playoffs and then met the very tough Laurier Golden Hawks in OUA second round action. The Wolves lost Game 1 on the road in Waterloo by a 5-4 decision; then, led by the strong goaltending of Chris Whitley, defeated the Hawks twice in Thunder Bay (3-2, 7-3) to take the series
Brock, the OUA Mid West Division champions, had a 17-8-3 OUA regular season record (2-1 OUA playoffs; 19-9-3 OUA overall) and also had a first round playoff bye. Then they met up with the powerful No. 8 Western Mustangs in OUA second round action and had a barn burner of a series. Game 1 was played in St.
Catharines and the Stangs skated to a 3-2 road win; it looked like trouble for the Badgers. However, they played an excellent game on the road in London to take Game 2 by a 4-3 score in OT. Game 3 went back to St. Kitts and the see saw game saw both teams come back from two goal deficits but it was the Badgers who finally prevailed 6-5 in OT to take the series and move on.
Lakehead Head Coach Don McKee said the series will be a huge test for his squad. "Brock is an extremely well coached hockey club and Coach Nystrom continues to build a program that receives national recognition in the Top Ten throughout the year. They have won games this year with outstanding goaltending, strong defense, and some very talented offensive players; led by Ryan Del Monte and JJ Martin. The week bye for both teams seemed to be the key in winning their quarter-final-series. We are excited about moving one step closer to the Queen's Cup but recognize that Brock is the biggest challenge we will meet on this journey."
Brock Head Coach Murray Nystrom, a Thunder Bay native, said his team is eagerly looking forward to the series. "We are looking forward to this playoff series with Lakehead. Both teams appear to be playing their best and that should make for some outstanding hockey."
Lakehead led the OUA in goals for with 128 while Brock was ninth with 94. Lakehead was tied for third in the conference in goals allowed with 68 while Brock was seventh with 84.
The Wolves have an all-time mark of 10 wins, 1 tie, and 3 losses against the Badgers; all regular season games. Lakehead outscored Brock 65-36 in those 13 games. The two teams met in Thunder Bay in November and split the series; with the Wolves winning 4-1 and Brock taking the second game 6-5 in an overtime shootout.
(Source: Mike Aylward, Lakehead Thunderwolves)
Playoff Series Game Times
Game 1- February 27 - 7:30 pm @ Brock
Game 2- February 29 - 7:30 pm @ Lakehead
Game 3- March 1 - 7:30 pm @ Lakehead (If Necessary)
UQTR vs McGill- #1 East vs #3 East
The McGill Redmen are much more relaxed this season, which is a big reason why they rolled through the first two rounds of the OUA Eastern Conference hockey playoffs with relative ease after suffering a shocking elimination in the second round last season.
\"Last year was tough for all of us,\" head coach Martin Raymond said yesterday. \"The atmosphere around the team was more intense. We put a lot of pressure on ourself, as a team, and players put a lot of pressure on themselves because there were a lot of guys playing their last season and they wanted to go back to the national championship for another kick at the can.
\"The tension and pressure on and around the team was a bit out of control,\" Raymond added. \"It was a learning experience for us, even for me as a coach. It was the first time we had been conference playoff champions and for us it was an eye-opener.\"
The Redmen are in Trois Rivières tonight to face the Patriotes in Game 1 of the best-of-three conference final. Game 2 is Friday at 7 p.m. at McGill's McConnell Arena.
McGill has returned to the Eastern final for the second time in three years. Their bid to return to the national championship last year was derailed with a second-round playoff loss to the upstart Toronto Varsity Blues.
The Redmen will be facing the Patriotes in the Eastern final for the second time in three years. Trois Rivières, which finished first in the Far East Division - eight points ahead of second-place McGill - has lost only once in the previous 12 playoff series between the two teams.
Goaltender Mathieu Poitras has played a key role in the Redmen reaching the Eastern final this season after sweeping the first two best-of-three series, against Ottawa and Queen's. The fourth-year senior from Gatineau, who played major-junior hockey with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, has allowed only five goals in four playoff games after posting a 2.24 goals-against average in 22 regular-season games.
The Redmen and Patriotes split the four games they played against each other during the regular season and McGill's game plan is to set the tone for the series as soon as the puck drops tonight.
\"We'll certainly do everything we can to get on top of this series early, so we can come back Friday night at home with a win under our belt,\" Raymond said.
By RANDY PHILLIPS
(reprinted from The Gazette)
Playoff Series Game Times
Game 1- February 27 - 7:00 pm @ UQTR
Game 2- February 29 - 7:00 pm @ McGill
Game 3- March 2 - 7:00 pm @ UQTR (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
Lakehead vs Brock - #1 West vs #2 West
The No. 3 Lakehead Thunderwolves open OUA Semi Final playoff action on the road Wednesday at the Seymour-Hannah Centre in St. Catharines as they will challenge the formidable Brock Badgers in the best-of-three series; with the winner having the right to play for the Queen's Cup and a guaranteed trip to the CIS National Championships.
Lakehead ended regular season play with a 23-4-1 OUA record (2-1 OUA playoffs); tops in the OUA West and the OUA conference (25-5-1 OUA overall). The Wolves then had the bye week in the OUA first round playoffs and then met the very tough Laurier Golden Hawks in OUA second round action. The Wolves lost Game 1 on the road in Waterloo by a 5-4 decision; then, led by the strong goaltending of Chris Whitley, defeated the Hawks twice in Thunder Bay (3-2, 7-3) to take the series
Brock, the OUA Mid West Division champions, had a 17-8-3 OUA regular season record (2-1 OUA playoffs; 19-9-3 OUA overall) and also had a first round playoff bye. Then they met up with the powerful No. 8 Western Mustangs in OUA second round action and had a barn burner of a series. Game 1 was played in St.
Catharines and the Stangs skated to a 3-2 road win; it looked like trouble for the Badgers. However, they played an excellent game on the road in London to take Game 2 by a 4-3 score in OT. Game 3 went back to St. Kitts and the see saw game saw both teams come back from two goal deficits but it was the Badgers who finally prevailed 6-5 in OT to take the series and move on.
Lakehead Head Coach Don McKee said the series will be a huge test for his squad. "Brock is an extremely well coached hockey club and Coach Nystrom continues to build a program that receives national recognition in the Top Ten throughout the year. They have won games this year with outstanding goaltending, strong defense, and some very talented offensive players; led by Ryan Del Monte and JJ Martin. The week bye for both teams seemed to be the key in winning their quarter-final-series. We are excited about moving one step closer to the Queen's Cup but recognize that Brock is the biggest challenge we will meet on this journey."
Brock Head Coach Murray Nystrom, a Thunder Bay native, said his team is eagerly looking forward to the series. "We are looking forward to this playoff series with Lakehead. Both teams appear to be playing their best and that should make for some outstanding hockey."
Lakehead led the OUA in goals for with 128 while Brock was ninth with 94. Lakehead was tied for third in the conference in goals allowed with 68 while Brock was seventh with 84.
The Wolves have an all-time mark of 10 wins, 1 tie, and 3 losses against the Badgers; all regular season games. Lakehead outscored Brock 65-36 in those 13 games. The two teams met in Thunder Bay in November and split the series; with the Wolves winning 4-1 and Brock taking the second game 6-5 in an overtime shootout.
(Source: Mike Aylward, Lakehead Thunderwolves)
Playoff Series Game Times
Game 1- February 27 - 7:30 pm @ Brock
Game 2- February 29 - 7:30 pm @ Lakehead
Game 3- March 1 - 7:30 pm @ Lakehead (If Necessary)
UQTR vs McGill- #1 East vs #3 East
The McGill Redmen are much more relaxed this season, which is a big reason why they rolled through the first two rounds of the OUA Eastern Conference hockey playoffs with relative ease after suffering a shocking elimination in the second round last season.
\"Last year was tough for all of us,\" head coach Martin Raymond said yesterday. \"The atmosphere around the team was more intense. We put a lot of pressure on ourself, as a team, and players put a lot of pressure on themselves because there were a lot of guys playing their last season and they wanted to go back to the national championship for another kick at the can.
\"The tension and pressure on and around the team was a bit out of control,\" Raymond added. \"It was a learning experience for us, even for me as a coach. It was the first time we had been conference playoff champions and for us it was an eye-opener.\"
The Redmen are in Trois Rivières tonight to face the Patriotes in Game 1 of the best-of-three conference final. Game 2 is Friday at 7 p.m. at McGill's McConnell Arena.
McGill has returned to the Eastern final for the second time in three years. Their bid to return to the national championship last year was derailed with a second-round playoff loss to the upstart Toronto Varsity Blues.
The Redmen will be facing the Patriotes in the Eastern final for the second time in three years. Trois Rivières, which finished first in the Far East Division - eight points ahead of second-place McGill - has lost only once in the previous 12 playoff series between the two teams.
Goaltender Mathieu Poitras has played a key role in the Redmen reaching the Eastern final this season after sweeping the first two best-of-three series, against Ottawa and Queen's. The fourth-year senior from Gatineau, who played major-junior hockey with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, has allowed only five goals in four playoff games after posting a 2.24 goals-against average in 22 regular-season games.
The Redmen and Patriotes split the four games they played against each other during the regular season and McGill's game plan is to set the tone for the series as soon as the puck drops tonight.
\"We'll certainly do everything we can to get on top of this series early, so we can come back Friday night at home with a win under our belt,\" Raymond said.
By RANDY PHILLIPS
(reprinted from The Gazette)
Playoff Series Game Times
Game 1- February 27 - 7:00 pm @ UQTR
Game 2- February 29 - 7:00 pm @ McGill
Game 3- March 2 - 7:00 pm @ UQTR (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
