The AMBHL playoffs continued over the past couple days with a few series ending. Some very surprising in terms of outcome while others not so much.
In Calgary, the Calgary Royals were in need of a victory to stay alive after falling 4-3 in OT to the Calgary Northstar Sabres on Wednesday night. On Saturday, after trailing the Northstar Sabres 4-3 just 2 minutes in to the 2nd period, the Royals were able to reel off 8 straight goals and take this one 11-4 to tie the best of 3 season at 1-1. For the Royals, it was Josh McCulloch scoring 3 times in the victory. McCulloch was 2nd in team goal scoring in the regular season with 22 in 33 games. Igor Stakic had 1-2-3 and Kyle O'Connor scored a pair of goals as well for the Royals. For the Northstar Sabres, it was Kyler Nachigall scoring twice and Devin Nemes picking up 3 assists. Nachtigall and Nemes were 2nd/3rd respectively in team regular season scoring. The 3rd and deciding game go's on Sunday afternoon.
In Lloydminster, the Leduc Allen's Transport squad made very short work of Lloydminster, eliminating them from the playoffs on Saturday. Leduc outscored Lloydminster 18-6 in a pair of victories. This coming after Lloydminster surprisingly took the season series 2-1 and outscored Leduc 16-14. On Saturday, it was Kord Pankewicz scoring 4 times and Trevor Posch scoring twice in leading Leduc to the win. Evan Polei had 1-2-3. The key for Leduc is their balanced scoring attack and if they can keep the goals against down, they have just as good a shot as anyone. The Lloydminster goalies let up 7 goals on just 33 shots. Leduc will move on to the division finals to play either Spruce Grove or Camrose.
In Camrose AB, it was Spruce Grove needing a victory to stay alive and they got just that with a sound 4-0 victory over the 4th seed Kodiaks. Thomas Foster once again led the way for Spruce Grove with a hat-trick and one assist and figuring in on all 4 markers. Foster now has 6 points in 2 playoff games. Line-mate Matthew McNeil had a goal and 3 assists. McNeil had 2-1-3 in the season series, while Foster had a pair of goals in the 3 games head to head. Foster led all Spruce Grove players in regular season points with 32-21-53. Goalie J.T. Barlett turned aside all 24 shots in the shut-out effort. Barlett had a .930 save percentage in head to head with Camrose this year. Game 3 go's Sunday morning back in Spruce Grove. The winner takes on Leduc in the division final.
In an all Edmonton battle, it was no surprise that Edmonton SSAC defeated Edmonton CAC in two straight games to advance. Edmonton CAC had a very young team and will no doubt be a team to beat next season in the ambhl North. SSAC got goals from 6 different players in this one though en route to a 6-1 series clinching win. Quennville had 1-1-2 in the game. Quennville who finished in the top 5 in league scoring has 2-3-5 in 2 playoff games. Jordan Papirny stopped 27/28 shots. SSAC will play St. Albert or Sherwood Park in the final. St. Albert does lead their series 1-0 and can close it out on Sunday.
In Red Deer, it was Red Deer Black stunning one of the south favorites Aidrie Xtreme 4-3 to knock Airdrie out in 2 straight games. If you remember, Airdrie rolled over Red Deer in the regular season 3-0 in the season series and outscored them 20-2. This has to be very disappointing for Airdrie who had designes on going far this year. Red Deer Black got goals in this one from 4 different players, including the eventual game winner from Gabe Bast in the 3rd to go up 4-2 at the time. Bast had just 3 regular season goals. He also added an assist. Goalie Joey Desrosiers stopped 39/42 shots. In the regular season against Airdrie he stopped 44/47 in a game. Colby Chartier scored twice for Airdrie. Tyler Wong was held to just 1 assist. Red Deer Black will play Red Deer White in the south final.
In Lethbridge, Red Deer White will advance to play Red Deer Black in the division final as they out-lasted Lethbridge by a score of 4-3 in triple Overtime on Friday. Lethbridge was trying to stay alive and held a 3-2 lead in this one until the 14:59 mark of the 3rd period when Matthew Krusky scored to tie it up and force OT. The teams would play in to the 3rd overtime and then at :55 seconds of overtime 3, Chase Thudium scored the series winner. Ty Mappin had a pair of assists, including an assist on the GWG. Mappin finished the 2 games with 2-4-6. Cavin Leth had 1-1-2 for Lethbridge. Jonathan Hogue did all he could to hold his team in it for Lethbridge stopping 52/56 shots.
In Calgary, the Bisons defeated the Calgary Bronks in a 1980's style of game, winning 10-7. The Bisons take the series in 2 straight while racking up 18 goals. The lethal duo of Brayden Point and Tanner MacMaster each scored an impressive 3-3-6 in the game. Both Point and MacMaster have each 4-5-9 in 2 playoff games this year. Alex Mowbray had 1-3-4 in this one. Bisons goalies turned aside just 37/44 shots they faced. For the Bronks, team leader Sam Young had 2-2-4 and Zach Finlay also scored a pair in the loss. Goalie TJ Cairns let in 10 goals on 55 shots. Calgary will advance to play either the Northstar Sabres or Royals in the division final.
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In Winnipeg, it was the Winnipeg Hawks flexing their muscle with a 14-1 victory as league play winds down in that league. Adam Brooks scored 3-2-5. He now has 52 goals on the season. Adam Wowryk and Dallas Starodub each scored twice as well. Dane Schioler picked up 6 assists, giving him 10-51-61 on the season and placing him 2nd in league scoring, 27 points behind Adam Brooks. The season wraps up this weekend with the Hawks playing the Warriors.
Playoffs are set to begin on Thursday with the Hawks taking on the Monarchs and with the Warriors playing the Sharks also on Thursday. Game 2 action go's on Saturday. Both series are best of 7 matchups and will take place at the Ed Golding arena in Winnipeg.
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The Manitoba Rural AA playoffs will get underway from March 4-6 and will feature 2 pools in their bid to become provincial champions.
Pool A
Russell 20-0-0 Parkisimo Bantam League
McDonald 8-10-3 (68-71) Eastman Bantam League
Springfield 5-11-5 (50-87) Eastman Bantam League
Pool B
Interlake - Winnipeg AAA League
Seine River 7-10-4 (61-70) Eastman Bantam League
Southwest Jets 8-11-2 (84-89) Eastman Bantam League
Northern Knights 6-13-2 (58-96) Eastman Bantam League
Bantam AA Draw
Pool 1
Flin Flon -Norman Region
Swan Valley - Parkland Region
Steinbach - Eastman Region
Pool 2
Thompson - Norman Region
Brandon - Winnipeg AAA League
Winkler - Pembina Valley
Pool 3
Portage - Central Plaines
The Pas Host
Morden - 16-4-1 (84-33) Eastman Bantam League
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OMAHA Playoffs
Kamloops 9 - Vernon 3
Game 2 - Sunday 20th
Game 3 - Sunday 27th
Kelowna 5 - Westside 2
Kelowna 6 - Westside 3
PCAHA Playoffs Round 3
Abbotsford 6 - Surrey 0
Cloverdale 5 - Hollyburn 2
45 comments:
WEHP, i've always wondered where you get the info from? Because on PCAHA website it clearly says 6-0 for abby, not 6-2.
Leduc has the most balance in these playoffs and are showing it with all 3 lines scoring! The key is to keep playing as a team defensively.
Just watched the Royals defeat the Sabres in 4 overtimes. As an outside observer, the Sabres goalie #31 was fantastic. Royals big strong and fast. Unfortunately, the referee interfered with the game to give a power play in the 4th OT. If you are a Royal you say damn right he deserved that penalty. If you are a Sabre, you wonder why he put his whistle away for so long then brought it out on a weak call. Too bad someone had to lose this game.
you guys always seem to forget that there are other teams in Wpg besides the Hawks...talk about biased. Must be a good friend of one of the dads. Must be brooks because you have a picture only his dad would have.
Love it, Sabres loss again, some of the fishers (parents)should have nothing to say about the Royals. sabres goaltending was good today and brutal yesterday, overall if the had average goaltending in the series they would of won. Oh, did the Sabres coachs out coach the Royals, I don't think so.
The outside observer here, there seem to be some Royals parents doing a lot of the complaining about their own team and bullies (ie money stuffing in the pockets, parents)not just in the locker room but in the stands. Funny to listen to that stuff. There were a couple of scouts who were not watching hockey that were listening and taking notes.
Watching the Royals all season, its amazing how divided that parent group is. I am a scout, and i've overheard countless negative conversations from royals parents about other kids/parents on the team, the "bad coaching", nothing positive. A few minutes of investigating helped me find out which parents those are. Think that is going to help their kids chances? I dont think so!
Kamloops 10 - Vernon 2
If you are a scout spending time on this site you should lose your job. If you are a scout on this site I'd also have to question the organization that would hire you. Might not be worth playing for.
Red deer black vs red deer white...looking forward to it
I think the Red Deer series will be very good I dont think White will make the mistake Airdrie did It should be a great series as should the Royals /Bisons I will take white and Bisons in three. Only because Mappin should be the difference and I dont see the Royals Goaltending shutting down the Bisons powerplay
The Red Deer series will be very interesting, but have to go with Red Deer Black in 3, White is a one line team as was Airdrie and look what happened there
How is White a 1 line team? 2nd liner mik doell was second n the team in goals...The only 1st lin had 3 goals out of 10 in round 1?
2 red deer teams fighting it out to get their butts swept in next round lol
Should be a good series between Bisons and Royals. If we were the Royals, I would make sure I didn't take any penalties. Point and friends will punish. Should be a good matchup though. Will definitely bring out the real hockey fans. Royals are much bigger and stronger than the Bisons.
The St. Albert vs SSAC series in the North should be a great one. Both big and fast with great goaltending.
Those Alberta parents whining again!!!!! HA HA... From Balmy BC!!!! Thanks for the Monday morning chuckles....
My perspective I have heard alot about the Roayals being a big strong team. And the Bisons being a Much smaller team but when I watch the two teams play I do not see a huge size differnce at all.I looked at the rosters and did some math and the Bisons on average are about the same hieght and 8 pounds smaller per man at the start of the season.I do not see size making a difference in this series the key for the royals is to play hard but clean hockey and try to skate with the Bisons( in my opinion I think they can) If the Roayls try to run the Bisons out of the rink they will be done very quickly. The way the Northstars kept even with the Bisons in there last two meetings was to contain the big line by taking away time and space.The minute the Northstars took penaltys they paid the price.Should be a good one.
"Balmy" has several meanings I agree with you if you are using balmy as a synonym for "crazy"
Bisons are certainly favorite to win series. More high-end scoring. Royals without question have better back-end. Goaltending probably goes to Bisons as well. Coaching, who knows, Bisons have better track record with last season and this, but Royals coaches have also not treaded too far behind with successes. Should be a hell of a series, and if Royals decide to play to their full potential, should be a 3 game series. If lots of penalties in series, Bisons cake-walk with their pp. Which Reid Duke shows up?
anxious to see how the battle of Mappin and Sveinson turns out...both grea hockey players, and the previous games this season between the two teams have been even matched....SHOULD be a great series
red deer white have outscored red deer black, 19-7 and have beat them all 4 times. i dont see where you are coming from saying they are evenly matched.
The Difference between Svenson and Mappin are Mappin is a good One way player Svenson is a average player who is undisaplined. I saying that if Svenson can control his emotions he will keep Mappin from running wild
11:43 If the past shows us anything Reid Duke has not been a clutch scorer so maybe this is Dukes time but in the past it has been the Bisons players who have been clutch through the years Point has been big time big moment player for years as has Mac Master Hill has always been a Money goalie I have to go with the Bisons in this one. Martin has also found the offence in the first series. It will be interesting though an upset is not out of the realm
I have watched these two teams all year. Rebels White has the better defense and one player (Mappin) up front who is by far better than any forward on Black. However, after Mappin Black has more depth and if their second and third lines can outplay White's second and third lines they can win the series. Black shut down Airdrie's big line and can do the same to White. Should be an interesting series.
Have attended all the games between White and Black, if Black stays out of the pentaly box they will have no problem handling White
should be an exciting series. who should get drafted from the red deer teams?
Any predictions on the 2 North series?
SSac and Leduc move on then an upset sees Leduc in the final
Black wins a series and all of a sudden they can beat anybody?...they won't win a game---they had twice as many losses and half as many wins as White...is White going to roll over?...Cinderella only comes around once in a while and all you preaching team and all that are assuming White is not going to be a team all of a sudden...these things only happen once in a while and it just happened with the Extreme---the North Stars almost coulda woulda--- too many mediocre 97's...Steenbergen maybe gets 2 goals in this series--only thing compelling is same small town rivalry (yawn)..that is it--too much emotion and not enough common sense (oh yeah right "anything can happen in the playoffs, blah blah blah" )a fool and his money soon part ways
Black can't contain Mappin.
Rebels black does not have the secondary scoring rebels white has.
Rebels white had there 2nd and 3rd lines scoring 7 outta 10 goals in there first round
Who then is Red Deer Blacks first line scoring? Why are we talking about sveinson... hes got the skills but he doesnt know where to use them! I have watched him play a couple times and he had 4 or more penalties those games.... So it isnt Mappin vs Sveinson! Its gotta be someone like Gerrie or Houston vs mappin!
LOL. What a CHOKE job by the Airdrie Extreme. One line hockey sure does get it done.
It seems to me that White is going into this series the same way that Airdrie did thinking this is going to be easy. Red Deer Black improved their game tremendously at the end of the season, and most certainly shouldn't be taken so lightly or White could find them in the same place as Airdrie...
Rebels Black, also had every line scoring goals, so it looks to me like they are a well balanced team as well..being a Airdrie parent I think White is going to have their hands full with this team..Our team made the mistake of over playing our one line...
I just looked at Rebels Blacks stats. They don't really have a high scorer. Nobody in league's top 50 and nobody with a point a game. Who is there for White to try shut down?
They must have beat Airdrie by having a game plan and spreading out their scoring. Now there's a concept, having all of your players contribute instead of relying on a few studs for team success.
just like abby should stpo relying on virtanen for everything and cloverdale should stop relying on stadel and surrey should stop relying on their 3 fwds and sefair should stpo relying on sandhu and langley on donaldson. Their are few teams that don't have a #1 line that they rely on a lot, and onl one of those teams i can say is successful, BWC! Every team will have guys they rely on heavily to bring certain aspects of hockey to the team. Tyler wong was relied on to score some big goals, did he , nope. Sandhu hasn't done it all year.
RD White vs Black will be a good series. Obviously all of the pressure is on White as they had a better run this season. Black has improved as a team much more and came on really strong towards the end of the season. Black has nothing to lose, and that makes them very dangerous! White playoff run will be considered a failure if they don't move on. The so called 'mediocre' 97's on Black have proved that they are a lot more than that!
The 'mediocre' 97's have all played well in the league this year. We had quite a few "97's" on our Aidrie team and they all had a great year, as for Black they also have quite a few 97's and I give much credit to their coach, he played his 97's as much as the 96's given them the ability to prove themselves, and develop them into great players that in return will make a stronger team for Red Deer next year....
97's wern't a factor---needed the 98
you are right--the 97's helped Black win 9 of 33 games this year---they are only in this league because Red Deer has 90K people..barely enough to field 1 competitive team, tough to field 2---lucky to get lots of wins from the other rural teams but would not do consistently well against the cities to north and south--basic math, not a hater, just basic math
It was my understanding that Red Deer had asked that Edmonton and Calgary be forced to water down their AAA leagues so that they could compete with those cities and win more, basically turning Edmonton and Calgary into advanced AA leagues. There is supposed to be a vote to do that in April with Hockey Alberta I was told.
They said Calgary would be forced to have 2 AAA teams per quadrant, and that each Edmonton association would be forced to supply 2 AAA teams per association.
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