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CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — Two groups with a protracted playoff historical past will renew acquaintances within the Atlantic College Sport (AUS) Males’s Hockey Convention quarter-finals.
The UPEI Panthers and Moncton Blue Eagles, who had some memorable playoff matchups by means of the Eighties and ’90s, open the best-of-three quarter-final sequence at MacLauchlan Enviornment in Charlottetown on Feb. 15. Puck drop is 7 p.m.
“Traditionally, Moncton has been an amazing rival with UPEI,” mentioned Panthers head coach Forbie MacPherson. “We really feel we’re comparable groups.
“Each time we play one another, they’re shut and aggressive video games. There may be not a lot within the distinction. There may be not a number of room for error. We all know we’ve to have our guys ready and able to go.”
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The Panthers accomplished the common season in third place with a document of 17-10-2-1 (won-lost-overtime losses). Moncton completed in sixth spot at 11-17-1-1.
Each groups struggled down the stretch because the Panthers went 3-7 and Moncton enters the playoffs having misplaced 5 video games in a row and 9 of their final 10.
“We all know they’re a passionate crew, and we see that each time we play them,” mentioned Panthers left-winger Kyle Maksimovich, who recorded 14 objectives and 29 factors in 26 regular-season video games. “We predict them to return out with the identical sort of fireplace.
“They’re a quick crew, too, so we’ve to discover a solution to shut down that velocity and nonetheless play our sport. It’s going to be an important sequence, and the blokes are trying ahead to it.”
Accidents
The Panthers go into the playoffs with some key gamers – top-scoring defenceman Matt Brassard (27 factors in 22 video games), crew captain, main point-getter and goal-scorer Troy Lajeunesse (30 factors, 15 objectives in 28 video games), ahead Daylon Groulx (three factors in 14 video games) and defenceman Conor MacEachern (six factors in 29 video games) – battling accidents.
“Some guys shall be out for some time, and if the whole lot goes completely, we’d have a participant or two again for this sequence,” mentioned MacPherson. “Each man’s state of affairs is a bit completely different. We all know for certain that some guys received’t be in, and we hope one or two shall be in.”
“Traditionally, Moncton has been an amazing rival with UPEI.” – Forbie MacPherson.
MacPherson mentioned the Panthers aren’t any completely different than different groups as they’ve gamers, when wholesome, who’ve extra duty than others. MacPherson is assured the crew’s depth, which the top coach described as a energy of his crew, will assist with the accidents.
“Whoever is in our lineup, we just like the gamers we’ve, and we just like the group who shall be carrying the jersey on Wednesday night time,” mentioned MacPherson. “We all know we are going to get a great effort from them.
“We’re assured in all our guys. … Guys have performed in a number of roles, up and down the lineup, out and in of the lineup, so the blokes who’re wholesome are able to go. We shall be able to go as a crew.”
MacPherson confirmed goaltender Jonah Capriotti, who earned 13 of the crew’s 17 regular-season wins, will begin Recreation 1.
The Panthers are hoping the playoff opener is the beginning of a protracted playoff run, which is able to conclude on the U Sports activities nationwide males’s hockey championship at Eastlink Centre in Charlottetown, March 16-19. Regardless how the Panthers fare within the post-season, they’re assured a berth within the nationals as host crew.
“We all know our ticket is punched to nationals, however we wish to earn our manner there, too,” mentioned Maksimovich, a 24-year-old from Hamilton, Ont. “I believe we’ve a reasonably particular group and we’ve proven that all through the common season.
“We don’t wish to present as much as nationals as a result of we’re internet hosting; we wish to present up there as a result of we received the league. It’s a giant playoff run we’re trying ahead to.”
At a look
A take a look at the UPEI-Moncton males’s hockey quarter-final sequence:
Schedule
- Feb. 15 – Recreation 1: Moncton at UPEI (MacLauchlan Enviornment, Charlottetown), 7 p.m.
- Feb. 17 – Recreation 2: UPEI at Moncton (J. Louis Levesque Enviornment), 7 p.m.
- Feb. 19 – Recreation 3, if crucial: Moncton at UPEI (APM Centre, Cornwall), 7 p.m.
Data
- UPEI – 17-10-2-1 (won-lost-overtime losses), third place.
- Moncton – 11-17-1-1, sixth place.
Head-to-Head
- Oct. 25 – UPEI 2 at Moncton 4.
- Nov. 5 – UPEI 2 at Moncton 1.
- Nov. 30 – Moncton 1 at UPEI 4.
- Jan. 4 – Moncton 2 at UPEI 3 (OT).
- Jan. 8 – Moncton 2 at UPEI 4.
Leaders
- Factors – UPEI: Troy Lajeunesse (39); Moncton: Nathael Roy (24).
- Objectives – UPEI: Troy Lajeunesse (15); Moncton: Nathael Roy (14).
- Assists – UPEI: Matt Brassard (24); Moncton: Jacob Dion (19).
- Energy-play objectives – UPEI: Troy Lajeunesse (7); Moncton: Nathael Roy (5).
- Quick-handed objectives – UPEI: 4 gamers tied with 1; Moncton: 5 gamers tied with 1.
- Recreation-winning objectives – UPEI: Drake Pilon (4); Moncton: Mika Cyr (3).
- Goaltending wins – UPEI: Jonah Capriotti (13); Moncton: Etienne Montpetit (9).
- Objectives-against common – UPEI: Jonah Capriotti (2,50); Moncton: Felix-Anthony Ethier (2.61).
- Save share – UPEI: Jonah Capriotti (.915); Moncton: Felix-Anthony Ethier (.915).
Jason Simmonds is a sports activities editor with the SaltWire Community in Prince Edward Island. He might be reached by electronic mail at [email protected] and adopted on Twitter @JpsportsJason.