Panthers in to challenge the champs
February 23, 2012
AUS semi.nals |Best-offive series opens Friday
The table is set for the Atlantic University Sport men's hockey conference semifinal match up between the University of Prince Edward Island Panthers and University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds.
The Panthers earned a spot in the semis with a 6-5 win in a double-overtime thriller against the Acadia Axemen Monday night in the third and deciding game of that quarter final bout.
The Reds' first-place regular season finish granted them a bye into the second round, giving the team two weeks rest after the conclusion of the 28game regular season schedule.
UNB head coach Gardiner Mac-Dougall said the rest period was beneficial to his players, allowing them to lick their wounds in preparation for what should be an exciting best-offive match up.
'The two-week break has been great for our club, on and off the ice,' said MacDougall, whose Reds won the AUS last year before going on to take the Canadian University Sport championship on home ice. 'We were able to pay attention to the little details. Those are what make a big difference. We had some great practices, and it allowed the student-athletes, with midterms and what not, to put an emphasis on the academic side of things.'
'They are after all student-athletes,' he added. 'Now hopefully they can be athlete-students.' In the Panthers, the Reds are up against their most formidable 2011-12 AUS opponent.
The Panthers took the four-game regular season series between the two teams 3-1, although in two of those victories, fill-in goalie Matt Davis suited up for UNB and backup man Dan LaCosta played another.
UPEI head coach Forbes MacPherson said it's no secret his team is going up against the best university team in Canada.
But he believes the Panthers' fearless 'cowboy' mentality deflates any perceived disadvantages to his team going into Friday night's 7 p.m. series opener at the Aitken Centre. Game two in the series goes Saturday night at the Aitken Centre.
'There's no question they have the track record, the experience, and they've had the success,' said MacPherson. 'But they are still just players in the CIS, and we're all in the same league. When you get past the UNB brand, and you realize you're skating on the same sheet of ice as they are...Once you get past the aura of UNB, that's a big step. And that's where our guys are. They are ready to lay it on the line.' The Panthers' road to the semis was paved by a come-from-behind gamethree performance that saw their star player Matt Carter rise to the occasion and pot the game-tying and winning goals in the decisive contest.
The senior forward scored five in the three games vs. Acadia.
Along with Carter, the Panthers will lean on the firepower of freshman Chris Desousa, and juniors Jared Gomes and Jordan Knox, to break through the wall that is the UNB defence corps.
But even if they are able to penetrate the Reds' blue line, which held opposing shooters to a league-low 22.5 shots per game in the regular season, they still have to get the puck past goaltender Travis Fullerton, who boasted an 11-1 record this season.
At the other end, the Panthers' net minder is no slouch either. Rookie Mavric Parks emerged as the go-to guy for UPEI, earning the playoff start over veteran Jhase Sniderman.
He started all three games against Acadia.
'In that final game, Acadia at one point had taken total control,' said MacPherson. 'He stepped up and made some huge saves for us. We were able to claw our way back into the game, we tied it, and in overtime he made some timely stops to get us the victory.' MacDougall said the Reds' 6-1 finish in their last seven games was the right note on which to end the regular season, and he's confident his crew will carry that over into Friday's game. 'UPEI is a good opponent, they've had a successful season,' said Mac-Dougall. 'At this time, we're getting ourselves ready the best we can. I like the way we finished. We had some adversity through the second half, but the last seven games we started to play the type of hockey we needed. Special teams will be key. A lot of times it's a goal difference (in playoffs).' If the series does come down to special teams, fans will be in for a good one.
Both UNB and UPEI registered a league-best 12 short handed goals, while on the power play, the Panthers topped the AUS with 35 markers.
Seventeen special teams goals were traded between the two squads during the regular season.
The table is set for the Atlantic University Sport men's hockey conference semifinal match up between the University of Prince Edward Island Panthers and University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds.
The Panthers earned a spot in the semis with a 6-5 win in a double-overtime thriller against the Acadia Axemen Monday night in the third and deciding game of that quarter final bout.
The Reds' first-place regular season finish granted them a bye into the second round, giving the team two weeks rest after the conclusion of the 28game regular season schedule.
UNB head coach Gardiner Mac-Dougall said the rest period was beneficial to his players, allowing them to lick their wounds in preparation for what should be an exciting best-offive match up.
'The two-week break has been great for our club, on and off the ice,' said MacDougall, whose Reds won the AUS last year before going on to take the Canadian University Sport championship on home ice. 'We were able to pay attention to the little details. Those are what make a big difference. We had some great practices, and it allowed the student-athletes, with midterms and what not, to put an emphasis on the academic side of things.'
'They are after all student-athletes,' he added. 'Now hopefully they can be athlete-students.' In the Panthers, the Reds are up against their most formidable 2011-12 AUS opponent.
The Panthers took the four-game regular season series between the two teams 3-1, although in two of those victories, fill-in goalie Matt Davis suited up for UNB and backup man Dan LaCosta played another.
UPEI head coach Forbes MacPherson said it's no secret his team is going up against the best university team in Canada.
But he believes the Panthers' fearless 'cowboy' mentality deflates any perceived disadvantages to his team going into Friday night's 7 p.m. series opener at the Aitken Centre. Game two in the series goes Saturday night at the Aitken Centre.
'There's no question they have the track record, the experience, and they've had the success,' said MacPherson. 'But they are still just players in the CIS, and we're all in the same league. When you get past the UNB brand, and you realize you're skating on the same sheet of ice as they are...Once you get past the aura of UNB, that's a big step. And that's where our guys are. They are ready to lay it on the line.' The Panthers' road to the semis was paved by a come-from-behind gamethree performance that saw their star player Matt Carter rise to the occasion and pot the game-tying and winning goals in the decisive contest.
The senior forward scored five in the three games vs. Acadia.
Along with Carter, the Panthers will lean on the firepower of freshman Chris Desousa, and juniors Jared Gomes and Jordan Knox, to break through the wall that is the UNB defence corps.
But even if they are able to penetrate the Reds' blue line, which held opposing shooters to a league-low 22.5 shots per game in the regular season, they still have to get the puck past goaltender Travis Fullerton, who boasted an 11-1 record this season.
At the other end, the Panthers' net minder is no slouch either. Rookie Mavric Parks emerged as the go-to guy for UPEI, earning the playoff start over veteran Jhase Sniderman.
He started all three games against Acadia.
'In that final game, Acadia at one point had taken total control,' said MacPherson. 'He stepped up and made some huge saves for us. We were able to claw our way back into the game, we tied it, and in overtime he made some timely stops to get us the victory.' MacDougall said the Reds' 6-1 finish in their last seven games was the right note on which to end the regular season, and he's confident his crew will carry that over into Friday's game. 'UPEI is a good opponent, they've had a successful season,' said Mac-Dougall. 'At this time, we're getting ourselves ready the best we can. I like the way we finished. We had some adversity through the second half, but the last seven games we started to play the type of hockey we needed. Special teams will be key. A lot of times it's a goal difference (in playoffs).' If the series does come down to special teams, fans will be in for a good one.
Both UNB and UPEI registered a league-best 12 short handed goals, while on the power play, the Panthers topped the AUS with 35 markers.
Seventeen special teams goals were traded between the two squads during the regular season.