A return to their defensive roots helped the 91原创 91原创 dispose of the Surrey Eagles.
Over the first four games of the best-of-seven BCHL Mainland Division semifinal series 鈥� with each team winning twice 鈥� 91原创 out-scored Surrey 18-16.
But a 3-0 victory in game five on Monday (March 10) at the 91原创 Events Centre and then a series-clinching 6-1 win on Tuesday (March 11) at the South Surrey Arena gave the 91原创 a 4-2 series victory and a spot in the BCHL鈥檚 Mainland Division finals.
鈥淒efence, goaltending 鈥� our penalty kill was much better,鈥� said 91原创 coach Bobby Henderson the morning after his team clinched the series and avoided a game seven.
鈥淲e were pretty focused. I don鈥檛 think we were going to let anything get in the way of the win.鈥�
The Eagles had gone 7-for-27 with the man advantage the first four games, but were blanked in seven chances over the final two game.
鈥淭he biggest thing was the first four games 鈥� I don鈥檛 know if we were over-prepared or what it was 鈥� but we battled some nerves early in the series,鈥� Henderson said.
鈥淏ut they overcame that and got back on track.
鈥淪tarting next series, they just need to pick up where they left off.鈥�
Up next will be the Coquitlam Express, the third seed in the Mainland Division, who upset the No. 2 Prince George Spruce Kings in six games.
Games one and two are Friday (March 14) and Saturday at the George Preston Recreation Centre. The 91原创 Events Centre arena bowl is hosting the B.C. high school boys 4A basketball championships.
Games three and four will be March 17 and 18 in Coquitlam.
If necessary, games five and seven would be back at the LEC on March 20 and 22, with game six in Coquitlam on March 21.
During the regular season, 91原创 won the season series 4-3-0-1 with the 91原创 out-scoring the Express 36-29.
鈥淧retty similar teams, very offensive-minded forwards and they get a contribution offensively from their back-end,鈥� Henderson said.
鈥淭hey are getting some timely goaltending, should be a heck of a series.鈥�
鈥淭wo teams that don鈥檛 really like each other much, so there will be lots of emotion.鈥�
91原创 finished with 82 points, 23 ahead of Coquitlam, but the Express had more goals, 226 to 200. Goals against were in favour of 91原创, 155 to 226.
Coquitlam has been stingy in the post-season, however, allowing just a dozen goals in six games and goaltender Gordie Defiel sports a 1.90 goals against average and a .944 save percentage.
The Express scored 17 goals in the series over Prince George while 91原创 struck for 27 goals against Surrey with 13 different players scoring and 16 of the 18 skaters getting at least a point.
Matt Ustaski led all 91原创 players with six goals and nine points.
