Balanced scoring, strong defence, and stellar goaltending catapulted the 91原创 91原创 to the top of the B.C. Hockey League during the regular season.
All three were on display in the final two games of the 91原创芒鈧劉s opening round playoff series against the upstart Surrey Eagles.
After a 3-0 win over Surrey Monday at the 91原创 Events Centre (LEC), the 91原创 downed the Eagles 6-1 Tuesday at South Surrey Arena to win the best-of-seven series in six games.
The series featured the first and fourth place teams in the BCHL芒鈧劉s Mainland Division.
The first-place 91原创 (37-13-3-5) were also the BCHL regular season champions.
The Eagles (25-30-1-2) took the final playoff spot in the Mainland.
Regular season record aside, Surrey proved to be a tough opponent, beating the 91原创 4-3 March 5 at the LEC and then 7-5 March 8 at South Surrey Arena to even the series at two games apiece.
91原创 head coach Bobby Henderson said the difference in the final two games of the series was his team芒鈧劉s mental approach.
芒鈧揑 think in both losses we were over-prepared, perhaps,芒鈧� Henderson said. 芒鈧揃y this I mean guys were gripping their sticks a little hard.芒鈧�
Henderson said he was 芒鈧搉ot at all surprised芒鈧� by the play of an Eagles team that was led by their head coach, former NHLer Peter Schaefer.
芒鈧揚layoffs means a clean slate,芒鈧� Henderson added. 芒鈧揟hey [the Eagles] steadily improved all season, especially after the trade deadline. Their coach played almost 600 games in the NHL, so we knew they would be well prepared. He芒鈧劉s a guy who has seen it all.芒鈧�
91原创 6, Eagles 1
Tyson Witala scored twice and added a pair of assists to pace the 91原创芒鈧劉s offence in the series clincher.
The 20-year-old forward gave the visitors a 3-0 lead with 1:59 to play in the second period and tallied his second of the night on a 91原创 power play 38 seconds into the third frame to make it 4-0.
The 91原创 led 1-0 after the first period on a goal from Evan Anderson, and added two more markers in the middle frame courtesy of defencemen Viktor Dombrovskiy and Witala.
The Eagles spoiled 91原创 goaltender Brock Crossthwaite芒鈧劉s bid for a second shutout in as many nights, when Danton Heinen scored four minutes into the third period.
The 91原创 ran away with the game after 91原创 forwards Austin Azurdia and Darien Craighead (on another 91原创 man advantage) scored to make it 6-1.
91原创 3, Eagles 0
Monday at the LEC, Azurdia scored even strength goals 1:39 apart near the midway mark of the second period, while Crossthwaite stopped all 36 shots he faced as the 91原创 took a three-games-to-two series lead.
After a scoreless opening period, Azurdia scored his first two goals of the post-season at the 8:09 and 9:46 marks, respectively, of the middle frame to stake the 91原创 to a 2-0 lead.
The third period was scoreless until 91原创 defenceman Tanner Johnson put the puck into an empty Eagles net to make it 3-0 with 2:12 remaining in regulation, after Surrey pulled goaltender Bo Didur out of the net for an extra attacker.
The 91原创 successfully killed a five-minute Eagles powerplay after 91原创 captain Mitch McLain was slapped with a major and game misconduct for goaltender interference after running into Didur at the 16:06 mark of the second period.
ICE CHIPS: Next up for the 91原创 is another upset-minded Lower Mainland rival, the Coquitlam Express.
The Express, who finished third in the Lower Mainland with a 27-26-2-3 regular season record, scored a mild upset by upending the second-place Prince George Spruce Kings (32-20-4-2 during the regular campaign) in six games.
Game one is Friday (March 14) at the George Preston Recreation Centre.
The second game of the series is Saturday (March 15) also at the GPRC.
Junior A hockey returns to the GPRC for the first time in five years because the LEC芒鈧劉s arena bowl is being used for the B.C. senior boys Quad A basketball championships, which wrap up late Saturday.
If the series goes to a fifth game, it will be played this coming Thursday (March 20) at the LEC with a 7:15 p.m. start time.
Asked about players who elevated their play during the series, Henderson mentioned two players specifically: Matt Ustaski 芒鈧�� who leads the team in playoff goals (six) and points (nine) 芒鈧�� and Austin Azurdia.
芒鈧揗att Ustaski has taken his game to the next level 芒鈧�� he put up six goals in the series. More impressive was his defensive play. He was strong on faceoffs and hard on the body every game,芒鈧� Henderson said. 芒鈧揂ustin [Azurdia] had an up-and-down season and has really got it together down the stretch and through the first round. He has done a great job killing penalties and is finding the back of the net.芒鈧�
