G-men set for toughest test yet

[nivek_wahs]

http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/sports/story.html?id=bf1ab793-2ef6-48b8-8071-32fc6c375063

G-men set for toughest test yet
WHL Final: Medicine Hat boasts league MVP in D Russell and strong goalie in Keetley
Steve Ewen, The Province
Published: Friday, May 04, 2007

MEDICINE HAT -- This WHL championship series between the Vancouver Giants and Medicine Hat Tigers is so close on paper that it's hard to guess which guys in the know really know.

For instance, one NHL scout familiar with both teams insists that it's the Giants who have the best offensive depth. Another big-league bird dog up on the goings-on contends that it's the Tigers with more firepower. This has photo finish written all over it.

"It's like the Buffalo Sabres playing the New Jersey Devils," said one of our experts. "You've got the speed [Medicine Hat] against the structure and the system [Vancouver]."

The other scout said: "I don't know how you'd call this series. Both teams are well coached, both teams are disciplined."

The clubs split their two regular-season games this year, both of which were played in Medicine Hat. Vancouver won 5-4 on Nov. 3, while the Tigers won 3-2 on Jan. 12.

The Giants, in particular, are a very different team than in either of those contests, what with how they've jelled in the postseason.

Here's a breakdown of the series, which starts tonight in Medicine Hat.

COACHING

There aren't too many guys left in major junior with the pedigree of Giants coach Don Hay. Willie Desjardins of Medicine Hat is right there, including leading the Tigers to a berth in the Memorial Cup in 2004. This match-up alone might be worth watching this series.

EDGE: Even

SCORERS

The Tigers might be the quickest team in the WHL. Vancouver are no slowpokes, though, and speedster wingers Kenndal McArdle (10-8-18 in the playoffs) and Michal Repik (8-12-20) have been particularly good all postseason. Both teams like to play four lines and can get production from each.

EDGE: Even

GRINDERS

The Giants are the big, burly bruisers of the WHL. The Tigers are no pushovers, though. They didn't back down when the Giants came to town for the Nov. 3 game, evidenced by winger Derek Dorsett fighting Garet Hunt off the opening draw and D-man Jordan Bendfeld scrapping Giants winger Milan Lucic on the ensuing face-off. Don't expect that again, but do realize that Vancouver's fiendish forecheck has worn out and worried opponents the past two rounds.

EDGE: Giants

DEFENCEMEN

The league's most valuable player, Tiger captain Kris Russell (4-12-16) and the two finalists for top D-man, Russell and Vancouver's Cody Franson (2-3-5), reside here. These are quite likely the best two blueline corps in the WHL. Both can get pucks up the ice quickly. Vancouver has more depth, Medicine Hat has the premier player in the league with Russell.

EDGE: Even

SPECIAL TEAMS

You've got the No. 1 power play from the regular season (Medicine Hat, 21.7 per cent) up against the No. 1 penalty kill from the regular season (Vancouver, 90.5 per cent). The Tigers' power play has taken a step back in the playoffs (20.0 per cent) to fifth overall, but it's still

better than the inconsistent one Vancouver (16.9) has had in the playoffs.

EDGE: Tigers

GOALTENDING

The early woes this postseason of Vancouver's Tyson Sexsmith (11-1-2, 1.81 goals-against average, .909 save percentage) seem a century ago now. He's playing aggressive and confident. Medicine Hat's Matt Keetley (12-4-0, 2.24, .910) is often overlooked, but his name is all over the team records that adorn the hallway by the Tigers dressing room.

EDGE: Even

PREDICTION

Giants in seven, since they've shown they can win in tough visiting buildings.




© The Vancouver Province 2007

[nivek_wahs]

http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/sports/story.html?id=2c0890fc-b647-4f4d-995b-aa7ebb0982e8

Friends Hay and Desjardins will do battle against each other

Steve Ewen, The Province
Published: Friday, May 04, 2007
MEDICINE HAT -- It's not uncommon for a WHL coach to find a like-minded bench boss in the opposing conference to bounce ideas off of.

One of Don Hay's favourite Eastern allies certainly won't help him this week with his scouting, though. Nor will Willie Desjardins' top Western comrade.

Hay and Desjardins, skippers of the Vancouver Giants and Medicine Hat Tigers, respectively, have become friends over the years and talked regularly on the phone this season.

It makes you wonder if there's going to be a strategy change during this championship series that will prompt one to yell over at the other, "Hey, I was the guy who told you all about that."

"I just appreciate that he's such a good coach," Desjardins said Thursday. "And what I've learned, too, is what a good person he is. He really cares about his athletes and I really, really respect that in him.

"We were talking about curfews, and he told me that sometimes he calls curfew just so he has a chance to talk to the players. They're young guys and they're away from home and he just wants to touch base with them and make sure everything is going OK. It's pretty great when you have a coach like that."

They met years ago, when Hay was with the Calgary Flames, through a mutual friend, former Vancouver Canuck assistant Mike Johnston.

They've become close since Hay returned to the WHL. Hay admits that he talks to Desjardins more than any of his other coaching rivals in the league.

"Our belief in how the game should be played is very similar," said Hay. "I know he enjoys his job and I enjoy my job. It's nice to have a guy that you can phone up and talk to and share thoughts and ideas."

Desjardins added: "He's had an awful lot of experience and anytime you have a guy like that you can learn a lot from him. I'll talk to him about different things and try to learn."

steve.ewen@gmail.com




© The Vancouver Province 2007

[Jimmy]

The Tigers are a really good team. This will be the first series that I have actually considered for a few seconds that the Giants might not win. :o


But come on, they will.

[old_time_hockey]

Special teams might tell the tale.

Tigers PP and Giants PK probably cancel each other out.

But the Giants PP is under 17%. But thankfully the Tigers PK isn't iron clad and they spend more time in the sin bin than the Giants.

That and Keetley twice has let in 5 or more goals and that was against the Rebels who took the Tigers to 7 games. Where as Sexsmith has been steady since game 2 against the Whack.

[dondo]

The PP found a resurgence versus the Cougars and Wacey Rabbit has another goal on the PP (bringing his total to 5 leading the playoffs). As bad as their PP was in the other series the 16% is actually flattering as it was down to about 13% at one time.

The PP stats do not tell the tale in this case.