nivek_wahs
03-20-2008, 07:03 AM
http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/news/sports/story.html?id=607dc13e-0a36-4423-bd14-5468599e7868
Teams like matchup
Greg Harder, The Leader-Post
Published: Thursday, March 20, 2008
A stiff west breeze carried word earlier this week that the Swift Current Broncos might be pleased -- downright tickled, in fact -- to be facing the Regina Pats in the first round of the WHL playoffs.
What do the Pats think of that?
"That's good; I like it," right-winger J.D. Watt said with a sly grin. "We want it too, then."
Both sides make a strong case.
Regina won its first East Division pennant since 1998 en route to claiming the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference with a 44-22-4-2 record. The Broncos were third in the East Division and seventh in the conference at 41-24-1-6. However, Swift Current finished just five points behind Regina and won four of the six head-to-head meetings.
Both teams played well down the stretch, with Regina winning seven of its last eight games and the Broncos going 7-2-1-1 in their final 11 outings.
Here's a look at how the series breaks down, with a position by position analysis of each club:
UP FRONT
The Broncos might have the deepest and most-explosive group of forwards in the WHL. Although Swift Current lacks an elite gamebreaker, the team had seven 20-goal scorers (the most in the league) and five players with 50 or more points.
Zack Smith (team-high 70 points), Dale Weise (29 goals in just 53 games) and Levi Nelson (25-36--61) bring a formidable blend of skill and grit. The X-factor for Swift Current could be 17-year-old Geordie Wudrick (20-24--44), who has the potential to become a top-end sniper.
The Pats counter with Jordan Eberle, who led the team with 42 goals (ranked third in the league) and 75 points. He's the best pure offensive player in the series.
Regina leans heavily on its No. 1 line of Eberle, Michael MacAngus and Tim Kraus. Power forward J.D. Watt, who anchors the second unit with Scott Doucet and Rudolf Cerveny, could be the key to the series for Regina, if he stays out of the penalty box.
The Pats have the depth to roll four solid lines, but their lack of overall scoring punch means the checking line of Kirt Hill, Brett Leffler and Ryan DePape will need to chip in offensively. After Eberle, Regina's highest-scoring forward was MacAngus with just 18 goals.
BACK END
Both sides have an impressive mix of puck-movers and stay-at-home defencemen. The best of the bunch is Pats captain Logan Pyett, who finished second among WHL D-men in goals (20) and fourth in points (54) in just 62 games. He's complemented by two-way blueliner Victor Bartley (10-32--42), who can be effective in any style of game required. Veteran Ryan Bender and 17-year-old Colten Teubert, a top prospect for the 2008 NHL entry draft, both play with a chip on their shoulders and will be expected to hold the fort in their own end. Teubert can also chip in offensively while Matt Delahey is an under-rated defender.
Swift Current's Michael Wilson (6-41--47) is a smooth offensive defenceman who runs the power play as well as anyone. Eric Doyle (10-38--48) had a breakout year while Jesse Dudas (5-30--35, 52 GP) emerged as a two-way threat after being acquired from Prince George. Another trade acquisition, veteran Bretton Stamler, solidified the group with his leadership and hard-nosed approach. Ryan Molle, Derek Claffey and Spencer McAvoy are the stay-at-homers.
BETWEEN THE PIPES
Statistically speaking, there's not much difference between Regina's Linden Rowat and Swift Current's Travis Yonkman, both of whom finished in the middle of the pack among WHL starters. Rowat posted a 33-15-4-2 record with a 2.68 GAA, a .904 save percentage and three shutouts. Yonkman went 31-19-0-6 with a 2.57 GAA, a .909 save percentage and three shutouts.
The difference lies in experience. Rowat, a second-year starter and the Eastern Conference goalie of the year, backstopped the Pats to a first-round playoff victory over Swift Current last season. Yonkman was the backup to Kyle Moir in that series. He has never started a playoff game, but does have the benefit of winning a national midget AAA championship with the Saskatoon Contacts in 2005.
Pats backup Jeff Bosch had a solid rookie season (11-7 record, 2.92 GAA, 897 SP, one shutout). Swift Current's Mark Guggenberger (7-5-1, 2.59 GAA, .917 SP, four shutouts) was so good after being acquired from Portland that he nearly created a goalie controversy.
BEHIND THE BENCH
Curtis Hunt (Regina) and Dean Chynoweth (Swift Current) are veteran head coaches who invariably have their teams well-prepared. Both men are former WHL defencemen who were frustrated at times this season by their teams' inconsistent commitment to the defensive zone. However, each side improved in that area down the stretch.
Hunt won back-to-back gold medals with Canada at the world junior championship as an assistant coach. Those experiences helped inspire a defence-first philosophy in Regina, which focuses on good transition and a tenacious backcheck with five men in the picture at all times.
Chynoweth guided the Seattle Thunderbirds to the Western Conference final in 2003 but is still looking for his first playoff triumph in four seasons with Swift Current. Hunt has won a first-round series four times but never been past the second round in six full WHL campaigns (three with Regina, three in Moose Jaw). Both men began a rebuilding project in 2004-05 which has come full circle.
© The Leader-Post (Regina) 2008
Teams like matchup
Greg Harder, The Leader-Post
Published: Thursday, March 20, 2008
A stiff west breeze carried word earlier this week that the Swift Current Broncos might be pleased -- downright tickled, in fact -- to be facing the Regina Pats in the first round of the WHL playoffs.
What do the Pats think of that?
"That's good; I like it," right-winger J.D. Watt said with a sly grin. "We want it too, then."
Both sides make a strong case.
Regina won its first East Division pennant since 1998 en route to claiming the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference with a 44-22-4-2 record. The Broncos were third in the East Division and seventh in the conference at 41-24-1-6. However, Swift Current finished just five points behind Regina and won four of the six head-to-head meetings.
Both teams played well down the stretch, with Regina winning seven of its last eight games and the Broncos going 7-2-1-1 in their final 11 outings.
Here's a look at how the series breaks down, with a position by position analysis of each club:
UP FRONT
The Broncos might have the deepest and most-explosive group of forwards in the WHL. Although Swift Current lacks an elite gamebreaker, the team had seven 20-goal scorers (the most in the league) and five players with 50 or more points.
Zack Smith (team-high 70 points), Dale Weise (29 goals in just 53 games) and Levi Nelson (25-36--61) bring a formidable blend of skill and grit. The X-factor for Swift Current could be 17-year-old Geordie Wudrick (20-24--44), who has the potential to become a top-end sniper.
The Pats counter with Jordan Eberle, who led the team with 42 goals (ranked third in the league) and 75 points. He's the best pure offensive player in the series.
Regina leans heavily on its No. 1 line of Eberle, Michael MacAngus and Tim Kraus. Power forward J.D. Watt, who anchors the second unit with Scott Doucet and Rudolf Cerveny, could be the key to the series for Regina, if he stays out of the penalty box.
The Pats have the depth to roll four solid lines, but their lack of overall scoring punch means the checking line of Kirt Hill, Brett Leffler and Ryan DePape will need to chip in offensively. After Eberle, Regina's highest-scoring forward was MacAngus with just 18 goals.
BACK END
Both sides have an impressive mix of puck-movers and stay-at-home defencemen. The best of the bunch is Pats captain Logan Pyett, who finished second among WHL D-men in goals (20) and fourth in points (54) in just 62 games. He's complemented by two-way blueliner Victor Bartley (10-32--42), who can be effective in any style of game required. Veteran Ryan Bender and 17-year-old Colten Teubert, a top prospect for the 2008 NHL entry draft, both play with a chip on their shoulders and will be expected to hold the fort in their own end. Teubert can also chip in offensively while Matt Delahey is an under-rated defender.
Swift Current's Michael Wilson (6-41--47) is a smooth offensive defenceman who runs the power play as well as anyone. Eric Doyle (10-38--48) had a breakout year while Jesse Dudas (5-30--35, 52 GP) emerged as a two-way threat after being acquired from Prince George. Another trade acquisition, veteran Bretton Stamler, solidified the group with his leadership and hard-nosed approach. Ryan Molle, Derek Claffey and Spencer McAvoy are the stay-at-homers.
BETWEEN THE PIPES
Statistically speaking, there's not much difference between Regina's Linden Rowat and Swift Current's Travis Yonkman, both of whom finished in the middle of the pack among WHL starters. Rowat posted a 33-15-4-2 record with a 2.68 GAA, a .904 save percentage and three shutouts. Yonkman went 31-19-0-6 with a 2.57 GAA, a .909 save percentage and three shutouts.
The difference lies in experience. Rowat, a second-year starter and the Eastern Conference goalie of the year, backstopped the Pats to a first-round playoff victory over Swift Current last season. Yonkman was the backup to Kyle Moir in that series. He has never started a playoff game, but does have the benefit of winning a national midget AAA championship with the Saskatoon Contacts in 2005.
Pats backup Jeff Bosch had a solid rookie season (11-7 record, 2.92 GAA, 897 SP, one shutout). Swift Current's Mark Guggenberger (7-5-1, 2.59 GAA, .917 SP, four shutouts) was so good after being acquired from Portland that he nearly created a goalie controversy.
BEHIND THE BENCH
Curtis Hunt (Regina) and Dean Chynoweth (Swift Current) are veteran head coaches who invariably have their teams well-prepared. Both men are former WHL defencemen who were frustrated at times this season by their teams' inconsistent commitment to the defensive zone. However, each side improved in that area down the stretch.
Hunt won back-to-back gold medals with Canada at the world junior championship as an assistant coach. Those experiences helped inspire a defence-first philosophy in Regina, which focuses on good transition and a tenacious backcheck with five men in the picture at all times.
Chynoweth guided the Seattle Thunderbirds to the Western Conference final in 2003 but is still looking for his first playoff triumph in four seasons with Swift Current. Hunt has won a first-round series four times but never been past the second round in six full WHL campaigns (three with Regina, three in Moose Jaw). Both men began a rebuilding project in 2004-05 which has come full circle.
© The Leader-Post (Regina) 2008