|
Written by Dale Woodard
|
|
Sunday, March 29 2009, 11:37 PM |
Zach Boychuk. Juha Metsola.
If you’ve been tuning into the Lethbridge Hurricanes opening round Western Hockey League series against the Saskatoon Blades, you’ve likely heard those names tossed around a time or two.
Understandably.
As the teams skate into Game 6 of their best-of-seven series tonight at 7 p.m. at the Enmax Centre, Boychuk has carried the scoring load for Lethbridge. In fact, he’s carried exactly half of it, potting six of the ’Canes 12 goals thus far.
In the pipes Metsola has posted a 3-1 record and 1.75 goals-against average, kicking out 90 of 97 shots.
Thanks in part to those numbers, the Hurricanes have opened up a 3-2 series lead and can punch their ticket to the second round with a win tonight.
But as Hurricanes assistant coach Matt Kabayama pointed out after Saturday night’s 3-1 victory in Saskatoon, there have been other key cogs in the ’Canes machine during the team’s playoff run.
So let’s kick it over to Hurricanes general manager Roy Stasiuk to shine the spotlight on players not named Zach Boychuk or Juha Metsola.
“I think it’s been a team effort,” said Stasiuk. “But I think somebody that has gone by unnoticed has been Luca Sbisa. I think he’s settled down our back end quite a bit.”
Up front, Drew Hoff is also among the unsung heros.
“He’s not going to put up a lot of points, but he’s done a very good job,” said Stasiuk, rattling off a few more names of players quietly contributing. “The good signs for me with the guys that are coming on and playing well — as much as you would expect playing in the big games — are guys like Austin Fyten and Cam Braes. Based on his (Braes) regular season, which was OK, I think he’s one of those guy who has stepped it up in the playoffs so far.”
Hoff was acquired from the Tri-City Americans along with defenceman Eric Mestery earlier this year for noted ’Canes sniper Mitch Fadden.
While Fadden has put up bigger numbers in the points department, Stasiuk looked to more than just the stats sheet in comparing the two.
“Unfortunately a lot of comparisons are made during the season about giving up Mitch Fadden and getting Drew Hoff back,” he said. “It’s good to make the playoffs and it’s good to see a young fellow get the opportunity to do what he does best. This is really a time for him to do his best work and he was be very conscious defensively.”
Like Hoff, Sbisa didn’t start the season with the Hurricanes. In fact, he spent most of it in Philadelphia plying this NHL trade with the Flyers before returning to the junior ranks in February.
“He was focused right from Day 1 and he knew what he wanted to do. He wanted to help this team have a really good playoff run and help us turn things around in the regular season,” said Stasiuk. “I think the biggest challenge for him is the adapting to the speed and skill level. There are a lot of times he’ll give a puck for a give-and-go and he has the give part down and he’s waiting for the go to get it back. It’s no fault of anybody’s, it’s just a different skill level and a different pace.”
Those adjustments were looking just fine on in Game 5 Saturday.
“He cranked it up,” said Stasiuk. “He was so dynamic that it was quite clear why this guy was in the NHL for 39 games and certainly he wouldn’t look out of place there.”
The ’Canes will need Sbisa and everybody else on board tonight if they wish to hand a date in the second round with the Eastern Conference-leading Calgary Hitmen.
“I think we’ve got a group where we’re not strong enough to the point that we’re cocky or arrogant,” said Stasiuk. “What I liked in the last two games that I’ve watched is we’ve brought a workmanlike mentality to the rink with us. We’re not getting too high or too low. We’re sticking with the game and obviously your best players need to be your best players.”
Cue the likes of Boychuk and Metsola.
“They’ve stepped it up and allowed for other players to do what they do best and that can’t be forgotten,” said Stasiuk. “They’ve given us some breathing room and taken some of the pressure off by their performances. If anything, they’ve been tremendous role models in the series in terms of working hard, discipline and getting it done.”
|
