IceDogs ready to battle Battalion
Ben Jones collected 102 points for the Niagara IceDogs this season. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.
The Niagara IceDogs appear to be peaking at the right time.
The IceDogs head into the Ontario Hockey League playoffs on a six-game winning streak while also winning 11 of their final 13 games. As well, the IceDogs outscored the opposition 77-34 with three shutouts over that span.
Impressive numbers to be sure, but Niagara head coach Billy Burke realizes none of that really matters in the post-season.
“The reality is, it’s a bit of a new season,” he said. “Yes, you want to go into it feeling good and the guys are comfortable with all the systems we are trying to do. It’s important we are playing well, but at the same time, it doesn’t matter anymore. Everyone is back to 0-0 and it all starts over.
“We’re thrilled with how we’re playing right now but we have to keep our focus and need to continue to get better if we want to get where we want to go.”
The IceDogs play host to the North Bay Battalion in a best-of-seven Eastern Conference quarter-final series beginning Thursday in Niagara. Game 2 is Saturday in St. Catharines before the series shifts to North Bay for Games 3 and 4 next Tuesday and Thursday.
The IceDogs have maintained from Day 1 of training camp this season they are in it to win it, but also realize they can’t win a championship in the first round.
“I said to the guys heading into the final weekend it’s a bit of a dress rehearsal for us,” Burke said. “We knew we needed three wins to clinch our division, but we weren’t going to get three wins Thursday night against Mississauga. It was one game at a time. Take care of business and move on to the next one.
“That’s how you have to go about playoff series and playoff games. Things can change quickly and you can find yourself down or facing adversity early. North Bay has weapons and we’re not going to the Memorial Cup if we don’t beat North Bay.”
The IceDogs took four of the six meetings between the teams in the regular season.
Burke said his club must be especially away of the Battalion’s top line of Justin Brazeau, Matthew Strothers and Brad Chenier.
“Brazeau is a stud. He’s an absolute dominant player every time he’s on the ice, but he’s not their whole team,” Burke said. “Strothers has really blossomed since he went to North Bay and Brad Chenier is an older guys who flies under the radar a little bit. We have to be unbelievably aware and on our toes every time that line is on the ice.”
The Battalion also feature a strong power play and play a physical style.
Burke said he wants his team to play under control, not always an easy task in the post-season.
“Playoffs are an extremely emotional time. If we’re riding the wave too much and getting all worked up with the refs and trying to settle scores, it just throws us off our game
“We need to be focused, calm and confident in our abilities and try and be that machine we’ve been trying to be all season.”
Burke indicated he is optimistic injured forwards Kyen Sopa and Andrew Bruder will both play in the series, perhaps as early as Game 1.
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