Hurricanes/Siskins game one tonight in Waterloo

from: http://www.waterloocronicle.ca

Siskins finish second in regular season, face Guelph Hurricanes in first round

By Greg MacDonald, Chronicle Staff, Sports, Mar 03, 2010

 

After setting regular season franchise records for wins and goals against, the second-place Waterloo Siskins will start its playoff campaign with a first round matchup against the Guelph Hurricanes.The Siskins fell 7-5 to the Brantford Golden Eagles on Saturday and the victory clinched first for Brantford, the reigning champs.

That set up the Siskins’ matchup with the Guelph Hurricanes, the No. 7 seed.

Before the Brantford matchup, Siskins head coach Dean DeSilva said it was a measuring stick. So how did the team stack up?

“We’re happy where we are,” DeSilva said.

Brantford still has the depth and tenacity that made them champs last year, but the Siskins can challenge, DeSilva said.

“Both teams match up very well with each other,” he said.

Even though the Siskins didn’t clinch first place in the Midwestern Conference of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League, they did set a number of team marks.

December’s 17-game-win streak was record setting on its own, but it also lead to the Siskins notching the most wins in a season ever in the team’s 75-year history.

The team also set a mark for the fewest goals-against the club has ever seen.

While those records are nice, they’ve been pushed to the side for now, DeSilva said.

“We reflected on them for about 30 seconds,” he said. “We congratulated the players but also reminded them that all the records mean nothing if we don’t continue the success into the playoffs.”

With their first oppoent set, DeSilva and the coaching staff have two days to get the team prepared for the Hurricanes.

Waterloo won six of the seven games against the Hurricanes this season.

The head-to-record record points to a clear advantage for Waterloo, but DeSilva said it’s important not to look past the Hurricanes.

Coach MacEachern has his boys ready for playoffs

“I know head coach Jim MacEachern and I know how hard he has his guys working,” DeSilva said. “He’s got them playing very well.

“The message for our team is that we have to focus on ourselves.”

There will be a quick turnaround for the Siskins. The team played its final game of the season Sunday — a 2-0 win against the Kitchener Dutchmen — and the playoffs will begin Wednesday.

“We have a few bumps and bruises we’re working through, but I think with it being the playoffs, we can bring the energy and a spark,” the coach said.

The Siskins have aspirations beyond the first round and are looking to play to their strengths.

Goaltending has been a major strength for the Siskins, but the Hurricanes haven’t had as much trouble as other squads getting the puck past netminder duo Colin Breen and Will Sibley.

That means the players in front of the goalie will have to step up to ensure a first-round victory.

All that matters now is the win, DeSilva said.

“The regular season is great individual honours but now it’s all about the team,” he said.

The Siskins take on the Guelph Hurricanes in Game 1 tonight at the Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex at 7:30 p. m.

Goalie scores for Hurricanes in 4-1 Victory over Waterloo

from http://www.guelphhurricanes.com

PEGRUM LEADS CANES to 4-1 WIN

When GM Matt Mullin insisted that goalie Drew Pegrum be included in the huge deal that sent quality players Dan Mohle and Ken Rolfe to Listowel. He knew he was getting a quality goalie for the future. He didn’t know he was also getting a potential goal scorer.

 

Pegrum is 10th goalie in Junior hockey history to score a goal

Sunday afternoon in Waterloo with the Siskins goalie on the bench for an extra attacker Pegrum gathered in the puck and shot it the length of the ice into the open net securing a 4-1 victory over the leagues 2nd place team.

The game started out on a sour note when a routine shoot in by a Siskin defender deflected off a Hurricane’s skate and found the corner of the net behind Pegrum. If it rattled him you’d never know because he responded by stopping the next 42 shots the Siskins fired at him.

Waterloo known for their tough disciplined play had 16 shots on Pegrum in the first 8 minutes of the game. He was up to the task. Using a lightning fast glove and cat like moves he made save after save some of the incredible variety keeping the Canes in the game. 

Guelph had their oportunities as well and finally beat goalie Will Sibley on a Cayle Creen pointshot that Jake Weidner(5th) deflected into the net.

Weidner(6th)scored again in the second period with assists from Martin Kudla and Conner Ste Marie.

Guelph was awarded a penalty shot in the 3rd. Taylor Lukasik(4th) beat Sibley with a nice move to give Guelph a 3-1 lead.

The Canes used a new found energy and shut down the high flying Siskins with a stingy defense and great forechecking. Then came Pegrum’s heroics to put the final score at 4-1.

This was a total team effort and the Canes were full marks for this victory. This was also a strong moral victory as the Siskins could be the Canes first round opponent. With every player involved in the play for the entire game the Canes have put 3 solid games together as they get ready for the upcoming play-offs. What a great time to be playing your best hockey.

The Canes get a schedule break for the next 3 weeks as they play 3 games all at home.

All Saturdays at the Victoria Road Arena. Next Saturday the hot Stratford Cullitons visit Victoria Road. Game time is 7:30 p.m.

Pegrum’s 38 saves not enough for Canes

Pegrum stops 38 Waterloo shots

Despite Drew Pegrum’s 38 save performance the Guelph Hurricanes (11-20-4 26 pts.) still lost 5-2 in Waterloo (28-5-0 56 pts.) versus the Siskins Friday night.

Waterloo outshot Guelph (43-23 ) and received a great offensive night  from forward Matt Reid (3 goals + 1 assist) and goalie Will Sibley picked up his 4th win this season against Guelph.

Martin Kudla and Mike Iacocca both scored Powerplay goals for the Canes.

Guelph’s next action is tomorrow night when they travel to Brantford to take on the Golden Eagles, before they return home next Thursday (Jan. 14th) on Habitat for Humanity night vs. the Cambridge Winter Hawks. Game Time 7:45 at the Sleeman Centre

Tough weekend ahead for Hurricanes

The Guelph Hurricanes (11-19-4 26 pts.) have a tough weekend ahead as they first travel to Waterloo to take on the 2nd Place (27-5-0 54 pts.) Siskins Friday night.

Siskins Wil Sibley has beaten Guelph 3 times

The Siskins have been winning with top notch goaltending and tough checking. They have a balanced  attack. In the previous 4 tilts, Waterloo has come out on top, 5-4, 5-3, 8-0 and 4-2. Three key factors that Guelph needs to do to win are:

1. Shoot !(early and often) The Canes have averaged 27.75 shots per game vs. Waterloo.  Waterloo’s goaltenders have a save % of .923. This translates into 2 goals against. So if they want to increase their goals, they need to increase the number of shots.

2. Stay out of the penalty box! Waterloo has converted 18.09% of their Powerplays (6th in GOJHL).

3. Get Solid goaltending! Attention Chris McDougall… pretend we are playing Stratford.

After battling with the Siskins, Guelph travels to the Bell City to take on the take on the 1st Place Brantford Golden Eagles (28-4-3 59 pts.) on Saturday night.

McQuade leads the GOJHL scoring with 103 pts.

 Two Brantford players that have killed the Canes this season are goaltender Daryl Borden (26-4 2.51 GAA) and Josh McQuade, who leads the league in scoring with 103 pts. (40 goals and 63 assists)

The Golden Eagles sport the GOJHL’s leading Penalty Kill with 89.95% , including 20 shorthanded goals.

Two keys to victory in this game are:

1. Hit them, hit them and then hit them again. This is a run-and-gun finese team that the Hurricanes can upset if they keep laying the body on them.

2. Neutralize Josh McQuade. McQuade has scored 7 goals and 2 assists in 3 games vs. Guelph, including 2 hat tricks. How do they do that….read point #1. Oh and when they hit them, do it cleanly, because Brantford also has the #4 PowerPlay in the GOJHL converting on 23.66% of  them.

One more key factor in both these games.

If Guelph remains in 7th or 8th in the standings at the end of the regular season, it is likely that they will either face Brantford or Waterloo in the first round of the playoffs.

Hurricanes KO’s Cullitons to extend Stratford’s losing streak to 10 games

Cohen Adair lays on the ice after a hard Hurricanes check. He would return to the game later.

A night after a 8-0 loss in Waterloo, the Guelph Hurricanes bounced back and posted a character win by beating  the slumping Stratford Cullitons 6-3.

“They showed a lot of character to come back after a tough loss last night. This club has a lot of heart and I am proud of them.” says Hurricanes Head Coach Jim MacEachern

The win moves Guelph’s record to 8-15-2 for 18pts., while the loss which was the 10th in a row for the Cullitons, moves Stratford’s record to 12-12-0 24pts..

Six Hurricanes players each collected 2 pts. (Luca Penzo, Dan Mohle, Martin Kudla, Mike McFarlane, Ken Rolph and Mike Iacocca) and Chris McDougall returned between the pipes to 28 of 31 shots.

• Although Chris McDougall’s rights were traded earlier this week from the Kitchener Rangers to the Peterborough Petes, he will remain playing with the Hurricanes for the time being.
• Also, I received word from the Hurricanes trainers that injured Kitchener Dutchmen defenceman Brant Nicolson was released from the hospital and is expected to make a full recovery. Last week he crashed into the boards and was carried off on a stretcher.

The Hurricanes next game is this coming Thursday as they seek revenge from the Waterloo Siskins at The Sleeman Centre. Please note the game time is 7:45pm.

SCORING SUMMARY Period 1 Guelph – Ken Rolph (Cam Jude) 0:23 Stratford – Brad McClure (powerplay) (Tyler Masson, Brock Reynolds) 5:06 Period 2 Guelph – Mike Iacocca (Dan Mohle, Luca Penzo) 3:27 Stratford – Myles Melchers (powerplay) (Steve McParland, Jamie Nelson) 7:45 Period 3 Guelph – Tyson Theaker (powerplay) (Wade Pfeffer, Mike Iacocca) 0:53 Stratford – Tyler Masson (Jamie Nelson, Andrew Lorimer) 1:49 Guelph – Nic MacEachern (powerplay) (Ken Rolph, Dan Mohle) 4:52 Guelph – Mark Bell (Martin Kudla, Mike McFarlane) 6:01 Guelph – Luca Penzo (Martin Kudla, Mike McFarlane) 17:21

Guelph Hurricanes take on the Siskins in Waterloo

The 4-5-0 Guelph Hurricanes who currently sit in 5th place will travel tonight to Waterloo to take on the 5-2-0 Siskins who currently sit in 4th place in the MidWestern Division.

Game Time: 7: 30 pm

Location: Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex