QUEBEC CITY P.Q. – After a grueling 68 regular season games, 16 of the 18 teams earned the right to play in the QMJHL playoffs. As with any season, good teams run the risk of being eliminated in the first round. Today we take a look at the strength and weaknesses of the teams that will face each other in the Atlantic Division playoff series.
Atlantic Division matchups
Prince Edward Island Rocket vs. Saint John Sea Dogs. Looking at the divisional standings, people might say that it won’t be hard battle for the Sea Dogs to win the series over the Rocket. You often hear a head coach say “Games are never won on paper but on the ice. That’s why you never take your opponent for granted.”
Fans will reply that “It’s a cliché; all head coaches will say the same thing.” But when you look at the numbers between these two teams, you have to give a slight advantage to Saint John.
The number of points separating the two teams in the divisional standings was 102-78 in favor of Saint John. The series between the two teams (8 games) ended in favor of the Sea Dogs 5-3. Special teams usually play an important role in order for a team to win a series. The Saint John power play is fifth at 24.3 percent while Prince Edwards Island is tenth at 19.6. On the penalty kill, Prince Edwards Island ended with 81.0, Saint John Sea Dogs 78.8, advantage Rockets.
Goaltending is another aspect of the game that has a great influence on the final result. In Saint John, Karel St.Laurent and Marco Cousineau (who began the season with PEI) and Christian Morin form the trios of netminders for the Sea Dogs. Cousineau (2.82 GAA and a .910 save percentage) will certainly be the one who will see all of the action in the playoffs if he isn’t injured. The Anaheim Ducks prospect played a key role in Drummondville last year helping the Voltigeurs to win the Presidents Cup and represented the QMJHL at the 2009 Memorial Cup.
The task of trying to stop the puck for the Rockets will belong to Wendell Vye or Evan Mosher. Vye, who began the year in Moncton with the Wildcats, had a combined GAA of 2.41 and a save percentage of .928. Evan Mosher ended with a GAA of 3.13 and a .908 saving percentage.
Offensively, the Sea Dogs can count on some very talented players. Mike Hoffman is the offensive leader with 85 points in 56 games (46 goals), followed by Michael Kirkpatrick (83 points in 67 games) and Nicholas Petersen (79 points in 59 games). Stanislav Galiev and Tomas Jurco, both rookies, played very well for head coach Gerard Gallant.
On defense, Yan Sauvé (drafted by Vancouver Canucks 41st overall in 2008), Simon Despres (drafted by Pittsburgh 30th overall in 2009), and Nathan Beaulieu are the main guys the will be counted on to lunch the offence from the defense.
On Prince Edwards Island Rocket side of the ice, Vye will have to be the key between the pipes. The defense will have to play their best hockey and guys who are usually the team leaders will have to be at their best. Prediction: Some fans might bet their money that PEI could possibly cause an upset, but I’m not one of them. Bet on the Saint John Sea Dogs in five.
Cape Breton Screaming Eagles vs. Moncton Wildcats. This certainly is one of the two or three best series to follow in the first round. The Wildcats won the regular season series 5-3 and almost all of the games were decided by one goal with one game needing a shootout to find the winner. So if the series goes like the confrontation during the regular season, fans who will attend this series will have a chance to see some very exciting action.
The Wildcats have an advantage on the power play with a 27.0 percent success rate compared to 20.6 for the Screaming Eagles. On the penalty kill, Moncton had a slide edge ending with a 83.0 percent rate compared to 82.4 for Cape Breton.
Luke Adam (49 goals), Jacob Lagace (35 goals) and Nick MacNeil (32 goals) are Cape Breton top scoring leaders. On defense, Francis Meilleur (46 points), Jan Piskacek (34 points) and Morgan Ellis (29 points) are the team’s best offensive defensemen for head coach Mario Durocher’s team.
Some players to watch on Moncton are left winger Nicholas Deschamps with 96 points (44 came with Chicoutimi and 52 with Moncton), defenseman David Savard (77 points) and center Randy Cameron (68 points).
On defense, besides David Savard, Mark Barberio and Brandon Gormley are the Wildcats best offensive contributors.
Prediction: Sorry Cape Breton fans, but I don’t think your team will cause any surprises in the first round. Moncton will prevail in 6 games. Contact the author at: serge.poulin@prohockeynews.com
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