AVALANCHE ALERT!!! Here is Brent Marantos WSHL Divisional Finals Preview for Round II of the playoffs as the Avs head up to Fresno!!! #1: Fresno Monsters hosting #2: Ontario Avalanche (Winner is Western Division Champion) Games played at Gateway Ice Center in Fresno, California The Fresno Monsters and Ontario Avalanche both fought both needed comeback victories to take their opening round series, as the top-seeded Monsters swept the Long Beach Bombers by scoring in bunches and the Ontario Avalanche came back from 1-0 down to bounce the Valencia Flyers with two overtime winners. Just a few weeks after they met late in the regular season in one of the best series of the year, they’ll rev it up again with the Western Division title on the line. Behind a team full of top-notch veterans and a handful of talented newcomers, Fresno was once again able to cruise atop the division for most of the season, only having to stave off one scare from the Ontario Avalanche a few weeks back to hold on to the top seed. Facing a team that many believed was poised for the upset in round one, the Monsters controlled the Long Beach Bombers’ top players and converted at the other end in the quick sweep, with their ability to score in bunches boding huge in both wins. After getting ahead early in Friday’s opener, they allowed Long Beach to come back and take a 3-1 lead heading into the third. Instead of folding up, like they may have in years past, the Monsters showed how strong they are this season, as they scored three unanswered in the third to win it 4-3. The next night was a little higher scoring but the Monsters broke a 4-4 tie in the second and went on to score five of the game’s last six goals in a 9-5 win. Fresno was led on the weekend by rookie forward Evan Ingram, who had five points in the series and also plays with an edge to his game, while fellow rookie and leading scorer during the regular season, Mike Nolan, had four and Jacob Haynes, who has really come on as of late, had three. Also playing well were the veterans, including Filip Winkler, Mike Fabie, Austin Browning and Conner Osborne. If other high-skill guys like Jordan Fontaine and Justin Plate can find their way onto the score sheet, it will be even tougher to slow this team down. The defensive corps has been a strength all season, with veterans Gunnar Dircks, Michael Freeman, Dan Fitzgerald, Cory Sikich and Mark Shroyer all playing at a high level from the start and continuing that in the playoffs. The group has size, skill, physicality and each one of them skates pretty well. A number of the Monsters’ leaders are on the backend and they were key against Long Beach, as they knew what Bryce Dale wanted and how to execute it. Although it shouldn’t be the case, as each has a ton of skill, the goaltending situation is a bit hazy, as both Jerry Kaukinen and Austin Piquette were pulled during their starts last week, a rare feat for a team that won both games. It’s simple, they need to be better, as Ontario has a ton of depth and can make them work. Playing at home on the same ice that the Bay Area Seals lifted the Western Division banner a year ago, expect Fresno to keep doing what they’ve done all season, playing solid in all three zones, staying disciplined and using a complete team game to get the job done. The Ontario Avalanche fought out of a 1-0 hole after dropping game one to Valencia a last week and if head coach Chris Shaw doesn’t have any heart problems, it’s a small miracle, as they did it in dramatic fashion. After losing 6-5 in the opener, the Avalanche buckled down in the second game as things tightened up and the two teams went into overtime tie at one. With just over a minute left before the buzzer, veteran forward Brett Norman, who was on fire all weekend, scored to lift Ontario to victory and force a game three. Trailing 4-2 after two early third period Valencia goals in the finale, the Avalanche clawed their way back in before Luke Rendino knotted it up with just six seconds left on the big board and the goaltender pulled. After neither team scored in the first overtime period, Collin Warner converted in the second and the Avs poured onto the ice in ecstasy. A team that narrowly missed the playoffs in year one, the Avalanche know what it’s like to come so close and not make it, so they’re definitely making the most of their time in the playoffs. Much like Fresno, they too rely a lot on a heavy contingent of veterans, led by captain Ben Meadows, who anchors a staunch defensive group, which also includes Jackson Giammona and Drew Crilly. The Avs are stacked up front, with skill guys like Antoine Maillard, who’s turned into a real game changer in his second season in maroon and black and Lubomir Fetkovic playing well and others like Brett Norman, Luke Rendino, Carl Hallberg, Zechariah Roberts and Michael Thomas all improving their scoring touch greatly, while still staying tenacious. They were a deep team last year but it seems they have the high-end skill this season to battle with anyone and convert in all situations. Goaltending started off as a real soft spot for them but turned into a strength with the addition of Daniel Cepila, who struggled during his short time in Long Beach but went 12-2-0 in the regular season and 2-0-0 in the playoffs once he came over to Ontario. With his strong play against Valencia and a subpar performance from Drake Koegel in game one, expect the Czech to be the guy this weekend. The Avalanche are as hungry a team as you’ll see and do everything they can to win games, including blocking shots, playing the body and giving it all up for the team, a nod to head coach Chris Shaw, who was a fierce role player during his playing days. Just three weeks ago these two teams met in Fresno and each picked up four points on the weekend, with Ontario winning twice in extra time and Fresno picking up a regulation win, so this series is really as close as it gets. Both coaches are nifty, each team has tons of veterans and won’t be afraid of the spotlight and travel isn’t much of an issue at all, so you should see nothing but great hockey, with the team that makes the fewest mistakes moving on.
Posted on: Thu, 20 Mar 2014 21:36:06 +0000
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