IJHL teams’ season on line
Vipers host Maniacs in Game 7 of semifinal series Thursday
The season comes down to one game for two teams in the Island Junior Hockey League. The Kensington Moase Plumbing and Heating Vipers will host the Souris-based Eastern Maniacs in a winner-takeall Game 7 of the best-of-seven semifinal series at Community Gardens on Thursday. The opening faceoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. “Obviously, we would have liked to have wrapped it up before this, but the great part is we have another chance,” said Vipers head coach Wade Waddell. “I really believe in the group we have, and that we are going to have our best game (Thursday).”
The Vipers, who finished atop the regular-season standings at 20-7-5 (won-lost-overtime losses) and were 32 points ahead of Eastern, jumped out to a 3-1 series lead. However, the Maniacs (6-24-1) have staved off elimination with back-toback wins.
“I knew going into the playoffs it was going to be a hard battle, but we had the boys to do it if we wanted to,” said Maniacs head coach Devan Gunn. Gunn said the Maniacs are confident entering Game 7, but quickly added he is anticipating a tough battle. “Kensington is a very good team and a very well-run organization,
and we are definitely not taking them for granted in Game 7,” said Gunn.
Expected tough series Waddell said the Vipers expected a long, tough series. “We knew they had a good team,” said Waddell. “Anybody who has been around the league knew this was going to be a series to watch.”
Waddell admitted the Vipers’ “depth has been impacted” this series, but he refuses to use that as an excuse.
“That is part of hockey,” said Waddell. “The last game we won we only had 10 skaters. “The games are spread out, so we are not tired. We are down some bodies, but I do not consider that an excuse.” Waddell is hopeful the Vipers can capitalize playing the deciding game in the friendly confines of the Gardens. “That’s what we got home-ice advantage for,” said Waddell. “I am pretty excited to tell you the truth. It’s going to be a great game.”
The goaltending matchup will feature the Vipers’ Grant Grady and the Maniacs’ Cam Duffy.
“The key for us will be our third and fourth-line guys,” said Gunn. “We match up well with our first two lines, but for us just making sure our depth guys are going (will be key). That’s a huge part of winning the series. “As a personal note for the players, play loose and don’t grip the sticks too tight.” The winner of Thursday’s game will face the Arsenault’s Fish Mart Western Red Wings in the best-of-seven final series. The Red Wings recently completed a four-game sweep of the Sherwood-Parkdale A&S Scrap Metal Metros in the other semifinal series.