Memorial Cup opener sees Pats preparing for an unfamiliar foe
The Regina Pats don’t know a lot about the Hamilton Bulldogs, but they seem to know enough.
“They’re here for a reason,” said Pats captain Sam Steel, whose team opens the Memorial Cup on Friday night against the OHLchampion Bulldogs (8 p.m., Brandt Centre).
“They’re an unbelievable team. I played with Robert Thomas at world juniors and he’s a great player, so he’s definitely someone who we’re going to have to watch when he’s out there. I’m sure it’s going to be a great game and we’ve been preparing a long time for this, so we’re going to be ready.”
Rest isn’t an issue for the Pats, who’ve been off for more than six weeks. But they might have to deal with some rust in their first game since April 2 — a 3-2 loss to the Swift Current Broncos in Game 7 of a first-round WHL playoff series.
The Pats compiled a 40-25-6-1 regular-season record before they were eliminated by the eventual WHL champions. Hamilton (4318-4-3) enjoyed a 16-5 post-season run, finishing off the powerhouse Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in Game 6 of the OHL final on Sunday.
The Bulldogs are led by the aforementioned Thomas, who was acquired from the London Knights at the OHL trade deadline. The St. Louis Blues’ first-rounder (20th overall) has played a key role in Hamilton’s post-season success, leading the team with 32 points (12 goals) in 21 playoff games.
He’s one of eight NHL draft picks on the team. (Regina has seven).
“They’re pretty structured,” Pats head coach/GM John Paddock said of the Bulldogs. “They play pretty hard. They apply lots of pressure with a couple of guys. Robert Thomas stands out. You don’t take your eyes off him when you watch the video of them. He’s a top player and he catches your attention.”
That also applies to Steel, who’s an obvious focal point for Hamilton.
“He’s a very dangerous player,” said Bulldogs head coach John Gruden. “I’m sure he’s probably pretty anxious to get on that ice. He’s going to have a lot of energy. All in all he’s a terrific player, but we play against top players all the time. Our guys are going to know what they’re up against.”
Gruden said he and his staff will go through their usual pre-scout routine in preparation for Regina.
Video is an important component, especially given the lack of familiarity between the teams. Gruden also promoted a familiar theme about focusing more on themselves than their opponents, saying “it’s about us” and the things that have given them success to this point.
“We’re just going to keep going and keep grinding and not change how we approach things,” he said. “We’ve created and carved an identity for ourselves. We work extremely hard, I believe, and our players feel very comfortable and confident but ultimately the format is completely different (than the OHL playoffs). Coming into Friday, we’re going to be in a hostile environment. They’re going to come out really strong and we have to make sure that we’re prepared.”
After 45 days between games, the Pats are eager to face off against someone other than their own teammates.
That said, they might have to guard against being too amped up for the Bulldogs.
“We can’t get too high, can’t get too low,” said Pats centre Matt Bradley. “The fans are going to be excited and it’s going to be loud but we have to control what we can early and control the game as much as we can — keep the emotions in check.
“It has been a long grind but we’re ready. We can’t wait to get out there.”