It’s rare air for many Bulldogs
Things are only going to get harder for the Hamilton Bulldogs in the second round of the playoffs, says Riley Stillman — and he should know.
He’s one of the only guys on the roster who’s actually been there.
“It doesn’t get any easier,” says the 20-year-old defenceman.
“The games get faster, they get more physical. They’re tighter games in the second round, and it comes down to the wire.”
The team will be relying on veterans like Stillman when its hits the ice for Game 1 of its conference semifinal against the Niagara IceDogs Thursday.
For most players — even for head coach John Gruden — the second round of the OHL playoffs is uncharted territory.
In some cases that’s not a bad thing, says the bench boss.
“When you don’t know, there’s really no pressure.”
At the same time, though, it can help to have guys in the dressing room who have gone through it and understand a long run can be “a grind.”
On top of Stillman, only three Bulldogs — Robert Thomas, Nicolas Mattinen and Ben Gleason — have a single game beyond the opening round of the post-season under their belts. Collectively, it’s 36 matchups.
That isn’t a ton of experience — and less than half the 73 games Niagara players have skated in — but it’s nonetheless made a difference in Hamilton’s first round series against the Ottawa 67’s. The Bulldogs won in five games to advance to Round 2 for the first time since moving to Hamilton in 2015.
Against Ottawa, Gleason put his skill on display, Mattinen showed a knack for scoring timely goals, Stillman was solid at both ends of the ice and Thomas, who finished the five-game series with nine points, showed he’s capable of completely taking control of a game.
Most noticeable was they did it with composure and poise.
“I think just being like that sort of rubs off,” says Thomas, who, along with Mattinen, won a Me-
morial Cup with the London Knights in 2016.
“That’s what I’m trying to do here and I think it worked out really well.
“You could tell by the end of the series we had all calmed down and started playing the way we wanted to and that’s what gave us great success.”
Despite going into the series as the top seed in their conference, the Bulldogs will need all the help they can get against the No. 4 seeded IceDogs.
The latter earned 11 of a possible 12 points against Hamilton in the regular-season and beat their QEW rivals in two of three outings in March.
Notes: The New Jersey Devils have signed forward Marian Studenic to a three-year entry level deal.
A fifth-round pick of the Devils at the 2017 NHL draft, the 19-year-old Slovakian import has scored 20 goals and assisted on 28 in 62 games with the Bulldogs this season and has tacked on another two helpers in the playoffs.
tpecoskie@thespec.com 905-526-3368 | @TeriatTheSpec