Past has no presence in playoffs
IceDogs reject favourite label despite 5-1 record against Hamilton in regular season
The IceDogs won the inaugural K9 Cup in convincing fashion taking 11 of a possible 12 points from the Hamilton Bulldogs in league play.
But the fourth-seeded IceDogs have yet to beat the No. 1 seed Bulldogs in the playoffs, which is why head coach Billy Burke rejects the notion his team is the favourite heading into the Eastern Conference semifinals.
“I certainly don’t think we’re the favourite, and I don’t think many people would consider us the favourite,” he said. “But I do think it’s very close, I think it’s a lot closer than a typical 1-4 series would be.”
While past results don’t guarantee future results — especially not in the post-season, where the level on intensity is much higher — Niagara’s recent success in head-to-head play does give the team a “mental boost” heading into the first-ever IceDogs-Bulldogs series.
“We’ve played well in their building, we’ve played against them, we’ve beat them in March,” Burke said. “We definitely know if every we go through any adversity, or things don’t start great for us, we know that we don’t have to look too far into the past to pull on positives and things we’ve done to beat these guys.
“Even though we don’t consider ourselves the favourite, but we feel very confident going into it.”
He said the playoffs are a new season, “and everyone knows it.”
“It’s great that we were able to
have a good regular season against them, but I know they would trade the K9 Cup for a second-round win, and we would, too.”
Hamilton has home-ice advantage in the best-of-seven series and will host Games 1 and 2 Thursday and Saturday, beginning at 7 each night.
The third and fourth games are Monday and Wednesday, April
11, at Meridian Centre in St. Catharines, where the IceDogs beat the fifth-seeded Oshawa Generals three times on their way to a 4-1 victory in the opening round.
Niagara will have to utilize its speed and play a “strong team game” if it hopes to nullify Hamilton’s “high-end talent” and potent power play and advance to
the conference finals for the first time in three years.
“I think that’s been a reason for our success against these guys,” Burke suggested.
“Every time we have played them we seem to be playing a strong team game.
“If you look against Oshawa, that’s why we had success, it’s not one guy leading us every game.”
“We try to be a five-man pack in all three zones.”
During the regular season the IceDogs won the season series against the Bulldogs five games to one, 11 points to four.
However, two of the games were decided in overtime, another in a shootout and two losses in regulation were by three and two goals, hardly an insurmountable lead in the OHL.
Indeed, only a 7-3 Niagara victory at home on New Year’s eve could be regarded as a blowout.
It also needs to be pointed out that the IceDogs were outshot in all six of their games against Hamilton in the regular season.
A disparity in shots on net is “always a concern,” the first-year OHL head coach said.
“Obviously, the more shots they get, the higher per cent chance that one of them is going to find its way,” Burke said. “We have to make sure that we’re blocking shots. It’s the playoffs, we’re trying to keep them to the outside.
“Then if they get a shot, try to limit the rebounds.
“It’s not just the amount of shots, but the quality of shots. We have to make sure we’re going our best and not giving them prime-time scoring chances because they have a lot of talented forwards that can score from those good areas.”
In addition to utilizing their speed to take the rush away in the neutral zone, Niagara needs to be physical in the defensive zone.
“That way we can swarm them, one-anddone them, and use our speed offensively.”
Above all else, the Bulldogs need to be reminded on every shift they are in a dogfight.
“Every time they put their head up with the puck, we need to be right there closing, stick on puck, being physical when we can and then making sure we’re getting shots in traffic in front of (Kaden) Fulcher.”