Icecaps-crunch Game 3 tonight
St. John’s looks to regain series lead against the Crunch tonight in Syracuse
Different game. Different day. Different city. Stefan Matteau has moved on from a forgettable contest Saturday as he and the St. John’s Icecaps prepare for Game 3 of their AHL playoff series against the Crunch tonight in Syracuse, N.Y.
It would have been problematic on many levels, but St. John’s Icecaps head coach Sylvain Lefebvre admits there is part of him that would have probably preferred to play Game 3 of the Icecaps’ firstround playoff series on Sunday, the day after a 4-3 double overtime loss to the Syracuse Crunch in Game 2, if only to provide a quick erase to what happened.
“I am not saying you have to forget completely. You have to remember enough to learn from what happened. But at some point, you have to park it and move on,” said Lefebvre, whose team looked poised to a take a 2-0 lead in the bestof-five series, only to give up a two-goal lead in the last five minutes of the game before losing in extra time.
“You can’t keep playing your the last game when you have another game to play.”
The Crunch comeback Saturday means the series is tied at 1-1 heading into Game 3 tonight (8:30 p.m.) in Syracuse, N.Y., where the teams will remain until an advancing winner is decided. Game 4 is Friday and if necessary, Game 5 will also be played at the Oncenter (Onondoga War Memorial Arena).
Among the Icecaps anxious for a return to action is Stefan Matteau, who scored what looked to be an insurance goal in the third period Saturday and came close to getting another later in the frame after the Crunch pulled goaltender Mike Mckenna for an extra attacker.
However, Matteau’s long shot attempt went wide of an empty net and led to an icing call. Just after the resulting faceoff in the St. John’s end, the Crunch scored the goal that began the comeback.
“I’ve thought about it,” said Matteau when asked if he considered if that long, late shot had been more on the mark or he had managed to get in a few extra strides to reach the centre red line.
“Maybe next time I am in that situation, I get the puck in deep. That’s part of the learning,” said Matteau. “But I can’t keep beating myself over it … that’s part of what I have to learn, too.”
Lefebvre, who made sure he talked to Matteau about what had transpired in Game 2, is glad to hear the player’s attitude.
“He’s a guy who maybe has the tendency to be pretty hard on himself,” said Lefebvre. “It shows he cares, but at the same time, you have to play the next shift or the next game.
“Like I said, you learn, but you move on.
“That goes for the whole team. I don’t think there is anyone there who doesn’t care.”
Lefebvre know he needs a focused Matteau, who joins Max Friberg and Jacob de la Rose on what has been a very reliable second line for St. John’s. It has been the Icecaps’ best defensive unit, but one that has provided offence, especially over the last two months of the regular season.
The three possess a skill-set that seems well-suited for what already has been a gritty, intense series through two games.
“It’s been very physical and that was to be expected because it’s the playoffs,” said Matteau.
“I think it’s also because we’ve played each other so much (the teams split eight regular-season games) and there are so many guys on both teams who haven’t been in the (AHL) playoffs before. Guys come in high-stepping a little bit, with a lot of energy.”
But he knows that has to be balanced by intelligent play.
“I always embraced the role as a physical player and I think you can get a way with a little bit more (in the playoffs), but you still have to play it smart,” he said.
The series structure means the Icecaps will need to win two out of three games at the venerable 66-year-old War Memorial, which has undergone renovations over the years, but has long been known as a building that’s hard on visiting teams.
However, Matteau feels positive about how his game, and the Icecaps’ game as a whole, will play out in Syracuse this week,
So does Lefebvre.
“It’s a tough building to play in, but I think it’s a place that suits us and the style that we have,” saud Lefebvre, whose Icecaps won two and lost two against the Crunch in Syracuse this season.
“I know we are a little anxious to get going again, but we are not intimidated.”
Notes
We won’t know for sure until tonight’s starting lineups are revealed, but look for centre Michael Mccarron, re-assigned to the Icecaps by the Montreal Canadiens this week, to play on a line between Charles Hudon and Chris Terry … Forward Tanner Richard, who played has 14 goals and 34 points in 47 games for Syracuse and got into three games with the parent Tampa Bay Lightning this season, has left the Crunch to join Switzerland for the world hockey championship. Richard was a healthy scratch for the first two games of the North Division semifinal against St. John’s.