Admirals, 73’s meet again in semifinals
Junior C rivals set to meet in semifinal; Essex won 4 of 5 regular-season games
A playoff battle between the Essex 73’s and Amherstburg Admirals has almost become a junior hockey tradition in recent years.
The two met in the Great Lakes Junior C Hockey League final the last two seasons and Friday the two will face off in a Bill Stobbs Division semifinal series in the Provincial Junior Hockey League.
“I think, unless you don’t have a pulse, there’s no way you can’t be excited,” Admirals head coach Paul Bortignon said. “It’s the third year we’ve faced them and, although it’s a semifinal as opposed to final, I’m sure the intensity will be as high as ever and we still have a chance to dethrone the champs.”
The Admirals have been close the past two years. The club had a 2-1 series lead going home last season, but dropped Game 4 and eventually fell to Essex in seven games.
Two years ago, the Admirals had a two-goal lead in Essex after two periods in the opener, but lost the game and eventually fell in the series in six games.
“It’s the same old with them,” said Admirals captain Curtis Prymack, who won a title with Essex in 2013. “The games are always good and they’re always close. Hopefully, the third time’s a charm.”
Essex won four of the five regular-season meetings between the two teams, but three were by a single goal, including one in overtime, and another was by two goals.
“I think it’s good for local hockey,” 73’s head coach Cam Crowder said of the series. “There’s a rivalry there and a lot of ties that kids get excited.”
Eric Shaw, who is from Amherstburg, led the 73’s in scoring in the first round of the playoffs with five goals in five games and said he loves it when the two teams meet.
“It think it makes it fun,” the 21-year-old Shaw said. “I have a lot of buddies I grew up playing with the Admirals.
“I think (the Admirals) are really opportunistic. They’re fast and
they play the same style and always give us a good game.”
Essex is hoping to get a little healthier this series with Dalton Langlois and Adam Gaiarin returning from leg injuries. Crowder also hopes Matt Zelko and Michael Ruttinger will be back during the series.
“That should help,” said Shaw, whose team will try to match Amherstburg ’s offence with shutdown defence. “We’ve got a lot of guys that can chip in.”
The Admirals looked in control in the first round against Wheatley with a 3-0 series lead before dropping two games at home and finally winning the series on the road. Essex needed five games to eliminate Mooretown.
“The parity in the league is stronger than it’s ever been,” Bortignon said. “We knew it was going to be a tough series, but that series was one less big stop from our goalie going seven games.
“It’s about as even as it could be. Defensively, you know (Essex is) going to be on top of their game. A big part comes down to our defence. (Austin) Jennings and Prymack were big for us. When they’re on their game, they give our team another gear.”