Badgers open playoff hockey run
Brock University making strides as both men’s and women’s teams get set to take on Guelph in playoff action
Back in the playoffs for the first time in six seasons, and into the second round of the post-season for the first time over that same span.
That’s the story for the Brock University women’s and men’s hockey teams, respectively.
The Brock Badgers women’s team opens its playoff run Wednesday night in Guelph, while the men’s team, off to the second round of the OUA playoffs, also plays Guelph beginning Thursday on the road.
Brock women’s head coach Margot Page knows getting back into the playoffs for the first time since 2012 is big for the program.
“I think St. Catharines and Niagara probably heard the cumulative sigh of relief from Sudbury last Saturday when we secured a playoff spot,” said Page.
“We are very excited to be representing Brock University in postseason play. It was nice to see the smiles on the player’s faces. They knew they accomplished something special, and we are very proud of them.”
The Badgers women’s team was (1-1) against the Gryphons this season. In fact, both games ended in 1-0 finals.
Brock finished the season with a (9-6-3-3) record — good for seventh place in the OUA (Ontario University Athletics) while Guelph was second with a (14-4-6-0) record.
“We have had some good success against Guelph,” Page said.
“We won our first game at home, and lost in OT (overtime) on the road. We were outshot by them so we need to limit their odd-man rushes, and take charge with better defensive support in our defensive zone.”
“We also need to be hungrier offensively. We only scored one goal in two games but had some quality scoring chances. By using our team speed against them, with strong drives and crashes to the net, and being puckready will be what we are looking for.”
After sweeping away Laurier in two straight games, the Brock Badgers men’s team is off to the second round of the playoffs for the first time since the 2011-12 season.
The Badgers finished fifth in the OUA West Division standings with a (14-9-5) record, while Guelph was tops at (21-6-1).
The Gryphons disposed of the Winsdor Lancers in three games in their first-round playoff series.
First-year Brock men’s hockey head coach Marty Williamson said the key for his team came after a meeting with the players early on in the season.
“We lost our first four games, and had a little talk, and I give a lot of credit to the players,” Williamson said.
“I think they got a little more determined and didn’t want the season to slip away. There are a lot of seniors on the team and none of them had won a playoff series. They got down to work basically, and we became a much tougher team to play against.”
The Badgers do feature 10 graduating players and Williamson’s message to the team after their early season woes was simple:
“We can keep going this way and I’ll just recruit a bunch of new players, and start fresh next year, and kind of wash my hands with a team I didn’t recruit, or else we can get down to work and be honest with ourselves and to the players credit we became a much tougher team to play against.
“I really think that was the key, and I’m awfully proud of the guys because I really think it was the players determination that got us to this point.”
Brock was just 1-4 against Guelph (including exhibition) this season, and Williamson knows why the Gryphons are the top seed in the OUA West.
“They’ve been the most consistent team from start to finish,” said Williamson.
“High-scoring team, and that’s the challenge for us. This team quite often puts four or five goals on the board and that’s a chore for us. We have to keep them down to that two or three (goal) mark to give ourselves a chance to win hockey games. We can’t shoot ourselves in the foot with dumb penalties and turnovers, and have to play the game the right way.”
Williamsonfreelyadmittedthematurity level of university-aged players compared to coaching teenagers in the OHL (Ontario Hockey League) is very evident.
“I’ve hardly raised my voice to these guys compared to junior hockey, these are men — and they’ve all bought in,” added Williamson.
“We have a lot of seniors on this team and they’ve never won a playoff series. I couldn’t believe walking into the room, after knocking off Laurier, the guys are jumping around and some of them saying this is what it feels like to win a playoff series.
“We have outstanding goaltending, I’m really proud of the blue line, and our forwards have really bought in to be these workmen like guys that just don’t give up the middle of the ice and do the right thing. If we can ever score a few more goals I really think we could go a long way.
“This team kind of does reminds me of the last IceDogs team I had (2015-16 season) that kind of wandered through the first half of the season, and then had a hell of second half and right to the playoffs to the finals,” a smiling Williamson said.
Badger Bits: Both Brock hockey teams are led by their goaltenders. Jensen Murphy (Kingston, Ont.; 1.96 GAA, .938 save-percentage) and Clint Windsor (Hamilton; 2.41 GAA, .932 save-percentage) anchor the Badgers between the pipes … Annie Berg (Beamsville) is the lone local product on the women’s team, while Brayden Stortz (Welland) Chris Maniccia (Merritton) and Matt McLeod (Niagara Falls) represent Niagara on the men’s team … Forward Mack Lemmon (Newmarket) is a former Niagara IceDog.