ATD #11, René Lecavalier Quarterfinals. New Westminster Bruins (3)vs.Dauphin Kings(6)
- Thread starter EagleBelfour
- Start date
New Westminster special teams...
Power play units:
Stevens-Boucher-Richard-Clapper-Mohns
Cook-Lafontaine-Fleury-Brewer-Greschner
Penalty killing units:
Lonsberry-Goring-Clapper-Brewer
Stasiuk-Bourne-Mohns-St. Laurent
Cook-Boucher-Greschner-Smith
Fleury-Linden-Clapper-Brewer
Our letter-bearers:
Captain: Aubrey "Dit" Clapper
Alternate: Maurice "Rocket" Richard
Alternate: Carl Brewer
Alternate: Terry O'Reilly
Also, Thomas Sandstrom should be listed as a spare part for Dauphin.
Power play units:
Stevens-Boucher-Richard-Clapper-Mohns
Cook-Lafontaine-Fleury-Brewer-Greschner
Penalty killing units:
Lonsberry-Goring-Clapper-Brewer
Stasiuk-Bourne-Mohns-St. Laurent
Cook-Boucher-Greschner-Smith
Fleury-Linden-Clapper-Brewer
Our letter-bearers:
Captain: Aubrey "Dit" Clapper
Alternate: Maurice "Rocket" Richard
Alternate: Carl Brewer
Alternate: Terry O'Reilly
Also, Thomas Sandstrom should be listed as a spare part for Dauphin.
Last edited:
I want to wish good luck to Sather and the Kings. He did a good job in taking over a team midway through the draft. It wasn't easy to do that. He did the absolute best that anybody could have hoped. (Especially since his predecessor chose a strategy that doesn't work in an ATD context - selecting only players who played post-expansion). If Sather was running this team from the outset, we wouldn't be playing the Kings so soon.
The Kings have one obvious stand-out quality, and that's size and skill up front. The smallest forwards are Clarke and Thomas. They're 5'10". And they play bigger than that.
I think we have a big edge in terms of top-end defence and coaching. We have easily the best defenceman in this series (Clapper) and three of the top four defencemen in this series. (Brewer and Mohns are both better than Dauphin's No. 2). Our team defence is better, too. We have two strong defensive lines, and line matching isn't an issue for us because of our first line. Cook and Boucher are good enough defensively to play against an opponent's best line, which is why we didn't need to find that top five third line forward. (Although Goring falls just outside of my top five for third line forwards).
Our third and fourth lines have three proven outstanding playoff performers: Goring (dynasty player with a Conn Smythe), Bourne (dynasty player who averaged a point-per-game in the playoffs during the Islanders dynasty) and Linden (point-per-game player in the playoffs for most of his career, also No. 2 in career Game 7 goals). Stasiuk and O'Reilly can provide offence, too.
If this series comes down to coaching, then it's no contest. Toe Blake has a major edge in coaching over Mike Keenan. As I said before, Keenan's good enough to be an ATD coach. A bottom-tier ATD coach, mind you, but he is good enough. He is not Toe Blake, however. Blake coach eight Stanley Cup champions. He's an incredible coach. Some have him at No. 1 all-time. Those that don't probably have him at No. 2 (I would say most have him there) or No. 3.
Goaltending's a saw-off. Bernie Parent's peak was better than Chuck Gardiner's. In fact, Parent's peak for two-years might be better than any goalie in history. The problem with Bernie is that outside of the two-year run, there isn't much to suggest he's an ATD-calibre goalie. Part of it's due to injuries, and he lost a year to the WHA. But the bottom line is there are good goalies not in the ATD who accomplished as much as Bernie did in the other nine years he was a No. 1 goalie in the show. Gardiner has more first team all-star births, more all-star team births. He was an all-star in the first four years of the all-star team. And he was magnificent for the Hawks in 34. Might have won the Conn Smythe if the award existed back then. Parent's peak is better. But as a whole, they're nearly equal. (A lot of GMs do rate Gardiner ahead of Parent).
We'll try to get Clapper-Brewer out there as much as possible against the Clarke line. And we'll try to get the strength and mobility of Mohns out there as much as possible against Lindros. Line matching isn't that significant. Not with the defensive abilities of three of our lines.
This Dauphin team has a lot to like. And they'd be much better if Sather was there from the start. But I believe the three biggest advantages in this series - coaching, team defence and the top-end for the blue line - lie with the Bruins. I believe we also have advantages with speed, leadership (you know leadership abounds when dynasty captain Rocket Richard isn't a captain) and hockey sense.
The Kings have one obvious stand-out quality, and that's size and skill up front. The smallest forwards are Clarke and Thomas. They're 5'10". And they play bigger than that.
I think we have a big edge in terms of top-end defence and coaching. We have easily the best defenceman in this series (Clapper) and three of the top four defencemen in this series. (Brewer and Mohns are both better than Dauphin's No. 2). Our team defence is better, too. We have two strong defensive lines, and line matching isn't an issue for us because of our first line. Cook and Boucher are good enough defensively to play against an opponent's best line, which is why we didn't need to find that top five third line forward. (Although Goring falls just outside of my top five for third line forwards).
Our third and fourth lines have three proven outstanding playoff performers: Goring (dynasty player with a Conn Smythe), Bourne (dynasty player who averaged a point-per-game in the playoffs during the Islanders dynasty) and Linden (point-per-game player in the playoffs for most of his career, also No. 2 in career Game 7 goals). Stasiuk and O'Reilly can provide offence, too.
If this series comes down to coaching, then it's no contest. Toe Blake has a major edge in coaching over Mike Keenan. As I said before, Keenan's good enough to be an ATD coach. A bottom-tier ATD coach, mind you, but he is good enough. He is not Toe Blake, however. Blake coach eight Stanley Cup champions. He's an incredible coach. Some have him at No. 1 all-time. Those that don't probably have him at No. 2 (I would say most have him there) or No. 3.
Goaltending's a saw-off. Bernie Parent's peak was better than Chuck Gardiner's. In fact, Parent's peak for two-years might be better than any goalie in history. The problem with Bernie is that outside of the two-year run, there isn't much to suggest he's an ATD-calibre goalie. Part of it's due to injuries, and he lost a year to the WHA. But the bottom line is there are good goalies not in the ATD who accomplished as much as Bernie did in the other nine years he was a No. 1 goalie in the show. Gardiner has more first team all-star births, more all-star team births. He was an all-star in the first four years of the all-star team. And he was magnificent for the Hawks in 34. Might have won the Conn Smythe if the award existed back then. Parent's peak is better. But as a whole, they're nearly equal. (A lot of GMs do rate Gardiner ahead of Parent).
We'll try to get Clapper-Brewer out there as much as possible against the Clarke line. And we'll try to get the strength and mobility of Mohns out there as much as possible against Lindros. Line matching isn't that significant. Not with the defensive abilities of three of our lines.
This Dauphin team has a lot to like. And they'd be much better if Sather was there from the start. But I believe the three biggest advantages in this series - coaching, team defence and the top-end for the blue line - lie with the Bruins. I believe we also have advantages with speed, leadership (you know leadership abounds when dynasty captain Rocket Richard isn't a captain) and hockey sense.
Kyle McMahon
Registered User
- May 10, 2006
- 13,301
- 4,353
I really like both these squads, it's a shame one of them will have to bow out in round one.
I'm on the record as saying that Boucher-Richard is the best one-two combo in the draft, one I'd be loathe to go up against. Luckilly for Dauphin, they can throw Clarke out against Boucher. Boucher was not a big man and didn't play especially physical, but don't discount his toughness, he won't be intimidated. That being said, if anybody can limit the damage, it's Clarke. He'll probably need to play a primarily defensive role to keep Boucher at bay, which will unfortunately hamper Barber and Kerr especially. Kerr needs a set-up man, so hopefully for him Clarke is able to provide that while not letting his defensive resposibility slip.
Lindros is a good center to have in the #2 slot in this situation. He is good enough to provide the offense that the Clarke line may be forced to concede and is imposing enough to battle through the hardy New West defense.
New West has the right crop of forwards to go up against a gritty and mean Dauphin blueline. A softer group of forwards probably wouldn't be able to battle through the likes of McCrimmon, Hatcher, and Foote, but guys like Fleury, Stevens, and Goring will be up to the task. I'd expect a lot of animosity to rise up in a hurry in this series, there are no shrinking violets present. This series would probably feature heavily on an edition of Don Cherry's Rock 'em Sock 'em.
I'm on the record as saying that Boucher-Richard is the best one-two combo in the draft, one I'd be loathe to go up against. Luckilly for Dauphin, they can throw Clarke out against Boucher. Boucher was not a big man and didn't play especially physical, but don't discount his toughness, he won't be intimidated. That being said, if anybody can limit the damage, it's Clarke. He'll probably need to play a primarily defensive role to keep Boucher at bay, which will unfortunately hamper Barber and Kerr especially. Kerr needs a set-up man, so hopefully for him Clarke is able to provide that while not letting his defensive resposibility slip.
Lindros is a good center to have in the #2 slot in this situation. He is good enough to provide the offense that the Clarke line may be forced to concede and is imposing enough to battle through the hardy New West defense.
New West has the right crop of forwards to go up against a gritty and mean Dauphin blueline. A softer group of forwards probably wouldn't be able to battle through the likes of McCrimmon, Hatcher, and Foote, but guys like Fleury, Stevens, and Goring will be up to the task. I'd expect a lot of animosity to rise up in a hurry in this series, there are no shrinking violets present. This series would probably feature heavily on an edition of Don Cherry's Rock 'em Sock 'em.
Team toughness is always a trademark of our team, and this might be our toughest team yet. Especially on the wings. Every one of our wingers plays a physically aggressive game. They're either big or they play really big. And they're mobile. Fleury, Richard, Linden and Cook are all very good skaters. They're expect to finish their checks and provide a sustained forecheck. You aren't going to physically intimidate McCrimmon or Hatcher or Smith - all of whom are rock-solid guys - but puck-moving isn't their forte. Puck-moving is Housley's forte, but outside of Housley and Howe, they're isn't a strong puck-moving presence on Dauphin's blue-line. And I think you can get to Housley with a forecheck like the one we're going to unleash on him.
We want hard-charging, aggressive players on our team. But the guys have to be able to skate, too, and have a good feel for the game. We think we have that up front.
If Dauphin wants to match Clarkie against Boucher, that's fine with us. That's a tough match-up, and it forces both centres to concentrate on offence as well as defence. It is a luxury when your No. 1 centre is your best defensive forward. But if Dauphin goes with that match-up, it'll line Richard up against Barber. It's a match-up that definitely favours The Rocket.
We didn't build a team for an opponent this time around. Last draft, we did, because we were in such a stacked division with HO (former champ), BM (former finalist), Murphy (bitter rival) and VanI (perennial contender). Not this time. But we built a team that can play a variety of styles. Both up front and on the blue-line.
We want hard-charging, aggressive players on our team. But the guys have to be able to skate, too, and have a good feel for the game. We think we have that up front.
If Dauphin wants to match Clarkie against Boucher, that's fine with us. That's a tough match-up, and it forces both centres to concentrate on offence as well as defence. It is a luxury when your No. 1 centre is your best defensive forward. But if Dauphin goes with that match-up, it'll line Richard up against Barber. It's a match-up that definitely favours The Rocket.
We didn't build a team for an opponent this time around. Last draft, we did, because we were in such a stacked division with HO (former champ), BM (former finalist), Murphy (bitter rival) and VanI (perennial contender). Not this time. But we built a team that can play a variety of styles. Both up front and on the blue-line.
seventieslord
Student Of The Game
I think the exact same thing could be said in reverse. Clarke is just as good as Boucher offensively, and potentially the best defensive forward ever. They will both have trouble containing eachother. I would give the edge to Clarke easily, but then Clarke's not feeding Maurice Richard.
This is a great example of a series where the top lines would really match up. If you're Dauphin, you want Clarke defending Boucher/Richard, and you want Barber, the agitating LW, grating against Richard's ego all night. If you're New Westminster, you are saying "Bring it On". Blake has the confidence in Richard to get the job done and will expect to outscore Dauphin's first line, regardless of Clarke's fine defensive play.
If Richard and Boucher click for a couple goals in the first two games, watch for Clarke to thump Richard in the head with his stick. If he hits the sweet spot, it could get really ugly in here.
So Clarke's going to take himself out of the series by going McSorley/Boulerice on Rocket Richard? Not going to happen. Clarkie's a competitive guy. He hates to lose. But he'd also hate to be sitting in the press box because he's suspended, which would happen if he tried anything like what you described.
And opponents don't take liberties on the Rocket. For one thing, the Rocket's tough enough to handle himself. With Clapper, Stevens, O'Reilly and Smith on the team, we have plenty of deterrents for anyone who takes a run at Richard, or anybody else for that matter.
A Rocket/Barber match-up? We'll take that. Barber's a fine hockey player, but we'd love to have the Rocket out there against Barber. And the refs wouldn't buy Barber's dives now. He tries it, he goes for unsportsmanlike conduct. Even if he takes someone to the box with him, as is the case with most unsportsmanlike conduct diving calls, with our team speed and smarts, we love four-on-four.
Sturminator
Love is a duel
Frank Boucher is actually marginally better offensively than Bobby Clarke, in my opinion. It's not a big difference, but Boucher's "high peak" years include 4 seasons in the top-4 league scorers, compared to Clarke's two and 8 seasons in the top-5 assists to Clarke's 5, with three assists titles to Clarke's two. Of course, Clarke wins the matchup fairly easily when complete game is taken into account, but I wanted to point out that in only offensive terms, Boucher may actually be a bit better.
Maurice Richard is a better player than Bill Barber - there's no doubt of that - but Barber is among a very small group of ATD scoringline-calibre left wingers who actually matches up well with Richard due to his great speed, grit and defensive awareness. I expect Clarke - Barber vs. Boucher - Richard to be a real war.
I just noticed that the matchup of 2nd lines is a battle of pumpkinheads. Lindros vs. Lafontaine...my my. With some of the defensemen skating in this matchup, what's the over/under on the first concussion in this series? I say Lindros, in game 4, at the blueline, with the candlestick...and Colonel Mustard did it.
seventieslord
Student Of The Game
The New Westminster Bruins (3) vs. The Dauphin Kings (6)
Game Results:
New Westminster Bruins: 6 - Dauphin Kings: 0
New Westminster Bruins: 3 - Dauphin Kings: 2
Dauphin Kings: 2 - New Westminster Bruins: 3
Dauphin Kings: 1 - New Westminster Bruins: 0
New Westminster Bruins: 3 - Dauphin Kings: 1
The New Westminster Bruins (3) defeats The Dauphin Kings (6) in 5 games.
Series Three Stars
1: Maurice Richard - New Westminster Bruins
2: Bobby Clarke - Dauphin Kings
3: Dit Clapper - New Westminster Bruins
Series Recap:
- The headline of this series could contain only three words: Maurice, Rocket and Richard. The Rocket was far and away the most electrifying player on the ice. Scoring 7 of his team 15 goals, even his line partner Frank Boucher couldn't keep up with him. He was flamboyant, strong, skated like the wind and even use finesse from time to time. One of the best performance in this year first round.
- Bernard Parent played better than his opponent Charlie Gardiner, who was merely acceptable in goal. Shooting from all angles, Parent made tremendous saves all series long. However, the Kings's defensive squad was not able to sweep the rebounds. McCrimmon and Hatcher played particularly bad in these series.
- The unsung hero of the series was Doug ''Diesel'' Mohns. He played very good defensively, always in good position to cut passes and feed his winger in transition. He also played in front in game five, on a line with Pat Lafontaine and Theoren Fleury; Kevin Stevens who had been injured by a severe bodycheck of Eric Lindros. Mohns hold in own and even feed Theoren Fleury, who scored the game winner of this series.
Game Results:
New Westminster Bruins: 6 - Dauphin Kings: 0
New Westminster Bruins: 3 - Dauphin Kings: 2
Dauphin Kings: 2 - New Westminster Bruins: 3
Dauphin Kings: 1 - New Westminster Bruins: 0
New Westminster Bruins: 3 - Dauphin Kings: 1
The New Westminster Bruins (3) defeats The Dauphin Kings (6) in 5 games.
Series Three Stars
1: Maurice Richard - New Westminster Bruins
2: Bobby Clarke - Dauphin Kings
3: Dit Clapper - New Westminster Bruins
Series Recap:
- The headline of this series could contain only three words: Maurice, Rocket and Richard. The Rocket was far and away the most electrifying player on the ice. Scoring 7 of his team 15 goals, even his line partner Frank Boucher couldn't keep up with him. He was flamboyant, strong, skated like the wind and even use finesse from time to time. One of the best performance in this year first round.
- Bernard Parent played better than his opponent Charlie Gardiner, who was merely acceptable in goal. Shooting from all angles, Parent made tremendous saves all series long. However, the Kings's defensive squad was not able to sweep the rebounds. McCrimmon and Hatcher played particularly bad in these series.
- The unsung hero of the series was Doug ''Diesel'' Mohns. He played very good defensively, always in good position to cut passes and feed his winger in transition. He also played in front in game five, on a line with Pat Lafontaine and Theoren Fleury; Kevin Stevens who had been injured by a severe bodycheck of Eric Lindros. Mohns hold in own and even feed Theoren Fleury, who scored the game winner of this series.
Ad
Latest posts
-
-
GDT: ECQF Game 4: Boston Bruins vs Toronto Leafs:, | 8pm, | SN
- Latest: go_leafs_go02
-
Upcoming events
-
Game 4 Boston Bruins @ Toronto Maple Leafs - Boston leads series 2-1Wagers: 13Staked: $34,667.00Event closes- Updated:
-
Series Winner Boston Bruins vs Toronto Maple Leafs - Boston leads series 2-1Wagers: 6Staked: $7,365.00Event closes
- Updated:
-
-
-