2020 USports Playoffs

[UNB Bruins Fan]

I think this is the year an OUA team breaks through, especially if they face UBC. I wouldn’t even be shocked if either Ottawa or Guelph beat Acadia, should they meet.

 

[MiamiHockey]

Ottawa is the team primed to pull an upset or two. Well-coached, veteran team (average age: 23.62 ... oldest team in USports ... combined 1917 USports GP is most by a lot) ... that has (mostly) been together for 4-5 years.
Guelph is younger ... I don't see them pulling off an upset over anybody.

 

[Drummer]

Ottawa ... veteran team (average age: 23.62 ... oldest team in USports ... combined 1917 USports GP is most by a lot)

That's a lot of team chemistry.

In the 'We've been here before' category, UNB has 18 guys with UCup experience (and at least 1 ring) and 11 guys with multiple trips as well as a coaching staff that has gone to the last 5 in a row with a 13-2 record.

 

[northvanman]

Saturday March 7

Western at Concordia 3pm
Ottawa at Guelph 7pm

 

[AUS Fan]

It may be a bit premature to slot any OUA team as winners/losers. As I said in an earlier post, with all due respect to the others, I have UNB, USK, ACA,UBC and SMU at 1-2-5-6-7. The rest will have to wait until Saturday. GUE may win at home over OTT and flip that seeding around. And don't count out UWO.

 

[AUS Fan]

I just caught the last 5 min of the ACA-UNB game. ACA couldn't win a faceoff in their end. Shots were 50-something to 20. Gonna guess Flodell was the difference. ACA wins 3-1 with the EN goal.

 

[UNB Bruins Fan]

Flodell, some posts, some puck luck, tremendous PK....basically the St. FX game plan

 

[RED ARMY EAST]

Acadia 3 UNB 1
UNB with an absolute ton of chances (53-20), but the difference was a very good goaltender and a failure of UNB to execute, especially on the pp. Reds looked a bit rusty with the week layoff.
Regardless of the outcome in this series, you will need to win 3 games in Halifax, to be the king of the hill!

 

[Rob]

Yes, it has been a while since I've seen so many missed opportunities. Great road game by Acadia. This is exactly the type of adversity UNB needs going in to the Nationals. Looking more forward to game 2 now.


SMU over Moncton 4-2. Game two is also on Wednesday.

 

[RED ARMY EAST]

Yes, it has been a while since I've seen so many missed opportunities. Great road game by Acadia. This is exactly the type of adversity UNB needs going in to the Nationals. Looking more forward to game 2 now.

Nice crowd tonight, 3200.

 

[Rob]

Nice crowd tonight, 3200.

If there is a game three there should be close to a sell out.

 

[Big Bad Jon]

If there is a game three there should be close to a sell out.

Yeah good crowd considering it was a bit of a messy night out and a local high school playoff game going on. A small positive to this is if they can force game 3, it'll look good on the revenue side.

 

[AUS Fan]

A tinfoil hat person would say they threw the game to get a 2nd gate.

 

[RED ARMY EAST]

A tinfoil hat person would say they threw the game to get a 2nd gate.

Knowing Gards, I doubt it!

 

[RED ARMY EAST]

SMU 4-2 over Moncton (at Halifax).
Les Aigles are going to need a big effort Wednesday to stay alive.

 

[Drummer]

A tinfoil hat person would say they threw the game to get a 2nd gate.

At times - it looked like they were putting in enough effort to 'make' it look good/close, but they weren't really making it happen - like they weren't worried about losing and the 5th seed was 'ok'. Yes - I'm implying they tanked, but that's not what I'm meant to say - more of 'go out and play - don't worry about systems, just play and if we win - we win, if we lose - we lose'. 100% effort, but not 100% focused - passing plays were messy, shots wide, blind passes - just a lot of uncharacteristic stuff. Probably just me - I was in a mood yesterday.

 

[UNB Bruins Fan]

They were very sloppy...too many turnovers and too many odd-man rushes given up.

 

[FreddyFoyle]

Give Acadia credit. They did a much better job than Moncton anticipating UNB passes through the neutral zone, and forced turnovers. What worked for UNB vs. UdeM didn't work against the Axemen. They need to readjust their game plan - better support the puck carrier on rushes, and get more bodies into the slot for the rebounds. Take away Flodell's eyes. Get greasy.

 

[AUS Fan]

Good luck getting the pretty boys to go in the dirty areas.

 

[Drummer]

I really have to wonder how they compute the Top 10 ELO.

UNB wins on Monday and is ideal for the rest of the week and they drop 57 points. How do you drop points when you win the lone game you played.

SMU loses the series but jumps from 10th to 5th?
ACD wins the series and jumps from 5th to 6th?

 

[Rob]

They were very sloppy...too many turnovers and too many odd-man rushes given up.

While UNB had 53 shots on goal I don't think Acadia gave up a single odd man rush nor a breakaway.

 

[Drummer]

While UNB had 53 shots on goal I don't think Acadia gave up a single odd man rush nor a breakaway.

That's what you get when you sit-back and wait for your opportunities. They're always in a defensive posture so outside of the odd chance in the 2nd period, with the long change, you're always attacking a wall and they jump on their chances when they occur. To counter that - dump it in, but that's hard to do all the time when you're a puck possession team - they will undoubtedly see what 'looks' like a good chance and on a few occasions an active stick gives you a break the other way.

 

[Rob]

UNB ties the series with Acadia after a 6-0 win. Score was not indicative of how close the game was. Harvey made 36 saves for the shutout.

 

[UNB Bruins Fan]

The roles were reversed tonight with UNB getting the goaltending, bounces and breaks, and they won the special teams battle.

Having said that, Acadia was arguably the better team tonight, and much better than in game one...they certainly seem to have a good game plan right now for facing UNB. I definitely wouldn’t be counting them out Friday night.

 

[Prov1X]

SMU wins it in triple OT