Atd#8-ML Mickey Ion Division Final: #1 Cincinnati Stingers vs. #2 Phoenix Roadrunners

[VanIslander]

James Creighton Memorial Cup Semi-Final



Cincinnati Stingers

coach: Peter Laviolette
captain: Gord Roberts
alternates: Al Arbour, Udo Kiessling
MVP finalist: Gord Roberts

Gord Roberts (C) - Pavel Datsyuk - Eddie Oatman
Martin Straka - Bob Gracie - Harry Hyland
Murray Murdoch - Cully Dahlstrom - Bill Ezinicki
Morris Lukowich - Andre Lacroix - Nikolai Drozdetsky
Marty Walsh, Nick Fotiu

Brad Maxwell - Al Arbour (A)
Uwe Krupp - Andrei Markov
Udo Kiessling (A) - Howard McNamara
Garth Boesch

Jim Henry
Bunny Laroque



vs.



Phoenix Roadrunners

coach: Randy Carlyle
goal coach: Warren Strelow
captain: Harry Trihey
alternates: Dave Lewis, Phat Wilson
team MVP: Gerry McNeil

Fred Scanlan - Harry Trihey (C) - Arthur Farrell
Adam Deadmarsh - Henrik Zetterberg - Ray Sheppard
Bob Berry - Metro Prystai - Claude Larose
Sergei Brylin - Joe Murphy - Mel Hill
Tony Hand

Garry Galley - Bruce Driver
Hy Buller - Dave Lewis (A)
Phat Wilson (A) - Jack Ruttan
Jay Wells

Gerry McNeil
Guy Hebert



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[VanIslander]

Cincinnati Stingers

PP1: Roberts - Datsyuk - Oatman - Markov - Maxwell
PP2: Lukowich - Lacroix - Hyland - Straka - Krupp

PK1: Murdoch - Dalhstrom - Kiessling - McNamara
PK2: Ezinicki - Gracie - Arbour - Krupp

vs.

Phoenix Roadrunners

PP1: Scanlan - Trihey - Farrell - Wilson - Driver
PP2: Deadmarsh - Zetterberg - Sheppard - Buller - Galley

PK1: Berry - Prystai - Lewis - Galley
PK2: Larose - Deadmarsh - Driver - Ruttan

 

[VanIslander]

This is the Divisional Finals series: state your observations here

 

[MXD]

By an interesting twist of fate, the team with the great checking line plays against the team with 3 offensive lines... Ray Sheppard covering Morris Lukowich, helllllo!

 

[John Flyers Fan]

Sorry about the delay, I've been incredibly sick and not on-line. Please get your votes into me by 6pm est on Wednesday.

 

[Transplanted Caper]

I'm beginning to be a real believer in the Road Runners. The way they were able to handle the physical presence of the Millers in the last round is certainly something to consider going forward in this series. Seems as if the deadline, the AAA draft and the Top 100 seems to have quieted down the MLD.

 

[MXD]

I'm beginning to be a real believer in the Road Runners. The way they were able to handle the physical presence of the Millers in the last round is certainly something to consider going forward in this series. Seems as if the deadline, the AAA draft and the Top 100 seems to have quieted down the MLD.

But we have something the Millers didn't : scoring throughout the lineup, which is dangerous for a team relying on a great checking line. (let's face it : the Stingers have the best 1st line winger -- Roberts -- and the best 2nd line winger as well -- Hyland). I like Claude Larose, but covering Gord Roberts? Same thing for ... whoever will have to face Hyland, actually. The Roadrunners have a good 1st line and a great 3rd line : however, the 2nd and the 4th are greatly overmatched against ANY of our line (except the checking line, but that's not the point here, and even then, some matchups might be at the terrible disadvantage of the Roadrunners). Besides, Howard McNamara is likely the toughest player from both our team and the Millers.

 

[Transplanted Caper]

McNeil out duels Henry for Game One Victory​

"Give credit to my defensemen. They were phenomenal, I think I saw every shot" Gerry McNeil said immediately after the Roadrunners Game One victory. "To win the first game here in Cincinnati was huge for us".

McNeil may be a bit too humble. He was fantastic in Game One stopping all 33 shots that came his way in a 2-0 win for the Roadrunners in Game One. Metro Prystai opened the scoring in the 2nd period with a shot that beat Jim Henry five hole. Prystai would continue his great playoffs on the penalty kill in this one helping his squad kill of 6 penalties, many of which contained great chances by a talented Stingers squad. After even action in the first two and a half frames, the last 10 minutes was all Cincy as they attempted to tie the game, but too no avail thanks to the flawless play of McNeil. Harry Trihey would score late into an empty net to secure the win for the Roadrunners.


Final Score: 2-0 Phoenix

Roadrunners lead series 1-0

 

[Transplanted Caper]

Stingers even things up​

"We weren't going to lose this game. We just weren't. Simple as that"

Captain Gord Roberts was blunt and accurate in the moments after the second game of the Mickey Ion Division Finals. He was best player on the ice for either team notching 2 goals and 2 assists in a 4-1 Cincinnati win last night. He opened the scoring early much to the delight of the home crowd who had just settled into their seats. It looked like Phoenix would make a real game of it later in the first frame when Ray Sheppard scored on the power play, but from that point onward it was all Cincinnati. Roberts notched his second of the game early in the 2nd on a one-timer from Datysuk and returned the favour by setting up the Russian later in the period on a Cincinnati powerplay. Al Arbour would fire one in from the point midway through the 3rd to round out the scoring and to seal the win for the Stingers.

Final: 4-1 Cincinnati

Series Tied 1-1

 

[Transplanted Caper]

Jim Henry Gives Series Its Second Shutout​

"What can I say, some nights it looks easy" smiled Jim Henry after the game. Henry had reason to smile. He notched a 26 save shutout in Game 3 and gave his team a 2-1 series lead. The Roadrunners used their first home game to come out motivated and fired 12 shots at Henry but he stopped them all. Despite being on the receiving end of some serious pressure early on, the Stingers remained composed and it would pay off early in the 2nd when Harry Hyland scored to make it 1-0 Stingers. Just a few minutes later, Datsyuk would make it 2-0 going into the second intermission. After being outshot 10-5 in period number 2, the Roadrunners came out ready again in the 3rd to try and tie the game up. However, despite some great chances late in the game it was not to be. Henry remained strong in the net and held onto the win for his team.

Final 2-0 Cincinnati

Stingers lead series 2-1

 

[Transplanted Caper]

Phoenix Evens Things up Heading Back to Ohio​

"Obviously tonight's win was huge. We couldn't get a win for our fans in Game 3, but we did it tonight"

The smile of Harry Trihey said it all. This series was now a best of 3 after a 2-1 Roadrunners win last night in Phoenix. Both goalies were phenomenal as the night wore on and the two teams traded scoring chance after scoring chance. Trihey himself opened the scoring in the 2nd period after deflecting a Galley point shot to put Phoenix up 1-0. From here Phoenix just wanted to hold and began playing much more conservatively, frustrating the Stingers who were getting desperate to score a goal to tie it up. A tying goal would never come for Cincinnati, their only goal of the game came with 30 seconds left when Gord Roberts notched one just seconds after the Roadrunners had essentially put the game to bed on a goal by Metro Prystai to put the team up 2-0.

"This is the playoffs. Anyone expecting this to be a quick series was dreaming" Peter Laviolette said after the game. "That being said, we fully expect to go back to Cincinnati and win and to have something pretty big on the line when we come back to Phoenix in a few days"

Final Score 2-1 Phoenix

Series Tied 2-2

 

[Transplanted Caper]

44 Saves Not Enough as Stingers sink McNeil and Roadrunners 1-0​

"I don't know how many times you see a performance like that not lead to a victory" Randy Carlyle said after the game. "My god, it was 43 saves and I didn't think he had a chance on about 10 of them. McNeil was incredible. Now we have to figure a way to get this one back for him by winning the next two"


The Phoenix Roadrunners put themselves on the brink of elimination last night after losing 1-0 to Cincinnati in Game 5 of this best of 7 series. This was a game dominated by the Stingers from start to finish. With 12 shots in the first and 16 in both the second and third, goaltender Gerry McNeil may have sweat of 10 pounds in a losing effort. Despite being outshot heavily, the Roadrunners did have a chance right up until the final buzzer, and may have even had a better chance as the game wore on and the Stingers became more and more frustrated with the heroics of McNeil, but unfortunately for Roadrunners fans, only Metro Prystai seemed capable of doing anything offensively, firing 5 shots at Jim Henry including one that rang off the cross bar late in the 3rd. The winning and only goal of the game would come soon after this heartbreaking miss by Prystai when Uwe Krupp would be the Johnny on the Spot taking the puck seemingly while the clang of the goalpost still echoed in the arena and sending Harry Hyland in alone. Hyland would be the only one not to miss, just beating McNeil blocker side to give his team the lead, and the win.

Final:1-0 Cincinnati

Stingers lead series 3-2

 

[Transplanted Caper]

Stingers off to the Finals!​

The top ranked Cincinnati Stingers broke the hearts of the Phoenix faithful last night, knocking off their opponents 3-2 and punching their own tickets to the League Championships. Andrei Markov would find Eddie Oatman midway through a first period powerplay to give the Stingers a 1-0 lead. The lead would be short lived as less than 3 minutes later Bob Berry would find Metro Prystai who would score the tying goal, continuing what was an incredible playoffs for the cagey Prystai. Things would quiet down offensively until the 3rd period when two quick goals would ultimately sink the Roadrunners season. With Bruce Driver in the box for a four-minute double minor (if you want to know why ask Al Arbour, he'll be happy to show you his new scar) the Stingers notched two powerplay goals, one by Eddie Oatman and one by Gord Roberts to make it 3-1 Cincinnati. With less than 5 minutes to go Metro Prystai would score to make it 3-2, but that would be all the Roadrunners could muster. The Stingers would win 3-2 to win the series in 6 games. Despite the loss the Phoenix fans remained standing, saluting their heroes for their playoff run and giving them a standing ovation.

Final 3-2 Stingers

Cincinnati wins the series 4-2


3 Stars
1. Roberts (Stingers)
2. McNeil (Roadrunners)
3. Prystai (Roadrunners)

 

[VanIslander]

Congrats MXD & Jungosi. The Stingers prevailed in what sure looked like a five-horse race in that division! (regular season seeding in the Mickey Ion was VERY close from #5 Windsor up to #1 Cincy)

Kuddos to agent dale cooper for the Trihey first line, a stroke of brilliance, and solid team, though that blueline is a bit underwhelming in comparison.

 

[Diving Pokecheck*]

Congratulations. You put together a great team. Good luck in the finals.

 

[MXD]

Congrats ADC... You've put up a great team that was IMO one player away from winning this round. Trihey-Scanlan-Farrell was a feat as well.

My humble guess : You're the last GM to select Metro Prystai in an MLD.

 

[seventieslord]

Congrats ADC... You've put up a great team that was IMO one player away from winning this round. Trihey-Scanlan-Farrell was a feat as well.

My humble guess : You're the last GM to select Metro Prystai in an MLD.

Count on it.

 

[Transplanted Caper]

Congrats ADC... You've put up a great team that was IMO one player away from winning this round. Trihey-Scanlan-Farrell was a feat as well.

My humble guess : You're the last GM to select Metro Prystai in an MLD.

Metro was identified as a star in each series thus far. Pretty nice feat all things considered IMO.