ATD #9 Foster Hewitt Semifinal: #1 Detroit Falcons vs. #4 Kansas City Scouts

[FissionFire]

Detroit Falcons
Coach: Roger Neilson

Doug Bentley (A) - Max Bentley - Bryan Hextall Sr.
Bert Olmstead - Bill Cowley - Gordie Drillon
Jack Walker - Guy Carbonneau (A) - Ed Westfall
Lynn Patrick - Frank McGee - Bill Goldsworthy
Bernie Morris

Red Kelly (A) - Émile Bouchard (C)
George Boucher - Si Griffis
Vitaly Davydov - Mike Grant
Glen Harmon

Frank Brimsek
Viktor Konovalenko
Tom Paton

PP#1
Doug Bentley - Bill Cowley - Bryan Hextall Sr.
Red Kelly - Max Bentley

PP#2
Lynn Patrick - Frank McGee - Gordie Drillon
George Boucher - Mike Grant

PK#1
Ed Westfall - Guy Carbonneau
Émile Bouchard - George Boucher

PK#2
Jack Walker - Bert Olmstead
Vitaly Davydov - Red Kelly
Red Kelly taking the faceoffs



Kansas City Scouts
Coach: Pete Green
Assistant Coach: Ted Nolan

Steve Shutt - Mark Messier (C) - Ken Wharram
Paul Thompson - Frank Foyston - Harry "Punch" Broadbent
Ross Lonsberry - Troy Murray - Alf Smith (A)
Gerard Gallant - Jack Adams - Allan "Scotty" Davidson
Ryan Walter

Tim Horton (A) - Frantisek Pospisil
Walter "Babe" Pratt - Barclay Plager
Ron Stackhouse - Barry Ashbee
Lloyd Cook

Johnny Bower
Ed Johnston

PP#1
Paul Thompson - Mark Messier - Harry Broadbent
Steve Shutt - Tim Horton

PP#2
Alf Smith - Frank Foyston - Ken Wharram
Babe Pratt - Ron Stackhouse

PK#1
Ross Lonsberry - Troy Murray
Tim Horton - Frantisek Pospisil

PK#2
Gerard Gallant - Jack Adams
Barclay Plager - Barry Ashbee​

Click to read more...

 

[Pwnasaurus]

The Scouts are going to insert Jack Adams as the 4th line C for Ryan Walter and he will also take Walter's place on the 2nd PK unit. We will need all the skating we can muster.

 

[God Bless Canada]

I think the bottom line is how Kansas City handles the Detroit speed. The Eagles skill and creativity, and their overall team offence, is likely the best in the draft.

The good news for the Scouts is the presence of Mark Messier. He's not great defensively, but he has the speed, toughness, big-game mentality and hockey sense to play against a Cowley or even a Bentley. Ken Wharram's speed and smarts could make him an effective shadow for Doug Bentley. (Keep in mind I know what the Bentley's can do; I also understand how to stop them).

Tim Horton, who rates among the best defensive defencemen of all-time, will really be a pivotal guy in this thing.

I give KC an edge in net, especially for the playoffs, with Johnny Bower. But it's not significant. And goaltending will not be the difference in this series.

KC has one definite edge, and it's behind the bench. Green might be the two most underrated coaches in the draft. I like Neilson as an ATD head coach, but I think he'd fit better on the Scouts than on the Eagles. I just don't know if Neilson fits with this team.

How long until we get the first Boradbent/Olmstead confrontation?

Detroit got a sample of what's to come playing against Donair City. This will be a much tougher test. And a really good taste of what's to come should they advance. This could be when a lack of team toughness hits them hard.

 

[Transplanted Caper]

Falcons Win Game One at Home

The Detroit Falcons kept on with their winning ways last night, pulling out a 4-2 win in the first game of their Hewitt Division Semi-Final against the Kansas City Scouts. Bryan Hextall opened the scoring, with assists to the Bentley brothers to make it 1-0 for Detroit early on. The Scouts would respond on a goal by Frank Foyston to tie the game at 1, but after this the Falcons would take over and control the play the rest of the way. Bill Cowley would put the Falcons up 2-1 in the midway point of the 2nd period with a shot that slipped through the five hole of Johnny Bower. Red Kelly would get in on the action later on in the frame firing a puck from the blueline that kareemed of a skate and in to put the Falcons up 3-1. Kansas City ensured this game would stay close when Mark Messier scored early in the 3rd period to cut the lead to 3-2, setting the stage for an exciting final 10 minutes. However, the groans could be heard all the way from Kansas City when Red Kelly found Max Bentley alone in front of the net. Unsurprisingly, Bentley converted and put his team up 4-2.

Final 4-2 Detroit
Detroit Leads Series 1-0

 

[Transplanted Caper]

Falcons Take 2-0 Lead

The Kansas City Scouts will have their work cut out for them when they return home to play game 3 tomorrow night after dropping a 2-0 decision to the Detroit Falcons last night in Detroit. Doug Bentley would score the first, and ultimately, the winning goal late in the first with an impressive wrap around effort the fooled the defenseman covering him and squeezed in between Johnny Bower's leg and the post to put the Falcons up 1-0. Frank Brimsek would be the story in goal for a good portion of the game, turning away any and all Kansas City shots and the Scouts fought desperately to tie the game and go home with the series evened up. But Brimsek was too good on this night, making 34 saves in total for the shutout. Not to be outdone, Doug Bentley scored his 2nd of the game into an empty net late to secure the win for the Falcons. Post-game the concern on the faces of the Kansas City players was evident. It would be their leader, Mark Messier who fielded the questions post-game

"Win, that's it. Win the next game. That's all we're focusing on now. We don't care about Games 4,5,6 or 7, or even the last two right now. Once the buzzer sounded, everyone became focused on the task at hand. Win Game 3"

Final2-0 Detroit
Falcons lead series 2-0

 

[Transplanted Caper]

Messier Takes Scouts on His Back in Game 3 Win

In all honesty, we shouldn't be surprised anymore. Mark Messier was amazing all season, and doubled that effort in Round One. We should be used to the clutch play, the leadership, the emotion and the tenacity, but each time we think we're used to it, Messier raises the bar once more. He did so again last night, tallying four points in a 4-0 for the Scouts last night. Mess would kick things off early, assisting on a Steve Shutt goal early in the 1st, that sent an already raucous crowd into a frenzy. Messier would be the one lighting the lamp later in the period when he fired a shot past Brimsek and into the back of the net. Despite the great start, it was a stoic and terse Messier who went into the dressing room for the first intermission. His work wasn't over on this night, not by a long shot. On the first shift of the 2nd, Messier came out flying again, levelling a defender with a hit, taking the puck and firing it past Brimsek on what was no doubt the best shift of the game by any player. This early goal drained the emotion from the Falcons who were on their heels the rest of the game. Brimsek was admirable in defeat, and would only be beat once more the rest of the way, when Messier found Tim Horton open at the point, Horton made no mistake and fired home the 4th goal of the game for the Scouts

Final 4-0 Kansas City

Falcons Lead Series 2-1

 

[Transplanted Caper]

Home Ice Continues To Be Key

Home Ice advantage continues to be a vital part of the Hewitt Division Semi Finals as the Kansas City Scouts knocked off the Detroit Falcons 3-2 last night. Mark Messier was fantastic once again, and while he only notched one assist on the night, he was all over the ice, huge hits, winning faceoffs and blocking shots, proving once again his importance to this Scouts squad. It would be the Falcons scoring first, when Red Kelly assisted on a Max Bentley goal. Jack Adams would get the tying goal, on an assist from Gerard Gallant towards the end of the first period, sending the game into a deadlock with 2 periods remaining. The Scouts used the boost they got from their hometown fans coming out of the gate in the 2nd period when Frank Foyston scored his 2nd of the series to put the Scouts up 2-1. Detroit would even up this back and forth affair on a Red Kelly powerplay goal, tying the game with one period to go. The 3rd saw lots of back and forth action, with the goalies at either end of the ice making fantastic saves to keep the game tied. It would be Babe Pratt who would be the hero in this one, firing a shot past Brimsek and giving the Scouts the win, and tying the series at 2.

Final: 3-2 Kansas City
Series Tied 2-2

 

[Transplanted Caper]

Red Puts Scouts On The Brink

Red Kelly tallied a goal and an assist in a 4-2 win for the Detroit Falcons last night in Detroit. After dropping back-to-back games against the Scouts on the road in Kansas City, Detroit clawed back with a very solid performance to push the Scouts to the brink of elimination last night. Kelly would open the scoring himself firing a blistering point shot past Bower and into the back of the cage to make it 1-0 Falcons. Not to be outdone, Mark Messier scored another big goal for his team early in the 2nd to tie the game up at 1, which would be the score until the 2nd period came to an end. The final frame was all Detroit. First, Red Kelly set up Doug Bentley for a powerplay goal early in the period to put Detroit up 2-1. Just a few minutes later, it would be brother Max scoring to put the Falcons up by 2. Guy Carboneau would score a big goal for the 3rd line with 8 minutes remaining to quash any hope of a Kansas City comeback. Tim Horton would score late to put the Scouts within 2, but that's how the game would end.

Final 4-2 Detroit
Detroit Leads Series 3-2

 

[Transplanted Caper]

Bring on the Saints!

The Detroit Falcons are moving onto the Foster Hewitt Division Finals after a 2-1 win over the Kansas City Scouts last night in Kansas City. It would be Mark Messier who would score the first goal of the game giving the Scouts some important momentum for much of the first period. However, Brimsek was able to keep the Scouts at bay through a flurry of chances. The Falcons would regroup in the 2nd period and began to put the pressure on themselves. Although they were able to fire 16 shots at the net, all of them were sent away by the China Wall, Johnny Bower. The Falcons would finally score when Drillon found Cowley in front of the net. Bill Cowley buried the puck past Bower to tie the game at one. The Falcons gained the momentum from here on our and fired everything but the kitchen sink at Bower for the rest of the final period. For most of the frame it looked like this game was going to head into overtime, but with less than 2 minutes remaining, Red Kelly fired a shot that was blocked by Horton. But Kelly regained the rebound step around the sprawling Horton and fired yet another shot towards the net, this one going past Bower and into the net. Despite a late flurry with the net empty, the Scouts couldn't tie the game up. The Falcons were moving on to face the Saints in the Hewitt Finals

Final 2-1 Detroit
Detroit Wins Series 4-2

1. Red Kelly
2. Mark Messier
3. Max Bentley

 

[Pwnasaurus]

Congrats to Eagle he has a great squad there and it should be a great final vs Minnesota. I think getting Cowley for a steal was a huge boon for that team to play in the 2nd pivot spot and is a great luxury for that roster. Great writeups TC, the Scouts fans are already looking forward to next season and to build off their 1st ever playoff victory in the QF's. GG

 

[Spitfire11]

No shame in losing to the Falcons, like all of EB's teams they're an absolute machine. Where's EB been anyways?

 

[FissionFire]

No shame in losing to the Falcons, like all of EB's teams they're an absolute machine. Where's EB been anyways?

He's had a real life situation arise that has required much of his time and energy.

 

[EagleBelfour]

Yes sorry everyone. I'll be active for next round. Congrats to KC, I enjoyed the team you've builted.