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The first-round playoff challenge appears far greater for the LaSalle Vipers compared to the Leamington Flyers.
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The Flyers locked up the top seed in the Western Conference of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League and will face the eighth-seeded Strathroy Rockets, who finished 40-points back in the standings.
Meanwhile, the Vipers fought off injuries and a suspension down the stretch to secure home-ice advantage in the first round as the fourth seed and will meet the fifth-seeded St. Marys Lincolns.
The Vipers host the Lincolns in the opener of the best-of-seven series on Wednesday while the Flyers open play at home on Thursday against the Rockets.
No. 4 LaSalle (27-17-3-1) vs. No. 5 St. Marys (26-21-0-1)
The injuries have piled up for the Vipers from early in the season, with the loss of Derek Berdusco, and have just grown.
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Captain and leading scorer Nic Pavia (broken leg), Noah Morneau (broken wrist), who was second in team scoring, Ethan Hamelin (broken leg) and Nicholas Graniero, who broke his hand in the final game of the regular season on Sunday, will all have to watch from the sidelines. So will forward Wylie Birkett, who is serving a four-game suspension that will keep him out until Game 3.
“We’ve been dealing with this adversity,” Vipers’ head coach Matt Beaudoin said. “It’s nothing new.
“Even though it’s unfortuante, no one is feeling sorry for us and I believe this is a good opportunity.”
LaSalle won took seven of a possible eight points to end the season and earn home-ice advantage.
“We’ve faced a lot of adversity, but we set a goal going into second half to finish 17-5 and we finished 16-6, even with the injuries and suspension,” Vipers’ goalie Matthew Sbrocca said. “I’m proud of the squad and we still have unfinished business.”
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The 19-year-old Sbrocca, who has had OHL stops with Oshawa and Barrie, has helped settle things down the stretch. I have finished the season with a 9-2 record with a 2.23 goals-against average and .935 save percentage.
“He’s certainly played unbelievable,” Beaudoin said of Sbrocca. “Depth and goaltending have been a strength all year. (Backup Kyle) Downey’s played well, but Matt’s stepped up and been unbelievable. He’s playing at a level right now where it’s got to be fun for him and he has the confidence of the entire team.”
A LaSalle native, the 6-foot-2, 190-pound Sbrocca broke in with the Vipers before moving on to the OHL, but is enjoying his return and hoping to help spark a playoff run.
“I’ve been waiting (for the playoffs) since the moment I stepped in the crease,” Sbrocca said. “Everyone dreams of a playoff series and playoff time.
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“Injuries brought more attention to my position, and my play, but it’s still a team game and other guys have to step up. If anything, it’s made us a better team. Guys are stepping up that didn’t have a huge role. If anything, I have more confidence because it’s not just our star players carrying us.”
No. 1 Leamington (36-12-0-0) vs. No. 8 Strathroy (13-29-2-4)
It’s been a year of growth for the Flyers under first-year head coach Dale Mitchell.
“I think it was a big learning experience for me,” said Mitchell, who was a two-time Memorial Cup champion with the Windsor Spitfires. “Fresh off playing, you think you have all the answers.
“It was a lot of learning, learning personalities and the way you view the game and how it doesn’t mean that’s how you play. So, it was a lot of systems and structures and what to let go and not let go.”
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He credits general manager Justin Solcz and assistant coaches Mark Ridout and Kade McKibbin.
“I came in late, in August, so I didn’t know anyone,” Mitchell said. “Solcz was great helping me and Mark and Kade.”
The Flyers have gotten plenty of offensive mileage from Connor MacPherson, Gavin Grudner and Ryan MacPherson, but Mitchell said the depth of the team has shown later in the season with the likes of Jack Cotter, Jason Daraiche and Connor McCracken and he wants that to continue. against the Rockets.
“We never want to take anyone lightly, but we’ve put ourselves in the best position,” Mitchell said. “We’re not going to change too much.
“I think our depth guys have taken a big step forward from the beginning of the year. We’ve relied a lot on our front-end scoring, but these guys are a big part of our team not getting scored against, scoring big goals and creating energy on a shift.”
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