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ECJLL Playoff Preview
The ECJLL Playoffs get underway today with two games set to take place in Halifax and Shearwater. Click read more for more on the matchups.
Colin Beiswanger
July 11, 2017
Some things change and some things stay the same. The saying can be said for many things in life, and that includes the East Coast Junior Lacrosse League.
The Dartmouth Bandits once again sit atop the standings with a record of 13-1-1 heading into the ECJLL Playoffs. The Halifax Hurricanes once again play a supporting role to the Bandits, and one can expect a thrilling Finals should these two play – The season series was 1-1-1 with a goal differential of two. Both teams have acquired offensive weapons in hopes it will lead to success when it matters most. Both teams have core veteran players they will be relying on heading into semi-final matchups.
Aside from the headline grabbing games, the other two teams participating in the ECJLL Playoffs are disruptors. The NB Mavericks and the Sackville Sportwheels Wolves each have taken their turns in the basement of the ECJLL Standings in recent years, but both have put that behind them with young coaching and a willingness to put team first. Neither would be favoured if oddsmakers set lines for ECJLL games, but both come in with a can-do attitude and young players looking to make an impression.
If you want offense, look no further than the Dartmouth Bandits. The Bandits scored 235 goals in 2017, with no other team passing 200 goals-for since the ECJLL started tracking the statistic. In fact, their top three point-getters (Penney, Mosher, Draper) combined for 109 goals, which is 23 more than the entire Mi’kmaq Warriors team and only 10 less than the entire Marley Lions team. After a 2016 of 6.58 points per game put up by ECJLL leading scorer Andrew Neilson, the Bandits Breton Penney put up a comparatively astonishing mark averaging 6.57 points per game.
What separates this Bandits team from their predecessors is the ability to score on timely possessions. In their most recent victory over the Halifax Hurricanes the Bandits were down 5-1 six minutes into the game, but quietly stormed back to tie it up 5-5 heading into the intermission. Going into the second period tied after giving up 5 early goals is crucial for team morale, and it carried them to a key victory in the standings.
There is no lack of scoring on this team, but one constant has remained: Breton Penney scoring important goals. In a 9-8 win over the Hurricanes, Penney scored five of the teams nine goals including two in the third period. He’ll need to contribute at the same level in 2017 to see the Bandits through to a repeat. Secondary scoring would also help, with fifth-year Captain Ryan Daley, rookie Tyson Carvery, and transition star Alex Bungay all expected to step up.
The Wolves, a 5th place finisher in 2016 by one point to the Mavericks, beat out the Marley Lions on a tie-breaker to get in this time around. These young wolves are hungry to get some playoff action, with only three players having any post-season experience (Arsenault, MacGregor, Faulkner). Expect the Wolves to put up a fight after a big win on June 17th over the NB Mavericks, and a close game against the Hurricanes on June 27th. The June 17th game put these Wolves into the playoffs, and they’ll be looking for production from the players who contributed in that game to shine through come game-time.
Expect the Wolves 2017 leading scorer and team captain ‘Money’ Mitchell Broussard to carry the way against a young but tough Bandits defence – Broussard had 9 pts (4G 5A) in two games against Dartmouth. His ability to wiggle inside on defenders will play favorably against the Bandits. Broussard should see help from Zac Carrigan (30G 19A) and Mike Anthony (22G 16 A) for offensive might, Carrigan with his craftiness on the crease and Anthony with his outside shot.
One interesting name to keep an eye on is Ryland Baird, an exceptional status player offered to the Wolves. His 16 pts in the regular season put him third among such players in 2017 behind Stuart Smeltzer and Liam McGrath.
The matchup between these two teams is going to come down to ball security and goaltending. The Bandits have been able to rely on goaltending in close games (4 three-goal games in 2017), and should continue to do so as the stakes get greater and the competition tightens up.
The Halifax Southwest Hurricanes narrowly missed out on the top seed to the Dartmouth Bandits, and as a result will be making at least one trip to Moncton to take on the Mavericks. The Canes have the most firepower of any squad with NCAA and CUFLA players scattered throughout their offence and a quality supporting cast. Putting together a full 60 minutes offensively is something this group needs to commit to in order to achieve success in 2017’s second season.
In Max McBride and Will Holmes, the Hurricanes have two dependable scoring threats on either side of the floor – both command attention and must be on the Mavs radar. Their two biggest scoring threats, Brian Huyghue and Luke Smeltzer, need to contribute early and often in games to overtake their opponents
The Hurricanes benefit from two of the best goaltenders in the ECJLL in veteran Matt Kent and rookie Nathan Jollymore, and their defence can be one of the best given a balanced game-plan. What was evident in the Hurricanes 9-8 defeat at the hands of the season was their inability to defend the transition game likened by the Bandits. Slowing things down and allowing their goaltenders to save outside shots should be a recipe for Hurricane success in this series.
For the Mavs, a 3rd place finish seems a bit surprising considering they lost their star from a year ago in Andrew Neilson. 20 year-old rookie John Newman has been a good piece, providing a boost for a Mavs team that had to replace Neilson’s 79 pts in 2016. Jake Mosher-McGraw led the league in points per game at 6.85 over seven games for the Mavericks, and is the difference-maker in this series for the Mavericks. As Mosher-McGraw goes, so do the Mavericks.
The Mavericks put up strong effort games against the Dartmouth Bandits in the playoffs a year ago, albeit conceding all three games in a sweep. This team is positioned well for an upset, and if we’re to see a bottom seeded team overtake the Bandits or Hurricanes, I would put my money on the 3rd ranked Mavericks.
Seeing his GAA increase from a year ago, Keegan Delaney will need to be very good against the Hurricanes offence. Look for Delaney and the Mavs transition players to push the ball quickly down the floor the same way they did against the Marley Lions and Wolves during the regular season.
With a narrow loss to the Hurricanes 10-9 on May 14th, it should be known that the Mavericks best effort could top the best effort of the Hurricanes. The Hurricanes must stay disciplined and cohesive to ensure that this series does not get out of hand. In previous years the 1st seed has been a huge advantage over the 2nd seed due to the tough competition coming out of the 2 vs 3 series, and last year was no exception. The Hurricanes lost in five games to the Marley Lions, and either team must make this series a quick one to get some rest in preparation for the Finals.
July 11, 2017
Some things change and some things stay the same. The saying can be said for many things in life, and that includes the East Coast Junior Lacrosse League.
The Dartmouth Bandits once again sit atop the standings with a record of 13-1-1 heading into the ECJLL Playoffs. The Halifax Hurricanes once again play a supporting role to the Bandits, and one can expect a thrilling Finals should these two play – The season series was 1-1-1 with a goal differential of two. Both teams have acquired offensive weapons in hopes it will lead to success when it matters most. Both teams have core veteran players they will be relying on heading into semi-final matchups.
Aside from the headline grabbing games, the other two teams participating in the ECJLL Playoffs are disruptors. The NB Mavericks and the Sackville Sportwheels Wolves each have taken their turns in the basement of the ECJLL Standings in recent years, but both have put that behind them with young coaching and a willingness to put team first. Neither would be favoured if oddsmakers set lines for ECJLL games, but both come in with a can-do attitude and young players looking to make an impression.
1. Dartmouth Bandits vs 4. Sackville Sportwheels Wolves
If you want offense, look no further than the Dartmouth Bandits. The Bandits scored 235 goals in 2017, with no other team passing 200 goals-for since the ECJLL started tracking the statistic. In fact, their top three point-getters (Penney, Mosher, Draper) combined for 109 goals, which is 23 more than the entire Mi’kmaq Warriors team and only 10 less than the entire Marley Lions team. After a 2016 of 6.58 points per game put up by ECJLL leading scorer Andrew Neilson, the Bandits Breton Penney put up a comparatively astonishing mark averaging 6.57 points per game.
What separates this Bandits team from their predecessors is the ability to score on timely possessions. In their most recent victory over the Halifax Hurricanes the Bandits were down 5-1 six minutes into the game, but quietly stormed back to tie it up 5-5 heading into the intermission. Going into the second period tied after giving up 5 early goals is crucial for team morale, and it carried them to a key victory in the standings.
There is no lack of scoring on this team, but one constant has remained: Breton Penney scoring important goals. In a 9-8 win over the Hurricanes, Penney scored five of the teams nine goals including two in the third period. He’ll need to contribute at the same level in 2017 to see the Bandits through to a repeat. Secondary scoring would also help, with fifth-year Captain Ryan Daley, rookie Tyson Carvery, and transition star Alex Bungay all expected to step up.
The Wolves, a 5th place finisher in 2016 by one point to the Mavericks, beat out the Marley Lions on a tie-breaker to get in this time around. These young wolves are hungry to get some playoff action, with only three players having any post-season experience (Arsenault, MacGregor, Faulkner). Expect the Wolves to put up a fight after a big win on June 17th over the NB Mavericks, and a close game against the Hurricanes on June 27th. The June 17th game put these Wolves into the playoffs, and they’ll be looking for production from the players who contributed in that game to shine through come game-time.
Expect the Wolves 2017 leading scorer and team captain ‘Money’ Mitchell Broussard to carry the way against a young but tough Bandits defence – Broussard had 9 pts (4G 5A) in two games against Dartmouth. His ability to wiggle inside on defenders will play favorably against the Bandits. Broussard should see help from Zac Carrigan (30G 19A) and Mike Anthony (22G 16 A) for offensive might, Carrigan with his craftiness on the crease and Anthony with his outside shot.
One interesting name to keep an eye on is Ryland Baird, an exceptional status player offered to the Wolves. His 16 pts in the regular season put him third among such players in 2017 behind Stuart Smeltzer and Liam McGrath.
The matchup between these two teams is going to come down to ball security and goaltending. The Bandits have been able to rely on goaltending in close games (4 three-goal games in 2017), and should continue to do so as the stakes get greater and the competition tightens up.
2. Halifax Southwest Hurricanes vs 3. NB Mavericks
The Halifax Southwest Hurricanes narrowly missed out on the top seed to the Dartmouth Bandits, and as a result will be making at least one trip to Moncton to take on the Mavericks. The Canes have the most firepower of any squad with NCAA and CUFLA players scattered throughout their offence and a quality supporting cast. Putting together a full 60 minutes offensively is something this group needs to commit to in order to achieve success in 2017’s second season.
In Max McBride and Will Holmes, the Hurricanes have two dependable scoring threats on either side of the floor – both command attention and must be on the Mavs radar. Their two biggest scoring threats, Brian Huyghue and Luke Smeltzer, need to contribute early and often in games to overtake their opponents
The Hurricanes benefit from two of the best goaltenders in the ECJLL in veteran Matt Kent and rookie Nathan Jollymore, and their defence can be one of the best given a balanced game-plan. What was evident in the Hurricanes 9-8 defeat at the hands of the season was their inability to defend the transition game likened by the Bandits. Slowing things down and allowing their goaltenders to save outside shots should be a recipe for Hurricane success in this series.
For the Mavs, a 3rd place finish seems a bit surprising considering they lost their star from a year ago in Andrew Neilson. 20 year-old rookie John Newman has been a good piece, providing a boost for a Mavs team that had to replace Neilson’s 79 pts in 2016. Jake Mosher-McGraw led the league in points per game at 6.85 over seven games for the Mavericks, and is the difference-maker in this series for the Mavericks. As Mosher-McGraw goes, so do the Mavericks.
The Mavericks put up strong effort games against the Dartmouth Bandits in the playoffs a year ago, albeit conceding all three games in a sweep. This team is positioned well for an upset, and if we’re to see a bottom seeded team overtake the Bandits or Hurricanes, I would put my money on the 3rd ranked Mavericks.
Seeing his GAA increase from a year ago, Keegan Delaney will need to be very good against the Hurricanes offence. Look for Delaney and the Mavs transition players to push the ball quickly down the floor the same way they did against the Marley Lions and Wolves during the regular season.
With a narrow loss to the Hurricanes 10-9 on May 14th, it should be known that the Mavericks best effort could top the best effort of the Hurricanes. The Hurricanes must stay disciplined and cohesive to ensure that this series does not get out of hand. In previous years the 1st seed has been a huge advantage over the 2nd seed due to the tough competition coming out of the 2 vs 3 series, and last year was no exception. The Hurricanes lost in five games to the Marley Lions, and either team must make this series a quick one to get some rest in preparation for the Finals.