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Bandits Capture Second Straight Garnet Knight Cup
2017-07-26
The Dartmouth Bandits are champions once again! After a thrilling (but quick) three game series with the Halifax Southwest Hurricanes the Bandits pulled off the sweep in a dramatic 9-8 finish.
Colin Beiswanger
GAME ONE SUMMARY
GAME TWO SUMMARY
GAME THREE SUMMARY
Picture this: You’re coming off a championship season in which you go 13-1-1 in the regular season, undefeated in the playoffs, and dominate the rest of the league. The league’s All-Star team sent away to play at a national tournament is represented by 2/3’s of your players. Doesn’t really get any better than that does it? The answer is no, it doesn’t get any better than that, and the Dartmouth Bandits proved last night that they could do it all again.
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After losing four of their five top scorers, many including myself questioned their ability to score on offence. Many questioned their ability to transition the ball as well as they had previously. Many assumed they wouldn’t be able to replicate the season they had in 2016. It was so good compared to other championship seasons there is no way they, or any ECJLL team, could replicate it.
It’s hard to provide context to just how well they proved any doubters wrong. Accomplishing all they did in 2016, the Dartmouth Bandits eerily replicated their success in 2016 with the same regular season record, same playoff record, and same end result – the Garnet Knight Cup.
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Where they exceeded the 2016 season was on the score-sheet. The top three scorers in the entire league played for the Bandits, and they scored more goals with a slightly less experienced team in 2017 than they did in 2016.
The Bandits success was not without close calls. Their one blemish came against the Halifax Northwest Marley Lions (as it did in 2016), and close games with Sackville, Halifax Southwest, and New Brunswick could have been different results under different circumstances. But that’s the tell of a good team in any sport, their ability to adapt.
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photo courtesy of IG: shotsbyshelley
The Bandits offense revolved so much around Tre Carvery, Bobby Green, and Alex Taylor in 2016 some thought Breton Penney’s production was due to open looks. Bret Draper and Logan Mosher were considered complimentary players up until this year – and their production speaks for itself now. While the constants of hard-nosed defence, responsible goaltending, and excellent transition play were mainstays again this year, the ability to beat opponents in a multitude of ways separated the Bandits from the rest of the league.
Â
On paper, the Halifax Hurricanes matched up evenly with the Bandits. We all expected a five-game series. This Bandits team had other plans however, and simply scored more goals than the Hurricanes when it mattered. That statement sounds like common sense, but in reality when the Hurricanes would get up one or tie it, the Bandits would answer quickly. This limited any momentum the Hurricanes could have gained in this series to essentially zero.
photo courtesy of IG: shotsbyshelley
In addition to this, the Bandits had players step up offensively. Transition player Alex Bungay finished fifth in playoff scoring with 10 goals. Rookie Tyson Carvery notched 11 goals and 7 assists and was the lone rookie in the Top 25. Breton Penney once again led all players in the playoffs with 18 goals and 15 assists. His season will go down as one of the best in ECJLL history (good luck at Lynchburg next year!). Â Goaltender Brett McKinnon also stood tall, posting a 6.80 GAA over five games of the ECJLL Playoffs.
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Much of the credit in this series is owed as much to the players’ as it is to the support system in place around them, for which the Bandits are unparalleled in that regard. Director of Player Operations Tim Puddifant has done a great job with the Bandits presence on and off the floor. Paul MacInnes and Glenn MacDonald have done a great job at the grass-roots level right on up to the Junior level of recruiting and rewarding loyalty and leadership. Let’s also not forget the coaching staff of KJ Macneil, Bobby Green, and 2016 Coach of the Year Luke Parker for their commitment to team and teammate. First standing on the Visitor’s bench and now sitting in the stands over the past few years at Shearwater Arena shows that one thing is certain: The Bandits organization is going about things the right way, and these back-to-back championships are a validation of that.
Â
A big congrats to the entire Dartmouth Bandits organization – you deserve it.Â
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GAME ONE SUMMARY
GAME TWO SUMMARY
GAME THREE SUMMARY
We dem boys! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/a6bhDMSByX
— JrABandits (@JrABandits) July 26, 2017
Picture this: You’re coming off a championship season in which you go 13-1-1 in the regular season, undefeated in the playoffs, and dominate the rest of the league. The league’s All-Star team sent away to play at a national tournament is represented by 2/3’s of your players. Doesn’t really get any better than that does it? The answer is no, it doesn’t get any better than that, and the Dartmouth Bandits proved last night that they could do it all again.
Â
After losing four of their five top scorers, many including myself questioned their ability to score on offence. Many questioned their ability to transition the ball as well as they had previously. Many assumed they wouldn’t be able to replicate the season they had in 2016. It was so good compared to other championship seasons there is no way they, or any ECJLL team, could replicate it.
2016:
— JrABandits (@JrABandits) July 26, 2017
Season 13-1-1
Playoffs: 6-0
2016 Champions
2017:
Season 13-1-1
Playoffs: 6-0
2017 Champions#backtoback
It’s hard to provide context to just how well they proved any doubters wrong. Accomplishing all they did in 2016, the Dartmouth Bandits eerily replicated their success in 2016 with the same regular season record, same playoff record, and same end result – the Garnet Knight Cup.
Â
Where they exceeded the 2016 season was on the score-sheet. The top three scorers in the entire league played for the Bandits, and they scored more goals with a slightly less experienced team in 2017 than they did in 2016.
The Bandits success was not without close calls. Their one blemish came against the Halifax Northwest Marley Lions (as it did in 2016), and close games with Sackville, Halifax Southwest, and New Brunswick could have been different results under different circumstances. But that’s the tell of a good team in any sport, their ability to adapt.
Â
photo courtesy of IG: shotsbyshelley
The Bandits offense revolved so much around Tre Carvery, Bobby Green, and Alex Taylor in 2016 some thought Breton Penney’s production was due to open looks. Bret Draper and Logan Mosher were considered complimentary players up until this year – and their production speaks for itself now. While the constants of hard-nosed defence, responsible goaltending, and excellent transition play were mainstays again this year, the ability to beat opponents in a multitude of ways separated the Bandits from the rest of the league.
Â
On paper, the Halifax Hurricanes matched up evenly with the Bandits. We all expected a five-game series. This Bandits team had other plans however, and simply scored more goals than the Hurricanes when it mattered. That statement sounds like common sense, but in reality when the Hurricanes would get up one or tie it, the Bandits would answer quickly. This limited any momentum the Hurricanes could have gained in this series to essentially zero.
photo courtesy of IG: shotsbyshelley
In addition to this, the Bandits had players step up offensively. Transition player Alex Bungay finished fifth in playoff scoring with 10 goals. Rookie Tyson Carvery notched 11 goals and 7 assists and was the lone rookie in the Top 25. Breton Penney once again led all players in the playoffs with 18 goals and 15 assists. His season will go down as one of the best in ECJLL history (good luck at Lynchburg next year!). Â Goaltender Brett McKinnon also stood tall, posting a 6.80 GAA over five games of the ECJLL Playoffs.
Â
Much of the credit in this series is owed as much to the players’ as it is to the support system in place around them, for which the Bandits are unparalleled in that regard. Director of Player Operations Tim Puddifant has done a great job with the Bandits presence on and off the floor. Paul MacInnes and Glenn MacDonald have done a great job at the grass-roots level right on up to the Junior level of recruiting and rewarding loyalty and leadership. Let’s also not forget the coaching staff of KJ Macneil, Bobby Green, and 2016 Coach of the Year Luke Parker for their commitment to team and teammate. First standing on the Visitor’s bench and now sitting in the stands over the past few years at Shearwater Arena shows that one thing is certain: The Bandits organization is going about things the right way, and these back-to-back championships are a validation of that.
Â
A big congrats to the entire Dartmouth Bandits organization – you deserve it.Â
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