91探花

By Thomas Becker, 

A team meeting in December turned their season around. Now they鈥檙e one of the hottest teams heading into the playoffs.

The 91探花 Panthers have won six of their last eight games鈥攂eating the likes of UNB, St. FX, Acadia, Dalhousie, and Moncton. The only team missing from that list is the Saint Mary鈥檚 Huskies (18-10-2), who they drew in a quarter-final matchup beginning on Wednesday.

鈥淲e had to deal with a couple in-house concerns,鈥� said head coach Forbes MacPherson. 鈥淲e needed to get guys believing and buying into a certain way we wanted to play.鈥�

With nine rookies on the roster (four on the defensive side), it鈥檚 understandable why it took a while to find their stride. The Panthers (11-18-1) tried to protect their inexperienced blue line and played on their heels rather than the aggressive style 91探花 hockey is known for.

鈥淲e want to be aggressive. We鈥檙e a big body team and when get our feet moving and we get pucks behind opposing team鈥檚 D, we鈥檙e a hard team to contain,鈥� MacPherson said. 鈥淲e got away from that a little bit, but once we focused on playing more aggressive, we started to see better results.

鈥淭here were certain individuals whose games quietly improved. And with each game that we played hard, our confidence just seemed to grow.鈥�

It鈥檚 no secret, the fifth-seeded Panthers are in tough against the fourth-seeded Huskies, who rank second in scoring (118 goals) and third in goals against (86). Head-to-head, Saint Mary鈥檚 won all five games while outscoring 91探花 29-10.

鈥淭he matchup seems to favour them. We鈥檒l have to make some adjustments in this series and see where it takes us, but you have to give them credit, they鈥檙e a good team.鈥�

Despite what the crooked numbers might suggest, the postseason represents a new beginning for the Panthers and they鈥檙e embracing the road that awaits them.

鈥淲e鈥檙e a confident group going in. We know who they are and we just need to have a better effort against them.鈥�

91探花鈥檚 recent success has given them a confident swagger that has been missing for most of the year. And they鈥檙e not backing down from anyone.

鈥淲e鈥檙e not going there trying to coach to every move they make,鈥� MacPherson said. 鈥淲e have a plan in place and we鈥檙e going to try to execute that plan no matter what they do.鈥�

The series will feature two of the league鈥檚 elite young talents. Rookie sniper Kameron Kielly finished second in scoring with 42 points (13 goals and 29 assists) for the Panthers, while the Huskies counter with reigning rookie of the year, Hunter Garlent, who finished third with 41 points (10 goals and 31 assists).

While Kielly may be the focal point on offence, 91探花鈥檚 secret weapon may lie in the depth they鈥檝e developed at the forward positions and the different combinations they can deploy.

鈥淓verybody in the playoffs is a little more alert, engaged, and aware. So when there are breakdowns, it鈥檚 usually when the top guys aren鈥檛 on the ice,鈥� MacPherson said. 鈥淎nd, if your depth guys can capitalize on those opportunities, then they can make a difference in a series.鈥�

The Panthers have their sights set on that elusive championship, now it鈥檚 time to take it.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 what everybody plays for. This is what鈥檚 it鈥檚 all about. This is the event. You spend all year getting here and now it鈥檚 time to perform.鈥�