Home
News Feed
Team Info
Rules
Advanced Stats
Player Search
Forum Board
Champions
Game Video
Preview Archive
The BHC Blog
Photo Vault
Register a Team
More...
Regular Season
Schedule
Standings
Team by Team
Top 30
3 Stars
Top Goalies
Goalies
Suspensions
Playoffs
Schedule
Team by Team
Top 20
3 Stars
Top Goalies
|
Playoff Previews - "B" Division
(3) Cougars @ (2) Ghostriders
    |
|
Cougars: 8-9-1 (.472), 60 GF, 75 GA, -15 Dif.
Ghostriders:
10-6-2 (.611), 75 GF, 62 GA, +13 Dif. |
Cougars
Top 5 Scorers |
Ghostriders
Top 5 Scorers |
Kevin Uppal 16-12-11-23
Bernie Lal 14-12-5-17
Amolak Gill 15-7-7-14
Amrit Virk 10-5-9-14
Pawan Bains 16-6-7-13 |
Waseem Khalil 18-10-17-27
Blake Creamer 18-14-12-26
Ian Banks 14-14-11-25
Nick McNicol 18-5-12-17
Casey White 18-4-10-14 |
|
    |
|
| This should be an interesting playoff series, based
not only on the fact that these teams are closely matched (which is to
be expected in a 2 vs 3 match-up), but also the fact that they have a
genuine dislike for each other. The Cougars were up and down
throughout the year while the Ghostriders started the season in a deep
0-3-2 hole before going on a tear that saw them go 9-1 to clinch the
second seed. The season series was a draw with each team winning a
pair of games. Playoffs have not been kind to the Riders who have made
the postseason on three occasions, but have yet to win a game. The
Cougars, on the other hand, do have a playoff series victory in their
pocket (sweeping the Executioners in 08/09), but had only made the
playoffs that one year, until this current season. |
|
|
Other than the Stingrays, the Ghostriders were the
only team to average better than four goals per game in the
"B" division. This team has several players that can
score, but three in particular fought it out for the club points lead
this season. Waseem Khalil came on strong after a slow start, (which
many Ghostriders had) to finish in his customary top three position in
league scoring, with numbers of 18-10-17-27. Just behind him with 26
points, is the always improving Blake Creamer, who posted career highs
in all offensive categories, including tying teammate Ian Banks with a
team best 14 goals. Banks, the sixth highest goal scorer in league
history, recently hit the 250 goal mark for his impressive career.
After the top three, it becomes scoring by committee with
several players that chip in a regular basis. Casey White has a
tenacious style with a heavy slapshot that can beat a goalie from well
out. The team also has a good collection of offensive defensemen
headed up by Larry Mey, but Nick McNicol was a consistent threat all
year and finished with a solid 17 points and some big goals for the
team.
The Cougars were led on offense by Kevin Uppal who had a team best 23
points. He is one of the game's best one-on-one players and can turn
defensemen inside out in a heartbeat. He formed a nice one-two goal
scoring punch with the diminutive Bernie Lal, as the two tied with 12
goals each. Bernie likes to find openings by sneaking past
unsuspecting defensemen, and is never shy about putting a shot on
goal. Big Amolak Gill had a fine offensive season for the Cougars
picking up 7 goals and 7 assists to tie for third on the club in
scoring. The other player with 14 points is Amrit Virk, who has now
become one of the real veteran leaders on this team. Amrit is always a
dangerous offensive weapon and would have been much higher on the top
scorers chart had he not been held to 10 games played. The other big
threat the Riders will have to contend with is Jaz Mahal, the Cougar's
towering defenseman that can beat you with his hard shot or great
passing ability. He will be the man their powerplay runs through,
without a doubt. Edge: Ghostriders |
|
|
The Riders management deserves a lot of credit for
the team's turnaround after the first five games that saw them still
winless. They went out and acquired a few key pieces that
significantly improved their defensive game. Larry Mey was brought in
with Tony Insua. Tony is a solid two-way forward that really ups the
teams energy level, while Larry is a monster on the back end, using
great strength and stamina along with a wicked release from the back
end to supplement the offense. Former Executioner Steve Gill was
brought in for his third stint with the Riders and immediately showed
his poise and ball handling abilities out on the floor, giving the
team another offensive defenseman. The team has also received another
boost as Jim White, injured early in the season, recovered just in
time to qualify for playoffs. White was one of the team's best
performing players prior to his injury, and his return is almost like
a bonus acquisition after all the time he missed. The Ghostriders
allowed just over 24 shots on net per game, tied with the Barons for
the second best total in the entire league after the Stingrays,
so they are confident the can get the job done in their own end.
The Cougars finished around the middle of pack in terms of goals
against but gave up a fair amount of shots on goal this year (around
28.3 per game). However, their best defender, Jaz Mahal, was only in
the lineup sporadically this season. That is likely to change in the
playoffs were he will be counted on to eat big minutes. Matt Lynch had
a solid year after coming over from the Sharks, and has been a regular
producer offensively for the team. Sat Ahluwalia, who actually spent
last year as a member of the Ghostriders also had a solid year picking
up 11 points in 12 games from the Cougars blueline. The diminutive,
but physical Spinder Gosal, and the slick ball handling Gurinder
Dhillon have also been fixtures for the team this year. Aman Dhillon
and Amolak Gill are two solid defensive forwards that the team has,
but it will likely need to be a team effort from the entire forward
corps in this series if they are to be successful. Edge: Ghostriders |
|
|
It's yet another intriguing goalie contest in this
series. The Cougars have made it known it's Jas Basra or bust in this
series, as they had six other keepers play games for them this season,
but eventually released from their roster the only other man to earn
playoff qualification at that position. Having said that, Basra is
wiling and more than capable of carrying the load for this Cougars
team. When he was in the lineup, their record was 6-3-1. When someone
else was in the crease, the team record dropped to 2-6. That would
probably be enough said, but just in case you still had some doubts,
note that Jas had a solid .870 save % and a decent average at 3.76 in
front of a team that gives up a fair amount of quality chances. Though
his time in the NWBHL has been limited, he has long been regarded as
one of the best keepers in many other ball hockey leagues.
The goaltending situation with the Ghostriders has never been better.
The team signed Derek Smith part way through the season (it's actually
his second time with the club, counting a 4 game stint in 08/09), with
the results to come immediately. The team went on a roll with Derek
finishing the season with some outstanding numbers. His 2.97 GAA
stands third in the division behind the two Stingrays goalies, as does
his .881 Save percentage. He also has an impressive 6-2 record on
the year. The other man in the equation is long time Riders goalie Riz
Abbas, who showed he was still in the picture with a 1-0 shutout win
over the Stingrays in a crucial game down the stretch. Though you can
expect Derek to be the playoff starter, the team feels they have a
capable replacement should he falter, or be unavailable for other
reasons. Edge:
None
|
|
|
| Though there is little to choose between these two
clubs, the Ghostriders seem to have an ever so slight edge on
paper in many categories. As we know, when it comes to playoff hockey,
you can take the season stats and throw them out the window. Both of
these teams played much of the campaign without their full playoff
rosters, which will undoubtedly be on display in this series and the
team that digs down deeper will get the wins. History says the
Ghostriders have trouble in the playoffs, but this year they have
brought in some good experience to change up the
chemistry. Edge:
Ghostriders
|
|
|
|
