EAST FINAL
Kingston:
Total goals scored - 8
Shots on goal - 135
Penalty minutes - 54
Powerplay goals for/chances - 2 for 22
Players with multiple point games - Geldart,Devine, Cameron
Wellington:
Total goals scored - 20
Shots on goal - 154
Penalty minutes - 54
Powerplay goals for/chances - 7 for 21
Players with multiple point games - Senecel (2),Brown (2), O'Grady (2),Franklin(2)
Bureau,Smith,Johnson,Ayotte,Morbeck,Rizzi,Crawford
This was clearly a case of the Dukes just being a better team.
For all the numbers of the 7 games during the regular season between the two teams, they were so very close.
But the playoffs are
always another matter. The intangibles always make the difference.
One is the ability of players to elevate their game from the regular season to the playoffs. The Dukes' forwards Morbeck, Senecel, Franklin, O'Grady and Brown did it graphically. The goaltending of Paul Karpowich kicked his game up a notch too. And it was the Dukes' defence of Bureau,Crawford,Bockmann and Anderson who were so tough to play against, in particular. Just ask Vees' sharp shooters Schlueter, Marcoux, Latchford and McIlhone.
The other intangible is the late season acquisitions of last year juniors forward Chris Smith and defenceman Matt Pereira who were both impressive, IMO.
http://www.pointstreak.com/prostats/playerpage.html?playerid=1716905&seasonid=2149
http://www.pointstreak.com/prostats/playerpage.html?playerid=1716906&seasonid=2149
There is little wonder there was brimming confidence when the Dukes embarked on their playoff grind.
They, once again, have given the East a role model to which to aspire to.
So the Kingston Voyageurs will go back to the drawing board.
For the players who were so deeply disappointed last year in the East final, this was a bitter pill to swallow. They fully expected a different outcome this year. Another year of experience under the belts promised them the possibility of a championship.
For James Cameron, Brandon Perry, Ben Munroe, Jacob Wright, Sean McAllister, Mackenzie Ball and Brendan Devine,it must feel like they have been kicked in the tummy twice. They contributed and made it to the east finale two years in a row and came up empty.
For last year juniors Brett Jendra, Phil McIlhone, Vick Schlueter, Sean McAllister and Ben Munroe, they've played their last game at the junior level. You always like to go out a winner and I feel badly for them.
There was much to be chagrined about the the last game of this series at the Cat. A Vees fan I heard, lamented , "five goals in four games was anemic.". That was, of course, before the Vees launched a late rally to score a few more still to come up short.
Another Vees' fan chimed, when the Dukes' O'Grady and Franklin, who each scored two goals, was announced by Voyageurs' public address announcer as "their second of the game."
"Who the hell cares that it was their second of the game. This is Kingston. They should not be announcing that here. Geez, we are the home team. Let 'em announce it in Welly if they want to but not here!"
Sore losers? Maybe. Have a point? Possibly.
But in the end, it doesn't much matter. The Dukes are the East's champions. Their fans came well equipped with the brooms having no compunction about showing the Vees' fans those brooms.
Ahhh, the playoffs.
Say tuned.
Wayjoy
