#1 Halifax vs #8 Rouyn Noranda - Round 3 Preview

[reesor]

A little round 3 preview to throw out there. Have added a poll here as well. Don't everyone pick Huskies in 4 at once now.

Apr 20	Rouyn Noranda at Halifax 7:00 PM ADT
Apr 21	Rouyn Noranda at Halifax 7:00 PM ADT
Apr 23	Halifax at Rouyn Noranda 8:30 PM ADT
Apr 25	Halifax at Rouyn Noranda 8:30 PM ADT
Apr 27*	Rouyn Noranda at Halifax 7:00 PM ADT
Apr 29*	Halifax at Rouyn Noranda 8:30 PM ADT
May 1*	Rouyn Noranda at Halifax 7:00 PM ADT

Round 3 preview is here.  Actually seems odd to have all 3 division winners in the semi-finals.  Thankfully we don't have to deal with one of them until the finals, but in the meantime we'll have our hands full with Rouyn Noranda.   The Huskies are on a high, having just dumped the #5 seed Remparts in 5 games.  They also beat out the #9 seed Voltigeurs in 5 games in round 1.  This is the battle of the Fourniers... as little brother Dillon takes on big brother Stefan.  It is also Gabriel Desjardins' return to the Metro Centre.  He hasn't played here since being suspended for a hit on Brad Cuzner in the 2nd round of last year's playoffs.


Regular Season Stats:


Halifax:  58-6-3-1 120 Pts (1st in Maritimes Division, 1st Overall)

Rouyn Noranda:  40-24-1-3 84 Pts (2nd in Telus West Division, 8th overall)

Season Series:  Halifax 2-0

2012-11-16 - Rouyn Noranda 3 @ Halifax 8

2013-03-01 - Halifax 5 @ Rouyn Noranda 2


Top Scorers:

Halifax:  Jonathan Drouin (49GP 41G 64A 105Pts), Marty Frk (56GP 39G 45A 84Pts), Darcy Ashley (66GP 26G 52A 78Pts)

Rouyn Noranda:  Sven Andrighetto (53GP 31G 67A 98Pts), Jean-Sébastien Dea (68GP 45G 40A 85Pts), Gabriel Desjardins (66GP 32G 42A 74Pts), HM Nikita Kucherov (33GP 29G 34A 63Pts)


Halifax Team Stats: 

GF/Game:  5.10 (1st)
GA/Game:  2.59 (1st)
PP:  27.7% (2nd)
PK:  81.5% (4th)

Rouyn Noranda Team Stats:

GF/Game:  4.16 (2nd)
GA/Game:  3.75 (12th)
PP:  26.3% (3rd)
PK:  76.1% (14th)


Goalies: 

Zach Fucale: 

Wins:  45 (1st)
SO:  2 (T7th)
GAA:  2.35 (2nd)
Sv%:  .909 (T3rd)

Alexandre Bélanger

Wins:  24 (10th)
SO:  1 (T14th)
GAA:  3.46 (14th)
Sv%:  .875 (18th)


Rouyn Noranda Game Plan:

The Huskies are a very offensive-minded team.  Their 1st line of Andrighetto - Dea - Kucherov is just as good if not better than our 1st line.  They have 2 options:  They could throw their 1st line out against ours and hope that they shut our 1st line down with puck posession, or they can send out Gabe Desjardins' line against our top line in a shutdown role.  Either way, their top line will have to carry the majority of the scoring role.  They have the talent to make Halifax pay for any mistakes they make.  So pressuring our D will be a must. 

Alexandre Bélanger was not one of the better goalies during the regular season.  But he will have to stand on his head in this series for the Huskies to have a shot.  With 2 high-power offenses going at it, one would think the games will be high-scoring.  But I don't know if either team will want to all out run-and-gun with the other.  Rouyn-Noranda can play an open style game with their 1st line, but if they open the game up with their 2nd, 3rd and 4th lines, it would be a critical mistake.

Halifax Game Plan:

The Moose actually have 3 options to contain Rouyn Noranda's 1st line.  They can send out Drouin-MacKinnon-Frk and match skill with them... hoping that our top line will out-puck posess their top line.  They can throw out Ciampini-Boudreau-Ashley against them, and hope that Darcy Ashley can work his magic on their stars.  That line is probably our 3rd best defensively, so that may not be the best idea against one of the top lines in the league.  We could also throw out MacAulay-Andrews-Fournier against them, and once again, beat them with puck-posession and big bodies.

Our defence will have to be on its game.  The Huskies top line will burn you for every mistake.  Fucale will be hung out to dry on some occasions, and will have to stay sharp.  Even though we could limit the # of shots the Huskies get, their scoring chance ratio could be extremely high.

My Take:

Of course we're getting down to the nitty-gritty, and we have to continue playing great hockey. I am a little nervous with the Huskies. But really, how much better could we have had it? We could be playing Moncton right now, and I know we'd be borderline freaking.

I like playing Rouyn-Noranda for a couple reasons. #1 is defensive systems. We've had our most trouble this season playing teams that have great systems. Rouyn Noranda has many stars on their team that can break a game open. But we've shown that we can shut those types of players down this season. If they want to run and gun with us, we have the firepower to out-depth them. And I like our team D a lot more. If they want to slow the game down, we can cycle and wear them out.

#2 would be consistency. They are on a high right now, and they're stars are playing extremely well. Halifax needs to come out flying in game 1 and plant the seed of doubt. The Huskies have been in a couple funks this year, where as the Mooseheads have been by far the most consistent team. If we get on them early, we could frustrate them enough to get them off their game. And even though they do have some young energy depth guys, I think if we can frustrate Dea, Andrighetto and Kucherov, we'll control the series. I belive the Huskies will play their top line against our top line, which could be advantage us, as Desjardins playing the role of agitator could throw his own game off. So our top line might have an easier go.

These games will be even closer than the last series.  It's pretty much a given that the Huskies will take at least one game from the Moose.  Would not be surprised if they took 2.  The key for us as fans is to not panic if the Huskies were to take one of the 1st 2 games at the Metro Centre.  Halifax very well could get a wake-up call in one of these 1st 2 games.  I think they will, but they will wake up, and take the series here in Halifax.  Mooseheads in 5.

Go MOOSE!!!

[porkchop]

this might be the only team you see this year, where their top guy can match your top guy.....Kucherov vs Drouin.....with both guys hovering around the 2ppg mark, it should be an interesting battle.

The one thing that I like here is their top guys are the guys playing the best every game so far....Halifax's top guys had a couple big games, and their depth has picked up the slack, and that was against crap teams.....teams have been checking your top guys and the depth guys took it over.......it will be harder to do this series.

[reesor]

Apr 15, 2013 11:44:44 GMT -4 porkchop said:

this might be the only team you see this year, where their top guy can match your top guy.....Kucherov vs Drouin.....with both guys hovering around the 2ppg mark, it should be an interesting battle.

The one thing that I like here is their top guys are the guys playing the best every game so far....Halifax's top guys had a couple big games, and their depth has picked up the slack, and that was against crap teams.....teams have been checking your top guys and the depth guys took it over.......it will be harder to do this series.

Gatineau and Saint John had a couple guys that their primary job was to annoy and disturb MacKinnon and Drouin. While I believe the O'Briens (Andrew and Liam) could do that role very well, it would still be a liability for the Huskies to have them out against the Moose's top line all the time. Sooner or later they'll have to match power with power, and then hopefully we can wear them down with depth.

[porkchop]

Apr 15, 2013 12:05:47 GMT -4 reesor said:

Apr 15, 2013 11:44:44 GMT -4 porkchop said:

this might be the only team you see this year, where their top guy can match your top guy.....Kucherov vs Drouin.....with both guys hovering around the 2ppg mark, it should be an interesting battle.

The one thing that I like here is their top guys are the guys playing the best every game so far....Halifax's top guys had a couple big games, and their depth has picked up the slack, and that was against crap teams.....teams have been checking your top guys and the depth guys took it over.......it will be harder to do this series.

Gatineau and Saint John had a couple guys that their primary job was to annoy and disturb MacKinnon and Drouin. While I believe the O'Briens (Andrew and Liam) could do that role very well, it would still be a liability for the Huskies to have them out against the Moose's top line all the time. Sooner or later they'll have to match power with power, and then hopefully we can wear them down with depth.

Funny thing here.....I'm hoping for just the opposite.

[DropThePuck]

This is really Hali's first official test.....R-N isn't going to win, but finally Halifax has to play someone with just a hint of some friggin' skill. R-N is going to come out swinging and hopefully at least put a little scare in to the Moose. Again, they aren't going to win or anything but hopefully they make for a little bit of a challenge.

Go Huskies!

[porkchop]

Apr 15, 2013 15:34:01 GMT -4 DropThePuck said:

This is really Hali's first official test.....R-N isn't going to win, but finally Halifax has to play someone with just a hint of some friggin' skill. R-N is going to come out swinging and hopefully at least put a little scare in to the Moose. Again, they aren't going to win or anything but hopefully they make for a little bit of a challenge.

Go Huskies!

The Q playoff format is made to make the good teams look better, and the bad teams worse........when you see so many sweeps each year, that should be a dead giveaway that there is something messed up about it. Usually The first round means nothing to about 12 teams, with only about 2 series of midpack teams that have any good hockey in them. You basically have 6 teams that pretty much know they are going to win, and 6 that pretty much know they are going to lose, with a couple good series in the middle.

[reesor]

Apr 15, 2013 17:31:04 GMT -4 porkchop said:

Apr 15, 2013 15:34:01 GMT -4 DropThePuck said:

This is really Hali's first official test.....R-N isn't going to win, but finally Halifax has to play someone with just a hint of some friggin' skill. R-N is going to come out swinging and hopefully at least put a little scare in to the Moose. Again, they aren't going to win or anything but hopefully they make for a little bit of a challenge.

Go Huskies!

The Q playoff format is made to make the good teams look better, and the bad teams worse........when you see so many sweeps each year, that should be a dead giveaway that there is something messed up about it. Usually The first round means nothing to about 12 teams, with only about 2 series of midpack teams that have any good hockey in them. You basically have 6 teams that pretty much know they are going to win, and 6 that pretty much know they are going to lose, with a couple good series in the middle.

I agree that the 1 vs 16 and so on playoff format is a bit stupid. They only do it because the Q doesn't have enough teams to have 4 even divisions. Interesting that the #13 seed has won over the #4 seed 2 years in a row. But the 1, 2 and 3 seeds are a combined 36-0-1-0 (No shootouts obviously) against the bottom 3 seeds since this format has been introduced. So there you go... Bathurst is the only bottom 3 seed to take a game from a top 3 seed in this format's history.

It does reward the top 3 seeds for being the best teams over a 68 game season. But the OHL and WHL teams definitely have a tougher road to get to the Memorial Cup.

[porkchop]

Apr 16, 2013 6:45:25 GMT -4 reesor said:

Apr 15, 2013 17:31:04 GMT -4 porkchop said:

The Q playoff format is made to make the good teams look better, and the bad teams worse........when you see so many sweeps each year, that should be a dead giveaway that there is something messed up about it. Usually The first round means nothing to about 12 teams, with only about 2 series of midpack teams that have any good hockey in them. You basically have 6 teams that pretty much know they are going to win, and 6 that pretty much know they are going to lose, with a couple good series in the middle.

I agree that the 1 vs 16 and so on playoff format is a bit stupid. They only do it because the Q doesn't have enough teams to have 4 even divisions. Interesting that the #13 seed has won over the #4 seed 2 years in a row. But the 1, 2 and 3 seeds are a combined 36-0-1-0 (No shootouts obviously) against the bottom 3 seeds since this format has been introduced. So there you go... Bathurst is the only bottom 3 seed to take a game from a top 3 seed in this format's history.

It does reward the top 3 seeds for being the best teams over a 68 game season. But the OHL and WHL teams definitely have a tougher road to get to the Memorial Cup.

They used to go with 2 conferences.....the other one had an extra team at the time, so in the playoffs the bottom playoff team in that conference, came over to become the bottom in our division, to even it out. They could still take the closest 3 Quebec teams and put them in a conference with us........that does mess with some rivalries up there though......there is no easy answer, but there has to be something better.

[porkchop]

Nice to see RN exposing Halifax's weak goaltending.....4 goals in the 1st game, and now 4 goals in the 2nd game, going to OT............

Halifax fans complained about weak calls all season.......they should be happy now, as RN is getting their fair share right now......Moose win it on a 5 on 3 powerplay in OT, on a MacKinnon dive.

[reesor]

Apr 21, 2013 20:51:35 GMT -4 porkchop said:

Nice to see RN exposing Halifax's weak goaltending.....4 goals in the 1st game, and now 4 goals in the 2nd game, going to OT............

Halifax fans complained about weak calls all season.......they should be happy now, as RN is getting their fair share right now......Moose win it on a 5 on 3 powerplay in OT, on a MacKinnon dive.

Good lesson for all. The calls tend to even out. The Huskies started taking penalties once the Moose started controlling the play in the 2nd period.

You watched the game. Which of Fucale's goals were weak? Maybe the 1st one, but he was moving laterally and it's tough to close the 5-hole when you're flat on your stomach. Anywho, Rouyn Noranda is the 2nd best offensive team in the league, so goals were to be expected. If we shut them down as well for 60 minutes as we did for 40, we'll have success.

[porkchop]

Apr 22, 2013 6:20:36 GMT -4 reesor said:

Apr 21, 2013 20:51:35 GMT -4 porkchop said:

Nice to see RN exposing Halifax's weak goaltending.....4 goals in the 1st game, and now 4 goals in the 2nd game, going to OT............

Halifax fans complained about weak calls all season.......they should be happy now, as RN is getting their fair share right now......Moose win it on a 5 on 3 powerplay in OT, on a MacKinnon dive.

Good lesson for all. The calls tend to even out. The Huskies started taking penalties once the Moose started controlling the play in the 2nd period.

You watched the game. Which of Fucale's goals were weak? Maybe the 1st one, but he was moving laterally and it's tough to close the 5-hole when you're flat on your stomach. Anywho, Rouyn Noranda is the 2nd best offensive team in the league, so goals were to be expected. If we shut them down as well for 60 minutes as we did for 40, we'll have success.

4 goals on 14 shots, would get most goalies pulled......Fucale stayed in because the other option sucks worse.

You guys should be thankful for Rimouski also, as RN took you to OT with their backup goaltender.......I'd love to see how this series might have played out with Hozjan in for them.

[reesor]

Apr 22, 2013 7:01:27 GMT -4 porkchop said:

Apr 22, 2013 6:20:36 GMT -4 reesor said:

Good lesson for all. The calls tend to even out. The Huskies started taking penalties once the Moose started controlling the play in the 2nd period.

You watched the game. Which of Fucale's goals were weak? Maybe the 1st one, but he was moving laterally and it's tough to close the 5-hole when you're flat on your stomach. Anywho, Rouyn Noranda is the 2nd best offensive team in the league, so goals were to be expected. If we shut them down as well for 60 minutes as we did for 40, we'll have success.

4 goals on 14 shots, would get most goalies pulled......Fucale stayed in because the other option sucks worse.

You guys should be thankful for Rimouski also, as RN took you to OT with their backup goaltender.......I'd love to see how this series might have played out with Hozjan in for them.

I imagine we would've won about 10-4. Maybe 10-6, as we wouldn't have been so tight defensively with a bigger lead.

[DropThePuck]

It's not over by any means......heading back to R-N, the Huskies will win game 3 ( )

[reesor]

Apr 22, 2013 15:02:10 GMT -4 DropThePuck said:

It's not over by any means......heading back to R-N, the Huskies will win game 3 ( )

I think you're right. At least that's what I'll be predicting. I'd be happy with a split up there. Thrilled if the Moose can win them both.

[slick]

moose in seven