Greyhounds greatest challenge lies just ahead
by Peter Ruicci (Independent Media) | Photo by Bob Davies
It’s a stretch that includes six straight games.
The first five are on the road.
Five of the six clashes are against teams who are top-3 in their respective conferences.
Welcome to the Soo Greyhounds upcoming schedule, a minefield they begin to navigate through on Wednesday (7 p.m.) in Flint.
The Hounds are also slated to visit Kitchener on Friday (7 p.m.) and Guelph on Saturday (4:07 p.m.)
“It’s definitely a huge stretch for us,” said overage winger Justin Cloutier whose club has not played well of late, going 3-2-0-2 over its last seven games. “We’re playing some really good teams.”
And with 76 points (35-18-1-5) and just nine regular season games remaining, it would likely take a herculean effort for the Hounds to move up from their fourth-place position in the Western Conference standings.
With 90 points, Kitchener (42-12-4-2) has clinched the Midwest Division and will be either the first or second seed when the conference playoffs begin.
The Spitfires (39-14-5-2) have 85 points and are second in the conference, one point ahead of third-place Flint (39-15-4-2).
Windsor is nine points up on the Soo, while Flint is eight points in front.
London (34-21-4-1) is fifth, three points back of the Greyhounds and the Hounds have a game in hand on each of their four conference rivals.
Realizing it would take quite an effort for the Soo to catch Windsor or Flint, Cloutier spoke of how he’d “love to go on a 9-0 rip,” by winning each of his club’s remaining games.
“But the most important thing is our style of play and how we go about this,” the five-year veteran added. “At the end of the day, we want to be ready for playoffs. I’m definitely confident in our group that we’re going to do that.”
Head coach John Dean spoke of wanting both to move up a spot in the conference and to be ready for the post-season.
With those two thoughts in mind, he said the messaging to his players is easy.
“The two things go hand in hand,” the coach continued. “To prepare for the playoffs, we have to play an extremely good brand of hockey. And if we play an extremely good brand, we’re going to win more games than we lose.”
And so, Dean added, nine games from now, he and his players will see where such an approach takes them.
“At this point, obviously, we want to finish as high as we can,” the coach noted, “but at the same time we’re well aware that when we talk about the top five teams, anybody can beat anybody in the playoffs.”
One things is certain: The Soo must be better than it was in Friday’s miscue-riddled, 6-3 home-ice loss to Kingston.
The Greyhounds are also lamenting a 1-0 loss at home to Guelph on Feb. 21 and, five days earlier, a 6-5 shootout setback in Sarnia.
After reviewing video of the Kingston setback, Dean felt very much the way he did during that night’s post-game media session: Disappointed and angry.
“Over the last 10-game stretch, we’ve been off structurally,” he explained on Tuesday, as the Greyhounds bus motored down I-75. “We’re making mistakes that are very much within our control. And they’ve cost us games against teams that are more-consistently structured.”
Asked what he’s seen from his players in recent days, Dean said he’s come away impressed with how the Greyhounds are handing their business.
“Our guys have been phenomenal. They’re aware of what’s been happening and they’re sick of it themselves,” he began. “A lot of time that’s what it takes. Players have to be fed up.”
The coach talked about how practice sessions held on Monday and Tuesday were highly competitive.
After the loss to Kingston, a game which marked the return from injury of Brady Martin, the captain was asked about the upcoming stretch of difficult games.
The captain spoke of how he’s not worried about playing against the OHL’s best teams.
“Our mindset against the top teams is always good,” said Martin, who has skated in just 15 games this season (5-14-19). “We play well against them. It’s when we play against the lower-seeded teams (we struggle). That’s when we need the same mindset. That’s an issue right now, we’re taking those teams lightly.”
“He’s bang on,” said Dean, when told of the veteran centre’s comments. “The results suggest we play to the level of our opponents and that’s not something we’re proud of.”
The coach talked about how that trend is being addressed.
Following this trip, the Hounds return home before playing two more road games next week.
They’re slated to visit Windsor on Thursday (March 12) and Flint one day later.
If that wasn’t tough enough, the Greyhounds are home to Brantford at 2:07 p.m. on Sunday (March 15). Going into Wednesday’s action, the Bulldogs (41-9-7-2) lead the OHL’s overall standings with 91 points.
“We need to be a lot better than we’ve been,” said Cloutier. “But in a seven-game playoff series, if we play our game and are process driven, over the course of the series, we’ll be okay.”
Notes:
Dean said Chase Reid (upper body) will not play against Flint, winners of four straight versus the Soo this season.
The coach also talked of how the injured defenceman is unlikely to play against either Kitchener or Guelph.
