Playoffs set to start this week
Photo: Paul Wright
This weekend the 2020 Allan Cup Hockey league postseason get under way with four games on the schedule. This season the four teams will compete in a best-of-five ACH semifinal series with the winners advancing to the ACH finals.
The opening round of the playoffs will feature one-seed Hamilton and four-seed Whitby; two-seed Dundas and three-seed Brantford.
(1) Hamilton Steelhawks vs. Whitby Dunlops (4)
The Hamilton Steelhawks (15-4-1) were the ACH’s top team and capped off a marvelous 2019-20 with nine straight wins to end its regular season. Hamilton hopes to add to that win streak (which dates back to Jan. 10) in the first round playoff series against the Whitby Dunlops. The Dunlops (3-16-1) won just three games and had nine points to finish last in the League.
Regular season leaders: Steelhawks
Forward: Chris Leveille - GP: 19 - Goals: 12 - Assists: 19 - Points: 31
Defenceman: Paul Cianfrini - GP: 14 - Goals: 1 - Assists: 9 - Points: 10
Goaltender: Adam Munro - GP: 14 - Record: 12-1-1 - GAA: 2.62 - Sv. %: .933
Regular season leaders: Dunlops
Forward: Kyle Ventura - GP: 19 - Goals: 13 - Assists: 12 - Points: 25
Defenceman: Tyler Hore - GP: 11 - Goals: 2 - Assists: 5 - Points: 7
Defenceman: Michael Noyes - GP: 11 - Goals: 0 - Assists: 7 - Points: 7
Goaltender: Matt Camilleri - GP: 12 - Record: 3-8-1 - GAA: 5.86 - Sv. %: .854
Series schedule:
Game 1: Feb. 21, 7:30 p.m. - Mountain Arena
Game 2: Feb. 22, 6:30 p.m. -Iroquois - Rink#1
Game 3: Feb. 28, 7:30 p.m. - Mountain Arena
Game 4: Feb. 29, 6:30 p.m. - Iroquois - Rink#1
Game 5: March 1, 7:30 p.m. - Mountain Arena
(2) Dundas Real McCoys vs. Brantford Blast (4)
The second semifinals series features the Dundas Real McCoys (11-6-3) and the Brantford Blast (11-8-1) for a third consecutive season. The two met in each of the opening rounds of the two previous playoffs when the Blast were known as the Stoney Creek Generals. Dundas enjoyed a season in which they tallied 11 wins, which was a six win improvement on the 2018-19 season. The Blast finished just four points shy of second place after a strong finish to the regular season having won four of its last five games.
Playoff leaders: Real McCoys
Forward: Brad Bonello - GP: 13 - Goals: 19 - Assists: 13 - Points: 32
Defenceman: Trevor Atkinson - GP: 18 - Goals: 3 - Assists: 12 - Points: 15
Goaltender: Mike Mole - GP: 15 - Record: 7-6-2 - GAA: 4.44 - Sv. %: .896
Regular season leaders: Blast
Forward: Jarrett Konkle - GP: 18 - Goals: 19 - Assists: 7 - Points: 26
Defenceman: Deron Cousens - GP: 19 - Goals: 2 - Assists: 12 - Points: 14
Goaltender: Ryan DeMelo - GP: 13 - Record: 8-5-0 - GAA: 5.34 - Sv. %: .852
Series schedule:
Game 1: Feb. 21, 7:30 p.m. - J. L. Grightmire Memorial
Game 2: Feb. 23, 8:00 p.m. - Brantford Civic Centre
Game 3: Feb. 28, 7:30 p.m. - J. L. Grightmire Memorial
Game 4: March 1, 8:00 p.m. - Brantford Civic Centre
Game 5: March 2, 7:30 p.m. - J. L. Grightmire Memorial
