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Playoff Picture: ‘Dogs  vs Dolphins
Ryan Springett
springett_1993@hotmaill.com

The First round of playoffs is set for four teams in the Yeck Conference: Dorchester against the Mount Brydges Bulldogs, and the Lambeth Lancers against the North Middlesex Stars.

The Dorchester 5-1 win over Lambeth on Sunday night didn’t affect the standings in any way; Lambeth clinched first in the conference, but head coach Jeff McKay says it’s a step in the right direction just before playoffs, “Were thrilled with our game tonight (Sunday), we dominated in a lot of area.”

Dorchester will finish in second in the conference, the Lambeth-Dorchester playoff series maybe something down the road for both teams, McKay says, if it happens, it happens, “We plan on being in the finals –and I’m sure they want to be there too, we just have to look after our business.”

McKay would conclude after the game in Lambeth January 13, that finishing second, is something he is ecstatic about, “If you told us at the start of the year we would finish in second with this many wins and this many points we would be happy with that.”

Right now McKay and the rest of the Dolphins will have their focus on the Bulldogs in round one of playoffs. Dorchester dominated the regular season series 5-0, while outscoring the Bulldogs 23-11.

Former Bulldog, now captain of the Dolphins, Brady Verougstraete says it will be special for him considering it’s his former team, playing against former teammates, “The edge wore off at the beginning of the year, but now they’re just like any other team.” Verougstraete adds, “I know a couple of the guys, so that just makes me want to play harder.”

Dolphins forward, Jacob Baribeau only said one word when he described what the Dolphins would change going into their first playoff series, against a team they dominated: intensity, “playoff hockey is completely different then season hockey; the level picks up, tougher, everyone is hitting, the referees change their game.” Baribeau concludes, “We just need to want it more, that’s what’s going to change in our dressing room.”

Former North Middlesex Captain –now Dorchester Dolphin, Tommy Prokes brings playoff experience from last year going to the finals with Parkhill. After two games with the Dolphins, he wants to stick to their winning strategy, “we just have to be all over them this series, I don’t think they have as much as depth as we have.”

The Dolphins have two more regular season games before playoffs start: Friday, January 18 in Thamesford, then they conclude their season against the Simcoe Storm Saturday, January 19

Schedule

Game 1 – Fri. Jan 25 in Dorchester @ 7:10 pm

Game 2 – Sat. Jan 26 in Mount Brydges @ 7:30 pm

Game 3 – Sun. Jan 27 in Dorchester @ 3:00pm

Game 4 – Wed. Jan 30 in Mount Brydges @ 8:30 pm

Game 5 – Thurs. Jan 31 in Dorchester @ 8:00 pm (If necessary)

Game 6 – Sat. Feb 2 in Mount Brydges @ 7:30 pm (If necessary)

Game 7 – Sun. Feb 3 in Dorchester @ 8:00 pm (If necessary)