Canadiens Enter Semis Rested, Prepared
Lakeshore, ON - The Lakeshore Canadiens have been able to do something in the last week they didn't in the last month.
"We were able to practice three times this week," Canadiens Head Coach Justin Solcz says. "I think that's about equal to the total number of practices we had for the entire month of January."
An 11 game schedule to open 2017 left the Canadiens in constant game action, without much time to make adjustments on their own time.
Now, after a seven day break since they eliminated the Petrolia Flyers, the Canadiens have been able to get back to basics.
"It was great to have the break," Solcz admits. "We gave the guys a couple days away from the rink, which is important with how busy our schedule has been and then we got to work."
Lakeshore hosts the Blenheim Blades in Game 1 of the PJHL Stobbs Division Semifinals tonight at the Atlas Tube Centre at 7:00pm.
The 4th seed Blades advanced on Wednesday night with a 5-3 victory over the 5th ranked Dresden Kings.
It will be the 6th time the two teams have played this season, with Lakeshore winning the regular season series 3-2.
Blenheim and Lakeshore have not met in the playoffs since 2014, when the Canadiens came back from a 2-0 deficit to eliminate the Blades in six games.
"It's going to be a great series," Solcz explains. "Blenheim is a very good hockey club and we have to be disciplined, play well defensively and win the special teams battle to give ourselves a chance to be successful."
Special teams were certainly a factor in the regular season, as the Lakeshore powerplay operated at 18.2% against the Blades, while Blenheim had a 21.7% power play.
Game 2 of the series will take place in Blenheim on Sunday night, before Game 3 at the Atlas Tube Centre on Friday, February 24th.




