News

By Ron Valentine

 

GEORGETOWN RAIDERS (2) v. ST MICHAEL'S BUZZERS (7) S/W Conference...

 

The Raiders had a 3-1 advantage in the regular season in the games they played against the Buzzers outscoring them 14 goals to 4 in the first three meetings but the 7 seeds took Game 4 four by a 5-2 count. 

The best word to sum up the Buzzers season is inconsistent. The tradition-rich Toronto club have looked like world-beaters at times and on the other side have had some disappointing results.

This is borne out by looking at their statistics and seeing rookie Dylan Jackson as their leading goal scorer with 33 for the season (twin brother Ty had 53 points).

It's not at all unusual an occurrence for a team that has just three players in their final season of junior eligibility – goalie Cosimo Lazzarino, forward Carm Alberga and blueliner Michael Pellegrini – to have its ups and downs.

Head Coach Rich Ricci says that you can throw away regular season results once the playoffs roll around but quickly points out the Raiders fully deserve the No. 2 seed in the South/West. They are a good team and battle-tested, he says.

He notes that this season's Buzzers roster has little playoff experience and is an eager group of mostly young and new players.

“We have to play next to perfect to beat Georgetown in a seven-game series and we have little margin for error but I expect our team to be excited, eager and ready and if we are 'on' we can be scary to the opposition. We exemplify a young, talented team, you don't know what you are going to get on any given night.”, he says.

Team captain and leading pointgetter (with 67) Cameron Searles echoes his coach's sentiments. "Anything could happen, for sure, this year,” he said. “Although Georgetown is a really good team that is well-coached, we have had some success against them. It will be a challenge but if we play as well as we can it can definitely be a close series. When we are on our game we can play with the best so I am looking forward to this matchup." 

 

The defending OJHL champion Raiders have had for some time the second spot in the conference sewn up, ending up 20 points ahead of the second-place Buffalo Junior Sabres in the West Division and were flirting with first overall in the South/West for a good part of the season.

They got off to a fast start, including an early eight-game winning streak in September and carried on from there.

The team made key additions at the trade deadline in net, acquiring former OHL Sudbury Wolf and Erie Otter goalkeeper, 20-year-old Troy Timpano, and adding in Nathan Torchia (ex of the Orangeville Flyers and Stouffville Spirit) who had a miniscule goals-against average.

A balanced attack is led by another ex-OHLer, former Mississauga Steelheads and Barrie Colts forward Jason Smith, who led the club with 27 goals; ex-GOJHL'er Brendan D'Agostino (22 goals) and fifth-year forward Andrew Court (who tied Smith for the club lead with 55 points).

On the blueline, former Burlington Cougars' captain Zac Elson and the Junior Canadiens' Mitch Luzar were brought in to strengthen that position.

It's difficult to find many holes in their lineup following a 78-point regular season.

Just prior to the Raiders' last game of the season in Burlington, GM/head coach Greg Walters told me there is no way they are taking the series lightly.

“They have a young, very fast team, you have to be aware of, and be able to handle their speed by bearing down and having good puck management,” he said.

 When asked about key contributors he named former Milton IceHawks Justin Paul and Derek McVey as two forwards who are  200 foot players and are also dangerous offensively and have fully bought into the "Georgetown way".

The coach will be happy to have Zack Dybowski back on the blueline for the playoff series.

It could be that the Raiders might take that one more step this season.