Heat Insider - Calder Cup North Division Semi Finals

Published on April 20, 2010 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Abbotsford Heat News Release


Abbotsford BC - Heading into a pivotal Game Four on Wednesday night in Abbotsford, I am reminded of the years upon years that I have lived in this market watching the Canucks and their struggles, as well as the struggles of their die-hard fans. Just three games into their playoff existence, the Abbotsford Heat have similar struggles on the ice, but are taking a far different approach than their NHL counterparts.

One bad loss doesn't make a series. The Heat was on the wrong end of an 8-4 loss at the hands of Rochester on Monday night. The last time I checked, it still only counts as one loss, regardless of how bad the team may have played. At the start of this series, Head Coach Jim Playfair sat down for the pre-series interview and said, "A team cannot win the series in one game. The focus of our team has to be on a good start, and a shift by shift accountability. There will be times that things will come off the rails...we need to adjust and get back on the rails." Both teams have had this happen in the playoffs so far. The Heat pounded the Americans in Game One. While the score was just 3-2, the final score flattered the Americans. They have made their adjustments. The Heat will now need to make theirs.

Over reacting. This market has seen forty plus years of ecstasy followed by agony. There is always another game to redeem oneself when the series isn't even half over. The Heat is down 2-1 in a series that needs four games to decide a winner. The sun has come up today and the Heat went back to the rink. Not to commiserate in their failures on Monday night, but to get back on the ice and get ready for the next "big' game, which is Wednesday night. Walking thru the room today, you would never know that the team lost 8-4. While it wasn't smiles and handshakes and cigars, the team came back to the rink today to work...just like you do after you have had a bad day on the job. You can get on living, or continue to gripe and moan about how horrible that game was. The Heat has chosen to get ready for the next game.

Excuses. If there is a team this year that has an excuse not to win, it is the Abbotsford Heat...'We have been injured all year', "Our travel is terrible', "We have double headers all year at home'...you name it, the Heat has seen it this year. But you have never heard the team complain...not once. For every man game that has been lost to injury, another player has stepped in to fill that role. The reason why you will never hear a peep from the players about the travel schedule is because most of the NHL has a harder travel schedule than Abbotsford, and that includes the parent club from Calgary. Double headers, sure they are tough, but they are tough for both teams. The sooner that a team can get past the excuse of what is preventing them from winning, they will start winning. The Abbotsford Heat have lost in excess of 400 man games to injury this year, yet still managed to finish third in the division. The Heat will be ready for Game Four and beyond because they have chosen not to use excuses to give themselves a reason to fail.

As a broadcaster, this is the most exciting time of the year. The stakes in the series get higher, the drama gets more compelling and the stories write themselves. If this series were a book, it would have seven chapters. We are about to read chapter four on Wednesday night...when was the last time a book had an ending half way thru?

Series Analysis after Game 3:(Rochester leads the best-of-seven North Division Semi Final 2-1)

The Heat and Americans near the halfway point in this series, with the Heat trailing by a 2-1 margin. Here is what the Heat have done and what they will need to work on to be successful.

What is working:

The Start - Heat Head Coach Jim Playfair and his coaching staff have been preaching all year about getting a quality start. Through the first three games, mission accomplished. Abbotsford has outscored the Americans 6-2 in the first period thru the first three games. Abbotsford comes out of the gates hard and dictates the tempo of the game. They have also had balance in scoring, with five different players scoring the six goals, which means that everyone is contributing. Add to that three power play goals in that first period success, which shows us that the Heat are making the Americans pay for their trips to the sin bin early.

Getting physical - The Heat are making the speedy Americans pay every shift. On the back end, Josh Meyers in game three and Matt Pelech all series long have punished opposing forwards. Meyers hit on veteran Mike York in Game Three set the tone for the rest of the series. Keith Seabrook has also rocked the rink with a number of beauties. Up front, Captain Garth Murray, Tyler Spurgeon, Jon Rheault and Carter Bancks have contributed every shift out, while Brett Sutter is coming along after a strong game three.

What needs adjusting:

60 minutes of hockey - The Heat have shown throughout the series that they can dictate the pace...they now just have to maintain it for a full game. In the Rochester wins, the Americans have had huge second periods. The Heat has to treat every period like it is the first period to have success here.

Special Teams - While the Heat have had their chances on the power play and have scored three goals so far on the man advantage, they need to be more prolific. That starts by getting more shots on the man advantage. Playfair and staff have told their team to shoot first and ask questions later...they have to get back to that on the power play for sure. The Heat sit players out in front of the goal every practice to work on redirections and deflections, now it is time to put that practice to work. Penalty killing needs to be a focus for this team to advance. While it has been a series of things that have cost Abbotsford the past two games...the PK has to be near the top of the list. What is the definition of a great PK? An active and aggressive box that pressures the opposition to work outside their comfort zone. Sticks in lanes and keeping the play to the perimeter. Clear the front of the goal to give your goalie a chance to see the shots. Most importantly, your goalie has to be your best killer. Focussed and in control, cutting down angles and reading the play correctly, your goalie is the key.

Game Four is the NEXT important game of this series...it should be a great game!

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American Hockey League Stories from April 20, 2010


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