Privateers Vs. Warriors Playoff Preview
February 24, 2011 - Federal Prospects Hockey League (FPHL) News Release
1000 Islands Privateers battled their way through injuries, adversity, and an ever-changing roster to complete their first season. The team stayed near the top for most of the year and showed a balance of explosive offense and strong defense. With the curtain about to rise on the inaugural Federal HockeyLeague playoffs, the team sees a familiar foe across the ice. The Akwesasne Warriors, the Privateers' archrivals, will be their opponent for the FHL semifinal series. The best-of-five set begins this Thursday in Akwesasne.
Mike Elberty's team enters the playoff with its healthiest roster since the season started. The Privateers have lost their top defenseman, former St. Lawrence University captain Shawn Fensel, and top goalie, Josselin St. Pierre, to call-ups from the AA-level Central Hockey League. However, the offense hasn't lost a step as veteran Alex Goupil has finished the season strong to lead all scorers with 77 points and 42 goals. His linemate Tyler Fernandez set an FHL-mark with six assists in a game and has blossomed in his first professional season. The Elberty system sends defenseman after the puck offensively and makes forwards accountable for backchecking. This makes the team strong in plus-minus, paced by the FHL leader in the category, Michael Byrd, who finished the regular season at a +31 rating. The young core of this team has produced scoring on all three lines. Richard Sillery has grown into the role of starting goalie and has shown improvement against the Warriors' potent offense. The Privateers can win the series if they play a quicker tempo and continue to pressure the Warriors' defenseman. If the Warriors try to counter the speed and skill the Privateers show with some toughness, Chase Tippin and Will Laporte have no problem dropping the mitts to defend their teammates.
Akwesasne skated through most of the FHL season with a tremendous offense. Despite losing former NHL star Pierre Dagenais and defenseman Carter Trevisani to elite leagues in Europe, Angelo Sanseverino's squad hasn't slowed down production. Captain Pat Deraspe and Ahmed Mahfouz have both completed the season with over 60 points. The Warriors finished with a league-high 228 goals on the season. The power play led most of the year, finished just under 26% efficiency, while the most-penalized team in the league has killed about 85% of opponents' man-advantages. David Plouffe has come up clutch in multiple games against 1000 Islands and leads the league with 21 wins entering the postseason. He might be the swing player in this series, as he has yet to lose a game at home against the Privateers. However, he has shown inconsistent play recently, and a couple bad games could send the Warriors home early. Akwesasne's back line has been thin and the Privateers have been able to exploit that at times, most notably in a 12-2 win at Akwesasne in December, the most lopsided game in the FHL season. Coach Sanseverino will have to keep his team rested and ready for the Privateers' speed.
The series starts in Akwesasne and will rotate the remaining games. Game 2 will be at the Bonnie Castle Rec Center on Saturday night at 7 PM. The first 500 fans will receive a pair of Thundersticks compliments of FX Caprara Kia. The Warriors will host game 3 on Sunday night. If necessary, the Privateers will host game 4 next Friday at 7 PM and the deciding game 5 would be Saturday, March 5th at Akwesasne.
Federal Prospects Hockey League Stories from February 24, 2011
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- Privateers Vs. Warriors Playoff Preview - FPHL
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