NLL Insider

With just four teams in the Alberta Junior A league, when it comes to be playoff time these guys get right down to the serious business: semi-finals. Regardless of how hapless their regular season records may have been, each team earns a spot in the post-season and the right to battle it out in a best-of-five for a shot at the finals. And like we’ve already seen in game one of the Eclipse-Raiders series, whatever happened in the regular season can be thrown right out the window come crunch time. With each series already two games in, here’s a look at who’s fighting for their playoff lives, what team was handed their first loss of 2008, and what else we can expect from the boys in Alberta.

Edmonton Eclipse (1) vs. Calgary Jr. A Raiders (4) series tied 1-1

Generally when a team that went undefeated all season takes on a team with a record of two wins, 12 losses, and three ties you get to lean back, relax, and wait for the inevitable three game sweep. So is that what happened to the Edmonton Eclipse? Could it have been complacency? Over-confidence? Or the simple fact that every team has to lose sometime? Or did the Calgary Jr. A Raiders come out swinging like Jose Canseco trying to make twenty bucks, turn away 55 Eclipse shots, and battle their way through the sturdiest line-up in Alberta Jr. A to take game one 8-7? Rest assured, it wasn’t that the Edmonton Eclipse lost this game, it was that the Calgary Raiders won it. Nevertheless, the true test of a great team is how well they bounce back from a tough loss, and the Eclipse rebounded in game two, racing out to a 10-2 lead after just two periods, with a final score of 10-5.

We’ll have to wait until Saturday to see how game three plays out, but for now let’s take a look at Edmonton’s Simon Giourmetakis and his six transition goals in two playoff games. Probably the single scariest scoring threat in Alberta, Giourmetakis will be looking to take his team further than they’ve ever been. After falling to the Edmonton Miners in last year’s playoffs in heart-breaking fashion, the Eclipse have come back with one of the toughest line-ups this league has ever seen, but they’ve paid for it this season in penalty minutes. Adding whistle-target Carlton Schuss to that mix at the trade deadline may have looked like a questionable move to some, but Schuss has so far matched his six penalty minutes in two post-season games with six points—one goal and five assists. Furthermore, so far these playoffs the Eclipse have been playing smart lacrosse, with the second-fewest penalty minutes accrued, 70. The only team doing any better? The Miners with 42.

Mississauga product Marc Nano looks like he’ll be playing the majority of the minutes in net for the Eclipse, with Mitch Anders a more than capable back-up. Nano will need to keep the Raiders trio of Jake Hayes, Casey MacIntyre, and Curtis Yates under control and off the scoreboard if the Eclipse plan to cruise to the next round. Making those 55 saves for the Raiders in game one was Greg Hallet, whose main nemeses for this series include the previously mentioned Giourmetakis and Schuss, as well as Sean Reid and rookie Carson Barton. While everyone may love a Cinderella story, it’s going to take some big performances from big players if the Raiders will be looking to derail the Eclipse’s planned trip to the Minto. Keep your eyes on NLLinsider for an update from Raiders transition man Joel Derechinsky.

Edmonton Miners (2) vs. Calgary Mountaineers (3) Miners up 2-0

The Edmonton Miners are a lot like the Burnaby Lakers of Alberta Jr. A: once the post-season rolls around this team has their brakes cut and they don’t seem to care. Three out of the four years Alberta has been participating in the Minto Cup it’s been the Miners taking part in the tournament, and with all eyes on Alberta at the end of August it’s hardly surprising to see them playing like they’re possessed. With a pair of wins on the weekend the Miners have jumped out over the Minto host Mountaineers, who can’t be feeling too bad since their consolation prize is still a spot in the Minto Cup. Nonetheless, the Mountaineers aren’t looking to take the easy way to the tournament and will have a shot at staving off elimination come Saturday.

After dropping the first decision by a ghastly 11-0, the Mountaineers had a more respectable outing in game two, losing 7-4. The Miners Dave Marrese was responsible for the rare lacrosse shut-out, with his defense playing a slow and stingy third period to help him out. In two games Marrese has stopped 74 of 78 shots to maintain his spot at the top of the goalie standings. Looking to knock him off his perch is the Mountaineers Tyler Melnick, who has mustered up two goals so far this post-season. With Melnick so far the only Mountie in the top-20 for post-season scoring, it’s most likely only a matter of time until major two-way threat Kiel Donahue has a breakout game at the expense of the Miners defense. Danny and Tyler Farmer can also be expected to make a mess of things on the scoresheets.

Calgary goaltending duties have been split between Kane Swartout and B.C. import Drew Dickie, both of whom have been throughly harassed by the Miners offense and their ability to get in close. Edmonton’s Nate Schmidt and Kevin Wallin currently occupy the 1 and 2 spots in post-season scoring, respectively. It’s a position Schmidt is familiar with, having topped the league in the regular season with 45 points in 17 games. Cam Ritchie has been explosive so far in the playoffs, and anyone at all familiar with Spencer Lorenz knows the kind of damage he can do. Unfortunately for Swartout and Dickie, they’ll probably end up with front row seats for it. With the Miners in business-mode there may not be much the Mountaineers can do for the time being, but with their worst-case scenario being that they can begin preparing for the Minto and possibly taking another run at the Miners, there probably won’t be a whole lot of sore losers in this series.

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