Goaltending key in Rangers-Knights series
Posted Apr 1, 2010 03:44:54 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
All four OHL semi-final series’ kick-off tonight and at least one expert is predicting the Rangers-Knights series will be the toughest. Terry Doyle of loosepucks.com says he sees this series as “a pick ’em” and believes it depends almost entirely on which goaltender — the Rangers’ Brandon Maxwell or the Knights’ Michael Hutchinson — has the better series. Through Round One, Maxwell has the edge in that department. The just-turned 19-year old posted a sparkling .939 save percentage and 2.00 goals against average compared to Hutchinson’s .901 save percentage and 2.84 goals against.
Doyle tells 570’s Gary Doyle Show that beyond the goaltending match-up, Kitchener will have to be careful when it comes to Nazem Kadri and Steve Tarasuk. Both former Rangers, Kadri torched the Guelph Storm for 14 points in five opening round games. And Tarasuk gives London coach Dale Hunter flexibility on the power play, according to Doyle. He reminds us that Hunter is fond of using a power play unit that features five forwards and say he can now throw Tarasuk in the mix and not lose anything offensively, but gain defensively. Doyle describes Tarasuk as a sneaky player that can surprise you on a back door play.
Home ice disadvantage will also be a factor the Rangers have to deal with for the first time in these playoffs. Not only will London play host to more games in this series but Saginaw will seem quiet compared to the raucous crowds of 9000-plus at the John Labatt Centre. But Doyle says Kitchener can work that to its advantage by going into the game motivated by an intention to quiet the crowd down early.
While Kadri’s 14 points through five games leads all playoff scorers, you can’t even find a Ranger in the Top 20. Jeff Skinner’s five points in six games is the best in Ranger camp and ranks 35th among OHL playoff scorers. You can catch every game on 570 News with Don and Gary starting with tonight’s series opener from London. We’re on the air for the drop of the puck at 7:00 p.m.
