The St. Albert Merchants can tie the bow on their playoff series with a win tonight against the Edmonton Mustangs.
Faceoff is 7:45 p.m. at Bill Hunter Arena in game three of the best-of-five quarter-finals.
The Merchants pushed the Mustangs to the brink of elimination with two victories last weekend.
“Definitely, we want to end it. We didn’t get the bye week the first week (of the playoffs) so we want to wrap it up and get kind of our own bye week,” said netminder Ty Clelland, who stopped 65 of 70 shots in the 5-3 and 5-2 victories and three of the goals were at even strength.
The series winner advances to the best-of-seven semifinals for the right to compete for the Founders Cup and the two finalists will also represent the Capital Junior B Hockey League at provincials, March 31 to April 3 in Red Deer.
The Merchants are rolling like thunder after the double-overtime thriller against the Stony Plain Flyers in the deciding game of the best-of-three west division qualifying round last Wednesday on Cam Mazur’s breakaway series clincher.
“The boys were pretty high after that game three overtime win. That was a huge one for sure,” said Clelland, who was between the pipes when the Flyers knocked off the Merchants in five games in last year's quarter-finals and all three wins were in St. Albert.
“We definitely didn’t want to go out against Stony two years in a row so I think it really fired us up and made us realize how quick the season can be over again and we’re using that in this series.”
The Mustangs (29-8-1) had a first-round bye as the second-place team in the west and their first game since Feb. 7 was Saturday’s series opener at Bill Hunter Arena.
“They haven’t played hockey in a while and we’ve got momentum from that last series and it’s really helped us out in this series,” said centre Mason Kenny, who tallied twice Saturday and scored the last goal Sunday at Akinsdale Arena.
“Both games were generally pretty similar in the way that we came out to play. We were more ready than the Mustangs. The boys really wanted it,” Clelland added. “Everything is just clicking right now. It’s looking good so far.”
Five wins and nine points separated the Mustangs and third-place Merchants (24-12-2) in the standings and in league play they split four games.
“They’re a quick, fast paced team. They’re a lot like us in a way but I feel like we’re more physical,” Clelland said. “We’ve been putting the puck into the net more than they have and it’s been the key of the series so far.”
Both wins were carbon copies of each other, as the Merchants grabbed control in the second periods for leads they refused to relinquish.
“It was pretty much the same type of game. Our goalie did way better than theirs did,” Kenny said.
Clelland is 4-1 in the playoffs, with a 3.24 GAA and .907 save percentage. His stat line in league play was 18-12, 3.63 GAA and .894 save percentage.
“The boys have played really good in front of me and I just feed off their vibes. If they’re playing well, I’m playing well so it’s kind of a good team thing,” said Clelland, an over-age Merchant along with forward Casey Reid and captain Dan Rombough and Jared Kwasney on defence in their last junior B season.
“We’re just trying to take it one game at a time because you never know what happens in the junior B playoffs,” added Clelland, a second-year Merchant and former North Edmonton Red Wing.
In game one, Taylor Lotoski tied it at one in the first on the power play and goals by Mazur and a pair by Kenny put the Merchants on top before the Mustangs replied with two near the end of the period. Liam Thomas assisted on both of Kenny’s goals. Reid scored the insurance marker in the third, as the Merchants were outshot 15-3 in the period and 38-28 overall.
The next night at Akinsdale Arena, Liam Mowatt and Mike Bruni opened the scoring and Thomas made it 3-1 in the middle frame. Lotoski’s goal with 24 seconds left in the second made it 4-2. Kenny wrapped it up on the power play early in the third as 12 Merchants collected at least one point. Shots were 33-32 for the Merchants in their third-straight playoff win.
“There was only one game in the playoffs where we didn’t play that well, that was the second game against Stony (6-1 loss in Stony Plain), but other than that everyone is just buying in and it’s playoff hockey. We’re playing hard,” Kenny said. “It’s very, very fun right now.”
Kenny, 21, is savouring his first taste of Merch Madness after playing for the Red Wings, the defending Founders Cup and Russ Barnes Trophy winner as provincial champions and silver medallists at the Keystone Cup western championship.
“It’s awesome. I played for the Red Wings last year and it wasn’t like this. It’s a big deal in St. Albert. Everyone comes out. It gets us pumped up for the games,” said Kenny, who switched sides from the Red Wings to the Merchants with backup goalie Ryan Papirny in the early season transaction.
“It’s a great bunch of guys here. We have (dressing room attendant) Christian Bayus on the team and he really helps out. He brings a lot of energy into the dressing room. I just love the coaches too. Everything is so far so good,” said the midget AA product of the Canadian Athletic Club.
Kenny finished fifth in team scoring with 33 points in 34 games and tied for eighth in goals with 10. In the quarter-finals his wingers are the hard-nosed Thomas and offensive-minded Tristan Gavin and the trio have been terrific.
“Liam is a grinder and Gavin has the same type of style as me. He can pass and score. We all contribute to the line so it’s been good so far,” said the University of Alberta kinesiology student.
