Merchants peaking for playoffs

The second season is only six games away for the No. 1 team in the Capital Junior B Hockey League.

And they are must-win games for the St. Albert Merchants before the playoffs.

"We want to come at it hard. We want to really get these six wins and go into the playoffs on a good note," said assistant captain Karmen Ward. "These games are still pretty important because if you have a good run right at the end before the playoffs you're going to go in with a head of steam."

The goal is not to take a shift off.

"To play a full 60 is our biggest issue right now," Ward said. "In the playoffs it's a whole other game. The league starts over basically so we want to be ready to go when the playoffs start."

So far it's been a successful campaign for the Merchants at 26-6 while averaging 4.88 goals scored and 3.13 against.

"We haven't been playing the full 60 but we're still pulling out the W which is what matters," Ward said.

Last season the Merchants placed first at 34-3-1, lost a thrilling Founders Cup final in the fifth and deciding game on home ice to the Fort Saskatchewan Hawks and at provincials suffered a heartbreaking overtime defeat in the semifinals en route to a fourth-place result to finish 45-11-1 overall.

"We're more of a well rounded team this year so I think we're doing better so far," said Ward, one of 15 returnees from one of the best Merchants' teams in years. "We've faced more adversity this year. We've lost a lot more games (in league play) than last year, which I think is a good thing because you learn how to lose properly."

The Merchants are also the most penalized team at 38.25 PIM per game, a startling stat with mild-mannered Scott Rodda, last year's CJHL coach of the year, behind the bench.

Mitch McNamara has embraced the enforcer's role with a team-leading 161 PIM in 29 games while posting 16 goals and 22 points.

Last week the Merchants and Edmonton Mustangs (16-13-1) were penalized for a variety of dirty deeds while combining for 149 PIM, led by the Money Men's 87 PIM and 19 infractions, during a wild 7-5 victory at Bill Hunter Arena.

"A lot of it is the refs. They're not huge fans of us," Ward said of the team's 1,224 PIM total, compared to 1,077 in 38 games last season. "We're trying to lower down on the penalty minutes but it doesn't seem like it's been working yet. We've been racking up a ton of 10-minute penalties lately which is pretty big."

Last weekend the Merchants strengthened their grip on first place in the west division for a second consecutive Challenge Cup in the 5-4 shootout decision against the North Edmonton Red Wings (22-5-5) at Londonderry Arena.

"They were only three points behind us at that point and so it was a pretty big game," Ward said of the playoff hype surrounding the contest.

Captain Dan Rombough tallied twice in the first period and the second goal by the all-star defenceman was on the power play for his 10th of the season.

McNamara and Casey Reid made it 4-0 halfway through the second before the Red Wings stormed back with two before the penalty-filled period ended and in the third they potted a pair. The equalizer was scored with 1:35 to play.

The Merchants dominated the overtime frame with a 7-0 shot advantage.

A.J. Yariwon and Josh Jewell beat goalie Ryan Papirny in the shootout.

Shots overall were 45-40 for the Red Wings and Ty Clelland posted the win between the pipes against his former team.

The Merchants also led the penalty parade with 62 minutes on 19 infractions, compared to 28 PIM for the Red Wings.

"We kind of lost it in the second when we let them back into the game," Ward said. "It was a pretty close game and a good battle."

The third win in a row and the 13th in 14 games for the Merchants was Sunday's 7-2 rout of the Stony Plain Flyers (20-12-1) at Akinsdale Arena.

Jewell and Zach Gonek scored twice, with Jewell capitalizing once on the power play and Gonek striking while shorthanded.

Reid, Braeden Farge and Blair Johnson also sniped singles and Jed Groenenboom added two assists as the Merchants improved their home record to 14-2.

Shots were 34-21 for the Merchants and Clelland (20-1, 3.04 GAA) was in net.

"We finally played more of a full game so that was good," said Ward, a second-year Merchant from Clyde in his fifth CJHL season who scored his first goal with the St. Albert squad against the Mustangs to break a 4-4 tie early in the third, after compiling 12 assists in 60 league and playoff games.

The reliable stay-at-home defenceman joins forwards Mike Roeleveld, Taylor Wiebe and Yariwon as the team's four over-age (21-year-old) players in their last year of junior.

"It's a different feeling. I don't know if I want it to be over yet or not. I'm just hoping we finish on a good note and maybe win league and go and win provincials," said Ward, a graduate of the NAIT accounting program who works at Gil Dubrule CMA in Westlock.

RCMP support

All proceeds from admission ticket sales and the 50/50 draw at Sunday's home game against the Leduc Riggers (9-20-3) will be donated to the RCMP trust fund being established in the aftermath of last Saturday's shootings at the Apex Casino in St. Albert.

Game time is 8 p.m.

The Merchants will also be showing their support for local law enforcement by wearing RCMP stickers on their helmets for the balance of the season.

In the last home game against the Flyers, a moment of silence was observed for Const. David Wynn and Auxiliary Const. Derek Bond, followed by an emotional rendition of O Canada by the fans and players.