2018 EASTERN CONFERENCE QUARTER FINAL #2

ClearfieldBisons Brew Jackets

Clearfield Bison vs. Columbus Brew Jackets

  Games 1 and 2 of the quarterfinal between the defensively-stout Bison and the explosive Brew Jacket offense. Clearfield thought going in that this was a favorable matchup because of their advantages in depth and in goaltending. How did the first 2 games go?
Game #1 Clearfield sets the home fans in a frenzy by scoring on the very first shift of the game – and when Captain Bergeron adds a breakaway goal late in the first, things look very rosy for the home squad.

However..lately holding leads has been an issue, and once again Clearfield coughs up the lead. Sheary exploits a poor line change to cut Cleearfield’s lead to 2-1. The Bison regain their 2-goal lead early in the third, but CBJ immediately answered back, making it 3-2 Clearfield with 14 to go.

Clearfield carried the play, but an innocuous shot by Ladd floated inat 14:53 and we went to…OOOOOVERTIME.

10 seconds into OT, Patrick Kane was off on a breakway..but Johnson stoned him! On the very next shift, Carlo fired a wrister from the point that eluded Bobby Lu – and the visitors stunned the home team in OT, 4-3.

Most of the stats favored the home side – shots were 31-23, chances were 16-9, and attack time 6:09-3:33. But, that stuff matters little in a short series!

STARS: #1 Holden 1G 1A, #2 Carlo 1G, #3 Sheary 1G 

Columbus 4, Clearfield 3 (OT)

Game #2 Very much in need of a win now, the Bison turned to Craig Anderson in net – and also activated Jordan Weal. Clearfield carried play early, and it appeared we were headed to intermission scoreless…butat 19:39, Stalberg banged one home to gove Columbus a 1-goal lead after one.

Clearfield came out guns a’blazin in the second, carrying all the action – but Columbus’ 6th shot of the game also found the twine, giving CBJ a very improbable 2-0 lead.

From there, this game was as one-sided as any I’ve ever seen on here…Clearfield outshot CBJ 22-2 over the last 32 minutes of the game, but could only get one of those shots by Patrick Roy….er, I mean, Chad Johnson. Somehow, some way, the Brew Crew escaped this game with a 2-1 win and a commanding 2-0 series lead.

These stats are soul-crushing lol: shots 34-8, faceoffs 73-26%, shot attempts 68-27, scoring chances 18-9, attack time 9:50-2:43.

#1 star: Johnson. I think he should be #2 and #3 as well!

Columbus 2, Clearfield 1

  CBJ takes command with an improbable 2-game sweep. Clearfield now waits to see if they even get a third home game.

Columbus comes home in their 1st MWHL playoff series a surprising 2 games to none lead over Clearfield. Clearfield comes in the playoffs as the best team in MWHL and has the 3rd best total in goals scored and 2nd best total in goals allowed, clearly a strong team in all respects. Columbus comes in with the leagues top scoring offense and a somewhat shaky defense – but much stronger as the season has been winding down. And to make matters even more interesting, the league top two scorers are featured in this series with Patrick Kane (96) just edging out Nikita Kucherov (94) in the final series of the season.

Game #3 The Bisons want to make a statement as quickly as the can in game 3 and boy do they. Less than a minute into the game, Koivu wins a faceoff then gets it to Brodie to Maroon back to Koivu (1) and it’s in the net past Budaj, 1-0 Clearfield! And there is still some water glisten on parts of the ice. Clearfield then continues to put on the attack – but Budaj settles in, the Brew Jackets master the art of the blocked shot and hits and killing penalties – killed 2 in the first period. The persistence pays off with about 6 minutes to go when Sheary (2) takes one from Holden and Kucherov to even the score. That did it for the opening period. Clearfield won the shots (14-9), Chances (9-5) but not the blocked shots (2-9), but the Bison were relentless.

Period 2 – Again the Bison were pouring it on, but not in. 4 and 1/2 minutes in, Doughty goes to the sin bin for hooking and the Brew Jackets go on the attack. Letang shots and misses, but gets it back and over to Ladd (2) who hits the crossbar and sees the puck go into the net for a 2-1 lead. Then with about 4 to go in the 2nd, Kucherov (1) deflects one from Liles and Sheary to make it 3-1 Columbus! And that’s how the period ends. Clearfield agains wins shots (10-7), but not chances (3-4). And the Bison block more shots (8-4). Strange thing happened with 2 minutes to go – the Bison had been dominating the face-offs by better than 2-1, but in the last 2 minutes of the 2nd, the Brew Jackets started winning them (and needed too as there were many in their end). And for the rest of the game, they dominated that category. Would it help preserve the win?

Period 3 – Jackets choose to play a smothering defense in the 3rd – and it showed in their 0 (ZERO) scoring chances. The Bison come out to give it their all and fire shot after shot, but many of them don’t get through (11 blocked), BUT finally with Burns in the penalty box (did that a couple of times this game), Doughty (1) gets a pass from Kane and Bergeron to cut the lead to 3-2. Then at the 8 minute mark, the best penalty killer for Columbus, Brodziak, gets called for charging (refs felt they had to call one of those hits a penalty, in fact this was the 2nd charging call in the game). But try as they might, the Bison couldn’t convert. 4 minutes to go, Foligno gets whistled for roughing. Oh boy! But again, the defense and Budaj withstand to attack. With 1:31 to go, Anderson leaves the net), two shots are blocked, a couple of turnovers and it’s all over. Brew Jackets win 3-2. Clearfield again dominated the attack 12-5 in shots and 6-0 in scoring chances. Smother was the word!
Stars: (all CBJ – and I have to agree)
1. Sheary 1 goal, 1 assist
2. Kucherov 1 goal 1 assist
3. Budaj 34 saves.
Notables: Liles 6 blocks.

Columbus 3, Clearfield 2

Game #4 Clearly a do or die game for the Bison and they start Weal in place of Chimera. Jackets rest Liles (a toss up between him and Letang, but Letang has been adding some offensive punch and Liles was kind of black and blue and limping after the block from game 3) in favor of Edmundson. Liles has been a key cog in their defensive emergence and Columbus hopes the rest doesn’t back fire.

Period 1 – Keeping Letang in the lineup seems like the better move as he sets up Holden for a shot that Miller (1) deflects for the first score of the game 3 minutes in. But BLAM – the Bison respond 13 seconds later after winning the faceoff when Maroon (1) fires one past Budaj to even the score. 1st period fireworks continue as Columbus gets 2 more, Foligno (1) at 8:10 and then Tyler Johnson (1) at 13:01 and suddenly it’s 3-1 Columbus. Fans going nuts, Bison snorting on their bench looking for anything to get them out of the funk. Well, after the Johnson score, Koivu again wins a faceoff, they work it into the zone, Marroon passes to Hjalmarsson who shots and Koivu (2) deflects it past Budaj 18 seconds after the Columbus goal. 3-2 and that’s how the 1st period ends. Brew Jackets actually had more scoring chances, 7-3 and they paid off.

Second period – Koivu again gets into the action as he teams up with Alzner to set up Marooon (2) for the game tying goal – 56 seconds into the period! But Burns (1) has been choosing to spend more time on the ice this game and fires one past Anderson that was set up by Letang (3rd assist in the game) and Miller. Columbus regains the lead 4-3. And that’s how the 2nd period ends.

Period 3 – down to the wire for Clearfield and remember their decision to start Weal in place of Chimera? Well just past halfway through the period, with Strome in the box for cross-checking, Weal snaps one into the net. Play was set up by a Koivu face-off win, and a pass for Jagr. GAME TIED 4-4!! That was the first PP goal in the game for Clearfield in 5 attempts. The 6th power play comes 4:27 to go when Miller is called for cross-checking (yeah, right). Oh Boy! 2 shots make it on net during the PP, but Budaj stops both. Bison continue the attack, Carlo blocks a shot with 2:27 to go, Jagr shots, saved. Koivu wins the faceoff, to Edler, shot blocked by Sheary. Bison back on the attack and a Neal deflection goes wide. Minute and a half to go and Neal shoots again, save by Budaj. Couture wins the ensuing face-off, Jackets work it up ice. Couture, to Sheary, to Kucherov – shot, SCORE! 1:04 to go and the Brew Jackets take a 5-4 lead.
Anderson leaves the net, but Miller wins the net for some game time control. They turnover the puck, down behind the Jackets net, Bison cycle, but the Jackets shut it down and win game 4 5-4 for an amazing sweep of the series.
Stat review: Shots 34-19 CLE; chances 12-11 CLE, Hits 36-15 CBJ, shot attemps 62-39 CLE.
OK here are the stars per DKSports
1. CLE – Maroon 2 goals, 1 assist (pretty dang good game)
2. CLE – Koivu 1 goal, 3 assists (another pretty dang good game)
3. CBJ – Tyler Johnson 1 goal, 1 assist (OK, not bad)

I would have put Letang in that mix with 3 assists! Bujas was noted for his 30 saves. And Koivu’s 15 faceoff wins to go with his scoring was also noted

Columbus 5, Clearfield 4

Series Summary:  Well the surprise of the post season – at least to this point – was sweeping the Bison. Not in a million years. But the Brew Jackets have maintained their ability to score and have become a really smothering brood lately. It’s playoff hockey and they did it.

Congrats to Dave on a fine season!! And a great team.