The Saugeen Shores Winterhawks are riding high as they open their WOAA Sr. "AA" playoff series with the Durham Thundercats this weekend.
The Winterhawks enter Friday's opener on a season-high six-game winning streak and haven't lost in regulation since Dec. 19.
Still, a daunting task lies before them in Durham, a team that handed the Winterhawks three losses during the regular season, including a 6-5 overtime loss on Jan. 8th, despite the Winterhawks outshooting Durham 43-24.
"It's going to be tough, but we have played well against Durham this year, that last game (Jan. 8th) is going to stay with us for a while," said head coach Peter Roedger. "That game let us know what we can do against Durham when we stick to what we do well."
The playoffs generally go the way of the teams who can stay healthy, something the Winterhawks found out first hand last year when the roster was decimated by injuries.
Roedger indicates there's no significant injuries to report as the playoffs open up.
"We're healthy, so we can put some different combinations against them, put some fresh legs at them on the second nights of the back-to-back games," said Roedger.
The Winterhawks have benefitted from the red-hot finish to the season for the line of Blake Underwood, Brent MacDermid and Trent Hawke, who combined for 21 points in the final three games of the regular season, including three-consecutive hat tricks for Underwood.
Underwood did not find the back of the net until Dec. 29, but finished the regular season with the most goals on the team, with 13.
"I was a bit snake-bitten at the start of the year, and lately the puck just seems to be going in for me so it's been good the last month or so," said Underwood.
MacDermid finished the season as the Winterhawks top scorer, recording 29 points (10 goals, 19 assists) in 21 games.
Special teams always play a big part in determining a playoff series, and it's one area the Winterhawks will have to improve, as they scored the fewest powerplay goals in the league, with 16, while Durham lead the league in man-advantage goals, with 35.
Roedger experimented at times in the regular season finale against Mapleton-Minto by using four forwards and a defenceman on the powerplay, and feels the team is close to breaking out with the extra man.
"The pressure is there and the shots are there, we're hitting posts and missed a few open nets but we'll just keep hammered away at that," said Roedger.
While Durham is expected to start the talented Gatlin Burt in goal in the series, there's less certainty with who will be tasked with guarding the Winterhawks net.
Veteran Josh Sturrock has been solid all season, posting a 9-6-1 record, with a 3.11 goals-against average, which put him in the top-5 among qualified goaltenders in the league.
Sturrock was unavailable for three weeks in January, and the Winterhawks brought in former Elora Rocks netminder Blake Sinclair to fill the void, posting a perfect 3-0-0 record with a 1.66 goals-against average.
Even rookie Kevin McGivern put the coaching staff on notice, though he wasn't expected to be in the discussion for a playoff start, coming within four minutes of shutting out the 1st-place Mapleton-Minto 81's on Saturday night.
If Roedger has decided on a starting goaltender, he's keeping his cards close to the vest.
"We're going to be putting the best lineup out there that we possibly can," said Roedger.
The series opens on Friday night at The Plex (8:30 p.m. start), before shifting to Durham for two games.
The other North Division "AA playoff series features Mapleton-Minto against the Shallow Lake Crushers, which opens Friday night in Drayton.
In the South Division, the 1st-place Clinton Radars face the Huron East Centenaires, while 2nd-place Tavistock Royals face the 3rd-place Petrolia Squires.
Series schedule vs Durham
Game 1: Friday February 5 - 8:30pm at Port Elgin
Game 2: Saturday February 6 - 7:00pm at Durham
Game 3: Friday February 12 - 8:30pm at Durham
Game 4: Saturday February 13 - 7:30pm at Port Elgin
Game 5*: Friday February 19 - 8:30pm at Durham
Game 6*: Saturday February 20 - 7:30pm at Port Elgin
Game 7*: Sunday February 21 - 1:00pm at Durham
* - If necessary
with files from winterhawks.net.
