Monday November 17, 2014
By Josh Sweetland/CHL
They’ve played physically and bombarded the Russian goal with a regular dose of rubber, but the CHL has yet to come up with a win through three games of the 2014 SUBWAY Super Series. Thursday night’s 4-0 Team OHL loss in Peterborough presented a similar storyline to Team WHL’s fate in games one and two of the series. Despite outshooting Russia 35-26, Team OHL surrendered four goals on 12 second period shots and couldn’t regain the excellent pace and physicality they showed early on in the game.
Down 8 points to 1 in the series, the CHL is down but not out. A win on Monday keeps the series alive with the scene shifting to the QMJHL for games on Tuesday and Thursday.
Kingston Frontenacs defenceman Roland McKeown, along with teammates Spencer Watson and Lawson Crouse, will have the opportunity to play in front of a Kingston crowd at the Rogers K-Rock Centre on Monday, an opportunity he’s excited about. “I’m confident that the fans in Kingston will provide a great atmosphere for us,” McKeown said on Sunday evening. “They’ve been very supportive of me in my career here and I think it’s great that we’re bringing this event to Kingston.”
A second round pick by the Los Angeles Kings this past summer, McKeown is wearing an ‘A’ for Team OHL and says he was impressed with Russia’s game on Thursday. “They play a real North American style and we expected that,” he said. “We came out scoreless after the first period the other night, but a lack of discipline got the better of us in the second. We can’t afford to give their skilled players powerplay chances because as they’ve shown, they seldom miss on quality chances.”
The Russian powerplay has gone 3 for 10 through three games while CHL powerplays come in at a collective 1 for 14. Team OHL Head Coach Scott Walker has positive things to say about the Russian defensive corps, and knows changes will need to be made in Game 4 to breed offensive success. “Their ‘D’ are big and strong and they make it tough for you to get to the net,” Walker said. “We didn’t get too many second chance opportunities against their goaltender the other night and that certainly makes scoring more difficult. We’re going to have to find a way to get inside and also get pucks through to the net. They have blocked a lot of shots.”
Several new faces slot into the Team OHL lineup on Monday, with nine players from Game 3 returning to the lineup. Joining Team OHL in goal is Barrie Colts draft eligible netminder Mackenzie Blackwood. On defence, Belleville Bulls powerplay quarterback Jordan Subban joins Colorado Avalanche prospect Kyle Wood from the North Bay Battalion as an addition. Jason Dickinson (Guelph Storm), Remi Elie (Belleville Bulls), Jared McCann (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds), Carter Verhaeghe (Niagara IceDogs), Josh Ho-Sang (Niagara IceDogs), Dylan Strome (Erie Otters), Mitchell Marner (London Knights) and Kingston Frontenacs Spencer Watson and Lawson Crouse join the lineup on forward.
The first ever SUBWAY Super Series game in Kingston gets underway on Monday at 7:00pm ET and can be seen across the country on Sportsnet Ontario, East, West and Pacific. The game will also be aired on TVA Sports and listeners can tune in online on Sportsnet 590 The FAN.
For more information including how to purchase tickets please visit www.subwaysuperseries.ca.
