Knights Up Two Going Into Game 7

Six games down, one to go. This Friday, May 8, the Knights and Snipers will clash for the final time this season. The Knights are going into the game with a two-goal lead, but as we’ve seen so far in the series, a two-goal lead can evaporate in a matter of minutes.

So with the series coming to an end, let’s look at five things that have defined this series up to now:

1. Knights’ Dynamic Duo. One of the keys to the Knights’ success in this series has been their goaltending. The duo of Tyson Amos and Dakota Hendry has been anything but a controversy. Both are outstanding goaltenders and they have embraced the 1A/1B model, usually deciding amongst themselves who will take the next start. They have been huge for the Knights posting a combined 3.35 goals against average, and if save percentage was calculated it would most likely be north of .920. The Snipers have spent the majority of the series in the Knights’ end and have outshot them in every game. Amos/Hendry have been the workhorses for the Knights and are a pivotal part to the Knights’ two-goal lead.
2. Snipers’ Compete Level. Despite being down the entire series, the Snipers have not once given up. They have struggled with their roster all series, often missing 1 or 2 players each game. They have played every game with heart and determination, and have been the ones who set the pace. Combine that with having a significant size advantage, it’s no wonder the Snipers have controlled the ball possession numbers. The majority of the game is spent in the Knights’ end and that has led to more, and higher quality, scoring chances. The Knights have the upper hand in speed and agility, and one could even argue they have more skill, but the Snipers refuse to quit and that has kept them in this series.

Both of these points lead me to my next one:

3. Struggling To Finish. Despite their compete level and the majority of chances, the Snipers have struggled to finish off those chances. And it’s not to say that it’s all their fault, as stated in my first point, the Knights’ goaltending has been very good, but there have been many occasions where the Snipers have had wide open chances, either by a cross-crease pass or a loose ball in front of the net, where they haven’t been able to bang it home. We did however, see more Finnish (less Swedish lol) in Game 6, and if they can continue that on Friday, they may be hoisting the Samson Cup.
4. Knights’ Other Dynamic Duo. The Knights scoring has been dominated by two players in this series, Brett Barron, who put up four goals in the opener and current leading scorer (11 goals, 2 assists), and Rylan Jeffrey, who sits 2nd (7 goals, 2 assists). The Knights have relied on these two for the majority of their goals; Barron & Jeffrey have a combined 18 goals, while the rest of the team has 6.
5. Special Teams. Special teams have been a non-factor in the series. There have been nine penalties called and only one has resulted in a power play goal. The Snipers are 0 for 4 on the power play, while the Knights are 1 for 5. That’s huge when you think about the fact that the championship is riding on goal differential. Being up a man should produce more goals but it hasn’t. So what does this mean to Game 7? Well, either it will be continue to be a non-factor and it will come down to points 1-4, or it will end up being the biggest factor if one team can capitalize when given the chance. But we won’t know that until the final horn sounds and a Champion is crowned.

Game 7 of the Samson Cup Summit Series goes on Friday, May 8 at 7pm. The Awards Banquet will immediately follow the game upstairs. Parents are welcome to stay and hangout in the Atrium. The banquet should be done around 10pm.