CANADIAN PRESS (Sudbury, ON):
Up to games ending on February 17, 2021
Miners 10-Game (Double Nickel) Record: 9 wins, 0 losses, 1 OT loss.
Miners League Standing: 44 wins, 16 losses, 8 OT Loss = 96 points total. Currently sit in 2nd place in the Canosa Conference, 3rd overall in the CCHL.
Miners Special Teams: Power Play – 21.7% (5th); Penalty Kill – 83.5% (1st)
Miners Scoring Leader: Winger Johnny Gaudreau (34G – 48A = 82 pts; 7th Overall in the CCHL)
Rolling….rolling….rolling……and clinched!
They are definitely not playing like a “Limp Bizkit”, but there is no other way to describe the Miners play the past few weeks, as they continue to be one of the hottest teams in the CCHL right now and have now locked up their playoff spot early, going into the final stretch of the season.
“We are playing with a lot of confidence right now”, stated Coach Derek Sutton. “It seems like we have some line combinations that are working, and guys are playing up to their potential. It’s still a balance and guys have to be prepared to face some adversity come the playoffs, but this is a nice stretch, no question”.
One of the keys to the Miners surge has been the improvement of their special teams. After spending most of the season in the middle of the pack in both power play and penalty kill percentage, the Miners have surged to top 5, in both categories and now lead the league in penalty killing. Both areas will be key, if the Miners wish to have a long and successful playoff run.
The top seed in the Canosa Conference is still very much in play for the Miners, as they continue to chase down the defending Kehler Cup Champion Siberia Ice-Cats. With no more regular season games versus Siberia left on their schedule, the Miners will need some help from other teams and keep their winning ways, in order to overtake the defending champs.
MINERS PLAYER PROFILE OF THE WEEK: Jaden Schwartz
The recently acquired, veteran forward is incredibly quick and can make highly skilled plays in while in motion. While he can play the center position, he is best suited to flying up and down the wing. Despite his smaller stature, he is still quite aggressive and with his high-tempo style, he has been prone to injuries. He could stand to get bigger and stronger (since he regularly needs to win more battles against bigger, stronger opponents), but there is not denying the skill and creativity he has to be a top-6 winger.
MINERS PROSPECT NEED TO KNOW: Lassi Thomson
When scouts talk about Thomson, they see him as an offensive-minded, big-shooting defenseman with upside. He moves the puck well and owns a cannon of a slap shot (making him a very good option on the power play) and is also a very good passer of the puck. He does lack the ideal size for the CCHL, but this is becoming less of an issue in today’s game. He also needs to become a more consistent defender in order to fully realize his potential. Projected CCHL arrival: 2023-24.
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