Slammers face Summerside in round two tomorrow

Round two of the 2012 Kent Cup Playoffs begins tomorrow for the Woodstock Slammers.

The Slammers have ended up facing their rivals, the Summerside Western Capitals. The Western Capitals defeated the Dieppe Commandos 3-1 on Thursday, March 15th, in Dieppe. Therefore, Summerside claimed the series 4-2 and will advance to the Meek Division final.

The Slammers and Western Capitals have an interesting history, getting rough on many different occasions during the 2011-2012 MHL regular season.

Slammers head coach Jason Tatarnic expressed excitement to begin the new series in a press release on the Slammers' website.

"We're looking forward to starting," Tatarnic stated in the press release. "We know what the reward is. A berth in the league final and they know it too, so we're expecting them to come to play hard."

"We have to concentrate on what we do well and go from there."

For the third consecutive year, the Meek Division final consists of a seven-game series between the Slammers and Western Capitals. Last year, the Western Capitals claimed the Meek title in a hard-fought, seven-game series, where five of which went to the visiting team.

In 2009-2010, the Slammers defeated Summerside in five games for the division final. Woodstock and Summerside also met in 2005-2006, with the Slammers winning the division title four games to two.

The Shiretown side faced their rivals from across the Confederation Bridge seven times in 2011-2012, winning six of those games, and losing only once in a shootout. The Slammers also outscored Summerside by a combined total of 31-14.

Both of Woodstock's netminders, Matt Murphy and Sam Renault, boast shutouts against Summerside.

Matt Murphy

Sam Renault

Murphy and Renault also have posted exceptional numbers against Summerside. Murphy has three wins and a tie, along with a 1.52 goals against average and a .951 save percentage and one shutout against the Western Capitals. Renault started three games and finished a fourth, leading the Slammers to three wins. The Tide Head, New Brunswick native, like fellow goaltender Murphy, has one shutout against Summerside.

Bradley Greene scored five goals against the Western Capitals. Greene led the Slammers in scoring and points during the regular season with 39.

Bradley Greene

Nick Huard, Connor Tresham, and captain Andrew had four goals each against their PEI rivals. Greene was shutout in the Meek Division semi-final round against the Campbellton Tigers, however, Huard had three goals, while Tresham and Langan pitched in with two goals. Ben MacSwain had three goals during that series as well.

In MHL regular season play, Summerside forward Colton Parsons was led the Western Capitals with two goals against the Slammers. In post-season action, Brock Morrison has scored four goals against the Dieppe Commandos in the semi-final round, while Steven Brazil scored three in the semis.

Summerside's goaltending situation has fared less than stellar against the Slammers. Landon Noel started in five of seven meetings between the Western Capitals and Slammers, losing four and tying one. Noel's goals against average was 3.15 and save percentage was a mere .915. Jared Kelly started the other two contests against Woodstock. Kelly lost both games, finishing with a 5.83 goals against average and .847 save percentage.

Game one of the Meek Division final begins tomorrow, March 18th. The contest will begin at 2 pm at the Carleton Civic Centre.