Quick Glance:
Minsk finished the regular season strong (8-1-1) while London floundered a bit (5-5). The Hussars are the better team on paper and if they can maintain their momentum and form, they will be difficult to beat. When you think about Minsk, you think about their air-tight defense and star goalie Attila Adorjan. But did you know they were second in the league in goals per game? For London, the team stats point to one player in particular who is key and it’s not superstar forward Dominik Lakatos, who will feel like he is wearing Bo Horvat as a coat this series. London was 18th in stopping shots and 6th best in goals against. That points to some good goaltending by Martin Jones (or shoddy team defense, depending on how you look at it).
Goalies:
- London – Martin Jones, 2.88 GAA, .908 save pct.
- Minsk – Attila Adorjan, 2.15 GAA, .913 save pct.
Top Plus/Minus players:
- London – Jakub Krejcik +24
- Minsk – Aaron Ekblad +44
Expert Panel Predictions:
- Commissioner Chuck: Minsk in 5 games. Unfortunately for London, there are some plays in hockey that are illegal and those will put Minsk on the powerplay. The Hussars were the top PP in the league this season and they average a goal every four penalties. In contrast, London ranked 23rd in that department. That’s a huge edge for the Hussars.
- Rose: London in 7 games. Goalie Martin Jones has always been tough in the playoffs. I remember in Season 9 when he shocked both Copenhagen and St. Petersburg; and Season 10, when he stunned Helsinki in the first round. At age 35, he knows this might be his last shot at glory. Add some key faceoff wins by Nardo Nagtzaam and the injury to Minsk’s Travis Hamonic and you can envision London stealing it.
