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League News
Pens-Privateers square off in Gm 1
Buckle Your seat-belts and hang on as the Liverpool Privateers and East Hants Penguins begin their Best-of-Seven Fred Fox Divisional Semi-Final in the Nova Scotia Junior Hockey League tonight starting at 7:30 at the East Hants Sportsplex. Trying to determine a favourite in this series is far easier said than done. These two clubs put on an incredible display of hockey whenever they meet with no one wanting to give even a quarter-of-a-skate length more than they have to. With COVID Restrictions, we are a couple of years removed from the two classic semi-final playoff series these two teams played with both going to seven games and with numerous one goal and overtime games being involved. Granted, the Penguins finished the 22-23 regular season with a 20-7-3 record for 43 points while the Privateers went 14-12-4 for 32 points but the point differential never showed in the six regular season games played between the two clubs with East Hants going 4-1-1 and the Privateers 2-3-1. In four of the six games, East Hants won 3 by scores of 4-3 including one that went to overtime and the Privateers another by a 4-3 score that went to a shoot-out with the Pens outscoring Liverpool 21-15. In the other two games the Pens won 4-1 and Liverpool won 4-2. East Hants scored four power-play goals in the six games while Liverpool managed a a power-play goal and a short-handed goal with the teams garnering only 140 penalty minutes in total throughout the six games or 23.3 minutes a game. East Hants was the fourth highest scoring team in the League averaging 4.86 goals a game for a total of 146 while Liverpool was the ninth highest averaging 3.26 goals a game for a total of 98. When it came to defence, the Privateers were the third best defensive club allowing 94 goals in 30 games while the Penguins were tied with Brookfield for the fourth best defensive record with both teams allowing 109 goals apiece. This writer is very cognizant of how different playoff hockey results can be but one ting is for sure, they would have to turn-upside down if one team was to win this series for example in four or five games. The remainder of the playoff schedule looks like this:
Sunday, March 5/23 — Game 2 — at Queens Place Emera Centre — 4:30 p.m.
Tuesday, March 7/23 ——Game 3— at East Hants Sportsplex — 8:15 p.m.
Saturday, March 11/23 —— Game 4 — at Queens Place Emera Centre — 7:00 p.m.
If necessary:::::::::::::::::::::::::
*******Sunday, March 12/23 —— Game 5 —— at East Hants Sportsplex — 7:45 p.m.
********Tuesday, March 14/23 — Game 6 — at Queens Place Emera Centre — 7:00 p.m.
**********Wednesday, March 15 — Game 7— at East Hants Sportsplex — Time TBA