There are no excuses as the Langley Chiefs head into the post-season, according to head coach and general manager Harvey Smyl.”No excuses, we are rested and ready to go,” he said on Thursday afternoon, the eve of his junior A hockey club’s game one of their best-of-seven playoff series opener against the Alberni Valley Bulldogs.The Chiefs have played just five games this month — by comparison, Alberni Valley has hit the ice eight times — and except for an injury to third-line forward Kit Sitterley, who is out for a few more days, are healthy and raring to go.”They are anxious,” Smyl said about his troops. “They haven’t played a whole lot in the past two weeks so the energy level should be quite high.”Langley won three of the four match-ups between the two clubs during the season, and the Chiefs’ lone loss came in overtime.On paper, the Chiefs, who finished 15 points ahead in the standings, are favoured.Langley was the top scoring team in the Coastal Conference with four goals per game, compared to Alberni Valley’s 2.93, dead last, even below the non-playoff qualifiers, the Cowichan Valley Capitals.Alberni Valley was led by Josh Mitchell (17 goals, 45 assists) and Casey Bailey (28 goals, 30 assists).”We have depth up front, which is always a good thing,” Smyl said.For Langley, Josh Myers, Trevor Gerling (30 goals, 42 assists), Matt Ius (28 goals, 39 assists) and Brandon Thompson (13 goals, 51 assists) all finished ahead of Mitchell in the scoring race.Brad McBride (27 goals, 31 assists) and Darnell Dyck (17 goals, 41 assists) round out the top six mix for the team.Combined, the six have accounted for 65 per cent of the Chiefs offence.But defensively, the Bulldogs boast the better numbers statistically, with a 3.28 goals against average. Langley allowed 3.62.”They have one of the best goalies in the league,” Smyl said, referring to Alberni Valley’s Frank Slubowski.Slubowski was top 10 in the league in both goals against (2.90) and save percentage (.906). Last season, the goaltender was a nominee for both the most valuable player and rookie of the year awards.As has been the case all season, discipline will be crucial for the Chiefs.”We can’t give them the advantage power-play wise,” Smyl warned. The Bulldogs boasted the fourth most potent power play in the league, and tops in the Coastal Conference, at 25.3 per cent. Langley was 10th at 21.1 per cent.Smyl cautioned that the Chiefs will need to put their home-ice advantage to good use.”They are extremely difficult to beat in their building,” he said. The Bulldogs went 18-10-2-0 on home ice, but struggled on the road, with a 6-1-2-3.Games one and two are Friday (Feb. 25) and Saturday at the Langley Events Centre.Games three and four are Monday and Tuesday in Alberni Valley.Games five and seven would be back in Langley on Thursday, March 3 and Saturday, March 5.All of the games begin at 7 p.m.
