TROIS-RIVIÈRES – The Trois-Rivières Lions (affiliate of the Montreal Canadiens) and the Norfolk Admirals (affiliate of the Winnipeg Jets) open their second-round Kelly Cup Playoffs series tonight at Colisée Vidéotron.
These two teams are no strangers to each other—last season, Norfolk eliminated Trois-Rivières in the opening round. The Lions will be looking to start this rematch series strong on home ice.
Players to Watch – Trois-Rivières Lions:
- #16 Alex Beaucage – The local product was a standout in Round 1, posting 4 goals and 3 assists in 4 games. He only played 3 regular season games against Norfolk but made them count, scoring twice and adding one assist.
- #86 Jakov Novak – Novak is expected to be a focal point again in this series—not just for his offensive production, but also for his ability to get under the skin of opponents and opposing fans, especially on the road. He recorded 2 goals and 1 assist in 3 playoff games so far, and totaled 6 points in 7 regular season games against Norfolk.
- #9 Nicolas Guay – The Quebec forward had a strong opening round with 5 points in 4 games. He was part of last year’s Trois-Rivières team that fell to Norfolk in Round 1, and will be hungry for redemption.
Players to Watch – Norfolk Admirals:
- #67 Hank Crone – Acquired late in the season from the Idaho Steelheads (Dallas Stars affiliate), Crone made an immediate impact. He tallied 4 points in 3 games against Trois-Rivières earlier this season while still with Idaho and finished the regular season with 64 points in 55 games—including 10 in a Norfolk jersey.
- #2 Darick Louis-Jean – The former Lion always seems to raise his game against his former team. In five playoff games this season, he has 3 goals and 2 assists. Expect him to be a key storyline in this series.
- #32 Thomas Milic – The Admirals’ goaltender was sensational in Round 1, allowing just 5 goals in 4 games, including a shutout. His lone playoff loss came in a game where he gave up 4 goals. Against the Lions this season, Milic played twice—posting one shutout and allowing only a single goal in the other game.
The two teams will be back at it Sunday afternoon for Game 2, again at Colisée Vidéotron. The series then shifts to Norfolk for Games 3, 4, and potentially 5.
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