Dolphins complete sweep of Hawks

  Newland hat trick leads Dorchester to 4-0 win in clinching game

Thursday, March 1, 2018

By Rob J. Ross 

DORCHESTER - An opportunity to three-peat is on the table.

The Dorchester Dolphins, the reigning two-time Provincial Junior Hockey League (PJHL) Yeck Division champions, will be going for a third consecutive title, following a four game sweep of the Exeter Hawks, in the semi-finals.

Dorchester, making its sixth consecutive appearance in the final, will face the Lambeth Lancers.

Defenceman James Newland led the way with a hat trick and goalie Ryan Murray stopped all 27 shots, as the Dolphins blanked the Hawks, 4-0, in the clinching game.

Dylan Buckholz also scored, while Lucas Wilson and Nolan Blewett, the top two point producers in the playoffs, each picked up two assists.

"I took shots at the right time and they happen to squeak in. I can't say I really I did much, but thankful pucks went in as I was in a little drought, so it's nice to get a couple," said Newland, who has four goals and eight assists, in the playoffs. "We made sure pucks were out and no risky plays. Defence first and the offence will come. They (Hawks) play a certain way, trying to get under our skin. We beat them with speed and never let them get into our heads. We stayed within our game.

"Congrats to Murray for coming in after not much playing time and shuts it down with a nice shutout."

Murray gets the shutout in his first start of the playoffs and his second win, after relieving Riley Brown in game three, at Exeter. Brown left the game after one period and missed game four, due to sickness.

"It feels awesome. It really boosts my confidence for the coaches to have enough confidence to start me in a big game like this. It's humbling to be out there and get the clinching win to send us off to the final," said Murray. "Just save the puck. I didn't get too many shots at the start, so it was a little hard, but after making a few saves, I found my rhythm."

Defeating the Hawks, who finished in second place, one position ahead of the Dolphins was surprising. The Hawks won three of five meeting during the regular season.

"We didn't expect a sweep, but it really feels nice and boosts the confidence of our team that we can compete and dominate over other good teams," said Murray. "It was a good all around effort by our hockey team. We got the puck out on first try and we were very structurally sound." 

The Dolphins held Hawks' Christian Petrozza, the regular season MVP, off the score-sheet.

"Every game we played against them (regular season) was close, so we were looking at the series to go six or seven games," Dolphins' head coach Tim Flynn said. "We got on a roll and got healthy, but (Brent) House hasn't scored and the power play has not been good. Murray came in and stands on his head. He's a young kid but doesn't seem nervous."

House did contribute four assists in the series.

The power play, which was number one during the season at over 30 percent, is down at 18.6 percent in the playoffs (four for 25 versus Exeter), but had two goals in game four.

The Dolphins were without their captain Tim Pieper (foot injury and school exams), defenceman Colin Osler (school exams) and forwards Mike Tuffin (lower body injury) and Zach Robertson (out for the season).

Dorchester and Lambeth meet for the third time in the Yeck final. Lambeth won the title in 2013 and Dorchester in 2014.

It's the fourth consecutive year the teams have met in the playoffs, with the Dolphins winning the past three series.