Cavallin in command
Soo Greyhounds have fired 114 shots at Flint Firebirds goalie Luke Cavallin through the first two games of their second round Ontario Hockey League playoff series.
But Cavallin has stopped 108 of the 114 shots and Flint has a two games to none lead in the best of seven series, which now shifts to Sault Ste. Marie for Games 3 and 4 on Tuesday and Thursday of this week.
The Greyhounds out-shot the Firebirds 58-31 in Game 1 and 56-35 in Game 2 but left Flint win-less as the overage Cavallin put on a sparkling display that showed why many who follow the OHL, myself included, consider him to be on par with Brett Brochu of the London Knights as the best goalies in the Western Conference.
Cavallin (in above photo by Bob Davies) now has a record of 6-3-0 with a 2.57 goals against average and .933 save percentage thus far in this spring’s playoffs.
Meanwhile, as Cavallin was stealing the show between the pipes for Flint in the two wins over the Soo, Firebirds scoring star Brennan Othmann netted seven points, including three goals. Othmann, a first round National Hockey League draft pick of the New York Rangers, now has seven goals, five assists, 12 points in nine playoff outings for Flint, which needed a Game 7 victory over Owen Sound Attack in the first round of the playoffs to advance.
I don’t think there’s been a game this season where a Hound goalie has stole a game for them. It’s been mediocre to sub-par. They have to play a near-perfect playoff game. Be surprised if this goes six the way Cavallin is playing.