In a back-and-forth series between the Springfield Thunderbirds and the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins, Game 5 could go either way. So, who has the edge? It depends on what you're looking at.
The two most exciting words in sports. Game Seven! Wait, that's not right. The two most exciting words in sports for this round of the Calder Cup Playoffs. Game Five!
The Atlantic Division Final between the Springfield Thunderbirds and the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins went the distance, and the winner of Game 5 in Northeast Pennsylvania will win the series and advance to the Eastern Conference Final.
This series has gone back and forth with the Penguins taking the odd-numbered games while the Thunderbirds have taken the even-numbered games. It's hard to say who has the edge and, specifically, which team will win. With the series going the distance, both teams have advantages in specific categories, and it should make for a great game.
Penguins Have The Advantage In The Net
This series had the hot goaltender in the playoffs up against arguably the best. Georgi Romanov is playing lights-out in the net and coming off a shutout in Game 4. However, Sergei Murashov is arguably the best goaltender in the AHL and has been dominant all season, along with the playoffs.
Murashov has taken over games with his play in the net. Even in the losses for the Penguins, he's kept them in the game. The upcoming game might come down to which team has the better goaltender, and the answer, at least based on track records, is Murashov.
Thunderbirds Have The Coaching Edge
Steve Ott removed any doubt this season that he can be a head coach in the NHL as he bet on himself with the St. Louis Blues' AHL affiliate job and willed the team to the playoffs. Once the playoffs began, the hockey world saw Ott's coaching brilliance on full display.
He has a great sense for how a game is playing out and adjusts accordingly. It's why the Thunderbirds have battled back throughout the playoffs to win games. He also knows which players are ready for a big game and will lean on them, from giving a line more ice time to making a game-time decision to bring in a skater who adds a spark.
Kirk MacDonald is also one of the league's best coaches, and this series has shown his ability to bounce back from a rough game. Presumably, he'll have the Penguins ready for Game 5 after a rough showing in the previous game. That said, in a chess match that is this series, Ott might be the one who makes the move that puts his team in a better position to win.
Penguins Have The Better Forward Unit
The Penguins roll all four lines and can score anywhere in the lineup. Their top six is filled with prospects who have the skill to find the back of the net, including Tristan Broz, Mikhail Ilyin, and Ville Koivunen. Yet, their third and fourth lines are also generating offense. Bill Zonnon, for example, joined the Penguins for this series and scored three goals in the first three games. This team has the forward depth to make a deep playoff run, which they've proven so far.
Thunderbirds Have The Best Forward Line
The Aleksanteri Kaskimaki, Dillon Dube, and Chris Wagner line is the best in this series and arguably the best remaining in the playoffs. They've carried the Thunderbirds' offense and provided them with big goals when they've needed them the most. If there's one line Ott can turn to in a big spot, it's this one, and with the series on the line, he might do just that, especially late in the game.
Ultimately, The Defense That Steps Up Will Win This Series
If there's one noticeable area where both teams are even, it's on the defense. Both units have stepped up in their end and have done a great job protecting their goaltenders.
This game will come down to that. Can the stay-at-home defensemen clean up the pucks near the net? Can the blue line turn defense into offense? Will prospects Owen Pickering, Harrison Brunicke, or Adam Jiricek put together a great game that proves they can play at a high level in the NHL?
The other layer of defense delivering is the ability to add a spark from the point. Goals are hard to come by, and in this game, they will be tough to find. A defenseman generating offense and providing a goal will make all the difference. The Thunderbirds found a big-time goal from defenseman Marc-Andre Gaudet in Game 4, while the Penguins have gotten a few big moments from Brunicke and Pickering. Both teams will need it in the winner-take-all game on Saturday night.