They’re young and free-wheeling, those Newfoundland Growlers forwards, a direct contrast to the veteran, get-the-puck-out-our-zone defence troops John Snowden has been employing in these ECHL playoffs, which now has the Growlers taking on the Toledo Walleye in the Kelly Cup final.
“If you look at the way our team is set up,” said James Melindy, the Growlers’ captain and one of those defence-first D-men we’re talking about, “the forwards have a lot of speed, and the D is big and strong (and) plays a simple game.
“It’s a good fit for us. It makes our job easier when we have skilled forwards and it’s our job just to get them the puck in their hands and let them do their job.
“You don’t,” Melindy said with the hint of a grin, “see a solidified skilled, skilled blueline.”
The Growlers have allowed only 37 goals in 17 playoff games, and they’re coming off a pair of back-to-back shutouts to close out the Eastern Conference final against the Florida Everblades.
A lot of credit has to go to Michael Garteig, who has logged the second-most minutes played in the post season, but still has one of the best goal- against averages (2.07) and save percentages (.934) of any goalie. The busiest puckstop, by the way, has been Toledo’s Pat Nagle, who also owns the best GAA and second-best save percentage, meaning the league final between the Growlers and Walleye will be hotly-contested between the pipes.
But Garteig has to rely on his teammates, and his blueline corps has been providing plenty of support.
It’s those same defencemen who are the unofficial veteran voices on the ice and in the dressing room.
Of the 11 top scorers on the Growlers, nine are rookies, and Garrett Johnston is the only defenceman in that group.
“If you look at the way our team is set up, the forwards have a lot of speed, and the D is big and strong (and) plays a simple game. It’s a good fit for us.” — James Melindy
Sam Jardine, the leading scorer amongst rearguards with a goal and six assists in 17 games, is a fourth-year pro. Melindy is in his sixth season as a professional, Alex Gudbranson his fifth and Evan Neugold his third. Adam Pardy is the grizzled veteran, in his 14th season playing professionally (which includes 350 career NHL games), and Kristians Rubins, like Johnston, is a rookie.
“There’s a lot of experience there, but the biggest thing is we have — and I’m talking about the team as a whole — is it’s a good group. All the guys get along well, and it shows on the ice,” Melindy said.
“There have been teams that I’ve been on that are no so tight. There’s a group here and a group there, but this team is one of the tightest groups I’ve ever seen from top to bottom.”
Melindy is one of four Newfoundlanders on the Growlers (joining fellow St. John’s natives Zach O’Brien and Marcus Power, and Bonavista’s Pardy), and he’s having the time of his life chasing a Kelly Cup championship with a hometown team, and an expansion team no less.
“Any chance you get to play a sport that you love at the professional level, and at home is pretty cool,” said Melindy, a product of the Goulds. “Myself and Zach have been gone about 11 years now, Marcus has been gone a number of years … Adam the same thing.
“I know personally speaking, for the chance to come home and be around family and friends and play in front of them is pretty special.
“And by being home, get to live a little bit of a normal lifestyle. In other cities, when you’re away from the rink, you’re back to your apartment and by yourself or maybe hanging out with the guys.
“Here at home, I’ll have at different guys places, but I’m also in the Goulds, meaning I can go down the road and see my buddies that I grew up with.
“That’s a great thing.”
Twitter: @TelyRobinShort
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