Sandman

EDITOR’S NOTE: This Q&A was conducted before the Colorado Eagles took a 1-0 lead over Texas in the Northern Conference finals.

Here’s my latest Q&A with my main man Adam Dunivan of the Loveland (Co.) Reporter-Herald.

1. How did the Eagles react to Texas sweeping Bossier-Shreveport?

I think the Eagles as a team are glad to be playing Texas, and not just because of the home ice. The Brahmas aren’t as stingy on defense, and the Eagles love to play the open-ice game even if it means getting burned every once in a while. There’s no doubt Colorado didn’t want to play a team that was going to drag down the tempo.

2. Were you surprised at how easily the Eagles dispatched Youngstown?

Personally, I was very surprised. The Eagles that played the first round of the playoffs were not the Eagles that I saw over the course of the second half of the regular season. The puck movement was amazing, stick on stick, and they weren’t trying to be too fancy. There were some ill-advised penalties taken — and that’s not going to change — but the Eagles played their smartest hockey of the season overall. Oh, and they had Sebastien Laplante.

3. Just what is it about this team that allows it to turn it up a notch during the playoffs?

Well, since I’ve not seen the team prior to this season, this one’s hard to answer. But I suppose experience tells the story. Colorado has 17 players on the roster with professional playoff game experience, and most of those guys have played under Chris Stewart’s systems for a couple years. Oh, and they have Sebastien Laplante.

4. Why will the the Eagles beat Texas?

I’ve heard more than once from different players just how much they are feeding off Laplante’s play in goal. There is an added element of being able to take more risks when you have confidence in your netminder, and as long as they have that chemistry I don’t see any reason the Brahmas have a chance.

5. Why won’t the Eagles beat Texas?

Texas has played with its back against the wall before this season and has met that with success. If the Brahmas can pick up their intensity, which was obviously lacking in Game 1, they will provide a stiff physical opponent that can get some pucks in the net. I know Dan Wildfong will write it off as just an excuse, but not playing a rival-type team after playing Bossier-Shreveport might have drained some of the energy. I don’t anticipate on that lasting very long.

6. You predicted that Bossier-Shreveport would beat the Eagles in the conference finals. (I did too.) Now that Bossier is done for the year, what is your new prediction for the Northern Conference finals?

I have to reverse my pick and take the Eagles based on what I’ve seen in the six playoff games, and I’ll take them in six. Texas wins Games 3 and 5, while Colorado wins Game 4 in overtime and finishes things off with a win in front of the home crowd in Game 6.

- Thanks to Adam, who seems to like Sebastien Laplante.

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