FRASER, Mich. – The second season for the Metro Jets starts this weekend.
The USPHL Great Lakes Division playoffs begin tonight as the Jets travel to play the Lansing Wolves in an opening-round best-of-three matchup.
Game 1 is tonight at 8:30 p.m. from The Summit Sports and Ice Complex, while Game 2 is Saturday night at Fraser Hockeyland at 7:30 p.m.
If a deciding Game 3 is needed, that will be played in Fraser Sunday afternoon at 12:45 p.m.
Jets captain Jeremy Schwartz is expecting a tight series with the Wolves.
“From Lansing, we’re expecting a big push and a good fight to win these next couple games,” Schwartz said. “The main focus to win this series is to win every battle, block every shot and to work hard every shift.”
For Metro coach-GM Justin Quenneville, he agrees with his captain.
“We know this will be a difficult task this year in the first round,” Quenneville said. “Lansing has been a tough opponent all season. Even though we’ve had our success against them, this time of the year, records mean nothing. We expect a fast and physical series. We have been preparing all season for this and excited for that first game.”
The Jets MJDP Team, by virtue of winning the play-in game over the Wooster Oilers Tuesday night at Fraser Hockeyland, have drawn the Pittsburgh Vengeance this weekend.
Games 1 and 2 are in Pittsburgh at the Alpha Ice Complex (Saturday at 7 p.m., Sunday at 9:40 a.m.) and Game 3 back at Fraser Monday at 3:30 p.m. if a Game 3 is needed.
Jets associate head coach Jamie Lovell says the MJDP will be ready this weekend.
“We don’t do anything different than what we did for Wooster,” Lovell said. “Wooster was a team that was blocking shots, laying their bodies on the line, and that’s what Pittsburgh is going to do. We know Pittsburgh does those things and plays a tight defensive-type of game. Our guys are going to have to get a net-front presence, get pucks to the net and do the job in our own zone.”
Will Augustine, the winning goalie in Tuesday’s win over Wooster, is expecting a battle from Pittsburgh.
“We’ve just got to come out strong and make sure we get in front of their goalie so he can’t see the puck,” said Augustine. “They play a real defensive game, so we’ll need to stay on them.”
The winners of both series advance to USPHL Nationals March 9-12 in Boston.
All playoff games will be streamed on www.HockeyTV.com.
