PLAYOFF PREVIEW: Bellies and Saints do battle in playoff showdown

The New Westminster Salmonbellies host the Port Coquitlam Saints in game one of their first-round BCJALL playoff matchup TONIGHT at QPA at 8 PM. 

There is no love lost between these two clubs, seeded 2nd and 3rd, with three wins separating them after 21 games. Many consider the Saints to be the darkhorse in these playoffs, the team going 9-1 in their last 10 games and certainly being buoyed by having their team fully back from school commitments and becoming regular contributors. 

But the Salmonbellies will be no easy out. They are an experienced team, lead by the league's leading scorer in Connor Robinson who had an amazing 50 goals and 130 points. The combination of an experienced defense and outstanding goalie in Erik Kratz, the Bellies only allowed 139 goals all season, good for second in the league. 

This Best of Five series is set to go on tonight and through the next week. 

(2) NEW WESTMINSTER SALMONBELLIES V. (3) PORT COQUITLAM SAINTS

GAME 1: Tuesday, July 11 - Poco at New West - Queens Park Arena - 8 PM 

GAME 2: Friday, July 14 - New West at Poco - Port Coquitlam Rec Centre - 8 PM 

GAME 3: Tuesday, July 18 - Poco at New West - Queens Park Arena - 8 PM 

GAME 4: Friday, July 21 - New West at Poco - Port Coquitlam Rec Centre - 8 PM (If Necessary) 

GAME 5: Tuesday, July 25 - Poco at New West - Queens Park Arena - 8 PM (If Necessary) 

2017 HEAD-TO-HEAD

April 28 -- SALMONBELLIES 7 SAINTS 4

June 6 -- SALMONBELLIES 10 SAINTS 6 

June 16 -- SAINTS 10 SALMONBELLIES 4 

SEASON SERIES NEW WESTMINSTER 2-1 (21-20)   

STREAMING: PLAYFULLSCREEN

PLAYERS TO WATCH

CONNOR ROBINSON, NEW WESTMINSTER SALMONBELLIES - 20 GP, 50 G, 80 A, 130 PTS

DYLAN FOULDS, PORT COQUITLAM SAINTS - 17 GP, 28 G, 35 A, 63 PTS

LARSON SUNDOWN, NEW WESTMINSTER SALMONBELLIES - 12 GP, 20 G, 29 A, 49 PTS

CLARKE WALTER, PORT COQUITLAM SAINTS - 12 GP, 23 G, 19 A, 42 GP

ERIK KRATZ, NEW WESTMINSTER SALMONBELLIES - 21 GP, 12-4, .845 SV%, 995 MINUTES

ANDREW GALLANT, PORT COQUITLAM SAINTS - 12 GP, 6-3, .833 SV%, 501 MINUTES

Goals will come at a premium 

New West goalie Erik Kratz sits at or near the top of almost all major statistical categories going into the playoffs, but Port Coquitlam goalie Andrew Gallant isn't far behind. 

Kratz and Gallant sit 1st and 3rd in save percentage at .845 and .833, respectively. It means every goal is that more important in this series. Kratz has 12 wins (2nd) and 6.15 GAA (1st) while Gallant was at six wins (5th) and 6.58 GAA (5th). Gallant missed some time in the middle portion of the season with injury, but has been outstanding since his return. 

The Saints have scored 20 goals against New West this year, and will need to fill the net a little more in order to win the series although they sit just one goal beneath New West's total in the season series. 

Can the Saints upset the Salmonbellies? 

The Saints have had trouble beating New West this year, but haven't been blown out of any game yet. Now that they have a full squad, you can expect the boys in black and yellow will bring their A-game and try to take this series. 

They are a team chalk full of experience and a proven playoff team, taking one off Coquitlam and generally proving to be tough competition in last year's series. They will need to make sure Dylan Foulds and Sam Degroot get off to a solid start in this series, helping open up things for guys like Greg Lunde (47 points) and Clarke Walter (42 points). 

But they will have a tough task in trying to stop Connor Robinson (50 G, 80 A, 130 PTS), Carter Dickson (36 G, 26 A, 62 PTS) and Larson Sundown, a dynamic trio that is now supplemented with some quality depth acquired through trade and previous playoff experience.