It Had To Be You

Iqaluit, NU (CP)

Short, but intense. Such has been the playoff rivalry between the Rovers and Vampyres. Once Malone division foes and now Champions adversaries, the short playoff history of Baffin Island has always travelled through Calgary. First in RHL13 when the upstart Rovers downed the favoured Vampyres in the second round on their way to their first championship, and then last season when they clashed in a 7 game final, taken by the Vampyres. And now again they meet, though this time with the Rovers holding home-ice advantage for the first time. After finishing third in the Champions and a hair out of first place, the Rovers look to some to have the edge in the series, but don't tell that to the players or coaches.

"You have to be kidding me", Stringer said of a reporter who suggested that the Rovers should have an easy time with Calgary. "What in any of the history we've had, past or recent, would suggest to you that this will be easy? The answer is nothing. It's not going to be easy. We're going to play our game and if we work harder I think we can accomplish our goal, but it will be anything but easy".

In fact, even this season the Rovers have not had fared well against the Vampyres. Vesa Toskala, coming off three shutouts in the opening round against Albany, has stymied the Rovers time and time again this season. They will have to throw everything they have at Toskala to beat him, and then hope that the tandem of Gerber and Mason hold up their end of the bargain. The starter for game 1 tonight still has yet to be announced. "Both guys will play in the playoffs, so that's not going to change", Stringer said of the manner in which he intends to use his netminders. "We have two quality guys back there, so we'll use them both".

The Rovers enter the series relatively healthy, with only rookie Nathan Horton out of the lineup. He is confirmed out for the two games in Baffin, but will be day to day beyond that. Manny Malhotra will replace him in the lineup, while Alexander Frolov will return to the top-6 forwards in Horton's absence. "This is Alex's time to step up", Stringer said of his enigmatic winger. "He didn't have the year he was capable of, but he can erase all that with a big playoff run".