First Round Preview - Jets vs. Kings

by Commissioner John George

In the second game of the Saturday double-header, the two time FHL champion Jets take on the heavily underdog Kings. These teams do not have very much in common, and there are no real rivalries in place, but that is exactly what the playoffs are for... to create such drama. The Kings will look to avenge the sweep they suffered at the hands of these same Jets, who have added a little bit of fire power since that last postseason meeting. Jets vs Kings- 2:00 PM Previous Playoff Match Ups: 2010 (Jets 3-0) The Jets head in to Saturday boasting one of the most star studded lineups in FHL history. Led by future first ballot hall of famers Chad Kanz and Brian Barca, the Jets can score from any place at anytime. They also trot out a captain who most in the league consider to be the most talented with that title, Zak Campbell. When this three headed monster was assembled in November most expected the boys in blue to run rampant on the league. Most also expected the regular season wins record (16) and Chad Kanz's scoring records (60 goals, 84 points) to be in jeopardy. However, none of this came to fruition as the Jets never seemed to be able to put it all together. Still, when the Jets had all hands on deck things went rather swimmingly. Nick Siniawski has added a physical brand of hockey that the Jets haven’t had since Mark Fetsko in 2009. They also managed to swing a deal, with the Kings, to aquire all-star defensemen Buddy Doyle in exchange for Thomas Sheetz (1 appearance) Justin Gardner (0 appearances) and Dan Rojtas (0 appearances). This deal may go down as one of the worst and most lopsided trades in FHL history in favor of the Jets... but that opinion can easily change with a Kings upset this Saturday. Despite the Jets overwhelmingly more skilled and experienced lineup, forward Brian Barca is not ready to overlook the rugged Kings team. “I don't think we would ever look past the Kings. The Jets organization knows what it takes to win any series, and I don’t see us playing this one any different than the cup finals. Especially coming off of last season being one win away from our third straight title..that still sits deep in the pit of our stomachs. Our mentality doesn’t change. We are a focused group and are aware that the playoffs are low scoring and time and space is hard to come by. Therefore anything can happen. However, we'll be ready” Although this may look like a cake walk for the Jets, they are right to not underestimate the Kings. Last season the Kings pulled off a stunning first round upset of the Crosbys, a team the now Jet Buddy Doyle was on. The Kings return several players from that team including Sheetz, Benny Bobick, Joe Sims and of course captain Jamie Zelena. In what may be the last time Zelena suits up in purple and black, he is ready to unleash some havoc on a team that has haunted him for the past few years. “We're looking to shock the FHL world and it can't get much better than beating the Jets. I feel like we can do it too. Don't count the Kings out just yet.” To go along with his young legs on offense, Zelena will rely on a few crafty veterans to lead his team through what promises to be if anything, a physical series. Jeff Pingor and Steve Baron have played their fair share of hockey and are unlikely to be rattled by the intense playoff atmosphere. Another veteran, and the only King to own some FHL hardware is Adam Pander. Pander will not only be asked to man the point in crucial situations for his team, but also provide a calming influence to the young inexperienced group. The X-factor for the Kings could be Ryan Mains. Mains broke into the league with the Jets when he was just 15 and has developed into a very reliable scoring threat. Mains may be playing with a chip on his shoulder as the Jets never offered to bring him back. The Kings have nothing to lose in this series. If they aren't able to muster up a win, no one will be too surprised and its on to week 2. But if they win... it will be the biggest and most shocking upset in FHL history, bar none. All of the pressure is on the Jets. They simply can't blow this one. We'll find out Saturday if the Kings can make history just one more time.