Ken Appleby makes a save on Battalion defender Kyle Wood in game 2 of the OHL Eastern Conference final. PHOTO COURTESY SEAN RYAN.
Oh, what a difference a year makes for North Bay’s Ken Appleby.
On April 23rd, 2014, the North Bay product and backup goaltender was given the daunting task of leading the Oshawa Generals to a win in North Bay with his team down 3-0 in the OHL Eastern Conference Final.
It was Appleby’s first and only start during the Gens run last year to the final four.
It was a good, but tough learning experience as Battalion forward Jamie Lewis beat Appleby late in the third period to secure a 3-2 win for the Battalion and complete the sweep over the visiting Generals.
“I felt I learned a lot in that one game,” admitted Appleby who sent out an apology via Twitter to Generals Nation after that loss.
“Before that game, D.J. said ‘look this is going to be your team next year, and I feel its crucial you get this experience while you can,’ so I went in there and not the result we wanted last year but I feel it benefitted me this year, just getting that one game of experience, it was good.”
After a rough 6-1 outing in the Eastern Conference Final, where he was replaced by backup Jeremy Brodeur, Appleby shined and played a key part in the Generals series victory over the Battalion as this time he and his teammates celebrated an Eastern Conference title on Memorial Gardens ice last Sunday.
“We knew we would lose one game or so but you aren’t going to steal four from us,” stated Appleby about this year’s North Bay-Oshawa series.
“So I think together as a group we knew what we had to do and fortunately we were able to get it done in game six and it was a good feeling.”
In 16 appearances in the playoffs the North Bay product has recorded 2 shutouts along with a stingy 2.16 goals against average, a 0.926 save percentage and a 12-3-1 record.
The McDavid Factor
But there’s still work to be done.
Tonight Appleby and the Generals face the high powered Erie Otters who upset the #1 team in the Country, the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in the Western Conference Final.
Connor McDavid has been a goaltender's worst nightmare this playoff year as he is averaging nearly three points per game through the first three rounds of the OHL playoffs (19 goals 23 assists in 15 games).
The Generals won both their meetings against Erie this season, 4-1 and 5-1 but that was in December when McDavid was out recovering from a wrist injury.
Appleby believes they can’t get star struck and instead focus on trying to contain him.
“They are obviously a fast team and lots of offensive weapons but we just have to have five guys back the whole time,” said Appleby.
“If McDavid gets the puck on the wall, he’s coming down with speed everyone has to come back as hard as they can so that if he pulls up or tries to make a play that everyone is covered and has no one to pass to I think. I think that’s part of the plan and obviously everyone has to play physical against him. If we are hitting out there all game and forechecking hard and playing down in their end that is the furthest way from our net, that’s a pretty solid plan.”
The former North Bay Midget AAA Trappers goalie knows his head will have to be on a swivel this series.
“Obviously they have McDavid but they have a lot of other weapons. They have Baptiste, DeBrincat, Elie, Strome they have so many weapons and McDavid is constantly passing the puck to them or setting them up with highlight reel goals so I’ve got to be aware of who is around me and who is on the ice at all times,” he said.
Appleby seen here making a save during the Chicago Blackhawks summer prospects camp. PHOTO COURTESY CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS.
The undrafted goalie is hoping the long playoff run will open up more opportunities this summer.
The 1995 birth year goalie doesn’t anticipate he will be drafted this summer but he hopes his great season will get him an invite to an NHL camp. Last summer both the Arizona Coyotes and Chicago Blackhawks invited Appleby to attend their respective prospect camps.
An OHL championship and a birth in the Memorial Cup certainly would boost that even more.
