JOHNSTOWN, Pa (WJAC) — On Friday, the Johnstown Tomahawks will begin their playoff quest to win the Robertson Cup.
The last Johnstown team to win a championship in professional hockey was the Jets in 1975, but this year, the Tomahawks look to make the most of an opportunity that Johnstown hasn't seen in a while.
"Last year, we fell just short there right at the end and we were disappointed quite a bit. So, as we approached this season, one of our goals was to make sure that we were back in the playoffs, and we have an opportunity now to start that journey Friday night,” says head coach Mike Letizia.
On Friday night, the Tomahawks will host the New Jersey Titans in the first game of a best of three series to start the North American Hockey League playoffs.
The Tomahawks have yet to bring a Robertson Cup home, with their closest taste of the trophy in 2019, when they lost in the league semifinals.
But this year, captain Zach Aben says the Hawks want to bring the cup back home to their fans.
"We get the best turnout in our division, and we want to bring them back a championship because they support us so much. They really care about us. So, kind of to pay them back for that, we want to play well in front of them and just bring it back home as one."
With the team just barely missing the playoffs last year, Head Coach Mike Letizia says it’s important for the team to make the most of this year's postseason, especially as multiple players will head off to college or age out of junior hockey after this season.
"Junior hockey is a very special time of your life and they are years that you can't necessarily get back and we just feel like the most we can cherish the moment and take this run as far as we can. It's something we can look back on and hopefully have a smile on their face at the end of it."
Coach Letizia also added that his team will need something extra to succeed in the playoffs, saying the difference between winning and losing could be their willingness to go the extra inch that the other team won’t go.
The Tomahawks will host the entirety of the best of three series.
Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Friday, 7 p.m. on Saturday and at 4 p.m. on Sunday, if needed.
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