Comets set for playoff rivalry matchup against Wave

by Nathan Dunn

Kansas City Comets vs Milwaukee Wave

MASL Ron Newman Cup Playoffs — Quarterfinals

Saturday, April 5 — 9:30 p.m. CT

Where | Frontwave Arena - Oceanside, CA

The Kansas City Comets will begin their postseason journey in the Ron Newman Cup Quarterfinals with an opponent they've become extraordinarily familiar with over the years in the Milwaukee Wave.

Saturday's playoff showdown will be the 22nd KC-MKE postseason meeting since 2010. KC holds an 11-10 advantage in postseason games and a 5-4 series edge against the Wave.

After a fourth-place finish with a 15-7-2 record, the Comets were the lowest-scoring team to qualify for the playoffs - averaging 5.7 goals per game - yet still finished in the top half of the table. KC has relied on a resilient defense, which includes former Wave defender Chad Vandegriffe.

Vandegriffe led the MASL with 81 blocks while Guerrero Pino was sixth with 49. Phillip Ejimadu was the only goalkeeper to finish the season in the top three in goals against average (4.55) and save percentage (73%).

On the attacking front, Rian Marques led the way with a career season but was one of the many Comets players who suffered injuries that caused the team's decline towards the end of the year. The Brazilian All-Star selection tallied 44 points from 24 goals and 20 assists while Zach Reget followed with 20 goals and 11 assists.

The Comets made progress on the injury front, but midfielder Danny Malhue (body fatigue) is doubtful while goalkeeper Phillip Ejimadu (lower back) is questionable. The second-year duo of Leo Acosta (lower leg) and Michael Lenis (lower leg) are both probable.

Kansas City is hoping to have the opportunity to improve their power play unit throughout the postseason. They finished last in the league, scoring just 28% on the power play, but were also the best at defending power plays, killing 79% of penalties.

The Wave had the regular-season edge against KC, winning both games in Milwaukee before the Comets took the series finale in Kansas City to avoid a sweep.

It will be the second single-game playoff series between the two sides, following the Comets' 8-2 triumph in the 2015 Central Division Final. While the Comets were eliminated in two of the past three playoff series against Milwaukee, KC swept Milwaukee in last year's Eastern Conference Finals.

The Opponent

Milwaukee would love nothing more than to fulfill revenge for the way last season concluded for them in the Conference Finals, getting swept by the Comets in two games after blowing leads in the final moments of both games.

The Wave enter the playoffs after ending the season winning three of their last four, but lost their last three away games. They went 14-8-2 in the regular season to earn the fifth seed.

MKE was a dominant offensive force throughout the regular season, averaging 7.4 goals per game with 48 points from Alex Sanchez. Sanchez was tied with Ian Bennett for a team-high 27 goals, but Milwaukee's offense took it to another level after acquiring Franck Tayou, who scored 13 goals in just six games with MKE.

The Wave were the best power play team in the league throughout the regular season, scoring 44% as Bennett led the team with three goals during power play advantages. Milwaukee ranked fifth on the penalty kill, fending off 68% of power plays.

While defense isn't Milwaukee's greatest strength, goalkeeper William Banahene was reliable for 249 saves and a league-leading 14 wins.

The Wave will be without midfielder Salvador Nunez (ankle) while defender Andre Hayne (knee) is questionable to make his return from injury for the first time since January.

The winner of Saturday's contest advances to the Ron Newman Cup Semifinals on Sunday.