Giants 7 v. Winter Hawks 1 - Jan 30, 2007

[scrunt]

So I just got home, having heard absolutely nothing about the game, and with no recaps up yet I looked to the box score. Let’s see if I can get any clue to the game from the barest of facts:



-fast game – 2:10 elapsed time

-few penalties to begin the game, tons in the third

-Matt Kook was the referee

-a couple of fights, a few misconducts

-significantly more shots by the Giants, especially in the first and second

-two Giants goals in the first four minutes if the second period, one PP and one SH



My image of the game based only on the box score:

-Good pace, few whistles, decent flow for the first couple of periods.

-Good jump by the Giants early, but a few costly mistakes kept the game closer than it should have been in after first period.

-After scoring on an early PP, Giants broke the game open early with a SH goal early in the second, overcoming a make-up call by the referee that penalized the Giants as an offset to an iffy call on the Hawks early in the period that cost the Hawks a goal.

-The Giants SH goal took the life out of Portland, who lost momentum and let the Giants play a more conservative game, so things got a bit dull.

-After the Giants really took charge with a goal mid-period, a lopsided fight -- with Lucic pasting Gabriel -- failed to ignite the Winter Hawks, and the second period ended without much life showing in the ‘Hawks, despite a late PP.

-In the third, the ref started thinking he needed to make his presence known, and started calling more penalties. Portland began playing with more aggression, but the game turned into a chippy affair with the ref calling a lot of penalties. Everyone on the ice got frustrated, and the game finished on a negative note for the local fans despite the convincing win by the Giants.



Overall: a convincing win by the Giants, with a strong initial game overshadowed by excessive officiating in the latter part of the game which sucked the emotion out of the crowd by the final buzzer.



So, was I close, or way off the mark?. Dondo, I need a recap.

[Beaner]

To be honest a pretty boring game to watch as one team came out hard and skated and the other stood around and watched them all night. This was a no contest from the opening whistle as the Giants dominated in every area of the game and a total lack of energy or response for the hawks did them in.

NOTES
Sexsmith and Mucha got the starts
Bouma, Toigo and Bliznak (knee) were the Giants scratches.
A portland player had to be helped off the ice after getting a check from behind by Repik. Not sure who it was, maybe Gabriel?
Shots 35-17 Giants
PP's Giants 2/4, Hawks 0/7

GOALS
1. VAN Repik, (17) (Lucic, Blum), 9:58 Repik comes across the blueline ans just tees up a laser shot to the top corner that blows right by Mucha off the post and in.
1. POR King, (5) , 10:23 Bad turn-over by Cunningham as he tries to go up the middle and he puts it right onto King who comes and fires one thru Festerling and Sexsmith. It may have hit Festerling?
1. VAN Kraus, (14) (Machacek, Hunt), 18:00 This goal changed a couple times, but the shot from Kraus int he slot, rebound to the corner, Machacek throws it back to the crease and Kraus somehow gets a stick on it and deflects it high and in.
2. VAN Watt, (26) (Thelen, Czibere), 2:57 (PP) 5-4, and Watt comes out fromt he halfboards to the top of the circle and snaps a wrister that beats Mucha high.
2. VAN Repik, (18) (Lucic), 3:59 (SH) 4-5, great PK by the Giants here as Lucic beats his man to the puck int he corner, throws it to the slot to the WIDE open Repik, and he one times it high past Mucha.
2. VAN Thelen, (7) , 11:10 Thelen lets the wrister go, and once again beats Mucha high.
2. VAN Blum, (7) (McArdle, Cunningham), 15:18 (PP) 5-4, Blum gets the feed from McArdle all alone in the slot, and he makes no mistake as he buries it past Mucha.
3. VAN Wuchterl, (7) (Festerling), 11:48 Festerling throws a puck at the net, and Wuchterel who is crashing the net gets the puck and somehow deflects it past Mucha.

FISTICUFFS

LUCIC vs GABRIEL
After goal #6, Gabriel and Lucic drop the gloves at the face off and have a go. This fight is all Lucic as he hits gabriel with numerous lefts and rights. Gabriel may have got one or two light shots in, but this fight was all Lucic.
WIN: LUCIC

LUCIC vs. McLAREN
After the check from behind by Repik, mcLaren goes after himt o get a little justice. But some manouevering by the Linesman to get Repik out of the way, and Lucic steps up and cuts McLaren off. So these two go at it, but it si more wrestling match as the 2 tie each other up very well, and hardly throw a punch. McLaren gets the 2/5/10. NO DECISION.

OFFICIATING
Mat Kirk flying solo tonight and I think he did a good job. The Major on Repik was well deserved as was the 4 minute High sticking to Franson a few moments later. Didnt dictate the game called what he had to tonight, and kept what could have been an ugly end from getting out of control.

OVERALL
A good win for the Giants tonight. A game they should have won, they did, and they also really needed to dominate this game as well, which they did. Out-skated, out-hit and just plain out-played the Hawks tonight. hawks had 2 5-3 PP's, for almost the full 2 minutes, and they only managed to generate a few good chances. Without those 2 5-3's they would have been lucky to get 10 shots total on the night.

There is nothing nice to say about the Hawks, they were just plain awful.

Can't say the Giants are out of their funk yet, still have to prove they can beat the Blazers and Tips, but a good road to recovery starting. They need to have the same results against Kelowna this weekend.

Repik I expect will get 2-3 games for that hit from behind, it was pretty bad. Hopefully the Portland player is ok, but he looked like he didnt know where he was as he was helped off by the Trainer.

3 Stars
1. VAN - 26 Michal Repik
2. VAN - 23 A. J. Thelen
3. VAN - 7 Jonathon Blum

[Soundy]

I think Beaner was watching a different game, cuz from Sec. 23, it was pretty exciting all the way. Brought my dad to his first-ever WHL game, and he thoroughly enjoyed it as well. We both agreed that despite being badly outclassed in almost every aspect of the game, the Hawks at least appeared to be trying throughout, even through the second half of the third period when it was obvious the whole thing was a lost cause.

Pics are on the way, including some from both of Lucic's fights (hoping they turn out good!)

I woulda given Lucic one of the game stars, I think - he was all over the place, and just a couple lucky bounces from the Gordie Howe Hat Trick!

[Beaner]

And as an after thought, the Giants have clinched a playoff spot now with that win.

[Soundy]

Oh yeah, and Montgomery (#2) was the 'Hawks player that Repik flattened. Most people were busy watching the ensuing fight, but Montgomery looked pretty woozy as the trainer helped him off the ice...

[dondo]

I think it was good game for the Giants to play and get rewarded for, but really the Winterhawks didn't even really try that hard and when they were down a couple of goals they really just gave-up. Rolling all four lines and getting some quality ice-time for the third and fourth lines was the kind of thing this team needed -- imo

here's my take on the game.


Giants Gut ‘Hawks
Vancouver 7 Portland 1

The Giants have been struggling against the good teams, but managing to defeat average teams keeping their stats respectable. They still have yet to notch victories versus BC Division rival Kamloops Blazers and US Division nemeses Everett Silvertips. Tonight they took on a team which recently garnered a win versus the vaunted Silvertips, but also a team which the Giants have feasted upon all season especially at the Coliseum. The G-Men opened this season stomping the Winterhawks 9-0, and the only loss they had to the Oregon squad was in Portland on their teddy bear toss night when they lost a 1-0 heartbreaker in OT, off of a bizarre goal.

The Giants needed to have a dominant game tonight, get all four lines rolling and forge some chemistry for the home stretch run. They did just that as Tim Kraus played his way out the doghouse on a line with Garet Hunt and Spencer Machacek. That whole line worked their tails off tonight and the energy Hunt infused into his two line-mates was electric. Michal Repik also had good night playing with James Wright and Milan Lucic. Repik notched two goals before being ejected late in the game with a five minute major and a game misconduct for a questionable check from behind. AJ Thelen and Jonathon Blum both garnered a goal and an assist in tonight’s tilt as well. And Mike Wuchterl got his first point in a Giants uni by scoring one of his own. Tyson Sexsmith was solid after letting in a goal off of Portland’s first shot of the game when Craig Cunningham made a horrific give-away in his own end, coughing up the puck in the slot and screening his goalie in the process.

The Giants opened the game with energy and grit. The Lucic Repik Wright line started the period with Brett Festerling and Blum manning the blue-line. They came out steaming forechecking hard in the Portland zone forcing the Winterhawks back on their heels from the get-go. That line would get the first goal of the game, 9:58 into the opening stanza. Michal Repik came hard down into the slot and snapped a beautiful seeing-eye puck past Kurtis Mucha. Milan Lucic and Jonathan Blum garnered assists

The Winterhawks got one back less than a minute later off of an idiotic centring pass by Cunningham through his own slot. Tristan King said thank you very much, used Cunningham as a screen and snapped the puck past Sexsmith who really should have had the puck. That was the only mistake that Sexsmith would make as he stoned the Winterhawks on the rest of their limited opportunities but really stood on his head during a 5 on 3 PK when the game was close. The Giants did not give up and regained their lead off of an intense and tenacious forecheck with two minutes to go in the period. Some great work by Garet Hunt along the boards popped the puck loose and started the Spencer Machacek show. Machacek chased down the loose biscuit and wheeled along the boards and after having a shot blocked he gathered the puck in the slot and threw it at the net. Mucha made the stop deflecting it to the corner but the first one to the puck was Machacek who had fire in his belly and snuck back to the goal-line carrying the puck. A quick wrister was turned aside by Mucha but Tim Kraus coming down the slot found the rebound and lifted it past the Portland ‘tender to the delight of the fans who were being treated to a fast paced wide-open hockey game.

The Giants opened the floodgates in the second, scoring four unanswered goals in the middle frame. JD Watt scored a nice one on the PP, off of some good work by Mitch Czibere and AJ Thelen, but it was all Watt for the goal. Watt drifted with the puck across the slot and then pulled it back delivering a beauty wrister top-shelf to put the home team up by two. Then Lucic proved what a smart and patient hockey player he is on a short-handed opportunity. Lucic chased the puck down into the Portland zone and instead of taking a poor shot carried it down to the boards. There he maintained possession, wheeled, deked and skated back to the face-off dot finding Michal Repik streaking down the right side. Repik rifled a rocket upstairs sending the water bottle flying. Thelen got his third goal in three games off of a massive check by Mike Wuchterl. Wuchterl laid out the Portland player along the boards popping the puck loose. Thelen swooped in and snapped the puck past Mucha while most of the fans were still goggling at the clean hard shoulder to shoulder check delivered by Wuchterl. Most of the fans didn’t see the puck go in the net because they were still watching the aftermath of the hit and even on replay the goal was difficult to catch. The Giants ended their second period scoring spree with another goal on the PP. This time Jonathon Blum blasted it past Mucha, at 15:18 of the period. Off the ensuing face-off former Giant Scott Gabriel decided to drop the gloves with Milan Lucic. It was a very bad idea. Lucic wound up and started laying on merciless haymakers putting Gabriel in trouble from the start. Milan’s hand was probably getting tired as he gave Gabriel an opportunity to try to battle back when he switched hands. A couple of half-hearted swipes by Gabriel followed by some final thumps by Lucic ended the fight with Lucic being the undisputed winner and Gabriel a tad unsteady skating off the ice.

The Giants came out in the third the same way they played the first two periods. Don Hay began to give the grinders more and more ice-time including some quality power play minutes. Mike Wuchterl took advantage of the ice-time as he and his team-mates, JD Watt and Mitch Czibere pressed the attack. The trio were working the puck hard and Wuchterl took advantage of a loose puck which had trickled past Mucha who was at the top of his crease. Wuchterl got his first point as Vancouver Giant slipping the loose biscuit across the goal-line. Not a pretty goal but due reward for his work throughout the game. A hit from behind by Michal Repik saw a Portland player fall awkwardly into the boards, as he was already falling, and summoned the angry mob. Frazer McLaren chased down Repik only to be challenged by Lucic. A half-hearted bout ensued with neither player laying a huge blow ending quickly as both players were at the tail-end of their shift and visibly tired after a few punches. Repik garnered a five minute major and a game misconduct and will probably face at least a one game suspension if not more from the league. The reffing was okay for the most of the game, but then it got just stupid. Matt Kirk lived up to his reputation calling some exaggerated and awful penalties late in the game. A follow-through shot resulting in high-stick earned Cody Franson four minutes (when a high-stick resulting from the follow-through of a shot is not a penalty at all – read your rule book Kirk). As a result, he Giants found themselves on yet another 5 on 3 PK late in the game due to some pretty shoddy decision-making on the official side of things, but in the end it made no difference as the Giants killed all seven of the Winterhawk PPs.

The G-Men out shot the Winterhawks 35-17. The Giants went 2 for 4 on the PP, while holding their opponents to 0 for 7. The whole Giants team showed up as all four lines had flashes and if any line was lack-lustre it would have been the Cunningham, McArdle, Rabbit line. It was a complete effort and other than taking too many penalties when they controlled the play for the majority of the evening it was an almost perfect game. It’s something they’ve been lacking as of late and hopefully it acts as turning point for the team to regain their swagger and solidify some of the new line chemistries. Now they just need to play these kinds of games versus elite teams and all will be well.

The Giants stay at home for their next game taking on the struggling Kelowna Rockets, in a home at home series Friday and Saturday night. The puck drops at 7:30pm on Friday at the Pacific Coliseum.

Three Stars

1 – Michal Repik
2 – AJ Thelen
3 – Jonathon Blum

[dondo]

So, was I close, or way off the mark?. Dondo, I need a recap.

there's your recap

now ask Beaner nicely and he might change your title to the CORRECT date :p

[Swando]

I thot it was an entertaining game as we have been subjected to some less than "Giant like effort" the past few games. Yes we were playing a Jr A team but Everett beats them 9-0 so we have to measure up. Repik looked awesome - only wish this will happen against the better clubs. Milkkelsen got out of my dog house tonight and Franson crawled further in it. I wish for Sexsmith sake that Neufeld could have played tonight but he needed this game to try and stay sharp. McCardle would make a great tap dancer...come on Kendal when are you going to show us your true game? We my be seeing why Thelan was a 1st round draft pick as well --keep up the good play..can you say our # 1 offensive d man?
Talked to Bouma during the game and he has put on 2 inches and gained 10 lbs this year. I think his body is trying to catch up to him. Also talked to Bliznak and he'll start his rehab on the bike hopefully this weekend. He was on crutches and wearing a huge full brace on his right knee. 4-6 weeks

[Soundy]

Pics now online! http://picasaweb.google.com/soundy106/GiantsVsWinterhawks31Jan07

(http://lh4.google.com/image/soundy106/RcGq3JOiVJI/AAAAAAAAAaA/9RDHpmKD8L4/s288/IMG_4239.JPG")http://lh4.google.com/image/soundy106/RcGq3JOiVJI/AAAAAAAAAaA/9RDHpmKD8L4/s288/IMG_4239.JPG http://lh6.google.com/image/soundy106/RcGq5pOiVPI/AAAAAAAAAaw/wt-irF_o4fg/s288/IMG_4286.JPG

http://lh5.google.com/image/soundy106/RcGq5ZOiVOI/AAAAAAAAAao/S1z4fj4xL2s/s288/IMG_4279.JPG http://lh3.google.com/image/soundy106/RcGq35OiVLI/AAAAAAAAAaQ/Eh--WYpolMY/s288/IMG_4259.JPG

[Kassian]

I thought it was an entertaining game as well. I liked how the Giants worked hard and played Portland like they were one of the top teams in the league. They had a fairly solid 60 minute game and there wasn't one player on the Giants that really looked bad out there, IMO. It was also nice to see Lucic get into a few scraps as well. It's been a while since he's done that at home. And for once I didn't leave the game complaining about the officiating. Like Beaner said both the Repik and the Franson calls were well warranted.

[Carebear]

<3 Sexsmith right now!

Last night I listened to the game on the radio while suffering my way through an Intro Computers class I have to take for school. And it was DEFINITELY an exciting game to me. Much better than learning how to search on the internet (WOOOW DUMBEST CLASS EVER). But sitting there listening made me realize I need to get to more games! I want to do seasons but since I'm working for another junior team I prob wouldn't get to enough of the games...MAYBE HALF SEASON! yeehoo

[SixSixOne]

<3 Sexsmith right now!

Last night I listened to the game on the radio while suffering my way through an Intro Computers class I have to take for school. And it was DEFINITELY an exciting game to me. Much better than learning how to search on the internet (WOOOW DUMBEST CLASS EVER). But sitting there listening made me realize I need to get to more games! I want to do seasons but since I'm working for another junior team I prob wouldn't get to enough of the games...MAYBE HALF SEASON! yeehoo

Hahaha, do you take that class at Kwantlen in langley?

[langdak]

I heard that Mucha placed a special order this morning on his way out of Vancouver.

Heard he ordered a whole case of this:

http://www.indiamart.com/cosmicinternational/gifs/sunscreen-lotion.jpg

Quite the burn he had on the back of his neck.

Okay, i know its not funny.....but i couldnt resist

[Carebear]

Hahaha, do you take that class at Kwantlen in langley?

YES.

CBSY1105.
ARE YOU IN MY CLASS?!?!?!

[byrdman25]

HAHA I had to take that cbsy in richmond a couple of semesters ago, take 2205 as an online, way better. You can surf for the game on the web, i know we got it up before, it was a season or 2 ago so maybe it was still a free introduction, but we got to watch the game.

Was a good game to watch, Portland is obviously not at our level, but it was entertaining, finally a fight. Hopefully Repik doesn't get suspended. From Z it looked like Montgomery was going down just before he got hit, haven't seen any replays except on that crappy blurry screen above the ice. The REpik, Lucic, Wright line looks awesome. Some more passing and they'll be scary.

[Carebear]

HAHA I had to take that cbsy in richmond a couple of semesters ago, take 2205 as an online, way better. You can surf for the game on the web, i know we got it up before, it was a season or 2 ago so maybe it was still a free introduction, but we got to watch the game.



Not allowed. 1105 is the only computers course I need for my program. I want to die. Seriously..45 minutes learning to copy and paste a file, AND SOME PEOPLE STILL DIDN'T GET IT!

[old_time_hockey]

Not allowed. 1105 is the only computers course I need for my program. I want to die. Seriously..45 minutes learning to copy and paste a file, AND SOME PEOPLE STILL DIDN'T GET IT!

Oh I have worse for you. When I was at BCIT we had to take a computers course. Totally basic computers for trades course. Which is stupid since it was the CNC (COMPUTER Numerical Control) programmers co-op program. I finished a semesters work at home one evening while getting progressivly more drunk and still got 100% (gotta love dorm life). It was so lame it was laughable. Honest to god Lesson 1: Turn on and off the computer safely
Lesson 2 how to navigate the start menu.

[old_time_hockey]

I heard that Mucha placed a special order this morning on his way out of Vancouver.

Heard he ordered a whole case of this:

http://www.indiamart.com/cosmicinternational/gifs/sunscreen-lotion.jpg

Quite the burn he had on the back of his neck.

Okay, i know its not funny.....but i couldnt resist

Actually that stacked pad save was pretty sweet.

He will be a good goalie once he is a little older...And has a better D in front of him :laugh:

[Beaner]

Oh I have worse for you. When I was at BCIT we had to take a computers course. Totally basic computers for trades course. Which is stupid since it was the CNC (COMPUTER Numerical Control) programmers co-op program. I finished a semesters work at home one evening while getting progressivly more drunk and still got 100% (gotta love dorm life). It was so lame it was laughable. Honest to god Lesson 1: Turn on and off the computer safely
Lesson 2 how to navigate the start menu.

Sounds like the computer course at UVIC that I took, the first lab we had the "instructor" hold up the keyboard and asked the class, "does anyone know what this is called?"

It went downhill from there.....

[Carebear]

Okay, this is a question straight out of the textbook:

"What should you do if you are trying to move the pointer to the left edge of your screen, but your mouse bumps into the keyboard"

and the answer, straight out of the textbook is:

"Lift the mouse up and move it to the right"

[GF71]

I thought this was a game day thread??

[Beaner]

I thought this was a game day thread??

:laugh:

yeah that sure got off topic quick, kind of says something about the quality of the game though.

[old_time_hockey]

I added something to computer chat and the game chat.

Multitasking at it's finest!!! punk rock

So back on topic....

it's been over 24hrs since the Repik incident. I read the WHL is handing out more than 1 game and are deadlocked at how many games to hand out. I hope they make their mind up soon so Hayer can figure out what he will do for line combos for the next game or 3.

Obviously Bouma is back in but where to insert him.

[Beaner]

2 Games for Repik is my thought.

Bouma slots in Repiks spot, until Don juggles the lines. :)

[Soundy]

Okay, this is a question straight out of the textbook:

"What should you do if you are trying to move the pointer to the left edge of your screen, but your mouse bumps into the keyboard"

and the answer, straight out of the textbook is:

"Lift the mouse up and move it to the right"

The textbook is WRONG.

You lift the keyboard and hurl it across the room... then you bash your head into the desk for being so stupid and putting the keyboard in the way of the mouse in the first place.

Trust me, I've been in IT for 15 years and using computers for almost 25... I've got it all worked out!

[SixSixOne]

YES.

CBSY1105.
ARE YOU IN MY CLASS?!?!?!

Noo I go to Capilano College lol, but I think my friend might be in your class

[Carebear]

Noo I go to Capilano College lol, but I think my friend might be in your class

Haha sweet, who's your friend? Does he/she find it as rediculous as I do?!

[old_time_hockey]

Well the book has been thrown....

Beaner wins it with the 2 games prediction for Repik

[dondo]

Sounds like the computer course at UVIC that I took, the first lab we had the "instructor" hold up the keyboard and asked the class, "does anyone know what this is called?"

It went downhill from there.....

lol -- that must have drove you in particular insane Beaner (not that it takes much :thumb: )

I think two games is too much but it's not surprising to me. At least we lose him versus the Rockets and not the Blazers, or Tips.

[SixSixOne]

Haha sweet, who's your friend? Does he/she find it as rediculous as I do?!

Mike Gunderson
Yeah he does, he always sends me text messages saying how he just "learned" how to use a flash memory drive ahah