Round 1 vs Kootenay

[Hitmen1]

With the win today the Hitmen will finish in 3rd place and play the Ice in round 1. I will do a head to head analysis of these 2 teams either tonight or tomorrow. They still have one game left this season and right now the Hitmen are 2-4-1 vs the Ice this year. Every game has been close except for the first meeting of the year when the Ice crushed the Hitmen 8-4.

[RunTheGoalie]

It is a winnable series, but one that will be remarkably difficult. Should be a good one, either way.

Fortunately, the Hitmen are playing very good hockey right now, while Kootenay has taken a slight step back. We will be hard pressed to get out of the first round though.

[fightstrap50]

It is a winnable series, but one that will be remarkably difficult. Should be a good one, either way.

Fortunately, the Hitmen are playing very good hockey right now, while Kootenay has taken a slight step back. We will be hard pressed to get out of the first round though.
the ICE have won 6 of their last 7 and tied a franchise record last night with 47 wins on the season and have 100 points, Maxwell will be back and Jaquemet will reuturn also. this playoff series could be the first time this whole season that everyone will be playing. We havent had a full roster this season. Those will be two huge welcome additions back to the dressing room and on the ice.

[peatfan]

And to add to fightstrap50, the Hitmen will have Plante still out. He isn't expected back until afte rthe first round. Merkley and Letts are both expected to be back this weekend. This should be the best of the first round matchups. 7 games with the Hitmen winning it Hey maybe in overtime.
nhl Boogaard'd pbj nhl Boogaard'd pbj nhl Boogaard'd pbj

[Hitmen1]

As I mentioned before, most of the games between these 2 teams have been close. I have a feeling that this has the making of a great series.

8-4 Ice (http://whl.ca/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=1001958)

4-3 Hitmen (http://whl.ca/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=1002131)

4-3 Ice (http://whl.ca/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=1002142)

5-2 Ice (http://whl.ca/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=1002361)

3-2 Ice in OT (http://whl.ca/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=1002375)

3-1 Hitmen (http://whl.ca/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=1002441)

4-3 Ice (http://whl.ca/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=1002460)

And the Hitmen play in Cranbrook on March 16th to end the regular season.

[Rammer]

As I mentioned before, most of the games between these 2 teams have been close. I have a feeling that this has the making of a great series.

8-4 Ice (http://whl.ca/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=1001958)

4-3 Hitmen (http://whl.ca/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=1002131)

4-3 Ice (http://whl.ca/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=1002142)

5-2 Ice (http://whl.ca/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=1002361)

3-2 Ice in OT (http://whl.ca/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=1002375)

3-1 Hitmen (http://whl.ca/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=1002441)

4-3 Ice (http://whl.ca/stats/game-summary.php?game_id=1002460)

And the Hitmen play in Cranbrook on March 16th to end the regular season.

I wonder how much focus will be given to this game by either HC, as the game will mean zero for either in the standings, but may provide a huge step towards the series opener. I suspect that the game score will be secondary to the physical play, with both trying to establish dominance of the other. May turn out to be a most interesting contest for the fans in Cranbrook on Friday night.

Go Ice Go!

[Hitmen1]

I wonder how much focus will be given to this game by either HC, as the game will mean zero for either in the standings, but may provide a huge step towards the series opener. I suspect that the game score will be secondary to the physical play, with both trying to establish dominance of the other. May turn out to be a most interesting contest for the fans in Cranbrook on Friday night.

Go Ice Go!

Are you guys expecting good crowds for the playoff series?

[Rammer]

Are you guys expecting good crowds for the playoff series?

Spoiled Ice fans don't seem to really respond until the finals arrive if you are looking at sellouts. On the flipside, if you are coming down, there will be corner seats to be had, I suspect.

[fightstrap50]

Spoiled Ice fans don't seem to really respond until the finals arrive if you are looking at sellouts. On the flipside, if you are coming down, there will be corner seats to be had, I suspect.
It's funny you say that, tonights game is a sell out!! vs Calgary.

I hear exactly what you mean there though. As for me, I can count on two hands how many games I've missed in the last 4 or 5 years. The crowds are kinda weird here though as this is a hockey town, buts its the same 2800+ hardcores that show up every night. Oh well, we know who the biggest fans are though.

Tonights game should be a great one to watch and I'm hoping the ICE are ready to bring there game like we know they can when its a team effort all around. Hope the crowd really get behind them tonight too.

GO ICE GO!!!

[Rammer]

It's funny you say that, tonights game is a sell out!! vs Calgary.

I hear exactly what you mean there though. As for me, I can count on two hands how many games I've missed in the last 4 or 5 years. The crowds are kinda weird here though as this is a hockey town, buts its the same 2800+ hardcores that show up every night. Oh well, we know who the biggest fans are though.

Tonights game should be a great one to watch and I'm hoping the ICE are ready to bring there game like we know they can when its a team effort all around. Hope the crowd really get behind them tonight too.

GO ICE GO!!!

Tonights game is an anomaly, in that it is redeem your unused tickets night, plus it is the team that the Ice are going to face in the first round. Great setup though, as the game tonight could go along way to selling more tickets for the first few games of the playoff round. With a strong showing by the Ice in the first round, it may just be the ticket to large crowds the entire playoffs.

[Rammer]

Well looking at the scoreboard, the game line doesn't indicate that the game was especially physical, as I suspected it may go. Did anyone watch this game live?

[Hitmen1]

By the sounds of it, the Hitmen power play really let them down last night. And a bad penalty just after they started a 5 on 3.

I know it was mentioned on the Hitmen broadcast last night that the Hitmen will probably try to be very physical against the Ice because the Hitmen hold a fairly large size advantage.

[neutral]

I am going to try the web TV one more time for this weekends games in Cranbrook. Is it possible to listen to the Hitmen radio broadcast or do they just provide the home team radio broadcast on web TV?

[peatfan]

Series will be on Channel 10, Shaw. the game last Friday came on very good on the internet, one of the few games I could say that there was no problem with the broadcast .

[Hitmen1]

Hitmen with a 2-1 win in the series opener. Great way to start off the series. I missed the game so lets hear some post game discussion.

[RunTheGoalie]

Missed it as well, but if we give up 9 powerplays agian, Kootenay is likely to bury us. Good job to shock the Ice in the opener though.

[peatfan]

Good game for the Hitmen although alittle to wide open for the coaching staff. First period was ours but the Ice controled the second. Third was a tossup and again either team could'e won it. Big game by Spence, LeBlanc, Freddie, Alzner & Yeo. The three 16 all played a good first playoff game. We had several chances in the first to put it away especially Duval & Filgren. Negrin made an incredible stop on a puck that beat Dakers and just as it hit the goalline he swatted it away. And the puck was off the ice. So now we have to bring again to make it two. Go HITMEN Go !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yeooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!! nhl Boogaard'd pbj Boogaard'd pbj nhl Boogaard'd pbj

[Rammer]

Good game for the Hitmen although alittle to wide open for the coaching staff. First period was ours but the Ice controled the second. Third was a tossup and again either team could'e won it. Big game by Spence, LeBlanc, Freddie, Alzner & Yeo. The three 16 all played a good first playoff game. We had several chances in the first to put it away especially Duval & Filgren. Negrin made an incredible stop on a puck that beat Dakers and just as it hit the goalline he swatted it away. And the puck was off the ice. So now we have to bring again to make it two. Go HITMEN Go !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yeooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!! nhl Boogaard'd pbj Boogaard'd pbj nhl Boogaard'd pbj

Good recollection and exactly on either team could have won it, just a matter of which goalie was going to break down first and it was Dakars on this night. Seemed to be about 50 or so Calgary fans made the trip together. There were a few others scattered amongst the Ice fans with a couple of transplanted Cranbrook folk that now live in Calgary not showing much loyalty to their hometown and cheering for the Hitmen in front of me. The Hitmen fans were loud and heard throughout the arena, so I hope that the Ice fans can do likewise in Calgary on games 3 and 4. yeehoo

[Hitmen1]

Well the difference tonight was the long power play that the Hitmen didn't score on early in the 3rd period. Full marks to both teams on a hard fought game, this is turning into a great series.

[Spungy]

so best out of five now eh? start over!

This is going to be a long hard fought battle for sure!

[peatfan]

We should've put the game away on those pp. Even in the second we had many chances but fell short of wrapping it up. Kudos must go to Dakers who kept the Ice in the game. It was expected to be a close series as all games were during the year but we have the home ice.
Lets GO HITMEN GO!!!!!! Yeeeeeeeeeoooooooooooooo !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
nhl Boogaard'd pbj nhl Boogaard'd pbj nhl Boogaard'd pbj

[Rammer]

We should've put the game away on those pp. Even in the second we had many chances but fell short of wrapping it up. Kudos must go to Dakers who kept the Ice in the game. It was expected to be a close series as all games were during the year but we have the home ice.
Lets GO HITMEN GO!!!!!! Yeeeeeeeeeoooooooooooooo !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
nhl Boogaard'd pbj nhl Boogaard'd pbj nhl Boogaard'd pbj

That PP kill for 4 and a half minutes with about a minute and a half 2 men short was done about as well as you could hope for in that situation by the Ice. The nxgh.j ,ghjgrthjkj.lgjk.lgkmhmnnjk jlkszdsdkj/vgcrowd got into the game, and the Ice seemed to feed off of that even more.

Hitmen are much bigger, but the area that I do have concerns with is the faceoffs, they were simply dominated by Calgary. Only Maxwell seemed to have any success, but he hasn't caught up to game speed yet since his return from injury and took a few lazy penalties most notably the double minor to set the Ice in a hole in the third being two men down.

[RunTheGoalie]

Well, I always wondered what would happen if the two worst referees in the WHL called a game together. Now I know. There was what? 5 minutes of 5 on 5 in the first 40? Yeesh.

Spence was huge in the first. The Ice wanted this one badly, and it showed in the first 20. Shame Dan couldnt keep the puck out on Kootenay's 4th straight PP. Game turned in the 2nd when we had our own string of five (iirc) straight powerplays, then we just dominated the Ice in the third. Dakers did his own superman routine in the third. Can't believe it took 19 shots to finally beat him for the winner.

[Hitmen1]

A great chance for the Hitmen tonight. A win and they move on but the past 2 seasons have shown us the Hitmen lack the ability to put teams away. And the entire team is aware of it and look to correct it tonight. Should be a great game, I expect to see a very good Ice team tonight.

Hitmen's Killer Instinct (http://calsun.canoe.ca/Sports/Hockey/2007/03/31/3879377-sun.html)

[Hitmen1]

No killer instinct at all tonight. After about the first 10 minutes of the 1st the Hitmen weren't really in this game at all imo. All the pressure is now back on the Hitmen to win the series at home on Monday night.

[Rammer]

No killer instinct at all tonight. After about the first 10 minutes of the 1st the Hitmen weren't really in this game at all imo. All the pressure is now back on the Hitmen to win the series at home on Monday night.

Agreed, if they don't finish off the Ice tonight, then they will have missed the easier of the two final games to do so. First 10 minutes is going to go a long ways to deciding this game 6 outcome IMO.

[Hitmen1]

Well a great series between 2 fairly evenly matched teams will go to game 7. I caught the last half of the third and it was excited. A couple goal posts in the final minute kept the game from going to OT.

[RunTheGoalie]

I really feel bad for the Hitmen. To have the winning goal scored against them immediately after an absolute joke of a penalty expired after fighting so hard to get back int he game has to be crushing. It absolutely baffles me how two referees as grossly incompetent as Herman and Rehman are are allowed to call such a pivotal game. I simply cannot believe White was penalized for having his stick held. And that was right in the middle of a sequence where the referees locked themselves into a bad call-make up call-bad call-make up call situation. Hell, Kootenay was penalized twice tonight for good defense. The WHL seriously needs to look at the qualit of its officiating. These weren't rookies out there calling their first major junior games. These were two veterans who have been a problem for years now.

That said, there is no reason why this game should ever have gotten to the point where the zebras directly influenced the outcome. I have no idea what Michael Stone was thinking, but his complete laziness cost us the first goal, and just destroyed his teammates hard work through the first 23 minutes. Stone was benched the rest of the 2nd, and with good reason.

And then there is Kisio. A mediocre general manager who has decided to be a mediocre head coach. He just sits there, watches his team just die on the ice after that goal, and does nothing. No pep talk, no time out, no effort to rally the troops. Next shift: goal. Still he sits there like an idiot. Penalty, penalty, goal. Still nothing.

The Hitmen will remain the same mediocre franchise they have been for several years until somebody in the Flames office takes notice and replaces Kisio. We have one of the best fanbases in Canada, and we deserve a hell of a lot better than Kelly Kisio.

Finally, Dakers was amazing. If not for him, this series would have been over in the first period.

[peatfan]

Dakers was the first star of the game, first star of the series. Whoever picked the three stars must've been drunk. Alzner should've been second and no offense to Filgren but Dansereau or Yeo should've been third star.
As much as you want to blame Stone for the first a bigger gaffe was by Dupont on the second. He just stood there, lost the puck was lucky to get it back and then promptly gave it back and never skated to retrieve it which directly cost them the second goal. Tha's when a time out should've been called. The team quit skating for only a minute and it cost them. Great comeback was ruined by another incompetant refs. Let's hope we get new refs for game 7.

[bjhunnicutt]

Your post was pretty much bang on.

From this Ice fan's point of view, Dakers was robbed when he wasn't given the game's first star.
A "good" goaltender in the Ice net tonight, and Kootenay are facing the 2nd period looking up out of a VERY deep hole.

Fatigue was a tremendouse leveler late in the game...largely to do with PP/PK hockey, as it looked like both teams had only fumes in the tank to finish this one.

Officiating:

The last game in Cranbrook was well done, with refereeing very judiciouse in the calling of infractions.

It's unconcionable on the other hand to have a game as important as this one taken over late in the 3rd and so completely influenced by two incompetents.

I 'm a firm believer that before the rule changes, the game was on life support, and with a few teams becoming masters at passive interference all the way up to boardering on assault (and game in and out getting away with it) hockey was hanging on by it's fingertips.

That said however, and while there is a clear danger in handing something like descretion out to a couple of clowns like we had for this game, it's a no brainer that penalties late in a game like this should be limited to "clear" infractions and penalties that influence in some way the outcome of a scoring opportunity.

VERY frustrating!!!

[caduddin]

Goalies were the difference tonight, Spence looked shaky in the first and that doesn't inspire confidence in the team. When the guy between the pipes isn't on his game, the rest of the team become aware that he isn't and become edgy.
Dakers on the other hand played a very good game and kept Kootenay in it.

Yeah the refs didn't help the game and some of the penalties were questionable but I can't help feeling we need a better no1 goalie.
I'd agree that Kisio should have called a timeout during the second. Our guys went to sleep and got severely punished for it. They needed a kick up their backsides and should have got it during the second, not after it.
Kootenay played for their lives the last 2 games knowing the price if they failed, we simply didn't prepare ourselves.

Credit to Kootenay though, it's now 3-3, and unless our guys can mentally prepare for game 7, it'll be a long journey home. Unfortunately inconsistency has been our downfall this season. One game we play like we're unbeatable, the next I'm surprised some of them managed to suit up correctly.
I can't help feeling Kootenay will win this one, I hope I'm wrong.

[bjhunnicutt]

Momentum has IMO shifted to the Ice.

For your sake here's hoping the lack of success in the playoffs the past couple of yrs. doesn't get into the heads of your players.

There is however the inconsistancy bug that has afflicted both teams at one time or another in each game of the series.
I'm feeling better now comming home with momentum for game 7, but these two teams match up well with the difference in games 2-6 being Dakers and helped out by the Ice again finding their scoring touch.

The rubber match should be one of epic proportions.

Good luck...but not too much good luck. BJ

[RunTheGoalie]

Spence's glove hand was broken all night long, but overall, I thought he played well. He certantly is not as polished as Dakers was, but he had no prayer on either the first or second goals. The third goal he should have been ready for, even if it was a collossal fluke, but really, I find it hard to fault him more for not being focussed when the rest of his team was just as lethargic at that point. A joke of a play by Stone, who has been easily the worst Hitman player these playoffs, led to his team losing focus for 5 minutes, and that was enough. There was no reason why another comeback should have been necessary, and even less for the black and white striped clowns to have the impact they did on the outcome.

[RunTheGoalie]

Unbelievable game by both teams tonight. Simply amazing. The Ice probably deserved a better fate, but Calgary really earned this one. Now to ride this win into Brandon.

[peatfan]

Great game to cap off a great series. We should have won it in 6 but the Ice showed why they are one of the top teams in Canada. Awesome game by many of the players on both sides. We need Dupont to come to play in Brandon. Lets harvest the wheaties.
nhl Boogaard'd pbj nhl Boogaard'd pbj nhl Boogaard'd pbj

[Hitmen1]

And to think I was just about to post something about Kisio finally getting relieved of his duties because of the lack of finish the past few years.

What a great OT, great move by Duval.

Bring on the Wheaties!

[caduddin]

I WAS WRONG!!!! :groovy: :groovy: :groovy:

What a game, that could have gone either way, I chewed off half my fingernails.
There were no losers there, Kootenay played one heck of a game and a series. I'm sure they'll be right up there again next season.

[Mats]

Congrats Calgary- great series and it hurts but this series the best team won.
Also the franchise and their players showed a whole lot of class at the end-especeially banging their sticks when Dakers was named 3rd star.
The Hitties now have a new fan on their band-wagon- I hope I don't curse your playoff run............................
Brandon is in for alot of trouble.

[dondo]

wow great hockey folks -- I think its a shame one of the teams had to lose -- congrats, but that game was a toss-up -- great GWG though -- sweet pass, and nice finish.

[Rammer]

Well 24 hours later it still hurts to lose a game 7, but now it is time to say hats off to the Hitmen, they played 67 minutes last night and had more fuel to burn. Best of luck to your Memorial Cup run, the road doesn't get much easier. :clap: