nivek_wahs
04-25-2007, 04:25 AM
http://www.medicinehatnews.com/article_5452.php
The lights went out in Cowtown
By DARREN STEINKE, Medicine Hat News
Apr 25, 2007, 17:16
CALGARY
The winner of the special teams battle has been the winner of the game.
That statement has held for the first three games of the WHL’s Eastern Conference Championship series between the Medicine Hat Tigers and the Calgary Hitmen. Medicine Hat has the better special teams through the first two games of the series, and built a quick 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven series versus their Calgary counterparts.
On Monday, the Hitmen had the better special team, and they earned their first win of the series. With the Tigers leading the series 2-1, special teams could once again play a big factor at tonight’s Game 4 set for 7 p.m. at the Pengrowth Saddledome in Calgary.
“When you are in a close series (or) a close game, there are going to be many nights when it is the difference,” said Tigers associate coach Shaun Clouston.
“(In Monday’s 4-2 Hitmen win on Monday) night, it was at least part of the difference. They scored two, and they shut us down."
After connecting on 1-of-8 chances through the first two games of the series, Calgary went 2-for-7 in Monday’s Game 3 Hitmen win. For the first time in the series, the Tigers failed to score a power-play goal. They came up short on six opportunities.
In the Tigers 2-0 win in Game 1, they 1-for-5 with the man advantage, while Calgary failed to score on four tries. During the 4-1 Tigers win in Game 2 last Saturday, Medicine Hat connected on 2-of-9 chances, while Calgary went 1-for-4.
During the playoffs, the Hitmen have had the fifth best power play in the WHL connecting on 20-of-99 chances for a 20.2 per cent success rate.
During the first two games of their series against the Tigers, the Hitmen looked dangerous, but Hitmen captain Dylan Yeo credited Tigers goaltender Matt Keetley for keeping Calgary off the scoreboard.
Despite the passing plays his club created, Yeo said his club had to do more simple things to beat the Tigers goaltender.
“Keetley is a good goalie,” said Yeo. “We have to get a lot of shots and get some traffic in front of him.”
In the first two games, Keetley felt he was good at anticipating what Calgary was going to do.
“You know a little bit where they are going to be standing sometimes,” said the veteran netminder. “Our guys have been unbelievable the first two games.
“They were ready to block the shots down low. It made it a lot easier.”
He thought his own concentration went down in the third game.
“I wasn’t very good on the penalty kill,” said Keetley. “I think they scored two (on the power play).
“That fourth goal I could have maybe had. We just have to live with that.
“They talk about (Calgary Flames goaltender) Miikka Kiprusoff is just one of those guys he will let a goal in and let it (go). I want to be like him. I want to be on top of my game and be as focused as he is.”
As for the Tigers power play, captain and star defenceman Kris Russell, whose team has the fourth best post-season power play (20.6 per cent), felt his team created chances on Monday, but they just didn’t finish.
”(Monday) night, I thought we did a pretty good job, but we weren’t as sharp as we were the first two games," said Russell, who has one assist in the three games against Calgary. “We have to start going back to basics and start putting pucks to the net.
“Obviously, they are going to adapt, and they are going to try and stop us. I am not taking anything away from their good strong game.
“We just have to make sure that can compete with it, and we compete hard.”
© Copyright by Medicine Hat News.com
The lights went out in Cowtown
By DARREN STEINKE, Medicine Hat News
Apr 25, 2007, 17:16
CALGARY
The winner of the special teams battle has been the winner of the game.
That statement has held for the first three games of the WHL’s Eastern Conference Championship series between the Medicine Hat Tigers and the Calgary Hitmen. Medicine Hat has the better special teams through the first two games of the series, and built a quick 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven series versus their Calgary counterparts.
On Monday, the Hitmen had the better special team, and they earned their first win of the series. With the Tigers leading the series 2-1, special teams could once again play a big factor at tonight’s Game 4 set for 7 p.m. at the Pengrowth Saddledome in Calgary.
“When you are in a close series (or) a close game, there are going to be many nights when it is the difference,” said Tigers associate coach Shaun Clouston.
“(In Monday’s 4-2 Hitmen win on Monday) night, it was at least part of the difference. They scored two, and they shut us down."
After connecting on 1-of-8 chances through the first two games of the series, Calgary went 2-for-7 in Monday’s Game 3 Hitmen win. For the first time in the series, the Tigers failed to score a power-play goal. They came up short on six opportunities.
In the Tigers 2-0 win in Game 1, they 1-for-5 with the man advantage, while Calgary failed to score on four tries. During the 4-1 Tigers win in Game 2 last Saturday, Medicine Hat connected on 2-of-9 chances, while Calgary went 1-for-4.
During the playoffs, the Hitmen have had the fifth best power play in the WHL connecting on 20-of-99 chances for a 20.2 per cent success rate.
During the first two games of their series against the Tigers, the Hitmen looked dangerous, but Hitmen captain Dylan Yeo credited Tigers goaltender Matt Keetley for keeping Calgary off the scoreboard.
Despite the passing plays his club created, Yeo said his club had to do more simple things to beat the Tigers goaltender.
“Keetley is a good goalie,” said Yeo. “We have to get a lot of shots and get some traffic in front of him.”
In the first two games, Keetley felt he was good at anticipating what Calgary was going to do.
“You know a little bit where they are going to be standing sometimes,” said the veteran netminder. “Our guys have been unbelievable the first two games.
“They were ready to block the shots down low. It made it a lot easier.”
He thought his own concentration went down in the third game.
“I wasn’t very good on the penalty kill,” said Keetley. “I think they scored two (on the power play).
“That fourth goal I could have maybe had. We just have to live with that.
“They talk about (Calgary Flames goaltender) Miikka Kiprusoff is just one of those guys he will let a goal in and let it (go). I want to be like him. I want to be on top of my game and be as focused as he is.”
As for the Tigers power play, captain and star defenceman Kris Russell, whose team has the fourth best post-season power play (20.6 per cent), felt his team created chances on Monday, but they just didn’t finish.
”(Monday) night, I thought we did a pretty good job, but we weren’t as sharp as we were the first two games," said Russell, who has one assist in the three games against Calgary. “We have to start going back to basics and start putting pucks to the net.
“Obviously, they are going to adapt, and they are going to try and stop us. I am not taking anything away from their good strong game.
“We just have to make sure that can compete with it, and we compete hard.”
© Copyright by Medicine Hat News.com