WestLEAFfan
09-24-2007, 06:32 AM
http://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=110822&Itemid=160
Not much to write home about
(Sports) Sunday, 23 September 2007, 22:13 PST
JIM SWANSON, Citizen Sports Editor
Deadpanned, yet fully on the money, one of few fans at CN Centre nailed the situation after one period of Saturday’s WHL game.
“Looks like the other team is a little better than us so far.”
No kidding...
You can give the Prince George Cougars all the leeway in the world for having a young team, but the reality is they have to be able to function at a WHL level. They didn’t, particularly in the first period, of a 7-2 trouncing at the hands of the Spokane Chiefs.
No other way to put it -- that was embarrassing. Aside from the memorable WHL debut of backup goaltender Joel Danyluk, about the only positive is that only, and this is a guess, 1,500 actual sets of eyes saw this debacle. The crowd was announced at 2,682, but Saturday’s showing was the smallest viewing contingent since the Cougars vacated the Coliseum. In fact, Saturday’s crowd could’ve fit in the Coliseum -- along with the 200 or so fans who have been bothering to watch Spruce Kings games so far this season.
Saturday’s game was such a downer after the positive aspects of Friday’s 5-2 loss to Spokane in the season opener -- a game in which the Cougars outchanced the Chiefs but fell short on the scoreboard. For anyone who thinks unrealistic fans and the always-negative media were the only ones panning the second (cough) performance, listen to what the coaches had to say after a lengthy closed-door meeting.
“Before the game I had a real worry on that we wouldn’t have the right frame of mind,” said head coach Drew Schoneck.
“It was evident right from the outset that we weren’t ready mentally or physically to compete in that hockey game. Better to have that happen now than in March, I guess, but we have to go back to work. I can accept a loss when we’re putting forth an effort, but (Saturday), I can’t accept that, and these guys have to learn not to accept that, either.
“Our veteran guys didn’t show us much this weekend, and they have to be the ones leading.”
The Chiefs scored twice in the game’s first two minutes. Prince George did answer on Alex Poulter’s first goal as a Cougar, that coming at the tail end of a two-man advantage, but the Chiefs reeled off three more goals, all on the power play, to take a 5-1 lead into the intermission.
“The start we got said it all about the hockey game,” said assistant coach Wade Klippenstein.
“There were two teams playing two different speeds to start the game. We got outworked -- we have to turn the page on this game, but we also have to learn from it.”
Drayson Bowman and David Rutherford scored twice each in the first, then Rutherford completed his hat-trick in the second period. Chris Bruton and Chris Spurgeon had the other Chiefs goals.
Ty Wishart scored a meaningless power play goal in the third period. Real Cyr, the starter in goal, allowed six goals on 27 shots and now sports numbers he’d rather not -- 0-2, a 6.57 goals-against average and a save percentage at .831.
The lone bouquet goes to Danyluk, who came in mid-way through the second and faced 27 shots in his first 27 minutes in the WHL. Much of the action came while the Cougars somehow successfully killed 4:54 while two-men short.
At one point in the game, the Chiefs fired 24 shots on the Cats without Prince George managing a single offering at Spokane goaltender Kevin Armstrong. The shot final was 55-18, including 26-3 in the Chiefs’ favour in the third period.
“The only bright spot was Danyluk, and good for him because he’s been great in practice and he got an opportunity and made the most of it,” said Klippenstein.
“There are another 19 guys who didn’t play well. We know the margin of error with this team is very small and that we have to outwork teams, plus we’ll have to get breaks and get good work from our special teams. When those things don’t happen, when the other team outworks us... really, I don’t care how good our penalty-killing is when we’re already down five goals.”
The coaching staff’s response was to put the players on a tight curfew Saturday, order them to stay away from the rink on Sunday -- that in order to get them rested for what promises to be an active practice today. The next Cougars game is Saturday in Chilliwack against Ryan Howse and the Bruins.
“If we’re not willing to battle in games, we’ll battle in practice,” said Schoneck. “It’s not going to be an easy day (Monday), but I’m also not going to throw a day of practice away just for punishment. We obviously have a lot of things to work on before our next game, getting guys on the same page and accustomed to this level. In this league, there are no nights off, and there are no practices off.
“There’s definitely a curfew (Saturday) -- they don’t deserve to go out and have a night of fun. That has to be earned, and they didn’t earn it.”
KITTY LITTER: The only moment of humour came in the third period when referee Derek Zalaski took a point shot off his head, the result being his visor was picked clean off his helmet... For the second straight game, rookie D Wade Epp and RW Matt Belich sat out. They are the only players to not see action through two games. D Art Bidlevskii and RW Ryan Kowalski weren’t dressed Saturday.
Not much to write home about
(Sports) Sunday, 23 September 2007, 22:13 PST
JIM SWANSON, Citizen Sports Editor
Deadpanned, yet fully on the money, one of few fans at CN Centre nailed the situation after one period of Saturday’s WHL game.
“Looks like the other team is a little better than us so far.”
No kidding...
You can give the Prince George Cougars all the leeway in the world for having a young team, but the reality is they have to be able to function at a WHL level. They didn’t, particularly in the first period, of a 7-2 trouncing at the hands of the Spokane Chiefs.
No other way to put it -- that was embarrassing. Aside from the memorable WHL debut of backup goaltender Joel Danyluk, about the only positive is that only, and this is a guess, 1,500 actual sets of eyes saw this debacle. The crowd was announced at 2,682, but Saturday’s showing was the smallest viewing contingent since the Cougars vacated the Coliseum. In fact, Saturday’s crowd could’ve fit in the Coliseum -- along with the 200 or so fans who have been bothering to watch Spruce Kings games so far this season.
Saturday’s game was such a downer after the positive aspects of Friday’s 5-2 loss to Spokane in the season opener -- a game in which the Cougars outchanced the Chiefs but fell short on the scoreboard. For anyone who thinks unrealistic fans and the always-negative media were the only ones panning the second (cough) performance, listen to what the coaches had to say after a lengthy closed-door meeting.
“Before the game I had a real worry on that we wouldn’t have the right frame of mind,” said head coach Drew Schoneck.
“It was evident right from the outset that we weren’t ready mentally or physically to compete in that hockey game. Better to have that happen now than in March, I guess, but we have to go back to work. I can accept a loss when we’re putting forth an effort, but (Saturday), I can’t accept that, and these guys have to learn not to accept that, either.
“Our veteran guys didn’t show us much this weekend, and they have to be the ones leading.”
The Chiefs scored twice in the game’s first two minutes. Prince George did answer on Alex Poulter’s first goal as a Cougar, that coming at the tail end of a two-man advantage, but the Chiefs reeled off three more goals, all on the power play, to take a 5-1 lead into the intermission.
“The start we got said it all about the hockey game,” said assistant coach Wade Klippenstein.
“There were two teams playing two different speeds to start the game. We got outworked -- we have to turn the page on this game, but we also have to learn from it.”
Drayson Bowman and David Rutherford scored twice each in the first, then Rutherford completed his hat-trick in the second period. Chris Bruton and Chris Spurgeon had the other Chiefs goals.
Ty Wishart scored a meaningless power play goal in the third period. Real Cyr, the starter in goal, allowed six goals on 27 shots and now sports numbers he’d rather not -- 0-2, a 6.57 goals-against average and a save percentage at .831.
The lone bouquet goes to Danyluk, who came in mid-way through the second and faced 27 shots in his first 27 minutes in the WHL. Much of the action came while the Cougars somehow successfully killed 4:54 while two-men short.
At one point in the game, the Chiefs fired 24 shots on the Cats without Prince George managing a single offering at Spokane goaltender Kevin Armstrong. The shot final was 55-18, including 26-3 in the Chiefs’ favour in the third period.
“The only bright spot was Danyluk, and good for him because he’s been great in practice and he got an opportunity and made the most of it,” said Klippenstein.
“There are another 19 guys who didn’t play well. We know the margin of error with this team is very small and that we have to outwork teams, plus we’ll have to get breaks and get good work from our special teams. When those things don’t happen, when the other team outworks us... really, I don’t care how good our penalty-killing is when we’re already down five goals.”
The coaching staff’s response was to put the players on a tight curfew Saturday, order them to stay away from the rink on Sunday -- that in order to get them rested for what promises to be an active practice today. The next Cougars game is Saturday in Chilliwack against Ryan Howse and the Bruins.
“If we’re not willing to battle in games, we’ll battle in practice,” said Schoneck. “It’s not going to be an easy day (Monday), but I’m also not going to throw a day of practice away just for punishment. We obviously have a lot of things to work on before our next game, getting guys on the same page and accustomed to this level. In this league, there are no nights off, and there are no practices off.
“There’s definitely a curfew (Saturday) -- they don’t deserve to go out and have a night of fun. That has to be earned, and they didn’t earn it.”
KITTY LITTER: The only moment of humour came in the third period when referee Derek Zalaski took a point shot off his head, the result being his visor was picked clean off his helmet... For the second straight game, rookie D Wade Epp and RW Matt Belich sat out. They are the only players to not see action through two games. D Art Bidlevskii and RW Ryan Kowalski weren’t dressed Saturday.