Tigers vs Regina/Seattle

[Tiger Trauma]

Its too bad that a strong third period comeback was broken with a PP goal with 5 seconds left in the game by regina. From what I've heard regina has had a tendency to have a third period lapse, and I was hoping the tigers would give them another one.

I was trying to watch specifically on why the tigers would sometimes play very average, and it was quite apparent that they played 2 different styles.

In the first and second they had a tough time breaking out of thier zone.

It was usually because of a bad first pass, and/or a forward on the boards fumble the puck, and/or the second forward having no passing options. The forwards wern't making themselves open for a pass, and the defence wasn't going D-to-D, but just throwing it up the boards where a tiger player was easily covered.

Then on the forecheck, 1 tiger would go in and pressure them, however the other tigers forwards wouldn't go in pass the blueline, making the opposition use simple passes to cruise through the neutral zone. The tigers were using a trapping system but it wasn't being done very effectively. It allowed regina to start their transition game at their blueline, and the tigers deep in thier end.

When it came to the third period they were playing like they did last year. Using the "offensive zone" trap that pestered the opposition into giving up lots of turnovers. The forwards came in, and cut off Regina from making an easy pass out of thier zone. I very much like that style better as the tigers create more opportunities that way. It seems as though the tigers play harder as well.

Tonight regina showed an awesome powerplay, created lots of room. Rowat played pretty well, for the handful of quality chances the tigers had.

IN the third I could see Regina's defenseman holding thier sticks tighter as I would guesstimate 75% of their incomplete passes were in the third.

[Tiger Trauma]

Too late, too little
By DARREN STEINKE
Nov 15, 2007, 17:15


What was supposed to be a spirited comeback by the Medicine Hat Tigers turned into a nightmare Wednesday.
Heading into the third period trailing the visiting Regina Pats 2-0, the Tigers mounted a spirited comeback to tie the game 2-2. Tyler Ennis scored the equalizer with a sick power-play goal with 8:14 to play in the third.
Unfortunately, Ennis ended the rally taking a hooking penalty and then followed it up with an unsportsmanlike foul with 1:02 left in the frame.
On the ensuing power play, Pats centre Tim Kraus threaded a pass across the face of the Tigers goal to Michael MacAngus in the right slot. MacAngus buried the pass into an open net with 5.7 seconds to play delivering the Pats to a 3-2 win.
“They could have been up three or four nothing early,” said Tigers head coach and general manager Willie Desjardins, whose team fell to 13-8-2. “They hit a couple of posts. They didn’t go in, and that gave us a chance to come back in the third.
“I thought in the third period we played well. We got going and gave ourselves a chance to win the game. We can’t wait that long. If we played 60 minutes the way we played the last 30, we would have had a better chance for sure.”
After the final buzzed sounded, Ennis, a player NHL Central Scouting rated as the WHL’s fifth best skating prospect in its preliminary rankings, proceeded to slam his stick on the boards in front of the Tigers bench before leaving the ice surface. The mood outside of the Medicine Hat dressing room felt like a funeral, and Ennis didn’t come out to answer media questions after the game.
“This one really hurts,” said Tigers overage assistant captain Jerrid Sauer. “We have to quit digging ourselves holes.
“We can say what we want about the penalty in the last two minutes. Ennis back checked hard, and he got a penalty called against him. It is not his fault.
“We can’t go down two goals. We have to find ways to be ready in the first five minutes of the game.”
Regina went up 2-0 in the first period on goals from Jared Jagow and Spencer Fraipont. For most of the game, the Tigers seemed sluggish as they were outshot 13-11 after two periods.
Tigers defenceman Mark Isherwood scored at the 7:44 mark of the third period on a shot that deflected off a Pats defender to make the score 2-1. Momentum swung the Tigers way and the sellout crowd of 4,006 fans became engaged with the contest.

www.medicine hat news.com

[Tiger Trauma]

Ennis takes blame for loss
By DARREN STEINKE
Nov 16, 2007, 17:37

Tyler Ennis says Wednesday’s 3-2 loss to the Regina Pats was his fault.
With his Medicine Hat Tigers locked in a 2-2 draw with the Pats, Ennis took a hooking penalty and followed it up with an unsportsmanlike penalty with 1:02 to play in the third period.
After Pats left-winger Michael MacAngus scored the winner with 5.7 seconds left and the final buzzer had gone, Ennis skated across the ice and smashed his stick along the boards in front of the Tigers bench as he left for the dressing room.
“Obviously, I was frustrated,” said Ennis. “I can’t do that.
“I apologize for doing that. It is uncharacteristic of me to do that. I was just frustrated, but you can’t do that. I apologize.”
Shortly after the Pats goal, Ennis was given a reminder of his folly. Pats centre Tim Kraus, who set up the winner, skated by the penalty box and talked some trash at Ennis, who was still sitting inside.
“It is my fault that we lost,” said Ennis, who wasn’t made available for interviews Wednesday by Tigers game day staff. “If I don’t take that penalty, we don’t lose.
“We had the momentum. I think that I was frustrated with myself. I think that I lost us the game.
“It was frustrating. I just couldn’t hold it in. It was the wrong thing to do. It is unacceptable. I apologize for it.”
The penalties and stick smashing were not par for the course when you look at Ennis’ track record. In Medicine Hat’s 23 regular season games this season, the 18-year-old Edmonton product only has 14 penalty minutes. He also has 13 goals, 14 assists and a plus-four rating in the plus-minus department.
In his sophomore season last year, he had 26 goals, 24 assists and 30 penalty minutes in 71 games. He is also known for understating any spectacular goals that he scores.
When he netted a pretty overtime winner that gave the Tigers a WHL Eastern Conference Championship series win over the Calgary Hitmen last season, he basically said that he shot the puck and it went in.
During his first two years with the Tigers, Ennis was dubbed as being like a little brother to veterans, who have since moved on. The title came as much from the fact Ennis stands 5-foot-9 and weighs 160 pounds as the fact he acts modest and quiet most of the time.
Ennis admits it is sometimes not the same not having the older players that moved to lean on.
“It is a little different being a leader or one of the leaders I guess,” said Ennis. “I guess I just felt that I reacted the wrong way.
“I should have held it in. I should have held in my frustration and held in my anger.”
Besides what happened at the end of Wednesday’s game, Ennis did have some other points that added to the frustration. Just past the midway point of the second period, he was hit high by Pats right-winger Garrett Mitchell. That caused linemate Yashar Farmanara to fight Mitchell.
However, the Tigers standout said even that couldn’t be used as an excuse for what he did. He is looking forward to doing better tonight as his Tigers host the Seattle Thunderbirds at 7:30 p.m. at The Arena. At the moment, that is all he can do.
“It is a new day,” said Ennis. “I am really excited to play Seattle.
“I am going to work twice as hard. Hopefully, we are going to get a win. I am going to come out really hard, and hopefully, things go into the net.”

www.medicinehatnews.com

[Tiger Trauma]

When it came to the third period they were playing like they did last year. Using the "offensive zone" trap that pestered the opposition into giving up lots of turnovers. The forwards came in, and cut off Regina from making an easy pass out of their zone. I very much like that style better as the tigers create more opportunities that way. It seems as though the tigers play harder as well.


What a difference it makes playing hard like that through the whole game. The tigers dominated Seattle every which way in the second and third period. I think Seattle only left their zone 5 times in the second, and three times it was to clear the puck on a penalty kill, although seattle played like they were riding a bus for 10 hours.

Carlson,Vey,Cameron have been fun to watch the past few games. Kozyra has been playing very well too. I also thought that Ennis/ ringrose/hamilton played well together.

Did anyone see the fight develop where seattle scored thier goal?
I looked up and saw bendfeld and olsen started throwing. Did it happen right off the faceoff or was it delayed a little bit.

I know scott beat our d-men Shayne Brown cleanly. But if they dropped the gloves off the faceoff the whistle probably shoulda been blown earlier.

[Eye.Of.The.Tiger]

I ordered this game VIA WHL Webcasts and I have to say what a great game for the Tigers, They kept Seattle to the outside all game long, infact i dont recall one really good scoring chance for the T-birds. I was very impressed with Linden Vey and Cody Carlson. Vey seems to be getting better every shift and it shows his production will just keep getting better. As for Carlson i am so impressed with this kids composure with the puck for a 16 year old i dont think i've seen a kid so calm and cool and he made some slick moves on the rush. I couldnt be more happy with the game the boys worked hard got a few breaks early and put it away in the 3rd, Ennis scored a highlight real goal to make it 5-1 he burned Benn Olsen going from 1st gear to fifth gear in a matter of seconds and buried it on Helenius. We all know how quick Ennis can get into top gear. If not for Helenius out there tonight this game could have been 8-1, our PP just peppered him with shots but could not gt anything by him for the most part.