MH @ Brandon 02-06-08

[mckayd2001]

I see Brandon lost in OT nice comeback though to get it into overtime. How were Matt McCue's first two fights as a wheatking and anychance of him being suspended for the kneeing major or was it a accident?

[WorkHorse]

Good possibility of a suspension, didn't look accidental to me.

[Section Ten]

Clearly a deliberate hit. Very selfish play at an important part of the game, because he could have just as easily delivered a clean hit. It looked bush league.

[Section Ten]

McCue reminded me of Myles Stoesz in his fight tonight. He even looks a bit like him. I didn't see the Medicine Hat player Cameron return for the third period. The last couple of punches McCue landed looked like they hurt him.

[dagley]

He beat Cameron's ass, fair and square....Cameron dropped the gloves first. As for the knee on knee, very bush league, and obvious attempt to injure, quite a shame.

[sbtatter]

First fight was good, won it no problem. 2nd fight, Fahmahar (sp?) jumped him from behind so they both went down. McCue did land some body shots on the ice though! His penalty wasn't the reason for the loss though.....

[dagley]

Farmanara. Although his penalty wasn't a direct cause of the loss, it certainly contributed. The 5 minute major for kneeing was warranted, and allowed Medicine Hat to have a 4 on 3 in OT for 4:30 minutes. It was only a matter of time before they potted one, and the PK was out their for a good 1:45 and dead tired.

[whlfanatic]

Who was the knee on?

[sbtatter]

Farmanara. Although his penalty wasn't a direct cause of the loss, it certainly contributed. The 5 minute major for kneeing was warranted, and allowed Medicine Hat to have a 4 on 3 in OT for 4:30 minutes. It was only a matter of time before they potted one, and the PK was out their for a good 1:45 and dead tired.In a game you lose, of course everything contributes to the loss. I'm not a McCue fan, however, McCues knee caused the WK to be shorthanded and able to long bomb the puck out, which led to the WK's scoring, it could be argued his penalty likely saved a point for us!! Anyone actually watching the game knows that poor goaltending and poor positional play on our own zone were much larger contributors to the loss, another factor was the abysmal 2 man adv in the third, I don't think there have been any boos when Schenn's been on the ice until that juncture of the game. When your best dman (Boyle), your goaltenders and your best forward (Schenn) struggle as much as they did last night, you're not going to win.
Positive notes;
Green, nice backhand breakaway, I've said all along he's a keeper and finally he's proving me right
Glennie, the guy is skating with so much confidence at the moment, getting the puck off guys along the boards and working his butt off.
Bartek, looking more like the Bartek of old, he's going to be a huge lift on the pk
Robak, his play bringing the puck out of the zone and his pinching in the offensive zone continue to improve by leaps and bounds, over the last 3 home games the scouts have really started to drool over his potential....
Question; Why didn't Grill-Donovan see much ice time in the third?

[Bully73]

Robak, his play bringing the puck out of the zone and his pinching in the offensive zone continue to improve by leaps and bounds, over the last 3 home games the scouts have really started to drool over his potential....


IMO, Robak was awful last night defensively, being directly responsible for at least one if not both of the two goals that let MH back into the game. Yes, he is drooling with talent, but he is starting to get too cute with the puck and turning it over way too often. And I know that Joe didn't bail him out, but if he hadn't turned over the puck to begin with, the weak goals wouldn't have been a possibility.

This isn't just about Robak though. It is beyond me why a few of our d'men were pinching last night with a 3-1 lead. It happened on a couple different occassions, until we no longer had that 3-1 lead.

[sbtatter]

IMO, Robak was awful last night defensively, being directly responsible for at least one if not both of the two goals that let MH back into the game. Yes, he is drooling with talent, but he is starting to get too cute with the puck and turning it over way too often. And I know that Joe didn't bail him out, but if he hadn't turned over the puck to begin with, the weak goals wouldn't have been a possibility.

This isn't just about Robak though. It is beyond me why a few of our d'men were pinching last night with a 3-1 lead. It happened on a couple different occassions, until we no longer had that 3-1 lead.
Robak's turn over at mid ice caused 1 goal. Cowan caused another, Boyle another. But the scouts are willing to forgive Robak's occasional gaffe, b/c of his ability to skate the puck out of trouble and the offensive potential he has...I think maybe we fans in Brandon have been a little to critical of Robak, at least that's the impression the scouts give me....

[Bocephus]

First fight was good, won it no problem. 2nd fight, Fahmahar (sp?) jumped him from behind so they both went down. McCue did land some body shots on the ice though! His penalty wasn't the reason for the loss though.....

Fahmahar? :thumb: Is that a combo of Farmanara and Stampohar. CLASSIC!
Funniest EVER!

[Bocephus]

First fight was good, won it no problem. 2nd fight, Fahmahar (sp?) jumped him from behind so they both went down. McCue did land some body shots on the ice though! His penalty wasn't the reason for the loss though.....
This is your signature? vci22
Never argue with idiots, they just drag you down to their level then beat you with experience.

[Bully73]

Robak's turn over at mid ice caused 1 goal. Cowan caused another, Boyle another. But the scouts are willing to forgive Robak's occasional gaffe, b/c of his ability to skate the puck out of trouble and the offensive potential he has...I think maybe we fans in Brandon have been a little to critical of Robak, at least that's the impression the scouts give me....
In addition to the turnover at mid ice, Robak also was soft on the puck in his own corner and didn't get the puck out of his own zone, which led to a bad goal.

I think the pinching d'man (can't remember who it was) was as much to blame as Cowan on the one goal. He was just lucky that Cowan happened to be covering for him, but unfortunately Cowan somehow tripped over the puck and fell.

I agree that the scouts will overlook the occassional gaffe, but lately Robak is making too many of these gaffes. I'm not trying to be too critical of Robak, because I love watching him play, and he is only 17 and is going to improve leaps and bounds still, but he has to get back to the basics and make sure he gets the puck away from danger, instead of trying to be too fancy. He will still get drafted high and deservedly so. I just want him to concentrate a little more on the defensive side.

[sbtatter]

Fahmahar? :thumb: Is that a combo of Farmanara and Stampohar. CLASSIC!
Funniest EVER!I was in a rush to go to work and didn't go to the WHL site to check the spelling. When i realize I don't know the spelling i put (sp) behind it, so people see that I know the spelling is incorrect.....Good to see there are some spelling champions on this board!!!!

[sbtatter]

This is your signature? vci22
Never argue with idiots, they just drag you down to their level then beat you with experience.
You set me up perfect to say "I choose not to argue with you!!!!!" But you're a good poster and interesting to read so i won't take that shot!!!

[sbtatter]

In addition to the turnover at mid ice, Robak also was soft on the puck in his own corner and didn't get the puck out of his own zone, which led to a bad goal.

I think the pinching d'man (can't remember who it was) was as much to blame as Cowan on the one goal. He was just lucky that Cowan happened to be covering for him, but unfortunately Cowan somehow tripped over the puck and fell.

I agree that the scouts will overlook the occassional gaffe, but lately Robak is making too many of these gaffes. I'm not trying to be too critical of Robak, because I love watching him play, and he is only 17 and is going to improve leaps and bounds still, but he has to get back to the basics and make sure he gets the puck away from danger, instead of trying to be too fancy. He will still get drafted high and deservedly so. I just want him to concentrate a little more on the defensive side.
You and I agree a lot here. I'm the guy shouting at Robak to take the body more and make the safer play in his own end. The scout beside me is loving it when he skates the puck out and makes a riskier pass that springs someone!
I think Robak's offensive play has really improved this year, and i love the way he skates the puck out of trouble. Now I ask him to take the body more consistently and sometimes make the easy, safe pass or chip out of his own zone!!
He's come a long way in one year though, imagine how good he'll be next season.....

[Vik]

Since I didn't see it answered, the knee was on Wacey Hamilton. I've rarely been as disgusted with a player on my team as I was on that play.

And I think you gotta give Cameron some credit for the fight with McCue. He gives up, what? Half a foot to McCue? And he still managed to get a couple decent shots in. McCue destroyed him, but that was pretty much expected based on the size advantage.

As for Robak, I really don't find his play in our zone with or without the puck all that impressive. In the opposition's zone he does some great things with it (including the two times he set up Dittmer with no goalie anywhere near him...by the way, how on Earth did Ditty miss that first one?). And it's a fan's job to be critical of our players isn't it? Support them when they're on the ice, bash them when they're off type of thing.

For Grill-Donovan not playing much, I'm not sure that's any more than lack of confidence from the coaches. He didn't seem to be too happy about having to watch the game.

And one last comment is to give some credit to Mikael Ahle'n who had a terrific game and deserved the first star nod.

[Section Ten]

Just updated on the WHL site, McCue got a one game suspension.