dondo
04-25-2009, 11:27 AM
with whlfans being down for so long I am going to have to try to find my old recaps and post them here-- bear with me -- hopefully I have them archived properly. Thanks HAF and Billy Blade for keeping the site and changing over to a better server -- yeah baby!
Crank up the way-back machine Mr Peabody!
D
Still boggles my mind that we were able to pull this one out. Chiefs are a very skilled very tough team and yet somehow we came out on top. The Rockets are not as good as the Chiefs imo, and their goaltending is very average, but lately we aren't taking advantage of that -- why? Giants need to win game 5, but if they don't will they come back and win two straight to take this one in seven as well? Stand-by.. hopefully my heart can take this --
__________________________________________________ _____________
Now that was a tight game, not much at all to separate these teams and tonight they played about a close as they could get. A 1-0 OT win. They don't come any closer in the playoffs. Despite tight checking game from both squads the level of hockey was excellent. Neither team, including their goalies were willing to give an inch.
This series was touted as a goaltending duel, but we didn't see the importance of that aspect of the game until games 4, 5, 6 and 7. Up 'til then no 'tender really stole a game for his team. They were solid, but not the "oh my god, did you see that" level of puck stopping.
Casey got a point and made a great smart pass to get an assists on the GWG, but he was still too floaty out there for my liking, coasting around the ice. He did lay the body a bit and skate without the puck better, but when he put on a skill display cutting around two D-men on his way to the side of the net, I have to wonder why we don't see that kind of play--or at least the attempt from him more often. Casey is going to need to be a more prevalent factor in the Kelowna series.
Wright had another good game and looks to be finding some chemistry with Kane. I'm hoping that line stays together from here on out.
Oh and YEEEEE-freaking HOOO!!!!! :D
-- so nice to get that win, wow! The feeling right now is fantastic. Giants win their very first Game 7 at home. Well done boys a great game. Thanks to the Chiefs for bringing such great hockey and pushing us right to the wall to take the series. Hopefully the boys have learned something about hunger and the need to win.
Here's how I saw it from the corner:
Rnd 2 Game 7
Giants Oust Chiefs
Vancouver 1 Spokane 0 OT
Don Robinson
Holy Crap! It really couldn’t have been a more closely played Game 7. Both teams brought their A defensive game, thwarting chance after chance for the other guy. The teams checked close and fairly hard and were willing to race back on the back-check to make sure they at least got a piece of the other player. It was also a remarkably fast game for such a closely battled contest. Both goaltenders were rock solid turning away good and just a few great chances as their players made sure the opposing skaters didn’t get a really good sniff at an open net or a loose puck in scoring position. There were a few close calls, but the netminders were ready and in position all night long. It took a tipped puck in front of Tokarski for the Giants to advance to the third round and banish the Chiefs from the playoffs. To be honest either team could have won that game and Tyson Sexsmith made three really good stops late in the game from point blank range to preserve the goose-egg. The Chiefs are an excellent team who are well-coached, motivated and responsible. They don’t give up on plays or on the puck and have a strong team mentality which carries them through. Not one of them have anything to be ashamed of in this series.
When the game started no-one on the ice or in the stands could have predicted how it would end up, but it was great ride regardless. This game goes to show that when you have two motivated teams that you can have entertaining hockey even if the red lamp isn’t being over-worked. Once again the refs put their whistles in their pockets for the majority of the game and once again it was good and bad. Part of me likes to see the boys being allowed to play and there weren’t too many gross infractions to call, but when there is a real penalty that kills a scoring chance or an opportunity for one, then the call must be made. That didn’t always happen. No fisticuffs in this one, but both teams laid the body well and checked incredibly well. Garry Nunn ended up scoring the GWG and the only goal of the game off of a smart play by Casey Pierro-Zabotel, who came into the zone, made a pass to Nick Ross who blasted a hard low shot which was tipped in front of the net by Nunn.
The Giants went 0 for 1 on the PP, while the Chiefs were 0 for 3. The home team out shot the visitors 42-29. I don’t know if I could say they soundly out-chanced them though. Dustin Tokarski made a couple of beauty saves, one off the very tip of his toe to turn away a great Evander Kane opportunity. He and Tyson both had quick gloves tonight snapping pucks destined for the top corner out of the air with misleading ease. Casey despite getting a point was a bit better in this game, but nowhere near the level he played in the regular season. He still needs to step it up, big time. He was on a line with Piluso and Gallagher (Nunn later on) tonight and started the game. James Wright and Kane looked really good together with either Nunn or Cunningham on the right side. The D men were very solid to a man and laid the body when needed. It was one of those text-book games with a bit of intensity by both teams, but one had to win and one had to lose and in this game it was Spokane who were eliminated.
The Giants next opponent will be the Kelowna Rockets, a team they dominated early in the season but struggled to beat in the final month of regular season play. The G-Men dropped three straight to the Rockets after beating them 5 times in a row. The Rockets made a few good trades at the deadline to acquire a better starting goalie, some big depth and were able to bring Calgary draft pick, Swedish sniper Mikael Backlund, into the fold. The Rockets eliminated the Tri-City Americans in 6 games after the two teams both won their first two home games. The Rockets took game 5 in Kennewick before taking game 6 at home. The Giants will be up against a very large, fairly mobile team and will have to give as good as they get in the physical department. The Giants did not have Lance Bouma or Mike Piluso, two intense players, in their line-up when they played the Rockets and Bouma is one of those players that gives the whole team a lift with his tenacity and physical play. It will not be an easy series, but the Rockets won’t be pushing the Giants around like they did in March. This will be battle for both teams as the Rockets D will have a tough time contending with the depth offense the Giants carry throughout their line-up. Game one takes place in Vancouver at the Coliseum on Saturday, April 18th. The puck drops for Round 3 at 7pm PDT and it’s going to be a good one.
Three Stars
1) Dustin Tokarski
2) Tyson Sexsmith
3) Garry Nunn
Crank up the way-back machine Mr Peabody!
D
Still boggles my mind that we were able to pull this one out. Chiefs are a very skilled very tough team and yet somehow we came out on top. The Rockets are not as good as the Chiefs imo, and their goaltending is very average, but lately we aren't taking advantage of that -- why? Giants need to win game 5, but if they don't will they come back and win two straight to take this one in seven as well? Stand-by.. hopefully my heart can take this --
__________________________________________________ _____________
Now that was a tight game, not much at all to separate these teams and tonight they played about a close as they could get. A 1-0 OT win. They don't come any closer in the playoffs. Despite tight checking game from both squads the level of hockey was excellent. Neither team, including their goalies were willing to give an inch.
This series was touted as a goaltending duel, but we didn't see the importance of that aspect of the game until games 4, 5, 6 and 7. Up 'til then no 'tender really stole a game for his team. They were solid, but not the "oh my god, did you see that" level of puck stopping.
Casey got a point and made a great smart pass to get an assists on the GWG, but he was still too floaty out there for my liking, coasting around the ice. He did lay the body a bit and skate without the puck better, but when he put on a skill display cutting around two D-men on his way to the side of the net, I have to wonder why we don't see that kind of play--or at least the attempt from him more often. Casey is going to need to be a more prevalent factor in the Kelowna series.
Wright had another good game and looks to be finding some chemistry with Kane. I'm hoping that line stays together from here on out.
Oh and YEEEEE-freaking HOOO!!!!! :D
-- so nice to get that win, wow! The feeling right now is fantastic. Giants win their very first Game 7 at home. Well done boys a great game. Thanks to the Chiefs for bringing such great hockey and pushing us right to the wall to take the series. Hopefully the boys have learned something about hunger and the need to win.
Here's how I saw it from the corner:
Rnd 2 Game 7
Giants Oust Chiefs
Vancouver 1 Spokane 0 OT
Don Robinson
Holy Crap! It really couldn’t have been a more closely played Game 7. Both teams brought their A defensive game, thwarting chance after chance for the other guy. The teams checked close and fairly hard and were willing to race back on the back-check to make sure they at least got a piece of the other player. It was also a remarkably fast game for such a closely battled contest. Both goaltenders were rock solid turning away good and just a few great chances as their players made sure the opposing skaters didn’t get a really good sniff at an open net or a loose puck in scoring position. There were a few close calls, but the netminders were ready and in position all night long. It took a tipped puck in front of Tokarski for the Giants to advance to the third round and banish the Chiefs from the playoffs. To be honest either team could have won that game and Tyson Sexsmith made three really good stops late in the game from point blank range to preserve the goose-egg. The Chiefs are an excellent team who are well-coached, motivated and responsible. They don’t give up on plays or on the puck and have a strong team mentality which carries them through. Not one of them have anything to be ashamed of in this series.
When the game started no-one on the ice or in the stands could have predicted how it would end up, but it was great ride regardless. This game goes to show that when you have two motivated teams that you can have entertaining hockey even if the red lamp isn’t being over-worked. Once again the refs put their whistles in their pockets for the majority of the game and once again it was good and bad. Part of me likes to see the boys being allowed to play and there weren’t too many gross infractions to call, but when there is a real penalty that kills a scoring chance or an opportunity for one, then the call must be made. That didn’t always happen. No fisticuffs in this one, but both teams laid the body well and checked incredibly well. Garry Nunn ended up scoring the GWG and the only goal of the game off of a smart play by Casey Pierro-Zabotel, who came into the zone, made a pass to Nick Ross who blasted a hard low shot which was tipped in front of the net by Nunn.
The Giants went 0 for 1 on the PP, while the Chiefs were 0 for 3. The home team out shot the visitors 42-29. I don’t know if I could say they soundly out-chanced them though. Dustin Tokarski made a couple of beauty saves, one off the very tip of his toe to turn away a great Evander Kane opportunity. He and Tyson both had quick gloves tonight snapping pucks destined for the top corner out of the air with misleading ease. Casey despite getting a point was a bit better in this game, but nowhere near the level he played in the regular season. He still needs to step it up, big time. He was on a line with Piluso and Gallagher (Nunn later on) tonight and started the game. James Wright and Kane looked really good together with either Nunn or Cunningham on the right side. The D men were very solid to a man and laid the body when needed. It was one of those text-book games with a bit of intensity by both teams, but one had to win and one had to lose and in this game it was Spokane who were eliminated.
The Giants next opponent will be the Kelowna Rockets, a team they dominated early in the season but struggled to beat in the final month of regular season play. The G-Men dropped three straight to the Rockets after beating them 5 times in a row. The Rockets made a few good trades at the deadline to acquire a better starting goalie, some big depth and were able to bring Calgary draft pick, Swedish sniper Mikael Backlund, into the fold. The Rockets eliminated the Tri-City Americans in 6 games after the two teams both won their first two home games. The Rockets took game 5 in Kennewick before taking game 6 at home. The Giants will be up against a very large, fairly mobile team and will have to give as good as they get in the physical department. The Giants did not have Lance Bouma or Mike Piluso, two intense players, in their line-up when they played the Rockets and Bouma is one of those players that gives the whole team a lift with his tenacity and physical play. It will not be an easy series, but the Rockets won’t be pushing the Giants around like they did in March. This will be battle for both teams as the Rockets D will have a tough time contending with the depth offense the Giants carry throughout their line-up. Game one takes place in Vancouver at the Coliseum on Saturday, April 18th. The puck drops for Round 3 at 7pm PDT and it’s going to be a good one.
Three Stars
1) Dustin Tokarski
2) Tyson Sexsmith
3) Garry Nunn