dondo
09-18-2009, 01:49 AM
Wow what a game to start the season. Despite the new crappy fighting rules the game managed to be physical and intense. It almost felt like a game transplanted from last years playoffs between these two teams. It was crazy, back and forth game with Stepan Novotny stepping up his game. Lance Bouma is going to be fun to watch and if Craig Cunningham doesn't notch 35+ goals this season I'll be surprised, where-ever the puck was so were these two players, driving the net when they made a lane.
Giants Juice Rockets
Vancouver 6 Kelowna 5 OT
Don Robinson
The Giants and Rockets did not pull any punches coming out of the gate ready to play at a playoff level, continuing their intensity from last season. Nobody would call tonight a goaltending clinic by any stretch but it was an entertaining evening all the same. It also appears as if this rivalry is alive and well as the teams continue to have a healthy hate for one another. The refs were inconsistent at best, but the boys on both sides of the puck managed to weather their calls, rising above them to put on a great show for the fans. The game was a back and forth affair with the Rockets going up by two on their first two shots of the game, despite the Giants out-working them in the corners and getting more rubber on the net. The Giants would get those two back and add one more to take the lead in the second. The Rockets clawed back scoring two in a row. The Giants scored two more in the third taking advantage of some cheap play on the Rockets, scoring their third PP goal of the game before taking the lead with another tally early in the third. The Rockets tied the game up just past the mid-mark and the teams went to OT. Just prior to OT, the Giants took a sloppy penalty with 7 secs left in regulation. The Rockets pressed in OT, but it was the Giants who would get not one, but two shorthanded (while playing 4 on 3) breakaways. On the second chance, a penalty shot was awarded to Craig Cunningham who was hooked going to the net. Cunningham went in deked and went back-hand scoring a shorty in OT, giving his team the two points.
Stepan Novotny had a five point night for the Rockets notching four goals and one assist. He was flying at all ends of the ice and was clearly the Rockets best player. The Giants looked to have control of the play early on when Novotny got an inside line and cut down the right side rifling the puck far-side top corner on Tucker who failed to come out to challenge. A few minutes later Novotny repeated that act from the other side of the ice. This time Kevin Connauton cut off the passing lane leaving the shooter to Jamie Tucker. Tucker was better coming out to challenge the shooter, but Novotny picked the top corner, far-side with a wickedly quick wrister. Connauton got the Giants only goal of the period on the PP, sliding into the slot and blasting one through Adam Brown.
The Giants continued their good work in the corners in the second, keeping the pressure on the Rockets and the puck in the zone. Cunningham, who had four point night with a goal and three assists, wheeled in the slot and fired a snap shot waist high at the net. JT Barnett a 17 year old who only had one goal last season, scored his first of two on the night from the doorstep, picking the puck out of the air and deflecting it past Brown for a PP tally. Lance Bouma who driving the net all night long scored a cheeky goal slipping a backhand along the ice past Brown’s pad, putting the Giants up by one with three unanswered tallies. The Rockets would answer though as they knocked the puck out the air with a high stick, but the puck went off a Giants player before drifting to Novotny who fed Mitch Callahan driving the net, muscling the puck past Tucker. The Rockets took the lead back as Novotny notched his hat-trick on the PP, ripping a puck from the low slot through Tucker.
Barnett got that one back early in the third as the Giants capitalised on a too-many men penalty on the Rockets. Barnett went hard to the net slipping the puck five-hole on Brown who lifted his stick as he slid across the crease. Barnett rocked a player in neutral zone and Lucas Bloodoff seemed to think it was dirty and immediately began to throw rights and continued to do so when Barnett was down on the ice, cutting JT’s nose badly. I have to wonder why it wasn’t an instigator as Bloodoff was clearly the instigator and that’s the whole reason the penalty was created in the first place. Now I don’t agree with the instigator, but if its on the books you gotta call it – especially an example that blatant. The fight did what Bloodoff was hoping though and got the Rockets battling to the net. Nolan Toigo wears the goat horns for a simply awful blind backhand pass into his own slot, pretty much the worst move a defenseman can make. The puck alighted perfectly on - guess who’s - stick. Yup. Novotny and he cut down the slot flipping a backhand toward the crease which went in off of Ryan Funk and behind Tucker. With the game tied the boys battled to OT, earning a point for each of their squads. With seconds left in regulation the Giants took a lazy checking from behind penalty putting themselves down 4 on 3 in OT.
Craig Cunningham was monster in the OT killing the penalty, picking off passes and throwing the puck down the ice. Brendan Gallagher cut off of a Rocket pass in the neutral zone going in on Brown on a semi-breakaway. He was taken down by a stick in his skates that looked not to hit the puck before tripping him and should have been a penalty if not a penalty shot. However justice was served as the next shift Cunningham got to a loose puck in the slot and had his hands hooked from behind as he drove the net. The ref immediately called for a penalty shot. Cunningham went in slow deked to the right and flipped a back-hand over Brown getting his team two points.
The Giants held the Rockets to three shots in the first period, but were down 2-1 by the end of the period. The Giants out-shot the Rockets 40-29, notching double digits in each frame. The G-Men went 3 for 6 on the PP, while holding the Rockets to 1 for 3. The Rockets though intense were fairly undisciplined and could have had a few more penalties called on them. Ryan Huska had them playing great tight-checking hockey though and it was only the tenacity of the Giants which kept the home team from getting the win.
The Giants have a day off before taking on the Everett Silvertips in the home opener on Saturday. The Tips are hoping to be a better team than they were last season and challenge for the US division which will be tough as both the Americans and the Chiefs still have some formidable line-ups. The Giants rookies had a tough time at times tonight, but did not for the most part did not lack effort or look out of place in the Giants uniform. A few of the boys are on my early whipping boy list and we’ll see how they do as the season progresses. Tucker had a pretty ugly night, but managed to make some pretty good stops later on. Giants fans are going to have to get used to Tucker’s battling style as opposed to the calm cool fundamental excellence that Tyson Sexsmith brought to the rink, few goalies are that technically sound and Tucker will make up for it with his intensity and battle. It should make for some interesting games, but if the Giants continue to find scoring they should be able to weather that particular storm. There will be growing pains, but the boys are all drinking Don’s Kool-Aid and putting the effort out on the ice, which is how teams forge chemistry.
Three Stars (the WHL site does not have three stars posted so I will give you mine)
1. Stepan Novotny
2. Craig Cunningham
3. Kevin Connauton
Giants Juice Rockets
Vancouver 6 Kelowna 5 OT
Don Robinson
The Giants and Rockets did not pull any punches coming out of the gate ready to play at a playoff level, continuing their intensity from last season. Nobody would call tonight a goaltending clinic by any stretch but it was an entertaining evening all the same. It also appears as if this rivalry is alive and well as the teams continue to have a healthy hate for one another. The refs were inconsistent at best, but the boys on both sides of the puck managed to weather their calls, rising above them to put on a great show for the fans. The game was a back and forth affair with the Rockets going up by two on their first two shots of the game, despite the Giants out-working them in the corners and getting more rubber on the net. The Giants would get those two back and add one more to take the lead in the second. The Rockets clawed back scoring two in a row. The Giants scored two more in the third taking advantage of some cheap play on the Rockets, scoring their third PP goal of the game before taking the lead with another tally early in the third. The Rockets tied the game up just past the mid-mark and the teams went to OT. Just prior to OT, the Giants took a sloppy penalty with 7 secs left in regulation. The Rockets pressed in OT, but it was the Giants who would get not one, but two shorthanded (while playing 4 on 3) breakaways. On the second chance, a penalty shot was awarded to Craig Cunningham who was hooked going to the net. Cunningham went in deked and went back-hand scoring a shorty in OT, giving his team the two points.
Stepan Novotny had a five point night for the Rockets notching four goals and one assist. He was flying at all ends of the ice and was clearly the Rockets best player. The Giants looked to have control of the play early on when Novotny got an inside line and cut down the right side rifling the puck far-side top corner on Tucker who failed to come out to challenge. A few minutes later Novotny repeated that act from the other side of the ice. This time Kevin Connauton cut off the passing lane leaving the shooter to Jamie Tucker. Tucker was better coming out to challenge the shooter, but Novotny picked the top corner, far-side with a wickedly quick wrister. Connauton got the Giants only goal of the period on the PP, sliding into the slot and blasting one through Adam Brown.
The Giants continued their good work in the corners in the second, keeping the pressure on the Rockets and the puck in the zone. Cunningham, who had four point night with a goal and three assists, wheeled in the slot and fired a snap shot waist high at the net. JT Barnett a 17 year old who only had one goal last season, scored his first of two on the night from the doorstep, picking the puck out of the air and deflecting it past Brown for a PP tally. Lance Bouma who driving the net all night long scored a cheeky goal slipping a backhand along the ice past Brown’s pad, putting the Giants up by one with three unanswered tallies. The Rockets would answer though as they knocked the puck out the air with a high stick, but the puck went off a Giants player before drifting to Novotny who fed Mitch Callahan driving the net, muscling the puck past Tucker. The Rockets took the lead back as Novotny notched his hat-trick on the PP, ripping a puck from the low slot through Tucker.
Barnett got that one back early in the third as the Giants capitalised on a too-many men penalty on the Rockets. Barnett went hard to the net slipping the puck five-hole on Brown who lifted his stick as he slid across the crease. Barnett rocked a player in neutral zone and Lucas Bloodoff seemed to think it was dirty and immediately began to throw rights and continued to do so when Barnett was down on the ice, cutting JT’s nose badly. I have to wonder why it wasn’t an instigator as Bloodoff was clearly the instigator and that’s the whole reason the penalty was created in the first place. Now I don’t agree with the instigator, but if its on the books you gotta call it – especially an example that blatant. The fight did what Bloodoff was hoping though and got the Rockets battling to the net. Nolan Toigo wears the goat horns for a simply awful blind backhand pass into his own slot, pretty much the worst move a defenseman can make. The puck alighted perfectly on - guess who’s - stick. Yup. Novotny and he cut down the slot flipping a backhand toward the crease which went in off of Ryan Funk and behind Tucker. With the game tied the boys battled to OT, earning a point for each of their squads. With seconds left in regulation the Giants took a lazy checking from behind penalty putting themselves down 4 on 3 in OT.
Craig Cunningham was monster in the OT killing the penalty, picking off passes and throwing the puck down the ice. Brendan Gallagher cut off of a Rocket pass in the neutral zone going in on Brown on a semi-breakaway. He was taken down by a stick in his skates that looked not to hit the puck before tripping him and should have been a penalty if not a penalty shot. However justice was served as the next shift Cunningham got to a loose puck in the slot and had his hands hooked from behind as he drove the net. The ref immediately called for a penalty shot. Cunningham went in slow deked to the right and flipped a back-hand over Brown getting his team two points.
The Giants held the Rockets to three shots in the first period, but were down 2-1 by the end of the period. The Giants out-shot the Rockets 40-29, notching double digits in each frame. The G-Men went 3 for 6 on the PP, while holding the Rockets to 1 for 3. The Rockets though intense were fairly undisciplined and could have had a few more penalties called on them. Ryan Huska had them playing great tight-checking hockey though and it was only the tenacity of the Giants which kept the home team from getting the win.
The Giants have a day off before taking on the Everett Silvertips in the home opener on Saturday. The Tips are hoping to be a better team than they were last season and challenge for the US division which will be tough as both the Americans and the Chiefs still have some formidable line-ups. The Giants rookies had a tough time at times tonight, but did not for the most part did not lack effort or look out of place in the Giants uniform. A few of the boys are on my early whipping boy list and we’ll see how they do as the season progresses. Tucker had a pretty ugly night, but managed to make some pretty good stops later on. Giants fans are going to have to get used to Tucker’s battling style as opposed to the calm cool fundamental excellence that Tyson Sexsmith brought to the rink, few goalies are that technically sound and Tucker will make up for it with his intensity and battle. It should make for some interesting games, but if the Giants continue to find scoring they should be able to weather that particular storm. There will be growing pains, but the boys are all drinking Don’s Kool-Aid and putting the effort out on the ice, which is how teams forge chemistry.
Three Stars (the WHL site does not have three stars posted so I will give you mine)
1. Stepan Novotny
2. Craig Cunningham
3. Kevin Connauton