dondo
10-11-2009, 01:11 AM
a better overall outing by the G's that was almost ruined by their breakdown in the third. They were fortunate to get the win, but unlike last night they did enough to earn the victory, but just barely. I saw a bit more for some of the peripheral performers that I liked. The fourth line crew of Spooner (playing forward), Lamoureaux and especially Burns had limited ice-time, but some good shifts in the offensive end of the ice. One time in my corner I watched Henry avoid three separate checks ducking out the way, while maintaining possession of the puck -- if everyone could bring that kind of game the Giants would be a far more intense threat.
Giants Shave Tigers
Vancouver 5 Medicine Hat 4
Don Robinson
The Tigers and Giants have a bit of a history as franchises involving Western Finals and Memorial Cups, but most of tonight’s crews were not even around when all that took place. The Tigers brought a fairly veteran group to the arena with the possible exception of their goaltending duo. The Giants are still lacking a couple of veteran performers they might not get back from the NHL and are boasting a very young team with three 16’s and several 17’s in their line-up. As a result the game was closer than it should have been as the teams split the first and then the home squad opened it up in the second, scoring three unanswered goals. The Tigers battled back in the third and the home team slipped, allowing the visitors to tie the game with minutes left in the game. The Giants were fortunate to get a late goal from the point to get the win in regulation, but they made it hard on themselves, deserting their goalie with a lot of standing around and missed assignments.
The Tigers opened the scoring short-handed off of a lazy linesman who couldn’t get out of the way and killed a clearing attempt right onto a Tigers stick, giving them a virtually uncontested breakaway. The boys from Medicine Hat came in two on one and buried the puck behind Jamie Tucker with a nice cross-crease pass the Giants ‘tender had no chance on. Cass Mappin found some offensive skill tonight going to the front of the net and putting home a nice pass by James Henry from behind the Tigers net. JT Barnett got the other helper.
Brendan Gallagher took off in the second scoring just 46 seconds into the middle frame. Lance Bouma fed a streaking Gallagher to put the puck behind Deven Dubyk. Gally would pad his stats later on the PP, when Craig Cunningham would feed him from the slot at the side of the net and Gallagher would put the puck in short side, scoring his second of the night and third of the current campaign. Neil Manning scored the Giants third goal of the period, with an end to end rush resulting in a nice goal far-side on Dubyk. That was the end of Dubyk. In came Tyler Bunz.
The third was a whole different game as the Tigers brought a better game and the Giants allowed them clear open ice in which to work, combine the lop-sided and sloppy officiating and the Giants were in a dog-fight through the final frame. Tucker really can’t be blamed on any of the goals tonight as they all involved him having to make a big cross-crease moves to try and get the stop. The Giants broke down positionally, got caught jumbled along the boards leaving players wide-open with time to settle the puck and rip it home. It was pretty sad and part of this season’s growing pains we as fans are currently experiencing. Tristan King had two pretty similar goals in the period, coming down the left side wide-open getting a pass from near the side-boards and having loads of time to put the puck home. Matt MacKay got the other marker for the visitors. With the game tied the Giants had some pressure in the Tigers end of the ice. Barnett flipped the puck back to Kevin Connauton on the left point. Connauton flipped a hard wrister far-side up high to break the deadlock and give back the Giants the lead. A late flurry by the Tigers with the goalie pulled almost tied it again, but Tucker was able to keep it out for the win.
For the second night in a row the Giants allowed themselves to be out shot by the visitors 34-33, not by a great margin, but the Giants will usually outshoot their opponents by ten or more shots most nights. The G’s special teams were a bit better, if you ignore the SH anomaly that came more from bad luck than bad positioning, going 1 for 4 on the PP and holding the Tigers to 0 for 3. Tucker seemed to stay on his feet more in this game as the Giants goaltending coach seems to have him working on not dropping so quickly. It will be a bit before he can change some of his old habits, but he did a good job keeping his feet tonight. Gallagher had one of those break-out nights where he was all over the ice creating lots of chances and driving bodies with no fear. There were a lot of good things tonight, but the Giants were fortunate to have some of their goals find the twine as Dubyk was not horrible, but not great either. Their collapse in the third was a bit disappointing after playing such a solid game for the other two periods.
The Giants have a brief respite on Sunday to consume turkey and maybe get in a bit of practice before heading up the valley to take on the Chilliwack Bruins in their traditional Thanksgiving Monday tilt. The game is an afternoon game and the puck drops at 2pm in Chilliwack. The Bruins are a better team this year, with an new experienced coach and a line-up that looks to be playing more cohesively than in the past.
Three Stars
1. Brendan Gallagher
2. Tristan King
3. Neil Manning
Giants Shave Tigers
Vancouver 5 Medicine Hat 4
Don Robinson
The Tigers and Giants have a bit of a history as franchises involving Western Finals and Memorial Cups, but most of tonight’s crews were not even around when all that took place. The Tigers brought a fairly veteran group to the arena with the possible exception of their goaltending duo. The Giants are still lacking a couple of veteran performers they might not get back from the NHL and are boasting a very young team with three 16’s and several 17’s in their line-up. As a result the game was closer than it should have been as the teams split the first and then the home squad opened it up in the second, scoring three unanswered goals. The Tigers battled back in the third and the home team slipped, allowing the visitors to tie the game with minutes left in the game. The Giants were fortunate to get a late goal from the point to get the win in regulation, but they made it hard on themselves, deserting their goalie with a lot of standing around and missed assignments.
The Tigers opened the scoring short-handed off of a lazy linesman who couldn’t get out of the way and killed a clearing attempt right onto a Tigers stick, giving them a virtually uncontested breakaway. The boys from Medicine Hat came in two on one and buried the puck behind Jamie Tucker with a nice cross-crease pass the Giants ‘tender had no chance on. Cass Mappin found some offensive skill tonight going to the front of the net and putting home a nice pass by James Henry from behind the Tigers net. JT Barnett got the other helper.
Brendan Gallagher took off in the second scoring just 46 seconds into the middle frame. Lance Bouma fed a streaking Gallagher to put the puck behind Deven Dubyk. Gally would pad his stats later on the PP, when Craig Cunningham would feed him from the slot at the side of the net and Gallagher would put the puck in short side, scoring his second of the night and third of the current campaign. Neil Manning scored the Giants third goal of the period, with an end to end rush resulting in a nice goal far-side on Dubyk. That was the end of Dubyk. In came Tyler Bunz.
The third was a whole different game as the Tigers brought a better game and the Giants allowed them clear open ice in which to work, combine the lop-sided and sloppy officiating and the Giants were in a dog-fight through the final frame. Tucker really can’t be blamed on any of the goals tonight as they all involved him having to make a big cross-crease moves to try and get the stop. The Giants broke down positionally, got caught jumbled along the boards leaving players wide-open with time to settle the puck and rip it home. It was pretty sad and part of this season’s growing pains we as fans are currently experiencing. Tristan King had two pretty similar goals in the period, coming down the left side wide-open getting a pass from near the side-boards and having loads of time to put the puck home. Matt MacKay got the other marker for the visitors. With the game tied the Giants had some pressure in the Tigers end of the ice. Barnett flipped the puck back to Kevin Connauton on the left point. Connauton flipped a hard wrister far-side up high to break the deadlock and give back the Giants the lead. A late flurry by the Tigers with the goalie pulled almost tied it again, but Tucker was able to keep it out for the win.
For the second night in a row the Giants allowed themselves to be out shot by the visitors 34-33, not by a great margin, but the Giants will usually outshoot their opponents by ten or more shots most nights. The G’s special teams were a bit better, if you ignore the SH anomaly that came more from bad luck than bad positioning, going 1 for 4 on the PP and holding the Tigers to 0 for 3. Tucker seemed to stay on his feet more in this game as the Giants goaltending coach seems to have him working on not dropping so quickly. It will be a bit before he can change some of his old habits, but he did a good job keeping his feet tonight. Gallagher had one of those break-out nights where he was all over the ice creating lots of chances and driving bodies with no fear. There were a lot of good things tonight, but the Giants were fortunate to have some of their goals find the twine as Dubyk was not horrible, but not great either. Their collapse in the third was a bit disappointing after playing such a solid game for the other two periods.
The Giants have a brief respite on Sunday to consume turkey and maybe get in a bit of practice before heading up the valley to take on the Chilliwack Bruins in their traditional Thanksgiving Monday tilt. The game is an afternoon game and the puck drops at 2pm in Chilliwack. The Bruins are a better team this year, with an new experienced coach and a line-up that looks to be playing more cohesively than in the past.
Three Stars
1. Brendan Gallagher
2. Tristan King
3. Neil Manning