dondo
02-21-2010, 11:21 AM
The Giants did not do especially well on their special teams in this one, allowing a SH goal for the tying marker, while failing to score on the PP and a PP marker to open the scoring for the Raiders. The G's battled well in a wide open game, with lots of shots on both sides of the puck, but failed to hold on to their lead in the dying minutes. Its a battle they have fought all season, letting games well in hand slip away. This game was the lesser version of that tendency, but if they hope to climb the standings they need to lock down those kinds of wins and keep them there until they are the only ones coming away with the two points.
Raiders Spear Giants
Vancouver 2 Prince Albert 3 OT
Don Robinson
Jamie Tucker got the best of his former team; turning away 29 of 31 to give his team a chance to win in OT. The Giants netminder was a bit busier, but gave up a late tying goal when his team had the man-advantage. If he could only bear down and make those saves consistently he could be elite, but for now he’s just very solid with the potential to grow into a better goalie. The teams played to a scoreless first. It was the home squad who got the first goal of the game early in the second on the PP. The visitors replied with two, one in the second and one in third to take the lead down the home stretch. A late SH goal by PA, tied the game as the Giants failed to put the hammer down when they could have. The Raiders scored one in OT to take the win and the extra point.
The Giants gave the Raiders a bit of momentum in the first, taking a couple of penalties, but kept the home squad off of the score-sheet in the opening frame. The Raiders finally got their PP to click early in the second. Igor Revenko bulged the twine at 2:19 of the middle stanza. Brendan Gallagher got that one back less than two minutes later, off of great set-up by Nathan Burns and Craig Cunningham. Cunningham continues to put up the points, keeping in the thick of scoring race for the league. Goals were not easy to come by in this one and the Giants didn’t make it any easier on themselves by squandering PP chances. Gallagher scored again just past the mid-point mark of the final frame. Cunningham and Neil Manning got the assists on this one. The Giants finally had the game in hand, when a poor play while on the PP sprung loose McCallum, who fed it up to Ryan Button. Button took it in and scored the tying marker. The Raiders put more pressure on in OT and broke the deadlock with a game winning marker from Button, for his second point of the game and first star honours.
Both teams peppered the nets with shots, but it was the Raiders who fired more rubber out-shooting the G’s 43-31 on the night. The Giants after having three 100% nights in a row on the PP (2/2, 3/3, 2/2) failed to find the net with 6 man-advantage opportunities. The Raiders got 1 of 6 and a short-handed marker to turn the tide of the game. Special teams were not the Giants friend in this one. They squandered a hard won late lead, allowing a marker with some sloppy play when they should have been getting the goal and paid the price of a point. The Raiders showed up ready to play in this one and Tucker had something to prove, but got a bit carried away flopping like a just landed fish every time a player got even close. Its not like he’s not known for this kind of acting and maybe should be getting the dive call a bit more to stem those tendencies.
The Giants have a couple of days off to regroup before continuing their Eastern Conference road swing, playing 4 in 5 nights against some challenging squads. They will need to be at their best taking on Brandon on Tuesday. The Giants ended their four game win streak and now start the count again versus the Wheatkings. The G’s have points in their last 8 straight though and have been playing a much better team game as of late. The puck drops in Brandon at 7pm local time (CST). 5pm PST.
Three Stars
1. Ryan Button
2. Brendan Gallagher
3. Brandon Herrod
Raiders Spear Giants
Vancouver 2 Prince Albert 3 OT
Don Robinson
Jamie Tucker got the best of his former team; turning away 29 of 31 to give his team a chance to win in OT. The Giants netminder was a bit busier, but gave up a late tying goal when his team had the man-advantage. If he could only bear down and make those saves consistently he could be elite, but for now he’s just very solid with the potential to grow into a better goalie. The teams played to a scoreless first. It was the home squad who got the first goal of the game early in the second on the PP. The visitors replied with two, one in the second and one in third to take the lead down the home stretch. A late SH goal by PA, tied the game as the Giants failed to put the hammer down when they could have. The Raiders scored one in OT to take the win and the extra point.
The Giants gave the Raiders a bit of momentum in the first, taking a couple of penalties, but kept the home squad off of the score-sheet in the opening frame. The Raiders finally got their PP to click early in the second. Igor Revenko bulged the twine at 2:19 of the middle stanza. Brendan Gallagher got that one back less than two minutes later, off of great set-up by Nathan Burns and Craig Cunningham. Cunningham continues to put up the points, keeping in the thick of scoring race for the league. Goals were not easy to come by in this one and the Giants didn’t make it any easier on themselves by squandering PP chances. Gallagher scored again just past the mid-point mark of the final frame. Cunningham and Neil Manning got the assists on this one. The Giants finally had the game in hand, when a poor play while on the PP sprung loose McCallum, who fed it up to Ryan Button. Button took it in and scored the tying marker. The Raiders put more pressure on in OT and broke the deadlock with a game winning marker from Button, for his second point of the game and first star honours.
Both teams peppered the nets with shots, but it was the Raiders who fired more rubber out-shooting the G’s 43-31 on the night. The Giants after having three 100% nights in a row on the PP (2/2, 3/3, 2/2) failed to find the net with 6 man-advantage opportunities. The Raiders got 1 of 6 and a short-handed marker to turn the tide of the game. Special teams were not the Giants friend in this one. They squandered a hard won late lead, allowing a marker with some sloppy play when they should have been getting the goal and paid the price of a point. The Raiders showed up ready to play in this one and Tucker had something to prove, but got a bit carried away flopping like a just landed fish every time a player got even close. Its not like he’s not known for this kind of acting and maybe should be getting the dive call a bit more to stem those tendencies.
The Giants have a couple of days off to regroup before continuing their Eastern Conference road swing, playing 4 in 5 nights against some challenging squads. They will need to be at their best taking on Brandon on Tuesday. The Giants ended their four game win streak and now start the count again versus the Wheatkings. The G’s have points in their last 8 straight though and have been playing a much better team game as of late. The puck drops in Brandon at 7pm local time (CST). 5pm PST.
Three Stars
1. Ryan Button
2. Brendan Gallagher
3. Brandon Herrod