dondo
10-23-2010, 01:04 AM
Giants Grind Wheaties
Vancouver 5 Brandon 2
Good game tonight - the Giants played some solid hockey with Nathan Burns and Brett Lyon back in the line-up. Brendan Jensen played a very solid game as well allowing a couple of goals (with one he might want back), but had a few clutch stops, one of which should make the WHL plays of the week. The concern is still, as Don Hay said in the post-game show, that the Wheat Kings were never out of it and the Giants although did a good job staying out of the box for the most of the game, they still took too many penalties late. Hay was noting that theses penalties tend to kill team momentum and he boys have to be better at staying out the box.
The officiating was excellent tonight. They let the boys play and allowed small stuff that did not affect the flow of the play to go by, while making sure that those things that did give one team an advantage was called. It was so easy that it makes me wonder why it can’t be this way most nights. The problem was that by the late second and into the third it was the Giants taking all the penalties and they weren’t questionable.
Jordan Martinook opened the scoring for the G’s with a beauty, tipping a Musil shot past Liam Liston from the high slot. The first was gritty period, with neither team really giving an inch. It was end to end, but with decent forays in the offensive zones. The G’s had the flow of play advantage in the frame. Brendan Gallagher scored early in the second, finding a loose puck off a goalmouth scramble as he tends to do. Musil found the back of the net from the point for another one, but I swear that Dalton Sward tipped it in the slot past Liston. The Giants thought so too as Sward lead the procession down the ice. At least Dalton got an assist on the play. The Wheat Kings slipped one short side from a bad angle late in the second to break Jensen’s bid for a goose-egg. Gallagher scored his second in the final frame off of a loose puck in the blue ice, Nathan Burns held it in, got it toward the net, Cunningham got the shot and Gallagher pocketed the rebound. Brandon whipped a wicked shot coming in off the right side picking top corner far side on Jensen. Michael Burns added an empty netter to put the game away.
The line of Martinook, Lamoureux and Michael Burns played a great first period, but then seemed to disappear as their intensity dropped off and they were not focused the way the were in the opening frame grinding it out. Don Hay said in the post game that he expects much more from this line and with effort and consistency and just plain hard work they could be one of the Giants most effective lines. I’m paraphrasing here, but that was the gist. Martinook in particular looks to be capable of being a monster power forward driving the net, but has yet to do it for a full game. Cunningham, Henry and Gallagher continue to be workhorses on the PP, PK, even-strength what have you. They all elevate this team and when they are on their game causing other teams have a tough time. Musil had a strong game. Oddly Tyler Hart seemed to be evident early on, while I did not notice Vannieuwenhuizen until later and then Hart dropped off the map for me. Fenske had a better game getting a nice assist.
Rookie Watch: Dalton Sward looked good tonight and although he needs better consistency he was in good scoring positions. He had an assist and was a +1. Matt Bellerive was a –2 on the night, but there were times where I saw a very smart hockey player. Cain Franson was all over the ice tonight and not afraid to get his nose dirty, despite lacking a bit of weight for his frame. He was –1, but the effort was most definitely there – Franson is drinking Hays kool-aid and getting better each game. Hart was +1 and when I noticed him was pretty solid.
Zebra Cage: I’m so happy to say that Trevor Hanson and Jeff Ingram were excellent tonight. The Giants sadly earned the penalties they took and very little was missed that affected the play.
Fight Night: One early fight (second shift of the game) between Brett Lyon and Ryley Miller. Lyon and Miller exchanged some pretty big blows, but in the end Lyon got the nod for some late hits and the tie-up. Lyon looked pretty good tonight coming off his injury, good tenacious forecheck and nice speed.
The Giants barely out shot the Wheaties 37-33. This season the G`s have allowed more shots against that any year in recent memory. They are giving teams excellent chances by not clearly their zone efficiently and at times throwing the dice by tossing passes up the middle. An act that has bit them more than once this season. The G`s went 0 for 2 on their PP chances, while holding the Wheat Kings to 0 for 6.
Brandon has now lost their 8th straight game, after opening the season with 4 wins. They didn’t look awful, but they have a very young line-up after shooting their bolt last season for the Memorial Cup in Brandon. Happy to see Nathan Burns back as the gritty forward fit in really well with Cunner and Gally on the top line. Hay was saying that the Wheat Kings left a few opportunities on the table and the Giants were a bit lucky the score wasn’t closer. I agree as the Wheaties did not look awful or out of sync, but they weren’t able to bear down on their chances. Jensen robbed them on a 5 on 3, sliding across the crease and snagging the puck with a wicked glove save. I expect Segal will get the start in the back to backs tomorrow night though and will have his hands full with Everett who are irritatingly solid again and will give the Giants all they can handle. Puck drops at 7pm PST.
Three Stars
1. Brendan Jensen
2. Brendan Gallagher
3. Darren Bestland
Dondo’s Doghouse: Bad penalties and an inability to clear the puck from their zone. This is a team thumbs down and the Giants took some `good` penalties, but the lazy clutches when they stop moving their feet have to stop, as do the undisciplined roughing calls. Lowering the number of shots would help as well.
Vancouver 5 Brandon 2
Good game tonight - the Giants played some solid hockey with Nathan Burns and Brett Lyon back in the line-up. Brendan Jensen played a very solid game as well allowing a couple of goals (with one he might want back), but had a few clutch stops, one of which should make the WHL plays of the week. The concern is still, as Don Hay said in the post-game show, that the Wheat Kings were never out of it and the Giants although did a good job staying out of the box for the most of the game, they still took too many penalties late. Hay was noting that theses penalties tend to kill team momentum and he boys have to be better at staying out the box.
The officiating was excellent tonight. They let the boys play and allowed small stuff that did not affect the flow of the play to go by, while making sure that those things that did give one team an advantage was called. It was so easy that it makes me wonder why it can’t be this way most nights. The problem was that by the late second and into the third it was the Giants taking all the penalties and they weren’t questionable.
Jordan Martinook opened the scoring for the G’s with a beauty, tipping a Musil shot past Liam Liston from the high slot. The first was gritty period, with neither team really giving an inch. It was end to end, but with decent forays in the offensive zones. The G’s had the flow of play advantage in the frame. Brendan Gallagher scored early in the second, finding a loose puck off a goalmouth scramble as he tends to do. Musil found the back of the net from the point for another one, but I swear that Dalton Sward tipped it in the slot past Liston. The Giants thought so too as Sward lead the procession down the ice. At least Dalton got an assist on the play. The Wheat Kings slipped one short side from a bad angle late in the second to break Jensen’s bid for a goose-egg. Gallagher scored his second in the final frame off of a loose puck in the blue ice, Nathan Burns held it in, got it toward the net, Cunningham got the shot and Gallagher pocketed the rebound. Brandon whipped a wicked shot coming in off the right side picking top corner far side on Jensen. Michael Burns added an empty netter to put the game away.
The line of Martinook, Lamoureux and Michael Burns played a great first period, but then seemed to disappear as their intensity dropped off and they were not focused the way the were in the opening frame grinding it out. Don Hay said in the post game that he expects much more from this line and with effort and consistency and just plain hard work they could be one of the Giants most effective lines. I’m paraphrasing here, but that was the gist. Martinook in particular looks to be capable of being a monster power forward driving the net, but has yet to do it for a full game. Cunningham, Henry and Gallagher continue to be workhorses on the PP, PK, even-strength what have you. They all elevate this team and when they are on their game causing other teams have a tough time. Musil had a strong game. Oddly Tyler Hart seemed to be evident early on, while I did not notice Vannieuwenhuizen until later and then Hart dropped off the map for me. Fenske had a better game getting a nice assist.
Rookie Watch: Dalton Sward looked good tonight and although he needs better consistency he was in good scoring positions. He had an assist and was a +1. Matt Bellerive was a –2 on the night, but there were times where I saw a very smart hockey player. Cain Franson was all over the ice tonight and not afraid to get his nose dirty, despite lacking a bit of weight for his frame. He was –1, but the effort was most definitely there – Franson is drinking Hays kool-aid and getting better each game. Hart was +1 and when I noticed him was pretty solid.
Zebra Cage: I’m so happy to say that Trevor Hanson and Jeff Ingram were excellent tonight. The Giants sadly earned the penalties they took and very little was missed that affected the play.
Fight Night: One early fight (second shift of the game) between Brett Lyon and Ryley Miller. Lyon and Miller exchanged some pretty big blows, but in the end Lyon got the nod for some late hits and the tie-up. Lyon looked pretty good tonight coming off his injury, good tenacious forecheck and nice speed.
The Giants barely out shot the Wheaties 37-33. This season the G`s have allowed more shots against that any year in recent memory. They are giving teams excellent chances by not clearly their zone efficiently and at times throwing the dice by tossing passes up the middle. An act that has bit them more than once this season. The G`s went 0 for 2 on their PP chances, while holding the Wheat Kings to 0 for 6.
Brandon has now lost their 8th straight game, after opening the season with 4 wins. They didn’t look awful, but they have a very young line-up after shooting their bolt last season for the Memorial Cup in Brandon. Happy to see Nathan Burns back as the gritty forward fit in really well with Cunner and Gally on the top line. Hay was saying that the Wheat Kings left a few opportunities on the table and the Giants were a bit lucky the score wasn’t closer. I agree as the Wheaties did not look awful or out of sync, but they weren’t able to bear down on their chances. Jensen robbed them on a 5 on 3, sliding across the crease and snagging the puck with a wicked glove save. I expect Segal will get the start in the back to backs tomorrow night though and will have his hands full with Everett who are irritatingly solid again and will give the Giants all they can handle. Puck drops at 7pm PST.
Three Stars
1. Brendan Jensen
2. Brendan Gallagher
3. Darren Bestland
Dondo’s Doghouse: Bad penalties and an inability to clear the puck from their zone. This is a team thumbs down and the Giants took some `good` penalties, but the lazy clutches when they stop moving their feet have to stop, as do the undisciplined roughing calls. Lowering the number of shots would help as well.