Hockey Spy
11-09-2010, 11:08 AM
The 6-4-2-3 Seattle Thunderbirds will continue their swing through the east division tonight when they visit the eastern conference leading 13-5-0 Saskatoon Blades.
The Thunderbirds have had a couple close, low scoring losses in Brandon by a score of 3-2 and 2-1 in Moose Jaw. The Blades are coming off a good character win in Medicine Hat by a score of 4-3.
Home and Away
Seattle Road: 3-3-1-2 23-26
Saskatoon Home: 7-1-0 34-21
Specialty Teams:
The Seattle Thunderbirds have scored 15 ppg in 15 games this season and ranked 4th in the WHL with a surprising 23.4% rating. The Blades power-play on the other hand is dropping each game and is near the bottom of the league at 16th with a 17.3 percentage with just 13 ppg in 18 games. The penalty kills are pretty even with Seattle just a bit ahead at 81.3 and 11th overall, while the Blades are 80.8 and rank 13th. However it should be noted that the Blades have scored a league high 6 SHG this season, 2 more than Kootenay and Edmonton who are 2nd.
Difference makers???
The difference maker for Seattle tonight will be Calvin Pickard. Pickard has a sparkling .934 save% and 2.39 gaa. His .934 save% rank him 2nd just behind Portland's Mac Caruth. However, it should be noted that Pickard has played every single game for Seattle this year. His 2.39 gaa rank him 4th in the league.
For Saskatoon, Stefan Elliott is really coming on strong after a slow start after his return from the NHL. Elliott currently ranks 5th in defenceman scoring with 6-11-17 in 17 games. Elliott has 3-8-11 in his past 8 games. Also, Elliott has 5 GWG this year which leaves him tied with Red Deer's Byron Froese for the most in the league.
Top 5 scorers per team:
Seattle:
22 Burke Gallimore RW 15 9 4 13 -7 2
19 Colin Jacobs C 15 5 7 12 +1 24
15 Marcel Noebels RW 15 5 6 11 +4
20 Luke Lockhart C 15 5 4 9 +4 15
14 Charles Wells C 15 3 6 9 +8 4
Saskatoon:
19 Marek Viedensky C 18 11 12 23 +16 16
13 Curtis Hamilton LW 18 8 14 22 +17 6
20 Josh Nicholls RW 17 9 11 20 +10 16
6 Stefan Elliott D 17 6 11 17 +9 2
26 Darian Dziurzynski LW 18 12 4 16 +3 30
Interesting to note:
Both Burke Gallimore and Travis Toomey will make their return to Saskatoon tonight. Travis Toomey wears the "C" on a rotating basis every 6 games as three players share the honour. Burke Gallimore leads Seattle in goals with 9 in just 15 games but also has the worst +/- by a bit over Travis Toomey who ranks 2nd worst. Jacob Doty of the T-birds is 7th in the penalty minute race with 56. Doty is a 6'3, 17 year old RW from Billings, Montana. Last year Doty played in the NPHL which is a junior league in NW states and had 20-23-43 with 142 PIM in 39 games. Brandon Dillon is the top scoring dman on Seattle with 0-9-9.
Seattle is the biggest team in the WHL by quite a fair margain, while the Blades are the youngest team in the league. In fact, Seattle's average weight is 6 lbs more than the next heaviest!
On the surface, this game will come down to how well Calvin Pickard can play and whether or not the Seattle PP can continue to click. If one of those falters, then the Blades should be able to win this one going away. If Seattle is to win this game, they will have to keep the score low and likely score the first goal or two of the game. If they get behind they are likely finished.
The Thunderbirds have had a couple close, low scoring losses in Brandon by a score of 3-2 and 2-1 in Moose Jaw. The Blades are coming off a good character win in Medicine Hat by a score of 4-3.
Home and Away
Seattle Road: 3-3-1-2 23-26
Saskatoon Home: 7-1-0 34-21
Specialty Teams:
The Seattle Thunderbirds have scored 15 ppg in 15 games this season and ranked 4th in the WHL with a surprising 23.4% rating. The Blades power-play on the other hand is dropping each game and is near the bottom of the league at 16th with a 17.3 percentage with just 13 ppg in 18 games. The penalty kills are pretty even with Seattle just a bit ahead at 81.3 and 11th overall, while the Blades are 80.8 and rank 13th. However it should be noted that the Blades have scored a league high 6 SHG this season, 2 more than Kootenay and Edmonton who are 2nd.
Difference makers???
The difference maker for Seattle tonight will be Calvin Pickard. Pickard has a sparkling .934 save% and 2.39 gaa. His .934 save% rank him 2nd just behind Portland's Mac Caruth. However, it should be noted that Pickard has played every single game for Seattle this year. His 2.39 gaa rank him 4th in the league.
For Saskatoon, Stefan Elliott is really coming on strong after a slow start after his return from the NHL. Elliott currently ranks 5th in defenceman scoring with 6-11-17 in 17 games. Elliott has 3-8-11 in his past 8 games. Also, Elliott has 5 GWG this year which leaves him tied with Red Deer's Byron Froese for the most in the league.
Top 5 scorers per team:
Seattle:
22 Burke Gallimore RW 15 9 4 13 -7 2
19 Colin Jacobs C 15 5 7 12 +1 24
15 Marcel Noebels RW 15 5 6 11 +4
20 Luke Lockhart C 15 5 4 9 +4 15
14 Charles Wells C 15 3 6 9 +8 4
Saskatoon:
19 Marek Viedensky C 18 11 12 23 +16 16
13 Curtis Hamilton LW 18 8 14 22 +17 6
20 Josh Nicholls RW 17 9 11 20 +10 16
6 Stefan Elliott D 17 6 11 17 +9 2
26 Darian Dziurzynski LW 18 12 4 16 +3 30
Interesting to note:
Both Burke Gallimore and Travis Toomey will make their return to Saskatoon tonight. Travis Toomey wears the "C" on a rotating basis every 6 games as three players share the honour. Burke Gallimore leads Seattle in goals with 9 in just 15 games but also has the worst +/- by a bit over Travis Toomey who ranks 2nd worst. Jacob Doty of the T-birds is 7th in the penalty minute race with 56. Doty is a 6'3, 17 year old RW from Billings, Montana. Last year Doty played in the NPHL which is a junior league in NW states and had 20-23-43 with 142 PIM in 39 games. Brandon Dillon is the top scoring dman on Seattle with 0-9-9.
Seattle is the biggest team in the WHL by quite a fair margain, while the Blades are the youngest team in the league. In fact, Seattle's average weight is 6 lbs more than the next heaviest!
On the surface, this game will come down to how well Calvin Pickard can play and whether or not the Seattle PP can continue to click. If one of those falters, then the Blades should be able to win this one going away. If Seattle is to win this game, they will have to keep the score low and likely score the first goal or two of the game. If they get behind they are likely finished.