dondo
02-13-2011, 09:30 PM
Giants Burn Blazers in Whitehorse
Vancouver 3 Kamloops 2
As part of CBCs Hockey Day In Canada, the Giants played the Blazers in Whitehorse at the Takhini Arena. The game was the ticket to have as the place was packed with both Blazer and Giants fans, but mostly fans of our game and watching a rare WHL tilt. It was also a treat as both teams played a good hard checking game, with a couple of fights and potting some nice goals. The Blazers scored the only goal of the first, but the Giants added two in the second to Kamloops’ one to keep the game knotted at 2s after 2. The Giants scored the only goal of the third to take the victory. Brendan Gallagher potted two goals. Andrej Stastny had a goal and an assist and Spencer Bennett had 2 assists. Thomas Frazee and Brandon Ranford had good games for the Blazers.
Frazee opened the scoring on the Blazers first PP of the game. Kamloops took a one-goal lead into the first intermission. Stastny who was moved to the point on the first PP unit scored in the second with the man advantage. Originally called an unassisted goal, an assist to Neil Manning was added a bit later. Gallagher notched one just past the mid-way mark of the middle frame. Bennett and Stastny got the helpers. Ranford got one back, he also had an assist on Frazee goal. Gallagher scored his second and what proved to be the GWG late in the third to give his team a lead they would not relinquish. A late PP chance with the goalie pulled gave the Blazers the chance to get the tie, but it was not to be.
Rookie Watch: Sward was –1, but had some good shifts and was checking well. Hodder was even and solid on the back-end. Hart has a concussion and was scratched. Bellerive was also scratched, but I would be playing him over Redmond, Lammy, or Franson right now.
Fight Night: Jordan DePape versus Darren Bestland, pxp guy for the Blazers was saying they were team-mates on the Wheatkings. Wes Vannieuwenhuizen and Ryan Hanes tangled as well.
Zebra Cage: Unbalanced calls and a few softies. Giants took some really lazy penalties though. Steve Papp and Trevor Hansen are not what you would call consistent refs at the best of times. And both of them have caused me to cringe frequently while watching games.
The Giants barely out shot the Blazers 31-28. They were 1 for 2 on the PP, while the Kamloops boys went 1 for 6. The Giants PK % might have crept above 80% with 5 kills tonight, but really any PK that is anywhere below 85% is a pretty poor PK. The Giants perennially have been closer to the 90% mark so 79% is frankly embarrassing. Part of that number is the fact that early in the season they had very inconsistent goaltending and a few really bad games where they allowed multiple goals against on the man-advantage. Other than Stastny it was the top line coming through to get the win and Stastny was often playing with them every few shifts. Contributions form the rest of the line-up are needed.
The Giants still need to get their younger players producing and players like Teal Burns, who showed so much drive and promise early and has since gone cold, to step it back up. There are a few too many 18 year olds who are not pulling their weight on this team and players like Jordan Martinook need to bring their better game, not for a shift here and there, but for every shift. He in particular is a player who is capable of making things happen when he goes hard to the net all the time, but being soft on the puck and not using his size to best advantage is hurting him and the team. Martinook should be more like a Bouma or even Machacek of past teams (gutting out gritty greasy goals), but his focus is lacking and his effort inconsistent. For my money Lamoureux and Redmond should be sitting and learning how to play real hockey, as they seem to simply occupy space out there instead of contributing. Their sporadic effort is getting really tiring to watch. The team needs a healthy James Henry back to show these boys what going full-bore every shift looks like. It’s a shame he twisted his knee again, but rumours have him back in the line-up pretty soon. In the meantime he’s playing colour guy on the radio broadcasts with Dan Elliot.
The boys are back at home after a pretty successful road trip. 3 of 4 in Alberta and one in Whitehorse, versus a divisional opponent. Their next tilt is on Wednesday Feb 16th, versus the Kelowna Rockets a team that has given them some problems a few times and one they need to consistently beat up on to have a shot at a 6th straight divisional title. The puck drops at the Coliseum on Wed at 7pm PST.
Three Stars
1. Brendan Gallagher
2. Brandon Ranford
3. Spencer Bennett
Dondo’s Doghouse: The Giants journeymen players are not bringing enough to the rink on a game in and game out basis. Too many floaters just putting in time. Might be time for some pine riding in favour of 16 year olds who do work.
Vancouver 3 Kamloops 2
As part of CBCs Hockey Day In Canada, the Giants played the Blazers in Whitehorse at the Takhini Arena. The game was the ticket to have as the place was packed with both Blazer and Giants fans, but mostly fans of our game and watching a rare WHL tilt. It was also a treat as both teams played a good hard checking game, with a couple of fights and potting some nice goals. The Blazers scored the only goal of the first, but the Giants added two in the second to Kamloops’ one to keep the game knotted at 2s after 2. The Giants scored the only goal of the third to take the victory. Brendan Gallagher potted two goals. Andrej Stastny had a goal and an assist and Spencer Bennett had 2 assists. Thomas Frazee and Brandon Ranford had good games for the Blazers.
Frazee opened the scoring on the Blazers first PP of the game. Kamloops took a one-goal lead into the first intermission. Stastny who was moved to the point on the first PP unit scored in the second with the man advantage. Originally called an unassisted goal, an assist to Neil Manning was added a bit later. Gallagher notched one just past the mid-way mark of the middle frame. Bennett and Stastny got the helpers. Ranford got one back, he also had an assist on Frazee goal. Gallagher scored his second and what proved to be the GWG late in the third to give his team a lead they would not relinquish. A late PP chance with the goalie pulled gave the Blazers the chance to get the tie, but it was not to be.
Rookie Watch: Sward was –1, but had some good shifts and was checking well. Hodder was even and solid on the back-end. Hart has a concussion and was scratched. Bellerive was also scratched, but I would be playing him over Redmond, Lammy, or Franson right now.
Fight Night: Jordan DePape versus Darren Bestland, pxp guy for the Blazers was saying they were team-mates on the Wheatkings. Wes Vannieuwenhuizen and Ryan Hanes tangled as well.
Zebra Cage: Unbalanced calls and a few softies. Giants took some really lazy penalties though. Steve Papp and Trevor Hansen are not what you would call consistent refs at the best of times. And both of them have caused me to cringe frequently while watching games.
The Giants barely out shot the Blazers 31-28. They were 1 for 2 on the PP, while the Kamloops boys went 1 for 6. The Giants PK % might have crept above 80% with 5 kills tonight, but really any PK that is anywhere below 85% is a pretty poor PK. The Giants perennially have been closer to the 90% mark so 79% is frankly embarrassing. Part of that number is the fact that early in the season they had very inconsistent goaltending and a few really bad games where they allowed multiple goals against on the man-advantage. Other than Stastny it was the top line coming through to get the win and Stastny was often playing with them every few shifts. Contributions form the rest of the line-up are needed.
The Giants still need to get their younger players producing and players like Teal Burns, who showed so much drive and promise early and has since gone cold, to step it back up. There are a few too many 18 year olds who are not pulling their weight on this team and players like Jordan Martinook need to bring their better game, not for a shift here and there, but for every shift. He in particular is a player who is capable of making things happen when he goes hard to the net all the time, but being soft on the puck and not using his size to best advantage is hurting him and the team. Martinook should be more like a Bouma or even Machacek of past teams (gutting out gritty greasy goals), but his focus is lacking and his effort inconsistent. For my money Lamoureux and Redmond should be sitting and learning how to play real hockey, as they seem to simply occupy space out there instead of contributing. Their sporadic effort is getting really tiring to watch. The team needs a healthy James Henry back to show these boys what going full-bore every shift looks like. It’s a shame he twisted his knee again, but rumours have him back in the line-up pretty soon. In the meantime he’s playing colour guy on the radio broadcasts with Dan Elliot.
The boys are back at home after a pretty successful road trip. 3 of 4 in Alberta and one in Whitehorse, versus a divisional opponent. Their next tilt is on Wednesday Feb 16th, versus the Kelowna Rockets a team that has given them some problems a few times and one they need to consistently beat up on to have a shot at a 6th straight divisional title. The puck drops at the Coliseum on Wed at 7pm PST.
Three Stars
1. Brendan Gallagher
2. Brandon Ranford
3. Spencer Bennett
Dondo’s Doghouse: The Giants journeymen players are not bringing enough to the rink on a game in and game out basis. Too many floaters just putting in time. Might be time for some pine riding in favour of 16 year olds who do work.