dondo
12-01-2011, 03:15 AM
Wheaties Shaft Giants
Vancouver 4 Brandon 5
Maybe its because of 16 year old Jackson Whistle getting shredded off of some really bad shots, or maybe because Brandon got goals they really shouldn’t have got, but this game really pissed me off. Odd cause Gally got a hat-trick and was a monster out there and the boys knew they had to score to give Whistle a cushion and did, spreading out some of the scoring. However, Whistle’s stinkers combined with bad officiating turned this game into a clown show. Its hard not to blame Whistle for his performance, but blame also has to lie with the team for playing him so little. He seems to get one start every eight games and often that start is against teams that have the weapons to point up his weaknesses. That does not build confidence for the young ‘tender or make him ready to hold the reins next season, let alone take them. I know I can’t have my cake and eat it too and for the team to grow then Whistle has to play and lose before he can learn and win consistently.
The G’s were up 4-2 at one point, but many penalties and some careless play allowed the Wheaties to tie the game by the end of the second. Brandon scored the only goal of the third and there was a line-brawl at the 20:00 mark of the game as tempers finally blew. It was not a clean game and there were a few checks to the head, but there was also a spectacular dive that was called wrong. Not sure how a player is being hooked by a stick on the ice. This kind of thing makes me burn and a 10 min misconduct should be tacked onto any swan dive act so gratuitous, in my not so humble opinion. There are times when you call the hook and the dive and times where you just call the “embellishment”.
The Wheat Kings opened the scoring putting a soft one past Whistle, who sadly had a very rookie night. I have high hopes for this kid, but he has to play to gain confidence. It’s a damned if do and damned if you don’t situation. Levi Bews scored his first in 16 games to tie the score a bit later. Anthony Ast and Neil Manning garnered the helpers. Brendan Gallagher put the visitors up 2-1 on the PP, connecting off of Jordan Martinook and Marek Tvrdon. The Wheaties got that one back early in the second, putting in a puck from the goal-line and succeeding in collapsing Whistle, who was slow getting up from one he knew he should have had. Gallagher added two more, one on the PP and one even-strength. The first off of James Henry and Manning and the second off of Henry and Tvrdon. The Wheat Kings added two of their own back-to-back on a 5 on 3 PP and the ensuing carry-over PP. There were a few major official fails to create that situation which I will address in the zebra cage. That chased Whistle from the net, despite the score being tied and pretty much killed his confidence, ruining the reason for the experiment. Adam Morrison stepped in between the pipes. The Brandon squad scored a mere 35 seconds into the final frame and that was all she wrote.
I’m very disappointed the Giants didn’t battle back a lot harder in the third and keep up the pressure that was so successful earlier in the game. This was one of those games where the team that won, probably shouldn’t have. The Giants have slipped by in a some of those kinds of games themselves and then lost games by the other turn of the card, so it happens, it’s hockey, but it doesn’t make me happy.
Rookie Watch: Whistle (16) allowed 4 goals on 16 shots, two very poor ones, had a rough night. Bews (17) scored his first in way too many games, had some good shifts mainly with Sward and Makin. Bellerive (17) had some strong shifts and some good chances, could not connect though. Sward (17) had a decent game, 4 PIMs, but not his best, was unlucky not to get some chances to go though. Vetterl (17) played minimal minutes, was even. Ast (16) an assist on Bews goal. Houck (17) played some good minutes. Kulak (17) again very solid on the back-end.
Fight Night: Ferland v McNaughton .. quick fight, quick uppercut by Ferland took McNaughton down. Line brawl end of the game, assessed at the 20 minute mark. Combatants: Musil, Martinook, Vannieuwenhuizen v Ferland, Roy, Dziurzynski. Eric Wallker also got a game misconduct. No love lost between the two teams in this one.
Zebra Cage: Brett Montsion and Tyler Adair. Called Brandon early on infractions, got booed heavily by the fans and it could have affected how they called the rest of the game. My perspective: one of those games in which the refs badly executed their job - directly affecting the outcome. A specific play where they failed to whistle play dead when Whistle’s goalie mask was broken and fell off of his head and at the same time missed a very clear too many men infraction by the Wheaties, while they were on the PP, which lead to a penalty taken later on a play that should have been blown dead far before any of the other stuff happened. Sadly, that call actually turned out to be the game changing moment, when what should have been 4 on 4 or even at the outside 4 on 3, became 5 on 3 and 5 on 4 chances that lifted the home squad and changed the momentum. I am usually not so specific, but that series of misses and omissions was too clear to let sit unsaid. They also missed an instigator that should have, in my estimation, been called and they were very quick with the whistle on still loose pucks. The guy manning the red light had a pretty quick and itchy trigger finger as well. That said: the boys should have powered through that and taken the tie game as incentive and not a reason to sit back and sleepwalk through the third and even after being scored upon early sucked it up and had a big push back.
The Wheaties out-shot the Giants 29-26. They took advantage of a struggling rookie goaltender going 2 for 7 on the PP, while the Giants went 2 for 5. Gallagher got a nice hat-trick in this one scoring his 20th , 21st and 22nd goals on the season. Henry had some great chances but is still unable to find his scoring touch, settling for more assists. Martinook looked dangerous again tonight and was tough on the PP. Cain Franson got some prime scoring chances, but was unable to find twine tonight. Tvrdon still making some mental errors while on the PP defensively, but has been deadly setting up PP markers as of late. A bad pinch by Eric Walker lead to a Wheat King goal, after the Giants had some early pressure in the Brandon end of the ice.
The boys eased up when they should have continued pressing. They were very good in some respects, but were also guilty of some sloppy play they would want to do better next time around. I still think this is a game they should have won, as the Wheaties gave them holes that they took advantage of, but were unable to hold the lead. I think the quick 5 on 3 goal had them shell-shocked as the bench was very vocal about the missed calls leading to that situation. I’m not sure if they ever recovered their confidence of the first periods and were unable to execute a push-back in the third as they have been doing, as of late. Like the game in PA, this was game well within their grasp that they let slip away. Extenuating circumstances notwithstanding they have got be better in clutch situations.
The G’s have a day off before taking on the Pats in Regina on Friday and ending their long road swing in Swift Current on Saturday. They still have 5 points after 4 games, but could use a push back game versus the Pats. It was good to see Gallagher regain his scoring touch after being dormant lighting the lamp for a few games. The puck drops in Regina at 5pm PST.
Three Stars
1. Brendan Walker
2. Brendan Gallagher
3. Mark Stone
Dondo’s Hardhat: goes to Gally .. tried his damnedest to get his team the win, re-ignited his scoring fire and was dangerous every time he stepped on the ice. Oh and of course the hat-trick, his second of the season.
Vancouver 4 Brandon 5
Maybe its because of 16 year old Jackson Whistle getting shredded off of some really bad shots, or maybe because Brandon got goals they really shouldn’t have got, but this game really pissed me off. Odd cause Gally got a hat-trick and was a monster out there and the boys knew they had to score to give Whistle a cushion and did, spreading out some of the scoring. However, Whistle’s stinkers combined with bad officiating turned this game into a clown show. Its hard not to blame Whistle for his performance, but blame also has to lie with the team for playing him so little. He seems to get one start every eight games and often that start is against teams that have the weapons to point up his weaknesses. That does not build confidence for the young ‘tender or make him ready to hold the reins next season, let alone take them. I know I can’t have my cake and eat it too and for the team to grow then Whistle has to play and lose before he can learn and win consistently.
The G’s were up 4-2 at one point, but many penalties and some careless play allowed the Wheaties to tie the game by the end of the second. Brandon scored the only goal of the third and there was a line-brawl at the 20:00 mark of the game as tempers finally blew. It was not a clean game and there were a few checks to the head, but there was also a spectacular dive that was called wrong. Not sure how a player is being hooked by a stick on the ice. This kind of thing makes me burn and a 10 min misconduct should be tacked onto any swan dive act so gratuitous, in my not so humble opinion. There are times when you call the hook and the dive and times where you just call the “embellishment”.
The Wheat Kings opened the scoring putting a soft one past Whistle, who sadly had a very rookie night. I have high hopes for this kid, but he has to play to gain confidence. It’s a damned if do and damned if you don’t situation. Levi Bews scored his first in 16 games to tie the score a bit later. Anthony Ast and Neil Manning garnered the helpers. Brendan Gallagher put the visitors up 2-1 on the PP, connecting off of Jordan Martinook and Marek Tvrdon. The Wheaties got that one back early in the second, putting in a puck from the goal-line and succeeding in collapsing Whistle, who was slow getting up from one he knew he should have had. Gallagher added two more, one on the PP and one even-strength. The first off of James Henry and Manning and the second off of Henry and Tvrdon. The Wheat Kings added two of their own back-to-back on a 5 on 3 PP and the ensuing carry-over PP. There were a few major official fails to create that situation which I will address in the zebra cage. That chased Whistle from the net, despite the score being tied and pretty much killed his confidence, ruining the reason for the experiment. Adam Morrison stepped in between the pipes. The Brandon squad scored a mere 35 seconds into the final frame and that was all she wrote.
I’m very disappointed the Giants didn’t battle back a lot harder in the third and keep up the pressure that was so successful earlier in the game. This was one of those games where the team that won, probably shouldn’t have. The Giants have slipped by in a some of those kinds of games themselves and then lost games by the other turn of the card, so it happens, it’s hockey, but it doesn’t make me happy.
Rookie Watch: Whistle (16) allowed 4 goals on 16 shots, two very poor ones, had a rough night. Bews (17) scored his first in way too many games, had some good shifts mainly with Sward and Makin. Bellerive (17) had some strong shifts and some good chances, could not connect though. Sward (17) had a decent game, 4 PIMs, but not his best, was unlucky not to get some chances to go though. Vetterl (17) played minimal minutes, was even. Ast (16) an assist on Bews goal. Houck (17) played some good minutes. Kulak (17) again very solid on the back-end.
Fight Night: Ferland v McNaughton .. quick fight, quick uppercut by Ferland took McNaughton down. Line brawl end of the game, assessed at the 20 minute mark. Combatants: Musil, Martinook, Vannieuwenhuizen v Ferland, Roy, Dziurzynski. Eric Wallker also got a game misconduct. No love lost between the two teams in this one.
Zebra Cage: Brett Montsion and Tyler Adair. Called Brandon early on infractions, got booed heavily by the fans and it could have affected how they called the rest of the game. My perspective: one of those games in which the refs badly executed their job - directly affecting the outcome. A specific play where they failed to whistle play dead when Whistle’s goalie mask was broken and fell off of his head and at the same time missed a very clear too many men infraction by the Wheaties, while they were on the PP, which lead to a penalty taken later on a play that should have been blown dead far before any of the other stuff happened. Sadly, that call actually turned out to be the game changing moment, when what should have been 4 on 4 or even at the outside 4 on 3, became 5 on 3 and 5 on 4 chances that lifted the home squad and changed the momentum. I am usually not so specific, but that series of misses and omissions was too clear to let sit unsaid. They also missed an instigator that should have, in my estimation, been called and they were very quick with the whistle on still loose pucks. The guy manning the red light had a pretty quick and itchy trigger finger as well. That said: the boys should have powered through that and taken the tie game as incentive and not a reason to sit back and sleepwalk through the third and even after being scored upon early sucked it up and had a big push back.
The Wheaties out-shot the Giants 29-26. They took advantage of a struggling rookie goaltender going 2 for 7 on the PP, while the Giants went 2 for 5. Gallagher got a nice hat-trick in this one scoring his 20th , 21st and 22nd goals on the season. Henry had some great chances but is still unable to find his scoring touch, settling for more assists. Martinook looked dangerous again tonight and was tough on the PP. Cain Franson got some prime scoring chances, but was unable to find twine tonight. Tvrdon still making some mental errors while on the PP defensively, but has been deadly setting up PP markers as of late. A bad pinch by Eric Walker lead to a Wheat King goal, after the Giants had some early pressure in the Brandon end of the ice.
The boys eased up when they should have continued pressing. They were very good in some respects, but were also guilty of some sloppy play they would want to do better next time around. I still think this is a game they should have won, as the Wheaties gave them holes that they took advantage of, but were unable to hold the lead. I think the quick 5 on 3 goal had them shell-shocked as the bench was very vocal about the missed calls leading to that situation. I’m not sure if they ever recovered their confidence of the first periods and were unable to execute a push-back in the third as they have been doing, as of late. Like the game in PA, this was game well within their grasp that they let slip away. Extenuating circumstances notwithstanding they have got be better in clutch situations.
The G’s have a day off before taking on the Pats in Regina on Friday and ending their long road swing in Swift Current on Saturday. They still have 5 points after 4 games, but could use a push back game versus the Pats. It was good to see Gallagher regain his scoring touch after being dormant lighting the lamp for a few games. The puck drops in Regina at 5pm PST.
Three Stars
1. Brendan Walker
2. Brendan Gallagher
3. Mark Stone
Dondo’s Hardhat: goes to Gally .. tried his damnedest to get his team the win, re-ignited his scoring fire and was dangerous every time he stepped on the ice. Oh and of course the hat-trick, his second of the season.