dondo
12-18-2011, 02:52 AM
Giants Bear Cats
Vancouver 3 Prince George 1 EN
It was bearus-interruptus for the Cougar fans tonight, as they had a false launch early on when the puck clanged off the post at the Giants end of the ice and a few bears flew. With about five-minutes to go in the game and the score 2-0 it appeared as if they might not get the chance to throw their teddys. Being industrious fans they chose a fight for their premature ursine stuffy launch. When it looked like the bears were coming anyway, the officials motioned for it to continue. After a lengthy clean-up and a dry scrape by the zamboni for good measure, the Cougars were able to turn an instigator penalty into a goal on the ensuing PP. So in a sense the fight did lead to a goal. Cain Franson had another good night, potting two and getting first star honours. Drew Owsley was once again very solid, but not quite good enough for the win - although he didn't get much help from his team. Adam Morrison who got the start for the second consecutive night (and I have to ask why) was very good between the pipes himself, turning aside some quality scoring chances on minimal shots. Austin Vetterl added an empty net marker, after a shift where it appeared he had handcuffed Owsley with a high shot that bobbled close to the goal line before being swept away by a Cougar defender.
It took until the fifth minute of the second period for either squad to get a goal. The Giants opened the scoring as Franson found the five-hole on Owsley. Dalton Sward got the lone assist. Franson scored another one on the PP just shy of the mid-way mark of the period. Again finding the five-hole on Owsley. Neil Manning and Jordan Martinook got those helpers. The Cougars finally got on the board, after their fans had lost patience and littered the ice with bearicus teddyus. Capitalizing on a PP Alex Forsberg found twine, launching a second smaller salvo of bears. Vetterl added an empty net goal with about 30 seconds to go, salting away the victory. James Henry got the assist.
Rookie Watch: Vetterl (17) was getting some chances playing third line minutes, scored an empty netter and had a regular PK shift. Kulak (17) again rock-solid on the back-end, +2 and effective in his own end. Bews (17) some shifts with Makin and Vetterl, not much more though. Bellerive (17) back on the top line, got some chances, crashed the net and got mugged by Owsley who took exception. Sward (17) one assist, playing regular second line minutes with Houck and Franson. Most consistent line. Nielsen (17) didn't hear much from him, when he was very visible last night. Morrison (16) third pairing on D didn't hear much from him. Orban (17) decent on the back-end.
Fight Night: Bellerive in Owsley's crease getting mugged was close to a fight. Fenske v J Forsberg. After Forsberg had leveled Bellerive with a big open ice hit, which for all intents and purposes was clean, Fenske challenged him to fight. It was decent bout with Forsberg getting the take-down.
Zebra Cage: marginally better marks for the same two refs as last night. Although they seemed to be a bit inconsistent and lately officials in the Dub have not been calling a player being challenged and who consents to fight as an instigator, but tonight they did. C-.
The Giants out shot the home team 35-23. They went 1 for 7 on the PP, while the Cougars went 1 for 5. Once again it was not the most scinitillating or emotional of hockey games. The Giants sat back mightily in the third protecting their lead shell-like and almost allowed the Cougars back into it. The Cats pressed their hardest in the final frame and Morrison had to be good late to keep his team ahead.
I am still very disappointed not to see Whistle get the start tonight. The reason Tri-City has such good young goalies is that they play them early and often and give them a taste of real competition as they are developing. At this rate Whistle won't have any confidence and will not be ready to be any sort of semblance of starter. Oddly, the Giants have no problem playing young skaters with promise a lot, but with goaltenders there's a 1 and 2 mentality, rarely a 1 and 1A. I think they might be gun-shy after the Slade/Sexsmith debacle, but that was less about giving them both the chance to play and more about personalities that just didn't get it. Hay is notorious for leaving his back-up hanging and at this level it kills any goalie with potential. Jensen suffered that fate, as did Tucker. They are not played when they are rookies and have no idea how to play when they are asked to be starters.
I feel very sorry for Whistle as he is not getting any better and his confidence, which is very important for a goalie, has got to be close to being shattered. At the very bare minimum, Whistle should be starting every back-to-back and especially against a team like the Cougars. What are they saving him for? Waiting to throw him in versus the Blazers, 'cause they are "going to lose that game anyway"? It's sad, but the one failure this franchise has had is with their goalie development and the Whistle situation is very indicative of the way they continue to mismanage their prospects between the pipes. If he's not going to play, send him down and get an 18 yr old doorstop to act as a back-up. The other issue is that we are not going to get great goalies beating down our door the way they flock to Tri-City, as they knwo they will not be palyed enough to grow and develop. The only way a goalie develops is by playing in game situations. There are growing pains to be sure, but the bonus of having a young 'tender ready to go at any time is worth the minimal grief of a few games that got away.
The Giants end the first part of their season on a high winning both games in PG. They currently have 22 wins (46 points), more than their 17 wins last year at this same time. The boys have from now until December 27th to have a break, visit family and enjoy some time away from the rink. When they come back they take on a very tough opponent at the Coliseum as the other Bonner boy's team comes to town. The very hot Kamloops Blazers will challenge the Giants, without Gallagher, Tvrdon, Musil, and probably Ast and Houck who are playing for Team Pacific in the under-17s. It will be a test of their mettle as a team and a chance to match up versus one of the best.
Happy Holidays everyone, wishing you and yours the happiest of seasonal celebrations.
Three Stars
1. Cain Franson
2. Adam Morrison
3. Drew Owsley
Dondo's Hardhat: goes to .. Cain Franson .. okay Cain I hear ya, you really wanted that hardhat last night, so you came out and made certain you earned it tonight. I have to say after seeing the very soft player he was last season, I continue to be impressed with the completeness of his game and his finish around the net this season. Already with 14 goals (playing mainly utility minutes), this kid is on the rise and better find himself with a regular second line gig even when everyone is back. He has earned it.
Vancouver 3 Prince George 1 EN
It was bearus-interruptus for the Cougar fans tonight, as they had a false launch early on when the puck clanged off the post at the Giants end of the ice and a few bears flew. With about five-minutes to go in the game and the score 2-0 it appeared as if they might not get the chance to throw their teddys. Being industrious fans they chose a fight for their premature ursine stuffy launch. When it looked like the bears were coming anyway, the officials motioned for it to continue. After a lengthy clean-up and a dry scrape by the zamboni for good measure, the Cougars were able to turn an instigator penalty into a goal on the ensuing PP. So in a sense the fight did lead to a goal. Cain Franson had another good night, potting two and getting first star honours. Drew Owsley was once again very solid, but not quite good enough for the win - although he didn't get much help from his team. Adam Morrison who got the start for the second consecutive night (and I have to ask why) was very good between the pipes himself, turning aside some quality scoring chances on minimal shots. Austin Vetterl added an empty net marker, after a shift where it appeared he had handcuffed Owsley with a high shot that bobbled close to the goal line before being swept away by a Cougar defender.
It took until the fifth minute of the second period for either squad to get a goal. The Giants opened the scoring as Franson found the five-hole on Owsley. Dalton Sward got the lone assist. Franson scored another one on the PP just shy of the mid-way mark of the period. Again finding the five-hole on Owsley. Neil Manning and Jordan Martinook got those helpers. The Cougars finally got on the board, after their fans had lost patience and littered the ice with bearicus teddyus. Capitalizing on a PP Alex Forsberg found twine, launching a second smaller salvo of bears. Vetterl added an empty net goal with about 30 seconds to go, salting away the victory. James Henry got the assist.
Rookie Watch: Vetterl (17) was getting some chances playing third line minutes, scored an empty netter and had a regular PK shift. Kulak (17) again rock-solid on the back-end, +2 and effective in his own end. Bews (17) some shifts with Makin and Vetterl, not much more though. Bellerive (17) back on the top line, got some chances, crashed the net and got mugged by Owsley who took exception. Sward (17) one assist, playing regular second line minutes with Houck and Franson. Most consistent line. Nielsen (17) didn't hear much from him, when he was very visible last night. Morrison (16) third pairing on D didn't hear much from him. Orban (17) decent on the back-end.
Fight Night: Bellerive in Owsley's crease getting mugged was close to a fight. Fenske v J Forsberg. After Forsberg had leveled Bellerive with a big open ice hit, which for all intents and purposes was clean, Fenske challenged him to fight. It was decent bout with Forsberg getting the take-down.
Zebra Cage: marginally better marks for the same two refs as last night. Although they seemed to be a bit inconsistent and lately officials in the Dub have not been calling a player being challenged and who consents to fight as an instigator, but tonight they did. C-.
The Giants out shot the home team 35-23. They went 1 for 7 on the PP, while the Cougars went 1 for 5. Once again it was not the most scinitillating or emotional of hockey games. The Giants sat back mightily in the third protecting their lead shell-like and almost allowed the Cougars back into it. The Cats pressed their hardest in the final frame and Morrison had to be good late to keep his team ahead.
I am still very disappointed not to see Whistle get the start tonight. The reason Tri-City has such good young goalies is that they play them early and often and give them a taste of real competition as they are developing. At this rate Whistle won't have any confidence and will not be ready to be any sort of semblance of starter. Oddly, the Giants have no problem playing young skaters with promise a lot, but with goaltenders there's a 1 and 2 mentality, rarely a 1 and 1A. I think they might be gun-shy after the Slade/Sexsmith debacle, but that was less about giving them both the chance to play and more about personalities that just didn't get it. Hay is notorious for leaving his back-up hanging and at this level it kills any goalie with potential. Jensen suffered that fate, as did Tucker. They are not played when they are rookies and have no idea how to play when they are asked to be starters.
I feel very sorry for Whistle as he is not getting any better and his confidence, which is very important for a goalie, has got to be close to being shattered. At the very bare minimum, Whistle should be starting every back-to-back and especially against a team like the Cougars. What are they saving him for? Waiting to throw him in versus the Blazers, 'cause they are "going to lose that game anyway"? It's sad, but the one failure this franchise has had is with their goalie development and the Whistle situation is very indicative of the way they continue to mismanage their prospects between the pipes. If he's not going to play, send him down and get an 18 yr old doorstop to act as a back-up. The other issue is that we are not going to get great goalies beating down our door the way they flock to Tri-City, as they knwo they will not be palyed enough to grow and develop. The only way a goalie develops is by playing in game situations. There are growing pains to be sure, but the bonus of having a young 'tender ready to go at any time is worth the minimal grief of a few games that got away.
The Giants end the first part of their season on a high winning both games in PG. They currently have 22 wins (46 points), more than their 17 wins last year at this same time. The boys have from now until December 27th to have a break, visit family and enjoy some time away from the rink. When they come back they take on a very tough opponent at the Coliseum as the other Bonner boy's team comes to town. The very hot Kamloops Blazers will challenge the Giants, without Gallagher, Tvrdon, Musil, and probably Ast and Houck who are playing for Team Pacific in the under-17s. It will be a test of their mettle as a team and a chance to match up versus one of the best.
Happy Holidays everyone, wishing you and yours the happiest of seasonal celebrations.
Three Stars
1. Cain Franson
2. Adam Morrison
3. Drew Owsley
Dondo's Hardhat: goes to .. Cain Franson .. okay Cain I hear ya, you really wanted that hardhat last night, so you came out and made certain you earned it tonight. I have to say after seeing the very soft player he was last season, I continue to be impressed with the completeness of his game and his finish around the net this season. Already with 14 goals (playing mainly utility minutes), this kid is on the rise and better find himself with a regular second line gig even when everyone is back. He has earned it.