dondo
01-14-2012, 01:45 AM
Americans Embarrass Giants
Vancouver 4 Tri City 11
It was ugliness upon ugliness. A Friday the 13th tilt right out the Giants very worst nightmares and yet it was all too real and far uglier than anyone could have imagined.
The G’s put themselves in a hole so deep they could barely see the lip of the opening. Brendan Gallagher was injured about 10 minutes into the first, as he took a check to the head (not called) and then fell awkwardly against the boards a bit later, sending him off with an upper body injury. Dalton Sward injured himself finishing a check, called an icing when the puck crept over the goal-line with the Am player basically coasting back and a late call for icing was made.
The G’s managed to hold it together for the first period, with tight close checking and some puck battle. In the second the Ams clicked it up one more gear and left the Giants standing in the dust. The G’s were guilty of giving the Ams room to move, not finishing their checks or bringing any sort of physical game. The Tri-City squad feasted with all of the room, scoring nice but easy goals they didn’t have to fight to achieve. They scored 6 in the middle frame and 5 more in the third to bury the G’s at the bottom of a reservoir wearing cement over-shoes. The Giants managed to score 4 goals in the third, but it was far too little, far too late and frankly inexcusable play for the majority of the game. The Ams did benefit from some nice puck luck though. Having a puck go off of a stanchion and right back onto an American stick on the PP, a puck blocked and deflected in the air only to drop in behind the Giants goalie and bounce into the net and a blocked shot bouncing right back onto an Ams stick, to name a few. I felt for the goalies in this one as the G’s gave the American players tons of room to move and make plays in the second and third. Giving a team as skilled as that that kind of time is death and the Ams rippled twine with great accuracy. The Americans also seem to benefit from some blind reffing and have for some time as they clutch and run pick plays as a matter of course and high hits which would be automatic calls against any other WHL squad seem to not touch the Tri-City squad.
The teams played to a score-less first. The Ams scored their first goal 29 seconds into the middle frame and it all went downhill from there. Many easy goals from bad give-aways and standing around saw the Ams score 6 goals on 13 shots in the second. Adam Morrison was pulled after 5 goals against, but really you couldn’t fault him on any except maybe where he made a save, but lost sight of the puck by his pads and failed to cover it up before an Am player swooped in, slipping it into the net. Feser who scored the hat trick in this game, scored his third as a SH’d tally 28 seconds into the third and the rout continued. The Americans added another just over a minute later to make the score 8-0. The Giants rallied somewhat at that point and brought the crowd back into the game. New Giant Riley Kieser scored his first WHL goal going to the net and putting home a rebound. Alex Kuvaev and Cain Franson got the helpers. Marek Tvrdon flipped a sweet back-hand over Eric Comrie’s shoulder off a breakaway chance. Martinook got the lone assist. Cain Franson ripped an unassisted PP tally from the slot, making it 8-3. The Ams bounced back scoring three quick ones, before Anthony Ast scored a great breakaway goal, with Franson getting the only assist. It doesn’t get much uglier, but I was surprised to see so many people staying ‘til the bitter end. Maybe they were waiting for a big fight, or someone to step up and answer the bell. Taylor Makin tried to, but the Ams player ducked and sought comfort of a linesman that had no business getting involved.
Rookie Watch: Kieser (18) scored the Giants first goal and his first WHL career goal, played a good tenacious game and was one of the few players checking. Sward (17) injured early on trying to lay the body. Cooke (18) one of the few who played a physical game. Ast (16) had a few good shifts, where he was trying to do something, got bonus minutes with injuries to Gally and Sward. Vetterl (17) played a pretty soft game for him, didn’t finish checks and lost puck battles frequently. Orban (17) very soft defensively, standing around far more than I like to see, played third pairing and was still a –2.
Fight Night: no fights, but there should have been. The G’s needed to take a few players to task for some questionable play in my mind.
Zebra Cage: Jeff Ingram and Colby Smith .. seemed to be unaware of American infractions in this one, called more than a few weak calls, inconsistent and very quick to give unsportsmanlikes with little or no need. The linesmen also seemed to be inconsistent and heads inserted into their butts from my perspective, but then my perspective might be decidedly skewed tonight.
The Ams out shot the Giants 35-26 in this one and were allowed to freewheel far more they should have been. The G’s did not react quickly enough and were frequently too far away to hold position. The Ams went 2 for 7 on their PP, with the one real bright spot for the Giants being a 5 on 3 penalty kill where Jackson Whistle stood on his head and kept momentum with his team, until the Ams scored one late in the period. The G’s were 1 for 3 on their PP chances and I feel they should have had at least two more opportunities in this one. Cain Franson had a goal and 2 assists in this one. David Musil did not play due to some form of day-to-day injury. Kiefer McNaughton was back in the line-up. The G’s never gave the Ams trouble, they never forced them to battle through to get their ice and it killed them, greatly and in spades. They might not have the Ams skill level, but they damn well be ready to fight and battle it out to the bitter end.
The Americans have all of the components. They have size and speed, solid goaltending and play the perfect team game. They are dangerous at all ends and can turn the game on a dime with a quick rush. The only way to limit their chances is to contain them and play them physically. As they did in Kennewick the Giants did that for one period and then went away from it. If the Americans don’t win the Memorial Cup this year I will be very surprised. I know its way early, but they have not lost a game since Nov 30th and they play an almost perfect game. They still have only 8 losses all season and no OT or Shootout losses. You might beat them in a game here and there, but in a seven game series I don’t think so. Their line-up is loaded with 19 yr olds and max OA players. This is their year as they will not have a better squad for many years. Like Spokane was, they are a juggernaut and very few will be able to compete with them this season let alone beat them. They are a scary team to watch/play, but you can’t help appreciate how well they put it all together.
The Giants will be without Gallagher, Sward and Musil tomorrow night when they try to scrape some respect out of this weekend. The Kelowna Rockets should be in for a hell of a battle as the G’s are going to be pissed and very ready to make amends to their coach and their fans. The Rockets lost a close one to Portland tonight and have a long bus ride ahead of them. The Giants will be aching to shred someone, anyone and rediscover their physical game. It should be a good one. Puck drops Saturday at the Coliseum at 7pm PST.
Three Stars
1. Justin Feser
2. Adam Hughesman
3. Riley Kieser
Dondo’s Hardhat: goes to .. Cain Franson.. responsible for almost all of the production or the G’s in this one 1G 2A, he played a determined game while others floated. Honourable Mention: Riley Kieser.. certainly not star worthy in this one in my mind, but he played a solid tenacious game when he was on the ice.
Vancouver 4 Tri City 11
It was ugliness upon ugliness. A Friday the 13th tilt right out the Giants very worst nightmares and yet it was all too real and far uglier than anyone could have imagined.
The G’s put themselves in a hole so deep they could barely see the lip of the opening. Brendan Gallagher was injured about 10 minutes into the first, as he took a check to the head (not called) and then fell awkwardly against the boards a bit later, sending him off with an upper body injury. Dalton Sward injured himself finishing a check, called an icing when the puck crept over the goal-line with the Am player basically coasting back and a late call for icing was made.
The G’s managed to hold it together for the first period, with tight close checking and some puck battle. In the second the Ams clicked it up one more gear and left the Giants standing in the dust. The G’s were guilty of giving the Ams room to move, not finishing their checks or bringing any sort of physical game. The Tri-City squad feasted with all of the room, scoring nice but easy goals they didn’t have to fight to achieve. They scored 6 in the middle frame and 5 more in the third to bury the G’s at the bottom of a reservoir wearing cement over-shoes. The Giants managed to score 4 goals in the third, but it was far too little, far too late and frankly inexcusable play for the majority of the game. The Ams did benefit from some nice puck luck though. Having a puck go off of a stanchion and right back onto an American stick on the PP, a puck blocked and deflected in the air only to drop in behind the Giants goalie and bounce into the net and a blocked shot bouncing right back onto an Ams stick, to name a few. I felt for the goalies in this one as the G’s gave the American players tons of room to move and make plays in the second and third. Giving a team as skilled as that that kind of time is death and the Ams rippled twine with great accuracy. The Americans also seem to benefit from some blind reffing and have for some time as they clutch and run pick plays as a matter of course and high hits which would be automatic calls against any other WHL squad seem to not touch the Tri-City squad.
The teams played to a score-less first. The Ams scored their first goal 29 seconds into the middle frame and it all went downhill from there. Many easy goals from bad give-aways and standing around saw the Ams score 6 goals on 13 shots in the second. Adam Morrison was pulled after 5 goals against, but really you couldn’t fault him on any except maybe where he made a save, but lost sight of the puck by his pads and failed to cover it up before an Am player swooped in, slipping it into the net. Feser who scored the hat trick in this game, scored his third as a SH’d tally 28 seconds into the third and the rout continued. The Americans added another just over a minute later to make the score 8-0. The Giants rallied somewhat at that point and brought the crowd back into the game. New Giant Riley Kieser scored his first WHL goal going to the net and putting home a rebound. Alex Kuvaev and Cain Franson got the helpers. Marek Tvrdon flipped a sweet back-hand over Eric Comrie’s shoulder off a breakaway chance. Martinook got the lone assist. Cain Franson ripped an unassisted PP tally from the slot, making it 8-3. The Ams bounced back scoring three quick ones, before Anthony Ast scored a great breakaway goal, with Franson getting the only assist. It doesn’t get much uglier, but I was surprised to see so many people staying ‘til the bitter end. Maybe they were waiting for a big fight, or someone to step up and answer the bell. Taylor Makin tried to, but the Ams player ducked and sought comfort of a linesman that had no business getting involved.
Rookie Watch: Kieser (18) scored the Giants first goal and his first WHL career goal, played a good tenacious game and was one of the few players checking. Sward (17) injured early on trying to lay the body. Cooke (18) one of the few who played a physical game. Ast (16) had a few good shifts, where he was trying to do something, got bonus minutes with injuries to Gally and Sward. Vetterl (17) played a pretty soft game for him, didn’t finish checks and lost puck battles frequently. Orban (17) very soft defensively, standing around far more than I like to see, played third pairing and was still a –2.
Fight Night: no fights, but there should have been. The G’s needed to take a few players to task for some questionable play in my mind.
Zebra Cage: Jeff Ingram and Colby Smith .. seemed to be unaware of American infractions in this one, called more than a few weak calls, inconsistent and very quick to give unsportsmanlikes with little or no need. The linesmen also seemed to be inconsistent and heads inserted into their butts from my perspective, but then my perspective might be decidedly skewed tonight.
The Ams out shot the Giants 35-26 in this one and were allowed to freewheel far more they should have been. The G’s did not react quickly enough and were frequently too far away to hold position. The Ams went 2 for 7 on their PP, with the one real bright spot for the Giants being a 5 on 3 penalty kill where Jackson Whistle stood on his head and kept momentum with his team, until the Ams scored one late in the period. The G’s were 1 for 3 on their PP chances and I feel they should have had at least two more opportunities in this one. Cain Franson had a goal and 2 assists in this one. David Musil did not play due to some form of day-to-day injury. Kiefer McNaughton was back in the line-up. The G’s never gave the Ams trouble, they never forced them to battle through to get their ice and it killed them, greatly and in spades. They might not have the Ams skill level, but they damn well be ready to fight and battle it out to the bitter end.
The Americans have all of the components. They have size and speed, solid goaltending and play the perfect team game. They are dangerous at all ends and can turn the game on a dime with a quick rush. The only way to limit their chances is to contain them and play them physically. As they did in Kennewick the Giants did that for one period and then went away from it. If the Americans don’t win the Memorial Cup this year I will be very surprised. I know its way early, but they have not lost a game since Nov 30th and they play an almost perfect game. They still have only 8 losses all season and no OT or Shootout losses. You might beat them in a game here and there, but in a seven game series I don’t think so. Their line-up is loaded with 19 yr olds and max OA players. This is their year as they will not have a better squad for many years. Like Spokane was, they are a juggernaut and very few will be able to compete with them this season let alone beat them. They are a scary team to watch/play, but you can’t help appreciate how well they put it all together.
The Giants will be without Gallagher, Sward and Musil tomorrow night when they try to scrape some respect out of this weekend. The Kelowna Rockets should be in for a hell of a battle as the G’s are going to be pissed and very ready to make amends to their coach and their fans. The Rockets lost a close one to Portland tonight and have a long bus ride ahead of them. The Giants will be aching to shred someone, anyone and rediscover their physical game. It should be a good one. Puck drops Saturday at the Coliseum at 7pm PST.
Three Stars
1. Justin Feser
2. Adam Hughesman
3. Riley Kieser
Dondo’s Hardhat: goes to .. Cain Franson.. responsible for almost all of the production or the G’s in this one 1G 2A, he played a determined game while others floated. Honourable Mention: Riley Kieser.. certainly not star worthy in this one in my mind, but he played a solid tenacious game when he was on the ice.