dondo
09-30-2012, 11:55 PM
Much better outing by the boys, Kulak had a good bounce back game, but I was most impressed by Orban who I believe had his best game as a Giant I have witnessed live. Good win.
Giants Clip Chiefs
Vancouver 3 Spokane 2
The Giants played the best team game they have so far this season and if they were to have lost this game I would still be giving them credit for their effort and execution. Tyler Fuhr got the start and although he started out a bit shaky, allowing the first goal on the first shot (ala Liston) and looking a tad antsy between the pipes, he settled down later and in the third made a few game saving stops to get the Giants their first W of the young season. Tonight seemed to be a game where the coaching staff were playing “bubble” players, most of who stepped it up, making the coaching decisions to come that much trickier. Taylor Vickerman, however, ceased to impress me - failing to use his size and not taking the body as he should be doing, he had moments though and for a 16 yr old that isn’t getting a ton of ice-time I should be cutting him more slack, but his unwillingness to grind it out and get in there disappointed me. The line of Franson, Popoff and Houck had all of the elements you usually want for line chemistry. A sniper, a grinder and a playmaker – it helps if both the playmaker and grinder are capable of scoring. The other line I liked was Cheek, centred by Burns and Tvrdon on the other wing. Kulak bounced back from an awful outing on Friday and was much better, but it was Blake Orban who turned my head by finishing checks and stalking down opponents in his own end. The third and winning goal for the Giants came because of some relentless offensive zone pressure with Orban hustling and keeping the puck in the zone multiple times.
The Chiefs opened the scoring on the PP about 4 minutes into the game on the first shot on Fuhr. The Giants missed their assignment and allowed the Chiefs player way too much time to make a play in front of Fuhr. Fuhr had little chance. The Giants tied it up on their own PP late in the first. Nathan Burns buried a beautiful top shelf shot off of a Trevor Cheek cross-ice feed coming out of a broken play. Brett Kulak got the other helper. David Musil wired it from the point in the second. Kulak got a helper on that goal, as well. The Chiefs tied it up on yet another PP chance, off of what I would say was a very questionable call. Hard pressure in the Chiefs zone late in the period kept the Chiefs pinned in their own zone. As mentioned above, Orban did stalwart work keeping the puck in the zone more than once, earning the second assist. Marek Tvrdon made a nice cross-ice pass to Cheek who smacked the puck far side on Mac Engel.
Team Notes: Fuhr proved that he is capable of battling, having the hunger and agility to accomplish that feat. Hay mentioned that Fuhr is always game for a game, but needs to learn how to practice better. A better base of fundamentals would probably elevate his game from solid to possibly elite. It sounds like he will get the nod as long as he continues to perform. I am hoping that Hay doesn’t revert to his old ways and instead gives the young goalie all of the chances to take the starter’s job. Orban had one of his best games, solid at both ends of the ice, playing physical and hustling hard. Tvrdon finally got a point and during the post-game interview Hay intimated that this was the first time this season he saw the kind of work ethic he expects from a player such as this. Ales Kilnar was sat yet again for this game and to be honest it is very unfair for a team to acquire a 19 yr old player (euro especially) and have him ride the pine. If he is not a fit then deal/release him, but don’t sit an offensively gifted player who has had only one regular season start and played well enough to stick. Maybe he’s not on the bubble and until the line-up is set he can sit while the rest get sorted out.
Zebra Cage: Brett Iverson, Mike Campbell – okay for the most part, but Campbell made a couple of seemingly reactive calls not from seeing an actual infraction, but just witnessing a result. The worst being a tripping call on the Giants when it appeared to me that two Chiefs collided with one another. They let a fair amount go as well in this one, but it seemed equal both ways.
Fisticuffs: Scott Cooke and Jeremy McIntosh. Cooke was lucky not to get an instigator as he slashed McIntosh and then dropped the mitts. A lively bout between the two, with both getting in their licks. McIntosh got the take-down.
It felt as if I was witnessing the Tips of a few years back watching the Chiefs play today. They obstructed with great regularity, got called on only the most blatant ones and were quick to throw head punches. The Chiefs were pretty solid and hard workers and the Giants had to earn their goals in the game. The Chiefs had few shots on Fuhr. Burns seems to be progressing nicely into one of those players that wants the puck and the responsibility. I have high hopes for Nathan to be a go-to player this season and a difference-maker. A few of our average 18 yr olds are definitely on the bubble, in my mind, both Cooke and Vetterl bring something, but in my estimation not quite enough to stick. I’d like to see some of our 16 yr olds get the chance to make the squad. Our defense is stacked right now, though mostly disappointing so far. I would like to see Reid Zalitach get the chance to contribute as he showed dimension beyond his years in the game I saw him play. It is still very early in the season and getting the first win helps, but by no means are we out of the woods. The BC Division will be very competitive and the Giants will need to continue to put together games like these.
The G’s out shot the Chiefs 24-15. They went 1 for 4 on the PP, while the Chiefs were 2 for 4 – getting both of their goals with the man-advantage. Despite limited shots Fuhr had to be great on a couple, notably a cross crease pass that he made a nice pad stop on coming across. Fuhr got the second star nod tonight, an award I would not give any goalie allowing two goals on 15 shots, but he most definitely earned his pay-cheque, so to speak. Hay said he desires a more consistent line-up with fewer options of swapping players in and out and I agree. The team still lacks an identity, but I have to say that they seem to pushing toward an aggressive fore-check and that is the kind of game I like to watch. They did not sit back and protect the lead in the third and I consider this a big positive and a progression from the past couple of seasons, which frequently saw four players laying back in the neutral zone. Better in their own end there were still a few too many missed assignments giving quality scoring chances for my liking, but this game is a start and something to build upon. I hope Fuhr gets the start in Kelowna on Wednesday. A challenge I believe he’s up for and one he earned today.
Three Stars
1. Trevor Cheek
2. Tyler Fuhr
3. Mike Aviani
Dondo’s Hardhat: I think I have to give it to Blake Orban, for turning my head and playing one of his best games as a Giant. Despite not getting any points I continue to like Sward’s game a lot – I’m hoping for a Machacek-like season for him this year.
Giants Clip Chiefs
Vancouver 3 Spokane 2
The Giants played the best team game they have so far this season and if they were to have lost this game I would still be giving them credit for their effort and execution. Tyler Fuhr got the start and although he started out a bit shaky, allowing the first goal on the first shot (ala Liston) and looking a tad antsy between the pipes, he settled down later and in the third made a few game saving stops to get the Giants their first W of the young season. Tonight seemed to be a game where the coaching staff were playing “bubble” players, most of who stepped it up, making the coaching decisions to come that much trickier. Taylor Vickerman, however, ceased to impress me - failing to use his size and not taking the body as he should be doing, he had moments though and for a 16 yr old that isn’t getting a ton of ice-time I should be cutting him more slack, but his unwillingness to grind it out and get in there disappointed me. The line of Franson, Popoff and Houck had all of the elements you usually want for line chemistry. A sniper, a grinder and a playmaker – it helps if both the playmaker and grinder are capable of scoring. The other line I liked was Cheek, centred by Burns and Tvrdon on the other wing. Kulak bounced back from an awful outing on Friday and was much better, but it was Blake Orban who turned my head by finishing checks and stalking down opponents in his own end. The third and winning goal for the Giants came because of some relentless offensive zone pressure with Orban hustling and keeping the puck in the zone multiple times.
The Chiefs opened the scoring on the PP about 4 minutes into the game on the first shot on Fuhr. The Giants missed their assignment and allowed the Chiefs player way too much time to make a play in front of Fuhr. Fuhr had little chance. The Giants tied it up on their own PP late in the first. Nathan Burns buried a beautiful top shelf shot off of a Trevor Cheek cross-ice feed coming out of a broken play. Brett Kulak got the other helper. David Musil wired it from the point in the second. Kulak got a helper on that goal, as well. The Chiefs tied it up on yet another PP chance, off of what I would say was a very questionable call. Hard pressure in the Chiefs zone late in the period kept the Chiefs pinned in their own zone. As mentioned above, Orban did stalwart work keeping the puck in the zone more than once, earning the second assist. Marek Tvrdon made a nice cross-ice pass to Cheek who smacked the puck far side on Mac Engel.
Team Notes: Fuhr proved that he is capable of battling, having the hunger and agility to accomplish that feat. Hay mentioned that Fuhr is always game for a game, but needs to learn how to practice better. A better base of fundamentals would probably elevate his game from solid to possibly elite. It sounds like he will get the nod as long as he continues to perform. I am hoping that Hay doesn’t revert to his old ways and instead gives the young goalie all of the chances to take the starter’s job. Orban had one of his best games, solid at both ends of the ice, playing physical and hustling hard. Tvrdon finally got a point and during the post-game interview Hay intimated that this was the first time this season he saw the kind of work ethic he expects from a player such as this. Ales Kilnar was sat yet again for this game and to be honest it is very unfair for a team to acquire a 19 yr old player (euro especially) and have him ride the pine. If he is not a fit then deal/release him, but don’t sit an offensively gifted player who has had only one regular season start and played well enough to stick. Maybe he’s not on the bubble and until the line-up is set he can sit while the rest get sorted out.
Zebra Cage: Brett Iverson, Mike Campbell – okay for the most part, but Campbell made a couple of seemingly reactive calls not from seeing an actual infraction, but just witnessing a result. The worst being a tripping call on the Giants when it appeared to me that two Chiefs collided with one another. They let a fair amount go as well in this one, but it seemed equal both ways.
Fisticuffs: Scott Cooke and Jeremy McIntosh. Cooke was lucky not to get an instigator as he slashed McIntosh and then dropped the mitts. A lively bout between the two, with both getting in their licks. McIntosh got the take-down.
It felt as if I was witnessing the Tips of a few years back watching the Chiefs play today. They obstructed with great regularity, got called on only the most blatant ones and were quick to throw head punches. The Chiefs were pretty solid and hard workers and the Giants had to earn their goals in the game. The Chiefs had few shots on Fuhr. Burns seems to be progressing nicely into one of those players that wants the puck and the responsibility. I have high hopes for Nathan to be a go-to player this season and a difference-maker. A few of our average 18 yr olds are definitely on the bubble, in my mind, both Cooke and Vetterl bring something, but in my estimation not quite enough to stick. I’d like to see some of our 16 yr olds get the chance to make the squad. Our defense is stacked right now, though mostly disappointing so far. I would like to see Reid Zalitach get the chance to contribute as he showed dimension beyond his years in the game I saw him play. It is still very early in the season and getting the first win helps, but by no means are we out of the woods. The BC Division will be very competitive and the Giants will need to continue to put together games like these.
The G’s out shot the Chiefs 24-15. They went 1 for 4 on the PP, while the Chiefs were 2 for 4 – getting both of their goals with the man-advantage. Despite limited shots Fuhr had to be great on a couple, notably a cross crease pass that he made a nice pad stop on coming across. Fuhr got the second star nod tonight, an award I would not give any goalie allowing two goals on 15 shots, but he most definitely earned his pay-cheque, so to speak. Hay said he desires a more consistent line-up with fewer options of swapping players in and out and I agree. The team still lacks an identity, but I have to say that they seem to pushing toward an aggressive fore-check and that is the kind of game I like to watch. They did not sit back and protect the lead in the third and I consider this a big positive and a progression from the past couple of seasons, which frequently saw four players laying back in the neutral zone. Better in their own end there were still a few too many missed assignments giving quality scoring chances for my liking, but this game is a start and something to build upon. I hope Fuhr gets the start in Kelowna on Wednesday. A challenge I believe he’s up for and one he earned today.
Three Stars
1. Trevor Cheek
2. Tyler Fuhr
3. Mike Aviani
Dondo’s Hardhat: I think I have to give it to Blake Orban, for turning my head and playing one of his best games as a Giant. Despite not getting any points I continue to like Sward’s game a lot – I’m hoping for a Machacek-like season for him this year.