dondo
11-17-2012, 05:19 AM
A nice example of the direction I love to see the Giants move.
Giants Pound Pats
Vancouver 4 Regina 3 OT/SO
That’s the kind of effort I like to see from the boys. There were still a few too many careless errors and the boys need to learn how to hold onto a lead, but their PK was stifling and their play in their own end of the ice better. The physical play, fore-check and intensity were something I really like to see as it is a positive and progressive force. I also appreciated how well they stood up for one another. After Reid Zalitach was checked to the head (with no call) Wes Vannieuwenhuizen took the offender to task. This is a very important statement to see the boys make. The one thing that is going to make this tough season all worthwhile will be the forging of team and line chemistry and allowing the young players to progress.
The Giants opened the scoring late in the first. Trevor Cheek solved Matt Hewitt, burying a rebound off of a Jackson Houck shot on the doorstep. Some great work by Carter Popoff got the puck to the net. The G’s padded that lead in the second as Kale Kessy came in off the wing and ripped the puck top corner glove-side. Dalton Sward got the lone helper. Regina tied it up before the end of the middle frame, working the puck to the net and taking advantage of a few missed assignments. Kessy gave the G’s back their lead in the third, snapping the puck low glove-side off the rush. The goal was unassisted and was the Giants very first shorthanded tally of the season. The Pats used a few late PPs to gain momentum and buried the puck off of a sharp pass from behind the net to the face-off dot. The goal came with just under a minute left and the goalie pulled, while the Pats were 6 on 4. Nothing was solved in OT and the game went to a shootout. The shootout went 7 pairs of shooters deep before Thomas Foster slipped the puck beneath Hewitt. Cheek was the first shooter and got the only other goal for the home squad.
Team Notes: Marek Tvrdon continues to be side-lined and could miss the entire season with a blood-clot in his shoulder. Cain Franson is still on the IR.
Fisticuffs: Two fights in the first: Wes Vannieuwenhuizen v Braden Christoffer. Wes was taking Christoffer to task for head checking Zalitach. A decent bout, where each held their own with Wes getting the takedown. Jackson Houck v Dyson Stevenson – coming out of another cheapish hit. Houck ain’t no Lucic, but he held his own well and connected a few times. Stevenson got the marginal takedown.
Zebra Cage: Derek Zalaski and Jason Cramer – quite a few unnecessary and punitive penalty calls in this one, woefully unbalanced despite the Pats doing a fair amount of hooking and holding themselves that went uncalled. Lopsided for no real reasons and typical Zalaski when he’s at the Coliseum. Noticed in a bad way and inconsistent.
The Giants barely out shot the Pats 31-28. They went 0 for 2 on their PP, while holding the Regina squad to 1 for 7. The G’s still suffered from a few lulls, which cost them on the score-sheet, but for the most part played solidly at both ends of the arena. I was happy to see them prevail in the shootout as I felt they controlled most of the game and deserved the W.
Kale Kessy was a one-man wrecking crew while still staying on the side of hard but clean. He also won the battle he had with Hewitt, beating him twice. Hewitt was doing his best Tim Thomas interpretation, sticking his pad out of his crease trying to draw a goaltender interference penalty. He did it so often and so blatantly one period I felt he should have been called on it. Carter Popoff was unlucky not to have gotten a goal as his work ethic was excellent and his puck hunger something more of the Giants could adopt. I found Brett Kulak to be very soft and lazy in his own end of the ice tonight and also found that he was more or less directly responsible for allowing at least two of the goals against, being caught standing around instead of pressuring the puck carrier. The boys on the broadcast were saying how good he is, but to be honest I find that he has little hockey IQ and is rather dumb at times. I liked his game much better last year; he played harder, hit more and made safer plays. He might be in one of those years where he is learning what not to do by doing it and will find a balance between the two eventually.
The Giants head down the road to Everett tomorrow, before returning to take on the Blades back at the Coliseum on Sunday. I expect Fuhr will get the nod for the Everett tilt and Lee between the pipes back home. The G’s should have a good chance versus the Tips and the Blades who are both at the bottom of their divisions. It might be the opportunity they need at this time in the season.
Three Stars
1. Kale Kessy
2. Lane Scheidl
3. Jackson Houck
Dondo’s Hardhat: goes to – Kale Kessy of course. There was little he didn’t do in this game that wasn’t positive. Hitting, checking, puck hunger, goals, team motivator – no one else was even close.
Giants Pound Pats
Vancouver 4 Regina 3 OT/SO
That’s the kind of effort I like to see from the boys. There were still a few too many careless errors and the boys need to learn how to hold onto a lead, but their PK was stifling and their play in their own end of the ice better. The physical play, fore-check and intensity were something I really like to see as it is a positive and progressive force. I also appreciated how well they stood up for one another. After Reid Zalitach was checked to the head (with no call) Wes Vannieuwenhuizen took the offender to task. This is a very important statement to see the boys make. The one thing that is going to make this tough season all worthwhile will be the forging of team and line chemistry and allowing the young players to progress.
The Giants opened the scoring late in the first. Trevor Cheek solved Matt Hewitt, burying a rebound off of a Jackson Houck shot on the doorstep. Some great work by Carter Popoff got the puck to the net. The G’s padded that lead in the second as Kale Kessy came in off the wing and ripped the puck top corner glove-side. Dalton Sward got the lone helper. Regina tied it up before the end of the middle frame, working the puck to the net and taking advantage of a few missed assignments. Kessy gave the G’s back their lead in the third, snapping the puck low glove-side off the rush. The goal was unassisted and was the Giants very first shorthanded tally of the season. The Pats used a few late PPs to gain momentum and buried the puck off of a sharp pass from behind the net to the face-off dot. The goal came with just under a minute left and the goalie pulled, while the Pats were 6 on 4. Nothing was solved in OT and the game went to a shootout. The shootout went 7 pairs of shooters deep before Thomas Foster slipped the puck beneath Hewitt. Cheek was the first shooter and got the only other goal for the home squad.
Team Notes: Marek Tvrdon continues to be side-lined and could miss the entire season with a blood-clot in his shoulder. Cain Franson is still on the IR.
Fisticuffs: Two fights in the first: Wes Vannieuwenhuizen v Braden Christoffer. Wes was taking Christoffer to task for head checking Zalitach. A decent bout, where each held their own with Wes getting the takedown. Jackson Houck v Dyson Stevenson – coming out of another cheapish hit. Houck ain’t no Lucic, but he held his own well and connected a few times. Stevenson got the marginal takedown.
Zebra Cage: Derek Zalaski and Jason Cramer – quite a few unnecessary and punitive penalty calls in this one, woefully unbalanced despite the Pats doing a fair amount of hooking and holding themselves that went uncalled. Lopsided for no real reasons and typical Zalaski when he’s at the Coliseum. Noticed in a bad way and inconsistent.
The Giants barely out shot the Pats 31-28. They went 0 for 2 on their PP, while holding the Regina squad to 1 for 7. The G’s still suffered from a few lulls, which cost them on the score-sheet, but for the most part played solidly at both ends of the arena. I was happy to see them prevail in the shootout as I felt they controlled most of the game and deserved the W.
Kale Kessy was a one-man wrecking crew while still staying on the side of hard but clean. He also won the battle he had with Hewitt, beating him twice. Hewitt was doing his best Tim Thomas interpretation, sticking his pad out of his crease trying to draw a goaltender interference penalty. He did it so often and so blatantly one period I felt he should have been called on it. Carter Popoff was unlucky not to have gotten a goal as his work ethic was excellent and his puck hunger something more of the Giants could adopt. I found Brett Kulak to be very soft and lazy in his own end of the ice tonight and also found that he was more or less directly responsible for allowing at least two of the goals against, being caught standing around instead of pressuring the puck carrier. The boys on the broadcast were saying how good he is, but to be honest I find that he has little hockey IQ and is rather dumb at times. I liked his game much better last year; he played harder, hit more and made safer plays. He might be in one of those years where he is learning what not to do by doing it and will find a balance between the two eventually.
The Giants head down the road to Everett tomorrow, before returning to take on the Blades back at the Coliseum on Sunday. I expect Fuhr will get the nod for the Everett tilt and Lee between the pipes back home. The G’s should have a good chance versus the Tips and the Blades who are both at the bottom of their divisions. It might be the opportunity they need at this time in the season.
Three Stars
1. Kale Kessy
2. Lane Scheidl
3. Jackson Houck
Dondo’s Hardhat: goes to – Kale Kessy of course. There was little he didn’t do in this game that wasn’t positive. Hitting, checking, puck hunger, goals, team motivator – no one else was even close.