dondo
01-31-2013, 02:30 AM
Let's do this again on Friday
Giants Poach Raiders
Vancouver 5 Prince Albert 1
It felt like witnessing a Giants squad from about four years ago as opposed to one from this season. The team looked to have some swagger, got some luck, made their first two PPs work and for a rare time this season had the luxury of a big lead coming into the third. Thankfully they did not ease off on that pedal and kept the pressure on in the final frame. Rathjen got the start and I am not sure why. He wasn’t busy in this game for his win, but last time I looked Lee was still our starter right? This team’s bias against young goalies is becoming quite frustrating. Four days off between games you start your starter right? Not the guy who lost the last game versus the Royals and wasn’t able to stop the bleeding coming in on relief in the first game in Victoria. I just don’t get it. He also benefited from some of the best work the Giants have had in their own zone all season.
Back-checking was aggressive, but so was the offense with pressure to the net and ton of good shots on net. Cain Franson didn’t have a point tonight, but he played a hell of a game. Jackson Houck was dominant. Dalton Sward was all over the ice, again no points but very effective. Brendan Rouse played like you hope your OA players will, notched three points and was strong on the puck. Mason Geertson and Arvin Atwal (both +3s) were on the ice for all three of the Giants even-strength goals and played shut-down hockey in their own end of the ice. Brett Kulak had two PP points. Travis McEvoy had a monster two-way game and was strong going to the net and hustling back to his own zone. I could go on as it was a full four line effort with most everyone on the same page and willing to pay the price for the win. The Raiders being on the road since Jan 18th might have added to the ease of the Giants win though, even though PA gutted out a 6-5 victory in Victoria on Monday.
The Giants opened the scoring on the PP at 14:25 of the opening period. Rouse got the puck to go, assisted by Kulak and Tyler Morrison. The Giants added an even-strength marker 1:20 later off of some luck. Carter Popoff tickled the twine playing some fourth line minutes with Luca Leone and Arvin Atwal getting the other points. Houck got a PP marker just over a minute after the Popoff tally. Kulak and Rouse got the helpers. The G’s notched three goals in under 3 minutes to get a healthy early lead. It wasn’t as if the Giants hadn’t been working for those chances though, as they dominated the play from the drop of the puck with their relentless pressure finally paying off in the latter stages of the first. Arvin Atwal scored the only goal of the second. It was an unassisted tally through traffic and his first WHL goal. Jackson Houck notched his second of the game early in the third. Mason Geertson and Rouse with the helpers. The Raiders finally solved Rathjen, first with a goal that was a delayed penalty a very late whistle and a vaguely waived off tally that wasn’t. Very confusing for a bit as it resulted in the Raiders only PP chance of the night. The Raiders did manage to bulge the twine on that PP chance so they got their goal after-all.
Team Notes: The Giants bumped their winless slump at 6 with the victory tonight. Interestingly enough the Giants have had the lead going into the third only 7 times this season and have won every one of those games. The Giants stats for when they get the first goal to when they allow the first goal is a very lop-sided stat. Early effort is important for this team as they get that confidence from the out-set. A young team is a fragile team and the enthusiasm can be infective if it comes at the right time.
Fight Night: Jason Trott and Jayden Hart, by the Raiders bench a couple of slashes and then the gloves came off. Players fell by the benches early on.
Zebra Cage: Ryan Benbow and Mark Pearce – Giants got the benefit of the doubt tonight and worked hard to draw penalties. Lots of tripping calls and couple of 5 on 3s boosted the numbers.
The Giants dominated the shot clock peppering Luke Siemens with 57 as opposed to Prince Albert’s 23. The G’s had over 20 shots on net in two of the periods and were not afraid to go the greasy areas of the ice. Their only minor let-down was allowing a PP marker on their only kill of the night and the fact they didn’t help their PP stats by going 2 for 2 and then ending up 2 for 7 – with two tripping calls against the Raiders in the final couple of minutes.
Next Up: The Giants have a day to rest/practice before taking on the Rockets at the Coliseum on Friday. The Giants and Rockets have had some close games and some really very not so close contests this season, but the games themselves have usually been lively affairs and good hockey. Let’s hope the refs don’t get in the way. Should be a good tilt if the Giants are able to carry over momentum from tonight’s game, which has been a challenge this season – the carryover effect for the boys has been virtually non-existent as each game seems to be its own island and not an archipelago. Let’s hope they can motivate themselves as a team to play the same kind if game they played versus the Raiders. Their PK will have to be better though, because the Rockets are not getting only one PP chance in that game.
Three Stars
1. Jackson Houck
2. Brendan Rouse
3. Cain Franson
Dondo’s Hardhat: goes to – the defensive duo of Mason Geertsen and Arvin Atwal. In on all of the even strength markers and rock solid in their own end of the ice. This is the kind of effort they need to get regularly from their young D. Whatever scout is smart enough to watch Geertsen will get a steal wherever he’s selected. Playing on a poor team he might be overlooked by some and he shouldn’t be.
Don’t expect the Canucks to take him though they have a huge blind-spot where Giants players are concerned, but have no qualms getting the G’s to draft/take on players they are interested in or already have rights to in the case of Mario Bliznak and Kevin Connaughton or the euro goalie that wasn’t able to show up due to botched paperwork.
Giants Poach Raiders
Vancouver 5 Prince Albert 1
It felt like witnessing a Giants squad from about four years ago as opposed to one from this season. The team looked to have some swagger, got some luck, made their first two PPs work and for a rare time this season had the luxury of a big lead coming into the third. Thankfully they did not ease off on that pedal and kept the pressure on in the final frame. Rathjen got the start and I am not sure why. He wasn’t busy in this game for his win, but last time I looked Lee was still our starter right? This team’s bias against young goalies is becoming quite frustrating. Four days off between games you start your starter right? Not the guy who lost the last game versus the Royals and wasn’t able to stop the bleeding coming in on relief in the first game in Victoria. I just don’t get it. He also benefited from some of the best work the Giants have had in their own zone all season.
Back-checking was aggressive, but so was the offense with pressure to the net and ton of good shots on net. Cain Franson didn’t have a point tonight, but he played a hell of a game. Jackson Houck was dominant. Dalton Sward was all over the ice, again no points but very effective. Brendan Rouse played like you hope your OA players will, notched three points and was strong on the puck. Mason Geertson and Arvin Atwal (both +3s) were on the ice for all three of the Giants even-strength goals and played shut-down hockey in their own end of the ice. Brett Kulak had two PP points. Travis McEvoy had a monster two-way game and was strong going to the net and hustling back to his own zone. I could go on as it was a full four line effort with most everyone on the same page and willing to pay the price for the win. The Raiders being on the road since Jan 18th might have added to the ease of the Giants win though, even though PA gutted out a 6-5 victory in Victoria on Monday.
The Giants opened the scoring on the PP at 14:25 of the opening period. Rouse got the puck to go, assisted by Kulak and Tyler Morrison. The Giants added an even-strength marker 1:20 later off of some luck. Carter Popoff tickled the twine playing some fourth line minutes with Luca Leone and Arvin Atwal getting the other points. Houck got a PP marker just over a minute after the Popoff tally. Kulak and Rouse got the helpers. The G’s notched three goals in under 3 minutes to get a healthy early lead. It wasn’t as if the Giants hadn’t been working for those chances though, as they dominated the play from the drop of the puck with their relentless pressure finally paying off in the latter stages of the first. Arvin Atwal scored the only goal of the second. It was an unassisted tally through traffic and his first WHL goal. Jackson Houck notched his second of the game early in the third. Mason Geertson and Rouse with the helpers. The Raiders finally solved Rathjen, first with a goal that was a delayed penalty a very late whistle and a vaguely waived off tally that wasn’t. Very confusing for a bit as it resulted in the Raiders only PP chance of the night. The Raiders did manage to bulge the twine on that PP chance so they got their goal after-all.
Team Notes: The Giants bumped their winless slump at 6 with the victory tonight. Interestingly enough the Giants have had the lead going into the third only 7 times this season and have won every one of those games. The Giants stats for when they get the first goal to when they allow the first goal is a very lop-sided stat. Early effort is important for this team as they get that confidence from the out-set. A young team is a fragile team and the enthusiasm can be infective if it comes at the right time.
Fight Night: Jason Trott and Jayden Hart, by the Raiders bench a couple of slashes and then the gloves came off. Players fell by the benches early on.
Zebra Cage: Ryan Benbow and Mark Pearce – Giants got the benefit of the doubt tonight and worked hard to draw penalties. Lots of tripping calls and couple of 5 on 3s boosted the numbers.
The Giants dominated the shot clock peppering Luke Siemens with 57 as opposed to Prince Albert’s 23. The G’s had over 20 shots on net in two of the periods and were not afraid to go the greasy areas of the ice. Their only minor let-down was allowing a PP marker on their only kill of the night and the fact they didn’t help their PP stats by going 2 for 2 and then ending up 2 for 7 – with two tripping calls against the Raiders in the final couple of minutes.
Next Up: The Giants have a day to rest/practice before taking on the Rockets at the Coliseum on Friday. The Giants and Rockets have had some close games and some really very not so close contests this season, but the games themselves have usually been lively affairs and good hockey. Let’s hope the refs don’t get in the way. Should be a good tilt if the Giants are able to carry over momentum from tonight’s game, which has been a challenge this season – the carryover effect for the boys has been virtually non-existent as each game seems to be its own island and not an archipelago. Let’s hope they can motivate themselves as a team to play the same kind if game they played versus the Raiders. Their PK will have to be better though, because the Rockets are not getting only one PP chance in that game.
Three Stars
1. Jackson Houck
2. Brendan Rouse
3. Cain Franson
Dondo’s Hardhat: goes to – the defensive duo of Mason Geertsen and Arvin Atwal. In on all of the even strength markers and rock solid in their own end of the ice. This is the kind of effort they need to get regularly from their young D. Whatever scout is smart enough to watch Geertsen will get a steal wherever he’s selected. Playing on a poor team he might be overlooked by some and he shouldn’t be.
Don’t expect the Canucks to take him though they have a huge blind-spot where Giants players are concerned, but have no qualms getting the G’s to draft/take on players they are interested in or already have rights to in the case of Mario Bliznak and Kevin Connaughton or the euro goalie that wasn’t able to show up due to botched paperwork.