Giants 5 Silvertips 6 - Oct 25th, 2013

[dondo]

One to grow on, a few fewer passengers and some better defensive zone coverage, but good to see some offense and the team not being fragile.

Tips Topple Giants
Vancouver 5 Everett 6


Well for the most I got what I wanted, except the W of course. The team was not fragile and they were aggressive offensively, but they really abandoned their own net, couldn’t box out and failed to clear rebounds. It was mainly one Giants line that did the damage though. The line of Cain Franson, Alec(x) Baer and Travis McEvoy had jump tonight. Add the pairing of Brett Kulak and Dalton Thrower and they were almost unstoppable. The other lines had varying degrees of success, mediocrity and blown coverage in their own end. All-in-all apart from the awful officiating (more on that later) it was an entertaining game, with a portion of the excitement coming from the fact that goals were not difficult to come by tonight.

Brett Kulak opened the scoring finding twine from the point with a rocket. Anthony Ast and Joel Hamilton got the helpers. The Tips scored on their first shot of the game, on the PP. It was 2-0 after three shots on the Giants net, but Payton Lee cannot take all the blame. For both tallies players were left completely unchecked or even shadowed and were free to bury the rebound. Some very nice passing by both teams in this one. The Tips made it 3-0 later in the period. Kulak found twine with seconds ticking down in the opening frame to pull it close and give the home town boys a lift going into the intermission. Cain Franson scored on the PP early in the second to tie the game back up, assisted by Jackson Houck and Carter Popoff. The Tips replied about 40 seconds later to regain the lead. Franson scored another PP marker at 13:09, this time the assists going to Popoff and Kulak. The Tips replied 6 seconds later. Travis McEvoy tied the game at 5s in the third and the G’s managed to hold onto the lead until Kulak was badly schooled by Manraj Hayer, allowing him to beat him to the outside, cut across the net uncontested and put home his hat trick goal for the eventual GWG.

Radio WTH: because of the Canucks and Lions games tonight, the game was not on the radio, or it was somewhere on the dial I couldn’t find. It was good I was in the stands and only missed the post-game show. Any reason they couldn’t broadcast the Giants game after the Canucks game which ended about the same time the Giants were to start? Kind of a big fail in my mind and proof of my concern about being broadcast on Team.

Team Notes: Dalton Sward was back in the line-up. He played minimal minutes, but looked eager to prove himself off of the IR. Leone, Atwal, Zalitach and Eder were scratched. Osipov was back in.

Rookie Watch: Baer had some jump and was unlucky not to get any points, he was a solid +2 and looked dangerous often. Ty Ronning had some jump, but it still feels like he does not how to focus it. I saw some good shifts from him. Dmitry Osipov had some moments, but he still doesn’t getting this hustling thing.

Fight Night: nope, a few scrums early but with so many goals being scored there didn’t seem to be much time to rumble

Zebra Cage: Sean Raphael and Adam Griffiths.. Talk about inconsistent. Early on they call a bunch of soft ticky tack penalties and not the right ones either, and miss a ton of what actually happened. Then in the third when there were definite penalties on both sides of the puck, including something I think should have been a penalty shot as the player on a semi-breakaway was hauled down from behind, no calls at all. The Tips first PP goal came off of a call that probably should have gone to the Tip player retaliating first, after Traber could have been penalized for a cross-check on the Tip player. Where the double minor for slashing came from I have no clue, as both players were equally guilty. I wasn’t too fond of the linesmen in this one either as the off-side calls seemed a bit close and often late and real icing plays were called by one waived by another consistently. Frankly the zebras of all stripes were a mess tonight and not a hot one. I’m still trying to figure out why Thrower got an unsportsmanlike call 28 seconds into the middle frame.

The Giants out-shot the Silvertips 32-27. They were 2 for 4 on a PP that looked very fresh. It seemed to be more of an umbrella strategy with three high and two low down by the net. They held the Tips to 1 for 3. The boys did an awful job in their end of the ice. did not box out opponents and were very sloppy with the puck. Blind soft chip passes when you have possession is not a good idea. Far too many easy goals given the Tips tonight. I’d say 3 of the 5 Tips goals were from bad positional breakdowns by the G’s and failure to cover the loose man/men on the doorstep. I liked the Giants forecheck tonight and the fact they didn’t give up. They could have sunk with the quick replies from the Silvertips, but they continued to fight for the puck. If they lose the cheesy passing when they have the puck and stick to smart clean plays, they win this one.

Franson has remembered he is a goal scorer and would have done well to take the shot instead of trying to thread a pass through three defenders in the slot on the breakaway. Houck was better tonight, but he can be much better still. Some nice checks, but also some poor effort and a few shifts of coasting back, one of which leading to a Tips goal. Kulak was very solid, but also had those moments of lack of focus. His undressing for the GWG should not have happened, but his shot was sharp and on target and his pressure very good. Thrower had one of those good games on the back-end himself and was strong on the puck. Mason Geertsen was sloppy as hell and very lazy on the puck tonight. We need to get a lot more from him. Blake Orban who was his defense partner looked a bit better, but both of them were carrying –2s on the night.

Popoff looked very sharp on the PP, and was unlucky to not get a goal or two even-strength, but had 2 PP assists. Ast was also working hard in this one and probably should have had more than one assist as he was creating chances in the offensive zone. Payton Lee was not great, but neither was his team’s back-check. I would like to see a few more of those rebounds going harmlessly to the side boards as opposed to right back out into the slot. He’s growing, he needs to keep playing. I wonder if we’ll see Ryan Kubic get a chance for a call-up during this tough stretch in the schedule. Also I did not see the boys getting really pushed around by the bigger Tips, as they did in the first game at the Coliseum versus the Everett squad.

Good crowd tonight, over 8000 and they were treated to a pretty decent tilt. They saw a lot of goals at any rate.

The Gs could have used at least a point tonight, but I appreciate that they did not play for the tie and kept pushing. This game marks the start of a really heavy schedule with 8 games in 11 days and games in Seattle tomorrow and Kamloops on Sunday, before heading up to Prince George for two straight mid-week. There were some positives in this one, but again a few too many passengers for my liking and allowing those easy goals should not be happening. At the very least make the other guy earn every point on the scoreboard.

Three Stars

1. Manraj Hayer
2. Brett Kulak
3. Cain Franson

Dondo’s Doghouse: Houck peeks out, but did not quite do enough to exit the dogshed. I do have to stuff Geertsen and Thomas Foster in there tonight. Geertsen simply needs to be more of an impact player and Foster was an ugly –3 and very sloppy with the puck. He also has the dubious honour of carrying the worst plus/minus on the team and yet I see him on the PK regularly, odd.

Dondo’s Hardhat: goes to Brett Kulak with the slight reservation due to the fact that he is probably still pulling his shorts from between his cheeks after Hayer schooled him, but he mostly had a great game. Notching 2 important goals - opening the scoring and then finding twine with seconds ticking down in the first to give the team a lift and some hope going into the first intermission.

[Giantsfan]

Very frustrating game because besides Lee, most played to their potential. Lee, sucked & I'm done with him. If the Gmen had a capable goalie, they would have won the game. Lee sucked on three of the goals & I'm done giving him the benefit of doubt because of his age. He's not ready for full time WHL duty & should be in the BCHL & have Rathjen as a backup when he returns from his concussion. Scott Bonner needs to acquire a goalie so the Giants will make the playoffs & Toigo will get a guaranteed two home games. If they continue with Lee, they will ruin him, if they already haven't. He looks shaky, gives up huge rebounds & lets in soft goals. He also doesn't handle the puck with confidence.

As for the scratches, Zalitach is out with a hip flexor & don't be surprised if some guys who aren't playing ask out. Zalitach & Dosanjh aren't getting in the lineup & Osipov, like tonight gets limited shifts. The Giants have a glut of defense & guys will be frustrated because they rarely play.
I really like Dosanjh, he's small but plays big & throws some solid hits, something many of the defense seem to not do.
Atwal has been a disappointment. He sat out tonight but he's lost all of his desire to play physical & really doesn't bring much else at this point. Maybe being a healthy scratch will be a wakeup call for him to pick it up.
Kulak has been great. He's playing with confidence & also added some physical play to his game. Playing with Thrower helps but he's tightened up in the defensive zone & his offense is what the Giants need.
Geertsen seems unable to make a pass out of the zone. He was good tonight, & played as physical as I've ever seen him play. I wish he'd play more physical because that should be his game. He has a very long fuse & I would like to see him drop the mitts a few times, but I don't think there are a bunch of guys lining up to be his dance partner.

I thought Houck played a solid game tonight. One of his best, if not his best game of the season. He looked involved, interested in going to the net & had some jump in his step. He's been a big dud so far this season & the Giants are really counting on him for offense.

I thought Franson looked involved & got a couple goals, maybe he's got the monkey off his back.

McEvoy, what can I say about him that I haven't said before. If only everyone had his work ethic. He's a gritty, hard to play against guy.

I thought Traber was also good. Did a good job killing penalties along with McEvoy & Foster. I'm not a fan of Foster, but he looked good on faceoffs & was a hard worker in the defensive zone, though he was probably at fault on the Tips first goal.

Lofthouse can be let go anytime now. He brings nothing, zero physical play, zero skill & at 19, just takes up a roster spot I'd rather have anyone else take.

As for the lack of radio, total bush league. It was only available online, I think one more game is like that. I hate it because I enjoy listening to the game, at the game & with it unavailable, it shows that the TEAM has no desire to show them unless nothing else is on. It's a complete joke & an insult to every fan of the Giants. This mickey mouse situation has been on going for four or five seasons now & it's pathetic.

[Knuckles Muldoon]

Didn't see the game last night, but must look at the big picture and point out some of the ugliness.

16 Thomas Foster C 13 0 1 1 -13

You can't make this stuff up. That is downright horrid. Thomas was sold to us as a smart, talented player. Apart from having a brutal stat line, he is generally very hard to find out there. I have to ask myself if I even remember seeing him out there some nights.

27 Jackson Houck RW 13 2 2 4 -9

Poor season thus far from one of the better, more mentally-competent players on the team. He's uninvolved for the most part and far too often just going through the motions. There are a long list of players who mailed it in after they were drafted, never to be heard from again after they graduated the Dub. Houck is looking absolutely like another one of those. On pace for a 22-point season.

20 Andreas Eder RW 12 2 0 2 -7

Yes I know he's making the standard Euro adjustment, but his talent level suggests he should be bringing something considerably better than this. A softie.

9 Dalton Sward C 4 0 0 0 -5

Yes it's only 4 games, and he's just getting back after an injury, but for a 19yo, this stat line belongs to a struggling 16yo, not a 19yo. He was a scorer in his previous hockey life? You'd never know it. At all.

29 Reid Zalitach D 8 0 0 0 -5

Very disappointed in this guy. At 17, he's a big, strong kid. But seeing him play so unconfidently and unfocused, I've now got big questions about his hockey IQ.

There are no shortage of offenders on the team so far, but these stand right out.

[dondo]

I understand the passion giantsfan, but really it is still a rebuilding year - next year will have some growing pains too, which means playing your younger players including goalies.

Lee has had some rough rides - esp being abandoned consistently -- if there are two unchecked players standing on the doorstep with the puck on their stick there's no goalie in the league who is going to stop that, so really the team has not supported Lee or even Rathjen at all, but the more he plays the better he should get. To be brutally honest Lee's game fundamentals are far superior to Rathjen's. Rathjen as a veteran has let in more reeeeally soft goals than Lee imho and that's taking into account the age. Lee is 17. Not playing their young goalies and accepting some tough losses is exactly what has got the Giants into this goalie trouble.

Getting Adam Morrison delayed them rebuilding one year earlier as they should have. He got them to the playoffs only to be shredded in the first round. Had they not made the playoffs or had a hope they would have shed big time veterans and some of the younger players who had skill who were pushed down the line-up would have had top six minutes on a rebuilding team.

It's time for them to hand the reins to a young kid and win or lose they need to give him more than ten games to prove his worth. I am not a Lee fan per-se, but he deserves the chance to try and fail and try again. His positioning is pretty solid, but he needs to learn where to put rebounds at this level and needs a hell of a lot help for his team on the back-check.

Knuckles you are right, there are some bad numbers there, but a fair amount of those can be attributed some of those late blow-outs the boys suffered. Anyway, at least I am seeing a bit of battle, some forecheck and creativity. They might pay the price on so of that creativity, but the direction they seem to be moving is a good sign. The Tips game was a tough loss, but they didn't give in and they tried very hard to come back all the way.

[Giantsfan]

I don't see Ron Toigo being as patient as some fans. He's all about winning & money, both which go hand in hand. If the losing continues heads will roll & I'm sure Bonner will be told what to do whether he agrees or not.

I think playing Lee in this situation is setting themselves up for more & more losses. Again tonight his positioning was way off on a coupe goals & he lets in some easy goals which comes down to being strong mentally.

Yes, the defense does leave him out to dry but he also lets in bad goals which are very deflating, many times after the Giants are tying up the score or making the game close.

I don't blame everything on Lee but to continue to lose with Lee isn't the way to rebuild. Eventually his confidence is going to be shattered.

I realize it's a rebuilding year, but only in the last couple games have I seen signs of improvement.

[dondo]

right, last couple of games... out of how many? ten twelves total games played? It's October. When it's January then we can press the panic button. Or not. I agree Lee has let in some softies, but I am still willing to give him a chance to win behind a focused and motivated team than throw him to the dogs at the end of October.

The past few years have been Hay panicing and throwing in the veteran too damn much and ruining young goalies by not letting them learn in game situations. Whistle was crushed never given a chance to be good, because he was played rarely and then against teams they figured they'd lose to anyway. he never had a chance to build any confidence. The examples the past few years are too numerous to mention. I am happy to see a young goalie actually getting to play.

We are finally getting a team around him who seem willing to pay the price. I am listening to the Blazers game right now and Lee is the reason the Giants are ahead by so much currently and made a very clutch stop a couple of minutes ago. So maybe it'll will take time, but progress is finally being made.

Now we need some wins.

[johnnyradiant]

After the last couple home games I thought I was watching a different team. Yes they are still struggling in the Win column but those first couple home games saw as much movement or less out of the D on the ice as me in my seat. I saw an actual effort that amounted to watching a couple hockey games. I don't doubt we are not done with some real stinkers by the team yet, and by individuals left right and center but at least I see some effort. I'm giving Lee the benefit of the doubt until he has some consistent honest work in front of him. He is covering but one position. His may change the numbers on the scoreboard but those in front don't have to open pathwayS for the opposition to take advantage. Morrison, Sexsmith, Slade, Swartz(sp?) or any other goalie that had anysort of spotlight would have looked terrible too me thinks. Lee may not be it by a long shot, but with those first few games too many spots for him to protect simultaneously made it impossible to stop some of those.