dondo
10-02-2014, 10:11 PM
Great start, poor middle, decent finish. The Gs battled some pretty ticky-tack reffing and their own poor puck management. Credit them for not completely folding after losing a considerable lead.
Rockets Penalize Giants
Vancouver 5 Kelowna 7
The Giants took their unbeaten streak on the road to take on the equally unbeaten Kelowna Rockets. The Vancouver squad got out to a 3-0 lead in the first period, but penalty trouble and carelessness on special teams, combined with completely useless zebras, allowed the Rockets to get back into the game with 6 straight unanswered. The Giants used a couple of late PPs to get close, but allowed their third SH’d goal against in the game, into an empty net.
The Gs opened the scoring a couple of minutes into the game when 17 yr old Minnesota native David Brumm scored his first WHL goal. Assists went to Clayton Kirichenko and Jesse Roach. Dalton Sward scored a shorthanded marker. Thomas Foster broke Sward out of the Giants zone for the breakaway. Sward slipped it through former Vancouver Giants goaltender Jackson Whistle. Arvin Atwal then found twine on the PP, set-up by Thomas Foster and Mason Geertsen.
The Rockets began their come-back just over five minutes into the middle frame. The goal came shorthanded. About 5 minutes after that the refs were still being very liberal with their whistles, calling results and not actions and frankly it was bush league. The Rockets got to within one on a 2 man advantage on a shot, which may or may not have been tipped in with a high-stick. They scored again still on the PP the very next shift, tying the game at 3s. The home squad scored their first even-strength tally just over 6 minutes into the third, giving them their first lead of the game. A few minutes later they added their second shorthanded marker, giving them a two goal bulge over the visitors. The goal deflected off of a Giants stick in the front. The next shift they added a PP goal, because yet more penalties were being called.
The Giants finally used their PP for good, as opposed to coughing up shorties, scoring one at about the 14 minute mark of the final frame. Carter Popoff’s shot goes off the post and then the goalie’s pad as he sprawls in the crease. Jackson Houck and Kirichenko get the helpers. The Giants close to within one, using another late PP. Popoff passes to Kirichenko at the point. Kirichenko snaps a puck through traffic and off the pads for a big rebound. Houck, cutting down the slot, pounds home the loose puck. The Giants got a very late PP chance to tie it, but instead of putting it around behind the net, Houck makes a poor pass toward the face-off dot. The puck is picked off and rifled down the ice into the open net with 11 seconds left on the clock.
Team Notes: David Brumm scored his first WHL goal in this game. Tyler Benson ejected from the game for a boarding major, which was not a penalty let alone a major. See “Zebra Cage”
Fight Night: nada
Zebra Cage: Kevin Bennett and Mike Langin. Well they basically have no idea what the rules are or what their job is, full stop. The “boarding” call which got Tyler Benson ejected for the game, was not boarding and not a penalty. They punished the injury not the infraction. The initial point of contact was the shoulder; the player being checked spun toward Benson and went back first into the boards. Boarding is a check-from-behind into the boards where the player being hit is in a vulnerable position and the initial point of contact is basically “the numbers”. None of these elements indicating a boarding call were evident in this play, not one. Since the game was broadcast there is overwhelming video evidence on how much that check was not even an infraction, instead of a complete over-reaction by a couple of zebras unclear on the actual rules. I also find it ridiculous that any major penalty in this league comes with an automatic game misconduct, regardless of intent to injure or mitigating circumstances. Boarding also usually indicates the player is away from the boards when he is hit and not checked into the glass when the player being checked is already against the boards.
They called trips as hooks and vice-versa. They called a few boarding calls in the game, most of which were not textbook. There were a lot of players in this game who were already off-balance when checked and fell easily. For example Baer’s nudge from the back as the player is already losing an edge is not cross-checking. It’s a nudge. Players coming into the zone trying to jump over another players stick is not tripping and so on and so on. Again the WHL officials are badly failing and flailing this season. It’s time for the league to properly reacquaint their officials with the rulebook. The two refs tonight called the game in their heads not on the ice. They were both reactive, punishing results as opposed to infractions, on both sides. Someone fell and they called… something. They were consistent though, consistently out to lunch.
The Rockets out-shot the Giants 30-22. They went 3 for 8 on the PP, while the Giants went 3 for 7. The Giants coughed up three shorthanded goals against in this game, one of which was into an empty, but even that one should have been avoided with better puck management. They scored 3 PP markers with a PP that seems to be improving, but is very careless with the puck. The Rockets gave up one shorthanded marker against, but their PP this season has been deadly. The Rockets PP didn’t even really look that good most of the time, but it found twine.
Credit the Giants for coming out in the first and getting 3 unanswered, but then allowing 6 unanswered is frankly in excusable. I could blame the zebras for all of their ticky-tack calls, but when the G-Men cough up two SH’d markers at very bad times in the game, squandering those PP chances by basically being too lackadaisical with the puck on the man-advantage, then the boys need to look themselves in the mirror for some personal assessment. The Giants got goals from 5 different goal scorers, so they are getting production from throughout their line-up. I am still seeing a lot of the vets showing up for half of a game though and I need to see them be more consistent for the whole game and not just bits. I especially did not like Matt Bellerive’s game, on for two of the SH’d goals against he was pretty sloppy out there and I personally still believe a waste of an OA spot. Tyler Morrison, who is usually rock-solid at the offensive and defensive end of the ice and has been our most consistent defenseman so far this season, also had an unusually careless night. Kirichenko had a great game though. Looking to be a possible PP quarterback, he has been getting nice low wrist/snap shots through traffic. He had three assists in the game and was even, which was good for the Gs D in this one. Atwal was +1 on the night and the only Vancouver defenseman in a plus position.
The Giants head back home for a game versus Swift Current on Friday Oct 3rd. They have yet to lose at home and would like to continue that streak for games on Friday and Sunday. The puck drops at the Coliseum at 7:30pm PDT.
Three Stars
1. Madison Bowey
2. Nick Merkley
3. Jackson Houck
Dondo’s Doghouse: Maybe I’m channelling Don Hay, but Matt Bellerive is playing himself into the doghouse. Of our vets, he has had the least impact and seems to be the biggest floater on the team. A –3 in the game, he was mostly invisible. I’ve always had high hopes for Matt ever since watching him in the Macs Tournament and was looking forward to seeing him play here, but he had some injury issues and was marginalized by Hay and dropped down the line-up. The problem is that he has a chance to really step it up and prove Hay wrong with this opportunity, but I have yet to see it. Come-on Matt! Make me a believer again.
Dondo’s Hardhat: I’m giving it to Clayton Kirichenko. I like this kid’s size and effort and he looks to have some upside on the PP. I have been fairly impressed with the quality of his game so far this season. 3 A on the night looks pretty good. Only minor downside is he was on the ice for some of the SH’d goals against.
Rockets Penalize Giants
Vancouver 5 Kelowna 7
The Giants took their unbeaten streak on the road to take on the equally unbeaten Kelowna Rockets. The Vancouver squad got out to a 3-0 lead in the first period, but penalty trouble and carelessness on special teams, combined with completely useless zebras, allowed the Rockets to get back into the game with 6 straight unanswered. The Giants used a couple of late PPs to get close, but allowed their third SH’d goal against in the game, into an empty net.
The Gs opened the scoring a couple of minutes into the game when 17 yr old Minnesota native David Brumm scored his first WHL goal. Assists went to Clayton Kirichenko and Jesse Roach. Dalton Sward scored a shorthanded marker. Thomas Foster broke Sward out of the Giants zone for the breakaway. Sward slipped it through former Vancouver Giants goaltender Jackson Whistle. Arvin Atwal then found twine on the PP, set-up by Thomas Foster and Mason Geertsen.
The Rockets began their come-back just over five minutes into the middle frame. The goal came shorthanded. About 5 minutes after that the refs were still being very liberal with their whistles, calling results and not actions and frankly it was bush league. The Rockets got to within one on a 2 man advantage on a shot, which may or may not have been tipped in with a high-stick. They scored again still on the PP the very next shift, tying the game at 3s. The home squad scored their first even-strength tally just over 6 minutes into the third, giving them their first lead of the game. A few minutes later they added their second shorthanded marker, giving them a two goal bulge over the visitors. The goal deflected off of a Giants stick in the front. The next shift they added a PP goal, because yet more penalties were being called.
The Giants finally used their PP for good, as opposed to coughing up shorties, scoring one at about the 14 minute mark of the final frame. Carter Popoff’s shot goes off the post and then the goalie’s pad as he sprawls in the crease. Jackson Houck and Kirichenko get the helpers. The Giants close to within one, using another late PP. Popoff passes to Kirichenko at the point. Kirichenko snaps a puck through traffic and off the pads for a big rebound. Houck, cutting down the slot, pounds home the loose puck. The Giants got a very late PP chance to tie it, but instead of putting it around behind the net, Houck makes a poor pass toward the face-off dot. The puck is picked off and rifled down the ice into the open net with 11 seconds left on the clock.
Team Notes: David Brumm scored his first WHL goal in this game. Tyler Benson ejected from the game for a boarding major, which was not a penalty let alone a major. See “Zebra Cage”
Fight Night: nada
Zebra Cage: Kevin Bennett and Mike Langin. Well they basically have no idea what the rules are or what their job is, full stop. The “boarding” call which got Tyler Benson ejected for the game, was not boarding and not a penalty. They punished the injury not the infraction. The initial point of contact was the shoulder; the player being checked spun toward Benson and went back first into the boards. Boarding is a check-from-behind into the boards where the player being hit is in a vulnerable position and the initial point of contact is basically “the numbers”. None of these elements indicating a boarding call were evident in this play, not one. Since the game was broadcast there is overwhelming video evidence on how much that check was not even an infraction, instead of a complete over-reaction by a couple of zebras unclear on the actual rules. I also find it ridiculous that any major penalty in this league comes with an automatic game misconduct, regardless of intent to injure or mitigating circumstances. Boarding also usually indicates the player is away from the boards when he is hit and not checked into the glass when the player being checked is already against the boards.
They called trips as hooks and vice-versa. They called a few boarding calls in the game, most of which were not textbook. There were a lot of players in this game who were already off-balance when checked and fell easily. For example Baer’s nudge from the back as the player is already losing an edge is not cross-checking. It’s a nudge. Players coming into the zone trying to jump over another players stick is not tripping and so on and so on. Again the WHL officials are badly failing and flailing this season. It’s time for the league to properly reacquaint their officials with the rulebook. The two refs tonight called the game in their heads not on the ice. They were both reactive, punishing results as opposed to infractions, on both sides. Someone fell and they called… something. They were consistent though, consistently out to lunch.
The Rockets out-shot the Giants 30-22. They went 3 for 8 on the PP, while the Giants went 3 for 7. The Giants coughed up three shorthanded goals against in this game, one of which was into an empty, but even that one should have been avoided with better puck management. They scored 3 PP markers with a PP that seems to be improving, but is very careless with the puck. The Rockets gave up one shorthanded marker against, but their PP this season has been deadly. The Rockets PP didn’t even really look that good most of the time, but it found twine.
Credit the Giants for coming out in the first and getting 3 unanswered, but then allowing 6 unanswered is frankly in excusable. I could blame the zebras for all of their ticky-tack calls, but when the G-Men cough up two SH’d markers at very bad times in the game, squandering those PP chances by basically being too lackadaisical with the puck on the man-advantage, then the boys need to look themselves in the mirror for some personal assessment. The Giants got goals from 5 different goal scorers, so they are getting production from throughout their line-up. I am still seeing a lot of the vets showing up for half of a game though and I need to see them be more consistent for the whole game and not just bits. I especially did not like Matt Bellerive’s game, on for two of the SH’d goals against he was pretty sloppy out there and I personally still believe a waste of an OA spot. Tyler Morrison, who is usually rock-solid at the offensive and defensive end of the ice and has been our most consistent defenseman so far this season, also had an unusually careless night. Kirichenko had a great game though. Looking to be a possible PP quarterback, he has been getting nice low wrist/snap shots through traffic. He had three assists in the game and was even, which was good for the Gs D in this one. Atwal was +1 on the night and the only Vancouver defenseman in a plus position.
The Giants head back home for a game versus Swift Current on Friday Oct 3rd. They have yet to lose at home and would like to continue that streak for games on Friday and Sunday. The puck drops at the Coliseum at 7:30pm PDT.
Three Stars
1. Madison Bowey
2. Nick Merkley
3. Jackson Houck
Dondo’s Doghouse: Maybe I’m channelling Don Hay, but Matt Bellerive is playing himself into the doghouse. Of our vets, he has had the least impact and seems to be the biggest floater on the team. A –3 in the game, he was mostly invisible. I’ve always had high hopes for Matt ever since watching him in the Macs Tournament and was looking forward to seeing him play here, but he had some injury issues and was marginalized by Hay and dropped down the line-up. The problem is that he has a chance to really step it up and prove Hay wrong with this opportunity, but I have yet to see it. Come-on Matt! Make me a believer again.
Dondo’s Hardhat: I’m giving it to Clayton Kirichenko. I like this kid’s size and effort and he looks to have some upside on the PP. I have been fairly impressed with the quality of his game so far this season. 3 A on the night looks pretty good. Only minor downside is he was on the ice for some of the SH’d goals against.