Giants 0 Rockets 4 - Feb 27th, 2015

[dondo]

I was only able to listen to this one, but it sounded like we had some chances early when the Rockets weren't ready to play, but they turned it around pretty easily when they decided to put in some effort. They were playing their back-up, had some big pieces missing from their line-up and still they schooled us.

Do we really want to go out four straight in the first round of the playoffs yet again? We play them three more times and if we don't find some effort and discover some way to at least get a point out of some of those then we won't even make the playoffs.

I just have to question the value in making the playoffs only to be first round fodder. I really hate to say that I don't see any go-to guys who are difference makers come playoff time, but I also hoped to be proved wrong. Blazers beat the Royals tonight and the Cougars won in extra time so our grip on third place is becoming more tenuous. Tri-City is starting to slip though so there is some hope to eke out some wildcard spots.

Anyway, Noel was saying the boys were not going to the hard areas and doing the hard things it takes to win games. He was not pleased with tonight's game, but less about the score and more about the effort and discipline.

Thoughts?

[Giantsfan]

Another game that lacked effort, meaning going to the net. I don't understand how they think they can win by shooting from 30 feet out.

No passion but some good hits. Nothing else to cheer about.

Lee had no chance on both goals regardless of what Noel thinks.

Both teams are stacked with tough guys but as is the way with hockey these days, sending a message means shoot from 20 feet out & hope to score.

This is the 10th time this season the Giants have been shutout. Eight of them on the road & twice at home (Tri-City & Kelowna).

What an embarrassment this season has become.

[Giantsfan]

BTW, The Giants so called good start was a joke. They barely tested the goalie & the Rockets were just toying with them. Once they got rolling it was over.

The Giants ALWAYS lose to Kelowna so why would tonight's game be any different?

This so called rebuild is not going so good.

[Giantsfan]

It doesn't matter who is in the net if they can't score a goal. Sounded to me like Noel ripped into his team after the game.

Thrower had the flu yesterday so I wasn't surprised there was no rematch, plus the Giants rarely fight at home but always fight on the road.

The Coliseum used to be a place the opposition feared & to earn a victory it would be well earned. Not anymore. This team is absolutely terrible. I don't see the playoffs in sight this season, but who knows. Why bother if they end up playing Kelowna anyways. They'll make the Giants look so bad.

[Lucic]

Usually against Kelowna I notice Goulbourne and keep close tabs on whether he & Thrower would have a go. Never close tonight. No scraps and nothing even close to resembling animosity between these two teams. Geertsen did plough Merkley nicely and I'd probably have to say that was the highlight of the night as far as the Giants were concerned.

Goulbourne challenged Geertsen after his hit on Merkley but Geertsen declined. Which is disappointing, IMO. Especially with him wearing the "C". The team was down and out with nothing going for them and usually Geertsen is the one looking for a dance partner and getting turned down left and right. Goulbourne is one guy that can handle him so I understand if Geertsen isn't overly eager to fight someone like that but given the circumstances I thought it was even more deflating he didn't. Not that I'm suggesting the Giants would have won that game or anything as that wouldn't have happened regardless. I'm just talking from an emotional standpoint.

As a whole I didn't like anybody on the Giants last night other than Benson. I thought he at least tried and didn't back down. Took a few runs at Bowey and got into a few scrums. What was sad was the fact nobody stood in there with Benson. That scrum late in the game had three or four Rockets surrounding Benson and not one Giants player was even remotely interested in getting in there to support their best player. Pretty sad if you ask me.

Also that blatant elbow by Stephens on Brumm early in the game. For one I couldn't believe there wasn't a penalty on that. That was as clear and obvious as possible. But what bothered me was not one Giants player seemed to care about that. Nobody even went up to Stephens and said anything or tried to stick up for Brumm. Again that is truly sad. I know Brumm isn't Popoff or Houck but it doesn't matter. Somebody should have done something about that.

[Giantsfan]

Never noticed Geertsen & Goulbourne talking. Who knows what was said as Geertsen isn't the type to back down from anyone.

The team as a whole wasn't interested in anything last night. Once again, after a long layoff they played like sh*t. Always!

[dondo]

It sounded like the one player to really have a hunger last night was Benson. I think if only for Tyler that even four playoff games would help him to see what it is to step up that level - at the WHL level.

The Gs are in tough and have one of the worst schedules (in terms of high level opponents) to close out the season. Playing Kelowna three more times (two of them being the last two regular season games in a home-at-home) is enough of a hill to climb, but add in the Tips and Victoria and Spokane and it doesn't get any easier. The Gs have only tonight in a head-to-head in Kamloops to engineer a 4 point swing (as it is the only tilt they have versus the teams they are trying to stay ahead of in the BC Division), but if they lose in regulation tonight their chances are dropping from slim to almost none.

Noel was bemoaning the fact that they practiced the way he wanted them to play the game, going to the hard areas and pressing the attack and then opted not to play that way during the game and that did not make him a happy camper. He missed Sward as he said it gave him multiple options in terms of line-ups being able to slot Sward in centre, right side or left side or any line as needed.

We all know this team is capable of playing much better hockey and often you never know which game they will prove that. Confidence has a lot to do with it and last nights outing was probably the poorest outcome they could have imagined as the Rockets gave the home team a chance to open the scoring and build some momentum and the boys simply opted not to go for it.

More than a few egos were bruised in the tilt and pulling Lee was more preserving him for later and not letting him get shelled; further ruining his confidence. It might have backfired if Lee was that disconsolate on the bench. I think Lee's pull was a team wake up call not a goalie statement. I really have no idea how Lee or anyone will respond. I do like that in the face of adversity Benson is at least trying to keep up the intensity.

Hey what was up with Houck's "butt-end" double minor penalty? Was it really that bad or were the refs just making an example of him?

[Lucic]

Never noticed Geertsen & Goulbourne talking. Who knows what was said as Geertsen isn't the type to back down from anyone.

He's turned down Goulbourne twice this season. Once in Kelowna in a blowout game earlier this season and last night. Even the Giants broadcasters mentioned it during the game..although they worded it like Goulbourne had words for him...but it looked like a clear challenge to me. Geertsen doesn't normally turn guys down but he did in these two cases, IMO.

Anyway maybe he didn't want to fight as the game was more or less over? I don't know. Something tells me if that were someone else like Iverson or Wardley, Geertsen would have dropped them in a second. I don't think he is overly eager to fight Goulbourne. He did fine against him the one and only time they fought a few years ago. But Goulbourne is definitely a better scrapper now.

[Giantsfan]

From the person I talked to Geertsen asked Goulbourne if he was ready to go yet? Goulbourne didn't approach Geertsen after the many hits on the Rockets. He & Thrower both asked Goulbourne to go & they were declined.

Either way Geertsen is also a better fighter than he was a few seasons ago. I don't think for a second that Thrower or Geertsen fear Goulbourne & I'm sure before the end of the season they'll be some gloves dropped between them.

[Swando]

It was a brutal game against a depleted Kelowna team and worse tonight in Kamloops! This team is a disgrace and all blame lies with Vancouver Management.

[Giantsfan]

Horrible effort toniight in Kamloops. I can't recall one scoring chance in the 2nd period. So many problems with this team.

[Lucic]

From the person I talked to Geertsen asked Goulbourne if he was ready to go yet? Goulbourne didn't approach Geertsen after the many hits on the Rockets.

He definitely approached him after the big hit on Merkley. Made an effort to skate up to Geertsen (Goulbourne wasn't near where the hit took place) give him a whack and appeared to challenge him. I find it very hard to believe Goulbourne turned him down. What I saw certainly suggests otherwise.

All I know is Geertsen doesn't appear very eager to fight him. And Goubourne is without question a superior fighter in my opinion.

Ultimately I wanted Thrower to go with him. He is the best scrapper on the team.

Anyway it doesn't matter now. Hopefully they'll save it for the TV game next Friday. Although I won't hold my breath.

[Knuckles Muldoon]

In so many ways, this season has been a big nothing. The potential problems that were tossed around to start the season are still problems. All of them. No proven goaltending, a patchwork defense, a lack of proven scorers, a lack of grit up front and a lack of leadership. Nothing has been solved. Throw in the messages of 2 different coaches and you've got what's left.....a lot of nothing. When the going gets tough, this team has no known structure to fall back on. Individually, there's enough good players on this team, but collectively there is no identity, no base of operations. The team has 2 very good players...one who has done it all on defense this year and the other who is a 16-year-old. One or two others have grown appreciably along the way (Menell comes to mind), but too many players who are just 'there'....guys who haven't progressed much in the past 2 years.
I still hope the team can somehow make the playoffs, just for the experience the younger guys get out of it. But I think with the remaining schedule, it's a real tall order now. Such a seemingly nothing season will just fade into the dust.
The leadership in this organization is stuck in stall-mode.

[Giantsfan]

How does it get fixed? You can't just drop players who have no trades & a lot of teams probably have no interest in many of the players.