Tips vs. Giants Series Thoughts:

[Beaner]

Here we go, time for some thoughts....

BY THE NUMBERS

Overall Season Record
Records: Giants: 47-19-0-6 (100points), Tips: 40-27-2-3 (85points)
PP: Giants 19.6% (3rd overall), Tips 19.3% (4th Overall)
PK: Giants 86.9% (1st overall), Tips 86.0% (5th overall)
20+ Goal Scorers: Giants 6, Tips 4.
50+ Point Players: Giants 5, Tips 4
GF: Giants 252, Tips 203
GA: Giants 156, Tips 158

Road Record: Giants 23-9-0-4, Tips 15-18-2-1
Home Record: Giants 24-10-0-2, Tips 25-9-0-2

Head to Head Series
Oct. 28th Tips 5 @ Giants 2 PP- Giants 1/10, Tips 3/8
Oct. 29th Giants 1 @ Tips 4 PP Giants 0/7, Tips 2/9
Dec. 9th Tips 1 @ Giants 3 PP- Giants ¼, Tips 1/6
Jan. 14th Tips 4 @ Giants 2 PP- Giants 1/5 Tips 0/3
Jan. 21st Giants 3 @ Tips 1 PP- Giants 0/5, Tips 1/5

Win/Loss: Giants 2/5, Tips 3/5
Total Goals: Giants 11, Tips 15
Total Shots: Giants 145 (29spg), Tips 89 (18spg)
Total PP: Giants 3/31 9%, Tips 7/31 22%

PLAYOFF STATS
Giants Home Record: 4-2
Tips Home Record: 5-1

Giants Road Record 4-0
Tips Road Record: 3-2

Giants PP: 12/60, 20%
Tips PP: 12/60, 20%

Giants PK: 55/58, 95%
Tips PK: 44/46, 96%

Giants in OT: 2-0
Tips in OT: 1-1

Injuries
The teams aren’t letting anyone know anything anymore so forget about it. Everyone Healthy or they all have the flu. I’m not sure which it is. :D


Comparison
Forwards
Both teams have very good forwards. Everetts’ forwards can put up as many points as the Giants and both are loaded with skill. Giants may have a slight edge in the toughness department but that may just cost them with being over aggressive and putting the Tips on the PP too much. From what I have seen of the Tips this year, they seem to be the speedier group. EVEN
DEFENCE
Another close call on this as both teams play a great team defence game, finishing 3,4 in goals against. Both sets of D move the puck well, and the points generated from the blueline on the PP is very good as well. But I’m going to give the Giants a very slight edge on the blueline. EDGE GIANTS
SPECIAL TEAMS
Again, I find myself saying wow these teams are close. PP’s on both teams have been excellent all year, and just looking at the goals against they don’t give up very many PPG against. However, Everett is the least penalized team in the league, and their Discipline has been second to none for a while, I’m giving them the edge this time EDGE TIPS
GOALTENDING
Irving and Slade have been the 2 best goaltenders in the playoffs, leading in almost every category, and both have been stellar thus far in the playoffs. Both had great Regular seasons as well, and I don’t think you can really pick one of these guys over the other right now. I believe their stats are almost identical. EVEN
COACHING
Constantine vs. Hay…..Hmmmm…..Gee. Lets face it both these guys are great coaches, they have both their teams drinking the Kool-aid, know how to get the most from the players, and make adjustments to their game plans very quickly to improve their teams odds. EVEN
INTANGIBLES
Neither of these teams has a ton of playoff experience, and for most of the players this round is new to all of them. Everett is a bit younger, but Vancouver has to be considered the “favorite” based on the regular season record only. Neither team is a total surprise being at this point in the playoffs, but the Tips getting by Kelowna has to be a very large boost for them. EVEN

KEYS TO WINNING

TIPS
1. Keep the PP rolling. Tips will get their chances, they will have to bury them.
2. Get to Dustin Slade. Somehow or another the tips will have to find a way thru the Giants D, and get Slade off his game.
3. Stay healthy. The Tips have had a lot of injuries, and the Giants will be trying to pound the Tips on the boards.
GIANTS
1. Discipline. The giants cannot afford to take a lot of penalties in this series.
2. Pound the smaller Tips along the boards cleanly. No point doing it if you take a penalty, have to be smart but clean hits.
3. Out-work the Tips. The tips are quick and skilled but hard-work is what helped in the 2 wins vs. them this year.

Predicition Giants in 6.

To be honest I could just as easily put Tips in 6, but I’m a Giants fan, so there. ;) :p

[LifelongChiefsFan]

Oh man, I can wait for this series to start. Should be an awesome battle all the way. Personally I don't see Everett losing...not sure exactly why, but I just don't think that it's going to happen. They didn't have the best record in the regular season...but of course we all know that isn't necessary to be successful in the playoffs. Could we have the 2nd Medicine Hat/Everett finals in 3 years??


Also I just wanna say congrats to the Giants for making the finals. Portland looked like they played a tough series, but the Giants were just too good to be overcome. Good luck in the next series (although I am rooting for the Tips)

[scrunt]

Wow, I didn't realize how closely these two teams match up. I think it will come down to goaltending: one bad goal could cost a game, one steal could win a series.

It'll be a long week waiting for game 1!

[Beaner]

Wow, I didn't realize how closely these two teams match up.



Shocking isn't it.

[GF71]

I am picking Giants in 6, but it will be six VERY tough games. I would have rather them play the rockets, but it is nice to seem Kelowna out. I am thinking some OT games are coming. It will be a good series...Evertty won;t be able to trap the whole time. The Giants have no trouble containing Mueller...he is too one dimensional...plus he is afraid of Lucic haha...but Lammers...Yikes he is the Giant killer Controlling him will be the key for the large guys.

[N.W. Bruin]

I know it was a meaningless game but it could have been very important too.

[Beaner]

Damn thats twice i've done that now. LOL

Thats what happens when you rush.

Thanks for the correction NWB.

[Knuckles Muldoon]

Shocking isn't it.
Yep.
This series is going to be close every game, all game, I think. I fear Everett's PP and Irving. I also fear their patience. On the plus side, the Giants may be able to dictate the tone physically, which would be a nice edge to possess. Another great part of this series is that the travel time is virtually a non-factor, so the players will all get plenty of rest, resulting in some great hockey. I think this series could go either way and won't be settled before 6 at the earliest. So close in fact, that I'll not even bother predicting a winner. It's a pick'em in my mind.

[Beaner]

So close in fact, that I'll not even bother predicting a winner. It's a pick'em in my mind.

Well, well. If that isn't the easy way out. :laugh: :turkey:

Come on make a decision.

[dondo]

looks like the Giants PK has to be even more dominant.. the 'tips crushed the Rockets with their PP, and that could be our downfall, but I think that the Giants will be able to fight through their trap and get into their zone.

The fact that we have played two defensively minded squads already, makes me think that we have the edge. Although it'll probably go at least six games I'm predicting the Giants in five - let's keep the same rhythm. We need to solve Irving early so they can't play shut-down hockey and stay out the box cause weak penalties could be a deciding factor.

I still would have preferred the Rockets because it would have been better hockey, as it is it'll be offense versus trap/defense (ala Minnesota.. speed and turnovers) - we've got to limit both and use the physical game to keep them looking over their shoulder.

btw the only two games we have lost so far have both been shutouts, interesting eh?

[prospera]

looks like the Giants PK has to be even more dominant.. the 'tips crushed the Rockets with their PP, and that could be our downfall, but I think that the Giants will be able to fight through their trap and get into their zone.

The fact that we have played two defensively minded squads already, makes me think that we have the edge. Although it'll probably go at least six games I'm predicting the Giants in five - let's keep the same rhythm. We need to solve Irving early so they can't play shut-down hockey and stay out the box cause weak penalties could be a deciding factor.

I still would have preferred the Rockets because it would have been better hockey, as it is it'll be offense versus trap/defense (ala Minnesota.. speed and turnovers) - we've got to limit both and use the physical game to keep them looking over their shoulder.

btw the only two games we have lost so far have both been shutouts, interesting eh?
they are a very good team but if l had to watch that style of hockey l wouldn't be a season ticket holder

[langdak]

they are a very good team but if l had to watch that style of hockey l wouldn't be a season ticket holder


I couldnt agree with you more

It gets very frustrating to watch sometimes, and it doesnt matter if your supporting the team playing that style, or supporting the visiting team when they play

But i guess when it comes right down to it, boring or not, its been successful :spineyes:

[dondo]

^ yeah but wasn't that what the crack down on obstruction and getting rid of the red line supposed to break? The problem is that it seems that these teams that play a defense first system are getting the benefit of the doubt where obstruction is concerned when they should be targets.

Yeah not looking forward to watching boring hockey, but I'm happy we are in the third round and poised to go further. I'm really hoping that the Giants manage to break down their system and get behind the neutral zone clog.

Overall its about winning, but to keep the butts in seats you've got to put on entertaining product - and I don't know if the 'Tips are doing that - sounds like they have a very nice venue to play in though.

[Beaner]

^ yeah but wasn't that what the crack down on obstruction and getting rid of the red line supposed to break? The problem is that it seems that these teams that play a defense first system are getting the benefit of the doubt where obstruction is concerned when they should be targets.


The problem is that the WHL didnt adopt the strick standards regarding hooking and obstruction that the NHL, OHL and QMJHL adopted.

A lot of people think they did since we adopted the other rules, but the Dub made it quite clear they werent going to crack down as much as the other leagues, on obstruction etc.

They have cracked down a bit - but I would say they are at less than 50% of the crackdown the other leagues have.

[scrunt]

The problem is that the WHL didnt adopt the strick standards regarding hooking and obstruction that the NHL, OHL and QMJHL adopted.

A lot of people think they did since we adopted the other rules, but the Dub made it quite clear they werent going to crack down as much as the other leagues, on obstruction etc.

They have cracked down a bit - but I would say they are at less than 50% of the crackdown the other leagues have.

It's sure frustrating to watch after getting used to the NHL standards, but as long as it's called evenly it's less of an issue. Still, I agree with dondo that allowing more interference/clutching/grabbing/obstruction gives the boring trappy teams justification for their style.

My bigger concern is that until the Dub adopts the new tolerances its prospects will be at a massive disadvantage to everyone else because they will not be attuned to the new rules. At least last year's grads like Meszaros were able to learn the new rules along with everyone else. The current generation of WHL grads, like Fistric, will have no such "luxury."

[Beaner]

It's sure frustrating to watch after getting used to the NHL standards, but as long as it's called evenly it's less of an issue. Still, I agree with dondo that allowing more interference/clutching/grabbing/obstruction gives the boring trappy teams justification for their style.


Well, I have only watched a few of the NHL games, but from what I have seen, I dont like their new "strictness".

Felt to me like the NHL has gone to far, whereas the Dub could go just a bit more. I would really like to see the 2 leagues meet somewhere in the middle from where the Dub and NHL are being called right now.