Very disappointing road trip...

[Some_Arrogant_Jerk]

Lets recap our "wonderful" trip through alberta(and kind of BC), shall we?

Game 1:Medicine Hat. L 4-1

Did not expect a win this game, The tigers are one of the top teams in the league, and they were, and still are on a hot streak. To top it off, our pal, Matt Keetley, one of the biggest pat killers in the league, was in net. We were only able to get one goal this game, to their 4, but we did manage to outshoot them, which is still a good thing. Not a huge loss, actually should have been a positive sign that we can compete with the big teams. Now we just need them to count. Looking to take this performance into Calgary the next game..

Game:2 Calgary L 3-0

To be fair, if it wasnt for the solid play of the calgary tender, we would have put this one away as a W. Lucky us to come across another hot goalie that makes a near 40 save effort. We once again outshot them, but not where it really counts. I heard that we actually played well but that none of the shtos really connected. Oh well, might get the next one...

Game 3: Kootenay L 4-2

Started tartaglione(finally), but it still wasnt enough. I didnt listen in on this game, so im not sure how they played, but doesnt look like it was good enough, because we should beat these guys. Lazaruk(ice goalie) came through with a 40 save effort, and the pats come through with another defeating performance, while outshooting the opponent. So same story. Shooting lots, but nothing goes in. But hey, we're playing lethbridge next time. We should rebound from this. After all this is the team we once beat 11-3...

..Game 4: Lethbridge L 5-2

I guess we were wrong. The pats come through with a so-so effort, not even outshooting lethbridge. The opposition goalie was, once again, sensational, according to usually homer announcer rod pederson at least. Another disappointing game, and would not be surprised to see any changes with the team for the next game. Probably just tired from the road trip, so I wont come down too hard on them.

Basically the message I have been trying to get across is that this whole road trip has been a distaster

Perhaps it has just been bad luck to come across 4 hot goaltenders in a row, and some injuries (Hulak for 6 weeks, Reinhart for a little while and I heard Kyle Ross had trouble getting off the ice tonight at the end. Might be nothing), but either way the pats need to get their crap together and play better where it counts back in the dome..err centre.

At the end of the hurricanes game tonight, hunt said there are alot of guys on their own agenda that REFUSE to go with the game plan, and that trying to be too fancy is giving up alot of unnecessary turnovers. I wonder what changes, temporary, or possibly permanent are made, if any.

[SeventhHeaven4U]

I was at the Canes/Pats game earlier and Maniago was very good in net, let-up limited rebounds and had a good eye on the game. Rowat I thought let a hell of alot of rebounds go and didn't look so stable. Pats had a hard time clearing them out. Neither team was spectacular out there, but Lethbridge came out the winner in the corners more and created some really good scoring chances. Savage reffed the game and did a pretty good job, no complaints.

The score easily could've been higher in favor of the Canes. The 2 goals scored by Regina occurred when the Canes left the player wide open and Manny really didn't have a chance.

[patsdude114]

4 game losing streak with after each game coaches said we werent barring down to get into the tough areas to score.... it would not surprise me at all if a deal is done in the nexted few games to show the team that this is unacceptable we r a so called fav team in our division which by the looks of things we are aways away from that.

I have said right from the get go after watching our team play our 1st game in swift current that we r missing that impact player that can turn the game around by 1 shift/1rush/ 1 goal we dont have that on our team this year and not 1 player has those abilities to take a game over (ie from last season Tolpeko, Robinson, Kalus) this season we have like K.Ross who really cant do what those players listed were capable of doing until we get a impact player on this roster were just another avg team grasping for what was expected out of our team this season.

Parker time to make something happen

[patsfan33]

well obviously none of those games were fun to watch :skeptical

frustrating for the most part, we never seemed to be able to set up anything on our PP...passing the puck took up 95% of that...that is WHEN we had possession of the puck...

and did we take any defencemen on this trip?

...i have never seen so many short-handed goals or 2-on-1, even 3-on-1s IN MY LIFE!!!!

...and while i'm complaining...why weren't we hitting? why is it our defencemen abandoned their roles to become the shot takers of the team? (i'm sorry but you ain't gonna score THAT many from the blueline)...and if Rowat wasn't being screened by his own guys he was being left hung out to dry by them. There's a couple I'm sure that kid would like to have back, but after this trip he's gonna be looking for his confidence first.

Roadtrips are about team bonding, ours seemed to fall apart. Back to the drawing board...and for the love of God Parker...PICK UP A SNIPER!

[witness]

To be fair to Parker, there are not a lot of snipers to be had out there. The Pats could add another European, but since Parker has next to no contacts in the European market, I highly doubt if that is going to happen.

We knew at the beginning of the year that the Pats would have to score by committee. And the Pats best players have to be their best players every night. That is not happening.

The players work ethic is OK, but not fantastic. Rowat is losing confidence because the team in front of him is not making things easy for him. They are losing battles in the corners, not clearing the puck when they have the chance, and can't give him the lead.

Losing Hulak for 6 weeks hurts. The kid was contributing. The rookies have been impressive and have, on the most part, exceeded my expectations. There are a few second, and a number of third year guys that need to start pulling their weight.

Do they need a shake up? Hard to say. Team dynamics are a fragile thing. And some players do not respond well to a shake up. I would rather see some healthy position competition. But, the Pats hands are tied with all the injuries. Maybe it might be time to bring up a Braydon Metz, Brett Miller, and a couple of other prospects to see if that brings a bit of life. There are some vets that need to sit in the stands and ponder if the WHL is where they want to be.

[GBG BLEED BLUE]

To be fair to Parker, there are not a lot of snipers to be had out there. The Pats could add another European, but since Parker has next to no contacts in the European market, I highly doubt if that is going to happen.

We knew at the beginning of the year that the Pats would have to score by committee. And the Pats best players have to be their best players every night. That is not happening.

The players work ethic is OK, but not fantastic. Rowat is losing confidence because the team in front of him is not making things easy for him. They are losing battles in the corners, not clearing the puck when they have the chance, and can't give him the lead.

Losing Hulak for 6 weeks hurts. The kid was contributing. The rookies have been impressive and have, on the most part, exceeded my expectations. There are a few second, and a number of third year guys that need to start pulling their weight.

Do they need a shake up? Hard to say. Team dynamics are a fragile thing. And some players do not respond well to a shake up. I would rather see some healthy position competition. But, the Pats hands are tied with all the injuries. Maybe it might be time to bring up a Braydon Metz, Brett Miller, and a couple of other prospects to see if that brings a bit of life. There are some vets that need to sit in the stands and ponder if the WHL is where they want to be.

Maybe he could ask Molleken to help him find one? :D We all know that he has NHL experience and contacts within the NHL as well. I dont know if that would work though because of the different situations that the Blades and Pats are in with their teams and which direction they are going. (The Blades are rebuilding,have a younger team and the Pats one of the favorites to be at the top of the East Division)

The Blades did not do well on their BC Roadtrip,only winning 1 out of 5 games and getting defeated by the Chilliwack Bruins,

here is the link to the disscussion: http://www.whlfans.ca/showthread.php?t=9000&page=1&pp=10

I think the Blades underestimated them and thought that they could take it easy or something like that.

Anyways I hope that the Pats can get back on the winning side of things and that everything returns to normal.

PS: I cant wait until the Pats play the Blades in Saskatoon,so I can see Tommy Tartaglione and the unique things that he does(the waterbottle thing that I have heard about) and whatever else he does too.