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View Full Version : Wall #1 Star in Road Loss?



Tipped Off
02-23-2005, 11:22 AM
I can't seem to recall too many, if any, games I've seen where a road goalie gets the #1 star in a 2-1 loss. I can understand if Kamloops had taken 50 shots, but they took less than 30.

The radio guys made it sound like he had some great saves, but I also heard the post clank a couple times on the broadcast. He played 55 mins & stopped 24 shots on 26 attempts. The guys said the 2nd goal was kind of flukey, but still...a #1 star in a road loss ??????????

You guys were there, I assume, did he deserve it?

Kamfan
02-25-2005, 01:21 AM
I personally thought he was terrible. I've definitely never seen him that bad (including a 3 goals on 13 shot performance in a 4-0 loss in Everett back on Jan 28).

He was only sporatically busy (during the 2nd, he went 10+ minutes without facing a shot on net, and obviously didn't face a shot in the final 5 minutes) and when the Blazers did get shots on him, they were invariably handled poorly. He'd continually only get a small part of the shot, allowing it to deflect over his shoulder or behind him along the ice. He didn't make bad decisions positionally, he just didn't see the puck well.

For whatever reason though, the puck did stay out (be it metal, slow ice, fans on tap ins) and because he often kept it out "unconventionally" (to put it as nicely as possible), I think the media panel felt he made a lot of "tough" saves. What they obviously failed to realize, is that he made them tough.

Even Blazer coach Mark Ferner questioned the choice of Wall as 1st star (how often do you hear coaches make note of the stars?). Blazer color man Rick Wile subtley defended the choice, making it painfully obvious he made the call, or at least was part of it.

Kamfan
02-25-2005, 01:25 AM
The guys said the 2nd goal was kind of flukey

Couldn't fault Wall on that one. It was a nice setup on a 3 on 2, from the right wing to the trailing center (Grochmal), who took the pass and quickly snapped a shot along the ice between the legs of Wall, deflecting off a Tips d-man on the way in. Not a huge deflection, but you could definitely hear it hit something before it got to Wall.

Tipped Off
02-25-2005, 10:05 AM
Listening to the broadcast the Tips media guys were surprised with the #1 star and said something along the line sof, "well if there going to give it to him, we'll take it." Which means to me they didn't think he deserved it. Like I said, I HEARD a couple clanks on the radio and was surprised by the call myself. As for the "flukey" goal...that went of Mitch Love's skate.