Broncos @ Tigers Feb 25, 2005
Welcome to my first road recap. This should be fun. I will be comparing the Swift Current hockey experience to the Hat's, and keeping score on that as well as the game.
It is unreal how many Tiger fans wear Tiger Jerseys. You see them all over town on gameday. Tiger hockey is THE THING TO DO in Medicine Hat.
As you walk into the Medicine Hat Arena you are bombarded with Tiger history. Pictures of legendary players, memorial cup winning teams and a general feeling you are in a shrine of hockey history. As you walk into the Civic Center you see a pissed of old guy taking your ticket stubs, and an old farmer selling programs. If you go into the north entrance of Swift you get a sign telling you your noise makers will be confiscated if you get out of hand. Already Tigers 1 Swift 0.
The teams warm up. There is no warm up music. Tigers 1 Swift Current 1.
Let's get the game started. Tigers have a HOT anthem singer. Tigers 2 Swift Current 1.
Funny things Tiger fans say: It is truly an experience sitting amongst Tiger fans. Throughout the recap I will bring you real things the people of Medicine Hat said during the game that I overheard. Like this: "**** you, you ****ing ass licker, I'm way to classy for that bull****." A young lady turning down an invitation to the lounge. She had a mullet.
Scrathches: Swift; Marc Defoe (tall and awkward), RJ Larochelle (concussed), Marek Knebl (european), David Murray (we traded Redenbach for this kid, WHY NOT PLAY HIM!!!). Add to the lineup ZACK SMITH.
Tigers; Trevor Glass (shattered), Nathan Exner (plug), Jordan Bendfeld (healthy)
Drop the puck. Moir, Rumsey, Lloyd, Schenderling, Wasmuth, Aspenlind for Swift. MATT KEETLEY, Kris Russell, Cam Barker, Jarret Lukin, Darren Helm, Stefan Meyer for The Hat.
Broncos work hard but the Tigers are so talented. No real chances in the first, which you'd think would play to the Broncos advantage. The Hat's top 6 forwards have been shut down.
Aspenlind goes to the box on a bad call by Regan Vetter. Barker and Russell are the highlights of the powerplay but they CAN'T beat Moir!!! Broncos with the successful penalty kill.
Later on David Schulz tries to BREAK MCARTHUR'S NECK. 2 minutes for roughing. Schulz is the KING OF THE 2 MINUTE MINOR. Good kill by the Broncos follows. Jerrid Sauer is GOD.
Mid way through the period they play the BIRD DANCE! Medicine Hat 2 Swift Current 2. How dare you complain about OUR music.
The Hat gets a powerplay. Cam Barker is ready to go to work with Kris Russell on the points. Cam Barker is suddenly not looking like the superstar he is touted as. He makes and awful pass out of the bronco zone. Russell stares at him in disbelief! How about Barker? Gold medal at the world juniors, 3rd overall draft pick, everyone telling him how great he is. He does not look good. He is dogging it. Is he still sick? His skin looks pale. Almost a shade of Ian White.
Time for another "Real things Tiger fans say:
Father; "YOU SUCK HORMAN!!"
9 year old daughter; "yah Horton, YOU SUCK!!!"
Father; "Good job baby girl".
The future is looking bright for Tiger fans for years to come.
I can't make this **** up.
Broncos work hard but the Tigers out shoot the Broncs 11-6.
At the end of the period, referee Regan Vetter puts Horman and Desloges in the penalty box at THE SAME TIME!!! Broncos will start the second TWO MEN SHORT!!! What the hell kind of ref does that!?!?!
INTERMISSION:
Timbit hockey challenge. Kids that play minor hockey in the Hat aren't as good as our kids. Swift Current 3 The Hat 2.
The Tigers have an air gun that shoots healthy Subway sandwiches into the stands. In Swift all we have is a Ford car making laps around the ice. Swift Current 3 The Hat 3.
Long lineups for a small bathroom. I have to wait five minutes to take a leak!!! If your going to have beer, GET MORE TOILETS!!! Swift Current 4 Medicine Hat 3.
2nd Period:
Broncos KILL OFF THE 5 on 3. LUUUUUUKE!!!! Big saves by Moir too. He is awesome tonite.
Roman Psurny has been the best offensive player for the Hat thus far.
Michael Szczachor gets the elbow high on McArthur. Ensuing Tiger powerplay is off. Cam Barker will be getting booed out the building if he keeps this up.
Myles Rumsey tries to get all offensive and is caught up ice. Darren Helm goes the other way and UNDRESSES HENGEN. Kyle Moir is there with the save. If you're from the Hat, Darren Helm will be you favorite player in a year or two.
Contest in the stands: Trivia question; How may hours of sunlight does Medicine Hat recieve annually? Answered correctly: 2500. TELL ME THE GUY WASN'T PROMPTED ON THAT ONE. What kind of a stupid question is that for a hockey game!!?!?! Funny things Tiger fans say: "That can't be right, it works out to only 3 hours a day". I can't make this **** up.
Thirteen minutes in it's the dreaded UNDERSHUTE, TODD, DORSETT LINE FOR THE TIGERS. Deep in the Broncos zone, Daine Todd grabs Jason Fransoo's stick and won't let go. Fransoo is tied up Dorsett uses the open ice and SCORES!!! Chynoweth is livid and yelling at Vetter. The goal stands.
1-0 Medicine Hat. Dorsett from Daine Todd and Kevin Undershute.
The period winds down, the Broncos with four shots on goal. Tigers had 9. Moir made some BIG SAVES.
INTERMISSION:
Two people race around the ice in a pair of GIANT BALLS. Swift Current intermissions have NO BALLS!!!
Rroary the Tiger mascot is worse than Charlie Horse. Was the person who designed Rroary trying to SCARE THE **** OUT OF CHILDREN!?!?!?! What an ugly mascot.
3rd Period:
If the Tigers score on the first shift someone wins $5000! Awesome way to fire up the crowd! Good job by cordless mic man. Swift needs someone with some charisma to do the cordless mic gig. The Hat fans love the unshaven grubby clown that works the mic. In Swift our guy needs to ditch the clipboard and get crazy like this guy. Swift Current 4 Medicine Hat 4.
Big saves by Kyle Moir as the lack of bronco offense is really showing.
FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT:
Michael Szczachor gets into a scszrap with Gord Baldwin. Baldwin has the reach advantage and they fall to the ice. Szczachor was the aggreszczor in that one but only was able to throw about three punches. That's a punch for every useless letter in his name. I like Baldwin alot, but he should have beat Szczachor easily.
Both teams look BRUTAL on the Powerplay. For Swift this is understandable. Cam Barker has either not recovered from mono or needs one of those special helmets to accomodate a swelled head. Vetter is calling EVERYTHING except holding the stick.
Broncos have not had a sniff of the goal.
Things Tiger fans say: Drunk 1: "Why can't the Broncos score?" Drunk 2: "Jeremy Williams is at Toronto camp." This is getting sad.
Face off deep Tiger territory, Saur wins it to Donny Llod who actually puts the goddam puck on net and Brady Leovold SCOOOOOOOOOOORES!!!! It's 1-1
Leovold from Sauer and Lloyd 1-1 Brady Leovold is my pick to lead the team in scoring next year. You heard it here first!
Last five minutes and this building has woken up and is LOUD!!! The decibels are off the chart. Medicine Hat 5 Swift Current 4.
Let's go to OVERTIME!!!
Early in OT the Broncos get Mcarthur off the ice for what would turn out to be an illegal necklace!!! If the Broncos win this one I will applaud the genious of Chynoweth for the rest if my days. WHO THE HELL CALLS AN ILLEGAL NECKLACE!?!?!?! Mark my words, Dean Chynoweth will go down as the greatest coach in Bronco history. The Medicine Hat fans don't even heckle this guy. WE HAVE NO IDEA HOW GOOD A COACH WE HAVE!!!
Tigers head into to Bronco territory, Kris Russell walks on from the point and SCORES!!! Good try by us, Great move by Russell.
Good effort by the Broncos, they end up outshot 31-17.
Three stars:
1. Kris Russell (Tigers were 0/10 on the PP, nice choice, have another beer)
2. Kyle Moir (The REAL 1st star)
3. Derek Dorsett (he always get's a star when he plays Swift, does his mom pick the stars?)
Broncos have no luck at all. They played well, but the lack of a goal scorer is becming an issue.
We are now eliminated from the playoffs. I still think it for the best.
I'm going to bed now
Willi$
Hey Willis, thanks for the great recap...
you had me laughing the whole post. I wish we were playing you guys again in the playoffs, but see you next year eh??
