Giants 5 @ Canes 1 Jan 13th

[Beaner]

Well, listened to the game tonight on the radio, and it sounded like the Giants had a better effort tonight, which resulted in the win for the Giants. Penalties really did in the Canes tonight as the Giants made the Canes pay for the penalties they took.

Obviously those who saw it will have better opinions, so I will leave it for those that watched to comment as a whole, but it sounded good on the radio.

NOTES
Sexsmith and Leclerc got the starts
Lucic (Suspended), Cunningham, and Toigo were the Giants scratches.
Machacek left the game mid 2nd, after taking an elbow/shoulder to the head form Kerr
Shots 31-20 Giants
PP Giants 3/8, Canes 1/8

GOALS
2. VAN Watt, (19) (Rabbit, Kraus), 1:04 (PP) 5-4, Watt gets the rebound and he pots it.
2. VAN McArdle, (13) , 1:53 Weak goal as McArdle beats Leclerc with the shot, from the top of the circle.
2. VAN Machacek, (10) (Rabbit, Franson), 4:08 (PP) 5-4, Rabbit with the cross zone pass to Machacek, who comes form the corner makes a couple moves and beats Leclerc.
3. LET King, (9) (Bailey, Lamb), 6:47 (PP)5-4, King gets the puck off a scramble down low and he beats Sexsmith.
3. VAN Watt, (20) (McArdle, Bliznak), 9:10 JD with the wrap around that gets in.
3. VAN Wright, (5) (Mikkelson), 13:11 (PP)5-4, Mikkelson keeps the puck in and throws it to the slot, and Wright whips a backhander into the net.

Fisticuffs
None.

Officiating
Matsuoka and Smith tonight.

3 Stars
1. VAN - 11 J.D. Watt
2. VAN - 22 Kenndal McArdle
3. VAN - 16 Wacey Rabbit

OTHER
Looks like Machacek may be all-right, re-evaluated tomorrow, more than likely will miss tomorrow night and probable that he will miss the top prospects game as well.

[rinkrat]

A couple things I noticed,the Giants icing the puck while on the PP.Should have passing mastered by Bantam.
Franson coughing up the puck in his own zone.
Nice to see JD put up a couple,but could be way more physical.
After the Ryan Kerr cheapshot,why did no Giant respond?
Pretty disappointed with that.
Got the two points but lots of room for improvement.

[dondo]

Lamber gets another assist with his new team, but it was all Giants tonight. Listened to bits and piece tonight, and those of us on radio missed hearing the first two goals for the G-Men due to technical audio problems with the radio feed at the start of the second period.

Good to see JD get off the schnide and it appears as if Rabbit might be the go to guy we've been missing since losing Brule. I was hoping that McArdle would have been that (not that I don't like Kendall I just expected him to have more impact right away -- but I'm going to love him in the second season), but Wacey brings it. Gets a star twq nights running and looks and sounds good doing it.

Sucks about Machacek -- hopefully its not actually a concussion and he doesn't miss the prospects game that would be a real shame -- esp off of a selfish and what sounded like a deliberate intent to injure. What do you think 2 - 3 games?

[Kassian]

After the Ryan Kerr cheapshot,why did no Giant respond?
Pretty disappointed with that.

Same here. Who cares about the instigator penalty at that point? The Giants were up 3-0 and with Kerr's major they'd still end up with a 3 minute PP. The fact that nothing was done about it is extremely disappointing. What is even worse is that this has happened more than once this season after a player has been cheap shotted or a goaltender has been run. Nobody has done anything at all about it. :burningma

[ProStaff]

You guy's will love Rabbit, and just wait till he fights! i know this sounds crazy but the kid can throw it, there must have been some boxing lessons, and he his very quick and is tough to get the puck from. I wish he was still in Toon town, but like the kid you guy's sent us.

[Swando]

I watched the whole game on a decent feed over the Web. Much different team that showed up to play but then again a much different defense to play against. It seems that the Giants have trouble against a larger more physical type D ala MH and Tri Cities.
I saw the replay of the Machachek hit about 10 times and it definetly was a intentional cheap shot. Caught Spenser in the head region with an elbow/high arm shot as he was leaning toward the net. A Lethbridge player was screening Spenser and he didn't see the goon coming from the opposite side of the ice. His own player also took a hard hit in the collision.
Watt mouthed off to the offending player when he was sent to the dressing room. It was hard to follow but I think he also skated towards the box right away so no Giant could come at him but not sure on that.
Rabbit looked good...in Bonner's interview post game I enjoyed his comment.." he's even better than I thot he'd be"
McCardle is still to fancy for my liking. Which he'd tough it out more and drive to the net instead of dipsy doodling around. He has great speed and all the tools however.
In an interview with Hay prior to the game hay said this about the chemistry issue...."we have lost 20% of our team and you can't get player to instantly buy into Giant hockey, they have to learn it...it is a real challenge for the coaches now to get these new guys to fit into the system"