Random Game Thoughts: Vancouver 1-21-07

[Redwic]

Both teams looked very slow & tired, and the players looked like they were breathing hard after each shift. Probably fatigue, and I'm sure that some players are fighting sickness a little.

McArdle was a non-factor.

Zetariuk looked very good for the Silvertips. So did Ellington.

Strong was not impressive, and looked lost at times.

What was Irving thinking, leaving the net like that in the First Period???

Sexsmith did not seem very fundamentally sound. A lot more goals probably could've/would've been scored on him if we actually kept a player near the net when the puck would ricochet back in front of the net while Sexsmith was out (which happened numerous times). The one time that we had a player in front of the net for that type of opportunity, Fiala bobbled the puck and wasted the easy goal chance.

The Silvertips apparently *did* score a goal which was not counted. Several fans, both Silvertips fans and Giants fans who were sitting near the goal, told me after the game that the puck completely crossed the goal-line and then roll around and back out of the goal.

Give credit where it is due; the Giants played more like a TEAM last night. It was as if Don Hay told Rabbit & McArdle to lay off the intensity a little bit, so that they wouldn't control the game by themselves.

I have a feeling that until somebody shuts Beach up, his taunts are not going to stop. At the pre-game practice, however, he was pretty funny. The Giants staff had spent a few minutes building a small pyramid of pucks for the Giants' players to knock down as they practiced (and doing this still doesn't make sense to me). When Beach came out, before any Giants, he smacked a puck at the pyramid and knocked about half of it down.

It was good to see Sonne, too, for raising the team's morale.

The Sonne shootout goal was awesome! If you see that up-close, you will really appreciate how difficult it must be for an opposing goaltender to anticipate it out correctly. I couldn't figure out which way he was going to shoot it, and I have seen him do it multiple times!

Speaking of shootout goals, Mueller was due sometime.

And speaking of shootouts, I can understand why Vancouver chose Rabbit to go first. But for the second, must-get-in, shot they chose Repik! As soon as I saw that, I had a strong hunch that the Silvertips would win (and we did). Repik is a decent player, but in a must-win shootout situation I would have chosen a different player.

And speaking of different players, it was good to Hamill out there. His game-tying goal with a few minutes left in regulation looked awesome!

When Harty smiled it looked like he was missing a tooth. Was that from Friday night's fight?

That hit to Gutierrez' face tonight looked nasty!

The Giants fans were very quiet most of the game, but as soon as they would take a lead (3-2, 5-4) I would see & hear them boasting about how their team is the greatest, the best, the blah blah blah... Kind of funny how it wouldn't start until then, and how it would quickly end once the lead was relinquished.

On Vancouver's radio show after the game, the Giants PBP guy spoke a little about Mueller getting the #1 Star of the Game. He was praising Mueller's abilities and potential, and said that he is experiencing the best of two worlds: Learning defense from the best (Constantine) in junior hockey, then learning offense from the best (Gretzky) in the NHL. Pretty impressive to hear such a comment from outside of our organization.

Good win for the Silvertips. It should have been won by them in regulation, in my opinion, but it was a win all the same. And with a depleted, sick, and fatigued lineup, the Silvertips will take any win we can get!

The Silvertips still took 5 out of 6 total possible points this weekend, against very tough competition. And that says something.

The fans that I met in Vancouver were very friendly this time. A bunch of them said that we have a great team, and that the Silvertips seem to have the Giants' number this season. Let's hope that attitude and game-play continues in the playoffs, if these teams are to meet.

Speaking of a possible Everett-Vancouver matchup in the playoffs, let's keep the games on Rogers Sportsnet (i.e. national television). We do better & score more often than when it's on SHAW TV. And the viewers got to see an exciting game between the league's top two teams, too.

Lastly, when I got home from the game, I was sickened to read some disgusting comments posted by a Giants fan on another forum website (and then re-posted by other people on other forum websites). Voicing an opinion is one thing, but writing such a scathing post was quite another. Fortunately, much of those comments were deleted and the original poster was banned from the original website. Kudos to the editing/moderating staff at that website for stepping in and handling the situation, deeming that behavior as unacceptable.

[Carebear]

Zetariuk looked very good for the Silvertips. So did Ellington.

Very good at standing behind the net with a puck? Definitely..he was AMAZING at that!


As for the puck pyramid, it's just one of those things we do.

[Redwic]

Very good at standing behind the net with a puck? Definitely..he was AMAZING at that!

Nooo... What's *really* amazing is how few teams actually send/have players to drive the Silvertips out from behind the net. Kelowna has done it on occasion, and so has Seattle. Not many others have tried, though. And with overtime being 4-on-4, I guess that opposing teams don't want to send a player in to disrupt the Everett player who has the puck, taking a chance that the Everett player might be able to drive the puck out of the zone and create a 3-on-3, or possibly even a 4-on-3 scoring opportunity.

[old_time_hockey]

Beach needed to man up and fight Watt when he asked if he wanted to go. And then to dive over Watts stick. Then clearly slashes Watt on the back of the legs. What a chicken. Then cried the whole time heading to the box. But I guess he learned from his coach who put on a fine display last night as well. If Beach played minor hockey in the league I did, I don't think he would be playing any more. Everytime he would pull something like that he would either fight or be a target. But then again if someone on my team did that I would cuff them one because we don't want that reputation. But then again that was back before the stupid instigator rule came into effect.

That shot went off 2 bars and out. I sit in Sec. C right on the goal line and saw the whole thing right in front of me.

And Joey Kennward and Bill Willms are the best in the biz. I bring my radio to the game and there was one time (I forget who) climbed the ladder and held the puck at the line. Joey said on air I don't know why that isn't offside. They call it as it is and don't do the old homer shtick. It really drives me nuts when I buy a game online when the Giants are on the road and have to listen to the garbage coming out of the mouth of the home team crew. ESPECIALLY in Portland. A Portland player clearly put his stick on a Giants knee and made a clear pulling action hauling the Giant down. Then he procedes to go on a 6 minute rant about how the refs are garbage and the league is letting it happen blah blah blah.

[rinkrat]

Nooo... What's *really* amazing is how few teams actually send/have players to drive the Silvertips out from behind the net. I guess that opposing teams don't want to send a player in to disrupt the Everett player who has the puck, taking a chance that the Everett player might be able to drive the puck out of the zone and create a 4-on-3 scoring opportunity.

You just answered your own question.Why would the Giants send a man in and hand the Tips a 4 on 3 break.They're not that dumb.
Constantine should have been a basketball coach where that type of delay tactic is used all the time.
BTW,whats with the "HooHaw" chant after a goal? That seems childish,along with the little stickers the players have on the back of their helmuts.Everything seems like a gimmick in Everett,next thing we'll see the flying vee skating down the ice.LOL

[Redwic]

BTW,whats with the "HooHaw" chant after a goal? That seems childish,along with the little stickers the players have on the back of their helmuts.Everything seems like a gimmick in Everett,next thing we'll see the flying vee skating down the ice.LOL

Actually, it's something like:
"1-2-3-HOO-YAH!" (or possibly HOO-RAH!, I'm not exactly sure)

Gutierrez typically leads the chant, when the players gather after a goal. From what I have heard, it is a way to commemorate the Armed Forces.

[Tipped Off]

OTH: I think the announcers in Tri-Cities are worse than Portland. Absolutely brutal. I can't talk too much cause Gerhart here in Everett is pretty Homer-ish as well. I like the Giants announcers too. Very enjoyable to listen/watch a game with them doing the broadcast. There were a few times on Sunday where they would say something like, "well, you just can't do that...it's a penalty and will get called every time." instead of some of the other announcers who would cry over it.

AS for KC, that's just his style. You either love it (if your Tips fans) or hate it (if your not). It's the way the game of hockey has progressed. The stick fouls nowadays keep that play alive. In the old days you just went behind the net hit the guy and there's no way an odd man rush happens because you keep hitting him until you both can get out of there. Now you'd get called for Holding or interference or something ticky tack. I don't particularly like that play. The game is more exciting to see team schange on the fly, but, hey....it seems to work for them. the team that defends that the best...and always sends someine in is Spokane and, no surprise, we have sucked against Spokane. I would think teams would start mimicking the style they use against us, but they don't.

As for Beach: eh, give him a year or two. He's young and immature. Maybe once he turns 18 and is in his third year in the league he'll learn not to do those things. I've been a big Beach critic, so Ican't really defend his antics very much. The only thing I will say is, he certainly makes things exciting...lol.

as for the shot. I don't like when fans say they "saw the whole thing" either from the stands or on the live broadcast. Until/if we get super slo-mo frame by frame instant replay, goal judges, referees and fans will make questionable calls. It's just part of the game. I hate complaining about that sort of thing. By the end of the season it evens out for all teams. If your a good team you suck it up and come back from it.

[Carebear]

I was hoping they'd send Hunt and Cunningham down there and sandwich the kid. Sure it's a tactic, but do you have to do it again and again and again? Is that the only way you can win a game!?

[Redwic]

I was hoping they'd send Hunt and Cunningham down there and sandwich the kid. Sure it's a tactic, but do you have to do it again and again and again? Is that the only way you can win a game!?

I never realized until last night how small Hunt and Cunningham are, at least in comparison to the rest of the Giants. They might not be the best to take on Beach, unless it's a two-on-one situation.

Hunt had a total babyface, and looked like Dailey's size.

[Carebear]

I never realized until last night how small Hunt and Cunningham are, at least in comparison to the rest of the Giants. They might not be the best to take on Beach, unless it's a two-on-one situation.

They may be small, but they are tough! And I meant for them to go down and sandwich your man standing behind the net.