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Thread: Round 1 Vs. Spokane

  1. #1
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    Default Battle Royale

    http://www.heraldnet.com/stories/07/...ipsmain001.cfm

    Battle Royale
    Best record? So what. When they take the ice against the high-flying Silvertips, the Chiefs say it's Everett that should be quaking in its skates, not playoff hungry Spokane.

    By Nick Patterson
    Herald writer

    Usually when a team enters the playoffs with the best record in the league, that team can count on an additional factor to aid its cause:

    Intimidation.

    Not so with the Everett Silvertips.

    Everett finished the regular season a whopping 31 points ahead of its first-round opponent, the Spokane Chiefs. But when it comes to the Silvertips, the Chiefs have no fear.

    "We're not intimidated at all," Spokane captain Adam Hobson said. "Their overall record doesn't matter to us. Head-to-head is what's most important, and that was a battle all the way."

    Spokane has good reason to feel confident about its chances in the best-of-seven series against Everett, which begins Friday at the Everett Events Center. The Chiefs won four of the eight regular season meetings, and the series was a virtual dead heat. The Tips outscored the Chiefs 19-15 in those games, but the entire goal difference can be accounted for in the final meeting, when Everett turned a close game into a 6-2 rout with a string of late goals.

    "We're a confident group no matter who we play," Spokane coach Bill Peters said. "We believe in the way we play and we believe in our players. I think it's going to be a long, hard-fought series."

    Spokane's primary identity comes from the collective speed of its forwards. That speed is personified in Michael Grabner. The 19-year-old right wing from Austria scored 39 goals in 55 games this season and is perhaps the fastest skater in the league. He's a breakaway threat every time he touches the puck.

    "They've always been a team that plays us well," Everett coach Kevin Constantine said. "They have really quick forwards, their defense is steady, they've got a veteran team, and Grabner is win-the-game-on-his-own type of guy. Those are all things that make them very capable."

    But while the Chiefs were one of just two teams who won as many games as they lost against Everett, the Tips do have the advantage of having prevailed the past three meetings. That includes that 6-2 victory on March 6, Everett's only victory in Spokane this season. Winning on the Chiefs' home ice was an important hurdle for the Tips to overcome.

    "I think that was good," Everett right wing Moises Gutierrez said about finding the breakthrough in Spokane. "I think we just needed to get over that mental block we had with them, to know that we can go in there and win hockey games if we play well."

    Spokane might be confident heading into the series, but there are still two mysteries regarding Chiefs. The first: Who will start in goal? Eighteen-year-old Kevin Armstrong and 17-year-old Dustin Tokarski received similar amounts of playing time during the regular season, finished with nearly identical statistics and both had their moments against Everett. When asked Tuesday, Peters was mum on who would be the starter.

    However, the mystery may have sorted itself out, at least for the first part of the series. The Spokane Spokesman-Review reported that Armstrong missed the past two practices with the flu and that Tokarski will start Game 1. Chiefs general manager Tim Speltz said Armstrong might not make the trip to Everett for the first two games, and that third-stringer Darcy Kuemper will travel with the team regardless of whether Armstrong goes.

    The second mystery is how the Chiefs will react to the playoffs.

    Spokane missed the playoffs each of the past two years, so most of the players have never experienced playoff hockey. Only three players remain from the team that was swept in the first round in 2004 - Hobson, center Derek Ryan and defenseman Sean Zimmerman. The entire roster has totaled just 61 career playoff games, and more than half of those are tied to defenseman Stephane Lenoski.

    So, will the Chiefs' lack of playoff experience prove costly, or will their pent up desire to finally taste the playoffs be unleashed in an overwhelming show of force?

    "It's been two years for most of the players, so everyone is real excited and focused," Hobson said. "We're real pumped for it, everyone in the locker room has an extra little hop in their step."

    Like Everett, Spokane also used the past couple weeks of the regular season to rest key players in an effort to get healthy. As a result, the Chiefs are nearly at full strength. The only player who's a definite no-go for the first round is center Seth Compton. He's still recovering from a broken leg.

    Friday also will be Everett's first look at defenseman Jared Cowen. The 1991-born Cowen was the first overall pick in the 2006 bantam draft and is expected to be in the lineup.

  2. #2
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    Default Round 1 Vs. Spokane

    Season on the brink
    Spokane Chiefs look toward playoffs to put mark on improved season
    (The Spokesman-Review )
    Jeff Bunch Staff writer March 22, 2007

    As spring returned this week, hope was in the air of the Spokane Chiefs' offices. Owner Bobby Brett and general manager Tim Speltz are feeling a rebirth of the franchise that spent most of its recent history in the cellar of the U.S. Division. But they're clear the journey isn't over.

    "You're never all the way where you want to be, unless you're winning the Memorial Cup every year and I don't know many people that have done that," said Brett. "Right now, I'm pretty encouraged. We've had a good turnaround year and we play in a very, very difficult division."

    Brett and Speltz are familiar with both the highs and lows of major junior hockey. The Chiefs won the Memorial Cup in 1991, and hosted it in 1998, but haven't come close since.

    "It's a cyclical business," Speltz said Tuesday. "I think when you look at it and if you're honest with yourself … things are never quite as good when you're winning and they're probably not as bad as they seem when you're losing."

    This season's fourth-place finish is illustrative. It earned the Chiefs their first playoff appearance in three seasons, an improvement which may seem marginal on its face.

    It's true Spokane moved up just one place in the standings (ahead of miserable Portland), but the team improved markedly from back-to-back 58-point seasons to finish with 80 points.

    In the history of the U.S. Division (and the former West Division) that number has often been good enough for second place. It turns out other teams have raised the bar higher for the Chiefs.

    "We're happy, compared to what we've been the last two years," Brett said. "It's a process and I think if we look at our team, we have a pretty strong team. … Put us in another division and we might have won the division over there."

    Everett, Spokane's first-round opponent, is the top-ranked team in the Western Hockey League and has been a force in the U.S. Division every year of its newborn existence. Tri-City has ridden Canadian national junior team goalie Carey Price for seemingly forever and has been bold on the trade front. Seattle and Portland have built more from their farm systems and are competitive in most years.

    Spokane has retooled its protected-player list in an effort to adapt to a changing WHL game – one that values a combination of size, speed and skill – while trying not to lose its leadership core.

    "We look at our team – I think we're a pretty balanced team," said Brett. "It's not like we're an old team. We've got good young players. We have some good old players. So, I think it's been a good turnaround. Are we satisfied? No. But when I look at some of the young players we have, and how they've performed and matured, I think there's still better days to come."

    Spokane is still somewhere between the bottom of its mountain and the lofty peak it wants to reach again, but it's certainly progress.

    The Chiefs were quite a mess two years ago. The coach was suffering through another lost season and the fans were publicly requesting for Speltz to step aside and for Brett to do something.

    Brett listened and promised things would change while affirming his support of Speltz. The changes took time and came in a manner that went beyond the players.

    Coach Al Conroy was soon fired and Peters – a former assistant under revered coach Mike Babcock – was brought in to bring back "Chiefs hockey." Chris Moulton was then hired to become Spokane's director of player personnel, coming over as a front-office assistant from talent-laden Calgary of the WHL.

    The hiring of Peters has proven to be one of the more significant moves. He was a known commodity to the Chiefs from his time as an assistant, but had little success as a Canadian collegiate head coach. Spokane has gradually improved over the past two seasons under Peters – including this season with former pro minor league head coach Steve Pleau as an assistant.

    "We knew Bill wasn't a finished product when he was hired, yet for me Bill is still a coach who is keen and eager to learn," said Speltz. "… When you look at a team at the end of the year, I think a coach is always measured by: Did he get the most out of his players? And I think, for the most part, we did a good job of that. … I think he's getting better and improving in front of us, right in front of our eyes."

    Peters' team had to overcome some long-term injuries to stars such as Adam Hobson and Michael Grabner, so this year's 80-point total wasn't a special one in the history of the franchise.

    Spokane's average finish since 1985-86 has been just less than 78 points. It's nowhere near the best seasons of the 1990s: 97 points and Memorial Cup champs in 1990-91 under Babcock; 104 points and West Division champs in '95-96; 100 points and West Division champs in 1999-2000.

    The glory days don't appear to be back in Spokane quite yet, but it's a step up from the basement. Brett refuses to concede big things still aren't possible.

    "The glory days? You don't know, maybe we're going to be in the glory days this year," he said. "The glory days are always revolved around the playoffs and, no different from the NHL, a team can catch fire in the playoffs or a first-place team can get upset."

    It wouldn't be unprecedented for the Chiefs' franchise.

    During the 1996 playoffs, Spokane rallied from a 3-0 series deficit against Portland to tie things and force a Game 7 in Spokane. That game sold out in three hours the next day. The next two home games also sold out as the four games of the next series averaged more than 10,000 while the bandwagon got full.

    Playoff ticket sales this week have been steady, based in large part on what this year's Chiefs have done – so far.

    "We're very encouraged by the performance of our team this year, but the final chapter of the Spokane Chiefs for the season will be what we do in the playoffs. … Hopefully, we have a few more chapters left to write."

    Brett and Speltz won't judge this season solely by the outcome of the upcoming playoff run, however long it goes, but it will be a key indicator.

    "We've had a much-improved regular season to this point," Speltz said. "I think the playoffs will dictate … Have we come further than we think? Do we have a little further to go than we think?"

    Those things become clearer at year-end from a broader perspective of recent history.

    "Sometimes you know that margin for error – and that difference between being successful – can be very, very slight," Speltz said. "I think when we looked at the big picture of things, we thought we were close (the past year). … Personnel-wise, we didn't think we were at the top of the league, but we didn't think we were at the bottom either."

    Now the team finds itself back in the playoffs and hoping to avoid a four-game sweep like the one Everett accomplished against Spokane in 2004. Brett and Speltz cite the team's success against Everett in this year's eight regular-season games (four wins for each team) as a reason for optimism.

    "You go into it and you've got to take one day at a time and see where you're at," Brett said. "… I think you need to get through that, rather than speculate on 'what if.' … If we swept them, we'd be very happy."
    _____________________
    Tipped Off

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    Default PAtterson's Picks

    From the Everett Herald

    WHL playoffs

    Western Conference

    U.S. Division Tri-City Americans (2) vs. Seattle Thunderbirds (3)

    Synopsis: This is perhaps the most eagerly anticipated first-round matchup. Both teams enter the playoffs on fire, Tri-City having won eight of its last nine and Seattle having won 14 of its last 17. Both teams have an offensive superstar and a quality veteran goaltender - Tri-City's Colton Yellow Horn and Carey Price, Seattle's Aaron Gagnon and Derek Yeomans. This one could go either way.

    Prediction: Seattle in seven games.

    B.C. Division Vancouver Giants (1) vs. Chilliwack Bruins (4) Synopsis: Chilliwack made a valiant push to earn a playoff spot as an expansion team, and the Bruins had the Giants down 4-0 in the season finale before losing in overtime. However, Vancouver won all eight games during the regular season, outscoring the Bruins 44-11 in the process.

    Prediction: Vancouver in four games.

    Kamloops Blazers (2) vs. Prince George Cougars (3)

    Synopsis: These are two teams that come into the playoffs from different directions. Kamloops won just four of its final 21 games and although captain Reid Jorgensen is back from injury, star defenseman Ray Macias is questionable. Meanwhile, Prince George surged at the end of the season and won the final three matchups between the two teams.

    Prediction: Prince George in six games.

    Eastern Conference

    Central Division Medicine Hat Tigers (1) vs. Red Deer Rebels (4)

    Synopsis: Medicine Hat was the cream of the crop in the Eastern Conference this season and had its way with the Rebels, going 6-1-1-0. Red Deer, which returns to the playoffs after missing out for the first time in a decade last season, has the top-end talent, but not the depth to stay with the Tigers.

    Prediction: Medicine Hat in five games.

    Kootenay Ice (2) vs. Calgary Hitmen (3)

    Synopsis: This should be a competitive series, despite the 19-point differential in the standings. Calgary offers plenty of offensive firepower and a solid defense. But Kootenay has so many offensive weapons and also should have the edge in goal with Taylor Dakers.

    Prediction: Kootenay in six games.

    East Division Brandon Wheat Kings (1) vs. Prince Albert Raiders (4)

    Synopsis: This appears to be a mismatch. Brandon ran away with the East Division this season, features an experienced and deep lineup, and has a dependable veteran goaltender in Tyler Plante. Meanwhile, Prince Albert made the playoffs by default as someone among the Raiders, Moose Jaw and Saskatoon had to get in.

    Prediction: Brandon in five games.

    Regina Pats (2) vs. Swift Current Broncos (3)

    Synopsis: Regina, one of the early-season favorites to be among the league's best, struggled through much of the season before finally gaining steam late. The Pats have a strong defense, and Swift Current is lacking the type of game-breaking offensive ability that can unlock a tight defense.

    Prediction: Regina in five games.

    Nick Patterson, Herald writer
    _____________________
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    Default PAtterson's picks

    Head-to-head matchups

    By Nick Patterson
    Herald Writer

    Here's a look at how the Everett Silvertips and Spokane Chiefs match up heading into their best-of-seven first-round playoff series:

    Offense

    Everett and Spokane go about scoring goals in very different ways.

    Everett relies substantially on its top players for offense. Both Zach Hamill, the league's scoring champion, and Peter Mueller scored at a significantly greater rate than anyone for the Chiefs. Kyle Beach and Moises Gutierrez scored a lot of goals, particularly on the power play, and Dan Gendur was an even-strength demon after arriving in a midseason trade. But after those five, no other Everett forward tallied more than 24 points.

    In contrast, Spokane comes at opponents in waves with eight forwards capable of scoring, though none of those eight scored more than 59 points during the regular season. Michael Grabner is a game-breaker on par with Hamill and Mueller, though he's more of a goal scorer while Hamill and Mueller are better set-up men.

    The two methods proved equally effectiveness during the season as Everett scored 239 goals while Spokane scored 232.

    Edge: Even

    Defense

    Both teams have experienced defenses devoid of big names. Everett acquired Jesse Zetariuk and Dane Crowley in trades during the regular season specifically to upgrade the team's size and toughness for the playoffs, and the Tips led the league in fewest goals allowed with 142. The Tips will likely be without Taylor Ellington for the start of the series because of a neck injury.

    Spokane's defense, led by Sean Zimmerman, is a little bigger than Everett's, but not quite as mobile. That's one of the reasons why the Chiefs surrendered 75 more goals than Everett during the regular season.

    Both teams could end up fielding a 1991-born defenseman. Jared Cowen, the first overall pick in the 2006 bantam draft, is expected to be in the lineup for the Chiefs. Jeff Regier, a second-round pick, is a candidate to take Ellington's place in Everett's lineup.

    Edge: Everett

    Goaltending

    This is where the biggest discrepancy between the two teams shows up.

    In Leland Irving, Everett has a playoff-tested goaltender who was a first-round pick in the NHL draft and finished in the top two in the league in every positive statistical category. If anything should happen to Irving, the Tips have a backup in David Reekie whose stats were as good as Irving's and who also has playoff experience.

    Meanwhile, Spokane doesn't have a defined No. 1. Dustin Tokarski became the starter by default, at least for the start of the series, because Kevin Armstrong came down with the flu. Tokarski played well when facing Everett during the regular season, but he's still a 17-year-old rookie, and neither he nor Armstrong has ever experienced the pressure of the WHL playoffs.

    Edge: Everett

    Special teams

    Everett was among the league's leaders on both the power play and the penalty kill all season long. At times the Tips led the league in both categories before slipping to fourth on the power play (20 percent) and second on the penalty kill (88.6 percent), in large part because of injuries and illness to key performers late in the season. Most of those players, in particular power-play point man Mueller, are back.

    Spokane had average special teams during the season, with the power play being particularly erratic. Despite their overall offensive talent, the Chiefs finished 16th in the league on the power play at 16.3 percent. They finished 10th on the penalty kill at 82.9 percent.

    Edge: Everett

    Coaching

    Bill Peters did a solid job with Spokane this season, getting the Chiefs back in the playoffs after a two-year hiatus. However, this is his first foray into the playoffs as a WHL head coach, and he still has to prove he can come up with the right formula in goal once Armstrong is healthy.

    He faces one of the league's best in Constantine, who was nominated for the Dunc McCallum Trophy as the league's coach of the year. Constantine's teams have never lost a first-round playoff series in his four years at the helm.

    Edge: Everett

    Overall

    The teams split their eight games during the regular season. However, the Tips won the final three, and Spokane's only victory in Everett came in a shootout. With head-to-head momentum and home-ice advantage, Everett should have enough to come out on top against a difficult first-round opponent.

    Prediction: Everett in six games
    _____________________
    Tipped Off

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    Default Game 1 to the Tips

    Everett energized
    Motivated Silvertips dominate Chiefs early, then hold on

    By Nick Patterson
    Herald Writer



    EVERETT - The Everett Silvertips have been waiting weeks for this. A game that matters.

    And when the Silvertips are motivated and at full speed, they really are a sight to behold.

    With the playoffs now underway, Everett looked more like the team that compiled the best record in the WHL - at least for two periods - and the Silvertips opened their first-round series with a 4-2 victory over the Spokane Chiefs on Friday night at the Everett Events Center.

    Zach Hamill scored a mere 15 seconds into the game, and Peter Mueller made a triumphant return to the ice with three assists as Everett dominated the first two periods, building a 4-0 lead.

    Spokane rallied in the third to make it a game, but by then it was too late.

    "The boys have been waiting for this since the beginning of the season," Mueller said. "Everyone was jacked up and it's a good feeling getting that first playoff game out of the way.

    "It's great, but we can't hold our heads too high," Mueller added. "We have to come back (today) and play just as hard."

    Moises Gutierrez scored two goals, Zack Dailey also scored and Leland Irving made 23 saves in net for Everett, which looked much better than it did during the final month of the regular season. With little to play for, Everett coasted down the stretch, finishing 6-6 in its final 12 games.

    But the Tips played with greater energy and threw more hits, particularly early in the game, than they had in recent weeks.

    "We were motivated," Gutierrez said. "We had a good week off, guys are rested and we had some great practices."

    However, after building their lead, the Tips relaxed in the third period, taking a series of penalties, and the Chiefs took the initiative. Drayson Bowman got Spokane on the scoreboard 44 seconds into the period on the power play, and Adam Hobson scored at 8:32 to make the final 11 minutes interesting.

    "That was a reminder that they are a real talented offensive team," Everett coach Kevin Constantine said. "They're more than capable of developing offense. We can't think there's going to be one split second in this series where we can relax."

    Dustin Tokarski made 22 saves in goal for Spokane, which was making its first playoff appearance since being swept in the first round by Everett three seasons ago.

    "I think maybe we were a little nervous," Spokane coach Bill Peters said. "I think we'll be better (tonight). We need to gain some structure and composure, but I'm confident we'll do that (today)."

    Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is tonight at the EEC.

    Everett came out flying from the opening faceoff, and the Tips needed just 15 seconds to grab the lead. Kyle Beach got the puck behind the Spokane net, looked up, then whipped a backhand pass out front to the onrushing Hamill, who picked out the right corner to give Everett a dream start.

    Everett put the puck into the net again three minutes later, but the goal was waived off as Mueller batted his own rebound out of the air with a high stick.

    The second period was the Mueller show as, playing for the first time in three weeks because of illness, he showed no signs of rust. First, at 1:14 on the power play, he skated the puck in deep and drew a crowd before finding Gutierrez at the far post. Then at 8:52 he again got in deep behind the defense and centered for Dailey to redirect past Tokarski. Then at 17:08 with the teams skating four-on-four, he found Jason Fransoo open at the right point, and Fransoo in turn sent a diagonal pass to Gutierrez, who skated around Tokarski to score as Everett built a commanding 4-0 lead.

    It seemed like the rout was on. However, the Tips were in all kinds of penalty trouble throughout - Spokane had eight power plays to Everett's three - and that was most prevalent in the third period, when the Tips gave the Chiefs four advantages. Bowman scored on a four-on-three power play, then Hobson sniped a shot past Irving on the break to make it 4-2. The Chiefs had two more power plays after that, but were unable to capitalize.

    "We got too comfortable in the third and you see what happens," Mueller said. "We need to play a full 60 minutes every night.

    "We've got to shape up," Mueller added about the penalties. "We didn't stay disciplined at all. We took a couple penalties when it was four-on-four and we can't do that."
    _____________________
    Tipped Off

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    Default game 1 breakdown

    Silvertips Game 1 Breakdown

    By Nick Patterson
    Herald Writer


    Turning point

    This game was all Everett in the first two periods, and Zach Hamill's goal just 15 seconds into the game was merely a fitting representation of the way the Silvertips outplayed the Chiefs during the first 40 minutes. Spokane rallied in the third as Everett got into penalty trouble, but by then it was too late.

    Hit of the day

    It may not have been the heaviest hit of the night, but when Everett's Kyle Beach crunched Spokane defenseman Sean Zimmerman in to the boards right after the opening faceoff, it helped set up Hamill's goal and set the tone for Everett's hard-hitting night. Honorable mention to Spokane's Judd Blackwater, who leveled Brennan Sonne with an open-ice hit late in the game.

    Three stars

    First star: Peter Mueller, Everett. Was the puppet master offensively, setting up three of the Tips' goals.

    Second star: Moises Gutierrez, Everett. Scored two goals, and also provided good energy.

    Third star: Jason Fransoo, Everett. Two assists and one of Everett's steadier defensemen.

    The Herald's honorable mention: Jeff Regier, Everett. Looked like a veteran at the back rather than a 1991-born call-up.

    Scratches

    For Everett, defensemen Taylor Ellington (neck) and Mike Alexander (neck) were out injured. Forwards Jesse Burt and Matt Ius and defensemen Tyler Hlookoff and Matt Strong were healthy scratches. Forward Jordan Mistelbacher, whose Junior A team in Winnipeg, Manitoba, was eliminated from the playoffs Thursday, is scheduled to join the team today.

    For Spokane, goaltender Kevin Armstrong didn't make the trip because of illness. Centers Seth Compton (leg) and David Linsley (arm) and defenseman Jared Spurgeon (neck) were out injured. Forwards Cody Esposito and Chris Lankow were healthy scratches.

    Friday's box score

    At Everett Events Center

    Spokane 0 0 2 - 2

    Everett 1 3 0 - 4

    First Period-1, Everett, Hamill 1 (Beach, Gendur), 0:15. Penalties-Campos, Everett (interference), 12:50; Gendur, Everett (slashing), 17:41.

    Second Period-2, Everett, Gutierrez 1 (Mueller, Fransoo), 1:14 (pp). 3, Everett, Dailey 1 (Mueller, Gutierrez), 8:52. 4, Everett, Gutierrez 2 (Fransoo, Mueller), 17:08. Penalties-Hobson, Spokane (interference), 0:38; Haw, Spokane (unsportsmanlike conduct), 0:38; Dailey, Everett (unsportsmanlike conduct), 0:38; Sonne, Everett (interference), 4:10; Cowen, Spokane (holding), 14:58; Beach, Everett (tripping), 15:38; Falk, Spokane (interference), 16:38; Potuer, Everett (elbowing), 17:28; Bruton, Spokane (unsportsmanlike conduct), 19:28; Zetariuk, Everett (unsportsmanlike conduct), 19:28.

    Third Period-5, Spokane, Bowman 1 (Wahl, Roman), 0:44 (pp). 6, Spokane, Hobson 1, 8:32. Penalties-Potuer, Everett (interference), 0:30; Cowen, Spokane (high sticking), 2:43; Campos, Everett (interference), 4:11; Bowman, Spokane (roughing), 4:58; Rutherford, Spokane (roughing), 4:58; Sonne, Everett (roughing), 4:58; Alic, Everett (roughing), 4:58; Bruton, Spokane (unsportsmanlike conduct), 6:47; Hamill, Everett (unsportsmanlike conduct), 6:47; Campos, Everett (tripping), 9:18; Crowley, Everett (interference), 15:44.

    Shots on goal-Spokane 7-4-14-25. Everett 9-11-6-26. Power-play opportunities-Spokane 1 of 8. Everett 1 of 3. Goalies-Spokane, Tokarski 0-1 (26 shots, 22 saves). Everett, Irving 1-0 (25 shots, 23 saves). A-5,902.
    _____________________
    Tipped Off

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    Default heard

    Well, I'm sure everyone has heard about game 2 by now. Here's the list of penalties from the refs.

    OT - SPO Blackwater, 7:06 - Major-Charging , 5 min
    OT - SPO Blackwater, 7:06 - Game Misconduct , 10 min
    OT - SPO Blackwater, 7:06 - Game Misconduct , 10 min
    OT - SPO Tokarski, 7:06 - Leaving Crease , 2 min
    OT - SPO Wahl, 7:06 - Major-Fighting , 5 min
    OT - EVT Campos, 7:06 - Major-Fighting , 5 min
    OT - EVT Hamill, 7:06 - 10-Minute Misconduct , 10 min
    OT - EVT Irving, 7:06 - Leaving Crease , 2 min


    Here's my take:

    The Tips killed off their 2nd long (almost a full two minute) 5-3 power play for Spokane. This one was in OT. Just 16 seconds after coming out of the penalty box, Hamill takes the puck and scores. Hamill has this habit of doing a celebration in which he turns, skates off to the side, and jumps against the boards. This time when he did that, he turned right toward two Chiefs players...who at this point are obviously dissapointed. Just as Hamill jumped against the boards, Blackwater hits him (hence the charging penalty). I'm still not sure how they called it charging, but whatever. Beach comes in and nails Blackwater (I think this is what most people are referring to when they say the Tips "cheapshotted" Blackwater). By this time the entire Tips team is on the Ice to begin their celebration. The Two Spoke players are now behind about 5 or 6 tips players (with more filing over) & Beach, Hamill, Blackwater and a Spokane player I can't see the number of, are scrumming against the boards. The Chiefs players, seeing the tips have 20 guys on the Ice and Spoke has 5, come off the bench to tend to their guys. As you would expect, a couple fights break out on the outside of the main "action" and the rest was mostly chirping and hugging.

    I have no doubt there will be more than just Blackwater suspended from all this. In reality it wasn't nearly as bad as most have made it out to sound, all though it could have gotten ridiculous. For as much crap as the officials took tonight, I thought they did a spectacular job keepng this from getting out of hand. Kudos to them for that.

    As with all these cases we can sit here and "you did", and "they did" all night long. The fact of the matter is, there's blame on both sides...should Hamill have skated a different direction? Should Beach have just let Blackwater's hit go and joined his team in celebration? Should Blackwater have taken the shot? Plenty, plenty, plenty and no matter how much we give our opinions, the only ones that will matter are when the fines and suspensions are handed out.

    What it took away from is that both teams played some pretty hard nosed defense. I thought Spokane outskated the Tips a bit tonight, but the Tips had there chances to pull away. Give credit to the Chiefs for hanging around until the finally got a bounce. Give the Tips credit for killing two long 5-3 power plays and holding the Chiefs to 1/14 on the PP so far in the two games.
    _____________________
    Tipped Off

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
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    saskatoon
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    with all the he said she said thats going on with this, my question is did blackwater initiate the confrontation or did hammil ir another player ? if someone could put this to rest by posting a video, or link, or youtube it would really help clarify and hopefully put the debate to rest (we have seen the mess it made on the white board)

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    Marysville, WA
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    Default Both

    I know this is taking the easy way out, but the blame SHOULD fall on both. I mean, Imagine just getting you PP killed, then all of a sudden there's an attack in your zone and you lose a game you just thought two minutes earlier you were going to win. Then imagine the guy that scored the game winner is heading right toward you (all though I don't think that was the intent, knowing Zack Hamill's actions in the past) and getting ready to jump in celebration right in your face. You throw out an arm or a push and it catches him maybe a little more than you wanted it to. All of a sudden Beach comes in and "retaliates" for that hit. Then it all starts. Blackwater got the two game misconducts for his "continued" action. I just can't place blame in one place here. I know that's probably not what you want to hear, but I'm not going to sit here and say it was all Blackwater's fault. Becasue it wasn't.
    _____________________
    Tipped Off

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
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    Spokane Valley
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    508

    Default

    Tipped Off - Thanks for the insight. With all the bickering on the white board and Chiefs board nothing is being said as to what happened.

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