Battle with Blazers not a friendly affair

[nivek_wahs]

Battle with Blazers not a friendly affair

Battle with Blazers not a friendly affair

Greg Harder, Leader-Post
Published: Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Ryan Bender and Victor Bartley are walking around with a little extra gleam in their eyes and a little more purpose in their steps.

The Kamloops Blazers must be in town.

"There's going to be a lot of emotion going into this game and it's going to be a lot of fun," Bartley said of tonight's clash between the Blazers and the host Regina Pats. "I do have friends on the team but as soon as the puck drops they're not friends. They're just another team."

Bartley and Bender had both spent their entire WHL careers in Kamloops when they were acquired by the Pats on Jan. 5 for fellow rearguards Nick Ross and Spencer Fraipont, plus a fourth-round bantam draft pick.

Tonight's game will be the first meeting between those teams since the trade.

"It'll definitely be a weird feeling," offered Bender, a 20-year-old Regina native. "I was in Kamloops for so long (four-plus seasons) and made a lot of good friends there. The organization treated me very well. I have nothing but good things to say about them. But I couldn't be happier here in Regina. At the time when I got traded it was time for me to move forward."

Bender, who's known for his nasty on-ice demeanor, chuckled when asked if he'd go easy on his old pals from Kamloops.

Uh, not likely.

"I'm an intense guy so the old Blazers, they better watch out for me," he said with a smile before getting back to talking business. "We've been in a little bit of a slump and there's two big points on the line. Especially with our division being as tight as it is, we need these points. They're very important."

Bartley agreed, noting that personal agendas need to be set aside in favour of the greater good.

"I wouldn't say it's about proving anything," said the 19-year-old veteran. "Playing against the old team, of course you want to show them how the new team is here and how we're working together well. But I'm just going to go out there and work hard and have fun."

Although both players are trying to downplay the personal importance of beating their old team, Pats head coach Curtis Hunt knows better. He also knows the motivation will be just as strong on the other bench.

"There's the game inside the game for those kids," Hunt said. "It's tough, especially the first time, to play against your former team. That being said, every former teammate that has come into our building has had success. We hope that's a saw-off from that perspective.

"I think when you're in a team environment, everybody around those players wants to rally and have success," he added. "We certainly appreciate the value that we acquired (in the trade) but at the same time respectful of the value that we gave up as well. The kids want to prove a point but in the end you have to play as a team and ... be mindful of the bigger picture."

Bartley admitted the distractions would be tougher to ignore if tonight's game was being played in Kamloops. Since it's not, he hopes to take advantage of the fact that he'll have the local fans behind him.

"They have absolutely great fans here so it'll be no problem getting up for that kind of game," said Bartley, adding that he has turned the page on his Blazer career. "It has been a great transition (playing in Regina), from the guys, to the coaching staff and how things are run around here. It's absolutely as professional as can be. I'm having a great time here. I cant wait to keep going."




© The Leader-Post (Regina) 2008

[nivek_wahs]

From rodpedersen.com

Huge Pats Game Day

The Regina Pats and Kamloops Blazers have long been considered the crown jewels of major junior hockey and when they collide tonight in the Brandt Centre, the whole country can watch on Rogers Sportsnet.

Each team needs a win too, as Kamloops is a victory away from clinching the 8th playoff spot in the West and haven't won yet on this Eastern swing. The Pats have lost four of five and their lead over Swift Current for 1st-place has dwindled to two points. There's been a lot of talk amongst the Pats as to what's got them mired in this funk, and Victor Bartley thinks he knows the answer.

"Right now the puck's just not bouncing our way, that's the way I see it," the ex-Blazer told me on PatsTV this week, "In P.A. we hit at least 4 or 5 posts and it could have been 5-0 after the first but it wasn't. Then we take some penalties and our P-K hasn't been where it should be. Right now we're just trying to find ourselves a little bit ... we're still relatively new to each other since we've only been together a month and a bit. Each player's still feeling each other out and we're deciding which defensive pairings work best and that sort of stuff. We're still getting our forecheck going but once all that's together, we should be okay."

It's also the first game for Bartley and Ryan Bender against their former team and the same goes for ex-Pats Nick Ross and Spencer Fraipont. It should be a doozy, and you can listen to it all on 620 CKRM or watch it on Sportsnet. Better yet, come down yourself. It's unused season ticket night in the Brandt Centre.

[nivek_wahs]

Pyett is out for tonight's match-up...

From rodpedersom.com

Also, Pats captain Logan Pyett has been suspended for tonight's game against Kamloops. He allegedly made an obscene gesture at one of the referees after Saturday's game in Saskatoon.

[nivek_wahs]

From rodpedersen.com

Pats 3 Blazers 2
REGINA -- Wow. What a game. I almost feel dirty after that one.

I don't even know where to start. The Pats badly needed a win to stay atop the East Division and avoid a three-game losing streak. The Blazers were 0/3 on this Eastern swing and needed a win to nail down a playoff spot.

Garrett Mitchell put the Pats up 1-0 with his eighth of the year just 3:16 into the game. Kenton Dulle tied it up for Kamloops at 7:42 of the first with his 18th. It stayed that way until 6:41 of the third when Mark Hall scored a SHG to make it 2-1 Blazers.

The story of this game was special teams. The Pats went 0 for their first 11 man advantages, but they got seven straight over the final 21:12 of the game. With 2:47 left in the game, Rudolph Cerveny tied it 2-2 on the man advantage and with 1:44 to go, Victor Bartley put the Pats up 3-2 on their 13th powerplay of the game. It was the game-winner. The Blazers had just three powerplays in the contest.

"What a circus!" huffed Sportsnet colour man Sam Cosentino on the telecast.

Did the officials give the Pats the game? No. But they didn't hurt the cause. The TSN turning point, actually, was a failed penalty shot by the Blazers' Kenton Dulle midway through the third. Linden Rowat slammed the door, and the Pats capitalized on the momentum.

The Pats outshot the visitors 41-19 in front of 6,125 fans. They missed countless opportunities but more often than not, were repelled by Kamloops goalie James Priestner who was named the #1 star. But through all those missed chances, they worked their cans off every shift. Funny what happens when you play for 60 minutes.

It's hard not to sympathize with the Blazers for the gutsy effort they put out. I overheard Kamloops play-by-plan man Cap'n Kirk Fraser, an NHL-calibre announcer, say it was their best effort of the road trip and I'm sure he's right.

So the Pats got a clutch win to keep the wolves at the door. Maybe it's the lift they need to start scoring with regularity and put some wins together down the stretch. The goal remains to finish first and capture that elusive East Division pennant for the first time since 1998.

Friday the Pats host the Chilliwack Bruins.

[nivek_wahs]

From Greg Harder's Slap Shots

Pats luck finally turns

If you're a member of the Regina Pats, it might be a good time to buy a lottery ticket.
The WHL club pulled a horseshoe out of you-know-where on Wednesday night with a 3-2 comeback victory over the Kamloops Blazers.
The Pats outplayed Kamloops from the drop of the puck but they couldn't do anything right on the power play for the game's first 57-plus minutes, going 0-for-11 and giving up a short-handed goal.
However, Regina's luck changed with two quick PP goals from Rudolf Cerveny (2:47 left) and ex-Blazer Victor Bartley (1:44 remaining).
Bartley's game-winner came after a too-many-men call on the Blazers. They were whistled for the penalty while defenceman Spencer Fraipont was struggling to get off the ice due to an injury.
Regina finished 2-for-13 with the man advantage in the absence of captain and power-play quarterback Logan Pyett (suspension). Kamloops went 0-for-3.
Blazers head coach Greg Hawgood took issue with the too-many-men call, but agreed that his team didn't help itself on several occasions.
"We put our sticks in positions that enabled the referees to make a judgment call and that’s something that has bothered us this whole time we’ve been in the eastern swing," said Hawgood, whose team has lost seven in a row. "When you give other teams nine, 10, 11, 13, 14 power plays you would think the law of averages is going to sink your ship. We killed off the first 11. They did a good job of sticking with it and coming up with a couple of big goals."
The win was especially sweet for Bartley and Ryan Bender, who were playing their former team for the first time since being acquired on Jan. 5 for Nick Ross, Fraipont and a fourth-round bantam pick.
Bender assisted on the game's first goal by Garrett Mitchell.
Bartley glanced over at the opposition's bench after his game-winning marker. He said later "that felt good!" noting that the Blazers had been "chirping" at him and Bender all night.
"(They) wanted that one huge," Mitchell said of Bender and Bartley. "There was money on the game-winner and Barts pulled it off. That’s a good feeling for (him)."
Regina native Kenton Dulle and Mark Hall (short-handed) scored for the Blazers, who were outshot 41-19. Rookie goaltender James Priestner was named the game's first star.
However, the biggest save of the game belonged to Pats goalie Linden Rowat, who stoned Dulle on a penalty shot with 4:45 left.
That stop opened the door for the Pats to redeem themselves on the power play — and avoid another embarrassing setback against a team with a losing record.
More importantly, Regina moved four points up on the second-place Swift Current Broncos, who have one game in hand. The Brandon Wheat Kings are also four points back (with two games in hand). The Moose Jaw Warriors are six off the pace (three in hand).
For the Pats, Wednesday's effort presented a few positive signs but also some familiar concerns, none more pressing than their goal-scoring woes. With just seven games remaining and first place hanging by a thread, the need to get their game in order is becoming more urgent by the day.
Given the timetable, a little more luck probably wouldn't hurt.

[nivek_wahs]

Pats stave off disaster

Pats stave off disaster

Greg Harder, Leader-Post
Published: Thursday, February 28, 2008

Victor Bartley salvaged a Hollywood ending on a night when the Regina Pats were the stars of their own horror show.

Bartley capped off a desperate late comeback by scoring the game-winner with 1:44 left to help Regina pull out a fortunate 3-2 win over his old team, the Kamloops Blazers, before 6,123 fans at the Brandt Centre.

"It was looking like a bit of a disaster but we just stayed focused," offered Bartley, who looked over at the opposition's bench after watching his point shot sail past goaltender James Priestner.

"There were a lot of nerves coming into this game. That (winning goal) felt good. It was a great ending."

It was a startling turn of fortune for the Pats, who had been stymied on their first 11 power-play chances of the game. Rudolf Cerveny finally broke the goose egg when he scored with 2:47 left.

Bartley added the game-winner just 1:03 later on another man advantage after the Blazers were called for too man men, even though defenceman Spencer Fraipont, an ex-Pat, was hurt and was having trouble getting off the ice.

Regina finished 2-for-13 on the power play compared to 0-for-3 for the Blazers.

"I just don't see that as a 13-3 game in penalties; I don't think anybody watching it could draw that conclusion," said Kamloops head coach Greg Hawgood, whose team lost its seventh straight game. "I thought it was a great hockey game. Two teams played well positionally and fought hard all night. To lose the game on a too many men penalty when my player was hurt in the corner and it should have been blown down before that, it's just an awful shame . . ."

Pats rookie Garrett Mitchell opened the scoring 3:16 into the game, shovelling home a rebound off a point shot from another ex-Blazer, Ryan Bender.

Kamloops replied 4:26 later on a goal by Regina product Kenton Dulle, who buried a one-timer off a perfect feed from behind the net by Brady Calla.

After a scoreless second period, the Blazers went ahead on a short-handed goal by Mark Hall after a breakdown on -- what else -- Regina's power play.

The Pats tinkered with their pp unit by using Jordan Eberle and Tim Kraus on the point, but Eberle gave the puck away to Scott Wasden, who broke in and dropped the puck off to Hall for the go-ahead marker.

"Our power play up until the third was in absolute disarray," said Pats head coach Curtis Hunt. "I hate putting forwards there because they think offence all the time and sure enough they got a shortie. But you know what? I thought we stayed the course. The tendency was to get frustrated and at times we went off as individuals but in the end we came together and found a way. Hopefully this is the step to recovery in terms of getting our game back to where it needs to be."

The Pats finished with a 41-19 advantage on the shot clock, but the biggest opportunity came on a penalty shot awarded to Dulle with 4:45 remaining. He was stoned by Linden Rowat.

"That was the TSN Turning Point," added Hunt.

The Pats' struggles with the man advantage coincided with in the absence of captain Logan Pyett, who's their power-play quarterback. Pyett received a one-game suspension from the WHL for allegedly making an inappropriate gesture towards a referee. The Pats denied the allegation but couldn't produce conclusive video evidence to discredit it.

EXTRAS: Regina (38-21-4-2) maintained a two-point edge over the Swift Current Broncos and Brandon Wheat Kings in the race for the East Division pennant . . . Priestner, the Blazers' second-string goalie, was coming off an injury and hadn't started a game since Feb. 1 ... Pats LW Josh Elder limped off the ice in the first period after taking a hard open-ice hit. Hunt said he suffered a knee injury that will be evaluated today. He's expected to miss at least two weeks ... The Pats' next game is Friday night at the Brandt Centre against the Chilliwack Bruins. Prior to that contest, there will be a special banner-raising ceremony in honour of former Pats coaches/managers Lorne Davis, Graham Tuer and Bob Turner. They're the team's first inductees into a builder category.




© The Leader-Post (Regina) 2008

[Speedy Broncs]

for their comments in calling a spade a spade re: last night's Pats win ("almost feel dirty", refs "didn't hurt the cause" in the win, "pulled a horseshoe out of you know where", "horror show", "should buy some lottery tickets"). It is always interesting to take a look at comments/posts to this discussion board and Rod's blog (good overall blog, by the way Roddy - quite comprehensive) to see how people react to games, issues, situations. Funny, though - there are no posts/comments after last night about how the reffing lost the game for the Pats, league conspiracy against the Pats. What a turnaround between posters commenting on Pyett's suspension for his alleged gestures in S'toon to the refs, and the non-comments about getting 13 PP chances and scoring the tieing and winning goals on PP at end of game!

Blazers' fans might have a beef - what a parade to the box. Even S'Nets color guy, Sam Cosentino, (what a one-sided commentary from him during the game, BTW - from Regina originally????) called it a "circus". Seeing the number of PP opportunities, i can see how the shots were so lopsided!!

Anyways, a win is a win is a win - they are not always pretty for any team. Good on the Pats for the win. But as per Pedersen and Harder, this one is likely counted in the "fortuneate" category.

[CJSenterprise4]

called what was a penalty. No phantom dumb calls. If i remember the penalties were 10-3 for the Broncos against the Blazers the night b/4. I am sure the Blazers deserved all those ones too? It's not the Pats fault the Blazers don't count that well and the Pats dominated the whole game and Kamloops was undisciplined. Great win without Pyett though...it really hurt on the PP as the country saw. It was almost a disaster and sitting there i thought we were done but the Rowat penalty shot save might have saved the division.

[patsdude114]

There were some ify calls at best during the game on wednesday night, but for the most part the Pats did out work the Blazers during 5 on 5 pretty well all night, their hard work down low drew alot of Blazers penalties. The Blazers didnt want to move there feet much of the night unless the puck was on their sticks.

I must say that 16 yr old keeper for the Blazers played amazing on wednesday night. Made alot of great saves. Rowat looked sharp as well, it is very hard for a goalie to come up big when he isnt seeing much work. It seemed liek whenever the Blazers did get a chance (shot on net) seemed like Rowat had to be sharp. The penalty shot he jsut got enough of it to let it trickle behind him but just wide of the net. Alot of fans around me were complaining about awarding the penalty shot, whining where was our penalty shot. The refs made the right call on both sides MacAngus still got his shot off on his partical breakaway, if he hadnt gotten the shot off still from the tug he received he would of got a penalty shot. As for Dulle getting his Bartley goes to dive and swat at a loose puck but instead throws (or lets go of his stick) there for a automatic penalty shot.

I really wish fans would quit being such homer's and actually read up on the rules, and start being a fan of the game 1st then a fan of your team. I am not saying it isnt good to cheer for your team and stand by them, but god there is a point somewhere i must say. Where you have to enjoy the game and treat the game as if you were cheering for no 1 jsut out watching some hockey.

[Bran]

There were some ify calls at best during the game on wednesday night, but for the most part the Pats did out work the Blazers during 5 on 5 pretty well all night, their hard work down low drew alot of Blazers penalties. The Blazers didnt want to move there feet much of the night unless the puck was on their sticks.

I must say that 16 yr old keeper for the Blazers played amazing on wednesday night. Made alot of great saves. Rowat looked sharp as well, it is very hard for a goalie to come up big when he isnt seeing much work. It seemed liek whenever the Blazers did get a chance (shot on net) seemed like Rowat had to be sharp. The penalty shot he jsut got enough of it to let it trickle behind him but just wide of the net. Alot of fans around me were complaining about awarding the penalty shot, whining where was our penalty shot. The refs made the right call on both sides MacAngus still got his shot off on his partical breakaway, if he hadnt gotten the shot off still from the tug he received he would of got a penalty shot. As for Dulle getting his Bartley goes to dive and swat at a loose puck but instead throws (or lets go of his stick) there for a automatic penalty shot.

I really wish fans would quit being such homer's and actually read up on the rules, and start being a fan of the game 1st then a fan of your team. I am not saying it isnt good to cheer for your team and stand by them, but god there is a point somewhere i must say. Where you have to enjoy the game and treat the game as if you were cheering for no 1 jsut out watching some hockey.

To be fair, it doesn't say anything in the online rule book about whether or not the player was able to take a shot.

http://whl.ca/about/pdf/SECTION7_restrainingfouls.pdf

56.6 Penalty Shot - When a player in control of the puck in the neutral or
attacking zone and having no other opponent to pass than the
goalkeeper is interfered with by a stick or any part thereof or any other
object or piece of equipment thrown or shot by any member of the
defending team including the Coach or non-playing Club personnel, a
penalty shot shall be awarded to the non-offending team. When a
Coach or non-playing Club personnel is guilty of such an act, he shall
be automatically suspended from the game, ordered to the dressing
room and the matter will be reported to the Commissioner for possible
further disciplinary action.