Blades 3 @ Broncos 1

[Big Ern]

Well, that's that. After going 0-9 versus Swift Current in the past nine games head-to-head, the Saskatoon Blades managed to come in red hot and take a game from the Broncos with a 3-1 victory.

First and foremost, a credit to the Blades, who managed to do exactly what Swift Current HC/GM Dean Chynoweth never wants to let opposing teams do.....they dragged the Broncos into playing their style of game. As a result, a gong show ensued. The referees seemed to lose complete control of the infractions, the fights, and the game in general. The Blades managed to come out on top...mainly by scoring on their powerplay chances...something the Broncos have to start doing more themselves.

Just a few jottings on the game:

-the video archive of the Blades' disallowed goal in that first period seems highly inconclusive. Zooming in results in image distortion to the point at which the red goal line completely disappears from view. So you can't tell from the video....which is maybe a good thing. In any case, (and only opinion here) should Blades' HC/GM Lorne Molleken even have been in the game after how he reacted to the disallowed goal?...slamming the bench door five times as hard as he could, I thought an immediate ejection from the game was a given. Yes it must be frustrating to have your goal called off when the referee has already signalled it to be a valid goal, but it's not cause to react like Mr. Molleken did and not get an ejection from the game....or how about even a bench minor??!! Maybe the great sound of the door slam echoing through our arena gave him some kind of a thrill for a change....I know at times you could fly a jet plane through the Credit Union Centre in Saskatoon and no one would notice due to the bleak atmosphere. Anyhow...

-the hit on Cody Eakin seemed to swing the momentum all over to Saskatoon. Cody looked to be almost completely knocked unconscious and there was no response to the hit from any Bronco players on the ice at the time. The hit was clean as ever....BUT...fans love to see teammates stick up for star players. Tonight it just didn't happen.

-the Blades scored two PP goals in nine chances tonight..again, a stat which can be a huge factor in getting a win.....if the opposing team scores just once in eight opportunities.

-the Broncos' PP did move the puck around very well three or four times. But capitalization is key.

-Mark Guggenberger played a great game once again. 38 saves is nothing to sneeze at.

-a few of our guys worked pretty hard tonight....sometimes the result just is not there I guess.

-you win some, you lose some.

No panic...confidence is high for this Friday in Moose Jaw. If the guys stick to the game plan, they should be in for a great result.

LET'S GO SWIFTY!!!

JUST NOTES:

-tomorrow is the 20-year-old deadline, as we all know. Are the Broncos set to make a move?

-don't panic. The Broncos have only lost three times this year....all three of those losses came versus very good hockey teams. The boys will be ok.

-I'm excited to go to Moose Jaw this Friday...it's a really different, but always unique experience to watch a game in that arena.

-Moose Jaw is in the cards for me this weekend....Brandon unfortunately is not. I haven't been to Brandon in a while now and would love to go, but other issues are keeping me from going on Saturday. And I do have full intentions to keep a "corner eye" on the webcast from Brandon in the Legionnaires' sound booth at the i-Plex.....the Legion hosts Tisdale in a 2-game home set this weekend. The first game is this Saturday @ 8 PM. Be there to cheer by the way!!!

-it's great to see the Blades have success like this....I'm not kidding. They have around 3200 HARDCORE fans that make the LONG trek to the Credit Union Centre in -40 degree weather, no matter how the team plays. I just hope for their sake it's not like other seasons....where the Blades put a big streak together and then pummel sharply downward after that first loss to end the winning streak. They do look more for real this season.

I'M OUT...

[Broncs in RD]

Where are our "tough players" Eakin gets nailed and nothing done about it....Like you said it was clean, but at least go give the guy a face wash, frick. I am enjoying this start, and this team, but to think we are better than last year is delusional. Lost Nelson, Weise, Smith, Felde, that is a lot of fire power gone, and the GM has not replaced one of those guys, I see a trade in the works to give us a legit top line.
Sure there are some surprises, like Peddle, Wagner and Vause, but at this point some pretty major disappointmenst as well, Wudrick I had high hopes for him especially this season, but he is almost as useless as Toulmin to date, he really needs to look at himself take his head out of his A$$ and become a factor. Dalecky needs to be a point producer. We need help on the offensive side of the puck big time PP is horrible. Thast being said we are
8-3, goaltending and Defence are pretty amazing.

[blerbtalksc]

-the video archive of the Blades' disallowed goal in that first period is highly inconclusive. Zooming in results in image distortion to the point at which the red goal line completely disappears from view. So you can't tell from the video....which is maybe a good thing. In any case, (and only opinion here) should Blades' HC/GM Lorne Molleken even have been in the game after how he reacted to the disallowed goal?...slamming the bench door five times as hard as he could, I thought an immediate ejection from the game was a given. Yes it must be frustrating to have your goal called off when the referee has already signalled it to be a valid goal, but it's not cause to react like Mr. Molleken did and not get an ejection from the game....or how about even a bench minor??!! Maybe the great sound of the door slam echoing through our arena gave him some kind of a thrill for a change....I know at times you could fly a jet plane through the Credit Union Centre in Saskatoon and no one would notice due to the bleak atmosphere. Anyhow...

Completely agree with you here, Big Ern. Its always upsetting to have a goal disallowed but to react the way he did, there should have been some sort of penalization. Funny thing was that after violently slamming it shut numerous times, the door got stuck and the trainer had to wedge it back open lmao, too bad he didn't slam it again after that.

--Mark Guggenberger played a great game once again. 38 saves is nothing to sneeze at.

Huge kudos to give out to Guggs. Like I said in a previous thread, I can definitly see him being the main man in net, no?

Kudos also to Joel Rodgers; its like the kid never missed a game. He really was everywhere tonight.

I was impressed with the way Derek Claffey showed his physical side in the game tonight, there's a reason this guy is captain.

[Scout]

Broncos felled by streaking Blades
The Southwest Booster

The visiting Saskatoon Blades snapped the Swift Current Broncos two-game winning streak and in doing so extended their own winning streak to seven games with a 3-1 win at the Credit Union iplex on Wednesday night.

Rookie Burke Gallimore, with his eighth goal of the season, Travis Toomey, and Stefan Elliot scored for Saskatoon who led 1-0 after the second period and extended the lead to 3-0 midway through the third period.

Jordan Peddle replied with a third period powerplay marker for the Broncos.

The win may have come at a cost for the Broncos as well as sophomore forward Cody Eakin was leveled early in the second period did not return to the game after being helped to the dressing room.

Blades netminder and Washington Capitals draft pick Braden Holtby improved his record to 6-3-0-0 with 28 saves on 29 shots.

Broncos goaltender Mark Guggenberger, 19, fell to 6-3-0-0 despite making 38 saves on 41 shots.

“We knew that they were going to come out hard, there is a reason that they have won six in a row, make that seven now,” said Broncos forward Taylor Vause, 17. "It was definitely a tough game for us. I think that we kind of got frustrated a bit with how they were playing, they came in battling. Near the end there we kind of showed that we could keep up with them but I think that we need to do that for 60 minutes.”

The win pulls Saskatoon into a first-place tie with Swift Current in the WHL’s East Division with an 8-4-0-0 record. The Broncos drop to 8-3-0-0 on the campaign.

This weekend the Broncos will head up the Trans-Canada Highway for a Friday meeting with Moose Jaw and a Saturday match up with the Wheat Kings in Brandon.

Scout

[RV@BBB]

-the hit on Cody Eakin seemed to swing the momentum all over to Saskatoon. Cody looked to be almost completely knocked unconscious and there was no response to the hit from any Bronco players on the ice at the time. The hit was clean as ever....BUT...fans love to see teammates stick up for star players. Tonight it just didn't happen.

Big Ern,
This in no way means any disrespect for your opinion mine is just different.

As hockey goes fighting is part of the game but where are the rules. Theres always been a sense of protecting star players BUT... what if another player did nothing wrong and a hit was clean. retaliation in that sense becomes violence. Case in point "Crawford/Bertuzzi Syndrome" - he hit a star now go hurt him in return. Clean hits are clean hits. Part of the learning curve and in no way should provoke violence.

I am not saying you condone violence so please don't let that get confused with my point. You are right people like the excitement of fights but much like the pros if you start fighting over clean hits then every hit is going to result in a fight... which takes away from the skill of the game.

I just don't agree with fighting over a clean hit. now jostling him around letting him know that he can't be taking liberties on your elites is different.

Maybe I'm oldschool - fight for whats right. an eye for an eye. if he lays a clean hit then he better just keep his head up.

Big Ern I enjoy reading your posts and I think you do a wonderful job so keep it up. If noone questions what you say then noones listening.

[Big Ern]

Big Ern,
This in no way means any disrespect for your opinion mine is just different.

As hockey goes fighting is part of the game but where are the rules. Theres always been a sense of protecting star players BUT... what if another player did nothing wrong and a hit was clean. retaliation in that sense becomes violence. Case in point "Crawford/Bertuzzi Syndrome" - he hit a star now go hurt him in return. Clean hits are clean hits. Part of the learning curve and in no way should provoke violence.

I am not saying you condone violence so please don't let that get confused with my point. You are right people like the excitement of fights but much like the pros if you start fighting over clean hits then every hit is going to result in a fight... which takes away from the skill of the game.

I just don't agree with fighting over a clean hit. now jostling him around letting him know that he can't be taking liberties on your elites is different.

Maybe I'm oldschool - fight for whats right. an eye for an eye. if he lays a clean hit then he better just keep his head up.

Big Ern I enjoy reading your posts and I think you do a wonderful job so keep it up. If noone questions what you say then noones listening.

I think overall your post is a lot more right than mine on this issue. Rules ARE in fact rules. I guess it depends on a fan's opinion, and the type of hockey you like to watch. Myself, I enjoy watching clean, speedy, and fair hockey....I'm not exactly a fan of retaliation either, but it seems in that situation most spectators are.

And thanks for commenting...each member's opinion and great hockey discussion is what this website is all about!

[Offsider]

I my self am a little worried our lack of team toughness it could be the one weakness of the Broncos ,As shown against the Blades they pounded the heck out of us .So far Tassone and Wagner are the tough guys .Both Mollie and Claffey have to start hitting big thick boys but don’t seem to want to make the apposing forwards pay the price . With the loss of Dale a real hard hitter Broncos need to get some toughness. Or teams that keep hitting us hard for 60 mins will win . one more comment, Wudrick needs to get in the game not even close to were he left off in last years playoffs .Not the power forward he needs to be seems to get knocked down lots .If he could here what the scouts are saying he would pick it up. But maybe there is just to much Pressure??
With the Blades good to see them have a team that can win games but that trap style of hockey IS REALLY BOREING reminds me of the Mark Habscheid days in Kelowna

[Broncs in RD]

I agree with you. I thought Brown beefed up to become a fighter(?), Toulmin not sure what he is suppose to be and Hewett was touted as being tough. The only guy we can rely on is Tassone and a 17 year old. Wudrick, well after coming back from his NHL camp he has been awful taking sooo may hooking penalties, which is 1 of 2 things he is being LAZY or he is just a little to slow. He needs to get his head out of his A$$ or we should trade him and get some return for him. I am not sure if it is because Dean hasn't found the right line combos or what. Why not put
Eakin-Dowling-Wudrick back they had it last year in the playoffs.
Dalecky-Tassone-Dans
Peddle-Wagner-Vause
Jokel-Brown-Magnus

[wango tango]

Big Ern,
This in no way means any disrespect for your opinion mine is just different.

As hockey goes fighting is part of the game but where are the rules. Theres always been a sense of protecting star players BUT... what if another player did nothing wrong and a hit was clean. retaliation in that sense becomes violence. Case in point "Crawford/Bertuzzi Syndrome" - he hit a star now go hurt him in return. Clean hits are clean hits. Part of the learning curve and in no way should provoke violence.

I am not saying you condone violence so please don't let that get confused with my point. You are right people like the excitement of fights but much like the pros if you start fighting over clean hits then every hit is going to result in a fight... which takes away from the skill of the game.

I just don't agree with fighting over a clean hit. now jostling him around letting him know that he can't be taking liberties on your elites is different.

Maybe I'm oldschool - fight for whats right. an eye for an eye. if he lays a clean hit then he better just keep his head up.

Big Ern I enjoy reading your posts and I think you do a wonderful job so keep it up. If noone questions what you say then noones listening.

have to agree with you RV. generally speaking this whole make a guy pay for delivering a clean hit (and it doesn't matter at what level of hockey) by fighting him is bull. eye for an eye is right. he hit my teammate, then he better keep his head on a swivel, because when i get a chance to hit him, i'm going to bring it, hard.

[Flathead]

I agree with you. I thought Brown beefed up to become a fighter(?), Toulmin not sure what he is suppose to be and Hewett was touted as being tough. The only guy we can rely on is Tassone and a 17 year old. Wudrick, well after coming back from his NHL camp he has been awful taking sooo may hooking penalties, which is 1 of 2 things he is being LAZY or he is just a little to slow. He needs to get his head out of his A$$ or we should trade him and get some return for him. I am not sure if it is because Dean hasn't found the right line combos or what. Why not put
Eakin-Dowling-Wudrick back they had it last year in the playoffs.
Dalecky-Tassone-Dans
Peddle-Wagner-Vause
Jokel-Brown-Magnus

Agree with Wudrick, needs to pick it up BIG TIME. Dalecky needs to pick up his game as well. I like Peddle with Tassone and Dans. Brown was a force last game and played awesome. He'll be just fine. Hewett, I've heard is tough as well, would be great to see what he's got. Toulmin??
Good to see Rogers back last game, this kid likes to hit and can play an offensive dman as well as being pretty good defensevly, he'll only get better.