2012/2013 Regular Season Thread

[Sttop]

the pk still needs work. gwinner really seemed to play well on the pk.

[Wapitikev]

Offsetting diving and slashing penalties to start the 2nd, then a Saskatoon pp goal, then a line-brawl.

Wish i had time to watch.

-Wpaitikev

[Wapitikev]

Raiders looking strong, early (and I didn't even have to say "but it is" in front of the word early).

Big win tonight [sorry Stan]. Taking 3 points out of the home-and-home and giving only 2 to Saskatoon is a definite plus.

Hope Hodder's shoulder is ok. Gwinner, Guenther or Stewart will get a(nother) chance next Friday.

Congrats to Sawyer Lange...way better month to score his first goal of the season (March last year as a rookie)...I'm very impressed how his abilities are developing.

82 points to go!

[for those of you who are new or have forgotten, back at the end of January, Raider Believer and I had a discussion where we both agreed that 85 points would be an acceptable result for this season...so I'm counting down the points]

-Wapitikev

[AAAScout]

I sometimes wonder what it is about the game i watch that is so different from others, after listening to the radio guys after the home opener and hearing how good mcNeill was i could only be left to wonder what it is i watch?

I saw a lazy, uninterested player who made terrible selections on his pass/shot decisions that really affected his team, especially on the first PP of the game. Taking a terrible(selfish) shot that missed the net rather than making the pass to the corner and driving the net to pull in a defender leaving his Dman wide open for a great scoring chance, and almost cost his team a shorthanded goal, he did not back check (that is very normal for him, he only seems to really try when he has the puck) and I then had to listen how he was "honorable mention" for 3 stars.......i see the same thing this year that i saw last year, and perhaps i am wanting to see to much? but an NHL drafted player and supposedly best player on our team should certainly put much more effort into the game than what he does, until then I say trade him away and we would have a much better dressing room and harder working example for the younger guys!!

It was also very interesting to watch Steve Young and Tim Leonard interact during the game, Steve leaned on Tim allot including the timeouts and the drawing up of all the coverages in neutral zone and offensive zone and especially defensive zone layouts during the game, good to see Steve utilize the talent(coaches) around him, it will make him a much better coach.

[Dwight Schrute]

To me it looked obvious McNeill is hampered by a injury. Didn't look strong on skates like he has a leg or knee or quad injury.
I was really impressed with mcveigh and Ruopp. Astles kept trying to get him to go but with a lead and being the # 2 dman it was great to see the maturity he showed.
How can the raiders go through a entire season of winther and morrissey being cheap shotted ? Who is the physical player that can protect them or gardiner. That was one thing I cringed at during every scrum.
Was unimpressed with Corbin bardaro hodder Knutson
Still puzzled by mahura bein cut. Losing a few c level d men and adding a physical minute muncher would be an upgrade
But for the first time in over 3 1/2 years I was Happy when I left sask place !!

[Dwight Schrute]

Oh sorry credit union center

[Wapitikev]

McNeill Is somewhat of an enigma, to me...some nights he is full of good plays and then only average on other nights. Sometimes he hits everything that comes near him, other nights he focuses on the puck and you're left wondering why he didn't crush the guy.

I understand that the players he's playing against have different levels of talent, from one night to the next, and that all of those are, invariably, the best guys on the opposing team.

As a fan I'd like to see him dominate all of them, but that's probably not realistic.

But sometimes though, Mark's abilities seem to improve as the game goes on. Some have characterized it as "He's a better player when he gets angry." It is those times when he is at his most frustrating for fans...they are on their feet cheering for him but in the back of their minds they are wondering where this guy was in the previous period.

Then, they start to wonder where that same guy was during the last game or why doesn't that same guy "show up" for the next one. (see the previous comment about the likelihood of being dominant all the time)

Perhaps it makes Mark dangerous to play against...antagonists never know if, they'll be up against the average guy or the scary-talented guy or the guy that injured Thrower at the end of last season.

That strikes me as a player that is still developing aspects of his game.

Fans were happier watching Brandon Herrod. Although less talented than McNeill, what made Herrod great was that he had an almost unmatched compete level...he was never satisfied until his was higher than the guys he was playing against. He also had the ability to switch between talented and physical more quickly... sometimes even on the same shift...and we rarely saw his only-average-guy imitation.

I think Mark is still developing on many levels and will continue to improve as the year goes on. His compete-level may not become Herrod-good by the end of the season...but if it does we are going to be a much tougher team to pay against come playoff time.

Yes, hockey is a business and GMs have to make tough decisions come trade-deadline time (and sometimes before that). I for one hope that the enigma solves itself before a trade becomes necessary.

-Wapitikev

[Wapitikev]

To me it looked obvious McNeill is hampered by a injury. Didn't look strong on skates like he has a leg or knee or quad injury.
I was really impressed with mcveigh and Ruopp. Astles kept trying to get him to go but with a lead and being the # 2 dman it was great to see the maturity he showed.
How can the raiders go through a entire season of winther and morrissey being cheap shotted ? Who is the physical player that can protect them or gardiner. That was one thing I cringed at during every scrum.
Was unimpressed with Corbin bardaro hodder Knutson
Still puzzled by mahura bein cut. Losing a few c level d men and adding a physical minute muncher would be an upgrade
But for the first time in over 3 1/2 years I was Happy when I left sask place !!

Gwinner and Vanstone were not on the ice last night...when the tougher guys sit then liberties are taken. Hard to argue the final score though...Braid and McNeill need to step up the physical play when the tougher guys sit. How was Morden in that department?

Sounded like Hodder left with a shoulder injury, so he may not be back next Friday.

Agree about Knutson.

Surprised about Corbin...thought he was pretty good the night before and he got another goal last night...was it his defensive play that unimpressed?

Nor sure that Mahura would help much on the toughness side of things and it doesn't look like we need him on the scoreboard...

Gotta love that final score.

-Wapitikev

[Dwight Schrute]

Gwinner and Vanstone were not on the ice last night...when the tougher guys sit then liberties are taken. Hard to argue the final score though...Braid and McNeill need to step up the physical play when the tougher guys sit. How was Morden in that department?

Sounded like Hodder left with a shoulder injury, so he may not be back next Friday.

Agree about Knutson.

Surprised about Corbin...thought he was pretty good the night before and he got another goal last night...was it his defensive play that unimpressed?

Nor sure that Mahura would help much on the toughness side of things and it doesn't look like we need him on the scoreboard...

Gotta love that final score.

-Wapitikev

ThAt score was a result of the blades defense playing like junk. And their penalty box parade ( probably 4 of them weren't legitimate penalties)
Corbin looked poor in his own end and when paired with hodder it was scary. Mahura would just increase the talent and skill level. Or be a valuable trade asset to upgrade elsewhere
Braid was the only consistent physical forward.

[lordstanley]

ThAt score was a result of the blades defense playing like junk. And their penalty box parade ( probably 4 of them weren't legitimate penalties)
Corbin looked poor in his own end and when paired with hodder it was scary. Mahura would just increase the talent and skill level. Or be a valuable trade asset to upgrade elsewhere
Braid was the only consistent physical forward.

All of our penalties were deserving they were 12-6 for power plays i believe we were so un decipline and full credit to the raiders last night it is a long season should be very interesting