Broncos vs Tigers

[trucker]

Wow! This series is coming down to the wire! Sounded like we played a solid road game till the start of the 3rd.
Gonna have to win in the Hat now to advance and play the Ice.
Big game 6 at home now and hoping for a loud crowd! Gonna send the kitties back home to play game 7.

[Quarter Century Fan]

Must win tonight!! Go Broncos!!

Also, please play much grittier, especially against the Tigers first line or we will probably not advance.

[trucker]

Well it always stinks losing, but we didn't go down easy! A valiant effort on behalf of the Broncos! Good work out there in this series and you made our city proud! Hope to have most everyone back next year!
Thanks Eetu! You will be missed! Hope you consider Swift a second home!
Thanks Graham! We will miss you as well as your determination!
Thanks Nathan! You were a much needed player and we enjoyed having you!
Go Kootenay! Won't ever stop hating Medicine Hat!

[Quarter Century Fan]

I'm still in mourning but I guess it's time to suck it up and accept our loss to the Tigers.
Congratulations to the Tigers who proved to be the better team in this series.

Best of luck to the graduating Broncos and best of luck in your futures, whether in hockey or elswhere.

Now it's time for football!! Go Riders!!

[franchise]

was winnable. But when guys that have scored a combined 127 goals during the regular season go missing, its not. Black showed up for one game. Gordon, Cave, and Merkley? not at all. These guys have some soul searching to do. Merkley is the poster child for that. He just never ever made an effort when body contact was necessary. When the going got tough he left. The only guys who showed heart and desire were Laurikainnen and Burns. Both those guys gave the team a chance to win every single game. I don't even think they would have made the playoffs without Burns.
Gawdin played hard as did a few others but cripes, where were Black, Gordon and Cave?
Debrusk, 17 years old, made every shift count and I thought Heatherington played his game. But every time a Honka shot was blocked, which just seemed like every time he took one, it was a fire drill gone wrong trying to get back. Black and his linemates were busy taking 2 minute shifts and rarely did get back once the puck was turned over.
I really hope some of these guys learned the lesson. Play like you are determined to win, not like you hope to.

One goal from any of Cave, Merkley, Gordon, and this series would have been a real series. It's just a shame these guys didn't elevate their game like expected.

Kudos to Eetu and Burns. Examples for everyone.

[trucker]

was winnable. But when guys that have scored a combined 127 goals during the regular season go missing, its not. Black showed up for one game. Gordon, Cave, and Merkley? not at all. These guys have some soul searching to do. Merkley is the poster child for that. He just never ever made an effort when body contact was necessary. When the going got tough he left. The only guys who showed heart and desire were Laurikainnen and Burns. Both those guys gave the team a chance to win every single game. I don't even think they would have made the playoffs without Burns.
Gawdin played hard as did a few others but cripes, where were Black, Gordon and Cave?
Debrusk, 17 years old, made every shift count and I thought Heatherington played his game. But every time a Honka shot was blocked, which just seemed like every time he took one, it was a fire drill gone wrong trying to get back. Black and his linemates were busy taking 2 minute shifts and rarely did get back once the puck was turned over.
I really hope some of these guys learned the lesson. Play like you are determined to win, not like you hope to.

One goal from any of Cave, Merkley, Gordon, and this series would have been a real series. It's just a shame these guys didn't elevate their game like expected.

Kudos to Eetu and Burns. Examples for everyone.

I don't agree with much of anything you wrote....at all! I do agree that Gordon wasn't in this series, but a lot of times in playoffs, players play injured and we fans don't know because it's not disclosed to us. So I was giving Gordon the benefit of the doubt thinking he was possibly injured.
This was a super defensive series. No room on the ice for wide open offense. Black wasn't quit as effective the first half of the series but made up for it in the last half.
I felt as though the whole team bought in and doesn't deserve the harshness.
However you are TOTALLY able to think and post what you think!!!! Just my opinion Franchise.
Gonna be a valuable experience for our team down the road.

[Harvest]

was winnable. But when guys that have scored a combined 127 goals during the regular season go missing, its not. Black showed up for one game. Gordon, Cave, and Merkley? not at all. These guys have some soul searching to do. Merkley is the poster child for that. He just never ever made an effort when body contact was necessary. When the going got tough he left. The only guys who showed heart and desire were Laurikainnen and Burns. Both those guys gave the team a chance to win every single game. I don't even think they would have made the playoffs without Burns.
Gawdin played hard as did a few others but cripes, where were Black, Gordon and Cave?
Debrusk, 17 years old, made every shift count and I thought Heatherington played his game. But every time a Honka shot was blocked, which just seemed like every time he took one, it was a fire drill gone wrong trying to get back. Black and his linemates were busy taking 2 minute shifts and rarely did get back once the puck was turned over.
I really hope some of these guys learned the lesson. Play like you are determined to win, not like you hope to.

One goal from any of Cave, Merkley, Gordon, and this series would have been a real series. It's just a shame these guys didn't elevate their game like expected.

Kudos to Eetu and Burns. Examples for everyone.

I agree Merkley and Gordon were bad, very bad but i don't think the same is true with cave or black. Black had a rough game one but after that was one of our best. Cave was consistently put in a defensive responsibility role and I thought played well most if not all series. The one I really dont get you criticizing is Gawdin. The kids 16 in a 18-20 yr old league. He played as well as can be expected from a 16 year old given the ice time he was. Watching this series I couldnt believe how smart debrusk is both offensively and defensively.

[franchise]

I think I said he played hard. I could have expanded on that and he is well on his way to becoming a feature player. As for Cave, there is some truth in what you say but he spent the majority of his time on the top 6 along with pp time. He was more snakebitten than absent. Just couldn't finish.

[franchise]

and Gawdin will be names we hear quite a bit in the next couple of years. I don't think I've ever seen a player who is a better example of what a little confidence can do for you , and who seems so coachable as Debrusk at this age. Looking at the returnees the immediate future is bright for the Broncos. I don't think there is a decision to be made on the 20 year olds next year with Shmoorkoff the odd man out. Bow is a solid goalie in his own right and the D just keep getting better - though I hate flogging a dead horse, Honka has a lot to learn in both ends of the ice. I keep seeing him turning that puck over at the blue line or getting his shots blocked. And then he makes a rush up ice that makes everything seem so easy. Removing the bad decisions is a Coaching issue. Too many of the same errors. His upside is there.
I think Merkley, Cave, and Gordon all learned something this series but I wouldn't be surprised to see Merkley shopped. He is one of those guys that will put up numbers when someone else does the work but when it comes right down to the nitty gritty he'd rather be golfing.
Depending on what happens with the drafted players - and from their play I would say they will all be back - The team has a bright future. Problem is so do does Regina and Brandon....