Playoffs-Hitmen vs 1st Round Opponent

[PuckWatcher]

Whatever you say hahaha. Lethbridge has deserved the win the last two nights, and should have had the win in the first game. Calgary was extremly chippy back in Lethbridge. Obviously you didn't see those games.

[RunTheGoalie]

Actually, I was at game two.

Lethbridge deserved tonights game about as much as Calgary deserved game one. Take that how you like.

[loudi94]

Well, the Hurricanes showed their true colours tonight. And that colour is yellow. What a bunch of cowards. What few fans Lethbridge has should be embarrassed of themselves for supporting that team.

What a yellow piece of crap Yashar Farmanara is. Spears Freddy Peterson, and when White goes after him for it, the coward turtles. If you are going to skewer a guy, at least have the balls to defend yourself. Of course, he goes off the ice with a big smile, starts taunting the crowd, even giving the fans the finger. Yeah, real big man there buddy.

And then you have Brad Riege, who does the same thing three seconds later, and like Farmanara, ran away and hid behind a linesman to save himself.

The WHL seriously needs to look at both of these plays, and quite frankly both players should be suspended. There is no place in hockey for that garbage, and while I would personally love to see the Hitmen get even for both dirty plays, I hope the players do realize that there is no way to do it. You hit them dirty, you take a penalty. You try to fight them, the cowards will run and try to sucker you into a penalty. Use their dirty play as a motivator to destroy the Hurricanes on the ice. Sending them home early is the best retirubtion.

Otherwise, it was a typical Chris Savage called game. As usual, Savage completely turned the game around by making a simply horrible call on the "check from behind" by Reich. Comes out of the box, and glides into the puck carrier to simply knock him off the puck. Causes a turnover that would have led to a 3 on 1. If Calgary scores, the game is over. Instead, Lethbridge gets a cheap powerplay - after getting away half dozen cross checks because Savage felt sorry for their pitiful penalty kill - and scores to get them back into the game.

Oddly enough, I remember when Stone charged the entire width of the ice to drill Carson in last year's playoffs with intent to injure, and there was no call. Reich even let up on the Lethbridge player, and still gets penalized. Nice consistancy there.

That play turned the game right around. A weak goal by Pogge after, who for some stupid reason went with a new set of equipment tonight, fought it all night long and we paid for it. Not surprising he was much better when he went back to the old equipment for the third period.

So, 3-3 game, Lethbridge has all the momentum, and our coach is doing what, exactly? Once again, Kisio is completely useless out there, and we are paying for it on the ice.

One thing is very clear three games in: Lethbridge is a vastly inferior team to Calgary. They rely on obstruction just to hang, and a lot of luck and mystery penalty calls. Other than an eight minute stretch in the second, the Hitmen controlled virtually the entire game. However, Dyck is simply embarrassing the hell out of Kisio this series, and that is proving to be the difference. When Lethbridge gets into trouble, he's been able to regroup and refocus his charges. He's been able to draw up a plan that has frustrated the Hitmen. Kisio just seems to be along for the ride, and when the team faces adversity, he has no answers.

This is a series that Lethbridge has no buisness leading, and if the Hitmen go down, Kisio's pink slip damn well better be drawn up the day after.

Your post pretty much sums up what is transpiring in this series. An over confident bunch using every excuse in the book for why they are trailing in a series they should have swept in 4. If you missed game 1 and 2, the Hitmen were totally outworked. Blame the refs, blame the other team, blame the coach, blame everyone except the players. This series is 2-1 because Calgary's best players are not playing at their best, end of story. When they do, it's series over. Better question is did they overlook the Hurricanes? If so, it's definitely a coaching problem. Take your mohawks and camo outfits for example and realize that this team may have gone into this series with a bad attitude.
Even as a 'Canes fan I was looking forward to seeing a Hitmen/Tigers series. I'm not sure that series would be very close anymore unless something drastic happens.

[PuckWatcher]

The sad thing here is that i'm a Calgary Fan. Calgary has lost their cool and taken dumb penalties, and that seems to have been a huge factor.

[RunTheGoalie]

Your post pretty much sums up what is transpiring in this series. An over confident bunch using every excuse in the book for why they are trailing in a series they should have swept in 4. If you missed game 1 and 2, the Hitmen were totally outworked. Blame the refs, blame the other team, blame the coach, blame everyone except the players. This series is 2-1 because Calgary's best players are not playing at their best, end of story. When they do, it's series over. Better question is did they overlook the Hurricanes? If so, it's definitely a coaching problem. Take your mohawks and camo outfits for example and realize that this team may have gone into this series with a bad attitude.
Even as a 'Canes fan I was looking forward to seeing a Hitmen/Tigers series. I'm not sure that series would be very close anymore unless something drastic happens.

No excuses. Kisio is getting outcoached, and that is why the series is as it is. You pretty much agreed with everything I said: If the Hitmen are on their game, they will clobber Lethbridge.

However, if you were at tonights game, you cannot deny that that penalty to Reich turned the game around. But, as everyone knows, Savage is good for one game altering penalty every night. The Hitmen were still up 3-2, and still should have won that game. The ref was a factor, not an excuse.

Pogge's weak goal was what won it for Lethbridge. That gave them complete control for a brief time, and by the time the Hitmen regrouped, it was 4-3. A couple of great shots made it 6-3.

Poor decisions certantly are doing the Hitmen in. They were much smarter penalty wise this game, though I am at a loss to explain why White was penalized for hitting Olafson with a clean shoulder to shoulder check as the latter was admiring his pass.

[RunTheGoalie]

The sad thing here is that i'm a Calgary Fan. Calgary has lost their cool and taken dumb penalties, and that seems to have been a huge factor.

Indeed, and that is why the cowardly Hurricanes are behaving as they are. They want Calgary to focus on revenge rather than hockey. I guess Hurricane players have no problems swallowing their pride and manhood. Personally, I would rather the Hitmen win or lose like men.

[loudi94]

Indeed, and that is why the cowardly Hurricanes are behaving as they are. They want Calgary to focus on revenge rather than hockey. I guess Hurricane players have no problems swallowing their pride and manhood. Personally, I would rather the Hitmen win or lose like men.

I'm confused as to why you refer to them as "cowardly". Getting uder the opposition's skin is part of the game. I'm sure you didn't complain too loudly about Ville Niemenen in 2004. Also taking five 10 minute misconducts in 2 games complaining to the ref isn't exactly manly behaviour.

[Mileflames]

Being an ex goalie myself, I noticed that Pogge's has lost his confidences. He did not look sharp at all last night. It is time for a goalie change.

[RunTheGoalie]

I'm confused as to why you refer to them as "cowardly". Getting uder the opposition's skin is part of the game. I'm sure you didn't complain too loudly about Ville Niemenen in 2004. Also taking five 10 minute misconducts in 2 games complaining to the ref isn't exactly manly behaviour.

Getting under the opponents skin is all fine and dandy.

Spearing your opponent, not once, but twice is not.

It is completely unacceptable behavior on top of being very dangerous.

Refusing to defend yourself after you attack your opponent like that is the mark of a true coward. White could have destroyed Farmanara if he so chose. But White let up because there is no honor in pounding the crap out of a guy who fell to his knees begging out of defending himself. That Farmanara followed that up by taunting the fans on the way off the ice shows how completely devoid of class he truely is.

At least when Riege speared another Hitmen player and then ran and hid behind the linesman, he had sense enough to just skate off the ice afterward.

There was no need for those spears, and quite frankly, I am embarrassed for the fans of Lethbridge for cheering for those players. It's yellow hockey, and something that should never be encouraged, supported or condoned.

[Hitmen1]

The biggest reason why the Hitmen are trailing in the series is goaltending imo. How often in the regular season did Pogge steal us a game? The rest of the team needs to pick their games up but Pogge just might have to steal a couple games for the Hitmen. There is no chance that Spence gets in. I still say Hitmen in 6!

Pogge