- How valuable is Colin Long to the Kelowna Rockets? Wednesday night he again proved his worth with two key goals helping the home team beat the Everett Silvertips 4-2. Whether the Tips were that good defensively or the Rockets were that lacklustre, the home team did just enough to earn the victory.
- The Tips played the type of game they need to in order to win. They limited the Rockets to very few chances over the first half of the game before Long finally broke through to tie things at one. Up until that point the Tips did a tremendous job of standing the Rockets up at the blue line and not allowing them to free wheel up ice. If the Rockets weren't willing to dump and chase it when they approached the Tips blue line, they were spending little time in the offensive zone.
- Tyler Myers returned to the Rockets lineup Wednesday and scored the teams opening goal of the game on a hard blast from the point. Is it just me or is he still growing?
- I am not sure I liked the fact that Jamie Benn was the only real aggressor for the Rockets in this one. Benn got into a fight with Tips defenseman Shayne Brown in the second period with neither doing much damage. I'd call it a draw. I hope this isn't a regular occurrence because your 33 goal man has better things to do than spend five minutes in the box for fighting.
- While veteran goaltender Kris Lazaruk wasn't overly tested by an inept Tips offense, when challenged late in the game Lazaruk again showed his worth with some solid saves.
- The Rockets power play again struck for two goals. In all three wins this season the power play has bailed them out. By no means were the Tips undisciplined, but the Rockets need very few chances with the extra man to generate offense.
- The game was delayed in the second period after a fan was hit in the stands with a puck. It's not often that play doesn't resume, but the officiating staff decided to halt play as medical attention was given.
- The American national anthem played before Wednesday's game took on a new meaning. Twelve player, six from Everett and six from Kelowna are American born. Ok, Tysen Dowzak didn't take in last night's game, but you get the idea. The days of an all Canadian lineup are over at the WHL level.
- I know an outgoing personality doesn't give you points in the standings, but if that was the case the head coach of the Everett Silvertip would be in first place. John Becanic spent a good 20 minutes just talking hockey before we finally got down to the pre-game interview. He reminds me so much of Jeff Truitt.
- The forecasted high today in Medicine Hat? Sunny and +30. No word of a lie.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
It's Not How You Start, But How You Finish
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
14 comments:
Just a few quick thoughts:
1) Everett carried the play through the first 30 mins because the Rockets weren't playing a physical game. Once Benn fought, the guys started taking the body and made life in uncomfortable for the younger Tips. I guess the point is, is that if the Rockets are going to have success they will have to play a physical game, which in turn will open up the lanes for scoring;
2). Meyers shot on that first goal was a laser. It looked like an NHL caliber shot. I would love to see him hoane (sp) that shot this year, and make that part of his ever improving arsenal;
3) Benn's fight. I seem to remember a fight Long was in last year, and Huska's reaction following same (essentially, he said Colin's job is to create offense, not sit in the box). The same has got to be true with Benn, however you can't deny the fight sparked the club. At the end of the day, there have got to be others that have to be willing to drop the gloves. IMO, several of the other forwards, beside Long and Benn, should be filling that role;
4) Long's impact on the game. Yes long was the team MVP last year, and yes you can see what he's bringing to the table this year (5 goals and 2 assists in three games to lead the team in goals and points). However, what I was most impressed with was his finish on his first goal, and his work on the
Penalty kill (both on the 5-4 and 5 on 3). I've never seen him in that capacity. Is that something new for this year? If so, I like the display of offensive and defensive talents; and
5) The defense, even without Luke and Dowzak, looked better last night than they did in the preceeding games. Good on the young guys for showing improvement.
I got rinkside seats to this one at the very last minute.
I thought Benn was easily the team MVP last night. At times he was able to deke through the Everett defence at will, his fight woke the Rockets up, and on a borderline dirty hit on Long in the third, Benn came right in and went after the guy who made the hit.
The other thing that seemed to wake the Rockets up was Stepan Novotny's rush where he took on the entire Everett blueline, went through them, and almost scored.
I heard the woman who got hit with the puck got hit in the throat, hence the delay in the game. She was finally taken out, some minutes later, on a stretcher.
Any word on Mitchell Callahan? He got dumped into the boards and couldn't get his legs under him on the way back to the bench, falling down a couple times. It looked like a certain concussion, and I didn't see him on the ice again afterwards. I hope he's okay.
Cally is ok and made the trip with us to Medicine Hat. Callahan was shaken up after the hit and is doubtful for games this weekend though.
I still believe the Rockets need a certified enforcer. We haven't had a solid enforcer since DJ King. No offense to James McEwan or Brady Leavold, but both were middle weight fighters at best. (Once again, Leavold shouldn't have been the one doing the majority of the fighting, either) The Giants out muscled many teams by sending Garet Hunt to remove whatever strength stood in their way, leaving Lucic and Watt to wreak havoc.
People say that teams no longer need them, but take a look in the NHL. Every team is holding AT LEAST one per roster.
It bothers me that Benn was the one doing the fighting last night, the Blazers were allowed to crash into Lazaruk without any consequence and Ellington was able to push our forwards around, and crush Matejka with that open ice hit, without being challenged. God forbid Benn hurts his hand, Lazaruk gets injured, or that open ice hit occurs on one of our offensive talents like Colin Long.
Head hunting occurs quite often in Hockey. But the Edmonton Oilers got fed up with Derek Boogaard taking out their top offensive talent and brought in Zack Stortini. While Stortini isn't anywhere close to Boogaard's level of strength, the message was simply: "If you send Boogaard after Gagner, we'll send Stortini after Gaborik". Needless to say, Minnesota heard the message loud and clear.
For the limited amount of ice time players like Paradis and Matejka recieved last night, you can't tell me that we are unable to swap an enforcer in and out of the line-up when needed.
If the Rockets don't want to shop picks or players around the league to find one, then they should be placing scouts in the BCHL to find the meanest knuckle chucker Junior A can offer.
That's just my two cents, though.
My guess is that the Rockets are waiting on the status of Tysen Dowzak before going after a tough-guy. If Dowzak sticks with the Rangers minor-team (Something we probably won't know until next week when the Rangers have to cut down their roster and send down a defenceman or two), it will open up another slot for an overager, which is the perfect place to slot in a tougher player. If Dowzak returns, he will help keep opponents honest, and there might not be a need for a tough-guy.
No doubt Dowzak is tough and knows how to fight. But the same problem arrises, do you want Dowzak in the box for a minimum of five minutes? He was our best +/- player last year and it's obvious he's stepped up his play since then because he still hasn't returned. If he comes back, I really don't want him sitting in the box. Especially come playoffs.
You must also remember, the Rockets only have two overagers on the roster right now. (Lazaruk and Dowzak) They could still bring in one more overager.
My only question is: The Rockets currently have 24 players on their roster. (Including Schenn and Dowzak) If both players return, won't the Rockets have to make a cut? I was under the impression that roster sizes needed to be at 23 players by a certain date.
Wow it's great to see everyone reading & commenting on this blog!! Kudos Regan, hope you enjoy the little swing through AB. The only comment I have & if anyone else would like too please feel free to, there was a real buzz in Sec. 114 last night with reqards to the Rocket's attempting to swing a deal for Kyle Beach!! He would be a great fit & I'm sure he would love to come here. Please Bruce bring him on!!!!
The Beach rumor was started by some idle speculation in the Courier, methinks. There was an article talking about the uncertainty on Beach returning and whether Kelowna would be interested in acquiring him and quoted an unnamed scout as saying Kelowna would be the best team in the league if they acquired Beach.
Speaking of rumors, someone told me today he had it on good authority that Dowzak is definitely staying with Hartford of the AHL.
Dowzak is one of 13 defenseman at Hartford's camp. My thinking is they will keep just seven d-men, so Dowzak has something to prove before its all said and done.
Speaking of those 13 defensemen, there is another familiar name at the Hartford camp fighting for a spot on the back end: Lyon Messier.
But don't forget Regan, the Rangers still have too many players on their roster, including three cuts needed on defense.
Those three players the Rangers will be cutting in the near future are locks to make the Wolfpack roster this season. So essentially Dowzak is fighting for one of four spots against those thirteen players.
Rangers just cut two defenceman (Corey Potter and Brian Fahey) who will certainly have a place in Hartford, so the word should come down on Dowzak sooner rather than later.
I've been told the Rockets should know by early next week on Dowzak's status.
Post a Comment