- Two goals in a span of 25 seconds early in the third period helped the Tri City Americans to a 5-3 win over the Kelowna Rockets Friday night. The win gives the Americans a 1-0 lead in the best of seven second round playoff series, with game two Saturday night at the Toyota Center.
- For the second straight playoff game, the Rockets open the scoring courtesy of Geordie Wudrick's 9th goal of the playoffs. Wudrick responds just 43 second into the opening period to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.
- Two of the Am's goals were the direct result of miscues by two key veterans. Tyson Barrie makes an ill advised cross-ice-pass in his own zone that lands on the tape of Americans forward Justin Feser. Feser skates in on a clear cut breakaway, beating Guggenberger to the blocker side. Wudrick then fails to keep a puck in at the Americans blue line in the third period, which creates an odd man rush the other way. The Am's score to essentially put the game on ice. At that point, the Rockets were taking over the play after a Brandon McMillan goal made it 4-3.
- I thought goaltender Mark Guggenberger had a strong game for the Rockets. Sure he gave up five goals, but he also made solid saves when the game was up for grabs.
- Americans forward Brooks Macek delivers a dangerous hit on Rockets leading scorer Geordie Wudrick at the midway point of the third period. While on the power play, with Macek in the penalty box, Rockets defenceman Dallas Jackson attempts a pass to Wudrick, who is looking back to accept the puck. As the puck approaches Wudrick, Macek steps out of the penalty box and blindsides the unsuspecting forward, sending him flying in the air and crashing heavily on the ice. Macek is not accessed a penalty while Wudrick is helped off the ice. Amazingly Wudrick returns a short time later.
- Rockets rookie defenceman Colton Jobke fights Macek late in the game in a one sided affair. Macek knew something was coming after the hit, so it was best to own up to the questionable contact. Is Macek still a marked man? The series has just begun.
- After watching the hit on video, it was clean, no question. It was not a hit to the head. Is it dangerous? You bet it is. Macek notices that Wudrick is vulnerable, and gives it to him. All is fair in love and war. That hit tells me that on the ice, this is indeed a war.
- Rockets captain Lucas Bloodoff also delivers a big hit in the third period on Am's defenceman Jarrett Toll between the two benches. Toll notices Bloodoff coming and losses the physical battle. I like the fact that Toll, despite being crunched, gets up quickly and moves back into the play.
- Special thanks to the Tri City American organization and the Toyota Center staff for helping us with what appeared to be a phone line problem prior to the start of the game. We were unable to broadcast the game until about halfway through the first period. As it turned out, it had nothing to do with the phone line at the Toyota Center, but rather with an operator error at the radio station back in Kelowna.
- Just under 4 thousand fans watch Friday's game. It may have been a smallish crowd, but man do they make noise. You have to love the American sports fan. I will take four thousand fans cheering and making noise throughout the 60 minute affair over 6 thousand fans who need to be urged to make noise.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Big hits, raw emotion, results in two goal loss
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9 comments:
Question? If Wudrick were to miss any time or not be the same player the rest of the series would that make Macek a frontrunner in your eyes for player of the series? Seemed to work for Tyler Myers last year with his hit on Fadden.
You can't be serious about the hit on Wudrick. He was accepting the puck and looking down at his skates. How many times does a Pee-Wee coach tell the kids, "You've got to skate with your head up?" Many, many times. Macek didn't charge, get his elbow up, or aim for the head. As you say, it was clean, the end. No rationalizing or whining from a PBP guy. Especially after truly questionable hits by the Rockets on Fadden and Cunningham in last seasons playoffs. I don't recall your comments on either hit last year, but something tells me you thought they were just fine. You are right about the hit by Bloodoff last night, though, but I'm pretty sure it has to do with the sweater he's wearing, not the actual contact.
bs
If Macek's hit now makes Wudrick less aggressive and not wanting to handle the puck, the hit could be a huge factor in the series....and yes Macek will have played a huge role in essentially shutting down the Rockets top goal scorer. I don't think Wudrick will be phased, but if he were to be, Macek will have been a key contributor to silencing one of the Rockets top weapons.
Good answer Reagan. What differences do you see with this Tri-City team and the Everett Silvertips?
Regan I absolutely love how you call Macek out for his hit, which in the end you said was clean, and don't mention Jackson retaliation hit on Macek. That hit was dirty, undeserved, and definitely on a player who was vulnerable and could possibly ear a suspension if the Ams sent in the tape. Yet it gets no mention in your blog? What gives?
Jackson is sticking up for a teammate that gets crushed. If the Americans don't react the same way, I'd be disappointed. I listened to the reaction of the Americans colour guy on the Macek/Wudrick hit and he said "that's five". We didn't even make that bold of a statement on our broadcast. We saw it a clean hit, but a dangerous one.
I think a couple of key points in last night's game. Yes, Bloodoff had a great hit on Toll, but Schmidt had a great gave and delivered four or five crushing, clean hits on Bloodoff. While Bloodoff got a power play marker, I thought Schmidt made him a non-factor even strength.
Also, if I am Ryan Huska I like the way Jackson went after Macek after the hit. It was clean, but you still stand up for your top scorer regardless. What I would be furious about was Jobke picking that spot to instigate the fight with Macek. The Rockets were going on the power play with just over two minutes left in regulation down 5-3. If they score early in that power play they have a great chance of tying the game. Jobke's intentions were fine, but his timing was horrible.
BTW, I have never liked our color guy. He is free so I guess you get what you pay for, but I would hope they could find someone else.
When i read some of the comments it seems we are for in for a physical serie ..IT is time to launch our secret WEAPON ......THE MATHESONISER..... If he can lend some of those bone crusher hits with some accuracy we should have some success...Come On Tyler we need those hits...
From an American's fan perspective I was surprised with how this game was played out. In the series with Chilliwack the Bruins came out really physical in game one with the Americans being taken back the first two periods. In last nights game I was expecting the same from the Rockets. Instead it seemed to me that it was a more balanced physical play by both teams and less than I was expecting from the Rockets. Overall it looks like a these two teams are more evenly matched. I will say this we Ams fans were wondering which team would show up for the playoffs, the Ams from the first half of the season or the second half. It's been a little of both but last night was more of the early Ams. Hopefully it stays that way which will make for a more interesting and rewarding series.
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