Saturday, March 24, 2012

Tigers Defeat Blades 5-3

Another great game for the Tigers.
Attendance: 3946....60 short of a sellout.

1st Period
Tigers got on the board very early. The blades took a couple undisciplined penalties early in the game and the Tigers made them pay. Emerson Etem popped in 2 power-play goals top shelf. The Blades would respond a few minutes later as they started a push pack. Matthew Pufhal fired a howitzer over Bunz shoulder. (2-1 Tigers)

I believe Pufhal was a game time decision with a wonky ankle, and with blades Darren Deitz suspended it was a situation where he almost had to play.

We will find out Monday on the length of Darren Deitz suspension. I think Deitz was trying to slash high on the stick of Etem on the play and the stick rode up into Emerson's face. A pretty dangerous situation. I don't believe Deitz meant for that to happen but their should never be any situation which calls for a 2 handed slash.

2nd Period
The blades caught the Tigers on the ropes and took their first lead of the series. The Tigers made 2 big mistakes during this period and blades jumped on them.

Brett Stovin took a low shot from near the blueline, might have been going wide and Bunz went to deflect it into the corner and it somehow deflected into the net. 2-2 Tie

The blades Josh Nichols potted his first goal of the series after he picked off an errant Hunter Shinkaruk pass out of his zone. Nicholls walked in on a 2 on 1 , ran out of room and did a quick wrap around which beat Bunz. 3-2 Blades and the Arena was a bit stunned.

All of a sudden Tigers were bobbling the puck and had troubles making straight passes. The coaches called a Time-Out after Tyler Bunz stopped a 2 on 1 rush to settle the troops. It took a couple shifts but the Tigers eventually got back on track.

Soon after James Bettauer rifled a shot top corner from the high slot area which beat Makarov high glove. The arena was rocking again as both teams took a 3-3 Tie into the second Intermissions.

3rd Period
Tigers stepped up big in the third. I thought the tigers managed 3 or 4 chances for every chance the blades had. Finally with 5 minutes left to play the Tigers got a break. Dylan Bredo fed Emerson Etem for a 2 on 1 with Hunter Shinkaruk. Etem made a perfect pass over to Shinkaruk who shot it top corner blocker side over a sprawling Andrei Makarov and the Arena was a rockin.

Late in the third some good work by Hunter Shinkaruk forced Connor Cox to hold onto him in the slot. Cox was called for holding and the blades emotions got the better of them. Duncan Siemens was given a slashing penalty and Lorne Mollekin went crazy at the bench and earned his team another penalty to give the Tigers a 5 on 3. The blades were arguing that Matt Konan tripped up a blades when they were both going for the puck, and the penalty to Connor Cox made Blades coach Lorne Mollekin snap.

Shorthanded 5 on 3 The blades tried to send one forward up high on a bit of a hail mary, and it ended up with basically a 4 on 1 down low. Curtis Valk's intial couple shots were stopped but with Makarov down and out Valk finally managed to flip it over him giving the Tigers the insurance goal for a 5-3 Victory. After the play the blades mobbed Etem and Valk throwing a couple punches at both players heads. It ended with Kyle Schmidt getting a roughing penalty, and Duncan Siemens was given a 10 minute misconduct.

Thoughts
I thought Hunter Shinkaruk had a bit of an off night despite getting 4 points. He looked a little frustrated in the first 2 periods but fought it off and scored the game winner. Kale Kessy was missing in the third period, and the Tigers moved everybody up a slot and they did a fantastic job filling in.

The blades showed some strong push-back in the second period, but the Tigers managed to get their feet back under them and upped the tempo.

I liked how the Tigers stayed away from the rough stuff. It frustrates the other team and all the chirping and after the whistle rough stuff takes a physical and emotional toll. When Shinkaruk stopped chirping he played better in the third.

Tigers take a 2-0 Series Lead into Saskatoon for the next 2 games. Saskatoon had a pretty good record at home during the regular season, and the Tigers had a pretty good road record. It will be another battle. Medicine Hat's Trevor Cox was hoping to get back into the lineup for game 3.

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

Huge goals by Bettauer and Shinkaruk. Way to go boys!

Anonymous said...

Loving the playoffs!!! The tigers have a plan and seem to be sticking to it!!! Way to play your game!!! Go tigers go!!

Anonymous said...

Tiger Turf got mentioned on Yahoo's Buzzing the Net.

http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/jrhockey-buzzing-the-net/

Anonymous said...

Any word on Kessy?

TigerTurf said...

Heard he had a laceration to the head, but I don't know if he will be back or not for game 3.

Anonymous said...

I find it rather pathetic a certain player with the tough guy role and with the leadership symbol patched on his jersey just standing there watching hunter get egged into a fight and seriously the Tigers should of see this coming (physical an dirty play against them) because of how small they are and the lack of an enforcer, if they would have got Doty like I was hoping for they would of never been in this situation, and you know they are aware if this lack of constant presence an example is when they traded for Ramsey last year and McCue a couple of years ago

longtimefan said...

Hunter was in a fight? Must have missed that part of the game.

TigerTurf said...

Tigers traded a 4th for Ramsay who only ended up playing 13 games. They were looking for defensive help and a little bit of grit. Ramsay only played 13 games so the trade didnt help them in the long run.

Mccue was a 20 year old overager pickup, who played better than expected, and was fun to watch.
--------------
Tigers dont really have room this year for just an enforcer. They have a couple middleweight who will throw the gloves when needed.

I assume your talking about the Josh Nicholls, Shinkaruk kerfuffle that happened near the blades bench.

In the playoffs powerplays are huge, If grbavac stepped in the Tigers most likely would have been penalized extra and it would have conflicted with their game plan of staying away from the after whistle crap.

longtimefan said...

Agree Tiger Turf. The Tigers are turning the other cheek and letting the Blades take all the stupid penalties, which so far they have done a very good job of.

Anonymous said...

Funny comment really as the Blades lack of self control handed us the game. Why suggest to join them in anarchy? I like the rough stuff, but lets not lose sight that we only have 7 games to win this series, not much time for yahooing around.

Anonymous said...

For instance when we are about to beat them and they are running our players because no one on the tigers they fear, I seriously hope we play moose jaw so Mcilrath crushes every player and Beech is beating up everyone and we have no one to police them being goons a perfect example McCue with Kyle Beech if McCue was on the ice Beech wouldn't do anything, run anyone or wack away in front of the net, even when Ramsay was with us, no one would take runs at players (like late hit on therieu or trying to dog Hunter into a fight) because they knew they would need to deal with Ramsay or McCue, say what you will about not needing them but every single successful tiger team we have had that has gone along ways had physical d and two lines that could grind and play smash hockey and with little guys like Scheen, Valk and Hunter we can beat teams with no scoring talent but we can't beat team who have D to match our top line and then have 4 lines that can score and have a constant forecheck i.e. Brandon, Kootney, Moose Jaw, Edmonton

Anonymous said...

But we HAVE beat all of them this year?? So we should play like goons and then we can win? Cole, Kessy, Boston.....what about them? Do you see no grit in them? Kessy, really, you don't see it? You should attend a game, you may see the grit those guys bring. People don't want to mess around with Kessy, his suspensions are proof of his toughness and grit. Attend a game, really, I think you will like it!

Anonymous said...

oh please you ignorance is only proven by your statements, Boston? really? he has done nothing this year maybe throw a check once a game, never plays grit hockey, yes Kessy is a good grinder but he is out now so we have no one to fill his role and sometimes he hurts than team more than benefit them and Cole doesn't seem to know why he was a fan favourite....because he always stands up for his team mates thats why he has the "C" but in game 2 he stood there watching a clearly bigger guy grabbing at Hunter and i wouldn't care if he got the extra 2 minutes you need to send the message that if you mess with one of our players you gotta go through me....great players that did this were (Reid, Dorsett, McCue) and even in the NHL (Lucic, Iggy, Hartnell) They all stand up for there smaller players, and if you could read you would see i said its good to have your young small danglers but you also need good checking lines and guys who police so then the danglers can do there things again Ennis with McCue , Steve Marr and Maccarthur and the list goes out.......plus its a lot different when you play a team in a season game then in 7 game playoff stretch

Anonymous said...

Then why are we up by 2 games? By your theory we should have not made play offs?? I think you are ignorant on the Boston assessment. He is a grind and a mucker. A value to them team. As for Cole standing there, my guess is Clouston told them not to get into it, take the PP and win the game. Play our game, not theirs. I can tell you have never strapped on a pair of skates!!

Anonymous said...

Bud, go cheer for Brandon or Edmonton or who ever you think is a big tough team. We like our team, and probably best you are not part of the tigers following!!! And, you mentioned Kootney......they will be done in 4, a lot of good being big and tough did for them. C ya, get you Brandon jersey out!!

Anonymous said...

lol i played junior so once again you fail to prove any assessment and WE NEVER GOT A POWERPLAY OFF THAT INCIDENT and you say i should watch that game, i highly highly highly doubt Clouston would ever say don't defend our 40 goal scorer because we need you and all the goals you score....yep i can just see it in my mind and I'm just stating what every intelligent hockey fan at the arena is thinking (but they are rare in numbers) ya and kootney is going to lose in 4 maybe to Edmonton the favourites to come out of the East and they sure kicked our ass all season long and they have exactly what the tigers had when they went to the memorial cup same with Tri-City this year and Portland, same with kootney last year, Calgary and the list goes on and on you can say what you will about being happy with our team but there is always that one key element we always miss in playoffs but when we do have it we always succeed and number don't lie

Anonymous said...

Your babbling has been about more then one incident, so strange comment. I know for a fact they were not to fight, from a player, so understand that. And as for you saying "there is always one key element that we miss in playoffs but when we do have it we always succeed" ummmmm, if was "always miss it", how could we have ever had it??? Lastly, I know you said you "played" junior, but you ignorance to the way it works is shocking, how junior works is that you won't make it every year, that is a given, so this year we were suppose to sneak into playoffs maybe, but here we are 2 games up, pretty good team, great scorers and all you can do is stamp your feet and write long strange sentences with no periods about how sucky we are. Again, go get a Brandon jersey if you can not take the tigers. Go cheer for whatever team you feel is big and tough and up to your junior house league standards!!! Sadly, the uneducated fan in the arena is you!!!! Go tigers go!!!!

Anonymous said...

Wow...where did this clown come from??? Sadly, this is the type of support the Tigers have come to expect when they lose, but not when they win 2 in a row...and at home in the playoffs no less. For all the other posters and your positive comments, I'm with you...Go Tigers go!!

longtimefan said...

Don't believe our captain has had a fight since he returned from his second concussion. Think he has more value on the ice than he does sitting in the stands at this point of the season. Also when the incident with Hunter happened we were down by one or tied so why risk putting the Blades on the pp with an instigator or roughing call.

tigerfan (manatee) said...

You bitter slob beer league players go away, lets enjoy some playoffs.
Go Tigers!

Anonymous said...

I know, right? We don't need or want "fans" like that. Like I said above, I like this team, they show incredible effort and character!! I think they are playing smart and doing what they need to do to win!! I don't think it is always the most talented team who wins but the one who stick to the game plan and their systems! For the first 2 games the tigers have done that, I have been so impressed???
Go tigers go tonight!!! Keep it up!!
Also, no Kessy in the line up tonight, too bad!!

Anonymous said...

To the complainer, read the Star Phenoix article about what the Blades have to do to win........ they say they gotta stay out of the box and just play hockey. That is two junior teams who disagree with your let's go bash them about attitude.

Anonymous said...

bahaha I'm the uneducated fan but you say lastly instead of finally HAHAHA good joke

Anonymous said...

3-0 in the series, eat it, if you are so hockey wise, why are you nothing but wrong wrong wrong!!! Lol!! Loving the tigers proving so very wrong and looking stupid!!