Saturday, April 18, 2015

RIP 2015. Hitman Advance with a 4-3 2OT Win

Well the Tigers hockey season came to an end late friday night.

Hitman forward Jake Virtanen scored with 45 seconds left in the third period to tie the game and Travis Sanheim scored in double overtime to defeat the Tigers 4-3 and take the series 4-1.

Good Luck to the Hitman in the rest of the playoffs.  Will post some thoughts in a few days about the current season, and the Tigers future. Bitter feeling as the last game in the arena for the Tigers was a poorly attended playoff game with a heartbreaking overtime loss. Would have liked to see it go out in style.

9 comments:

longtimefan said...

Going to be a completely different looking team next year and I'm predicting that the twelve year playoff run will come to an end. With thirteen nineteen and twenty year olds and only three eligible to return this will be a very young team next year. The teams defensive core will be decimated with only two sure returnees and of those two in my mind only one is a capable whl defenceman.

I've said this before but I don't believe the team management did a very good job building this team. To me it was important to build a roster that would be strong moving into the new building ,as the dynamics of this franchise are going to drastically change next year.

Anonymous said...

For once I agree with you longtimefan, next year will be full of trials and tribulations I am sure! If this was the year of the mushroom D, next year will def be a year of uncertainty. we will see what the off season and rumors going around bring?

sammy12 said...

enjoy reading comments. Could somebody post the names and age breakdown for next year and then people can speculate who will be back

longtimefan said...

I think the Tigers are going to start to suffer from former head scout Brad Mcewans penchant for drafting small players. While the team has not been huge for a number of years I've noticed for the past few years the drafted players have been getting smaller and smaller. Our defence has been the part of the lineup that had some size but that's going to change in the next couple of years going by the 50 man players list. I'm posting a link from Alan Caldwells blog from earlier this season so people can have a look. While it's not recent and there has most likely been some changes (Connor Hobbs is on it) it will give an idea of the lack of size that is heading this way.


http://smallatlarge.blogspot.ca/2014/08/2014-15-prospects-medicine-hat.html

TigerTurf said...

Hi Sammy, I'm writing 2 posts one for a year in review, and another one for next years outlook


Someone is more than welcome to start it out. Will put them both out at the same time, likely sunday/monday

Orange blood said...

I think even next year the Tigers could surprise, after all we have been in this position before and still made the playoffs. We are long overdue not to make the playoffs and I think people have become complacent thinking its a right that the Tigers will be in the playoffs. Looking forward to next season already.

longtimefan said...

Sammy, just go to the Tigers web site and have a look at the roster. I can tell you that there are 13 players 19 and older. Of that the three overage players, Lewington, Langhammer and Becker are finished there junior careers. Of the others I think there are only 4 that they will consider bringing back as overage players next year. Sanford and Cox would be locks if they choose to return and Hunt and Stanton would be my other two choices, leaning towards Stanton because of the state of the returning defence corps.

Anonymous said...

What about Vanelli and Burroughs? Great players but could be back for fine tuning as 20,s!!! Staples, Labelle,should bring draft picks and play as 20,s they are heart and soul hard nosed players!!

longtimefan said...

Vanelli and Burroughs are both signed by their respective teams so it's almost a sure bet they won't return. As far as Labelle and Staples don't think teams will give up much of anything for 20 year olds that work hard but don't score.