Welcome back Hockey Season! The WHL season-opening weekend also corresponds to the Autumnal Equinox and the official start of fall!
Game One Tigers Defeat Canes 5-2
I thought the Tigers were the better team in the first half of the game and Lethbridge was the better team during the 2nd half. The second half the Canes were fueled by a 5-minute major powerplay, which I'll talk about below. This evaporated a 3-0 lead into a 1 goal game. Fortunately for the Tigers, they scored a short-handed goal soon after.
The Tigers looked very good in the opening period. Unfortunately, that would be their best period of the first two games.
Game Two Canes Defeat Tigers 4-2
I thought the Tigers didn't play very well in the Home Opener. While they did have a handful of chances and managed to convert a few, their overall play looked uncoordinated and out of sync.
I felt their passes were off and they played too much of a perimeter game.
Hurricanes goaltender Reece Klassen played very well, but there were numerous dangerous rebounds that went unclaimed by Tigers forwards.
A big positive was that the Tigers managed to score 3 times shorthanded through the first two games.
Players I Noticed For Good Reasons
Jordan Hollet, Cole Clayton, Dan Baker, James Hamblin, Ryan Jevne, Bryan Lockner, Dalton Gally
Players I felt could have played better
Ryan Chyzowski
Elijah Brown
Gary Haden
Hayden Ostir
Those players need to be the core guys that are effective every game. They were largely invisible and need to play better.
Penalties
Last season the Tigers were the least penalized team in the league. After two games they lead the league as they took 8 penalties in both games.
Stick Lifting
The referees were watching stick lifts like a hawk. If you lifted the stick of an opponent and your stick came anywhere close to the hands of an opponent, you were getting called for hooking.
The Tigers took 5 of these penalties through the first two games.
Pinning Against the Boards
One of the traditional set plays from a defenceman is putting your knee into the boards when pinning a forward. Dalton Gally was penalized as soon as the Hurricane forward attempted to move. It seems like you can pin the guy, but you must immediately unpin or face a penalty.
Fisticuff Action
I wanted to talk about 2 fights that happened Friday night in Lethbridge and both plays were off scrums and ensuing fights developed.
Fight #1
A Hurricanes player nailed Rybinksi into the boards and an ensuing scrum develops. In the scrum, Dan Baker is being attacked by 2 Lethbridge players, Matthew Stanley and Jackson Shepard.
Overage Cane Matthew Stanley sheds his gloves and starts punching Baker as he is fending off 2 players.
An instigator penalty was missed here. Stanley should have received 2 minutes for instigating, 5 minutes for fighting, and a ten-minute misconduct.
Fight #2
It starts when Dawson Heathcote gives Calen Addison a crosscheck in front of the net. Addison comes back at him, and the two exchange some high sticks. Addison comes back and throws the second round of punches. Heathcote throws his gloves off and gets in a quick punch that KO's Addison
Heathcote was given a 5 minute major and a game misconduct as well as a 1 game suspension. Addison wasn't penalized at all.
What are your thoughts?
I don't like that Addison didn't receive at least a 2-minute minor for roughing, as twice he initiated a retaliation. It sends a message its ok to punch back with gloves on.
I feel Heathcote should have received 2, 5 and a 10-minute misconduct, while Addison should have received 2 for roughing. It would still give out a 5 minute PP, but it seems much more appropriate. I was actually surprised the league handed out a suspension here.
What are your thoughts on the opening weekend??
25 comments:
Agree with your assessment about the fights. The team looked very unorganized and out sync (just not crisp) in both games. I’ll disagree with your assessment on brown. He hasn’t been real noticeable but I’ve liked some of the stuff he’s done. He’s crafty in the corners and does a good job of avoiding contact from the opposition. I think he’s going to have a good year.
The major weakness right now is on D.
They need Macpherson back badly and hopefully Nassen. Those two along with Clayton and baker will need to step up and be solid because right now there is too much youth back there that don’t appear capable of the big minutes just yet. Maybe I’m overreacting but I don’t think so. Without Hollett we easily could have lost both games especially with how many turnovers we have made in our own end.
Yes, the back-end looks a bit inexperienced until help arrives. The Tigers did play their opening weekend minus 1 20yr old.
Clayton+Baker basically had to play minutes against some pretty powerful Hurricane forwards and they held their own. Once the vets come back and these 2 are playing 2nd line minutes the group as a whole will look a lot better.
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Speaking of 20's I see Quenneville was assigned to Bridgeport(AHL) yesterday for the start of their training camp. Bridgeport has 8 signed guys (including Quenneville). AHL seasons starts in 2 weeks.
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Macpherson+Nassen
Florida has 9 AHL defenceman, not including Nassen or Macpherson.
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Mason Shaw has also been sent down to Iowa. Minnesota when fully healthy has 2 extra forwards in the pro's +1 NHL level, +1 AHl Level. I'm hoping their system stays healthy
It would not surprise me at all if in 2 weeks the Tigers are sitting on Macpherson, nassen, Jevne, Gally, and an "unexpected" Quenneville as 20's.
Getting back quenneville, Macpherson and Nassen would be huge because not only would he have 2 experienced defencemen but we would have a trade asset.
While Baker has made some mistakes I’ve been really impressed with him. He’s going to be one heck of dman.
Craven has struggled a bit as well but I think he’s going to get through it. I’ve noticed that he has tried rushing the puck a few times. Hopefully the confidence keeps building and he continues to do that.
How bout gally snapping neks out there. Too soon?
Not sure if that’s a joke or not but Gally didn’t even hit him. Blocker went to hit Gally and missed.
It appears Bjorklund and Mccarry have been removed from the roster.
The forward core looks set now. They have their standard 4 lines + 2 extras. Congrats to Hopwo(7th round bantam pick) and Jaxon Steele (undrafted) who outlasted all the others.
Goaltending is also set. The only thing that remains is defence.
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I would assume if we get Macpherson and nassen or even Quennevile back then Watson will be sent back to midget.
I was surprised to see Watson play over Van Impe on Saturday
Watson the only 16 on the roster is bound by the must play in 40 games rule. (Not sure if that was decreased or not with fewer games in the regular season)
I would also assume that he is likely the guy to be let go once help arrives.
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The Islanders just signed free-agent defenceman and former Hurricane Lucas Sbisa to a 1 year deal. Means 7 signed NHL guys, 8 signed AHL guys. In order for the Islanders to send down 1 of their NHL guys, I believe they will have to send someone through waivers, whom may very well be claimed by another team so it may not equal an extra body.
Islanders made some more cuts and have 8 defencemen remaining in NHL camp, which means 7 defencemen in AHL bridgeport. Definitely keeping an eye on the islander's system the next few days...
We will see if Quenneville gets any AHL pre-season action this weekend.
Garin Bjorklund no longer on the roster
How did they look in Edmonton? I couldn't watch the game.
Tigers are still finding their way. I think the game was fairly close through 2 periods. However, the Tigers gave up quite a few prime chances in the 3rd and Edmonton took over very similar to how Lethbridge took over in the season opener.
It is rare to see a slow start because they often have quick starts. They don't have a true #1 line, they have three 2nd lines. With their 3rd OA defenceman gone its kinda the same thing on the back-end.
Their chemistry seems off. No need to panic though it's a long season.
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I wanna see these lines
Jevne Hamblin Williams
Rybinski Chyzowski Lockner
Prezusio Haden/Brown
Heathcote Anderson Ostir
Veterans & the best scoring threats on the top line. Hamblin has showed more patience and playmaking I want to pair him up with 2 good shots. Williams will probably be on the top line next season so lets put him there now.
2nd line - Chyzowsky is there by default being a centreman. Lockner & Rybinksi I feel have been the most improved through the opening 3 games. This is an experiment. If they play well together this line could be intact for next year.
3rd Line - I keep feeling like Haden is the perfect 3rd line centreman when playing well because he can play defensively. This line has a lot of speed designed to blow by opposition teams 3rd lines.
4th Line - Ostir I am most disappointed with through 3 games. I thought I heard someone saying he had a broken nose? is that right? Could put Ostir on the PK as well.
They legit have 10 guys who should be in the top 9, so someone is going to be unhappy playing 4th line minutes. I think juggling people around while chemistry is already in tough may not be the best solution either.
I’d go with something like this
Jevne Hamblin williams
Brown Chyzowski Lockner
Haden Rybinski Ostir
Heathcote Anderson Preziuso
I think Ostir still has more to give offensively so I hope he gets a more of a chance in the top 9. Preziuso works hard but we know the story on him and it just doesn’t translate to offfense. I got no problems with the guy but that’s just how it is, he would be good on that 4 line in my opinion.
The defence has been weak but Hollett has been great. If he gets better as the year goes on we might have one of the leagues best goalies.
Good combo's I think I like yours better than mine.
I agree about Ostir. Last season when he returned he looked very good. Eventually, he should be a big force to be reckoned with, he's just had a slow start.
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Hollett's been exceptionally strong. You can only beat him off scramble plays or in tight. One thing I've noticed about Hollett is that his technique has massively improved and his technique was already pretty good. I think he is already AHL Calibre.
Chyzowski isn't a natural centreman move him back to the wing.
Chyzowski Hamblin Williams
Jevne Rybinski Lockner
Haden Brown Ostir
Heathcote Anderson Preziuso
There has to be a trade comming and ostir is most likely the one in my option could be prez ?
I know there is probably a guy or two not happy about their playing time. I’d personally ship out preziuso but I don’t think clouston does that. Clouston seems to like him and he’s been a lifelong tiger. It’s not often we see clouston make a move like that.
Im predicting a 5-2 win for PA they have started strong.
Final score 5-3 good prediction...
I watched the game and despite the loss, the Tigers looked better. PA was the better team but the Tigers started to click and got stronger as the game went on. They were down 3-0 but twice came back to 1 goal deficits.
Hopefully, they can take that momentum and get a victory in Saskatoon against their old teammate Max Gerlach.
4th line rotation starting like last year - I’ll bet Anderson and heathcote will be gone before Friday
Do you know something we don’t or is that strictly a random prediction?
Looks like we really need some defensive help. Hopefully either Nassen or McPherson still comes back. Goaltending has been great and I think we have the offence. Some tough losses but we were in every game. Just have to find that extra gear to get that one extra goal.
Agreed we just can’t seem to find that 1 goal to put us over.
Goaltending has been stellar
That was the best game of their season. They deserved 2 points and were a little unlucky..
Slowly getting better which is a good sign.
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They were running with these lines last night...
Chyzwoski Hamblin Williams
Prezusio Rybinksi jevne
Ostir Brown Hopwo
Haden Anderson Lockner
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AHL season starts next weekend. We should hear something about MacPherson/Nassen by then. Either signing tryout agreements/contracts or sent back.
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Nassen scored last night in AHL exhibition. Quenneville also played.
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