The Oil Kings looked really good. They reminded me quite a bit of Tri-City. Very very quick and smart offensively. Not only using a north south game, but also combining a east west game, then hesitating when needed to find trailers and create space.
The Oil Kings were very good at using their speed, slowing down, then finding passing options. I thought they also did a very good job at blocking shots from the Tigers defenceman making it really hard for the Tigers to generate tips and rebounds.
Dylan Wruck impressed me with his cannon of a wrist shot. Mark Pysyk had a very good shift where he had an end to end rush blowing past Etem and Konan, then finding Dylan Rachinski streaking past the new Tiger Brendan Hurley covering on Defense. 3 blown coverages...can't expect to win when you play like that.
It was mentioned on the radio that the Oil Kings didn't buy this year at the trade deadline because they felt that next year will be their year.
I thought Edmonton's quickness ripped open a lot of holes and the Tigers looked uncomfortable in their own zone.
A couple bright spots I thought Etem finally looked like his old self again. Trevor Cox scored a real nice goal with some good work from Cole Grbavac. The game really didn't blow open untill the late second period. The video of this game will be a very good tutorial on being smarter defensively.
Brendan Hurley
It was obvious that he looked a little unsure of where to go at times. The systems he was used to in Kootenay are probably a complete 180 of what the Tigers use. It may take him a couple weeks to adjust.
I thought this was really the first game this season where the Tigers looked outmatched.
Moose Jaw on Saturday. Moose Jaw is just as good if not better than Edmonton
13 comments:
Also it seemed to me that Shinkaruk had very little ice time last time. After the game tho they said the team was all healthy. Any ideas on what is going on, or am I imagining things?
I meant last night, not last time!
Next year is going to be a full rebuilding year and making the playoffs is probably not going to happen. I also think by the time this year ends we are going to be fighting for the 7 or 8th playoff spot. Not a lot of talent on this team and if Bunz goes down we are in serious trouble. Probably going to get heat for saying this but Cameron doesn't look to me to be a WHL caliber goaltender and McCauley barely plays in the sjhl. Last I looked he had played only 7 games so going into next year our two goalies will have played less than 20 games total between the two of them.
Shinkaruk Valk Etem PP1
Cox Bredo Grbavac
Kessy Hart Hurley
Leier Mckay Deino
Busenius Bettauer
Konan Lewington
Theriau Parkkonen
I wanna see the Tigers use these lines. Give extra shifts to the 1st line taking away some from the 4th.
Theriau has struggled a bit this year.
Personally, I'd have a slight variation...
Valk Bredo Etem
Shinkaruk Hart Cox
Kessy McKay Grbavac
Leier Hurley Deino
Konan Bettauer
Busenius Parkonnen
Theriau Lewington/Jensen
PP1
Shinkaruk Hart Etem
Konan Bettauer
PP2
Kessy Valk Cox
Busenius Parkonen
General thoughts:
*I like the chemistry Bredo and Etem have shown previously
*I like the chemistry Shinkaruk and Hart have shown previously
*Grbavac has 3rd line talent, the only time he should be on PP is if he'd be replacing Kessy in front of the net on the 2nd PP unit
*I know it's only been one game, but Hurley's skating skills really failed to impress, I can understand not knowing systems, but he could not keep up to the play several times in "non-system" situations
*On defense I feel they are playing Theriau too much most games, and Busenius not enough in most games. Lewington has been solid, but just like Cameron, they need to get Jensen into more games for the sake of his development. Also, when it comes to Konan and Bettauer, they are going to do well most nights but on nights when they are struggling they should not still be getting 25-30 minutes a game.
Certainly agree that next year could be rough, especially in the goaltending and scoring departments.
Hey stan I Pretty much agree on almost everything you said.
I like your line pairings waaaaaaaaaay better than mine. It puts valk on the wing so he is not overmatched at center, and although young your 2nd line has a lot of scoring potential.
I would switch Hurley with Mckay for a bit because grbavac could help teach him the systems. Hurley's skating does look a bit rough but that grbavac, kessy, hurley line could be pretty intimidating, and wouldnt be quite as fast as paired with leier and deino.
I like your thinking
Actually not a bad idea at all Tigerturf, a Kessy-Hurley-Grbavac 3rd line would make for a good physical/energy line, which could be used especially following any unsuccessful Tiger powerplays or following opposition goals to try to bring energy back and change momentum in games.
Read this article on Brendhttp://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/patch/comments/draft_eligible_2012_brendan_hurley_of_the_kootenay_ice/an Hurley:
Kind of surprising he hasn't scored much in his WHL career. Maybe the defensively minded Ice wasn't the best fit for him and he will find his stride with the Tigers. I hope so!!
Why is the thought that Bunz will be gone next year? Is it not really common for the goalies to play their 20 year old year? If he was a first rounder I may understand, but you really think they will pull him up being a 5th rounder who did not make the world juniors?
It depends alot on the Oilers Farm System.
They have yann denis and david Lenevaue on 1 year contracts(ahl), plus prospect oliver roy on a 3 way elc. (echl)
They also drafted 2 finnish goaltenders last year who look to have potential.
Depends alot of if the oilers re-sign those 2 goaltenders in the ahl, and if they decide to bring those finnish goalies over.
Roy will probably be capable of moving to the ahl next year. Hes putting up a .915 % sv in the echl
Depends on training camp. He is good enough to move on. At this point I would say the Tigers would be a good backup option if their happens to be a logjam.
Two twenty year old dmen in a pairing should be defensively be in-penetrable. However, look how many times Konan and Bettaur get beat nightly. No where else in the league are there two 20 year olds in the first pairing.
Yes they are offensive, but both are tragic defensively. They may get an opportunity at a pro camp. However, making the show is more than a stretch for either 20 year old dmen.
. Quote, "Also, when it comes to Konan and Bettauer, they are going to do well most nights but on nights when they are struggling they should not still be getting 25-30 minutes a game. " Their defensive zone coverage is poor at best. They should be dominating back there. Clearly, that isn't happening. They are too offensively minded. Championships are built on defense first dmen.
Anonymous you do hit the nail on the head but I wouldn't say they are tragic defensively.
The Tigers are all about skill, speed,playing a north south game and goaltending, and they are very good at finding that.
They are less skilled at finding defense and smarts, as well as incorporating an east/west playstyle into their game.
I have critiqued in years past but the Tigers often look for forward qualities in their Dman...the most important trait in a defenceman is smarts combined with skill
It's their play without the puck that scares me. It's all about what their not doing , more specifically that is alarming. Giving up too many odd man rushes , is another alarming stat we need to focus on.
We have the players, who can score. our dmen need to focus offensively on shots 5 hole , and let the forwards do their job. For every time we have a dmen trying to go up stairs, is another missed opportunity for our forwards; when we don't stick to the principals of point shots.
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