Friday, December 05, 2008

Seawolves vs. Badgers: As It Happens

"Sod it ... It's broken. Oh wait ... I have to switch it on. Buttle? Tuttle?"

Check back at game time and refresh frequently for regular updates as warranted during today's Seawolves game against the Badgers. I'll be watching here with the comforts of home surrounding me, busily typing on my ElectriClerk® and providing commentary, analysis and whatever else occurs to me as the game progresses.

Check back that is if you aren't lucky enough to be at the game or energetic enough to go to the Pepper Mill and join the game watching party there. The UAA Blueliner Booster Club is hosting events there both Friday and Saturday night. There will be door prizes!

Where is the Pepper Mill? On the west side of C Street between 36th and Tudor right next to Sea Galley. But where is Sea Galley? Just east of Alaska USA Credit Union's HQ Bldg. But where the hell is that? Dude ... ask Google or Yahoo or Mapquest or get a Garmin thingy ... a'ight?

5 minutes to 4 ...

Paul Braun has a good voice for hockey. Rob Andringa isn't the worst color guy in history.

I see a couple of pairs of the "flashing/sparkly" sunglasses that our friend Richard introduced into the Seawolf merchandising channel this season as they go to commercial focusing on some UAA fans in the building.

Don Adam reffing a UAA/Wisconsin game? Lots of history there ....
Bryce in net on Friday for UAA. I'd gues that has to do with him being sick last weekend and Jonny getting both starts ...

Puck Drops ...
Backstrom and Wiles both come up with a couple of nice checks ..
And of course UAA gets the 1st penalty call ...
Grant goes in for interference ... Bryce tripped a kid ...
Boom Boom's grandson goes for Boarding to even it up ... Could have been a CFB
4x4 hockey ...

Penalty FEST!!!! Hooray ... now UAA goes for too many men. First PK ...
Nice work by Wiles (Braun calling him Wy-less) and Bales ...
Seawolves called for a RIDICULOUS icing at the end of the PK ...
UAA needs to regroup a little bit after being shorthanded ... they finally clear the zone and push the puck deep into Becky's zone ...

GRANT!!! ... with a major Dinger!! Argh ...
Another good defensive effort from Backstrom on the UDub counterattack ...
Some sort of pause for something ... Braun and Andringa were trying to do their Woog/Mazzacco impression by talking about some useless trivia ....
Ahhh ... it was a review to make sure Grant didn't score.

A Badger draped himself all over Parkinson and hooked him ... UAA Power Play.
No real time in the zone early as they fumble a couple of passes ...
Real close chance in tight for Grant ...
Becky clears ...
Power Play over ...

I'm wondering during this TV time out if anything I'm "listing" here is useful. I'll try it a different way in the 2nd period.

Davies knowingly shoots the puck afte whistled for offsides ... shoulda been a penalty.
Icing on the Badgers? Another ridiculous icing call ... Read the NEW rules buttheads!
Leinweber with a sweet little move for a quality chance off the rush with Clark ...

Robbie rocked Jake Gardiners world with a huge open ice hit in Jeremy Mylymok style!

Sweet pass wide off the boards to Wiles for another clean scoring chance. Another penalty on UAA. Of course ... the Seawolves are outplaying the Badgers and Don Adam is reffing. The fans come alive a bit after Becky hits the pipe on the PP.

End of 1. 0-0 ... Shots 8-4 in favor of UAA. Definitely a good period for the 'Wolves. They outchanced Bucky. Feet were moving well. Passing was crisp and smart. The hitting game was definitely in evidence. Shyiak should have nothing but positivity and encouragement in the locker room. No adjustments to be made that I can see. The penalties were what they were. Typical weak calls ... the last one on Haddad was marginal but he shouldn't have been reaching with his stick.

Paul Braun has a weird dysfunction with names ending in -les. Instead of "Bay-ulls" it's "Bay-less" .. same goes for Wiles. Is that some sort of Wisconsin cultural affectation?

The hit from Mat Robinson on Jake Gardiner was the hit of the year so far. Gardiner was busy checking his laces while carrying the puck. Robbie saw it and absolutely leveled him.
Mat Robinson - (senior) - 5'10" and 181lbs ...
Jake Gardiner (frosh)- 6'2" ... only 181? Yikes ...
Welcome to the WCHA rookie! Be interesting to see if he comes back on the ice. It was a classic Scott Stevens-style knockout hit.

2nd Period:
About a minute left on the Wisco powerplay. Seawolves use solid positioning to keep the Badgers wide for the remaining time.
Back to 5 on 5 hockey.
Bryce makes a save ...
Bucky managing some puck possession in UAA's zone. That was their first even strength pressure and they get another scoring chance that Bryce turns away but leaves sitting precariously.
Penalty on UAA, tripping as Haddad REACHES out with the stick again.
Too much time in the UAA zone costs the Seawolves ...
UW 1 - UAA 0 ...
Tally by Boom Booms grandson ...

UAA pressures nicely following the goal.
Seawolves not doing a great job getting the puck out of the zone so far this period. Finally, the 4th line gets switched out and Grant manufactures a chance. Then Crowder in cleanly but saved by Connelly.

Good pressure by Clark, Lunden and Haddad as the Seawolves get their cycle game going in the Badger zone. Penalty against the Bagers to even the calls out.

OH CRAP!!! Good chance in tight. Another Badger going to box. 5 on 3 now ... Make it happen boys!!!

Crowder swing and a miss at the backdoor. Good possession and good work but nothing to show for it.
Quick whistle helps Bucky ...
Penalties killed. Kohl responds ...

Lets hope not cashing in there doesn't hurt the effort. Badgers could have some momentum after that kill. Seawolves just need to keep focused and they'll get the goal they deserve.

Moir going for an elbow.
Seawolves clear after the face-off.
Wisconsin misses on a back door chance.
Bryce with a solid save on a shot from the point and then UAA clears.
Six minutes left in the period (Jeez ... fast period?)
Badgers clear it themselves ...
Penalty killed for UAA ...

Now Bales out with Lunden and Clark. Shyiak is using a rotation to get Bales more ice-time. Now Haddad comes back out for Bales and gets whistled for taking down Patrick Johnson. Another Badger power play.

Another goal. This time no Seawolf managed to rotate down to cover and they bang home a relatively easy one. About 2 and a half minutes left in the period.

Fuck. 3-0. I didn't see it since I was typing. Christianson looks to have been screened on the shot from the blueline.

Geoffrion hurt. Hard to see what happened on the replay.

I'm not going to continue the live updates as I miss too much action. Tuton and Johnson draw 10 minute misconducts for their post whistle discussion.

Good pressure for the Seawolves in the last minute and a half. Period over.

UAA certainly needs to redouble it's efforts in the 3rd. They can't worry about anything but focusing on getting the first goal. They deserve one. The Badgers obviously won that period. UAA's failure to score on the 5 on 3 (which was a longggg one) looms large.

Don't bother refreshing til after the game. I'm getting in the recliner to see if the Seawolves can muster a comeback in the 3rd. It certainly isn't out of the question but they'll have to stay completely out of the box to make it happen.

Game Over: UW 3 - UAA 2
It's a bit disappointing of course to lose a game where you clearly outchanced your opponent. The Seawolves had a big lead in shots as well as chances. I think you can point to the Seawolves inability to find the net on the long 5 on 3 advantage in the 2nd period. Get a goal there and it would have tied the game. But instead the Badgers get the next two.

A real good third period by the Seawolves but they fall short. A really ticky-tack penalty on Clark with about 2:35 left in the game caused a situation where the Seawolves weren't ever able to pull the goalie for a last chance flurry. Clark lifted a Badger's stick (um .. LEGAL play) yet gets called for hooking? Shitty call. During the penalty kill UAA had a couple of real nice rushes though resulting in their final two scoring chances of the game. It's a shame they couldn't make one of those count. Credit to Connelly for stepping way out and cutting off Josh Lunden's angle which eliminated him from getting off a quality shot. Paul Crowder had a fairly clean break shorthanded as well but couldn't find Connelly's five hole.

The boys should be proud of their effort. Overall they played well. No reason to really blame anyone for the loss ... the Seawolves had enough chances even if they got nailed with a couple of ticky tack penalties.

I'd would imagine that Boom Boom's descendant will miss some time as he looked pretty bad going off the ice. I wouldn't expect to see Jake Gardiner tomorrow night either as he was described by a Badger assistant as having his bell rung.

I see no reason that the Seawolves couldn't come out tomorrow night and pick up 2 points. They should be confident that they can. A little scrum at the end sent a bit of a message that UAA isn't going to back down tomorrow night. I'd say the Badgers paid the price tonight in injuries for their win. Let's hope that Saturday night they come away bruised and used and beaten.

Lastly, I won't be doing the "Live Blogging" thing again ... for selfish reasons.

31 comments:

Anonymous said...

I received an email from the Boosters today saying "Join your booster friends at the Peppermill both Friday & Saturday to watch UAA vs Wisconsin."

Donald Dunlop said...

You know something ...

I might not be a Blueliner but you'd think at some point somebody with the email list for Blueliners would add me as a courtesy. I don't think I'm in the business of promoting their events but I do my best whenever I have accurate info (which is almost always only due to your efforts Suze).

I sure hope you run for BBC Prez next year!

Anonymous said...

I think you have to give money to get on those lists.

Anonymous said...

DD:

No amount of money could match the amount of information I receive from this blog. Aside from Kurt Haider, you are the voice of the Seawolves. This is the only place I can find pertinent information on the team. Is the reason you aren't a blueliner because you don't drink?

Anonymous said...

Why would one have to drink to be a Blue Liner?

Anonymous said...

Yes, I agree with Anonymous. You definitely are the voice of the Seawolves. Lucky for us we have Kurt Haider, but being in the position he is, he isn't always able to give us his true opinion of things. You give us facts, all kinds of info and your opinion whether we want it or not! Haha. I have learned so much about UAA hockey and hockey in general from this blog. Don't ever go away.

Anonymous said...

On a side note if anyone is interested.....the AK Avalanche travel to Fairbanks today to play the ICe Dogs this wknd. They meet up against Brad McCabe who is now playing in Fairbanks for the Ice Dogs. Should be interesting for him to play against his former team.

Anonymous said...

Sorry, not interested in watching McCabe.

Anonymous said...

It looks like the game is also on FSN-C
I think its channel 302.

Anonymous said...

It is on 302, and it's also on channel 1 GCI.

Kris said...

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Is this reminding anyone else of last year. I am getting angry. Wow We can't capitalize and the other team does. The players are trying to do too much on offense and not enough on defense. Very frustrating.

Kris said...

Open mouth... Insert foot.

Anonymous said...

UAA had a perfect chance to tie it up with the 2 on 1 with Crowder and Lunden, but Lunden shot it into Connelley's chest. Dang it!!

Connelley won that game for them. Let's see how Jonnie O does tomorrow.

Anonymous said...

DD,
You know you can't sit back in the recliner it is more like sit on the edge of the recliner biting your nails or whatever nervous habit you may have. anyways go get them buckey badger bastards tomorrow night UAA.
bostonbruins

Anonymous said...

im going to break my month-long superstiton(my time of being a contributor) of not commenting the day of our games. heartbreaker, grant shouldve hit twine not post, id hate to blame the defense on UW's 2nd goal but that shouldnt of happened. agree with DD, they probably will bruised and batterd but there defense was off a little bit. yeah we got 30+ shots and a copule of beakaways and 2 on 1's at the end to make it a nailbitter. the crowd really liked that penalty with .7 seconds eh! great effort by the boys, again in a loss no puck luck. time to regroup and spank those baby badgers

Anonymous said...

There is no comparison to last years team to this year. The guys have been in every game this year to the end and look to win the game which is the opposite of last year. The lack of a score on the 5-3 really hurt the guys.

Your recap of the game is better than trying to provide a description of the game as they are playing. Why miss a good game. I sure hope DD isn't sitting at home in his shorts watching the game. If so the pants need to help win one tomorrow night. There are two points to be won yet this weekend.

Anonymous said...

tomorrows game wont be on gci and i dont think it will be on fsn either.

Anonymous said...

fsn will be showing the game later in the evening, on channel 301 and 302 at like 10pm and 230am

just got to tune into the radio or the splashzone at goseawolves.com

more importantly, one thing that I heard, and later saw(thanks to fsn-c) is that they didn't give up. Last year our team might have given up if they were down 3-0 after two. This year they have that feel that they are never out of a game, and if anything, this last game lets them know they are capable of winning the next three games.

Also, this is Dave's fourth year coaching, which means that most of the players on the ice were recruited by him, or have played in his system since they arrived. I am glad that UAA didn't shitcan Dave after last year since it takes years to build a program, especially in ncaa hockey. The players that he brings in is a direct result of how we are doing.

Not to mention, if you look at the goals allowed in our games next to the other teams, it is our goal tending that has really improved over the off season and preseason. I believe that is why UAA is in the position they are in.

Anonymous said...

Hopefully those FSN shows listed tonight are Saturday's game and not reruns of Friday. FSN's website listing Wisconsin games they are covering doesn't list tonight's. And from the UW website they list tv coverage as being local stations, doesn't list it as being covered by FSN. Drat.

It was great to see the guys battle back.

Anonymous said...

As CCers, with their Saturday win two weeks ago, Wisco fans should be thankful for 2 points. The ’Wolves need to break what has become the seasonal cycle. Generally out playing their opponents, or clearly dominating them, several times in the 2 series before the break, but taking no points from those efforts. Then, the 2nd half spiral of 1 point from a 2 game set becoming about the best results.

As per usual, UAA’s passing and puck handling took a while to fully engage. Springing forwards was exemplary, but breaking the puck out of the zone took about half the contest to find consistency. For much of the 5x3 there wasn’t any pace on the passes. Puck travel time from stick to stick has to be quicker than players can reposition, for openings to appear.

I can’t remember a Seawolf team, at least against D1 opponents, that’s managed to get behind their opposition as often as this one. I’d rate Friday’s game as their best performance of the season at that facet, but Connelly stopped everything. Nor do I recall him allowing any rebounds all night. Impressive, that.

I don’t have an explanation for UW’s ability to move the puck up ice all night with apparent ease, but not being able to convert that into much time in UAA’s zone. Depending on the more limited perspective from Video rather than watching live?

I may finally have a better handle on what this years rule emphasis means. Clark’s hooking call in UW’s end with 2 and a half minutes left, though on the stick and not affecting the play, is a visit to the box because Clark's stick was parallel to the ice. A Badger pulling a leg from under Crowder as he broke free with the puck into the attacking zone, shortly after, is not an infraction, apparently because Paul didn’t quite wind-up sprawled on the ice, and the Badger’s flagrant jerk was down around Crowder’s knee.

The recent emphasis on CFB’s seems to have evaporated. Portwood’s infraction early in the 3rd period of Friday’s game 3 weeks ago at the Ralph was a call I completely agree with, but I thought Geoffrion’s sending a Seawolf parallel to the ice head and first into the side boards was a carbon copy major, and not just a 2 minute boarding.

Robinson’s hit and Leinweber’s move are at the top of my list in those categories for the year, and surely rank as additions to any all time highlights.

WhiteBeard

Anonymous said...

Better goaltending got the Badgers two points last night. The Seawolves looked panic stricken much of the time, but a big crowd can do that. A first goal is the cure for that. The shooters hesitated all night. (The first line looked tentative at best. At times they looked lackadaisical.) The first Badger goal was a result of about three Seawolves including the goalie falling over themselves. They need to be more physical and lose the ridiculous and lazy stick infractions. I tire of hearing about one goal losses, the shoudas and couldas. Time to finish your scoring opportunities, boys.

Anonymous said...

Whitebeard, I totally agree about the CFB, that Badger player should have been given a 5 and the door. The refs simply are not consistent, but that's always been a problem and probably always will be.

Still think the hook on Crowder should have been called. I guess our guys aren't good enough actors!

Anonymous said...

Well, I guess this is what happens when they get a national ranking....

Anonymous said...

The last time UAA was ranked 15th they got slaughtered by Mankato. Come on guys, don't let it go to your heads. Tonights effort was pathetic.

Anonymous said...

The players need to settle down and remember to play their positions first and foremost. The power play...argh. Careless play tonite.

Anonymous said...

First set back of the year, and I'm sure the players will regroup after their long, much needed, holiday break. Let them spend time with family and come back refreshed and renewed.

They have an entire month to think about how they want to pay back Bucky when they meet up at the Sully for their next games.

This weekends games were a step backward, but it's not anything that can't be corrected!

Anonymous said...

you guys want to appoint the blame-im the guy. i broke my tradition of not commenting on our game days, and we get swept, sorry. i personally dont care for the rankings anymore. there chants at the Kohl were fucking weird, and there horn was weird-sounded like a car horn and every time UW scored it sounded different. a dissapointing weekend and i know the boys well be hungry to get back at those baby badgers. goaltending was the difference, and i agree with WHITEBEARD-this weekend did remind me of last year-dominate the other team and get nothing for it. time to regroup, maybe have some players only meetings and find out just how we lost.

Anonymous said...

and DD, did you get my email? still working on it? but whats up with you not commenting on saturdays game?

Anonymous said...

Still just pretenders and not yet contenders.

Anonymous said...

Was anyone really expecting UAA to be contenders? It's gonna be a few more years atleast, maybe til they get a new arena. Only way UAA beats a top dog is when UAA plays like it's there last game and the other team plays uninterested. Best UAA can hope for a is some fluke goals to get em in the Final Five.

Donald Dunlop said...

seawolvesfan:
I stayed off the internet in hopes that Saturday's game was going to be broadcast late Saturday night by FSN. 2AM comes and it was Friday's repeat. So I go to scoreboards and see 7-2.

So I just put college hockey out of my mind for a day.

Lastly, I answered your last email. But I honestly don't really have the energy to engage in multiple exchanges about the history of the program so the "favorite player" lists etc aren't likely to meet your expectations.

Lets not anyone forget that I do this as a hobby and not professionally. I'm enthusiastic about the Seawolves but they do not dominate my life.

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