The Seawolves played three really solid periods of hockey tonight but came up short. The University of Denver scored with just 9 seconds gone from the game clock. With both teams scoring 2 goals each over the remaining 59:51 it was the difference in the game. It's not appropriate to call it the game winner but in essence it was the difference in the game.
Matt Bailey and Mitch Bruijsten both tallied for UAA. At 9:48 of the 1st Bruijsten finished a 3 on 1 rush in the first period from the high slot after a couple of perfectly executed passes. I didn't see Matt Bailey's goal at 2:21 of the 2nd (I was slow getting back to the recliner) and they didn't seem to show a replay; apparently Bailey tipped a Brett Cameron shot for the goal. Good to see Bailey score again after a bit of a drought. EDIT: The 2nd goal was changed from Bailey to Cameron with assists to Bailey and Haddad.
The Pioneer's third goal (the official game winner) came on a play that was offsides. It's unfortunate when these WCHA linesmen miss these calls. It happens frequently in Anchorage as well.
Andrew Pickering went down to block a shot in the 2nd period and took the full brunt of the puck on what looked like the side of his head. You could clearly see he was definitely hurting but at one point looked willing to skate off the ice as he sat up. In order to be safe though the medical personnel attending him laid him back down and attached him to a board before taking him to the hospital.
Tommy Grant was ejected from the game following a checking from behind penalty in the 1st period. Most times you see the exact same thing called a simple 2 minute cross-check but as this happened directly in front of the DU bench that just wasn't going to be the case. Grant will be back in the lineup for the Saturday game as he received a game misconduct versus the dreaded game disqualification.
It was another all around team effort tonight. Rob Gunderson continued his very solid play coming up with at least two fantastic saves. Both teams hit the pipe once. Neither scored on their power plays. The Seawolves penalty kill was excellent as they were tested with 23 minutes of shorthanded play including a fairly long 4 on 3.
I liked what I saw from Nick Haddad once again, he had a sweet chance to score in the 2nd but couldn't quite get the puck home. Sean Wiles made a couple of nice chances for himself with his skating but failed to finish. I was impressed with Wes McLeod again tonight. He straight up wasn't going to take any shit from Mr. HighDraftPick that can't skate. I liked that. Way to go Wes. Quinn Sproule was solid on the blueline with Wes coming up with several excellent blocks and a couple of nice breakups of odd man rushes. Daniel Naslund came off the boards during the cycle very strong a couple of times and that led to scoring chances.
I liked the hustle and gritty play by the whole team tonight. They came into this game confidently, they played confidently and well. No reason that they can't turn the result around tomorrow night. They need the points. Good luck boys. I'm sure you'll give it your best on Saturday.
18 comments:
Please consider opening up your chat tomorrow night so we don't have to deal with the arrogant DU fans over on the USCHO.
Congrats on a gritty game, Wolves. Had it not been for the linesmen blowing that offside call on the game winner, you may have taken a point. So get it tomorrow!!
I received some pretty damned generous donations today after my bitching so I'll give it some thought. I have tentative plans though to go watch the game at some local establishment.
Let's just say we'll see. I'm willing to do it tomorrow and that's more than I could say earlier today.
In any case, I hope the donations continue. Whether right or wrong I do feel some need for minimum recompense for what we do here. JJ deserves to get treated by me to something for his efforts as well.
Too bad they didn't take goal tending with them on this trip.
anon @ 156
Did you watch the game? I didn't catch the first goal but how can you possibly say Gunderson was to blame for the second and third goals. On the second goal nobody picked up Ostrow and the DU player made a nice backdoor pass. The third goal was a thing of beauty show me a NHL goalie that will make a save on that shot consistantly.
I really hope your comment was intended to be sarcastic because if you meant it we all are now aware of how low your hockey IQ is.
Lets go UAA!
Gundy can't be faulted for any of those goals. The first one there was a DU player left all alone in front of him. The third goal should never have counted as it was clearly offside.
Even the DU fans said Gundy looked great. He is the most consistent goalie we have had since Reiter/King.
@DD which of their draftees couldn't skate? Sure wasn't Zucker, little punk.
@Anon 1:56 AM: you aren't worth mocking, as you clearly know nothing about hockey. If Gundy wasn't in the cage last night we wouldn't even have been in the game. Period.
Those announcers were good. I though they were very professional, even complimentary at times. Granted, were spoiled because we get Haider, the best in the business, on a regular basis. But they were good.
I'm lookin for a big night from Tommy tonight...
Also, I just watched the replay of the second DU goal (the one the refs reviewed to see if he kicked it it) after someone told me he was in the crease. The guy had both skates in the crease before the puck entered the blue paint, he said that should negate the goal. He was wrong.
Rule 6, Section 18(c)(7) states that a goal shall not be allowed in any of the following cases:
If any member of the attacking team (other than the player in possession of the puck) was in or skating through the goal crease when the goal was scored from outside the crease, unless:
i. The goalkeeper was outside the crease when the puck entered the net; or
ii. An attacking player was in the crease but, in the opinion of the official, was not physically or visually preventing the goalkeeper from defending the goal.
Good goal.
Also, unfortunately the third DU goal was legit. Bennett drug his trailing foot to stay onside, great play, not offsides. (I though it was at first glance)
I hope you do open up the chat tonight Donald! :0) (pretty please?)
I went to one of those fun classes over @ Allen & Peterson last night, so couldn't listen to the game.. but when I pulled up the blog this morning, I saw that I didn't miss the chat anyway! :D
BBEF: When I read your post to Donald on the previous thread, I thought to myself.. "Damn, either BBEF's Tigers won tonight or he got his Rx refilled" LOL! You just sounded a LOT happier than you did a few days ago! ;o) Hope if we have a chat tonight that you join in! :0)
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As a DU fan, I am really impressed with the development of the UAA program. UAA has made the largest leap of any WCHA program, IMHO.
Last year, the Seawolves were big, strong and positionally sound but lacked discipline and great goaltending.
This year's team has the size and strength, but they've added a great deal of speed and very good goaltending skill to go with sound systematic discipline. They also have the best defensive sticks in the league and disrupt passing lanes better than anyone in the league.. They are also getting some good leadership as well, and you have to be impressed by what Shyiak is building here.
They are clearly moving out of the bottom and into a strong mid pack team now in the toughest league in the country, and they can beat anyone in the country when they play their style of game.
The only thing the Seawolves lack right now is scoring depth and one more high end puck-moving defenseman. If they can add 3-4 more high end finishers, they will go from mid pack to to elite status.
On Wolves ... Drew Shore was who my reference was about as Wes went nose to nose with him after Sproule and him had words. But I think I was wrong about who is who and he's the passable skater ... the Nick one is the ankle bender.
I've placed an red highlighted addendum in the post indicating that Brett Cameron was credited with UAA's 2nd goal last night ... assists to Bailey and Haddad.
Hopefully tonight Haddad and Wiles can cash in, they are over due.
Anyone have any news about Andrew?
Any idea where a Seawolves fan can find streaming video for tonight's tilt? -30-
Sounds like he got hit in the ear and had "many" stitches. I don't know what "many" means. The word concussion was also used. So all in all it seems to be not hugely traumatic but just really fucking painful.
-30-
That'd be only on the DU pay-per-site.
D: I see only audio on their website. Just listening to DU's humble coach talking about last night's game and how his team "is better than this." Really? Wouldn't you just love to shove an illegal curve down his throat. (Opps, your prez did ask for more civil dialogue. Sorry.)
Dearest Todd (co14ers for those who don't know him personally),
I have decided to summarily delete ANY and ALL comments you make here regardless of their content. If Google would provide a method by which I could block you from accessing this site I would utilize it.
So let's be very clear. You are in no way welcome here. Hopefully, you are mature enough to simply not try to go back into a bar that you've been 86'd from but I doubt it.
Have a wonderful, happy and fruitful existence.
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