Saturday 13 October 2012

Saskatoon Blades Beat Lethbridge 5-2.

LETHBRIDGE - Brett Stovin scored three times as the Saskatoon Blades beat the Lethbridge Hurricanes 5-2 Saturday night, ending a long 5 game losing streak

The Saskatoon Blades would draw first blood in this one.  About 7 minutes in the first period, Brett Stovin lifted a backhander over Ty Rimmer, making it 1-0 Saskatoon.  A few minutes later, the Canes would get a glorious chance to tie things up with a two-man advantage for 1:37 and did everything but score.  Lethbridge did tie the game though on a nice play by Jamal Watson. He fed the puck across to Jay Merkley who kicked it up to his stick and scored his first of the season to even the game at 1-1.  After several chances to score the past few games, Merkley finally got his first of the year, a big monkey off his back.  Saskatoon though would take the lead again before the end of the period when Josh Nicholls put a bouncing puck over a falling Rimmer to give the visitors a 2-1 lead after the first period.  Saskatoon held the edge in shots at 18-11. 

In the second, the Blades would add a little insurance.  Matt Pufahl hammered a point shot on the power play and that beat a screened Ty Rimmer to give the Blades a 3-1 lead.  A few minutes later Saskatoon would get another to extend their lead a bit more.  Brett Stovin roofed a beautiful shot into the top left corner of the net for his second goal of the evening, extending the Blades lead to 4-1 after two periods of play.  Saskatoon continued to out shoot Lethbridge 29-18.

In the third, Saskatoon would do a good job protecting the lead.  They would get one more with a few minutes remaining when Brett Stovin scored his third of the night on a bullet shot, over the shoulder of Rimmer.  That made it 5-1 Saskatoon.  Lethbridge would get one more before the final buzzer when Sam McKechnie scored his 5th of the season to cut the lead to 5-2, but it was too little too late as the Blades would win the game 5-2.  The Canes power play went 0/6 while the Blades went 1/1. The loss drops the Canes record to 2-6 on the season.  They have one victory in their last 5 games.  As for Saskatoon, the Blades end a 5 game losing skid with that victory. I think the turning point in this game came when the Canes failed to score on a long 5-on-3 power play which would've tied the game back in the first period.  A goal their could've turned the tide and given the home team some much-needed momentum.  Assistant Coahc Chris Chisamore said on the CJOC post game show that after the way his team played Friday against the PG, the result in this game was disappointing.  He says the Hurricanes had more than enough chances to score, but couldn't bury their opportunities.  The three stars: 1- Stovin, 2- Nicholls, 3- Watson

HURRICANES THIS WEEK

Our next Hurricanes This Week radio show is set for Monday night on CJOC.  On the program, Hurricanes forward Jaimen Yakubowski, who's off to a strong start this season.  We will be joined as well by Doug Paisley, Hurricanes Board Member, and Bruce Luebke, the radio play-by-play voice of the Brandon Wheat Kings.  The program starts at 7:00 pm (MDT) October 15th on 94.1 CJOC .

NEXT UP

The Hurricanes next action is Wednesday (Oct. 17) when they play host to the visiting Brandon Wheat Kings.  Game time is 7:00 pm (MDT) from the ENMAX Centre.  The pre-game show on CJOC at 6:30.  The Hurricanes will also host Kamloops on Friday and Moose Jaw Saturday.

Thanks,
Pat

12 comments:

  1. Maybe it's time to remove the C from Hood's jersey. No energy and not one solid hit from him tonight. More importantly, there were several times when his smaller teammates were getting pushed around tonight and he just stood around. I'm not saying he needs to jump the opponent, but get in his face or push his shoulder... do something. It'll show the other team who the leader is, and your teammates will play bigger as a result.

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  2. Didn't see the game. Not only sad to see the Canes lose, but it sounds like they were outplayed (shots on goal is usually a pretty good indicator).

    Also sad to see the PP still struggling. Another key time of the game with a two-man advantage and not only can't convert, but somehow, end up getting outshot in the period?

    Happy to see Merkley get his 1st of the season!

    (I wonder if Preston's mantra is still going to be "bear down and bury our shots"?)

    I don't like the fact we were beaten by a team that also played Friday night (and got beat by a lowly Kootenay team) and were ripe for the picking.

    Can someone else tell me how this happened?? (Obviously, they didn't have the same hustle they did on Friday night).

    Darren

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  3. My Guess is that one of our 20's will be moved shortly for a skilled 20 year old forward. The lack of finish up front is tough to watch as I said yesterday even after our win against PG. Have we scored a goal from farther than 5 feet outside the crease? My view with the exception of Merkley and Duke there is not one forward who has any potential goal scoring skill. We have no Braes Fyten or Sutter type finisher. Watson is a star again he has 1 goal and 1 assist in 9 games? Again last night 2 or 3 breakaways and in one case didnt even hit the net. Great speed is wonderful but as they say close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades and miss like that is as bad as a turnover on the back end or a short side goal let in by a goalie. 1st and second line forwards jobs are to put the puck in the net bottom line and anything less is not worthy of praise. Saskatoon's last break away goal was and example of offensive skill. We dont have one forward that could have made that shot and its time to get one. Scott

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  4. Keep it simple stupid didn’t work. We tried to make the fancy play/shot and missed the net on some key chances. The high end young talent is here the high end older talent is not. Will be nice to see Brady, Pilon and Henry back. If this continues someone mentioned having Rich step down as HC and have Chris as HC. Pull a Prince Albert, It can’t hurt? HLR

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  5. I agree for the most part Scott. I know that Hood is getting 1st/2nd line minutes 5 on 5. He also gets lots of PP time. This is a role he should not be in. He is a weak skater and has he shown he can't finish around the net (no hands or shot). The sooner he is demoted to the 3rd line, the sooner we can get someone on one of the top 2 lines who can finish.

    Preston's comments in the Herald again show me that he doesn't think the lack of finish is a skill/experience issue. He still thinks it's just a matter of "finishing". Not sure how many games he has to see before he realizes the Canes are limited in their skill up front?? (ie. Maxwell and Yakubowski is all I can count).

    It's COMPLETELY obvious Preston is oblivious to the reasons for this team's offensive struggles. The PP once again is the turning point when they can't get a goal 5 on 3 (or any of their other 5 PP chances for that matter) while the Blades go 1 for 1!! Finish 0-for on the PP and and 1 for 1 on the PK. Same 'ole, same 'ole.

    Pat: I'd like to hear you ask Doug Paisley for his comments and views on the coaching staff and the PP/PK issues. You phrase it however you want, but I'd LOVE to hear his assessment of the coaches and the scoring issues.

    Darren

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  6. Song for the fans leaving the Enmax......"Same Song 6th verse, a little bit louder, a little bit worse."
    How long is this going to continue? Quite simply, we need more size up front to make room for the kids with skill (yes it is there) and we need a tough nut on the blue line.
    Chissamore said on the post game show last night, that maybe the hockey gods will look down on us and we will get some bounces.
    It seems to me, that good teams make their own bounces!
    Sure the supposed "curse of October" has ended......but look what is coming down the road. Brandon, Kamloops, Moose Jaw which will be 3 games in 4 nights, followed by 4 games in 5 nights.

    Ken

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  7. A good question to ask Doug is what he is trying to do to help the team get out of the financial mess that has built over the last 6 years. What new ideas is he or nick bringing to the table, or trying to bring.

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  8. On another subject. Kessy gets 12 games for running Pilon; Pilon still out with concussion and Kessy goes and plays in the AHL until his dub suspension is over. If I were the Canes I'd be raising supreme s--t over this. Also the league should be in on this. This is just another, ho hum, not taking concussions and head shots seriously. Punishment, I'll play somewhere else. Some AHL team needed a goon I guess. http://thehockeyhouse.net/phoenix-coyotes/coyotes-prospect-kale-kessy-signs-ahl-tryout-with-portland-pirates/

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  9. Speaking of Kale Kessy Irony... Not long after the suspension, the Hat traded him to the Giants for a 5th round pick (conditional to details of his AHL stay).

    If he gets sent back to the WHLs Giants after his 12 dub games are served (seems to be the consensus), the Canes get to be the first team to welcome him back to the WHL.

    Our guys haven't been fighting much this year, but I highly suspect a fight or three on October 30th!

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  10. If anyone but Hood fights Kessey, I will be disappointed in Graham. (Galbraith is too valuable to have in the box even though he seems to be the one to step up when the team needs someone to!).

    Darren

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  11. Hood has 4 assists and is a Minus -1. Galbraith has 2 assists and is a minus -4. Do the math and tell me who is more valuable.

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  12. anonymous 12:41

    Hood is at best a third liner, where as Galbraith is top 3 defencemen. He can move the puck create offence and help create emotion with big hits or at least tring to hit. our great captian hood has hand of stone no motivation, no passion and no heart. He skates around his shifts like he has his head in the clouds and then goes off. Oh yeah if we want our powerplay to work get hood off the ice!

    Peter

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