BRANDON, MB. - The Brandon Wheat Kings scored four times as they beat the Lethbridge Hurricanes 4-1 Wednesday night in Brandon.
The Brandon Wheat Kings got the offence going in this game. Jens Meilleur grabbed the puck, skated behind the Lethbridge goal and wrapped the puck in by Ty Rimmer to give the home team a 1-0 lead. The score stayed that way until the final seconds of the period when the Hurricanes would find the equalizer. At the end of a Hurricanes power play, Ryan Pilon fed the pass to Axel Blomqvist who tipped the puck past Curtis Honey to tie the game at 1-1 after 20 minutes of play. That was Blomqvist's 7th of the season, a 2nd goal in as many games. The Canes held at slight 12-11 edge in shots.
In the second, both teams would go full-out to try and get the go-ahead goal and with under 5 minutes to go in the period, the Wheat Kings would take the lead again. John Quennville was left alone in front of the Lethbridge goal and put a wrist shot by Rimmer to give Brandon a 2-1 lead after 40 minutes of play. The Hurricanes were guilty of several turnovers in that period, but Rimmer was there to bail his team out on a few occasions. The Canes held a 28-24 edge in shots on goal.
In the third, the Wheat Kings would jump ahead by a pair. Taylor Cooper ripped a wrist shot by Rimmer on the power play to give Brandon a 3-1 lead. The Wheaties would add one more before the end of the night when Jens Meilleur score his second of the game to give Brandon a 4-1 lead and that's the way the game would end. The loss drops the Hurricanes to 25-24-1-7 on the season and now 3 points back of Saskatoon in the Eastern Conference. The Canes went 0/3 on the power play and Brandon 1/4. Lethbridge out shot Brandon 37-33. Assiatant Coach Chris Chisamore was very blunt on the CJOC post-game show after, "It's extremely frustrating. Tonight I think we showed our lack of maturity. We came out and played sloppy. We've got to look at ourselves in the mirror, even ourselves as coaches to find a way to motivate these guys. We didn't give these guys (Brandon) enough respect tonight."
NEXT UP
The Hurricanes will have a day off Thursday before playing the final two games on this road trip. Their next action is Friday (Feb. 8) in Prince Albert. The Canes beat the Raiders last time they visited P.A. Lethbridge will also be looking to even the season series at 2-2. Game time is 6:00 pm MST. The pre-game show on CJOC at 5:30. The Hurricanes will play in Saskatoon Saturday. After that, the team will play just once in 12 days.
Thanks,
Pat
I have to admit, it is getting tougher and tougher to remain positive about this teams' future.
ReplyDeleteI am really not sure why it is so difficult for this group to get, and stay fired up. The boys seem to have a real issue "getting up" for teams that are below them in the standings.
I did not watch the game, but I listened to it, and it struck me as another one of the Canes' ho-hum efforts.
Unfortunately, this group is not near good enough to win unless they are playing intense, ferocious hockey. Last night was intens, ferocious hockey. Tonight was anything but intense, ferocious hockey.
Our boys are picking the absolute worse time of the year to poop the bed, as the rest of the conference is improving in leaps and bounds, and |I am afraid that this type of play means another swing-and-a-miss at the post-season party.
Let's hope the coaches can figure out a way to light a fire under these boy's butts before it is too late.
Chuck
Hate to say it, not surprised on bit with another lousy performance after an impressive win.
ReplyDeleteChris Chissamore is sounding like an old record that has the needle stuck in a groove, playing over and over and over the same excuses.
Look in the mirror coaches, it is not the players reflection you will see......but yours!
Get out the axe!
JBL
Time to start calling some of the players and coaches out. Ramsay 11 goals in 50 and 23 in 61 last season? The intensity is extremely poor compared to the first/mid prt of the season. If we are going to play the “simple” game at least put the extreme intensity into it. This roster has the talent to play with the best of teams regardless of our age, so how are we losing to the last place team? I am likely the biggest supporter of this staff and roster but am getting tired of the ups and downs. Coaches it’s called motivation, I have seen it in this roster, do your job! HLR
ReplyDeleteI agree that this was a winnable game. I've never been on a bus trip from Regina to Brandon after playing a hockey game, but I can imagine that it's not easy to get up for the second game for a young team. I'll agree with HLR that I'm not impressed with Ramsey lately. He's not showing the leadership needed nor is Hood. I'm not only talking about on the scoreboard, but simply with their effort on the ice. I was hoping Derko would add some leadership, but he seems to be as inconsistent as the Ramsey and Hood.
ReplyDeleteChuck....How was the game in Regina "intense, ferocious hockey"?? They got completely outplayed and outshot. Only Rimmer saved the win in Regina, so I'm confused about how "ferocious and intense" they were???
I honestly don't think some people realize how hard it is for a 17 year old to play in a league full of 19 year olds. It's NOT all about "motivation". It's about how to prepare yourself for the game. Having a coach scream and yell isn't going to help a young player if his head isn't in the right place. THAT can't be taught. ...it takes time to develop that.
With all the injuries to the blueline (especially the 19 year olds and losing Galbraith), it's going to be a tough grind to make the playoffs. The Blades have found their chemistry with the addition of Michael Ferland, but I still think the Canes can make it into the top 8 with Swift and the Hat also playing inconsistent hockey.
I've already said my piece on the coaches, so I'm leaving that one alone.
Darren
ReplyDeleteWhat I mean by intense ferocious hockey is when the boys are skating hard...are forechecking hard...are hitting hard...are getiing in the other teams face. Whilce the game in Regina was not a defensive masterpiece, they won it by forechecking, hustling, and hitting. While the shots on goal where not a great indication, they were NOT outplayed.
This team has shown when they play this way, they are successfull. When they don't, they are not.
Every team in the league has stretches of 3 in 4, 4 in 5, so continually excusing them for their "tough" road swings is bogus.
The 16 and 17 year olds have shown that they can play against the older players and not look out of place. The team's early and mid season play proves that they are capable, all the players that is, of playing at a high level. While I agree that this is a young group, players like Pilon and Duke lead the way many nights with their "mature" play.
While I also agree that our coaching is not |"perfect", at some point in time, it is up to the players to be "motivated" and ready to play. They need to be "motivated" and "ready to play" soon, or the long suffering fans will not be seeing a "motivated" and "ready to play" team playing in April.
Chuck
wow. This team is in big trouble and has been going down ever since Yak won back to back player honors and then with Spencer leaving. I can only imagine what it would be like as a 16-20 year old have to listen to RP babble about the same thing everyday (other coaches are no better). The problem is none of the players trust that the coaches are teaching them anything that will make them better. If players do not have that faith how are they going to improve other than with their own experiences on the ice. RP is not and has never been a good coach which is why he is no longer in the NHL. Darren how can you keep asking about these kids having trouble to get up for games. Have you ever gone to a big high school volleyball or basketball tournment? Same age kids but tell me those kids are not up for those games. Will someone please tell me where all these high end talented players are? There is a very real chance that there will not be a player drafted from this team until Pilon. Portland's Petan is 17 has 94 pts. and is a +54. With these coaches he would probably be a 3 liner. This team will only win by out hustling other teams and not by trying to just play hard enough. Stop giving me these excuses about bus rides and playing 4 in 5 nights. If these kids are really in that poor of shape then even the trainer-conditioning coach needs to go as well. I must admit I feel sorry for these young men watching there dreams of the NHL slipping past because of the coaching here and the board not caring. AJ
ReplyDeleteAnother two points wasted with lack of effort. Very disappointing .
ReplyDeleteAJ....I don't have to go to a high school game to see how those kids get up for them. I was one of those kids....hockey, basketball, and football. I've experienced it first hand. When I was in Gr. 10 and 11, I had NO idea how to get ready to play. I was completely mentally/psychologically unprepared to play. The only thing that saved me was my athleticism and on some nights, that didn't matter....I just didn't have it. Couldn't shoot, pass, just didn't have any jump and wasn't moving my feet.
ReplyDeleteWhat I learned from a coach is that a few hours before game time, you have to start thinking about the game and your role in that game. 'Who are you going to face off against? Who are the other centres on that team?' Or in basketball, 'who were the other guards?' What moves do they like to do and what was I going to do to defend that'. Even on a night when a player doesn't have his best stuff, he still needs to move his feet and defend. That's the LEAST he/she should be doing.
I don't need to go and watch a high school game (although I do go occasionally because the level of play is very good!!), I've experienced it first hand and understand what it takes to get ready. But it takes time, which is why I am harder on the 19 year olds than I am on a 17 year old. I don't expect Pilon to fill Johnston's shoes, but he's doing an admirable job nonetheless. But there's too many 19 year olds out of this lineup and that makes the Canes a MUCH younger team and, hence, more vulnerable to playing inconsistent.
You're missing the point. It's not physical....it's psychological. If you've never been in their shoes, then I suggest you play your butt off, hop on a bus from Regina to Brandon and then try and play again.....it isn't easy and it sure ain't fun.
Speaking of Yaks, he and Maxy seemed to have disappeared.
This whole thing with the coaches is getting old. I'll be blown away if they get fired, (but I'll be the first to admit I was wrong if they do). If there's a coaching change, I think it would be after the season is over. (Remember, RP is also the GM....so they would have to continue to pay him and not only find a head coach, but a GM as well).
Darren
As an Ice fan I can totally relate to what is going on there right now. We hated our coach. We had good players bail on the team. (some say because of an 'old school, abusive style... who knows?) What we have seen since Christmas is a work ethic that was missing earlier in the year. We are also a young team. The young guys are going to make mistakes, that's a given. All you can hope is they learn from those mistakes and work hard shift in and shift out. That appears to be the difference here....
DeleteAhhhh, the coaching....I think that people (fans as well as people in the "biz")are guilty of giving coaches way too much credit when teams are winning, as well as way too much blame when teams are struggling. I think most people would agree that Don Hay is probably one of the best coaches in the league, does the fact his team is struggling mean he has suddenly become a bad coach? Was Lorne Molleken a bad coach when his team was struggling? Is he now a good coach again because his team is winning?
ReplyDeleteIt is a coaches job to provide the tools for players to succeed. They provide the systems, the plays, and the direction for the team. Sometimes they have to be nice guys, and yes, Darren, sometimes they have to scream and yell. But, at the end of the day, it is the players' responsibility to take the coaches vision, and apply it on the ice. We can talk about coaches being psychological gurus all we want, buat at the end of the day, these boys are elite athletes, playing hockey at an elite level, and it is their responsibility to be prepared, focussed, and intense. Does RP give the team all he has? I believe he does. Is RP the right man for the job? Perhaps not, but to lay the blame for everything that goes wrong with this team at his feet is, at best, short sighted.
The boys have proven that when they play RP's game, fast, intense, in your face hockey, they are successfull. It is up to them to bring this effort every night. They owe it to themselves, their team mates, and their fans.
Chuck