Wednesday 16 October 2013

Rockets Hand Hurricanes 7th Straight Loss

KELOWNA, BC - Riley Stadel scored three times as the Kelowna Rockets beat the struggling Lethbridge Hurricanes 6-0 Wednesday night.

It didn't take long for the first goal in this game. Less than two minutes in, Riley Stadel hammered a point shot which beat Corbin Boes to give Kelowna a quick 1-0 lead.  The Hurricanes settled down after allowing that early goal and came back with a few great scoring chances on the power play, but were unable to get the puck past Jordan Cooke in the Rockets goal. Before the end of the period Kelowna would get another, this time on the power play. Riley Stadel again with a slapper that got by Boes for his second of the night. That made it 2-0 Kelowna after 20 minutes. The shots favoured the Rockets 15-12.

In the second, the Rocket kept it coming. Ryan Olsen scored on the power play to give Kelowna a 3-0 lead and then a few minutes later, also on a power play, Riley Stadel would score his third of the night. That made it 4-0 for the home team. Stadel had racked up 3 goals and one assist to this point and the rookie, Nick Merkley 4 assists on the night. The Rockets would pound 23 shots on the Hurricanes goal in this period and held a 38-20 edge in shots on goal during the game.

In the third, the Kelowna Rockets would get two more goals. Tyson Baillie found the back of the net to make it 5-0 Rockets and before this one would end, Tyrell Goulbourne made it 6-0 and that's the way this one finished. The biggest thing in this game wasn't the score, it was the shots on goal. Despite allowing 6 goals, Corbin Boes faced 62 shots in this one and was named the game's 3rd star. Final shots were 62-26 Kelowna. The power plays were lopsided too. The Rockets had 13 power plays, including two lengthy 5-on-3's. they finished the night 3/13 with the man advantage and the Canes 0/3.

The loss drops the Hurricanes overall record to 1-9-0-1. They've lost 7 games in a row and remain in last place in the WHL. Coach Berehowsky sat Kolten Olynek, Joel Topping, Sam McKechnie, and Jonny Hogue who were all healthy scratches. Reid Nemeth did not play due to injury.

Next Up

The Hurricanes will now head back to southern Alberta to play 9 of their next 10 games at the ENAMX Centre, which will be an important stretch for this team and we haven't even hit the quarterway point in the season yet. The Canes will be back at at the ENMAX Centre Saturday (Oct. 19) when they host Saskatoon. This will be the first of four meetings this season between the Hurricanes and Blades. The Canes will then head to Calgary Sunday (Oct. 20) for a late afternoon game at the Saddledome against the Hitmen (4 pm). Following that contest the club returns back to Lethbridge for 8 straight games between October 22nd and November 9th.

Thanks,
Pat

23 comments:

  1. To me, I think the most recent two games raise an unavoidable debatable question...

    Either the players are too dumb to understand or are incapable of executing the Drake's systems... or... the Drake's systems are the wrong systems for this team.

    Either answer results in the same endpoint... CHANGE THE SYSTEMS to suit the players before its too late. They are NOT getting closer to victory or even being competitive, its only a question of whether they will lose by 4, by 5, or by more than 5.

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  2. I'm speechless... you're correct T.R. ... either Robson MUST deal for a few older/bigger players ASAP... OR Drake and Co. must CHANGE their systems...

    Rather than showing the players 200 video clips of themselves, how about showing 200 clips of the other, successful clubs...

    Yes, sadly a -4.5 or -5.5 spread now sounds normal for this club... sounds like an NFL spread...

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  3. Pat what is the WHL and or Hurricane record for most shots against in a 60 minute game ? 62 has to be close or in the top 5 in history. Quite amazing the difference in one year. The team was well in or close to playoff position right up to Christmas last year and are now basically out of the playoff hunt by mid -Oct. The team is almost identical to last year ....for 20 - year olds Boes for Rimmer in goal...Derko for Hood as a 20 year old....Johnston for Ramsey is a big downgrade from last year but that's it but the rest of the young guys have a years experience which should make up for that. So the only major change is coaching. Its like the Boston Red Sox and their Bobby Valentine 1 year coaching experiment. Never seen anything like it. For all of us clamoring for a coaching change last year the old saying "be careful what you wish for because you just might get it" is very applicable right now. They are good in front of a microphone and Preston wasn't but its behind the bench that counts.
    Lth Hnds

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  4. Rantus: there are other reasons to be considered here. Some of the older players upset they did not get a letter and have decided not to work within the system or maybe they preferred RP's practices no system and only go a 50% and have decided not to work very hard. I believe that the problem lies in the players and not the systems. If they are too dumb to understand the system trade the dumb ones. I do not believe these players are dumb they would not be at this level if they are dumb! I believe that there are a few players that for whatever reason have decided not to play within the system. These players should be gone and the sooner the better!

    I also believe that the majority of the players have a desire to player at a higher level than the CHL. This being the case the systems that will be employed will be more complex but will be similar to what is being taught to these Canes. After all the coaches all have NHL experience. So I suggest the players if they want to move on they should get there head in the game learn the system and work hard!

    Listening to the game last night Pat commented on how the passing of the Rockets was crisp and everyone knew where everyone was. I am betting that the Rockets have a system! Having watched WHL teams for a number of years the systems of each team are not radically different. If the players on the other 21 teams can follow a system then the players on the Canes should be able to as well!

    A Canes Fan

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    1. What kid is buying in? No one is playing well other than the goalie. Trade them all, I am sure all 21 teams would love to get our ruined players on the cheap. Maybe it can set us back another 5 seasons.
      Some are sure putting A LOT of faith in a Rookie staff. Why? They use all the key words. Structure, Systems, Accountably. Use those words and success will follow.
      Long Run

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    2. Why are some so quick to point the finger at a rookie staff 11 games into the season. Perhaps the should fire the staff and hire some of the those that are quick to condemn the staff and see how they would do behind the bench. Give the new group a chance. They have the Memorial Cup and Stanley Cup rings they must know a little about hockey.

      A Canes Fan

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    3. I have a hard time believing it's all the players fault and no one else's. They are KIDS, not adults. Just sayin they are lazy and not working hard is bs - they are sacrificing their youth, to leave their families and friends, live at some strangers house, endure hard practices and road trips and you think it's a piece of cake and all they have to do is work hard?? Do you really think they like losing, are having fun or even want to be here? Do you think they like seeing their future aspirations slipping away with every game? This team looks broken, the kids look lost and depressed. There is a big difference between that and not working hard. Real leadership is needed on this team, and some pretty basic management skills. Can these coaches or captains influence the players, support them , provide a common direction and motivate them? Haven't seen it. If what you are doing isn't working, change it. There is a big difference from being on a winning team and being a coach. A coach requires a completely different skill set. I can't comment what Pat said, because I listed to the Kelowna announcers instead - and they seemed baffled at our system, how our captain took a horrible penalty to negate our power play and how Boes seemed to give up for a goal or two. A leader is able to get people to follow, so if you aren't part of the solution, you are part of the problem.

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  5. I am absolutely astounded that some of you are being so harsh on the players. Honestly Canes Fan, if the Kelowna Rockets are making good passes and know where everyone is on the ice, it is not because they have a system. It is because they know the players they are playing with. The current coaches don't just change lines every game but multiple times throughout the game. How is anyone supposed to know anything about their linemates when they are always changing? Do you honestly believe that players are intentionally not "buying into the system" (I am getting very tired of this phrase) and prefer to be embarrassed night in and night out? You are right that each one of these players has that dream of moving on in their career so why would they so carelessly throw away their future because they don't want to play Drake's system? Are you serious when you say that? Just typing it out makes it sound ludicrous. This is a coaching issue that needs to be dealt with immediately. The players want to win. The coaches need to help them do that. Suggesting anything else is absurd.

    -cc

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    1. CC: Yes some players are working their tails off each game. Some are out for a Sunday skate To think that Kelowna does not have systems and that the players are where they are because they know each other is just as crazy. They have a system! I as well do not like the the phrase " not buying into the system" let's call it what it really is. Some of the players are not playing and do have a feeling of entitlement after playing for RP. Some of these players should have been traded last year they are continually doing the same thing taking stupid lazy penalties. Yes, there is a management issue some players should be gone! Let the players that work every night play. The Wong, Duke, Estephan and the others deserve to be on this team some do not! Those are the ones that should be gone. Boes and Tai do not deserve to face 50 shots a game.

      A Canes Fan ( At least for the players that are trying)

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  6. If things continue much longer the Canes will have assured themselves of the 1st overall draft pick next spring. It's going to be a long long season. The time has come to make some moves actually a number of moves. Keeping Derko to ride shotgun on the young guys is a must. Trade some assets while they are still worth something. If your going to lose, then lose with eager young guys. Make sure that the trades bring some bigger players. For the most part make sure the players brought in are 6ft or over. Seattle and Calgary are examples of large teams. As these big young guys get a couple years experience they will become hard to play against. Big kids with decent talent often seem to make it to the NHL. Smaller guys with more talent often don't. Time to get bigger and tougher. Trade now. Don't wait until the trade bait is worth nothing.

    Enigma

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  7. I get so frustrated when I read comments like the one by saying that no one is playing well or buying in. What about Wong? He gives 100% effort all the time, played every second shift in the third last night and still never gave up, dove to block shots every chance he had and even got hurt one time doing so. Obviously some players are struggling to get going but I think it's pretty harsh to say to trade the whole team when there are players who have put in a huge effort every single game.
    -C

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  8. Excuse me... the answer is not always bigger stronger players. The talent does speak for it self. Who just said that smaller players do not make the NHL. Have you heard of Ryan Nugent Hopkins? Give me a break. I also think Shinkaruk will be playing in the NHL next year and he is a small talented player. It is not a "system" that wins the games. It is coaching and adjusting to different situations. Players will play hard regardless if they have a letter on their jersey. To even suggest that a player will not play his best because he is not wearing a letter on his jersey is an insult to all the players that never wear a letter on their jersey. This team is broken and it is broken because of coaching staff that have been hard headed with huge ego's. Maybe look at things that happened in the past year and build on the good things and change the bad. There was never a need to change everything. Then to punish the players by sitting them if they don't "buy" into the system....this is just ridiculous. A team meeting needs to take place and every player needs to have an open and honest floor to voice their concerns. Stand up coaches and take some of the blame.
    Trying to be a Hurricane Fan!

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  9. I am sad for the Hurricane players. To accuse them of not giving 100% is ridiculous. They are playing in fear and to busy thinking and not reacting. Hockey is too fast a game to play in fear and overreacting. You sit Sam McKenchie??? he and Maxwell have been two of the hardest and most consistent players over that last 2 two to three years, always playing way bigger than their size. The life has been sucked out of them by this staff. Two high quality young men who give back to the community. I hope they are traded for their own benefit and if they have agents they should demand a trade as I am sure they would add value to any team in this league. I am disgusted not by the play of the players but by the organization.
    "Last year as a season ticket holder"

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  10. Ok I can't read anymore of this. If these players are so talented why are they not putting up points. Stop blaming the coaches. The problem is the 18-20 are not high end players as some of you seem to believe hence non have been drafted. The problem is that for 4 years we have drafted small kids that should not all be on 1 team. If Russ, Sam or any of these small forwards was on a big team they may be ok because they would be able to float in the offencesive zone and not have to play in the corners or along the boards against much bigger players. The same goes for our defense. Ever time they touch the puck in our zone they look scared because they know a much bigger forward may just run them over. Our team needs to make a lot of changes to get bigger. The problem with that is which team with any talent will trade for any of our 18-20 year olds. Someone earlier compared this years 20 against last year and other then the Derko, Hood there is no comparisson. KAOS

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  11. Bottom line is we have a coach who is not ready to coach at this level. Other posts have given the reasons and it is not the players. This is a good team built thru drafts. High drafts because we the fans have not had play off hockey since 09 or 08 (can't even remeber). Our new GM should go back to the resume pile and find a coach who has had worked and won with younger player AHL,BCHL,ect. This coach is telling us the players are getting into his system, but I really doubt he has never thought maybe it is he who does not get it. With 3 points out of 22 you can not say there only miner adjustments to be made, this season is all but lost already. Forehand Backhand in

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  12. Not sure why anyone would be surprised that the coaches "systems" aren't working he has in the past 6 years of coaching (mainly as an assistant) had his team play a whopping 4 play-off games. He came here with bad credentials and basically nothing indicating that he would be a good coach in the WHL.

    Now he is handed a team with little to no talent, a ton of expectations from fans that have been told their guys are good (despite repeatedly showing they aren't) and Berehowsky is way out of his depth with little chance to do anything.

    You could put Scotty Bowman in charge of this group and they would struggle. Cutting costs by getting a cheap alternative to a legitimate coach is no way to run a team, especially when the GM has shown 0 ability to get talent in for said coach.

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  13. KOAS What has changed from last year? Hood up front and Johnston in the back....that's it. The team is basically they same.The size has not changed on this team.....coaching has....LthHnds

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  14. the fastest fix for this team now is to strengthen the d with some experienced 19/20 years olds..is there even another team in the dub that doesn't have 93/94 born dman like the canes, poor coaching or not time to shake things up..try bringing in some size up front and add a few older dman..our 20;s seem to be lost out there give one of them a chance to get his game in gear elsewhere ,, bring in fenske for free if he'll show..time to quit standing around waiting for miracles if the team was improving I'd say wait and see but it seem to be getting worst...fix the problem you can see then address the ones you cant later. bob

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  15. hey "Fan", I counted 18 playoff games... and 2 of 3 playoff series losses were against clubs who ended up in the League finals...

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  16. I could give two farts as to whether it was 4 playoff games or 180 playoff games for Drake. We have 1 win in 12 games. And we aren't even close in any of the contests. Not even in the same ballpark. Stop running 4 consistently changing lines and figure out something that works and sick with it for more than a period. Watching other teams pass and control the puck while we go high and hard off the glass is pathetic. KAOS and "A Canes Fan" you are also pathetic. To say that McKechnie and Maxwell, as the veterans, are not giving their all is ridiculous. They've always been hard working (the hardest working, no question) and are great along the boards. They just can't be worried about the 18th different player they are lined up with and ensuring they dump the puck off the boards instead of making plays (otherwise, they will be benched, no doubt). Perhaps they are frustrated to the point of not looking as motivated due to the "system" being imposed. I agree we need size. No question there. But Derko is large and is not making any significant contribution whatsoever. The new D man will help but its the back end that needs to be larger to instill fear and get the puck out of our zone with some strategy. The whole 50 or 60 shots on new thing each freaking game isn't working. Wannabe Oldtimer

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  17. Wannabe Oldtimer if you can honestly say that you feel the 2 players you mentioned are the hardest workers on the team then good for you. I for one disagree. If I did not know that Sam was on this team I would not have noticed him in most of the games. Not sure why you think I am PATHETIC since you have NO idea who I am. I was simply stating my opinion and nothing more. The reason the team gives up so many shots is lack of talent and nothing else in my OPINION KAOS

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  18. I guess that second envelope has been opened and used. I'm expecting the third right away. Sending the boys home for asking for a trade is astoundingly stupid. The program just got set back 2 years. And it can only get worse from here on unless the GM and coach are both sacked. That's called accountability.

    Bubba Gump


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  19. I don't like the idea of sending Yaks and Mack home either, but if they aren't playing well and have given up, was there much choice? It's possible their relationship with the coach has been irreparably damaged. If so, there was no use keeping them around the rest of the team.

    Empty Net

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