Monday 17 February 2014

Edmonton Oil Kings Hammer Hurricanes 12-0

EDMONTON - The Edmonton Oil Kings rattled off five goals in the second period as they embarrased the Lethbridge Hurricanes 12-0 Monday afternoon at Rexall Place.

The Lethbridge Hurricanes were under heavy fire in the opening 5 minutes of this matinee in Edmonton. The Oil Kings struck first on an early power play when Reid Petryk beat goalie Teagan Sacherto make it 1-0 Edmonton. At that time the Oil Kings were out shooting Lethbridge 8-0 just three minutes into the game. The Hurricanes settled down after that until they took another penalty with under five minutes to go in the period and the Oil Kings power play, which has struggled all season long, hit pay dirt for a second time when Curtis Lazar wired a point shot by a screened Sacher to make it 2-0 Edmonton. Before the period came to an end, the Oil Kings would score once more, this time a nice shot by Henrik Samuelsson gave the home team a big 3-0 after 20 minutes of play. The shots end up close, 12-10 Oil Kings.

In the second, the Oil Kings kept the offence coming. The Hurricanes were unable to clear the puck when Henrik Samuelsson kept it in, dropped it back to Brett Pollock and he hammered a shot by Sacher to make it 4-0 Edmonton. A few minutes later the penalty trouble would continue for the Canes. Edmonton would get a 5-on-3 power play when Ashton Sautner beat Teagan Sacher. That made it 5-0 Edmonton. The Oil Kings kept it coming. Mads Eller got in on the action to make it 6-0. That was it for Teagan Sacher who surrendered 6 goals on 20 shots. Jonny Hogue came in and the Oil Kings got to him too. The Hurricanes ended up taking back-to-back-to-back penalties, putting Edmonton on two 5-on-3 power plays for two full minutes each and the home team would score on both. Mitch Moroz scored to make it 7-0 and then Henrik Samuelsson got his 2nd of the afternoon to put Edmonton ahead 8-0 after 40 minutes of play. The shots favoured the Oil Kings 33-16.

In the third, Edmonton made it 9-0 early in the period when Edgars Kulda beat Jonny Hogue. They would keep racking up the goals after that too. Mitch Moroz scored his second of the game to make it 10-0. Brett Pollock then notched his second of the afternoon to put Edmonton ahead 11-0 and before the end of the game Curtis Lazar potted his second of the game and this one ended 12-0. It was an ugly one at Rexall Place for the Hurricanes. Edmonton's 11 goals and 6 power play goals were both team records. Edmonton went 6/11 on the power play and Lethbridge 0/3. The Oil Kings out shot the Canes 53-25. The loss dropped the Canes overall record to 12-44-2-3 in 61 games this season.

Next Up

The Hurricanes are down to their final 11 games and play 5 of their next 6 away from the ENMAX Centre. The Canes return home Wednesday (Feb. 19) to host the visiting Vancouver Giants. This will be the second and final meeting of the season between the two teams. The last time the Canes faced the Giants was a month ago on the coast and Vancouver won a very lopsided game beating thee Hurricanes 10-0.  Game time Wednesday is 7:00 pm MST. The pre-game show on CJOC at 6:30. The Canes will then play their next 5 on the road over the course of only 8 days including games in Medicine Hat, Regina, Brandon, Moose Jaw, and Swift Current.

Thanks,
Pat

19 comments:

  1. Let's not sugar coat this game. It was terrible from start to finish. Forget it it is done. Remember however that in a few years when the Hurricanes claw their way up the standings and the shoe is on the other foot, take the boots to these teams that take joy in running up the score this bad.

    Two for High Sticking

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  2. Regardless on your thoughts at the time when it came to Rich Preston the board of directors continually stated in public that they were behind him, they believed in his vision and backed him 100%. McNaughton was on camera more than once with these sentiments but at the recent shareholders meeting they were quick to dump on Preston as much and as often as possible. They said they tried it but it failed, they made a mistake, they had limited choices (not what was said at the time of the hiring) and so on. But don't worry, they said. We 100% are behind Drake. Preston finished his four seasons with 48, 59, 59 and 66 points respectively, at the very least showing some improvement. He had full training camps and I can't recollect more than one or two players requesting a trade or leaving the team in his four years. Now it doesn't matter that DB could very likely finish this season with as few as 29 points (where they currently are). For some reason the board has publicly stated that they believe in DB and his systems despite the fact that the team could finish with as many as 37 points less than just last season and the worst record in the history of the organization. Will we be sitting at another shareholders meeting in a year or two and listening to them bashing DB? How can they honestly tell us they are 100% behind him when the very thought is utterly laughable? This latest experiment with the BOD's hobby has been a failure of epic proportions. I implore that the executive of the board, the GM and the head coach resign their positions immediately following this season.

    And before someone tells me that if they all quit no one will be there to run the team or go to the draft, I say we should be so lucky but I feel quite confident that absolutely none of the above mentioned will do the right thing and resign so being unstaffed is not going to be a real concern.
    David

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    1. After this weekend's total and complete drubbing of this team at all levels, it is crystal clear that Berehowski is in way over his head, there is not one single element within what he calls his system that even remotely allows this team to compete with any other team in this league, anyone that even suggests that there is any light at the end of this tunnel is gravely WRONG! Thinking in any way that this management/coaching staff can produce any type of reasonable result in the next two seasons...well, that will be the stake through the heart of this franchise. Taking with a few of the NHL scouts that are attending our games now say they are completely disgusted and embarrassed for this for this franchise and cannot believe that the WHL has not stepped in yet! Unless something of a very drastic measure takes place immediately it seems impossible to believe that there could possibly be enough returning players next season to even ice a rotten team! Many very good players decided to stay and play out the season on the promise that Berehowski's self proclaimed path to success was actually going to produce some type of result...clearly there is no path and declining results! If this is as good as it gets, maybe it is best to just concede the remaining 10 games and save these poor children from the ridicule and laughter that they have to endure on and off the ice!!! This needs to end now, if the BOD, management/coaches wish to continue with this stupidity, then at least have the decency to not continue to put these players through this any longer, at what price do these kids need to continue to pay for this ownership, management/coaches to say that they have a franchise??? Its over fellas, you cannot save yourselves now...

      LBJ

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  3. 12-0!!! Ouch. Where's the CaneTrain? In Seattle maybe? I think this quote from today's blog by Tom Beuning (the voice of the Seattle Thunderbirds) tells the story:

    "Despite the loss Sunday Seattle got a strong weekend out of their Lethbridge Foursome; their own 'Cane Train, if you will. In the three games this weekend, Sam Mckechnie, Jaimen Yakubowski, Russell Maxwell and Adam Henry combined for 10 points (4g,6a), were +11 and potted two game winners. That's some good trading. Those deals alone make Seattle GM Russ Farwell a strong candidate for WHL Executive of the Year."

    Red Line

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  4. Take this weekend out of the equation and those players, except Henry, have been crap for Seattle. Look at yak's numbers alone. GM of the year? Farwell's a tool, his team hasn't gotten better.

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    1. You are entitled to your opinion, but not your own facts. Seattle has the best season going in several years. And they value Yak and Sam greatly as their "shutdown" line. Giving them the role of shadowing folks like Holmberg who hasn't scored a point against Seattle in a ton of games. But I will give you this much, making a good deal with Lethbridge management isn't really that difficult a feat. Other teams have come out ahead as well. (translation- Robson makes a lot of bad ones although DB must take a lot of the credit by first destroying the players confidence. It's a one-two punch for sure. I'm not sure who gets credit for the brilliant strategy of shaming anyone who asks for a trade to devalue his brand before trying to trade him. "Hey, I've got this race horse I need to trade because he's a quitter and won't run, what will you give me for him? " "Uh, didn't he run real well last year?" "Yeah, but that was then, he's a quitter now and we don't want him at all and have put him out to pasture, he's a real loser, what will you give me for him?")

      Candy from a Baby

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  5. Not saying the end result would have been different, but once again, 0:37 into this hockey game, Khenkel made an excellent defensive play (after a brutal Cane give-away in their own zone) to tie up the stick of Petryk, and with Petryk's body DIRECTLY impeding the officials view of the clean play by Khenkel, the ref guesses (incorrectly) that there was a hook by Khenkel and he makes the bad call.

    Khenkel actually made a really talented to play stick on stick; completely within the rules, and very difficult to do. The ref making the call was in a position were it was ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE to see if Khenkel was hooking the STICK or the PLAYER/HANDS.

    Why do we have 2 refs on the ice, so the one that can't see the play guesses? Because of his guess, the Oil Kings got an undeserved powerplay, they score, and momentum away!!

    SEVEN Oil Kings powerplays and FIVE Oil Kings powerplay goals later, after the whistle blew to indicate a slashing penalty on the Swedish meathead, Henrik I'll-hack-you-until-the-dingbats-call-me-for-it Samuelsson, a fight breaks out between the meathead and the one he hacked most recently, Reid Duke.

    Henrik rips off Duke's helmet, and while still holding the helmet, he winds up and uses it like a hammer and hits Duke in the head with it!! I couldn't believe it!! To my surprize, he didn't get thrown out of the game for this; the gomer's didn't seem to notice the play!! WHO HIRES THESE USELESS FOOLS? And do you think a suspension will follow? Not bloody likely. Why would the league even look at it? Even if the Canes demanded it, Samuelsson's dad is a good buddy of the chief of discipline; they'll go have a beer and have a good laugh over it!

    The WHL and its officials are an absolute disgrace to the game!

    You should be ashamed of what is going on under your watch, Ron Robison!

    Money for Nothing, but not for much longer


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    1. Rantus... Your assessment of the game is right on . I was talking to a friend of mine [ an Oil Kings fan ] and he pretty much said the same as you . He sits behind the OK. bench and he said that Samuelson ripped Duke's helmet off which in itself is a penalty then his Duke on the head with it. Not that it will do the Canes any good but he should get a multiple game suspension . But the Canes must demand it. There were also, l many penalties that should have been called on the OKS ,namely interference calls after the Canes dumped the puck into the OKS end then were impeded to go after it , or calling chinzy little penalties on the Canes and not the same on the OKS. This probably wouldn't have change the outcome of the game, but would have been a better game. I say these refs embarrassed themselves simple as that

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    2. In hockey, the poorer teams don't get the breaks, never have, this is true at every level. When you are chasing the whole game you will get more penalties, plain and simple. But the obvious calls need to be made and Samuelson should face futher discipline. In a 12-0 game the officiating should be the last thing people are concerend about. Calgary 4-8 on the pp last game and Edm 6-11 yesterday, so many undisciplined penaties, from so many forwatds. It also doesn't help that the goaltending is not WHL caliber.

      Derek Sutton

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    3. Officiating is a significant problem that is contributing in a very negative way to the Hurricanes long list of problems. Despite the assurances of the Head Coach (who has NO experience fixing a team this broken, not to mention he has made the problem much worse this season than it was), time will NOT fix what is broken here. Culture Smulture.

      The ONLY way Drake can help this team now is if he is man enough to step up and deliver on his pre-season promises and to announce IMMEDIATELY (i.e. BEFORE the season ends) that after some thorough assessment, he recognizes that he was not the right coach for the job, and that he will resign to allow the Hurricanes to pursue the appropriate candidate.

      OR .... What will change next year? The WHL's incompetent executives can't even manage their own official's daily blunders, they certainly are not capable of solving the myriad of problems here.

      The Cane Train has already derailed. It was on one rail since Preston took over and this year it is fully off the tracks, way off the tracks, and getting further from them.

      As with a real train, its going to take more than the engineers that derailed it to get it back on the rails. The only way to stop this train from going off a cliff to its death is to make radical and immediate change.

      Despite being the chosen ones to lead and direct the franchise, it doesn't read like it is within the scope of duties for the Board of Directors to suggest, initiate, or direct the shareholders to offer the team for sale.

      Is there a shareholder out there that is going to initiate the process? Who amoung us has the courage or the sense?

      How long is it going to take for the WHL to force the sale? If they have told the board they must have "X" season ticket holders in order to keep the team, I have never heard about it.

      If the WHL has told the board that they can keep the team until they are "Y" dollars in debt, I have never heard about it.

      So what happens next? What makes it end? Is the Canes lender/bank going to take ownership? Is the Mayor to become the new owner?

      This board or the next will continue to talk about accountability and culture change and hope and improvement while the team continues to lose games, lose players, lose supporters, lose money, and most importantly, irreparably destroy any credibility and goodwill that remain.

      Drake, are you listening? Do you hear? Can you see?

      Kris Talball

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  6. Samuelson---6'3"--208lbs---20yr. old Duke-----------6'-----188lbs....17yr. old Brave Henrik needs the help of Duke's helmet to make the fight even. BRAVO!! BRAVO!!!

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  7. Aren’t the board members shareholder’s? Or their significant others? Can’t they initiate? Wasn’t that brought up at the last meeting? Who knows the rules/powers of the board? Just another reason this system is broken.
    Very simple, you have an owner significantly invested in this team that will make sure there is true accountability. You lose 24-3 in three after 60 games, no way you don’t hold someone accountable.
    For me the best case scenario (as previously mentioned) is to sell 51% of this organization. Get approx. 4 mil, have a board consisting of 2 public and 3 private. All monies made in the future will pay the 4 mill first and then split per ownership. Take the monies to put the correct people in place.
    The only bright spot is we have 4 picks in the first two. I sure hope Brad doubles down and picks another tender in the second.
    Long Run.

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  8. Hi Pat,
    Do you anticipate that Walters will be in the WHL next year? Thanks!

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    1. Likely, the decision Robson made to keep him at the trade deadline has severely diminished any opportunity he may have had to turn pro next season...the fact that he apparently did not ask to be traded would have to be considered proof of his no quit character and his commitment to this franchise and team mates. It would be difficult to expect him to return to the Canes next season, as he will only have next season to earn a pro contract and with the current state of affairs and poor coaching here, his return to Lethbridge has to be considered to be highly unlikely, can't really blame him....but then again, who really knows?

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    2. Lets hope that BR doesn't all of a sudden decide to play hardball and force him to return? Considering the quality of most decisions that have been made these past 18 months, nothing should come as a surprise to anyone! LOL Being the best defensemen on the Brandon squad at the time of the trade and having to be traded for Pilon had to bite hard but good players find ways to rise above adversity.

      LBJ

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    3. Would be great to have him as a 20 next season, good leader and mentor for the young players, will be a very interesting offseason.

      Chicks for free

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  9. Wonder what Duke, Estephan, Sheen are thinking? We lose any of these guys we will be in tuff for a season worse than this one next year? Trying to find some positives but its really hard right now!

    LBJ

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    1. Unless there is some meaningful change in either the ownership or coaching of the Canes between now and the start of next season, I would be surprised to see ANY of these players that you list come ... It wouldn't surprise me if the ENTIRE current roster refused to report. Why would anyone INTENTIONALLY board a sinking ship? How is the coach and GM going to convince the players that this franchise is something other than that? More chilling tales of "Culture Change takes time." Hockey players aren't stupid, they just date that way.

      If Drake hasn't figured out by now that he does not have the skills to improve this team, then he is truly lost. Every year he continues to try, the worse his resume gets. The sooner he resigns and seeks out an assistant coach position somewhere, the sooner he will enjoy a successful day at work.

      It could very well be "open tryouts" at pre-season next year.

      I heard rumours that TWISTER'S agent has asked for a trade.

      Y. Wudnthe

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  10. Since Lindsay Hofford was canned this team has had a steady decline.

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