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Post by seventeen on Feb 7, 2004 14:24:23 GMT -5
Bulldogs are on Sportsnet today at 12:30 Pacific, 3:30 Eastern etc. Another opportunity for we expert scouts to update our opinions on Hainsey, Plekanec, Perezhogin, hopefully Higgins, Hossa and Balej. Wow, that's a lot of pretty good prospects and we haven't touched Ferland, Milroy or Archer.
It'll be like taking candy from a Baby Leaf.
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Post by seventeen on Feb 7, 2004 16:35:26 GMT -5
After the first period, the candy is fighting back. Actually the Dogs played ok, but Fichaud really went for a swim on the Leaf goal. 1-0 for the bad guys.
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Post by seventeen on Feb 7, 2004 16:43:13 GMT -5
Mmmmm, good chocolate.
Perezhogin going one way behind the net, spun back where he came from, quick pass out front to Somervuori and it's a 1-1 tie. Good move after some fine cycling by that line with Gratton.
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Post by seventeen on Feb 7, 2004 17:15:04 GMT -5
Well, that was a snoozer of a 2nd period. Hamilton played sloppily in that 2nd. Good thing the Leafs are as bad as they are and probably tired from playing yesterday. Hossa had a clean breakaway and let himself be pokechecked before he was able to try a deke. Balej is skating well, though not creating much in the way of chances. The D is not moving the puck crisply...Hainsey has been as consistent as the rest of the team, which is to say not very. After this period, we'd have to move ourselves from the #1 prospect team to somewhere around 15th.
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Post by seventeen on Feb 7, 2004 17:31:46 GMT -5
2-1 for the good guys, on the PP. Balej had the puck, top of the right faceoff circle, wound up for the big slapper and whipped a quick pass instead to a swooping #7 (?) who cruised in from the left point. He had a wide open net and beat a scrambling Telquvist who couldn't recover in time. No wonder...you can't lay back in your net on a Balej shot. Good use of a dangerous skill and a great pass to the defenceman.
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Post by seventeen on Feb 7, 2004 17:33:47 GMT -5
3-1. Nice individual effort by Gratton. Watch for it on the highlight reel tapes.
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Post by seventeen on Feb 7, 2004 17:52:50 GMT -5
Milroy's not dressed tonight, but the announcers have not said anything about that. Five minutes left, still 3-1. After seeing Traverse play at the AHL level, I have to think the Weinrich deal had to be Savards absolute worst. I didn't think it was that bad at the time, but knowing what we know about PT today, it's definitely #1 on the "I wish I could do it over again" list.
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Post by BadCompany on Feb 8, 2004 3:05:07 GMT -5
4-1 final, Larrivee with his first AHL goal, into an empty net. Assists to Hainsey and Beauchemin.
One thing I noticed, is that Hainsey has this very Markov-like ability to get his shots from the point through. They don't always hit the net, but they are hardly ever blocked either. Like Markov. Compare that to, say, Craig Rivet, or even Patrice Brisebois (or Francois Beauchemin), whose shots always seem to get blocked... This was one of the "safest" games I have seen Hainsey play. Didn't pinch much, didn't lead to many rushes up the ice, played a quiet, positional game. Don't know if was by design, lack of interest, or fatigue.
Hossa had some moments, but nothing overly inspiring in terms of consistency.
Plecanek was largely invisible, with the exception of some decent penalty killing. I wonder if he is wearing down, and I wonder if his size is contributing to that?
I thought Euro Soumeverrio (or however you spell his name) was the best player on the ice.
Traverse played okay. Dykhuis too. Add Beauchemin to that list.
Perezhoghin was good, he's a very nifty stick-handler.
Archer, Milroy, Higgins, and Dwyer didn't play. Higgins is hurt, but I don't know about the rest. Nothing extraordinary from the Bulldogs, but they pull out the win against a weak Baby Leafs team. Take it and run.
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Post by NWTHabsFan on Feb 8, 2004 13:44:14 GMT -5
I think Tellqvist played a really solid game and kept the game close. The baby Habs played at half speed and really looked so much better than those baby Leafs. A lot of squandered PP opportunities by the Dogs, and those would have been much more critical against a better opponent.
Nice goals by the Dogs. Perezhogin's play behind the net was sweet, Balej's fake shot to Plante was great, and Grats effort and goal was highlight reel stuff. Add Larrivee's first goal in the AHL into the empty net, and good enough effort for the 2 points. Too bad Larrivee got the bus back to Columbus after the game, but the Dogs are still thick with forwards now that Gratts and Balej are back in the fold.
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Post by BCHab on Feb 8, 2004 15:10:51 GMT -5
Gratton was indeed impressive. With all the rookies on the team, the Dogs really need this guy for his experience, leadership and skills. I really missed Higgins. The team is not the same without him. Hossa was, well, Hossa. Brilliant one second, on vacation the next...
Perhaps Plekanec was playing hurt. I saw him get hit hard early in the first and after that he was limited to PK.
Cheers,
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