|
|
Post by NWTHabsFan on Mar 15, 2004 21:52:45 GMT -5
Dogs beat Moose 5-2. Higgins, Somervuori, Pleks, Hossa and Plante score for the good guys. Perezhogin with two assists and Pleks with a goal and assist. Boys came back after being down 2-1 after two.
1ST PRD: HAM - CHRIS HIGGINS 18 (GORDIE DWYER) 5:11
MTB - FEDOR FEDOROV 21 (PETER SARNO, JIMMY ROY) 12:42
2ND PRD: MTB - SERGEI VARLAMOV 8 (SEAN PRONGER, JUSTIN MORRISON) 6:37
3RD PRD: HAM - EERO SOMERVUORI 14 (ALEXANDER PEREZHOGIN, PATRICK
TRAVERSE) 2:38
HAM - (PP) TOMAS PLEKANEC 17 (ALEXANDER PEREZHOGIN, RON
HAINSEY) 4:38
HAM - MARCEL HOSSA 16 (BENOIT GRATTON, PATRICK TRAVERSE)
10:51
HAM - (PP) PHILIPPE PLANTE 5 (EERO SOMERVUORI, TOMAS
PLEKANEC) 18:49
|
|
|
|
Post by NWTHabsFan on Mar 15, 2004 23:26:59 GMT -5
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 16, 2004 13:05:59 GMT -5
Looks like Hossa has swallowed his pride, or stopped sulking or both, and has actually been performing consistently. Has Hainsey been doing the same? Sorry, I haven't followed the Dogs much the past couple months.
|
|
|
|
Post by NWTHabsFan on Mar 16, 2004 13:22:00 GMT -5
Looks like Hossa has swallowed his pride, or stopped sulking or both, and has actually been performing consistently. Has Hainsey been doing the same? Sorry, I haven't followed the Dogs much the past couple months. I asked the question on the Bulldogs board about Hossa, and I only received one reply but that individual did comment that Hossa's consistency and work effort seem to have really improved part way through the season. The fact that he is shooting more and finding the back of the net is a good sign, as he just wouldn't shoot when he was with the Habs for his last stint. I think letting him finish the season with the Dogs and be a key to their playoff run is really good for his confidence right now, but that is strictly IMO. Not sure about Hainsey's overall play, but he is contributing on the score sheet. |
|
|
|
Post by Gogie on Mar 16, 2004 13:49:22 GMT -5
Looks like Hossa has swallowed his pride, or stopped sulking or both, and has actually been performing consistently. Has Hainsey been doing the same? Sorry, I haven't followed the Dogs much the past couple months. I've been to most of the Bulldog's games this year (including last night's) so I guess I can comment on Hossa's play. He has definitely improved his game of late. He's become more physical (which he has to do to be successful) and he's playing with more energy. He's also more consistent of late (not that he wasn't consistent before, he was just consistently poor!). I'm not sure what has led to his change of heart, but here's hoping he keeps it up. Now that Balej is gone maybe Hossa has decided he's really an important cog in the Bulldogs' playoff chances and so has decided to play with more intensity. In case you're interested, the Habs have a few other interesting players in Hamilton. Chris Higgins has been steadily improving all year. He has tremendous talent and exceptionally quick hands around the net (his goal last night was a thing of beauty, with him in tight taking a pass from Dwyer, quicky deking the goalie and tucking the puck past him with literally no room to move). Perezhogin has also shown great improvement. He has become more involved (meaning willing to take hits to make plays) in the game. He has great speed and knows how to put the puck in the net. Plekanec is a bit of an enigma. At times he can dominate and at other times he's almost invisible. He's a bit of a disturber and consequently is often the focus of the other team's attention (if you get my drift). Hainsey seems like a lost cause. His offensive abilities have not been particularly obvious this year and his defence is still suspect. I'm surprised, given the high hopes he seemed to inspire two years ago, that his development, at best, has stagnated and maybe even regressed. One final note: The acquisition of Rene Vydareny for Sylvain Blouin was a significant step up in talent for the Dogs. Vydareny may never make the NHL (although at 22 years of age - 23 in May - he might still develop) but he certainly hasn't looked out of place on the Bulldogs' blueline. We needed defensive help and he's seems like he's going to give us that. Blouin was useless, so chalk one up for the good guys as far as trades go. |
|
|
|
Post by BadCompany on Mar 16, 2004 14:02:17 GMT -5
Little bit outdated now, but here was the first half assessment of the Bulldogs from their beat reporter:
BULLDOGS' FIRST-HALF ASSESSMENT
Here's what Spectator hockey writer Garry McKay thinks of the Bulldogs first-half performance and what they need to do in the second half:
Most pleasant surprise: Jozef Balej. Was adequate last year despite injuries and limited ice time. Leads the team in scoring this season with 20 goals and 19 assists which is fourth best in the league. He also leads the team in plus/minus at +15. He's turning into this year's Michael Ryder.
Biggest disappointment: Marcel Hossa. Last year he was on the verge of cracking the Canadiens' lineup full-time. This year, on many nights, he's not even a top-line AHL player.
Has only two goals and seven assists in 19 games with the Dogs and hasn't scored in 12 games.
Give the guy a break: Last year Benoit Gratton suffers a rare hand injury when he's leading the league in scoring and misses a month. This year he's been bothered by a neck/shoulder injury. And when he finally gets his call-up to the Canadiens he gets a concussion.
If he gets healthy and ends up back with the Dogs it could be a big help in their playoff push.
Need ice time: Duncan Milroy and Jonathan Ferland. That's easier said than done on a
team that has 23-24 players.
They're two promising rookies that could be impact players next season.
Needs to be healthy for the playoffs: Eric Fichaud. When he's hot and healthy there are few better. J.F. Damphousse can be outstanding when the shots are from the point or the slot. But he has trouble handling the puck and has difficulty getting square to and challenging the shooter when the play originates in the corner or behind the net.
And teams will take advantage of that in the playoffs.
Consistency please: Rookies Chris Higgins and Alexander Perezhogin have both had stretches where you think they will be headed to the Canadiens soon. And they've also both had nights when you need to check the lineups to see if they're even dressed for the game.
What came over him: When the Canadiens sent defenceman Ron Hainsey down to Hamilton this year he was ineffectual and appeared to be pouting over the demotion.
Lately, however, he's been one of the club's top D, both offensively and defensively.
The Points! The Points!: This year's defence, Karl Dykhuis, Francois Beauchemin, Hainsey, Patrick Traverse, Philippe Plante, Jean-Phillipe Cote and Andrew Archer are a solid group in their own end.
And Beauchemin, Dykhuis, Hainsey and Traverse in particular give them some offence from the points. And the Bulldogs are using those shots from the point more than in the past.
Where do they go from here: AHL rosters can change dramatically in the second half of the season as last year's Bulldogs can attest.
If the nucleus of this year's team remains here, however, the Bulldogs should be able to challenge for first or second in their division and are good enough to go at least a couple of rounds into the playoffs.
|
|
