Rochester vs. Hamilton | Game Thread | Game 4

[Deleted]

3-0

0-3






Projected goalies for this game are:


# 30 Ryan Miller (3-0), 1.67 GAA

# 35 Yann Danis (0-3), 3.03 GAA







[shadow=red,left,300]Americans Roster[/shadow] Link

[shadow=navy,left,300]Bulldogs Roster [/shadow] Link






[shadow=navy,left,300]Go Dogs Go! [/shadow]

Listen to the game live on 820 CHAM

Listen to the game live on The Team 990

[M. Beaux-Eaux]

They better not score first (again).

[Deleted]

If Rochester loses this game, I doubt they'll lose the next one.

[Deleted]

Amerks lead 2-0 early in the second period.

[blaise]

M. said:

They better not score first (again).

You got your wish, they didn't. But that second Rochester goal looks ominous.

[Deleted]

Plekanec scores!!!! the Dogs are down by one.


Higgins & Daley got the assist on the goal.

[Deleted]

Plekanec scores again!!! Higgins got the assist......the game is now tied 2-2

[Deleted]

After two periods of plat the score is tied 2-2.

[NWTHabsFan]

The first semblance of Dogs' momentum going into the third of any game this series. Good sign.

Derek Wills and Al Craig interviewed Gainey in the first intermission and he was all apraise about how the Dogs played down the stretch. It was interesting to hear how he selected who to send to the Dogs, and how he thought Ribs had paid his dues already in the AHL and didn't have anything more to learn, despite really wanting to play in Hamilton a lot this season. His rationale for Komo and Begin seems to have been to get them good ice time to help their recovery from their surgeries.

I also like how Wills and Co were quick to confirm that Jarvis didn't tell the team to turtle and sit on that lead the last few games, so lots of the cries for Jarvis' head were unfounded. Darn, just when I was ready to fire Jarvis again.

[Deleted]

Jason Ward Scores!!!!!! Dogs lead 3-2.


Ivanans & Begin got the assist on the goal.

[Deleted]

Amerks ties the game up at 3-3.

[NWTHabsFan]

Amerks win 5-4 in a nail biter. The sweep is complete, but at least this one felt close. A shame, but the boys put a full effort this game, unlike some of the other losses this series...as the radio boys mentioned, they did not mail this one in.

Good season boys and thanks for keeping this season one full of good hockey. I know I am a much bigger Dogs fan for this past season!!

[Deleted]

This team reminds me a little of the Canucks of 01-02. Perhaps our dogs will come back with more bite (no pun intended).

[M. Beaux-Eaux]

I listened to all 4 games.

I'm proud of the way the club battled and I fully expect this to be a much stronger squad next season, based on their play from January on this year. That said, the two obvious reasons for the sweep were the inability to hold a lead and less than stellar goaltending. Some numbers:

The Dogs had the lead or played the Amerks even for 153:14 of the 240:00 played, i.e. 64% of the time.

Shots on goal over the the series were 123-122 in Rochester's favour.

Miller: 2.25, .926
Danis: 3.29, .893

I'm sure that Danis, being the quick study that he is, will perform considerably better next post-season.

All in all a very statisfying season from our group of youngsters, and kudos to coaches Jarvis and Wilson for moulding these guys into a team.

[franko]

What a run! Thanks, all, for the constant updates, etc. Who says life without the NHL is dead?

And speaking of hockey that's alive and lively, my cheering season continues

On to the Memorial Cup!

[Deleted]

franko said:

What a run! Thanks, all, for the constant updates, etc. Who says life without the NHL is dead?

And speaking of hockey that's alive and lively, my cheering season continues

On to the Memorial Cup!

Sorry, dude, my Knights are going to take it this year. ;D

[Habs_fan_in_LA]

I didn't expect a sweep, but I thought the Hab's (remember them) would do better against Tampa Bay. Thinking with my heart instead of my .....
Good run and entertaining season.
I really think an AHL team would do well in Montreal, strike or no strike. It's good hockey, reasonably priced, and a cab driver (or university professor) can afford to sit closer to the action.

[habmeister]

Mattias said:

Sorry, dude, my Knights are going to take it this year. ;D

Actually its my hometown Kelowna Rockets that are going to make it back to backs

[HabbaDasher]

M. said:

...I fully expect this to be a much stronger squad next season, based on their play from January on this year...

I dunno, Mr. B.
When the NHL resumes the Dogs could be without Komisarek, Higgins, Begin, Ward, Plekanec, etc.

[M. Beaux-Eaux]

HabbaDasher said:

I dunno, Mr. B.
When the NHL resumes the Dogs could be without Komisarek, Higgins, Begin, Ward, Plekanec, etc.

Sure, there will be graduates and the NHLers will be gone (as will be the case for all other AHL teams). However, guys like Milroy, Ferland, Locke, Kostitsyn, Archer and Danis will have a solid year's experience under their belts. Shasby, Lambert, Urquhart (and I hope Michaud) could well be ready to surf in from Long Beach. Guys eligible to be signed to AHL contracts will be: Korneev, Lapierre, Dany Stewart, O'Byrne, Heino-Lindberg, Korpikari, Bonneau, Flood, Yemelin and Grabovsky.

[HabbaDasher]

M. said:

Sure, there will be graduates and the NHLers will be gone (as will be the case for all other AHL teams). However, guys like Milroy, Ferland, Locke, Kostitsyn, Archer and Danis will have a solid year's experience under their belts. Shasby, Lambert, Urquhart (and I hope Michaud) could well be ready to surf in from Long Beach. Guys eligible to be signed to AHL contracts will be: Korneev, Lapierre, Dany Stewart, O'Byrne, Heino-Lindberg, Korpikari, Bonneau, Flood, Yemelin and Grabovsky.

Out with the old...in with the new.

I'm a bit more guarded in my optimism.
We don't know who will graduate to the Dogs, and how long it will take the team to gel.

But Jarvis getting this year's troops to the playoffs is a good sign.
Hamilton did not have the most impressive roster.

[franko]

habaroni said:

Actually its my hometown Kelowna Rockets that are going to make it back to backs

Is Kelowna even going to make it out of the west?

Mattias said:

Sorry, dude, my Knights are going to take it this year. ;D

The Knights have already lost one more game in the OHL playoffs than I expected they would. I am cheering for them, that the soixante-sept slide into the Cup regardless of a win or loss in the finals. Then it's in the air. Of course, London will be favoured (closely followed by or even topped by an amazing and surging Rimouski team) . . . but in an out-of-one playoff series anything can happen.

[mic]

M. said:

Sure, there will be graduates and the NHLers will be gone (as will be the case for all other AHL teams). However, guys like Milroy, Ferland, Locke, Kostitsyn, Archer and Danis will have a solid year's experience under their belts. Shasby, Lambert, Urquhart (and I hope Michaud) could well be ready to surf in from Long Beach. Guys eligible to be signed to AHL contracts will be: Korneev, Lapierre, Dany Stewart, O'Byrne, Heino-Lindberg, Korpikari, Bonneau, Flood, Yemelin and Grabovsky.

Even in a weaker AHL, I can't see this lineup as a successful one. New coach and all the leaders leaving will make it hard for Hamilton to succeed, even if Savard is allowed to sign AHL vets. Exept Kostitsyn (and perhaps Grabovsky), there seems to be no game breaker in this team, and this defense lacks creativity. Naturally, if a new Ryder was to be found among Lambert, Urquhart or better Milroy (yes, I still hope that he'll succeed), things could go in another way, but I have my doubts.

[blaise]

M. said:

Sure, there will be graduates and the NHLers will be gone (as will be the case for all other AHL teams). However, guys like Milroy, Ferland, Locke, Kostitsyn, Archer and Danis will have a solid year's experience under their belts. Shasby, Lambert, Urquhart (and I hope Michaud) could well be ready to surf in from Long Beach. Guys eligible to be signed to AHL contracts will be: Korneev, Lapierre, Dany Stewart, O'Byrne, Heino-Lindberg, Korpikari, Bonneau, Flood, Yemelin and Grabovsky.

Kostitsyn is the only first rounder in that crop, although IMO Danis is the equivalent of a late first rounder. The 2005-06 Bulldogs don't look formidable without the players HabbaDasher mentioned.

[Habs_fan_in_LA]

Look how well Vanek is playing for the team that drafted him. Woulda coulda shoulda.
You never know how things will turn out. We have some good players in the minors, but no superstars that jump out and grab the headlines. We tend to overate the kids because they are ours and we see tham in press more than the other teams minor leaguers.
Not a bad year overall.

[M. Beaux-Eaux]

Habs_fan_in_LA said:

Look how well Vanek is playing for the team that drafted him. Woulda coulda shoulda.
You never know how things will turn out. We have some good players in the minors, but no superstars that jump out and grab the headlines. We tend to overate the kids because they are ours and we see tham in press more than the other teams minor leaguers.
Not a bad year overall.

I wouldn't over-rate Vanek and under-rate Kostitsyn just yet.

We know which of the two received more ice-time over all, and especially on the power play.

Vanek scored 17 even strength goals in 74 regular season games this past season. Kostitsyn scored 10 at even strength (plus 1 shorthanded goal) in 66 games. Vanek scored an even strength goal once every 14.5 shots. Kostitsyn managed a goal on every 9.6 shots. Vanek was -3 while Kostitsyn was +6. Vanek is a full year older than Kostitsyn.

Vanek may well help Buffalo's power play by the looks of things. Kostitsyn is being groomed to help in all situations.

[HabbaDasher]

Based on what I've read (haven't seen him play yet), it sounds like Kostitsyn is being groomed slowly & methodically.
Think long term.

[Habs_fan_in_LA]

HabbaDasher said:

Based on what I've read (haven't seen him play yet), it sounds like Kostitsyn is being groomed slowly & methodically.
Think long term.

I hope you're right.
Sometimes I ask myself, "is he being groomed slowly or is he heveloping slowly?"
I think Locke didn't get as much quality ice time as I would have liked to see, but I can't help thinking that if jarvis thought those two could step in and win the Calder Cup, he would have played them.

[HabbaDasher]

Habs_fan_in_LA said:

I hope you're right.
Sometimes I ask myself, "is he being groomed slowly or is he heveloping slowly?"
I think Locke didn't get as much quality ice time as I would have liked to see, but I can't help thinking that if jarvis thought those two could step in and win the Calder Cup, he would have played them.

Locke and Kostitsyn were AHL rookies this year.
If they want to make the NHL, better get them grounded defensively first.
This is where offensively talented players have an advantage over lesser ones.
You can learn how to backcheck but you can't learn creativity.
Guy Carbonneau's a great example of a scorer in the AHL who turned into a dangerous checker in the NHL.
If you can do both, you get ice time.

[blaise]

We shouldn't really be comparing Locke and Kostitsyn. Kostitsyn is obviously better endowed with the physical assets that contribute to being a top hockey player (size, strength, skating, shot). Locke seems to have superior hockey sense. Kostitsyn can improve in that category with experience, although probably never to Locke's level. Locke will always remain frailer and slower than Kotsitsyn despite his most strenuous efforts. The only way he could transcend his physical limitations would be to enhance his physique with steroids, and we can rule that out. I do not totally rule out the chances of Locke's eventually making it to the NHL. It would be a long shot, though. On the other hand, it's not a sure thing that Kotsitsyn will become a superstar or even an occasional all-star. He seems to have much to learn before he can compete successfully against solid NHLers. We should not automatically assume that he will maximize his gifts. Talent isn't everything.