The Wild reassigned defenseman Jaime Sifers to the Aeros today. Brent Burns is good enough to go in St. Paul, and Greg Zanon, per Mike Russo, looks like he will play through that broken ankle.
The Aeros don't play again until Friday, but the Wild, I think, play twice before then. It's likely the Wild will suffer an injury or two before Friday, but I know the Aeros could really benefit from having a mostly complete team for the first time in a long time.
A win Friday gets the team back to .500.
Monday, March 22, 2010
3/21/10 -- Aeros v. Admirals -- The Carry That Weight Edition
My apologies for taking so long to wrap up this weekend’s games. I cover more than just the Aeros -- thus my absence the past several weeks -- and there’s been breaking news with the Houston Cougars I’ve been having to deal with. Plus, I’m once again unemployed from my primary profession, and I’ve been trying to hunt up some work. So, that aside…
It’s been about a month since I’ve seen the Aeros play in person. The last game I remember seeing was the game where the news leaked out that Tony Hrkac was returning. So yes, it’s been awhile. But besides the Aeros dropping to the bottom of the standings, nothing much has changed. The effort’s still there. The guys still seem to give a damn. But despite the return of Andy Hilbert over the weekend, they still can’t find a way to get the puck in the damn net; the stupid penalties are still prevalent at unnecessary times -- Brandon, really, did you have to pull a Matt Foy on Sunday? And the goalies, no matter the criticism they’re getting from unnamed people, are doing their best to keep the team in games, but the goalies this year just aren’t able to do a repeat of the Nolan Schaefer/Barry Brust season of 2007-2008.
There were two winnable games over the weekend, but nothing the Aeros did seem to work. Well, I do think Kevin Constantine throwing out a starting line on Sunday of Matt Kassian, Robbie Earl, and Carson McMillan brought a different energy to the team. But the team lost 3-1 on Saturday and 2-1 in overtime on Sunday to the Milwaukee Admirals to drop even further back in last place.
Anton Khudobin got the start on Saturday, and he put up a good effort on Saturday, only to find himself, once again, sabotaged by his defense and lack of offense. And Wade Dubielewicz found himself victimized in overtime by a shot that hit the pipe and bounced in.
“It’s tough,” Dubielewicz said after the loss. “We’re a young group, we’re working hard. It’s really discouraging right now. We’ve got to find away -- whether it’s a big game out of a goalie or a big game out of player -- we’ve got to find a way to get out of this little funk we’re in and try to get some wins together. You never know what’s going to happen to other teams. But right now we’re backed into a pretty tough corner. Something special’s got to happen for us. Somebody’s got to do something special for us to get out of it.”
Dubielewicz said it was his hope, before the game, that he would be the one to provide that special game. He wanted to give his teammates the win, but he just couldn’t do it. And if ever a game was the epitome of the Aeros season, perhaps Sunday was that example. The Aeros outshot Milwaukee. They even had some great shot attempts, but there was some good Milwaukee goaltending to stop some of the shots, then there were two third period shots that clanked off the pipes, but instead of bouncing in, as the Milwaukee shot did on OT, they bounced out.
“There’s no quitting here,” Dubielewicz said. “And I’m proud of that. But at the same time, this is professional hockey, and we have to make plays, and we have to make saves, and we have to score goals. If you don’t do that, you’re not going to be around hockey for a long time. It’s really disappointing on that level because there’s a lot of character in this room. I think with a break or two we could be a different story.”
A break or two. That’s the been the team’s story the entire season. A break or two. And that break or two is something that they have yet to get. With just 11 games remaining in the season, the 29-30-7-4 Aeros should probably just forget about getting that break, unless, that is, you count as a break the opportunity to go home and erase this once-promising season from their minds.
SOME MISCELLANEOUS NOTES:
Andy Hilbert returned to action this weekend for the first time in months. The Aeros season was probably doomed to failure by Hilbert’s concussion, and the injuries to Peter Zingoni, because they were probably the guys with the best set of offensive skills on a team that desperately needed offensive skills. And while they missed large parts of the season, and guys like Nathan Smith spent time in Minnesota, the Aeros were just never able to put together a sustained offensive effort. But Kevin Constantine doesn’t want to use that as a crunch for what happened this season.
“You try to look at the fact that everybody goes through injuries,” he said Saturday night. “You try not to rely on the injury totals, or call-ups, to dictate -- if you look at guys called up through over the last three years, we haven’t really been a team that’s been completely dependent on certain injuries and call-ups. Other guys have managed to win.”
And Constantine has a point. Then you look at other things. For instance, Krys Kolanos was generally the guy called up to the Wild last season. And Kolanos’s trips up didn’t help the team. Then again, Kolanos wasn’t the team’s only offensive weapon last season. Corey Locke was putting up big numbers. So was Jesse Schultz. Marco Rosa put up good numbers. Things might have been different last season if Kolanos were to have been up with the Wild and Locke and Schultz were injured and unable to play for most of the season, but that didn’t happen.
And the team before that didn’t have much in the way of offensive talent, either. But Schaefer and Brust were both putting together incredible seasons that were beyond special, and which are not the type of numbers generally put up by a tandem because. And the primary guy who spent most of that season in Minnesota was Erik Reitz.
I appreciate what Constantine’s trying to get at. He’s not trying to use an excuse to explain away the season. But Zingoni and Hilbert were supposed to be key members of the offense, and with their extended absences, nobody on the front line has stepped up to take their place on a consistent basis. Max Noreau has tried from the blue line. And no one can discount the effort and hustle of Jean-Michel Daoust.
Well, you get my point by now, I hope.
***************
Okay, I know I’ve been away for awhile, but what happened to all of the Lady Dynamics? I saw five at each of the games, the same five. What happened to the rest? Did they bail on the team, or something?
***************
My Beatles selection tonight is dedicated to the goalies, Anton Khudobin, Wade Dubielewicz, and Barry Brust. Too often this season, it seems that they’ve had the weight of the world on their shoulders as they’ve tried to single-handedly carry the Aeros to victory. Thus, I bring you the final melody of side two of Abbey Road (the greatest album ever recorded), which just happens to feature the only drum solo ever performed by Ringo Starr as the drummer of The Beatles. So here’s “Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End.”
It’s been about a month since I’ve seen the Aeros play in person. The last game I remember seeing was the game where the news leaked out that Tony Hrkac was returning. So yes, it’s been awhile. But besides the Aeros dropping to the bottom of the standings, nothing much has changed. The effort’s still there. The guys still seem to give a damn. But despite the return of Andy Hilbert over the weekend, they still can’t find a way to get the puck in the damn net; the stupid penalties are still prevalent at unnecessary times -- Brandon, really, did you have to pull a Matt Foy on Sunday? And the goalies, no matter the criticism they’re getting from unnamed people, are doing their best to keep the team in games, but the goalies this year just aren’t able to do a repeat of the Nolan Schaefer/Barry Brust season of 2007-2008.
There were two winnable games over the weekend, but nothing the Aeros did seem to work. Well, I do think Kevin Constantine throwing out a starting line on Sunday of Matt Kassian, Robbie Earl, and Carson McMillan brought a different energy to the team. But the team lost 3-1 on Saturday and 2-1 in overtime on Sunday to the Milwaukee Admirals to drop even further back in last place.
Anton Khudobin got the start on Saturday, and he put up a good effort on Saturday, only to find himself, once again, sabotaged by his defense and lack of offense. And Wade Dubielewicz found himself victimized in overtime by a shot that hit the pipe and bounced in.
“It’s tough,” Dubielewicz said after the loss. “We’re a young group, we’re working hard. It’s really discouraging right now. We’ve got to find away -- whether it’s a big game out of a goalie or a big game out of player -- we’ve got to find a way to get out of this little funk we’re in and try to get some wins together. You never know what’s going to happen to other teams. But right now we’re backed into a pretty tough corner. Something special’s got to happen for us. Somebody’s got to do something special for us to get out of it.”
Dubielewicz said it was his hope, before the game, that he would be the one to provide that special game. He wanted to give his teammates the win, but he just couldn’t do it. And if ever a game was the epitome of the Aeros season, perhaps Sunday was that example. The Aeros outshot Milwaukee. They even had some great shot attempts, but there was some good Milwaukee goaltending to stop some of the shots, then there were two third period shots that clanked off the pipes, but instead of bouncing in, as the Milwaukee shot did on OT, they bounced out.
“There’s no quitting here,” Dubielewicz said. “And I’m proud of that. But at the same time, this is professional hockey, and we have to make plays, and we have to make saves, and we have to score goals. If you don’t do that, you’re not going to be around hockey for a long time. It’s really disappointing on that level because there’s a lot of character in this room. I think with a break or two we could be a different story.”
A break or two. That’s the been the team’s story the entire season. A break or two. And that break or two is something that they have yet to get. With just 11 games remaining in the season, the 29-30-7-4 Aeros should probably just forget about getting that break, unless, that is, you count as a break the opportunity to go home and erase this once-promising season from their minds.
SOME MISCELLANEOUS NOTES:
Andy Hilbert returned to action this weekend for the first time in months. The Aeros season was probably doomed to failure by Hilbert’s concussion, and the injuries to Peter Zingoni, because they were probably the guys with the best set of offensive skills on a team that desperately needed offensive skills. And while they missed large parts of the season, and guys like Nathan Smith spent time in Minnesota, the Aeros were just never able to put together a sustained offensive effort. But Kevin Constantine doesn’t want to use that as a crunch for what happened this season.
“You try to look at the fact that everybody goes through injuries,” he said Saturday night. “You try not to rely on the injury totals, or call-ups, to dictate -- if you look at guys called up through over the last three years, we haven’t really been a team that’s been completely dependent on certain injuries and call-ups. Other guys have managed to win.”
And Constantine has a point. Then you look at other things. For instance, Krys Kolanos was generally the guy called up to the Wild last season. And Kolanos’s trips up didn’t help the team. Then again, Kolanos wasn’t the team’s only offensive weapon last season. Corey Locke was putting up big numbers. So was Jesse Schultz. Marco Rosa put up good numbers. Things might have been different last season if Kolanos were to have been up with the Wild and Locke and Schultz were injured and unable to play for most of the season, but that didn’t happen.
And the team before that didn’t have much in the way of offensive talent, either. But Schaefer and Brust were both putting together incredible seasons that were beyond special, and which are not the type of numbers generally put up by a tandem because. And the primary guy who spent most of that season in Minnesota was Erik Reitz.
I appreciate what Constantine’s trying to get at. He’s not trying to use an excuse to explain away the season. But Zingoni and Hilbert were supposed to be key members of the offense, and with their extended absences, nobody on the front line has stepped up to take their place on a consistent basis. Max Noreau has tried from the blue line. And no one can discount the effort and hustle of Jean-Michel Daoust.
Well, you get my point by now, I hope.
***************
Okay, I know I’ve been away for awhile, but what happened to all of the Lady Dynamics? I saw five at each of the games, the same five. What happened to the rest? Did they bail on the team, or something?
***************
My Beatles selection tonight is dedicated to the goalies, Anton Khudobin, Wade Dubielewicz, and Barry Brust. Too often this season, it seems that they’ve had the weight of the world on their shoulders as they’ve tried to single-handedly carry the Aeros to victory. Thus, I bring you the final melody of side two of Abbey Road (the greatest album ever recorded), which just happens to feature the only drum solo ever performed by Ringo Starr as the drummer of The Beatles. So here’s “Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End.”
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Aeros lose 2-1 in OT to Milwaukee
Oh, I'm sad. I asked my new Brusty bobblehead before the game if the Aeros would win and he was definitive in his affirmation. "Yes yes yes yes yes," he said.
Alas, I think the results were skewed by his inability to shake his head. But the boys held out pretty good and got a point out of the game. Shame they can't donate these points to a charity that could use them. Like the Binghamton Senators.
Not a lot to say about this game except that a) Dubie didn't get pulled and actually played... well, he kept the puck out of the net, stopping 26 of 28 shots b) the boys still played hard and showed a lot of gusto even when, really, there's only pride to play for at this point.
I loved the Earl, Kassian, McMillan line. And starting them? Haha. Cool.
Anyway, I think John will be on later with less nonsense and more real stuff.
But I do have pictures!
Alas, I think the results were skewed by his inability to shake his head. But the boys held out pretty good and got a point out of the game. Shame they can't donate these points to a charity that could use them. Like the Binghamton Senators.
Not a lot to say about this game except that a) Dubie didn't get pulled and actually played... well, he kept the puck out of the net, stopping 26 of 28 shots b) the boys still played hard and showed a lot of gusto even when, really, there's only pride to play for at this point.
I loved the Earl, Kassian, McMillan line. And starting them? Haha. Cool.
Anyway, I think John will be on later with less nonsense and more real stuff.
But I do have pictures!
Ladies? You feelin' it? Oh yeah. Hot.
Earl's goal and Kassian's ass. Not sure which I like more....
Game winning goal from Dietrich and Max's ass. I KNOW which of those I like better...
Aeros lose 3-1 to Milwaukee (now w/ photos!)
You used to losing yet? I kinda am. Not that it's fun or anything, but if I'm remotely entertained by a game, it's a win. And so far, really, since the boys have fallen out of realistic contention, I can't complain. The games have been entertaining.
I used to love fights when I first started watching hockey, but they don't excite me too often any more. However, the one tonight between Straub and Grant was pretty damned good. Both guys were just throwing bombs and it was like, "Where'd THAT come from?" which are kinda my favorite fights. Just, like, spontaneous hatred. Great stuff.
Also, it does seem Grant lost a tooth in the ordeal. The story in the press box is that that's what Daoust was handing to Grant in the penalty box, but it seems like they'd have sent him to the doc, right? The toughness of hockey players seemingly has no bounds. Not sure if I'm starting a myth by writing about this here, but maybe one of the guys knows more. (Okay, so maybe none of that happened, but it's a damn good story, so I'm leaving it.)
Other than that, what's worth mentioning tonight? The one 5 on 3 PP goal by Daoust from a rebound off a Noreau Special was nice. The 47 times they whiffed or missed a pass in front of an open net... not so nice. There's a theory that you create your own luck but I think that's bullshit. These guys created some amazing chances for themselves tonight and had no luck at all. No bounce went their way all night long, at least when it came to getting the puck in the net. A foot off here, a foot off there. It should have been 10-3 for how many times that puck should have gone in.
Credit to Dekanich though, he kept 'em out. Wasn't pretty, but doesn't need to be. On the other hand, I was a little bothered by some of Khudobin's reactions tonight, just from a "goalie scout" standpoint. I was getting a lot of frustration from him and lots of body language that seemed rather petulant to me. I expect a better mental game out of him at this point.
I'm sure there's more... and we will have pics from Chris "Breakfast Tacos" Jerina later...but, dawg, I am tired and going to bed now. See you tomorrow. 3:05 p.m. puck drop!
UPDATE: Here's photos from last night.
Hasn't been enough of this, but it's nice to see:
Toe save, bitches:
Photos by Chris "I thought Houston was hot!" Jerina
I used to love fights when I first started watching hockey, but they don't excite me too often any more. However, the one tonight between Straub and Grant was pretty damned good. Both guys were just throwing bombs and it was like, "Where'd THAT come from?" which are kinda my favorite fights. Just, like, spontaneous hatred. Great stuff.
Also, it does seem Grant lost a tooth in the ordeal. The story in the press box is that that's what Daoust was handing to Grant in the penalty box, but it seems like they'd have sent him to the doc, right? The toughness of hockey players seemingly has no bounds. Not sure if I'm starting a myth by writing about this here, but maybe one of the guys knows more. (Okay, so maybe none of that happened, but it's a damn good story, so I'm leaving it.)
Other than that, what's worth mentioning tonight? The one 5 on 3 PP goal by Daoust from a rebound off a Noreau Special was nice. The 47 times they whiffed or missed a pass in front of an open net... not so nice. There's a theory that you create your own luck but I think that's bullshit. These guys created some amazing chances for themselves tonight and had no luck at all. No bounce went their way all night long, at least when it came to getting the puck in the net. A foot off here, a foot off there. It should have been 10-3 for how many times that puck should have gone in.
Credit to Dekanich though, he kept 'em out. Wasn't pretty, but doesn't need to be. On the other hand, I was a little bothered by some of Khudobin's reactions tonight, just from a "goalie scout" standpoint. I was getting a lot of frustration from him and lots of body language that seemed rather petulant to me. I expect a better mental game out of him at this point.
I'm sure there's more... and we will have pics from Chris "Breakfast Tacos" Jerina later...but, dawg, I am tired and going to bed now. See you tomorrow. 3:05 p.m. puck drop!
UPDATE: Here's photos from last night.
Hasn't been enough of this, but it's nice to see:
Toe save, bitches:
Photos by Chris "I thought Houston was hot!" Jerina
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Pre-Game update....
The Aeros announced today they got Dubielewicz back from Minnesota. Don't expect him to start tonight. The defensive corps(e) (pun!) is very depleted right now, so the team signed Brandon Straub from the CHL Allen Americans. Straub has seen a dozen or so games (in the last two years) with the Quad City Flames and the Lake Erie Monsters.
He was also a teammate of Chad Rau when the two were at Colorado College back in 06-07. The infamous Jimmy Kilpatrick was also on that team. I knew that name sounded familiar, so I did some research ... and, as it turns out, Straub was in training camp for the Texas Stars during the preseason. He is the guy that floated a lazy shot from the blue line that clipped off Dubielewicz' glove and went into the net for a soft goal and a 1-0 lead. The Aeros eventually won that game 3-2 in the shootout. (Do you remember that? This team used to win those.)
Switching gears, Andy Hilbert has been practicing and could make his long-awaited return after being out since December with a concussion. D-man Ryan Lannon, also out with a concussion, is not close to returning.
See you at the rink tonight.
He was also a teammate of Chad Rau when the two were at Colorado College back in 06-07. The infamous Jimmy Kilpatrick was also on that team. I knew that name sounded familiar, so I did some research ... and, as it turns out, Straub was in training camp for the Texas Stars during the preseason. He is the guy that floated a lazy shot from the blue line that clipped off Dubielewicz' glove and went into the net for a soft goal and a 1-0 lead. The Aeros eventually won that game 3-2 in the shootout. (Do you remember that? This team used to win those.)
Switching gears, Andy Hilbert has been practicing and could make his long-awaited return after being out since December with a concussion. D-man Ryan Lannon, also out with a concussion, is not close to returning.
See you at the rink tonight.
Aeros sign Straub; Hilbert could go tonight
The Aeros announced today they got Dubielewicz back from Minnesota. Don't expect him to start tonight. The defensive corps(e) (pun!) is very depleted right now, so the team signed Brandon Straub from the CHL Allen Americans. Straub has seen a dozen or so games (in the last two years) with the Quad City Flames and the Lake Erie Monsters.
He was also a teammate of Chad Rau when the two were at Colorado College back in 06-07. The infamous Jimmy Kilpatrick was also on that team. I knew that name sounded familiar, so I did some research ... and, as it turns out, Straub was in training camp for the Texas Stars during the preseason. He is the guy that floated a lazy shot from the blue line that clipped off Dubielewicz' glove and went into the net for a soft goal and a 1-0 lead. The Aeros eventually won that game 3-2 in the shootout. (Do you remember that? This team used to win those.)
Switching gears, Andy Hilbert has been practicing and could make his long-awaited return after being out since December with a concussion. D-man Ryan Lannon, also out with a concussion, is not close to returning.
See you at the rink tonight.
He was also a teammate of Chad Rau when the two were at Colorado College back in 06-07. The infamous Jimmy Kilpatrick was also on that team. I knew that name sounded familiar, so I did some research ... and, as it turns out, Straub was in training camp for the Texas Stars during the preseason. He is the guy that floated a lazy shot from the blue line that clipped off Dubielewicz' glove and went into the net for a soft goal and a 1-0 lead. The Aeros eventually won that game 3-2 in the shootout. (Do you remember that? This team used to win those.)
Switching gears, Andy Hilbert has been practicing and could make his long-awaited return after being out since December with a concussion. D-man Ryan Lannon, also out with a concussion, is not close to returning.
See you at the rink tonight.
Weekend Round-up
The Aeros are back home tonight for Clutterbuck Bobblehead Night, Kids Weekend, Tough Guy Night, etc etc. Should be a decent crowd, especially for a team deeeeep in the basement of its division.
Luckily, we might just have a couple of decent games on our hands here, as Milwaukee is in the fourth spot in the division and trying to make sure they secure that playoff position. You know they're watching Peoria, 3 points behind them, and know they MUST take some points out of this weekend.
The Aeros, on the other hand, have absolutely nothing to lose and are in a position to really put a hurting on Milwuakee's season if they can get it together. Of course, that's a big if, because they're not in the basement for lack of trying. They haven't gotten it together much of the season and now they're tissue paper thin on the blue line. And have been off for almost a week. They're gonna be rustier than a box of wet nails.
The defensive woes look to stick around, too, as Justin Falk earned himself a concussion in his first NHL game last night with the Wild. Poor kid. And on an apparently dirty play, too. Welcome to The Show, where headshots "won't be tolerated."
I guess if you have to get your bell rung, you might as well do it making "show dough." Buy yourself something nice, pumpkin. Just not a book or TV or exercise equipment... Maybe a really nice pillow so you can sleep this thing off.
In other news, Sifers and Earl were both put on waivers Friday, but the way the Wild are getting injured, and the fact that the team can keep a waived player on the roster for another 30 days after they clear, I would anticipate them staying up.
Also, Wade Dubielewicz was reassigned to Houston this morning, so presumably he'll back up Khudobin this weekend.
Elsewhere, in case you missed it, a little bit of AHL history was made last night as Binghamton Senators goalie Chris Holt scored a goal for only the 10th time ever in the league.What's more, he was only the 6th to do it directly, as opposed to an own goal by the other team where the opposing goalie was the last to touch it.
I've been keeping up with the news on it (and hope to have good quality video on it this morning sometime) over at InGoalMag.com.
Luckily, we might just have a couple of decent games on our hands here, as Milwaukee is in the fourth spot in the division and trying to make sure they secure that playoff position. You know they're watching Peoria, 3 points behind them, and know they MUST take some points out of this weekend.
The Aeros, on the other hand, have absolutely nothing to lose and are in a position to really put a hurting on Milwuakee's season if they can get it together. Of course, that's a big if, because they're not in the basement for lack of trying. They haven't gotten it together much of the season and now they're tissue paper thin on the blue line. And have been off for almost a week. They're gonna be rustier than a box of wet nails.
The defensive woes look to stick around, too, as Justin Falk earned himself a concussion in his first NHL game last night with the Wild. Poor kid. And on an apparently dirty play, too. Welcome to The Show, where headshots "won't be tolerated."
I guess if you have to get your bell rung, you might as well do it making "show dough." Buy yourself something nice, pumpkin. Just not a book or TV or exercise equipment... Maybe a really nice pillow so you can sleep this thing off.
In other news, Sifers and Earl were both put on waivers Friday, but the way the Wild are getting injured, and the fact that the team can keep a waived player on the roster for another 30 days after they clear, I would anticipate them staying up.
Also, Wade Dubielewicz was reassigned to Houston this morning, so presumably he'll back up Khudobin this weekend.
Elsewhere, in case you missed it, a little bit of AHL history was made last night as Binghamton Senators goalie Chris Holt scored a goal for only the 10th time ever in the league.What's more, he was only the 6th to do it directly, as opposed to an own goal by the other team where the opposing goalie was the last to touch it.
I've been keeping up with the news on it (and hope to have good quality video on it this morning sometime) over at InGoalMag.com.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Reports from the weekend w/ photos
It's always interesting to me, after a long season, to get a fresh perspective on the team. I think we're pretty fair, but we do see these guys an awful lot and it's easy to get into a rut.
So, it's cool when a Wild fan goes on a bit of a road trip and checks the guys out and gives a thorough report with fresh eyes (but still some knowledge about the players).
If you're interested in a first hand account of Saturday and Sunday's games, check out Bozak's Random Hockey Thoughts. I think you'll find his takes as an "outsider" worthwhile.
-----------------------
He's promising pictures later, but I'll give you pictures right the heck now, thanks to Chris "Leavin' on a Jetplane" Jerina.
Our Man in the Midwest is gonna be here this weekend for the Milwaukee games, so if you see him running around with his camera Saturday and Sunday, be sure and yell obscenities at him. Kidding. Kidding. Be nice.
So, it's cool when a Wild fan goes on a bit of a road trip and checks the guys out and gives a thorough report with fresh eyes (but still some knowledge about the players).
If you're interested in a first hand account of Saturday and Sunday's games, check out Bozak's Random Hockey Thoughts. I think you'll find his takes as an "outsider" worthwhile.
-----------------------
He's promising pictures later, but I'll give you pictures right the heck now, thanks to Chris "Leavin' on a Jetplane" Jerina.
Our Man in the Midwest is gonna be here this weekend for the Milwaukee games, so if you see him running around with his camera Saturday and Sunday, be sure and yell obscenities at him. Kidding. Kidding. Be nice.
Kassian, with a rather nice beard going, gets his fists of fury on.
Falker Scores!
Go-ahead goal for Rockford
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Caption Contest Winner
There were some good ones (see the comments), but this took the cake.
(Unfortunately, no actual cake was had in the making of this LOL.)
Our winner is anonymous, so the grand prize of a beer on me (not literally, unless... oh, never mind) at the Maple Leaf Pub will go in my belly instead. Too bad, sucka!!!
Thanks for playing though, and thanks to everyone for their great suggestions. Also, thanks to Brusty, who is always a great sport, for letting us have some fun with him. Rock on.
(Unfortunately, no actual cake was had in the making of this LOL.)
Our winner is anonymous, so the grand prize of a beer on me (not literally, unless... oh, never mind) at the Maple Leaf Pub will go in my belly instead. Too bad, sucka!!!
Thanks for playing though, and thanks to everyone for their great suggestions. Also, thanks to Brusty, who is always a great sport, for letting us have some fun with him. Rock on.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Heartbreaker: Peoria 4, Aeros 3
As passionless as this season has felt, this game finished with as much passion as I've seen out of this team all year.
The Aeros were up early thanks to two goals from JM "I'm little but I'm clutch" Daoust, until late in the first when Lars Eller scored for Peoria.
What sank the team was a really abysmal 2nd period that left me wondering what brand of vodka they were drinking in the second intermission. Just a messy, messy period. And Peoria capitalized with a goal by Drazenovic to tie it up.
All was well and honestly, Khudobin was unreal... until Porter blasted a shot that hit his pad, hit the inside of the post, and in. All goals suck as a goalie, but goals like that especially suck. I felt for him after having played so well, but you have to stop that.
The Aeros buckled down hard and played some seriously inspired hockey to try and get that goal back, particularly DiSalvatore, who created opportunities left and right. But then basically caused the game winner by coming on for the pulled Khudobin and whiffing on a pass attempt that resulted in a turnover and empty net goal.
Doh.
It was a thriller to the finish though, as the Aeros did actually make up one goal in the two-goal deficit with 33 seconds on the clock thanks to Nathan Smith, but the 33 wasn't enough to get 'er done.
It was, for me, the most heartbreaking finish of the year. As I tweeted, I literally had to fight back tears. Granted, it was too little too late and that second period and sketchy goal killed them, but it was the first time I really FELT something from this team. Know what I mean?
They wanted it. They just didn't want it bad enough soon enough.
I didn't talk to KC after the game but it looks like Andrew and I are cross-posting, so I'm sure he'll have more for you. This chair is making my butt hurt, so I'm going home.
The Aeros were up early thanks to two goals from JM "I'm little but I'm clutch" Daoust, until late in the first when Lars Eller scored for Peoria.
What sank the team was a really abysmal 2nd period that left me wondering what brand of vodka they were drinking in the second intermission. Just a messy, messy period. And Peoria capitalized with a goal by Drazenovic to tie it up.
All was well and honestly, Khudobin was unreal... until Porter blasted a shot that hit his pad, hit the inside of the post, and in. All goals suck as a goalie, but goals like that especially suck. I felt for him after having played so well, but you have to stop that.
The Aeros buckled down hard and played some seriously inspired hockey to try and get that goal back, particularly DiSalvatore, who created opportunities left and right. But then basically caused the game winner by coming on for the pulled Khudobin and whiffing on a pass attempt that resulted in a turnover and empty net goal.
Doh.
It was a thriller to the finish though, as the Aeros did actually make up one goal in the two-goal deficit with 33 seconds on the clock thanks to Nathan Smith, but the 33 wasn't enough to get 'er done.
It was, for me, the most heartbreaking finish of the year. As I tweeted, I literally had to fight back tears. Granted, it was too little too late and that second period and sketchy goal killed them, but it was the first time I really FELT something from this team. Know what I mean?
They wanted it. They just didn't want it bad enough soon enough.
I didn't talk to KC after the game but it looks like Andrew and I are cross-posting, so I'm sure he'll have more for you. This chair is making my butt hurt, so I'm going home.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
