Missing: the Houston Aeros hockey team from Friday night. If found, please return to head coach John Torchetti because he needs them desperately in Grand Rapids on Wednesday night.
Make no mistake, the Aeros played a bad hockey game tonight. That they lost only 3-2 is a testament to the play of goalie Darcy Kuemper and to the ability of the team to do whatever it wants when it wants to, like say, in the last seven or so minutes of a game they've already pretty much lost.
"“We didn’t come out at all,” head coach John Torchetti said bluntly. “We finally played the last seven minutes of the [third]
period. Kuemper did a great job of keeping us in it. I’ve got to do a better
job of keeping us focused, I guess, because we certainly didn’t show up.”
That Torchetti has to work on keeping his team focused during the playoffs is somewhat worrisome. What's more worrisome is what appeared to be the team's general approach to the game: playing not to lose instead of playing to win. The approach seemed to be counting on Kuemper to play like Superman -- without providing any help for Kuemper -- and hoping for a shot or two to get into the net.
Kuemper was superb again. The three goals weren't his fault, and included deflections and defensive lapses. There was no intensity to the Aeros game while the Griffins came out hitting and attacking and swatting away at will the Aeros piddly attempts at offense. The Aeros trailed 3-0 late in the third before showing some signs of life and scoring late. They even had a chance to tie the game with under 10 seconds on the clock, but it was too little to late.
"I thought we were still in the game,” Torchetti
said. “We didn’t deserve any part of this game, but we were still in the game.”
But sometimes being in the game just isn't good enough.
This was a disappointing game for the fans hoping to see the Aeros win game two and move a step closer to the second round of the playoffs. Instead, the Aeros now find themselves having to win two of three games in Grand Rapids if they're going to advance, and if they're going to prolong the stay of the Aeros in Houston for at least another week or two.
Sunday, April 28, 2013
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14 comments:
The first fifty minutes were incredibly bad, but the last ten minutes... Those were just incredible. The crowd started cheering after the first goal, and standing after the second. It's just a shame the Aeros didn't show up just a little bit sooner; I really think they could have forced it to overtime.
really a shame the team didn't have the effort earlier that was expended the last 7 minutes.
now according to Russo Scandella will probably be recalled with Darcy on standby.
The Mild are really doing everything they can to expedite our departure.
all I can say is Go Aeros and Go Blackhawks.
It continues to amaze me as to what Wild management wants with this team. You have a warm building, soft ice surface and yet Torchetti must be being told to play 7 D with Matt Dumba being that 7th defenseman. That leaves 11 forwards who job is to skate and skate and yet can’t seem to finish. Could it be that the forwards are so tired due to the heat and the shortage of 4 full lines?
If they are going to play 7 D to give the young Mr. Dumba some experience then play the kid. But based on his play, it is clear he is not up to speed with this level of play. Game 1 he maybe saw 3-4 shifts and until Mara went to box for half the 3rd period last night, Dumba maybe played 3 shifts in the first 2 periods of game 2. Add to that the reduced ice time Bagnall is getting and you have 4 remaining defensemen whose job is to be physical and move the puck up the ice. But that is hard to do when the forwards don’t seem to be skating (due to their fatigue) and getting to open areas of the ice…
Clearly this is not a recipe for success.
It will be interesting to see how the team plays in what probably will be a more normal ice surface in a cooler building. I just hope that these guys can win game 3 then it becomes a matter of winning 1 of the 2 remaining games. One game at a time, glass half full…
I knew the Griffs would come out strong and likely would score in the first half of the first period. But ninety seconds in, I knew the Aeros were in serious trouble and could get blown out. Kuemps was the reason why they weren't.
If the guys play more like Friday night, they can easily win 2 of 3 in the furniture capital of the world. Home ice in the playoffs is over-stated.
If they play again like they did Sunday... I'll see you guys at the Skeeters game Saturday. And Houston will have seen its last pro hockey game for what seems to be many, many years to come
:(.....
I see Scandella has, indeed, been recalled and they're ready to recall Darcy, if Harding isn't up to playing. They have all those new million dollar boys and yet they need the Aeros. Guess they'll hold on to Veilleux even though he's not in the published lineup for tomorrow. If we can just hang on until the Blackhawks sweep the Wild we could have our team back together.
Of course out of all playoff teams, the Wild are the only team that has to rely on their AHL team to succeed. They keep calling up our top players. By this time of year should there not be faith with your roster and be past this period of trying to find a right roster. Watch out, next thing they will recall Darcy and really make sure Houston is without hockey.
The biggest thing about these recalls is it shows the vets or big name players really aren't all that significant as people might think, unless of course your name is Kane, Malkin, etc. Just ask the Wild for a few weeks ago they lost to the Calgary "Heat".
Hope the Aero's can pull through, but this really puts doubt in my mind with the current roster losses.Look at last night for example, without Kuempers superb play I would guess the score was 6-2. Here's to hoping I am proved wrong.
Go Aeros!
the actions of the "Mild" are speaking volumes about the management (fletcher).
with all the high priced acquisitions they practically guaranteed deep playoff run.
in my estimation they backed into the playoffs as the jackets should be there instead.
hope the blackhawks sweep them.
if you have to depend on ahl caliber players to succeed in the playoffs you're in deep doo.
go aeros and go blackhawks (and thunder)
I'm fairly certain the Wild won't make it past the first round. If you saw how badly they played Friday you know. Not a very consistent team at all.
I was truly rooting for Colorado Saturday.
I am extremely tired of people saying that they want the wild to lose because they are taking players from Houston. Real fans support their team through the ups and the downs and does not turn their back when they lose. Do I hate to see players go up to the wild, yes i do, BUT I remind myself that these players are getting to live their dreams. How selfish is it when we think that only what we want is allowed and change is unexceptible? I enjoy watching guys like zucker play in the big leagues bescause I can watch him every game I can't do that when he is here. I think most people have forgotten the soul purpose of a farm team, which is to help the major nhl team win and make the playoffs and bring home the cup.
Yes, I'm upset that the aeros are leaving but I don't blame the wild, I blame les Alexander for raising the price to be here and kicking the aeros out.
So tomorrow night when the wild take the ice against the Blackhawks ill be down here in Houston proudly wearing my wild jersey and will be chearing for MY team. TO WIN.
You're a Wild fan. Many of us aren't. I' m a Dallas fan and secondarily a Chicago fan (childhood team). I frankly don't give a flip about the Wild anymore, especially given the events of this month. I just want to see maybe two more pro hockey games in Houston before I die.
That might not happen.
Have to basically agree with Forecheck.
When I grew up there was only the original six which living in Houston only got to see periodically.
I faithfully cheered the Wild on last year and this until the last couple of weeks.
I've never seen an nhl team call up players unless there were dire injuries forcing them to do so.
I'm really surprised they haven't called up Darcy as well to place the dagger in our heart.
Hopefully our guys can persevere and come back home for another round.
Go Aeros
BTW, I expect to live another 30 years or so.... it might take that long to get another AHL team in here. Probably won't happen before Alexander sells off the Rockets.
backstrom hurt during warmups.
unless it's a monumentally swift recovery we're really screwed now.
I agree, Forecheck. The Wild fans could give Houston fans a little break considering the current circumstances. How would they feel if the Wild were leaving to go somewhere else?
I just saw Backstrom get hurt during warmups in Chicago. Looks like Harding is playing and I'll bet anything Darcy will be his way up there and won't be in for a critical game for us tomorrow. Not good for either team.
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