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| Welcome to the Darcy Kuemper Show/photo John Royal |
But nothing compares to the playoff debut of one Darcy Kuemper. Kuemper stopped all 36 shots he faced. Some of the stops were easy, but some of those stops were those that just drop your jaw, shake your head, and wonder did you just see what you just saw. He faced one barrage late in the second period when the Aeros were up only 1-0 and the Griffins were on a 4x3 power play. Kuemper just dealt with the barrage like he was sitting on his porch swatting away some lazy flies just hovering over his head, never breaking a sweat.
Head coach John Torchetti referred to Kuemper's calmness out on the ice and how that just made things easier for the team. And there was a calmness to Kuemper, a stillness. Like a concrete bunker anchored during a hurricane with the action swirling around him.
"He keeps things calm for us," Torchetti said. "He didn’t give a lot of rebounds, which is a big plus for us and makes our job a little bit easier."
Kuemper just kind of shrugged off all of the attention after the game, acting as if it was just another game in the juniors instead of a professional playoff game.
"I played quite a few playoffs games in juniors, a lot of games in juniors," Kuemper said. "I just always try to touch back on those experiences, recall those memories, what went well, what didn’t, and use those to just play my game out there."
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| Darcy Kuemper, just one of the guys /photo John Royal |
Fontaine said he got lucky on his breakaway. But despite his statements, he looked to be in control on the entire play.
"Just kind of flying up the middle, a good look," Fontaine said. "The puck wouldn’t settle down for me, kind of made a move and missed the puck, but it ended up going in. I’ll take that for sure."
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| Justin Fontaine gets lucky/photo John Royal |
"I just want to do my part, especially when I saw the
guys going early there, the way they were playing, I just wanted to do my part
and not let them down," Kuemper said. "Everyone had each other’s backs, and we came away
with game one."
It was fun game to watch. Tense. Lots of hitting. It was playoff hockey at its finest. Here's to a few more of these before the team's run in Houston comes to its unfortunate end. And meanwhile, welcome to a new edition of the Darcy Kuemper Show, it's a wonderful, fantastic thing to witness.
The Aeros are up 1-0 in the series, and host game two on Sunday afternoon at 5:05 before heading back to Grand Rapids for the rest of the series.
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| Paul Mara with a first period hit/photo John Royal |
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11 comments:
I am very much afraid Kuemps will be called up.
He won't be called up. . No point having him sit on the bench for the Wilds potentially last game when he can play down in Houston for experience.
Where was this team wearing green and white during the regular season?
This certainly CAN'T be the same team which from time to time gave us a half-assed "I don't want to get hurt because I might get called up" effort?
And while Kuemps was great, it wasn't just him.
Steph was playing more like a second year pro than a veteran with 10 or so years experience.
Granlund was vying for selection in the next "little ball of hate" competition. Good to see in the minors, he might want reconsider when he lands his full time NHL gig.
Fonzie - perhaps the best skater we've had in the last month or so.
Only one improvement I can see - they need to improve the after the whistle discipline. That last extra roughing we took could have been game changing.
this is really pure b.s.
wild call up zucker and veilleux.
all I can say is go avs and go aeros
Who knows after the stinkier the Wild had last night. Well, if the Wild fall in Colorado tonight we may get some help down here.
What about Veilleux and Zucker? Read that they may be called up in Mike Yeo's desperate attempt to salvage a crappy season.
@FC: yes, didn't include, but Torchetti's one complaint was the team'a play after the whistle, which made them kill a few too many penalties.
Yes Zucker and Veilleux are both in Colorado............that means they, more than likely, not play tomorrow afternoon in Houston.
so the wild get in. big deal.
no goal by kobasew turned the game around.
i'm more thrilled by okc up 3-0
go aeros
Luckily Kuemper showed up the first two periods. Easily could have been out of that game a lot sooner. Save after save. Showed 35 shots, but they do miss a lot so realistically I figure 40-45.
Hopefulyl they can rally off the ending of this game and bring that pace into next game. WHich is a must win!
Go aeros!
Very SLOOOOWWWW start for the Aeros. I felt like they were lathargic to start the game. GR set the tempo and tone of the game from the puck drop. I have a feeling that was the last home game for the Aeros. I can't see them taking two in GR. Nice to see the home crowd give them the SO at the end of the game. I hope the players appreciated it.
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