Showing posts with label Tyler Cuma. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tyler Cuma. Show all posts
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Say What?
Late in the third period tonight, there was a little dust-up between the Griffins Joakim Andersson and Tyler Cuma. And that leads to what has to be one of my favorite photos ever as Cuma tells Andersson to speak a little louder.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Some Game Photos
I haven't done much with the photos this season, but I went down and took a few this afternoon and I thought I would share. So...
This first picture is of Tyler Cuma pushing the puck up the ice. Coach John Torchetti wasn't too happy with the D play today. He wants them pushing the puck up the ice. He wasn't happy with what they were doing with the puck, though. He doesn't want them acting as shooters. He wants them to put the puck on the net and let what happens happen. A d-man shooting the puck for a goal goes high, and he doesn't want the puck going high. He wants the rebound.
Here's a shot of Matt Kassian trying to get to some clear space on the ice.
Here is the result of one of the teams's scoring attempts in the second period. Which means there was no goal scored on this play.
This is Joey Martin, one of the new kids who has arrived in the past week or so due to the injuries in both Houston and Minnesota. Torchetti singled him out during our post-game presser and was very, very complimentary.
And here's Carson McMillan, one of the walking wounded who has just returned to play.
This first picture is of Tyler Cuma pushing the puck up the ice. Coach John Torchetti wasn't too happy with the D play today. He wants them pushing the puck up the ice. He wasn't happy with what they were doing with the puck, though. He doesn't want them acting as shooters. He wants them to put the puck on the net and let what happens happen. A d-man shooting the puck for a goal goes high, and he doesn't want the puck going high. He wants the rebound.
Here's a shot of Matt Kassian trying to get to some clear space on the ice.
Here is the result of one of the teams's scoring attempts in the second period. Which means there was no goal scored on this play.
This is Joey Martin, one of the new kids who has arrived in the past week or so due to the injuries in both Houston and Minnesota. Torchetti singled him out during our post-game presser and was very, very complimentary.
And here's Carson McMillan, one of the walking wounded who has just returned to play.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Good lord, boys, get back to Texas
Hopefully you were able to watch the game today online, or followed along with T3I on Twitter, because if you did, you are all set to appreciate how infrequent games like this 3-1 loss to Peoria really are for this squad.
This was the worst game I've seen them play at least since the new year. All that great puck possession, winning battles, compete-compete-compete.... none of those were there in any useful amount today. They looked like--god forbid--last season's Aeros. Apart from maybe 3 or 4 shifts where they looked like the Aeros you and I know, it was just sloppy hockey.
Nate Prosser talked to media after the game and said he didn't think it was nerves rattling the boys, but Yeo was pretty definitive in his opinion that it was. I tend to agree with Yeo, or I should say, both of them. Even if there weren't more conscious nerves than they usually get before games, they just seemed to be trying too hard to be pretty all game and losing battles all game long.
But I wouldn't be at all surprised if they were a bit worn out, both mentally and physically. I can imagine the attention and busy schedule for the guys when they're in Minny for such a short time is challenging, especially at the end of a road trip. And Prosser said he, Rau and Palmer, all Minnesota boys, were particularly innundated with interviews and, I'm sure family and whatnot. Lots to cram into 2 days.
I don't see this game as a big deal though. This team has proven what it can do over and over again at this point. They'll be fine when they get back in their regular routine. I think they know that, too. Prosser seemed very at ease and in good spirits after the game and knowing the character of the team, I'd guess that's the vibe in the rest of the room.
The only thing that should leave anybody with a lasting heavy heart is the awful-looking injury to defenseman Tyler Cuma. Russo is reporting tonight that he tore his ACL and will have to undergo reconstructive surgery. Out 6 months.
It was an awful looking thing, too. Here's a pic of him after taking a shoulder, going airborne, and then basically just falling in a heap to the ice. His upper body was moving so you knew it wasn't head or anything. But he was deliberately not moving his legs.
If you'd seen the Kurtis Foster broken femur incident a few years ago, I defy you to watch the Cuma injury and not think of that. It was almost as gut wrenching.
I'm not a crier but I had to fight back tears. Not only because I feel all maternal about these young guys, but also because, as Yeo said, Cuma in particular has had so much adversity due to injuries in his short career, was coming along really well, and now this.
You just hate to see it. And it's not like he plays a recklessly physical style. He's just a good, solid, stay at home d-man. With terrible, terrible luck.
And while I'm on pictures, here's a shot of the lone Aeros goal scorer today, Cody Almond. Houston had 7 power play chances, including two 5-on-3 chances, and that was the only conversion.
The PP was a total mess at times (allowing one shorthanded goal), but it was just a carry-over from the rest of the game. All the regular offensive guys looked like they were playing with the wrong sticks or were afraid of getting hurt (even before Cuma was injured).
It wasn't any chippier than usual against Peoria, but there was a fight early on between Kassian and Peluso. They're so similarly sized, though, that neither could get much traction on the other. I'd say Kassian landed more clean blows, plus he's ours, so he earned the win.
Lastly (there will be more photos later), here's a pic of some Aeros fans (comment if it's you!) riding the... whatever that thing is... during intermission. I hope everybody who came up had a great time, even if the game didn't turn out so hot. At least the Wild game the night before was great fun and the girls got to swoon over Ben Bishop's stretching. That boy is a tall drink of bendy.... mercy.
This was the worst game I've seen them play at least since the new year. All that great puck possession, winning battles, compete-compete-compete.... none of those were there in any useful amount today. They looked like--god forbid--last season's Aeros. Apart from maybe 3 or 4 shifts where they looked like the Aeros you and I know, it was just sloppy hockey.
Nate Prosser talked to media after the game and said he didn't think it was nerves rattling the boys, but Yeo was pretty definitive in his opinion that it was. I tend to agree with Yeo, or I should say, both of them. Even if there weren't more conscious nerves than they usually get before games, they just seemed to be trying too hard to be pretty all game and losing battles all game long.
But I wouldn't be at all surprised if they were a bit worn out, both mentally and physically. I can imagine the attention and busy schedule for the guys when they're in Minny for such a short time is challenging, especially at the end of a road trip. And Prosser said he, Rau and Palmer, all Minnesota boys, were particularly innundated with interviews and, I'm sure family and whatnot. Lots to cram into 2 days.
I don't see this game as a big deal though. This team has proven what it can do over and over again at this point. They'll be fine when they get back in their regular routine. I think they know that, too. Prosser seemed very at ease and in good spirits after the game and knowing the character of the team, I'd guess that's the vibe in the rest of the room.
The only thing that should leave anybody with a lasting heavy heart is the awful-looking injury to defenseman Tyler Cuma. Russo is reporting tonight that he tore his ACL and will have to undergo reconstructive surgery. Out 6 months.
It was an awful looking thing, too. Here's a pic of him after taking a shoulder, going airborne, and then basically just falling in a heap to the ice. His upper body was moving so you knew it wasn't head or anything. But he was deliberately not moving his legs.
 |
| Tyler Cuma takes a hit and ends his season. Photo by Chris Jerina |
I'm not a crier but I had to fight back tears. Not only because I feel all maternal about these young guys, but also because, as Yeo said, Cuma in particular has had so much adversity due to injuries in his short career, was coming along really well, and now this.
You just hate to see it. And it's not like he plays a recklessly physical style. He's just a good, solid, stay at home d-man. With terrible, terrible luck.
And while I'm on pictures, here's a shot of the lone Aeros goal scorer today, Cody Almond. Houston had 7 power play chances, including two 5-on-3 chances, and that was the only conversion.
 |
| Cody Almond, goal scorer. Photo by Chris Jerina |
It wasn't any chippier than usual against Peoria, but there was a fight early on between Kassian and Peluso. They're so similarly sized, though, that neither could get much traction on the other. I'd say Kassian landed more clean blows, plus he's ours, so he earned the win.
 |
| Big Matt Kassian lands a punch on big Anthony Peluso. Photo by Chris Jerina |
 |
| People you may know riding a hollowed out Zamboni. Photo by Chris "Boom Boom" Jerina |
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Meet Your 2010-11 Aeros: Tyler Cuma
 |
| THE CANADIAN PRESS/Fred Chartrand |
Born: January 19, 1990 (age 20)
Bowmanville, ON
6 ft 2 in
193 lb
Defense
Shoots Left
The Wild picked Cuma 23rd overall in the first round of the 2008 entry draft. He had an amazing training camp that season in Minnesota and even the most cynical Wild fans were absolutely swooning at his poise and maturity for a skinny 18 year old kid.
Statements like, "He was the best defenseman on the ice" weren't uncommon, and on top of that, he was a good talker to the media. Very mature, very focused. Bring that one home to mama.
But then the wheels fell off: He suffered a serious knee injury that December and missed most of the rest of the season. He came back last season, but seemingly didn't return to the previous year's dominance, coming up 10 points shy of his 2007-08 stats. Plus, he missed the World Junior championships both years (first for injury, then didn't make the final team cut in 2010). Wild fans seemed to collectively say, "Uh oh. What happened to Cuma?"
Nothing is wrong with Cuma. And from what I hear, even as a rookie, the Aeros would be lucky to have him on the roster. I would not expect him to put up much in the way of numbers for a while as he focuses on the defensive end of his craft at the pro level. But I anticipate a kid who is big and steady and smart with the puck pretty much right out of the gate.
Here's an interview that I'd say is Essential Reading if you want to know where Cuma's head is at (short answer: Squarely on his shoulders) as he heads into the season.
And any d-man who will defend a nasty run on his goalie is a d-man I can like:
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