SB Nation - Jason Krog

Improved Thrashers Depth Evident in AHL and ECHL Rosters

The Falconer — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 14:18:25 -0000

A look at the Chicago Wolves roster shows a jam packed lineup of Atlanta prospects.

Take a look at this list of 10 defensemen on the AHL roster:

Postma
Buckley
Sipotz
Lehman
Vernace
Oystrick
Hunt
Lewis
Kulda
McCarthy

That includes two guys who have played an entire season in the NHL (Oystrick and McCarthy). I remain concerned about the possibility of McCarthy eating up ice time that should go to Postma. Perhaps a minor league trade is in order to clear out some non-prospects (cough Scott Lehman cough).

At forward the Wolves have a lot of choices as well. Here is a hypothetical lineup (entirely my own opinion here):

Brett Sterling-Jason Krog-~~Anthony Stewart~~ Tim Stapleton
Andrew Kozek-Angelo Esposito-Spencer Machacek
Jordan Lavallee-Riley Holzapfel-~~Tim Stapleton~~ Anthony Stewart
Joey Crabb-Kevin Doell-Matt Anderson

Bench Rylan Kaip, Michael Forney, Johnny Pohl, Matt Siddall

Reading between the lines, it sure looks there could be some roster trickle down to the Gladiators this season. The Gladiators roster page has not been updated yet, but Chad Denny and Drew Paris appear to have been sent down already.

2009-10 NHL Season Preview: Vancouver Canucks

Yankee Canuck — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 10:54:41 -0000

Yo coach, bathroom break! Pic via twitchy67.files.wordpress.com

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You've probably noticed the rest of the SBN Hockey crew have been running a month-long series of team previews. If we don't do it, James Mirtle bullwhips us something fierce.

What's nice about Vancouver being second to last alphabetically is it gives us time to prepare (by which we mean wait for the damn roster to be set). But the roster still isn't set, so whatever. We tried.

After the jump we take a look at what to expect from the 2009-10 Vancouver Canucks, including some team strengths and weaknesses, who will be under pressure to produce and why and what defines the official 2009-2010 drinking social where you pound a beverage and then sob quietly to yourself in the corner. It's Canucks hockey after all, you knew the rules before you got here.

Where We've Been (2008-09)
Last summer started off with an airing of grievances from management: firing GM Dave Nonis, replacing him with a player agent with no experience, letting Vigneault toss in the wind for weeks on end and telling Markus Naslund and Brendan Morrison to go piss up a flagpole.

Thus there was a level of uncertainty when the season rolled around, but everything (shockingly) was fine until a certain goalie heard a certain "pop" during a 3-1 win in November against Pittsburgh. With Roberto Luongo down and out with a groin injury for nearly two months, Vancouver tried to stay above water by icing a rookie goalie (Cory Schneider) along with back-up Curtis Sanford and added Mats Sundin to the mix up front in late December.

Sadly there weren't enough biorhythm bracelets on the planet to keep Vancouver from dropping a franchise-worse eight straight games in January. With a little help from Ryan Kesler and Alexandre Burrows, the two sparked some epic production on the first two lines and a healthy Luongo returned allowing the Canucks to run a 34-5-2 record after the January from hell and eke out the Northwest Division crown from Calgary.

The party didn't stop there. Drawing a first round match-up against a Cinderella St. Louis Blues team, Vancouver celebrated their first post season sweep in the modern era. However, that IS where the party stopped. Facing a deeper, faster team in Chicago during the second round, the Canucks couldn't keep pace and were ousted in six games.

Who's In
Mikael Samuelsson, Christian Ehrhoff, Mathieu Schneider, ~~Brad Lukowich~~, Andrew Raycroft (!), Aaron Rome, Tanner Glass, ~~Mark Parrish~~, ~~Dave Scatchard~~, ~~Ronald Petrovicky~~

Who's Out
Mattias Ohlund, Jason Labarbera, Curtis Sanford, Mats Sundin, Taylor Pyatt, Jason Jaffray, Ossi Vaananen, Jason Krog, Mark Cullen, Rob Davison

Opening Night Roster (subject to change if Vigneault gets moody)

Forwards

Daniel Sedin - Henrik Sedin - Alex Burrows

Sergei Shirokov - Ryan Kesler - Mikael Samuelsson

Steve Bernier - Kyle Wellwood - Mason Raymond

Rick Rypien - Ryan Johnson - Darcy Hordichuk

Extras: Pavol Demitra (LITR), Jannik Hansen, ~~Cody Hodgson~~ (sent to juniors)

Defense

Willie Mitchell - Alex Edler

Kevin Bieksa - Christian Ehrhoff

Sami Salo - Shane O'Brien

Extras: Aaron Rome, ~~Brad Lukowich~~ (waived 9/29/09), Mathieu Schneider (LITR)

Goalies

Roberto Luongo

Andrew Raycroft

Team Strengths
1. Goalie - duh. Even if Luongo has another groin "issue", Schneider should be able to get called up and help hold down the fort. Raycroft has to play just north of "absolute travesty" and buy management time to find a Labarbera-type solution if all goes to hell. But let's not be negative; Luongo will play 70+ games again and give them every chance to win, night in and night out.

2. Emerging Talents. The increased offensive tasks given to Alexandre Burrows and Ryan Kesler paid dividends, as both players had career years. I don't know if they can exceed what they did last season, but even if they equal that it would be very beneficial, especially in taking the heat of the Sedins to provide all the offense. Now is the time for Kevin Bieksa and Alexander Edler to strut their stuff with Mattias Ohlund leaving town. I believe Edler especially is going to have a great year. This also depends on how much power play time the new guys like Christian Ehrhoff and Mathieu Schneider get (and perhaps how well Sami Salo's body holds up). I would let Edler step up and not hold him back. He's ready.

Team Weaknesses
1. Bottom six - It's better than it has been in the past, but the bottom six forwards aren't the deepest bunch. Wellwood has shown up in far better shape and it's expected Bernier and Hodgson, Hansen, Shirokov or Raymond will fill out the third line. There's a lot of promise and intrigue in there, but not so much actual production on an NHL scoresheet. Bernier and Wellwood alone will need huge seasons. The fourth line - likely Rypien, Johnson and Hordichuk - provides plenty of muscle and short blocking goodness, but little else. Hordichuk remains a liability on most nights.

2. Size up front. This could be nitpicking on my part, but if you look at the Canucks' depth chart below, there leaves a lot to be desired as far as girth goes. Fortunately, these guys play with tenacity regardless of that.

Go big or Go Home
The pressure is firmly on the Sedins and Luongo now. Gillis did his part this summer by flying out to Sweden to convince the Sedins to stick around and then assembled a more talented defensive crew in front of Luongo before he signed his life away. If Vancouver has any chance of doing real damage in the playoffs, first these three need to lead them there and, once in, have to perform like the All-Stars they are. No more failures at crunch time.

The Missing Piece?
Gillis admitted to coveting Mikael Samuelsson for a long time. So while likely getting a shot to play with the Sedins (or at least bump Burrows out of that slot) he'll also be entrusted with oodles of power play time and, just as important, to impart Stanley Cup wisdom from his time in Detroit to a bunch of guys who have never touched that big silver cup. All of that from a guy that Detroit fans recall fondly as a streaky player with defensive liabilities. I love it when a plan comes together!

There's Less Of You To Love
Three lords of the buffet - Kyle Wellwood, Steve Bernier and Shane O'Brien - had their own individual problems last year, but their weight was one of the biggest (rimshot!). After Gills patiently resigned all three (very patiently with Pudge we must say) he must have left them a post-it note regarding their, um, magnitude of force that must be applied in order to support them in earth's gravitational field. All three seemed to have heeded the boss' decree: Pudge is down 20 pounds, Bernier dropped 15 and SOB is reportedly in the best shape of his life.

From Russia With An Ample Amount of Love
Sergei Shirokov has gone from literally a no name player just a few months ago to reminding people of Pavel Bure (no pressure at all). But for a guy who was locked in obscurity over in the KHL to have such a litigious summer only to land on the shores of Vancouver and blow everyone away with his play is the best feel-good story of the preseason. If he makes the cut, odds are he'll quickly become a fan favorite, forcing people out of their sushi-encrusted lower bowl seats to their feet in a single breakaway. But, if he does make the roster is that bad news for...

Oh Noes Coho
...Mr. Cody Hodgson? The odds-on favorite prospect who had such a sick year last season has stumbled badly out of the gate at the NHL level. First he got injured. Then when he started getting in games the results have been less than inspiring. With the emergence of Shirokov and the strong play of bubble players like Mason Raymond and Jannik Hansen, it's now possible to see Cody getting cut or playing nine NHL games before being returned to juniors (Brampton). 1:45 PM ET Update: That's exactly what happened; Hodgson has been returned to Brampton and is now ineligible to be called back up to the NHL for the rest of the season. Just goes to show ya: it ain't ever easy being a Vancouver Canuck first round draft pick. Just ask Michael Grabner and...

Bitch You're In My Seat
...Cory Schneider. Poor Schneids was picked in the first round back in 2004 and heralded as the goalie of the future. So far he's held his up his end of the bargain, helping the Canucks stay afloat when Luongo was hurt and winning the Aldedge "Baz" Bastien Memorial Award as the best goalie in the AHL last season. But with Luongo's lifetime contract, the question has flipped from "when" to "what" in regards to Schneider. Does he play back up this year so Gillis can show him off? Does Facepalm Raycroft outplay him and force another AHL season down his throat (update: yes, yes he does)? One thing's for certain: sooner or later Cory will be moved.

The Definition Of Wildcard
Rick Rypien has had some trouble staying healthy (and last year dealt with some off-ice issues as well). And now he has "the flu?" But when he's in the line-up, he provides the team with one of the best middle weights in the game on top a forward capable of some highlight reel offense (see defense exhibit A and defense exhibit B). As much of a fan favorite as Ripper has become, he's only played 41 games in four seasons, never eclipsing more than 22 games a season. Will this be the year his body remains intact and, if so, will he become a diamond in the rough type player like Burrows or will he be relied upon solely to make the Zack Stortini's of the world regret life?

Paging Dr. Feelgood
With Mats Sundin over in Europe enjoying married life (do Swedes put herring on the doorknob when they want privacy?) Vancouver elected to find someone even older to help them out: Mathieu Schneider. Father time has spent most of his summer rehabbing his shoulder following surgery at the end of last year and, to little surprise, will start the season on the IR. Joining him on the IR will be the often-injured Pavol Demitra who is recovering from some rotator cuff troubles. Get used to hearing those two names and IR together.

If Sami Salo joins them, that's your official Vancouver Canucks 2009-2010 drinking social. If (when?) all three are out with whatever vague upper or lower body ailments there are, you are hereby obliged to pound a beverage, walk yourself into the corner of the room and sob quietly least you wake the neighbors.

Prediction for 09-10 season
Mike the Yank says - First place in the Northwest, but they'll need to gel as a group quickly and survive the league's longest road trip in the process (puke). The forward ranks are easier on the eyes, I'm loving the injection of youth and the fact Bernier and Wellwood came to camp ready to prove their critics wrong. I also dig our defense will be firing cannons left, right and center and even if a more offensive-minded blueline leads to some defensive lapses, we got 12 more years of "no fucking way" saves courtesy of the captain. But the roster isn't that deep: a key injury here or there will cause some major problems. And a Sedin or Luongo-level injury would be a disaster. If the secondary support from Kesler, Samuelsson, Burrows, Bernier, Demitra et all drys up, they won't keep pace with the elite in the West.

Sean says - A tight battle with the Flames for first spot in the Northwest with Vancouver barely holding the edge. 3rd in the West, possibly 2nd. If Luongo's groin fails him again, all bets are off and I become an alcoholic. Personally, I'm expecting great things from Lou and this team this year. Drop the damned puck already!

See other Vancouver previews from Mirtle, Puck Daddy, TSN, ~~ESPN~~ (just kidding) The Hockey News, and Sportsnet.

Poll

Where will Vancouver finish in the Western Conference for the 2009-2010 season?

1

63 votes

2

135 votes

3

131 votes

4

27 votes

5

16 votes

6

10 votes

7

5 votes

8

4 votes

9

0 votes

10

1 votes

11

1 votes

12

0 votes

13

1 votes

14

0 votes

15

3 votes

397 votes | Poll has closed

ThrashersTraining Camp Job Battles Narrow

The Falconer — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 05:15:17 -0000

After two pre-season games the Thrashers have cut down their camp roster to 37 players who are still in the mix for NHL roster spots. I'm going to assume that these 9 forwards have NHL jobs: Kovalchuk, Kozlov, White, Antropov, Peverley, Little, Armstrong and Reasoner. So what does that leave?

Forwards: 4 starting spots and 1 or 2 bench slots.

Incumbents:

Challengers:

Thoughts: All of the incumbents have at least a one year NHL contracts and I would surprised if they failed to make the final roster. This last summer I wrote about the "myth of the best 4th line" and suggested that the Thrashers could find better players to flesh out the bottom of their forward ranks. But the Thrashers choose to re-sign Slater and Thorburn which indicates they think more favorably about that line than I do. If the incumbent 4th liners are all safe, that really leaves just one active roster spot and one or two bench slots available.

How might this race shake out? Personally, I've seen very little out of Dan Fritsche in practice or exhibition play, the guy looks like he's lost his mojo. Gratton is probably the only person really challenging Boulton for the tough guy slot, but I think the organization values Boulton's locker room presence enough that he keeps his spot. Machacek looks pretty good but he might still benefit from receiving bigger minutes in the AHL. Evander Kane has looked OK in pre-season but hasn't really amazed. I've already laid out the case for returning him to the WHL--the fact that he's not scoring in pre-season could make this decision easier.

That narrows it down to some veterans: Afinogenov, Crabb, Stapleton, Krog. Personally, I find Maxim Afinogenov incredibly frustrating to watch play. He has amazing stick handling skills and good speed but it seems like he rarely turns those attributes into goals. Still if he's willing to sign for a low price, it would be a low risk gamble with some upside potential. My guess is that if Evander Kane goes back to the WHL, Afinogenov might make the NHL roster if the price is right.

The other three guys--Stapleton, Krog and Crabb--are all AHL veterans who are no longer developing as prospects. They are all a bit undersized by NHL standards but have solid puck skills (Krog, Stapleton) or speed (Crabb, Stapleton). If the Thrashers were to keep Afinogenov and bump Peverley to the 3rd line, any one of these AHL veterans could step into 13th forward spot and it would not harm their development as it would a younger kid.

Prediction: My gut instinct is that Coach Anderson will give Jason Krog that 13th forward spot and one more crack at playing in the NHL. Krog and Anderson had some great seasons together in Chicago and if anyone knows what Jason brings to the table--it is Anderson.

Defense

The top four defensemen (Bogosian, Enstrom, Hainsey and Kubina) appear set and that leaves two starting positions and a bench slot up for grabs.

Incumbents

Challengers

I would cross Vernance off the list first. He looked totally out of his league in Nashville and I'm surprised that he survived the most recent round of cuts. I haven't seen Welch in game action, but like Dan Fritsche you have to really look hard to notice him in training camp. I'm a big Grant Lewis supporter, but he's clearly still recovering from his significant knee injury. Postma probably needs a full season in the AHL playing against bigger men.

That leaves 3 incumbents and 2 challengers battling it out for 3 slots. So far Kulda and Popovic both have played well and gotten the attention of Coach Anderson. I would not be surprised if either were on the team opening day. The biggest problem for Kulda is that he can be sent down that gives the Thrashers a quality first call up should injuries strike. With Popovic they have to fish or cut bait soon--which gives him more leverage in some respects.

The real question is who would they knock off? I can't see Valabik going anywhere. His size and physicality are badly needed on this roster. I do think that both Salmela and Oystrick could be vulnerable to losing their spot. Oystrick in particular looked very nervous and rough at times in the Nashville pre-season game. Perhaps, it was just initial nerves but if he continues to struggle in pre-season he could end up on the outside looking in. Salmela was ridiculously non-physical in Nashville allowing opposing forwards to do pretty much whatever they wanted. He can't continue to play like that and hold a NHL D spot.

Summary: If Oystrick and Salmela can play like they did at the end of last season, they should hold off Popovic. The next few games will be crucial.

Goaltender

The incumbent Lehtonen is hurt yet again and his lack of professionalism is irritating a team that needs someone reliable in the nets. The Opening Night starting job is a free for all. Ondrej Pavelec played a very strong game in Tampa on Friday. MacIntyre played a strong period in Nashville. Manny Legace is a NHL pro with a long track record. Johan Hedberg is the sentimental favorite of many, but is under heavy pressure this camp. The Thrashers have a legitimate shot at making the playoffs assuming they get solid goaltending most nights. If Legace looks better than Hedberg, the team would be wise to put keep him, skill not likability must determine this contest.

Expectation: Lehtonen starts the season on IR, with Pavelec and Legace on the opening night roster.

Atlanta Thrashers 2009-2010 Season Preview

The Falconer — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 05:58:40 -0000

More photos » by Gregory Smith - AP

9 months ago: Atlanta Thrashers left wing Ilya Kovalchuk, of Russia, celebrates a Thrashers goal against the Ottawa Senators during the second period of an NHL hockey game at Philips Arena, Saturday, March 28, 2009, in Atlanta. The Thrashers won 6-3. (AP Photo/Gregory Smith)

Browse more photos »

2008-09 Season Recap Recap

It was a tale of two halves for the Thrashers. In the first half they went 13-23-5 and were on pace for 62 points and perhaps the #1 overall draft pick. In the second half, they went 21-18-1 and were on pace of 86 points which would have left them short of the playoffs, but in the hunt. It was a season of getting younger as veterans were traded away and young players stepped up their game. Perhaps, most impressive was how the Thrashers crushed the hopes of many teams hungry for playoff points in March. Down the stretch the Thrashers went 6-2 against playoff bubble teams. Were the Thrashers just "hot" or did they turn a corner last spring? The 2009-10 season will help answer that question.

Who's In

The Thrashers added NHL regulars Nik Antropov (via free agency) and Pavel Kubina (via a trade with Toronto). Two other players (Anssi Salmela and Rich Peverley) were acquired in the 2nd half and will have their first full season in Atlanta. Evander Kane was drafted 4th overall this summer and appears poised to make the roster. NHL veterans Jason Krog, Anthony Stewart, Joey Crabb and Dan Fritsche are in the mix for the final forward spots along with prospects Spencer Machacek, Angelo Esposito, and Jordan LaVallee. Noah Welch and Mark Popovic are battling Nathan Oystrick and Anssi Salmela for the final defense spots.

Who's Out

Eric Perrin was unhappy with his role last season, and after no team claimed him from waivers, he departed for Europe this summer. Rugged Garnet Exelby and Colin Stuart were sent to Toronto in the Kubina trade. Niclas Havelid and Mathieu Schneider were both traded at the deadline. Forward Jason Williams was dealt mid-season and Erik Christensen left at the trade deadline.

(more after the jump)

Team Strengths

This team can score in bunches. Last year the Thrashers finished 9th in Goal Scored--ahead of 8 other playoff teams. The Thrashers power play finished 11th in PP%--which was better than 9 other playoff teams. They scored 257 goals despite the fact that the 1st line severely under performed during the first half. Kovalchuk was passing too much, Jason Williams didn't play Coach Anderson's system and Eric Christensen left his confidence in Pittsburgh. Kovalchuk caught on fire after being named Captain and ripped off a furious 2nd half. Zach Bogosian and Tobias Enstrom thrived while playing with each other after their veteran partners departed. With the swap of Exelby for Kubina and the Nik Antropov replacing the Jason Williams/Rich Peverly combo, I would not be stunned if this team finished in the top 5 in team offense.

The Thrashers defense has more skill than at any point in team history. Each member of the top four can make a good outlet pass. The addition of Kubina greatly upgrades the passing of the 2nd D pairing. Last season, smart teams pressured Hainsey and made him dish over to his partner Exelby who frequently just dumped the puck to center ice. The Thrashers are very likely to establish a new record for points from their defensemen in the coming season.

The Thrasher skaters have been unusually healthy. Star forward Ilya Kovalchuk has proven remarkably durable throughout his NHL career. Even small Thrashers players like Todd White, Rich Peverley and Bryan Little have missed very few games. Zach Bogosian was the only impact skater to miss a signficant amout of time. Are the Thrashers tough or just lucky? Injuries are not completely random events, some players simply have stonger bones and connective tissues which allow them to handle repeated stresses. If the Thrashers continue their healthy ways that will significantly aid their pursuit of the playoffs.

Team Weaknesses

How much better is the defense? Two summers ago the team added Ron Hainsey and cut Alexei Zhitnik and the Thrashers improved from 30th to 29th in the standings. If the addition of Pavel Kubina doesn't have a larger effect than that, the Thrashers season will end bitterly once again. Even if the offense ranks as high as 5th in the NHL, the defense must make major improvements. The biggest defensive problem is the Penalty Kill. Last year the Thrashers allowed 280 goals, nearly 1/3 of those came while short a man. Atlanta's PK was dead last for most of the year, and yet none of the roster additions were top tier PK players on their previous teams--a big source for concern.

What will they get out of Kari Lehtonen? When healthy Lehtonen is above average with moments of brilliance. He receives less help from his defense than many other NHL goaltenders. Backup Johan Hedberg is a great person according to all, but by any statistical measure (even shot quality adjusted SV%) he is far below average in net. The Thrashers really can't afford Lehtonen to miss a full month's worth of games yet again and they can't afford to have Hedberg start 20+ games. You have to wonder when the organization's patience with Lehtonen will be exhausted, the invitation of 6 goalies to NHL Training Camp may suggest that he is running out of time in Atlanta.

Can they play in the other team's end? Last season the Thrashers were one of the smallest teams in the NHL and they really struggled in terms of keeping continuous pressure in the offensive zone. When you look at measures of puck position such as team Corsi numbers and End-of-Shift Faceoffs, it is amazing to think this club finished 9th in goals scored. The Thrashers scored despite their lack of offensive zone puck possession at even strength. In particular, the Thrashers desperately need Kovalchuk's line to spend more time in the offensive zone. Will the addition of huge forward Nik Antropov lead to more sustained shifts in the good end of the ice?

2009 Atlanta Thrashers Organization Depth Chart

Left Wing	Center	Right Wing
Ilya Kovalchuk	Nik Antropov	Bryan Little	1st line
Slava Kozlov	Todd White	Rich Peverley	2nd line
Evander Kane	Marty Reasoner	Colby Armstrong	3rd line
Eric Boulton	Jim Slater	Chris Thorburn	4th line
Joey Crabb	Jason Krog	Anthony Stewart	depth
	Tobias Enstrom	Zach Bogosian	1st pairing
	Ron Hainsey	Pavel Kubina	2nd pairing
	Boris Valabik	Anssi Salmela	3rd paring
	Nathan Oystrick	Mark Popovic	depth

2009-2010 Predictions

Falconer: Jumping from 13th in the East to 8th (last playoff spot) is an enormous task. Can the addition of Antropov, Kubina and Evander Kane make up that gap? Can Zach Bogosian sustain the high level he showed in February and March? Can Coach Anderson motivate his troops to run through walls? The margin for error is small, but the answer is yes. Leave your mid-April calendar open Thrasher fans, golf season will just have to wait this year.

EvilMilkshake: Towards the end of the season, the Thrashers were on a surge that was sure fun to watch. Thing is, I think part of that had to do with the earlier season games and the overall standings in which the opposition approached the latter games like a cakewalk. Too bad for them. This season, the team will need to show consistency not just for a quarter of the season, but all 82 games. Playoffs? Yep, but it'll take health, defense, consistency, and will. In the order of 1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D.

Aaron: To my eyes, this Thrashers season begins and ends with October. One home game, a five game road trip, and the back at home to face the Washington Capitals (twice!!) and the San Jose Sharks. Oh yea, let's not even think about the Ilya Kovalchuk Three Ring Circus & Big Top. The dancing elephants of the press will do their best to remind our boys it's Kovy's contract year. As long as the D can keep the opposing teams' shot count down, our forwards have proven they can find the back of the net. If these guys can prove to themselves they can win, your 2009-2010 Atlanta Thrashers are playoff-bound.

Tim: Our odds of re-signing Ilya Kovalchuk seem pretty good right now. Kovalchuk, Kovalchuk's agent Jay Grossman, and Don Waddell have all gone on the record to say that a deal should get done. This is not Marion Hossa pt. 2. Therefore, I think the biggest question for the Thrashers this year is whether the guys who had breakout years last year (Bryan Little, Rich Peverley, Zach Bogosian, perhaps even Todd White) can continue to play near or above where they were last year. For his part, Little has come to camp faster and stronger than last year with the goal of scoring *more* than 31 goals. I'm going to put our points for the season somewhere between 84 and 95, probably in the 91 or 92 range.

Sure, that may be optimistic, but do you remember how many games we lost in the 2008 - 2009 season during the last 5 minutes of the game? If we had just gone into overtime, we would have come out with ~1.5 points/game rather than 0. There were *many* of those games. If you assume there were 10 games like that (and I think there were more), the extra 15 points would have put the Thrashers at 91 for the season... a playoff bubble team.

So, Thrashers fans, that's where I think we'll be this season. Not a wholly different team, but much less apt to fall apart in the last 5-8 minutes of the game. We're going to be a much more confident team this year.

Another thing to watch: if we do indeed look bound for the playoffs, expect ownership to be willing to spend cash to acquire players at the deadline.

Training Camp Preview: Position Battles Among AHL Veterans

The Falconer — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 02:49:06 -0000

NHL Training Camp is still about six weeks away from beginning and hockey news is rather sparse. So I decided to put together a table that looks at the AHL stats of F, D and G who will fighting it out at camp for NHL jobs. I tried to include everyone who played in the AHL last season or the season before that (Oystrick, Stewart) who is under contract with the Thrashers.

My table does not include Evander Kane or Angelo Esposito who both played junior hockey last year. I did include Rich Peverly and Bryan Little in the table--even though both those guys have locked up a roster spot, I found it interesting to see how their stats compared to other players.

First up we have the Forwards. I have chosen to list them in the order of their age (except for Bryan Little who I added after I listed all the other forwards). Age is extremely important since a 20 or 21 year old player is MUCH more likely to take a dramatic step forward and a guy at age 25 is close to being a physically mature prospect.

Forwards

Player	Age	08-09 NHL Games	08-09 AHL Games	Career NHL Points Per Game	Career AHL Points Per Game	Career NHL Plus/Minus	Career AHL Plus/Minus
Spencer Macheck	20	0	74	.00	.43	0	+8
Riley Holzapfel	20	2	77	N.A.	.60	N.A.	+10
Jordan LaValle	23	2	64	.50	.48	+1	-15
Anthony Stewart	24	59	0	.11	.51	-4	-19
Brett Sterling	25	6	52	.21	1.04	-5	+17
Joey Crabb	26	29	42	.31	.49	-2	+24
Tim Stapleton	26	4	70	.25	1.06	-3	+15
Josh Gratton	26	19	21	.07	.33	-13	+13
Rich Peverley	27	39	27	.49	.95	+16	+14
Jason Krog	33	4	74	.29	1.19	+5	+41
Bryan Little	21	79	0	.53	.74	-7	+1

A few things jump out at me when I look at these numbers. Peverley was very hot in the 2nd half and that led to his NHL plus/minus being better than his AHL numbers--I expect him to come back down to Earth a little bit next season. Riley Holzapfel is two months older than Spencer Macheck, but the younger player has the better statistical profile. Gratton is a fighter who comes from a tough organization (Flyers). I'm all in favor of signing tough guys rather than using a draft pick on one. In my mind there simply isn't enough difference between a NHL and AHL tough guy to merit using a draft pick that could potentially land an impact player.

LaValle's NHL scoring rate is higher than his career AHL scoring rate--and since the AHL rate has a larger sample size it is probably a better indicator of LaVallee's true NHL offensive skill level. I'll be shocked if Jordan keeps up that half a point per game pace. On average AHL players who make the NHL only keep about 45% of their AHL scoring rate when they move up. Crabb and LaVallee head to camp competing for the same checking line job. The stats suggest that LaVallee has more offensive upside than Crabb, but the plus/minus indicates Crabb has the better two way game. (Plus/minus is not good measure of defensive ability--but it is a good measure of Even Strength Goal Differential which is very important to winning hockey games.)

Anthony Stewart is a mixed bag. On the one hand, his AHL scoring rate suggests he has slightly underachieved offensively in the NHL, but his ugly AHL plus/minus numbers suggest he wasn't much of an impact player in the minors. One year Stewart had a bad plus/minus on a weak team, but the other year he finished nearly dead last in plus/minus on a roster where most players were a slight plus.

Four players (Sterling, Peverley, Stapleton and Krog) have all averaged around a point per game in the AHL. That suggests that they all have sufficient NHL puck skills to play at a high level. Of that group, Peverly and Krog have gotten some real opportunities to make the league. Sterling has never really gotten the long audition he should have received in my opinion (such as last year) and Stapleton might also just need an extended NHL trial to prove himself. Peverley has a NHL job, but the other three might earn one out of camp or have a chance to impress with a mid-season injury call up.

Defense

Player	Age	08-09 NHL Games	08-09 NHL Games	NHL Career Points Per Game	AHL Career Points Per Game	NHL Career Plus/Minus	AHL Career Plus/Minus
Arturs Kulda	21	0	57	N.A.	.26	N.A.	+10
Chad Denny	22	0	40	N.A.	.22	N.A.	-2
Boris Valabik	23	50	11	.09	.17	-16	+41
Scott Lehman	23	1	50	.00	.13	0	-8
Grant Lewis	24	1	54	.00	.39	0	+33
Anssi Salmela	26	26	40	.23	.60	+1	-8
Nathan Oystrick	26	53	0	.23	.54	-2	+8
Noah Welch	26	40	7	.12	.48	-4	+25

Kulda was a top defensemen for Chicago all last year. He's the youngest guy on this list. I think he will become a NHL player, it just a question of when. Chad Denny on the other hand struggled to get into the lineup in the AHL and was even tried as a forward--he's yet another example of a string of busted draft picks to come out of the QMJHL (more on that in a future post).

I know some posters on the official boards are down on Valabik--and he is still rather raw in his decision making at times. But he is still just 23 with some time to take another big step forward. Lehman on the other struggled to suit up in the AHL last year is simply not a very good player. Lewis is 24 but injuries have cost him a year of development, I thought he looked fine in his one NHL game last year.

Salmela, Oystrick and Welch are all fighting for the last few defenseman roster spots and none of them can be considered prospects anymore at they are 26 now. All three players averaged roughly half a point per game in the AHL at age 25 or 26. None are considered outstanding defenders but all three fit into Coach Anderson's offensive minded system and have the puck skills necessary to play with NHL level forwards. Whether they have the hockey IQ or the defensive skills to hang with NHL forwards is the big unknown.

Goalies

Player	Age	08-09 NHL Games Played	08-09 AHL Games Played	Career NHL Save %	Career AHL Save %	Career NHL Goals Against Average	Career AHL Goals Against Average
Ondrej Pavelec	21	12	40	.890	.912	3.42	2.69
Peter Mannino	25	0	50	.885	.900	4.51	2.94
Drew MacIntyre	26	3	34	.864	.918	2.95	2.36

None of the three AHL Veteran goalies have really torn it up at the NHL level. Pavelec has the major advantage of being just 21 at a position where many goalie don't hit their stride until their mid 20s. He has already put up a career AHL SV% close that of MacIntyre who is 5 years older than him.

Conclusion

It is far too early to try and figure out who will win those last roster spots coming out of camp. However, it is August and this is a blog. So let's imagine one of you kidnapped my cat and forced me to make a prediction about the NHL Opening Roster--my guesstimate appears below.

I suspect the competition for the last two forward spots is going to be just brutal. I can imagine LaValle or Crabb sneaking in under the wire too. I'm guessing Evander Kane goes back to the WHL, he might get into a few NHL games. This also assumes no waiver wire pick ups as well. Among the unknowns there is also training camp injuries which often open up a spot.

F1 Kovalchuk-White-Antropov

F2 Kozlov-Peverley-Little

F3 Macheck-Reasoner-Armstrong

F4 Boulton-Slater-Thorburn

D1 Enstrom-Bogosian

D2 Hainsey-Kubina

D3 Valabik-Oystrick

G1 Lehtonen-Pavelec

Bench: Stewart, Hedberg, Salmela

Grading Gillis A Week Later

Yankee Canuck — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 20:32:43 -0000

It sure felt like July 1st was long ago, but it's only been a week since the drama with the Sedins came down to the wire and we said goodbye to Mattias Ohlund as he hit the moneytrail. At the end of relatively quiet first day for Vancouver, the majority of you crazy kids graded papa bear's moves with a B- or C+ depending on your outlook.

Six days later Vancouver has added and lost some more humanity and subsequently ran their cap almost into the ceiling with these guys:

In: Daniel Sedin, Henrik Sedin, Aaron Rome, Nolan Baumgartner, Lawrence Nycholat, Matt Pope, Tanner Glass, Michael Funk, Shane O'Brien, Andrew Raycroft

Out: Mattias Ohlund, Jason Labarbera, Jason Jaffray, Jason Krog

It would appear Gillis isn't done yet but, for now, here are you defending Northwest Division champions:

So if last week, you gave Gillis decent marks for keeping the Sedins before they became Maple Leafs, how would you grade him now given the new guys, the cap issues and the remaining holes on the team?

Poll

Grade the GM's moves one week into free agency.

A - Keep reeling in those Swedes Mikey.

21 votes

B - Slow and steady wins the race.

155 votes

C - Meh, they look the same to me.

95 votes

D - Raycroft is not a serious answer. For anything. Ever.

27 votes

F - So these white towels are to be waved for surrender right?

12 votes

310 votes | Poll has closed

2009 NHL Free Agency / Teams by Cap Space / Unsigned UFA's and RFA's

Robert L — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 19:19:41 -0000

This is a listing of NHL teams by order of remaining cap space as of July 4. The Islanders top the list with approximately $23M left to spend. The Sharks have just under $2M remaining. The list is helpful in determining which team are closest to filling out their 2009-10 lineup. As one can see, there is much work to be done at both ends of the spectrum. The numbers figures are based on totals given by NHL Numbers.com.

1 - New York Islanders: $23.265 (18)

UFA: Andy Hilbert C 28, Dean McAmmond C 36, Mike Sillinger C 38, Thomas Pock D 27, Yann Danis G 28, Joey MacDonald G 29.

RFA: Nate Thompson C 24, Jeremy Colliton C 24, Jamie Fraser D 23, Jack Hillen D 23.

2 - Phoenix Coyotes: $21.972 (18)

UFA: Brian McGrattan R 27, Dmitri Kalinin D 29, Ken Klee D 38.

RFA: Nigel Dawes L 24, Joakim Lindstrom C 25, Enver Lisin R 23, Scottie Upshall R 25, Daniel Winnik C 24, Keith Yandle D 22.

3 - Atlanta Thrashers: $19.599 (15)

RFA: Eric Perrin C 33.

UFA: Kari Lehtonen G 25, Colby Armstrong R 26, Jim Slater C 26, Boris Valabik D 23.

4 - Nashville Predators: $17.913 (16)

UFA: Radek Bonk C 33, Scott Nichol C 34, Greg de Vries D 36.

RFA: Ryan Jones R 25, Antti Pihlstrom L 24,.

5 - New York Rangers: $16.436 (13)

UFA: Blair Betts C 29, Mark Bell L 28, Patrick Rissmiller C 30, Paul Mara D 29, Derek Morris D 30.

RFA: Christopher Higgins R 26, Ryan Callahan R 24, Brandon Dubinsky C 23, Lauri Korpikoski L 22, Nikolai Zherdev L 24, Corey Potter D 25.

6 - Anaheim Ducks: $14.295 (17)

UFA: Rob Niedermayer F 34, Todd Marchant C 33, Francois Beauchemin D 29, Bret Hedican D 38.

RFA: James Wisniewski D 25.

7 - Tampa Bay Lightning: $14.295 (17)

UFA: Matt Pettinger L 28, Wade Brookbank L 31, Jason Ward R 30, Marek Malik D 34, Josef Melichar D 30, Cory Murphy D 31, Noah Welch D 26.

RFA: Martins Karsums R 23, Radek Smolenak L 22, Matt Lashoff D 22, Matt Smaby D 24, Mike Lundin D 24, Karri Ramo G 22, Mike McKenna G 26.

8 - Columbus Blue Jackets: $13.313 (20)

UFA: Chris Gratton C 33, Manny Malhotra C 29, Michael Peca C 35, Jason Williams C 28, Christian Backman D 29.

RFA: Jiri Novotny C 25, Marc Methot D 24, Ole-Kristian Tollefsen D 25.

9 - Dallas Stars: $13.193 (19)

UFA: Sergei Zubov D 38, Brendan Morrison C 33, Joel Lundqvist C 27, Mark Parrish R 32, Landon Wilson R 34, Tobias Stephan G 25, Darryl Sydor D 37.

RFA: Mark Fistric D 23.

10 - St. Louis Blues: $12.295 (22)

UFA: Trent Whitfield C 32, Dan Hinote R 32, Jay McKee D 31, Manny Legace G 36.

RFA: Brandon Crombeen R 23, Chris Porter C 25, Steve Regier L 24, Roman Polak D 23, Jeff Woywitka D 25, Marek Schwarz G 23.

11 - New Jersey Devils: $12.129

UFA: Brendan Shanahan L 40, Kevin Weekes G 34, Niclas Havelid D NJ.

RFA: Travis Zajac C 24.

12 - Toronto Maple Leafs: $12.022 (20)

UFA: Brad May L 37, Bates Battaglia L 33, Andre Deveaux C 25, Boyd Devereaux C 31, Jeff Hamilton C 31, Kris Newbury C 27, Ben Ondrus R 27, Jay Harrison D 26, Jamie Heward D 38, Martin Gerber G 34, Olaf Kolzig G 39, Curtis Joseph G 42.

RFA: Jeremy Williams R 25, Justin Pogge G 23, Jaime Sifers D 26, Ryan Hollweg C 26.

13 - Chicago Blackhawks: $11.797

UFA: Aaron Johnson D 26.

RFA: Cam Barker D 23, Troy Brouwer R 23, Ben Eager L 25, Colin Fraser C 24, Kris Versteeg R 23.

14 - Colorado Avalanche: $11.654 (15)

UFA: Joe Sakic F 39, Ben Guite R 30, Brian Willsie R 31, Andrew Raycroft G 29.

RFA: Kyle Cumiskey D 22, David Jones R 24, Cody McCormick C 26.

15 - Montreal Canadiens: $10.454 (16)

UFA: Alexei Kovalev F 36, Saku Koivu C 34, Alex Tanguay L 29, Robert Lang C 38, Mathieu Schneider D 40, Tom Kostopoulos R 30, Mathieu Dandenault D 33, Patrice Brisebois D 38, Francis Bouillon D 33, Marc Denis G 31.

RFA: Tomas Plekanec C 26, Matt D'Agostini R 22, Guillaume Latendresse R 22, Kyle Chipchura C 23, Gregory Stewart L 23.

16 - Los Angeles Kings: $10.285 (21)

UFA: Derek Armstrong F 36, Denis Gauthier D 32, Kyle Calder L 30.

RFA: Jack Johnson D 22, Teddy Purcell R 23.

17 - Washington Capitals: $9.720 (15)

UFA: Viktor Kozlov C 34, Alexandre Giroux C 28, Bryan Helmer D 26, Brent Johnson G 32.

RFA: Jeff Schultz D 23, Shaone Morrisonn D 26, Milan Jurcina D 26, Eric Fehr R 23, Boyd Gordon R 25.

18 - Buffalo Sabres: $8.976 (16)

UFA: Matt Ellis L 24, Dominic Moore C 28, Andrew Peters L 29, Teppo Numminen D 40, Maxim Afinogeno F 29,

RFA: Andrej Sekera D 23, Drew Stafford R 23, Clarke MacArthur L 24, Patrick Kaleta R 23.

19 - Florida Panthers: $8.405 (18)

UFA: Ville Peltonen L 36, Richard Zednik L 33, Jassen Cullimore D 36, Nick Boynton D 30.

RFA: Anthony Stewart C 24, Steve Eminger D 25, Tanner Glass L 25.

20 - Carolina Hurricanes: $8.083 (18)

UFA: Ryan Bayda L 28, Dennis Seidenberg D 27.

RFA: Tuomo Ruutu C 26, Anton Babchuk D 25.

21 - Vancouver Canucks: $7.282 (18)

UFA: Mats Sundin C 38, Jason Krog C 33, Rob Davison D 29, Ossi Vaananen D 28, Curtis Sanford G 29, Michel Ouellet R 27.

RFA: Shane O' Brien D 25. Kyle Wellwood C 26, Jannik Hansen R 23.

22 - Minnesota Wild: $6.296 (20)

UFA: Stephane Veilleux L 27, Krys Kolanos C 27, Marc-Andre Bergeron D 28, Kurtis Foster D 27, Martin Skoula D 29.

RFA: Dan Fritsche C 23, Benoit Pouliot L 22, Kyle Brodziak C 25, Josh Harding G 25.

23 - Edmonton Oilers: $6.404 (20)

UFA: Ales Kotalik R 30, Dany Sabourin G 28.

RFA: Liam Reddox L 23, Gilbert Brule C 22, Ryan Potulny C 24, Rob Schremp C 22, Denis Grebeshkov D 25, Ladislav Smid D 23.

24 - Detroit Red Wings: $5.554 (16)

UFA: Darren McCarty R 37, Aaron Downey R 34, Chris Chelios D 47.

RFA: Jiri Hudler C 25, Ville Leino L 25.

25 - Boston Bruins: $5.340 (18)

UFA: Stephane Yelle F 35, P.J. Axelsson L 34, Manny Fernandez G 34.

RFA: Phil Kessel F 21, Matt Hunwick D 24.

26 - Ottawa Senators: $4.649 (22)

UFA: Mike Comrie C 28.

RFA: Brendan Bell D 26, Brian Elliott G 24.

27 - Pittsburgh Penguins: $3.137 (19)

UFA: Mike Zigomanis C 28, James Connor L 26, Miroslav Satan L 34, Petr Sykora R 32, Janne Pesonen L 27, Philippe Boucher D 36.

RFA: Paul Bissonnette R 24, Tim Wallace R 24, Ben Lovejoy D 25, John Curry G 25.

28 - Calgary Flames: $3.053 (19)

UFA: Todd Bertuzzi R 34, Andre Roy R 34, Rhett Warrener D 33.

RFA: Dustin Boyd C 22.

29 - Philadelphia Flyers: $2.125 (20)

UFA: Josh Gratton L 26, Boyd Kane L 31, Andrew Alberts D 28, Lasse Kukkonen D 27, Martin Biron G 31, Antero Niittymaki G 29.

RFA: Jared Ross C 26, Danny Syvret D 24.

30 - San Jose Sharks: $1.774 (16)

UFA: Claude Lemieux R 43, Jeremy Roenick C 39, Tom Cavanagh R 27, Alexei Semenov D 28, Mike Grier R 34, Marcel Goc C 25, Tomas Plihal L 26, Lukas Kaspar L 23.

RFA: Torrey Mitchell C 24, Thomas Greiss G 23, Brad Staubitz R 24.

2009 Free Agency: Where the Canucks stand

Yankee Canuck — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:32:11 -0000

Two days until the summer Christmas and things are bound to pick up quickly. How Vancouver looks now could be pretty damn different in just 72 hours.

After the jump is a cheat sheet for you and, if you're incredibly motivated, I suggest the salary cap calculator for all of your hypothetical GM'ing needs.

Pending UFAs: Nolan Baumgartner, Jeff Cowan, Mark Cullen, Rob Davison, Jason Jaffray, Jason Krog, Jason Labarbera, Mattias Ohlund, Michel Ouellet, Taylor Pyatt, Curtis Sanford, Daniel Sedin, Henrik Sedin, Mats Sundin and Ossi Vaananen. Not sure who is returning but it's basically a given that Ohlund is out.

Pending RFAs: Patrick Coulombe, Julien Ellis-Plante, Zach Fitzgerald, Jannik Hansen, Nathan McIver, Shane O'Brien, and Kyle Wellwood. The latter four have the best chances to be resigned to modest increases. Coulombe and Fitzgerald may find employment elsewhere, but Vancouver needs all the blueline help it can find.

Salary cap space: Roughly $23 million.

Projected budget: $56.8 million. Aquilini will likely let Gillis spend to the cap limit.

Key needs: Where to begin? If the Sedins return, who is this year's Mats Sundin for the second line? And the third line needs a replacement for Pyatt if no one from Manitoba steps up. Alternatively, if the Sedins bolt, they basically need an entire line of offense via free agency, trades or call ups. On the blueline, who replaces Ohlund and who is injury insurance are the biggest concerns. Lastly, does Luongo sign an extension or should we ready ourselves for months of Luongo rumors? Wait, that already happened. In addition, the captain needs a back-up as Sanford is likely out and Labarbera could follow. Including Luongo, both Ryan Kesler and Willie Mitchell are entering their contract years.

Potential targets: The Sedins are the X factor. If they stay, I can see a run at maybe one high end forward like Mike Cammalleri, Brian Gionta, Martin Havlat, Marian Gaborik or Alex Tanguay. Middle range guys like Kyle Calder or Erik Cole could be targeted as well. Cheaper pivot options like Nik Antropov (though not at $5 million per), Manny Malhotra or Samuel Pahlsson could work on the second line at the right price. On defense, you'll hear rumblings about Scott Niedermayer but maybe (hopefully?) a stronger run will be made for Francois Beauchemin, Marc-Andre Bergeron, Paul Mara or maybe Michael Komisarek. Behind Luongo should be Labarbera, but Stephen Valiquette would definitely work too.

Now, if the Sedins leave? I have no idea what management does then but I assume they target everyone under the sun who can stand upright and hold a stick. So that includes you and me. Happy Monday!

What our rivals want: Colorado is looking to inject some respect back into their franchise (and Matt Duchene will be clutch for them there). Ditto Edmonton who needs a new goalie and perhaps another star forward up front. The Wild may lose Gaborik but are rumored to be in the running for a host of other big names including the Sedins. Calgary needs to move more humanity to ink Bouwmeester which, if done before Wednesday, may bring up interesting questions about Dion Phaneuf's future in the city.

Check out Hockey Wilderness, Matchsticks and Gasoline, Copper and Blue and Mile High Hockey for more on the other Northwest squads.

Calder Cup Final Game 3: Bears 3 Moose 0 (Final) Bears Lead Series 2-1

Sean Zandberg — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 23:09:46 -0000

PERIOD 1

The Moose look timid to start the game, and the Bears are taking advantage of it. Good thing Cory Schneider is making save after save. Over 6:00 in and the Moose are being outshot 6-0. Then Shaun Heshka takes a penalty. 8 seconds into the Bears' PP Graham Mink scores with a screened shot. 1-0 Hershey.

At least that woke up the Moose. Now they are picking it up, but Michael Neuvirth is robbing them.

BAM BAM BAM. Huge hits out there, especially from the Moose. Wow. The Bears' play by play guy is calling out the refs badly. Hilarious. Doesn't like seeing his team get beat up. The Moose got a power play as a result of their aggressive play but hardly generated a decent scoring chance.

Not the start the Moose wanted. They were talking before the game how they wanted to score first and keep it close. Now they have to score the next goal.

Shots are 10-10 after 1 period.

PERIOD 2

The Bears were dictating the play to start the 2nd period, but then took 2 consecutive penalties, putting the Moose up 2 men. The Bears masterfully killed that off, blocking most of the shots and covering up well in front of Neuvirth.

Moments later, with 10:22 left in the 2nd, Moose player Zach Fitzgerald and bango, Claude Giroux wires a one-timer under the cross bar to make it 2-0 Bears. 2 PP chances, 2 PP goals for Hershey. This is the first time the Bears have had a 2-goal lead in the series. Poor Schneider, he's playing so well, and had absolutely stoned Giroux earlier in the period while laying on his face.

The Moose started pressuring in the latter stages of the 2nd, but the chances were mostly half-assed and Neuvirth stoped all the rest. This is not a good game by the Moose.

Shots in the 2nd Period: Moose 8 Bears 7.

PERIOD 3

The Bears are shutting the Moose down completely. They have better foot speed and have looked like the hungrier team for about 90% of the time tonight. Sure, Michael Neuvirth gets a lot of credit for stoning the Moose on occasion, but it is more of a team effort from the Bears.

Empty net goal by Quintin Laing and the Bears take this one 3-0. What a general lack of effort and chemistry from Manitoba.

Shots in the 3rd: Bears 6 Moose 4

Overall: Bears 23 Moose 22

The Bears were 2 for 3 on the PP. The Moose went 0 for 5.

BOXSCORE

Next game is tomorrow night.

Calder Cup Final Game 2: Moose 3 Bears 1: Final

Sean Zandberg — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 22:50:19 -0000

This is nearly a must-win for Manitoba, as games 3, 4 and 5 will all be played in Hershey. Lame format.

The Moose talked after game 1 about what they need to change. Not blowing a 3-1 lead would be a great start. Gad, it runs in the Canucks family doesn't it?

I'll recap every period as per usual.

Go Moose!

PERIOD 1

Bah! I worked late and missed the majority of the 1st period. I did hear the guys say that the Moose gave up 2 breakaways at one point in the period and the usual suspect, Alexandre Giroux made the Moose pay. 1-0 Bears after 1.

Shots after 1: Bears 10 Moose 8

PERIOD 2

The Bears were all over the Moose to start the 2nd, to the point of the fans booing the home team. But when they got a powerplay they finally applied pressure, and Jason Jaffray tied the game 1-1, with assists going to Michael Grabner and Nolan Baumgartner.

What a difference that goal made for the Moose. They stole all of the momentum after that, outshooting the Bears 14-4 in the second, but were halted by the great goaltending of Bears' goalie Michael Neuvirth. The Moose are on fire, but we'll see if they can bag the winner on Neuvirth in the 3rd.

PERIOD 3

DAMN YOU, PENGUINS! anyway...

The 3rd period was played a lot more tight by both teams, even though towards the end of the 3rd the Bears had got more shots through (14-7 advantage) but nothing too serious. With 47 seconds left in the 3rd, and OT seeming inevitable, Jason Jaffray barrells down the left side and wires a shot past Neuvirth. 2-1 Moose!

The Bears are forced to pull their goalie but seconds later Jaffray scores into the open net. A hatty for Jaffray! Beauty. Series tied 1-1. Great to see one of my faves in Jaffray have a game like that.

BOXSCORE