Thursday Blogging

Due to my computer crashing with a nasty virus, (probably H1N1) I did not blog after the Seattle - Red Deer game on Tuesday. Here are some thoughts on Red Deer's 4-3 shootout win.

First , the summary:


1. R.D Green, (5) (Coetzee, Kudrna), 7:46
1. R.D Borejko, (1) (Nugent-Hopkins), 18:53

2. SEA Jacobs, (4) (Rouse, Ramsay), 8:14
2. SEA Nielsen, (1) (Rai, Parker), 13:45
2. SEA Parker, (6) (Chaffin, Elliot), 14:55

3. R.D Green, (6) (Coetzee, Morin), 18:46 (PP)


Shootout - RD 1/3 (Coetzee) SEA 0/3

-Rebels get off to a great start in the first. With the way SEA has struggled to score goals, a 2-0 lead was a nice cushion to have after one. Noone told the T-Birds that though, as they roared back with three straight in the second.

-In the third, the Rebs had all kinds of pressure, but when you only give yourself 20 minutes for a comeback, you take a risk of the other goaltender stealing a game, and Calvin Pickard almost did just that. He made 39 saves, finally surrendering a goal to Green with 1:14 to go. Pickard is the best goaltender I have seen in the WHL this year.

-RD's Kraymer Barnstable made his first home start, and was very good, especially in OT and the shootout. I wouldn's be surprised to see him start once over the weekend.

-With his two assists (he had a dissallowed goal as well) Willie Coetzee has 26 points in 15 games, second in the league behind CGY's Brandon Kozun

-Landon Ferraro is getting very close to a return. We MAY see him Friday night. He's been skating all week.

-The 4-3 shootout win was the first time all season that Red Deer has gone to overtime.

-the win moves the Rebels to 7-8, good for 14 points, all alone in 4th in the Central Division. If the playoffs started today, Red Deer would be 9th in the East, on the outside looking in.

-Rebels take on Med Hat Friday night, and Everett Saturday.
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In the last post, I wrote about the arrest of Red Deer boxer Cam O'Connell. Here are some additional thoughts I penned for the Red Deer Express


http://www.reddeerexpress.com/article/20091028/EXP1101/310289980/-1/EXP11/boxing-club-faces-tough-test-following-oconnell-arrest

-The Western Canada U16 Challenge begins this afternoon in Blackfalds. the four-day tourney features the best 15 year-old players from the four Western provinces. Manitoba and Saskatchewan face off at 4 p.m., while Alberta takes on B.C. at 7 p.m.

Playing for Team Alberta - Rebels Bantam Draft selections Matt Dumba, Mason Burr, Joel Hamilton, and Davin Stener. In addition, the three players who were selected ahead of Dumba in the first round are playing as well:

Dereck Pouliot - first overall - SK
Morgan Reilly - second overall - SK
Griffin Reinhardt - third overall - BC


-Former Rebel Martin Hanzal (85 points in 58 games back in 2006-07) scored his first of the season in a 4-1 Pheonix win over Columbus. Hanzal, with his strong skating, 6'5'' frame, and long reach, has been used in an increasing shutdown-defensive role, and Coyotes broadcaster Darren Pang told me last year, "I think he can win a Selke in the coming years".

-Red Deer's Brandon Sutter was called up by the Carolina Hurricanes last week, replacing the suspended Tuomo Ruttuu. Hopefully, Brandon has seen the last of the AHL. He, along with fellow former WHL'ers Zach Boychuck and Drayson Bowman had all been eplaying exceptionally well for Albany.