Printer-friendly versionHow Does That Taste Hockey's Future/THN?
Submitted by pete on February 21, 2006 - 23:12You know, I find it pretty funny "mainstream" media outlets like Hockey's Future and THN can find it fit to ridicule the Tampa Bay Lightning's prospect base, put us dead last in their organizational ranking and keep our players out of their top-50 prospects without even so much as an honorable mention and yet when the puck is dropped and the real games are played the Lightning have three of the better rookies in the league this season. TSN released their top-40 rankings for rookie forwards today and Ryan Craig (#23) and Evgeny Artyukhin (#25) both made the grade. Here's a fun exercise: count the number of well hyped 1st round draft picks lunch pail 8th rounder Ryan Craig has outplayed so far this year. I count nine between the rest of the top-40 and the honorable mentions TSN lists, and I'm sure a certain very biased online editor at Hockey's Future must be thoroughly embarassed by the immortal Jim Slater being bested by two prospects from the Lightning's allegedly bare cupboard. Earlier TSN had released their list of the top-20 rookie defensemen prospects and 6th round pick Paul Ranger checked in at #15. What!? No Braydon Coburn!?!?!
To the critics of this organization:
Would you prefer yours grilled or baked?
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Game Day 2/19: Nailers at Chiefs
Submitted by pete on February 19, 2006 - 18:37Playing Betz in goal is like spotting the other team a 2-3 goal lead it seems...
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Mike Betz stopped 25 of 29 in the loss. Zbynek Hrdel and Brandon Elliot had helpers for the Chiefs.
Game sheet from ECHL.com.
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Game Day 2/19: Falcons at Lock Monsters
Submitted by pete on February 19, 2006 - 18:29That one hurt...
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It's so hard to keep momentum in the AHL where you have these three game weekends stretches. The Falcons had played the previous two nights and had to travel to get to the game in Lowell. Gerald Coleman put in a valiant effort stopping 34 of 37 in the loss. Chris Dingman scored the lone Falcons goal with assists from Mike Egener and Ryan Vesce.
Where it hurts worst in the standings where Springfield had an opportunity to pull to within 3 points of Lowell which currently sits in 5th in the Atlantic. Providence is currently finishing up a throttling of the WBS Pens meaning the Falcons will be 15 points out of the playoffs at night's end.
Game sheet from TheAHL.com.
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Game Night 2/18: Chiefs at Titans
Submitted by pete on February 18, 2006 - 23:53Tough road loss...
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Morgan Cey stopped 36 of 40 shots faced in the loss. Zbynek Hrdel scored both goals for the Chiefs. Adam Henrich was held scoreless, snapping his multi-game point streak.
Game sheet from ECHL.com.
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Game Night 2/18: Penguins at Falcons
Submitted by pete on February 18, 2006 - 21:41Oh hell yeah! Falcons win their first shootout of the season.
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Jonathan Boutin bumps off the number one team in the league with 21 saves on 22 shots and 4/5 in the shootout. The Falcons outshot the baby Pens 25-21 in the game. Marek Kvapil scored the lone regulation goal on assists by O'Brien and Jaspers as the Blatny/Jaspers/Kvapil line stayed hot. Jaspers and Cavanaugh had the two shootout goals. The Falcons are now 13 points out of a playoff spot.
Game sheet from TheAHL.com.
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Game Night 2/17: Chiefs at Titans
Submitted by pete on February 18, 2006 - 00:32The Chiefs get another key win inside the division.
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The victory allows the Chiefs to stay in fourth place in the division. Morgan Cey stopped 39 of 42 shots faced for the win. Dimitri Tarabrin scored twice, both times on assists from Adam Henrich. Lightning prospect Brandon Elliot also had a helper in the game.
Game sheet from ECHL.com.
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Game Night 2/17: Sound Tigers at Falcons
Submitted by pete on February 17, 2006 - 21:55A satisfying and sound butt whipping was handed out by the new look Falcons.
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Jonathan Boutin had to stop just 12 of 14 shots faced to get the win. It won't help the old save percentage getting that little work, but I'm sure Boutin will take the kind of support he got tonight every day of the week and twice on Sundays. Springfield outshoot Bridgeport 37-14 for the game.
The Falcons' attack was led by the new number one line of Zdenek Blatny, Jason Jaspers and Marek Kvapil. Jaspers led the way with three assists in the game, Blatny chipped in two helpers and Kvapil had the game's capping goal. Andre Deveaux, Doug O'Brien, Timo Helbling and Ryan Vesce also had goals in the victory.
Game sheet from TheAHL.com.
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Hrdel Reassigned to Johnstown
Submitted by pete on February 17, 2006 - 19:58Winger Zbynek Hrdel has been reassigned from Springfield to Johnstown of the ECHL. Hrdel scored 4 goals and 12 points in 32 games with the Falcons since his original recall but saw his roster spot disappear when right wing Darren Reid returned from injury last weekend.
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Norrena Shuts Out Italy in Olympic Debut
Submitted by pete on February 16, 2006 - 10:42Finland crushed happless Italy today 6-0 in round robin pool play as Fredrik Norrena won his first start in the Olympics. Norrena stopped all 16 shots he faced in the victory.
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Lightning NCAA Stats
Submitted by chad on February 13, 2006 - 15:10The following Lightning prospects are currently playing in the NCAA. Stats are as of February 12, 2006.
Mike Lundin, D, U of Maine (Jr.): 28GP, 2-11-13, 4PIM, (-2), 1 PPG
Matt Smaby, D, U of North Dakoka (Jr.): 32GP, 3-5-8, 91PIM (3 majors), (+6), 2 PPG
Dusty Collins, RW, U of Northern Michigan (Jr.): 26GP, 3-4-7, 35 PIM, (+1), 1 PPG
P.J. Atherton, D, U of Minnesota (Sr.): 30GP, 1-3-4, 45PIM (1 major), (+3)
John Wessbecker, D, U of Massachusetts (Fr.): 28GP, 0-2-2, 30PIM, (-11)
Arthur Femenella, D, U of Vermont (Jr.): 8GP, 0-0-0, 31PIM
Joe Pearce, G, Boston College (Jr.): 3GP, 2-0-1, 2.28 GAA, .903 sv%
