First Period: This is the only CHL game tonight, so woo for not having other scores to track all night. Apparently this is a night for one of the local schools, as there is a marching band here. Good thing I already had a headache. At least they can't worsen my fever. ... Interestingly, the IceRays re-signed D.J. Delbuono to have him suit up as the backup tonight and keep Kris Tebbs, who had started 11 straight, out of the lineup completely. ... I'm going to have to keep reminding myself that Matt Miller is wearing No. 20 now. ... Supervisor of Officials Wayne Bonney and his awesome glasses are on hand tonight to observe the whistle-blowingest ref in the league, Mr. Tom Steinel. We'll see if that holds him back at all. ... What is with the pink square on the Jumbotron? ... The lines tonight, in case you are wondering, are Cullaton-Smith-Goupil, Igor Agarunov-Jason Dixon-Rick Kozak and Miller-Mitch Stephens-Ryan Salvis. ... Smyth just came up huge for the IceRays, clearing the puck out of the crease with Reichmuth caught to the right of his net fighting off a slew of shots from Kozak. ... Ouch. Too many men is a penalty I never like to see (unless it's on the team the Penguins happen to be playing), but the IceRays just took one that will be served by Crane. Bucks have the game's first power play at 3:25 in the period. ... It appears Erick Lizon, who missed last week's games with a minor injury, will be getting his time subbing in and out of the Dixon-centered line tonight. Jaye Judd, who was possibly going to return tonight, has not, which may just be a precautionary measure because the Bucks are back up to 16 skaters without him. ... The IceRays just had a 2-on-1 with Huppe and Green charging in, but Green couldn't handle the pass, so nothing doing on that. ... The IceRays just scored on a crazy sequence of events that nearly every player on the ice in the crease. Centomo was being screened, partially by his own defensemen, and it was pretty hard to tell who finally got the puck in there. Kozak randomly threw down one of the IceRays after the goal scored, but he got away with it. ... Goal is going to Quenneville; guess he was jealous that he was behind the bench last week and couldn't be a part of his teams 6-goal performance here. That even-strength goal came at 12:25 in the period. Bob Rapoza is getting the lone assist now, but there might be another by night's end. ... The Bucks just had a loose puck in Reichmuth's crease very similar to the play the IceRays scored on. They, however, could not manage to chip it in. ... Quenneville is in the box for interference at 14:28 in the period, giving the Bucks their second power play of the game. ... And it is now 1-1, as Kozak sent a perfect centering pass from Smith, who was behind the goal line, past Reichmuth. That may as well have been a shootout try; Reichmuth had nobody helping him out. The goal, Kozak's 18th of the season, came at 15:22 in the game, on the power play. ... The Bucks have been called for their first penalty of the game, as Stephens is in the box for hooking at 15:52. ... The Bucks actually got a great scoring chance on that one, but of all the penalty killers to stay back in the defensive zone, Dixon was the only one. Odd formation there. ... As soon as Stephens got back on the ice, Steinel's arm went up to signal another call against the Bucks. They didn't touch up until 18:15, so Miller is headed to the box for hooking with a little under two to play in the first. ... At 18:43, John Halverson took the same call, so it's 4-on-4 for the rest of the period barring any goals or additional penalties. ... Goal it is. Smith just netted one from the circle as he whipped the puck over Reichmuth's right shoulder from his left side. Bucks lead 2-1 with 30.6 seconds left in the period. Cullaton got an assist on the score, his first point since returning to the Bucks, but Smith did all the work on that one, even bringing the puck around back, through the trapezoid and back up front before taking the shot. ... Bucks lead 2-1 at the start of intermission. Shots are even at nine per team.
Second Period: And Cullaton now has his first penalty since returning to Laredo, as he was called for hooking at 3:03 in the period. ... Steinel just loves those hooking calls; Richards has just earned one at 5:32 to put the Bucks on the advantage once again. ... With six seconds left on that penalty, Rapoza has been called for cross-checking. Reichmuth is getting a lot of work in his first start. ... With six seconds left on that one (creepy), Salvis was called for goalie interference. Fair call, I'd say. ... Uh, what? Andrew Martin is coming into the game in place of Centomo. Putting in a guy who's been on the bench all night when the opposing team is just about to start a power play in the middle of the second period is something that doesn't happen often with a team leading 2-1, so there is definitely something up there. I'll try to find out what after the game. ... Agarunov just broke away from the pack, which is pretty easy when it's 4-on-4, and stick handled the puck right around Reichmuth, who sprawled to make the original save but could not keep the puck out. Bucks lead 3-1, and that'll count as a shorty because Rapoza had been out of the box for three seconds by the time the puck crossed the line. ... Kozak just brought the puck nearly the length of the ice and, though he was 2-on-1 with another Buck at his side, took the shot and wristed the puck right over Reichmuth. Nice decisiveness on his part. Bucks lead 4-1 with 8:28 to play in the period. ... Former team president John Beckelhymer is in the house (and on the radio) tonight, by the way. ... Agarunov is heaed to the box for hooking at 12:39 in the period to put the IceRays on their fifth power play of the game. ... Because Centomo is on the bench and appears perfectly fine, Bryan Benway is blaming his departure from the ice on an "equipment malfunction." ... With 4:45 to play in the period, the Bucks are going back on the power play thanks to a hooking call on Chris Shaffer. ... The Bucks were just 6-on-4 for quite some time due to a delayed call on the IceRays. Slashing on Bennett has made it a Bucks' 5-on-3 for about 90 seconds. That came right off the faceoff, but the Bucks didn't let them touch it up for a while. ... Funny how the Bucks are constantly told by their coach that passing is one of their biggest weaknesses, yet that's all they want to do on the power play sometimes. ... For some reason, players for both teams are tripping over nothing left and right. I wonder if Steinel's going to call the ice for hooking soon. ... Oh my gosh, this is getting ridiculous. Not long after leaving the box, Shaffer is headed right back. High sticking this time. ... Adam Rivet just lightly slapped one from the blue line and it made it in five-hole style. Stephens and Salvis are getting the assists. That's the first time two assists have been handed out that early in this arena in I don't even know how long. Bucks lead 5-1 with 1:50 to play in the period. ... End of the period, Bucks still lead 5-1. Coach Ruskowski and I discussed the other day that the IceRays seem to be two different teams entirely depending on how their power play clicks, and going 0-for-5 and allowing a shorthanded goal definitely makes them the team they don't want to be tonight. Of course, all those penalties are not something to be overlooked. Poor Reichmuth.
Second Period: I'd like to thank Section 104 for not participating in the Minute of Madness in the slightest; makes life much easier. ... And it is 6-1 Bucks as of 1:55 in the period, as Smith took the puck up the ice and swept it around Reichmuth. Goupil has the lone assist currently. ... Delbuono, a front office staffer for the IceRays is now entering the game. Oh boy. ... Featherstone now has the second assist on that goal. ... Just in case the Bucks need help scoring against a guy who has never tended goal in a professional game, Steinel has sent Smyth to the box for hooking at 2:58 in the period. ... Kozak and T.J. Reynolds just got into a stick slapping match that turned into a little more, and Reynolds is being kicked out of the game. He had some choice words for the Bucks bench as he skated by on his way off the ice. ... Kozak got a roughing call for that, while Reynolds was charged with a 5-minute cross check and a game misconduct. ... Quenneville just got a great breakaway chance on a very lengthy rebound allowed by Delbuono, but Martin was able to stretch out wide enough to keep the puck out of the net. ... The Bucks' lines have been rearranged, but that's probably just because this is more like practice than anything else at this point. Delbuono has made some solid saves, though. ... Okay, updated word is that Centomo re-aggravated a lower body injury and may not play the rest of the weekend. Good thing Matt Brayfield isn't the backup goalie anymore. ... Oh, yay, another penalty. Bucks are back on the power play with 5:20 to play as Rapoza has been called for tripping Lizon, who flew threw the air quite dramatically on that one. ... Stephens now has his first goal as a Buck thanks to a nice centering feed from Salvis while Delbuono was caught out of position. Bucks lead 7-1 with 3:33 to play.
Game Over: Bucks win 7-1. What happened to the IceRays who beat the Bucks 6-3 five nights ago? Bucks improve to 25-14-4 (54 points), while the IceRays fall to 18-23-4 (40 pts.).
Tonight's NHL Scores: Kings 5, Capitals 4; Bruins 4, Senators 3 (SO); Panthers 3, Islanders 2; Predators 4, Ducks 2; Oilers 2, Blues 1 (SO); Avalanche 3, Stars 2; Blackhawks 5, Flames 2; Hurricanes 4, Sharks 3 (SO).
Tonight's NHL Scores: Kings 5, Capitals 4; Bruins 4, Senators 3 (SO); Panthers 3, Islanders 2; Predators 4, Ducks 2; Oilers 2, Blues 1 (SO); Avalanche 3, Stars 2; Blackhawks 5, Flames 2; Hurricanes 4, Sharks 3 (SO).
1 comment:
Thanks. ChuckO
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