Pre-Game: Levasseur (6-0-2) is getting his sixth consecutive start in goal for the Bucks. ... Dan Wildfong opted to start Hiebert in his big homecoming game, and Coach Ruskowski responded by starting the line that features his new scrappy winger. We'll see if that turns into anything. ... As always, you can follow the game here or on Pointstreak, watch on CHL-TV or listen on Imagen 94.1 FM.
First Period: Not much of a crowd reaction to Hiebert skating onto the ice or his name being called out with the starters. ... Hiebert and Styffe did line up against each other, but it was a no go on the fighting front. ... Adam Rivet got the puck to Darryl Smith right in front of the net on what could have been a perfect chance, but Smith was in an awkward position to take the pass and ended up missing the puck entirely. ... Agarunov just came very close to scoring his first goal since coming off the IR, but Palmer somehow managed to save it and hold onto the puck while on his back. ... Levasseur is back in No. 31 tonight, and Mike Sgroi is back in 22, by the way. Hiebert wears No. 25 for the Brahmas. ... Palmer (3-2-2) is looking pretty strong so far. ... The Brahmas just scored right off a faceoff at 6:37 in the period to take a 1-0 lead. McLeod scored it on an assist from Grant Jacobsen, also known as the faceoff winner. That was their third shot of the game, a bit of a switch from last night, when the Jackalopes needed 26 before scoring on Levasseur. ... Bucks just got a good rush in to the Brahmas' zone, and Smith opted to pass to his trailer instead of shooting. Only problem was the fact that his trailer wasn't where he sent the puck. ... Lincourt got a chance one-on-one with Palmer with the closest defender right on his tail and missed the net high. ... Both teams have been pretty sloppy with the puck control so far. ... First penalty of the game has been called on Lee Jubinville for hooking at 14:50, putting the Bucks on the game's first power play. ... Wow, lucky break for the Bucks there, as Levasseur inadvertently handed the puck right to Jacobsen outside his crease but the latter party failed to do anything with it. That's not really what should be happening on a Bucks' power play. ... Palmer still standing strong; nice glove save on a crisp shot from Sgroi with 2:15 to play. ... Just about everyone on the ice was in Palmer's crease on that last chance, and the Bucks took quite a few shots, several of which Palmer had to stop to keep his team in the lead. By that, I mean they also missed the net a couple times and might have hit another body once. ... End of the period, Brahmas lead 1-0. Bucks are up 9-4 in the shot department.
Second Period: The Brahmas for some reason waited until under 10 seconds were left on the intermission clock to come out on the ice. The Bucks had already been out for well over a minute at that point. ... Hiebert and Styffe just had a brief conversation before setting up for their teammates to face off. ... Yeah, I called that. Best fight of the year, by far. They danced around a bit too long before throwing punches, but once they did, they threw them hard. Styffe landed more and the crushing final blow to knock Hiebert to the ice. Hiebert is smiling and laughing in the penalty box. That's what everyone here tonight wanted to see, and he knows it. Definitely the best anyone has stayed with Styffe so far, but he still got the W. ... Styffe is getting company in the box, as Jarred Mohr just took a holding call at 4:18 to give the Brahmas their first power play of the game. ... And now Smith has joined the party in the sin bin, taking a four-minute spearing double minor at 4:58 to give the Brahmas a very lengthy power play that includes 80 seconds 5-on-3. Yikes. ... Hiebert and Styffe are out of their respective boxes now on the first glove save of the PK. ... The 5-on-3 has been killed, thanks again to some great playing by Levasseur. ... And now Styffe is back in the box for slashing to put the Brahmas back on the 5-on-3 for 35 seconds. ... Right as Smith left the box, the Brahmas finally took advantage of their advantages to take a 2-0 lead on a goal by none other than Hiebert. Jordan Cameron and McLeod with the assists. ... A few fans cheered for that goal announcement. ... Sgroi, still on the hunt for his first fight, just tried to get Luke Sellars to go. No luck. ... Just had a few minutes of constant play, with a whistle finally coming for a puck out of play at 1:20. The puck went into the Brahmas' bench. ... Bes and Hiebert just got tangled up a bit. Kinda weird to see Bes shoving his stick into the back of a man who played on his wing and defended him all those years. ... End of the period, Brahmas lead 2-0. Bucks up 22-20 on shots.
Third Period: Skworchinski got a chance to make it 3-0 early, as a turnover in the Bucks' zone gave him a wide-open opportunity, but his shot went high. ... Bucks are getting a power play 38 seconds into the period, as Rouleau has taken a boarding penalty. ... The Bucks just thought they finally knocked one in, but Palmer somehow managed to keep it out, and the ref's no-goal waves cut that celebration short. ... Hiebert and Styffe are having words but being kept from doing anything more by the refs. ... They didn't sto play to look at that possible goal, but they did look at it once play stopped, and the no goal call stands. Now Robin Richards is in Hiebert's face, haha. Oh geeze, and now Sgroi is lining up against him on the faceoff. ... Well, that somehow managed to draw an unsportsmanlike conduct call against Hiebert. Did he spit on him or what? This game is turning into a circus. He's in the box at 2:43 to put the Bucks on the power play. ... Two straight power plays that Schwabe has been out to center at the start, but Smith is still playing. ... Nice sprawling play by Jeremy Swanson to keep the puck in, but the Bucks aren't really doing much with it. ... Somehow, Bes was just behind Palmer in his crease for about 20 seconds and loose pucks were being swung at like crazy, but the Bucks are still being held off the board. They lead 28-21 on shots less than five minutes into the final period. ... Another penalty on the Brahmas coming. ... By the time the whistle was blown, only two seconds are left on Hiebert's penalty, so this won't be much of a 5-on-3, but the Bucks will be on the power play with Tyrell Mason in the box for hooking. ... Smith is out there with Agarunov and Lincourt for this power play. Mohr and Rivet still at the points. ... And now they will get their 5-on-3 as Justin Kinnunen was called for a hook for taking Smith down at the blue line. The Bucks get 1:05 on the two-man advantage. ... Smith just hit the post. ... The Brahmas are pretty good shot blockers. ... Both penalties have been killed. ... I guess staying in Hiebert's face is doing the Bucks some good, even if they fail to take much advantage. Richards was just able to draw a tripping call against Hiebert, who is headed to the box at 11:29 to put the Bucks on another power play. ... Something just seems off about the Bucks tonight. It's like they have to register everything that happens in their brains before they can react to it. That hesitation can cost you goals. ... Another mad scramble in the crease, and yet again, Palmer came out on top. Well, figuratively, anyway. Literally, Agarunov was on top of him. ... Less than five minutes to go now, and the Bucks are playing frustrated. That's not going to help their cause. ... Down to a minute, still 2-0 in favor of the Brahmas. I don't normally do this, and I'm not implying that the game is over, but I'm going to head downstairs to make sure I can get some quotes tonight.
Game Over: Bucks lose 2-0, fall to 7-3-3 (17 points). Brahmas improve to 7-7-2 (16 points). Coach Ruskowski was not happy with the effort tonight at all.
2 comments:
No one can blame you for leaving this game early. The game I decide to attend is the one in which the team decides to take the night off. These guys are lazy.
Palmer could have taken a nap in goal during the first two periods, and he still would have stopped all shots.
Except for a couple of minutes in the third period and because they had no choice since they were on the power play, their performance was pathetic.
Feel sorry for Levasseur, his first regulation loss, what a let down.
To be clear, I didn't leave; I just went downstairs to get quotes. But lazy is definitely one thing they are and one thing Ruskowski is not happy with them being. He apologized to the fans for the effort tonight, so that goes out to you.
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