Bear Trapp is wearing the No. 41 left behind by Cody Hamilton, while Pier-Olivier Pelletier, the Bucks' starting goaltender tonight, is in No. 31.
I don't think I really understand what it happening with those New Year's Eve jerseys, ut at least the numbers are white to contrast the dark blue background.
Starters: Bucks - Jarred Mohr (D), Lance Monych (F), Pier-Olivier Pelletier (G), Adam Rivet (D), Darryl Smith (F), Neil Trimm (F); IceRays - Ryan Bennett (F), Ryan Garbutt (F), Kevin Nastiuk (G), Chris Richards (F), Matt Smyth (D), Jason Tessier (D).
First Period: IceRays took the first shot of the game again, but Pelletier stopped it then Trimm cleared it out of his new goalie's crease to keep the IceRays from scoring in the game's opening 30 seconds or so. ... Two more quick saves by Pelletier, who looks fairly sharp for someone who hasn't played in a bit. Obviously early to tell, though. The scorekeepers only put one shot up on that, but I'm pretty sure there were two. ... Well, now he has three saves officially. Bucks have yet to take a shot. ... Trapp is playing on a line with Eric Giosa and Robin Richards. ... Bucks got their first couple shots during a scramble in front of Nastiuk but couldn't jam in the loose puck. ... Trapp just took his first shot of the game, the Bucks' fourth, and Nastiuk was able to deflect it away with the glove then was forced to make another glove save seconds later. ... Tendler just stole the puck to get a 2-on-1 with Quenneville but the Bucks defender who was back broke up the play. ... Shots are even at 6 as of about nine minutes into the period. ... Smith just walked in on Nastiuk alone and snapped a shot from between the circles, but Nastiuk made the glove save with ease. ... Not the be outdone, Pelletier returned the favor with a glove save at the other end. ... An IceRays pass just floated into the air where it was broken up by Giosa batting it down with his glove, but the Bucks couldn't do much of anything with that. ... Pelletier has allowed the first goal of the game on the 10th shot he faced, but anyone who blames him for that is crazy. He was being screened by his own teammates, who failed to notice R.G. Flath wide open between the circles. Chad Costello did notice, though, and sent a perfect feed over to Flath, who easily flipped it in top shelf just inside the crossbar. IceRays lead 1-o at 10:44 in the period. They're up 10-7 on shots. ... I really hate it when guys keep their helmets on during fights, especially when they're the ones going after someone. Robin Richards did just that as he scrapped with Chris Mei, a man five inches shorter than him, after Mei laid out a clean hit on Trapp. The Bucks will be down to eight forwards for the next five minutes. ... Monych just fanned on a decent chance out front of Nastiuk on a feed by Smith but was trying to get a shot off behind his back, so can't really get on him for that. ... Pelletier's pads, glove and blocker match these special jerseys eerily well. IceRays get the first power play of the game at 14:49 with Schwabe headed to the box for holding. Bucks down to seven forwards now. That bench looks awfully empty. ... Good work by the Bucks keeping the IceRays from setting up early on that one, with Justin Styffe getting the best scoring chance, obviously in the other end. ... Bucks could have gotten something going with an extra attacker during the delay for a penalty against the IceRays but entered the zone offsides. They'll get their first power play at 17:24 in the period with Morgan MacLean in the box for slashing. ... That lasted all of five seconds, as Jeff Bes took out the IceRay against whom he was positioned on the faceoff to earn an interference call. It'll be four-on-four for 1:57, an IceRays' power play for five seconds, then possibly even-strength for the final 31 seconds of the period. ... Pelletier seems to be getting the idea that he can't depend on his teammates to clear out the saves he doesn't collect in his "paraphernalia," as they say, as he is leaving the crease to clear them away himself. ... Benjamin Dieude-Fauvel just pounced on Flath, which will put the Bucks down a man for the first 4:57 of the second period. I don't know if Flath even landed a punch, but Dieude-Fauvel's were pretty sad... kinda reminded me of this fight, but he was played Flath's back instead of his chest... and Flath wasn't on the ice. ... Apparently Dieude-Fauvel took an elbowing penalty on that, as well. I know Ruskowski likes his teams to be tough, but he can't like being so badly shorthanded so often because of these penalties. ... End of the period, IceRays lead 1-0, up 17-11 on shots.
Second Period: Richards will serve Dieude-Fauvel's elbowing minor, putting the Bucks down one forward and one d-man for the first two minutes here roster-wise and one man down on the ice. ... With 23 seconds left on the elbowing penalty, Adam Powell is going to the box for tripping to make it 4-on-4 for a little while here. ... Trapp just hit the post. ... Garbutt to the box for high-sticking now. Bucks get a 4-on-3, then a 5-on-3, then a 5-on-4. We'll see if they can make use of any of it. ... Nastiuk making some good saves to keep the Bucks off the board. ... In a bit of a role reversal, Styffe beat two IceRays on a spinorama pass to Smith, who had a perfect opportunity and sent the puck wide of the net. ... Another power play for the Bucks at 6:34 with Zech Klann in the box for holding. ... Bucks have scored at the seven-minute mark on a shot by Mohr from the point that Nastiuk didn't even see until it was behind him. I often wonder why Mohr doesn't try that more often. Game tied 1-1. Schwabe and Bes get the assists, which means the Bucks' three All-Star reserves combined for that goal. Random. ... Make that 2-1 Bucks at 8:13 in the period on a nice individual effort by Trimm, who skated in on Nastiuk and flipped the puck past him easily. Trapp gets the primary assist, and Dieude-Fauvel picks up the secondary for his first point since Dec. 12 and second since Oct. 30. Conversely, his is Trimm's fourth straight game with a goal. That was scored on a power play caused by an elbowing penalty on Garbutt at the time of the last goal. The penalty was never announced. ... Bucks might be giving up their momentum here with a cross-checking call against Smith at 8:24. ... Dieude-Fauvel just flew into one of the IceRays and took a tumble as a result. Seems they are looking for a penalty... and I guess they got it. Interesting. ... Okay, no, it wasn't for that. Powell will go to the box at 12:56 to serve a too-many-men bench minor. ... Bucks have taken their first shot advantage since the early minutes of the game at 23-21. ... Lots of shoving going on around the nets at this point. Schwabe and Mei are going to the box at 15:04 for roughing as a result. ... Right of the faceoff, the IceRays have tied it at 2 with 2:11 in the period. Smyth slapped it in from the point on an assist from Tendler, the faceoff winner. That caught everyone, including Pelletier obviously enough, off-guard. ... And 37 seconds later, the IceRays have taken the lead back on their 25th shot of the game. Tendler scored that one, set up by Quenneville and Powell. IceRays back in the shot lead, as well, at 25-24. ... End of the period, IceRays lead 3-2, up 26-24. ... Greg Rajan just pointed out that the Bucks had two goals in 73 seconds, then the IceRays came back and scored two in 37 seconds.
Third Period: Mohr to the box for tripping 30 seconds into the period. ... The IceRays' second goal has been given to Powell, who apparently tipped it in front of the net despite none of us seeing that. ... Quenneville has put the IceRays up 4-2 at 3:30, knocking in a loose puck while kinda tangled up with Mohr. Powell and Tendler are getting the assists. ... Smyth almost made it 5-2 but hit the post. ... Okay, I guess they're giving the second assist on Quenneville's goal to Kyle Peto, but that might get changed. ... Bucks get a power play at 6:15 with a tripping call on Chad Woollard. ... Garbutt just skated in, braked right in Pelletier's face and chipped in a shorthanded goal to put the IceRays up 5-2 at 7:13. Bennett was the one who had sent the puck into the zone. That was a pretty flukey play, but the way Garbutt knocked it in looked kinda neat. ... Smith has cut the lead to two on a smooth wrister that beat Nastiuk top-shelf. IceRays lead 5-3 at 9:47 in the final period. Hmmm, maybe it wasn't that high. Bes set it up, and Mohr cleared the puck out to him for the second assist. ... Smyth just went to the box for roughing to five the Bucks a power play chance with a little under four minutes in regulation. They have opted to pull Pelletier with 3:28 or so to go for two extra attackers. ... That almost paid off when Adam Rivet's shot from the point was nearly deflected into the net, but then the Bucks took a penalty of their own, sending Smith to the box for hooking and forcing the Bucks to play for on 4-on-4.
Game Over: Bucks lose 5-3, fall to 13-10-6 (32 points). IceRays improve to 12-14-4 (28 points). No time for quotes, as the San Antonio Express-New people want us to typeset everything so they can go celebrate. I would go downstairs after filing my story, but Coach Ruskowski has to go do the jersey auction, so that's a no go. Happy New Year, folks.
1 comment:
Sad... Nuff' said! :-(
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