Starters: Bucks - Jeff Bes (F), Kevin Desfosses (G), Serge Dube (F), Paul Elliott (D), Mike Looby (D), Darryl Smith (F); Killer Bees - Andy Franck (G), Jay Hardwick (D), Aaron Lee (F), Zak McClellan (F), Sean Muncy (F), Tom Sawatske (D).
First Period: Dube just took the first shot of the game about 2:30 into the period. He got about as much of a round of applause as a small crowd like this could muster when his name was announced earlier. ... Still only one shot as of the 4-minute mark. Most of this game has been spent in the neutral zone, with a few dumps here and there. ... Todd Griffith took the game's second shot about 15 seconds after I wrote that. Still none fore the Killer Bees. ... Lots of passes off skates ruining opportunities so far. ... Robin Richards got off a hard slap shot at the 5-minute mark, but Franck deflected that up and away. ... Killer Bees get their first shot at 5:20. ... Franck just made a poke check on Maxime Lincourt that is for some reason being called a shot, and that was followed by a legitimate shot, so that portion of the board reads 5-1 in the Bucks' favor as of about eight minutes into the game. ... Well, Coach Ruskowski did say he wanted the team to use its traps more because of the injury situation, so I guess you could say holding the Killer Bees to three shots in the first 10 minutes is a result of the team sticking to the game plan. ... Speaking of traps, how about Ilya Kovalchuk going to the New Jersey Devils? Very interesting move. ... Bucks get the game's first power play with Brett Clouthier heading to the box for a high-sticking minor at 10:08. Richards is still out there on the top power play unit., in case you were wondering. ... Well, the Bucks did take some shots on that - three to be exact - but the penalty has been killed. ... Bucks just came close, but a loose puck Franck couldn't quite get control of was cleared out by his defense. ... The shot count is totally off right now, but it claims they are 8-4 in the Bucks' favor. ... Two more shots for the Killer Bees later, they get their first power play with Benjamin Dieude-Fauvel headed to the box at 13:26 for hooking. ... Neil Trimm just stole the puck on what looked like it would turn into a breakaway, and Smith eventually got a shot off, but no dice. On the return rush, the Killer Bees scored to make it 1-0 at 15:08 in the period. Daymen Rycroft is getting the goal, and Grant Goeckner-Zoeller has what is currently the lone assist. Apparently the off-ice officials think no shot was taken, though, because the Killer Bees' total is still seven. That was a power-play goal. ... Close call for the Bucks as Desfosses jumped to glove a puck and couldn't get a grip on it, eventually dropping it into his crease. Luckily for him, one of his teammates was there to clear that out. ... Richards just tripped Jesse Bennefield and is headed to the box to give the Killer Bees their second power play at 17:52 in the period. ... Not that this is a surprise, but Dube isn't playing any special teams shifts so far. ... Penalty killed. ... End of the period, Killer Bees lead 1-0, shots tied at 11.
Second Period: Bucks took the first three shots of the period and get the first power play as Eric Giosa drew a holding penalty against Jesse Bennefield, who is headed to the box at 1:57. ... Another penalty, this one on Hardwick, at 2:32 has put the Bucks on a 5-on-3 for 1:35. ... Bennefield got the puck right out of the box on a breakaway and was stoned by Desfosses. ... Penalties killed. ... Smith is taking longer shifts than both of his linemates, and Dube is definitely having some trouble keeping up out there. ... As of seven minutes in, the Bucks have outshot the Killer Bees 12-1 this period. ... Bucks on the power play with Rycroft whistled off for hooking at 11:54. ... Shot just rang off the post. ... No more power play, as Smith has been called for hooking at 12:35. It'll be 4-on-4, then a Killer Bees' power play. ... Franck has made 31 saves with six minutes still left to play in the middle frame. ... Killer Bees certainly aren't letting the Bucks be the only ones to take costly penalties tonight, and now Matt Sweazey is headed to the box on a cross-checking call at 12:51. ... Now, that was just a weird goal. Took the crowd, and the team for that matter, some time to react because it seemed to trip into the net top shelf somehow. Franck looks pretty upset. That was the 35th shot he's faced tonight, so I don't blame him. Okay, I guess it bounced in off a Killer Bees' defenseman. Jarred Mohr took the shot from the middle of the blue line, and Rivet and Curtis Billsten get the assists. Game tied 1-1 at 16:10 in the period. Both goals were scored on power plays. ... If Dube had been able to settle down a perfectly attainable pass and get even a decent shot off, the Bucks would be up 2-0 now, as Franck had left the net wide open. ... With 31.4 seconds left on the clock, Looby has been called for interference to put the Killer Bees on the power play and possibly ruin the Bucks' chances of a 30-shot period. ... Franck trusts his teammate so little right now that rather than trying to get a last-second pass up to them for a shot, he took the puck and brought it around behind his net as time expired. ... End of the period, game tied 1-1, Bucks lead 38-15 on shots. Safe to say Franck is the difference in the game?
Third Period: Hey, the Killer Bees just took the first shot in a period. Guess being on a power play helps with that. ... Rycroft has his second goal of the night after backhanding the rebound of a shot by Bennefield past Desfosses at 4:39 in the period. Nathan Ansell is getting the second assist. Killer Bees lead 2-1. Bucks up to 40 shots for the game, Killer Bees not even halfway there at 19. ... Since everyone else keeps talking about it, I guess I'll mention that the building formerly known as Dodge Arena is now officially State Farm Arena. The Bucks and Killer Bees will play again tomorrow night down there at 7:35 p.m. ... Okay, now the Killer Bees have 20. ... Wow. Billsten was just set up right in the crease and ripped a one-timer, but Franck was square to the play and was able to stand up on it. Still 2-1 in his team's favor at the halfway point of the final period. ... Desfosses responds with a big save on a 2-on-1 by the Killer Bees in the other end. ... McClellan to the box for slashing Smith's stick out of his hands at 10:50. Bucks could really use an equalizer right about now. ... No dice. ... Bucks get another power play at 13:34 with Shaun Landolt in the box for hooking. ... And we have a tie game, as the Bucks were able to break through once again on their 46th shot of the game. Giosa banged a loose puck home with 2:35 left in regulation and got a pat on the back from Coach Ruskowski when he returned to the bench. Bes and Billsten get the assists. That was Giosa's first goal since Jan. 2. ... Both teams trying frantically to tack on another one before the end of regulation and keep the competition from picking up a point tonight, but no such luck so far. ... Maxime Lincourt out with Bes and Smith instead of Dube on the top line's last shift in regulation. ... End of the period, game tied 2-2, Bucks lead 49-27 on shots. Been a while since the Killer Bees have visited the LEC, but I guess not much has changed.
Overtime: For the fourth time in five meetings between these teams in Laredo, we are in overtime. Only two of their six meetings prior to tonight were decided by more than one goal. ... Dube just got the puck one-on-one with Franck, and his shot nearly bounced into the net off Franck's stick, but it was just a bit too high. ... One minute left in the OT period. ... Turnover in the Bucks' defensive zone was picked up by Lee and just missed the net. ... Ruskowski has called his time out after Franck made his 50th save of the evening with .9 seconds left on the clock. ... Desfosses not on the ice as the faceoff is set up in the right circle out front of Franck. Bes, Mohr, Rivet, Trimm and Lincourt out for the Bucks. ... No luck on that. ... End of the OT period, game tied 2-2, Bucks lead 52-29 on shots.
Shootout: Bucks opt to shoot first. ... Giosa up first. ... Franck makes a poke check to stop Giosa before he can even take his shot. ... Bennefield first for the Bees. ... Nifty move around Desfosses for his first shootout goal of the year. ... Smith next. ... Snap shot stopped by Franck. ... Goeckner-Zoeller tried to move in on Desfosses in slow motion and was stopped. ... Bes stopped by Franck's blocker. ... Muncy stopped by Desfosses's backside. ... Griffith scores for the Bucks on their second-to-last chance. ... Joel Irving braked beautifully after rushing in on Desfosses and sent the puck past Desfosses top shelf to put the Killer Bees back up in the shootout. ... Looby just flipped up a shot that ricocheted around the inside of the net up high to tie it. That was a pretty nice goal. ... Rycroft stopped. ... Billsten missed the net wide. ... Ansell can win it. ... He missed wide, too. ... Mohr up for the Bucks. ... Looked like he had caught a perfect corner, but the puck bounced out off the post. ... Sawatske just scored arguably the weirdest shootout goal ever, literally moving in slow motion down the lane and getting the puck past Desfosses for his second shootout winner of the year.
Game Over: Bucks fall 3-2 in the shootout, give up two crucial points but take away one, moving to 19-15-8 (46 points) on the season. Killer Bees improve to 19-18-6 (44 points). ... Corpus Christi IceRays also won tonight, 6-2 over the Amarillo Gorillas, to improve to 19-19-6 (44 points). Bucks need to piece together some wins if they want to keep that fourth spot. ... Ruskowski did seem pretty uncertain about Dube's status when I talked to him, even saying Dube might not play on Saturday. He also spoke about thinking a lack of goal scorers is becoming a big problem for his team. More on all this tomorrow.
1 comment:
Hello man!
It is my first time here. I just wanted to say hi!
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