First Period: Defenseman Paul Elliott is in the lineup for the Bucks, and forward Robin Richards is the team's scratch for the third straight game. ... The start of the game is being delayed, but I'm not exactly sure why. ... Other players have joined the starters on the ice to skate around and stay loose. I'm still a bit perplexed as to why this is happening. ... Here we go. ... These three Americans fans and their drum are undoubtedly louder than all the Bucks fans in the arena combined right now. ... Evan Schwabe has been setting up Todd Griffith throughout his current hot streak, and this time, Griffith returned the favor. Schwabe gained the zone, neatly skated a circle around an Americans defender, passed the puck to Griffith then drove to the goal to knock Griffith's pass into the net. That hit the wrong part of Schwabe's stick, and he's actually kind of lucky he got enough of it to send it as far as he did; actually, maybe that's why he was able to beat Whitley in the first place. But whatever the case, the Bucks lead 1-0 just 1:16 into the game. ... That was Schwabe's first goal and fifth point of these playoffs. ... The Americans got their first shot off at 2:40, and Pelletier gloved it away. ... Whitley just came out of his net to try to clear the puck and barely missed hitting teammate Tyler Wooddisse in the face. ... Matt Radoslovich just walked up to take a seat by the drumming fans, reminding me that he has been suspended for tonight's game because of his hit on Elliott Thursday night. ... Decent chance for the Bucks with the top line on the ice, as Jeff Bes passed to Adam Rivet, who tried to pass back but lost the puck, only to have it end up on the stick of Jarred Mohr. Whitley made the save on Mohr's shot. ... Elliott and Colton Yellow Horn just got tangled up and went into the boards together, and Elliott came away without his helmet, which is still in the corner to Pelletier's left. ... Horrible turnover in the Bucks' zone could have been trouble, but Pelletier moved up to cover the puck and stop play. ... Whitley's net was just overturned right on top of him. ... Darryl Smith's backhand attempt off a pass from Brent Cullaton went wide on another decent chance for the top line. ... The Americans get the game's first power play at 9:06 with Brent Cullaton headed to the box for slashing. ... Smith just tried to get right around Fairbarn on a shorthanded chance, but Fairbarn stood his ground and got the puck away. ... Griffith and Mike Salekin just went flying into Pelletier together, and Pelletier did not seem all too thrilled about it. ... Adams to the box for hooking at 13:04 to give the Bucks their first power play. ... Smith and Cullaton both missed the net - high and wide, respectively - on the first shift of the advantage. ... Well, someone just scored, but my view was being screened just as much as Whitley's was, so you'll have to give me a minute to figure out who. ... Okay, it was Smith. Sylvain Deschatelets and Neil Trimm get the assists, and of course, the first goal I couldn't see myself (at home) this series is the first one for which they are not showing a replay. Several players were right around the crease, including Smith, and I guess he jammed home a rebound. Bucks lead 2-0 at 13:50 in the period. That was a power play goal. ... Deschatelets, Griffith and Mike Looby just broke into the zone on a decent chance, and Deschatelets connected with Griffith, who then passed back and had his pass nearly bounce off Looby's stick into the net. Just missed, though. ... Justin Bowers just missed the net wide on one of the Americans' best chances of the game so far. ... End of the first period, Bucks lead 2-0, shots tied 10-10. As the teams skate off the ice, the Bucks fans are finally louder than the Americans fans in front of the press box. ... They have changed the second goal to Deschatelets from Smith and Looby.
Second Period: I do not know how Pelletier dove in front of a shot headed straight for the net when he had been pulled out of it, but he did. His best save of the night, no doubt, and a big one to keep the Americans from scoring early in the period. ... Deschatelets and Griffith just broke into the offensive zone together, and Griffith faked a pass to Deschatelets, then took the shot himself. Whitley stopped the shot, then had some trouble covering the puck, but eventually did. ... Benn to the box at 2:03 to give the Bucks the first power play of the period. ... The Americans just committed way too heavily to a shorthanded chance, turned the puck over and gave the Bucks a 4-on-2 the other way. Bes was carrying the puck and appeared to be passing to Smith, but the puck missed him and ended up right on Cullaton's stick. He wound up and fired a shot top shelf for his second goal in as many games. Deschatelets got the puck after the initial turnover and passed up to Bes, so he'll get the second assist. Bucks lead 3-0 at 3:06 on their second power play goal of the contest. ... Wow. The Americans just pulled Whitley, and the Bucks will now see David McKee for the first time in this series. ... The Bucks scored those three goals on 14 shots, by the way. The Americans have gotten 13 on net. ... The last, and first, time the Bucks faced McKee was in their 6-1 win over the Americans on March 4. He just made his first save of the game, and a pretty big one at that. ... Someone just skated into Pelletier and left their stick caught up in his equipment. He seemed a bit confused as to what he should do with it but dropped it eventually. ... Griffith heading to the box to serve a too many men bench minor penalty committed on the ensuing rush. Americans on the power play at 6:23. Just a bad change for the Bucks. ... Penalty killed. The Bucks had better chances on that than the Americans did. ... Looby just dropped to the ice to block a shot by Yellow Horn on a 2-on-1, and Pelletier gave him a pat on the back for his efforts. ... The refs just whistled a puck dead when Pelletier did not really have it under control on a lucky break for the Bucks who were struggling to settle that one down. ... McKee just made a big save that sent Schwabe flying and kept the Bucks from getting No. 4 on the board. ... Smith just chose to pass to Bes on a 2-on-1 where it seems shooting might have been the better idea, then he was leveled into the boards by Wooddisse. The two players battled a bit along the wall, and Wooddisse's stick caught Smith in the face before Smith's did the same to Wooddisse. Wooddisse put a hand to his face and tried to get a call from that, but the refs ignored it all. ... Americans have jumped out to a 24-20 lead on shots with a recent surge around the Bucks' net, but they're still down 3-0 where it counts. ... Looby just followed up his first goal at home this postseason with an Alexander Ovechkin-esque celebration. I won't comment on how I feel about that. Nice goal, though; just a sharp wrist shot that beat McKee high glove side. Cullaton has what is currently the lone assist, and the Bucks lead 4-0 at 15:57 in the period. ... Rivet going to the box at 16:12 to serve a slashing penalty for his work on Bruce Graham, who then got an earful from Pelletier, who seems to believe Graham interfered with him on the play. ... Graham has added insult to injury - for Pelletier, anyway - by breaking the shutout at 16:59 in the second period. Bucks now lead 4-1. ... Pelletier just leaped into the air to grab a puck that deflected high after a shot by the Americans. ... Things getting a bit feistier now with less than a minute to go in the period. We'll see if that carries over to the third. ... Mohr is the only one being sent to the box for a scrum behind Pelletier's net, and he will serve two for roughing, only 13 seconds of which will take place during this period. ... End of the period, Bucks lead 4-1, Americans up 30-22 on shots. ... The Odessa Jackalopes and Texas Brahmas are in a scoreless tie entering the third period. ... And now the Jackalopes lead 1-0 on a goal by Sebastien Thinel at 5:32 in the third.
Third Period: Americans on the power play. ... Penalty killed. ... Graham looks so tall next to all the Bucks out there, and he is going to the box at 2:29 for hooking Schwabe to put the Bucks on a power play of their own. ... Penalty killed. ... The Americans are taking a lot of shots, but they've only gotten one on net so far this period. ... Jacks up 2-0 now. ... The Bucks just got a 3-on-1 and somehow managed to mess that up. Shots 34-24 right now. ... Elliott just lost his stick, got into a verbal altercation, then realized the play was coming back his way and sprawled out and grabbed Tobias Whelan's leg to try to defend him. That was odd. ... Halfway through the final period. ... Cullaton just got his second of the night on a flukey play I'm sure McKee would love to have back. That was a pretty simple, not very hard shot from the top of the circle that just got around McKee and into the net. Bucks lead 5-1 at 10:55 in the period, meaning there are 9:05 to play in regulation. ... That goal is unassisted, while Fairbarn and Justin Bowers got assists on Graham's last period. Oh, and Deschatelets got the secondary on Schwabe's goal in the first. ... Americans nearing 40 shots, but Pelletier isn't cracking. ... The Jackalopes beat the Brahmas 2-1 to take a 3-2 lead in their series. ... Just FYI, it is already past the deadline for me to go downstairs, so I will not be able to get quotes tonight, which really stinks. I am told there will be a practice on Monday, so hopefully I'll be able to get some thoughts on tonight's performance then. ... Pretty sure Bowers just took himself out into the wall and then skated over to the Bucks bench and slapped the helmet right off of Mohr. Well, I'm definitely sure about the second part. Guess he's not fond of the current score. He'll serve two for unsportsmanlike conduct with 2:46 left on the clock, giving the Bucks a late power play chance. ... Cullaton just ripped one from between the circles to try for the hat trick but missed the net. ... Salekin joining Bowers in the box with 1:45 to play. He's off for abuse of officials. The Bucks have a 5-on-3 here for 59 seconds and will finish the game on the power play. ... Mohr just fired off a nice slap shot that got on net but was stopped. ... Thirty seconds to go. ... The Americans appeared to have gotten the puck across the goal line with 14.2 to go, but the play was whistled dead and devoid of goals. ... Guys are still jumping each other after the final whistle, and Dieude-Fauvel and Wooddisse appear to be having it out.
Game Over: Bucks win 5-1, take a 3-2 series lead heading back to Allen for Game 6. They were outshot 42-28, so Pelletier deserves a lot of credit for another win and will almost definitely start again on Tuesday. I wouldn't say the Bucks played perfectly in this game - their passing can definitely still use some work - but that was a pretty strong effort in a huge game. ... Arena stars are Deschatelets (3), Pelletier (2) and Cullaton (1). Anyone else feel like Pelletier should have maybe been No. 1?
3 comments:
The netminder should have been number one star no doubt. Team practiced today? Or left already?
The team practiced at 9 a.m. (after telling me to be at the arena at 8) before leaving for Allen. They watched tape, then were out on the ice for about an hour, focusing mostly on defensive drills.
I'm hoping for the conference final between Laredo and Odessa. I know Texas is already out, so come on Bucks let's win game 6 and bring it home for some rest.
I would love nothing more than to get revenge on the Jacks for last year.
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