Golbez
09-20-2003, 02:50 PM
A nice opening night game at the Pacific Coliseum.
It started with them raising the 2010 Olympic Banner...too bad nobody pelted Gordon Campbell with a tomato :D . It almost ended on a Mitch Bartley penalty shot in OT, but he was stuffed. Here are my thoughts on some of the prospects in play.
Vancouver
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Gilbert Brule - As advertised, Brule displayed incredible skills and it's hard to believe he is only 16 years old. Brule was playing on the right point on the PP (Why Evason had his guys not set up for one timers on the PP is a mystery to me) and scored a nice one-timer with the man advantage. Great stickhandling, quick release, and quite creative. Also set up Orr for the 4th goal, and earned 1st star honours.
Lukas Pulpan - A very nervous debut for mini-Slegr. He was on the ice for the first two T-bird goals, and his passes were very weak and tentative...he wasn't taking the body well, either. In the 2nd period, he started to warm up and led a very nice end-to-end rush that almost resulted in a goal...but ended up getting caught up ice and the T-Birds had an odd-man rush against. He started to assert his passes more as the game wore on and his skill level was evident in the later stages... we can chalk it up to a nervous debut. Played mostly with Ashton.
Adam Courchaine - Typical Courchaine night...quietly productive and dangerous with the man advantage. The guy really doesn't stick out as much as you'd think.
Darren Lynch - not the usual Lynch effort...perhaps he was tired after returning from the Flames camp. He did a solid job, but we know he's capable of more...A solid all-around player who could make the NHL as a role player.
Marcin Kolusz - Apart from a near-goal on a big one-timer, Kolusz didn't stand out at much. At least he wasn't as nervous as Pulpan was, but it's obvious he'll need some time to adapt to the CHL.
Marc Fistric - Laid some nice hits and handled the big Seattle forwards quite well. Good positioning defensively apart from a little nervousness in the 1st period (the whole Giants team stunk for the first 10). By far the best defenseman for the Giants on the night. Not much offense on display...and this part of his game may or may not ever evolve...at the very least, a reliable stopper...reminds me of Murray Baron mixed with Chris Therien.
Jordan McLaughlin - Typical night for him...some brilliant saves...and a lot of them, and then that softie to squeak by him and tie it 4-4 was a killer. His stickhandling is Irbe-esque.
Seattle
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David Svagrovsky - A favourite prospect of mine, Svagrovsky was put on the left point on the PP, much to my surprise. He has a big shot, and wasn't afraid to shoot all night. Had a nice give-and-go on the PP, pinching in...only to be denied by McLaughlin. Dominated down low on the boards...a good cycler who was able to keep possesion of the puck more often than not. Only Fistric seemed capable of handling the guy. Also wore an 'A', and got a lot of ice time in every situation.
Must learn how to produce more chances on the rush...and I'd like to see him use a wrist-shot more. Reminds me of Zubrus and Jaroslav Svoboda.
Denis Tolpecko - The mystery import that I don't know much about was dangerous and impressive in his CHL debut. He produced 2 points and established a good rapport with Svagrovsky when the two were paired together...mostly in the 2nd and 3rd periods. I wish I had watched him closer, as to see the other parts of his game. From what I saw, he was very dangerous in the offensive zone and was creating chances all night.
Dustin Johner - Florida drafted this sparkplug, but he looks more like an ECHL or AHL all-star type than anything else. A real waterbug, he keeps his legs moving constantly...and he basically has to. He's so small, that he takes a lot of effort to move up the ice. Like Steve Kariya, he is quick, but not fast, so to speak...and he has trouble down low against big defensemen.
Wears the captain 'C' and leads by example. Very dangerous in the offensive end until he left the game with an injury (I have no idea what) in the 2nd period. He's a fun player to watch.
Marsh (VCR) and Brooks Laich (SEA) did not play, unfortunately.
It started with them raising the 2010 Olympic Banner...too bad nobody pelted Gordon Campbell with a tomato :D . It almost ended on a Mitch Bartley penalty shot in OT, but he was stuffed. Here are my thoughts on some of the prospects in play.
Vancouver
----------
Gilbert Brule - As advertised, Brule displayed incredible skills and it's hard to believe he is only 16 years old. Brule was playing on the right point on the PP (Why Evason had his guys not set up for one timers on the PP is a mystery to me) and scored a nice one-timer with the man advantage. Great stickhandling, quick release, and quite creative. Also set up Orr for the 4th goal, and earned 1st star honours.
Lukas Pulpan - A very nervous debut for mini-Slegr. He was on the ice for the first two T-bird goals, and his passes were very weak and tentative...he wasn't taking the body well, either. In the 2nd period, he started to warm up and led a very nice end-to-end rush that almost resulted in a goal...but ended up getting caught up ice and the T-Birds had an odd-man rush against. He started to assert his passes more as the game wore on and his skill level was evident in the later stages... we can chalk it up to a nervous debut. Played mostly with Ashton.
Adam Courchaine - Typical Courchaine night...quietly productive and dangerous with the man advantage. The guy really doesn't stick out as much as you'd think.
Darren Lynch - not the usual Lynch effort...perhaps he was tired after returning from the Flames camp. He did a solid job, but we know he's capable of more...A solid all-around player who could make the NHL as a role player.
Marcin Kolusz - Apart from a near-goal on a big one-timer, Kolusz didn't stand out at much. At least he wasn't as nervous as Pulpan was, but it's obvious he'll need some time to adapt to the CHL.
Marc Fistric - Laid some nice hits and handled the big Seattle forwards quite well. Good positioning defensively apart from a little nervousness in the 1st period (the whole Giants team stunk for the first 10). By far the best defenseman for the Giants on the night. Not much offense on display...and this part of his game may or may not ever evolve...at the very least, a reliable stopper...reminds me of Murray Baron mixed with Chris Therien.
Jordan McLaughlin - Typical night for him...some brilliant saves...and a lot of them, and then that softie to squeak by him and tie it 4-4 was a killer. His stickhandling is Irbe-esque.
Seattle
-------
David Svagrovsky - A favourite prospect of mine, Svagrovsky was put on the left point on the PP, much to my surprise. He has a big shot, and wasn't afraid to shoot all night. Had a nice give-and-go on the PP, pinching in...only to be denied by McLaughlin. Dominated down low on the boards...a good cycler who was able to keep possesion of the puck more often than not. Only Fistric seemed capable of handling the guy. Also wore an 'A', and got a lot of ice time in every situation.
Must learn how to produce more chances on the rush...and I'd like to see him use a wrist-shot more. Reminds me of Zubrus and Jaroslav Svoboda.
Denis Tolpecko - The mystery import that I don't know much about was dangerous and impressive in his CHL debut. He produced 2 points and established a good rapport with Svagrovsky when the two were paired together...mostly in the 2nd and 3rd periods. I wish I had watched him closer, as to see the other parts of his game. From what I saw, he was very dangerous in the offensive zone and was creating chances all night.
Dustin Johner - Florida drafted this sparkplug, but he looks more like an ECHL or AHL all-star type than anything else. A real waterbug, he keeps his legs moving constantly...and he basically has to. He's so small, that he takes a lot of effort to move up the ice. Like Steve Kariya, he is quick, but not fast, so to speak...and he has trouble down low against big defensemen.
Wears the captain 'C' and leads by example. Very dangerous in the offensive end until he left the game with an injury (I have no idea what) in the 2nd period. He's a fun player to watch.
Marsh (VCR) and Brooks Laich (SEA) did not play, unfortunately.