Rats home opener

Final result: Norfolk 4, Albany 2.


SCORING SUMMARY
Period 1
Norfolk - Matt Keith (Igor Korolev, Ajay Baines) 6:12
Albany - Tuomas Pihlman (powerplay) (Ilkka Pikkarainen, Krisjanis Redlihs) 17:33

Period 2
Norfolk - Michal Barinka (powerplay) (Burke Henry) 14:27
Norfolk - Yorick Treille (Mikhail Yakubov, Igor Korolev) 16:52

Period 3
Albany - Raymond Giroux (Craig Darby, Aleksander Suglobov) 18:37
Norfolk - Johnathan Aitken (emptynet) (unassisted) 19:40


Argh! It can only get better..I think.

Again, no Ahonen, Foster, Cameron, Kariya etc.
Norfolk's first goal was a soft goal that most goalies not named Clemmensen would have saved.
Rats (Darby) burned a penalty shot in the first period when they were down 1-0.
DeMarchi drew a nice holding penalty resulting in a powerplay for the Rats, and Pihlman scored to make it 1-1.
Still on 1-1 in the second, the bench got called for a delay of game penalty (IDIOTS! the ref warned them a couple of times before they finally got called) resulting in a powerplay goal for Norfolk, and it was downhill from there. Rats played ok in the second half of the last period, but it was too little too late. Oy vey.

Suglobov had a good game, although not as good as the first. He missed a few good chances, and also played a lot more selfishly, not always passing when he should have. In the first game he played mostly on the first line with Pihlman and Darby, and in this game he played mostly on the second line. (Although the lines were being switched up as the game went on).

Giroux got the third star of the game and his goal was a very nice shot from the point (but you know you're in trouble when your defense scores as much as the offense)

Only marked improvement was that the Rats were far more disciplined than in the first game.

UGGGHHHH! Foster is hurt again?

Is Steve Kariya hurt? He hasn't played in their first 2 games.

Is Steve Kariya hurt? He hasn't played in their first 2 games.

kariya apparently has some kind of groin injury that he suffered in training camp. he was in the stands, though, looking very uninterested.

as for foster---no one seems to know, but i would assume he would be playing if he's 100%.

What is wrong with Ahonen, did he get injured or is he going to be traded (edmonton maybe), same with Foster, he is a Calgary boy, maybe Edmonton wants to get a hold of him.

Gomez, Ahonen/Foster
Comrie, Semenov

Sparks intrest

there are some unsubstantiated rumors suggesting that he is injured. the fact that he wasn't at the game at all certainly supports those rumors, but i don't know anything for sure. i want him back though, he is much much better than clemmensen.

Yes he is, Clemmensen has been quite shaky from what I hear. I wonder if Balmochnykh is injured or just got cut, I couldn't see him getting cut from the team. I checked every ECHL roster and couldn't find him.

all i've been told by the rats is that maxim is not currently with the team. which sounded to me like he'd gone back to russia.

I guess Anaheim was right about him. What a whackjob, he could play in Albany this year, get a few callups, and be playing with the big club by 05-06. I don't get it, but hey, whatever.

Great to see Giroux putting in good performances down on the farm. The kid is a good soldier for the organization.

UGGGHHHH! Foster is hurt again?

Its almost time to forget about Foster. He will never stay healthy. Suglabov might be our future stud 1st line scoring threat. Foster has the skills but what good is he if doesnt play. He's like the pretty girl who's got herpies.

So is it Fosters abs that are injured again or what? I'm really getting tired of him getting my hopes up just to get friggin hurt again...

Has Brett Clouthier been injured the first 2 games? I hope he hasn't been a healthy scratch...

there are some completely unsubstantiated rumors suggesting that he is injured. the fact that he wasn't at the game at all certainly supports those rumors, but i don't know anything for sure. i want him back though, he is much much better than clemmensen.

Hey Rats Girl. Are you the team pig or something because you have some insightful knowledge which impresses The Dirty Core! I believe the only way you can gain this knowledge is by performing certian acts! Let me know becasue The Dirty Core wants to know and keep up the good work!!! :mad: :rant:

Brett Clouthier and Scott Cameron were in all the practices leading up to the game against Springfield. However, neither has dressed for either game. An interesting note Conte was at the riverrats home opener. I thought I saw Caron(sp) the goalie coach their as well.