Expecting more of the same today. Win board battles, control the puck the majority of the game but refuse to shoot and the other team gets an odd-man rush and buries it. Lines will be jumbled and the effort will be lack all to give the other teams a false sense of security heading into the playoffs. The only blemish will be that they can't pick Seth Griffith for first star because they're not at home. It's Hunter's master plan. Seriously.
But honestly, I really wonder what Saginaw wanted off London for Trocheck. He's tearing it up for Plymouth and they got him for their first round pick and high futures. Since London had no '96 to deal, I'm guessing it was a high price. Likely Welychka, +. Since London will probably make many trades next year, I guess they just didn't want to give up any returning players.
A poor weekend as far as results go. 1 pt for and 6 given up.
This team doesnt have any sense of urgency right now and are playing inconsistently. They dont have the same confidence in their game right now.
Hopefully they remember were the switch is. They know what it takes to win (24 game streak, last years PO run) and hopefully can get back to doing all the little things right that win games
This team needs all 18 skaters going 100%. They dont have that big time leader up front to take the bull by the horns. They HAVE to do it by committee and right now arent.
Its easier to play with urgency when you have something to play for, but they have to find a way to match other teams urgency.
Gotta get back to rollin 4 lines and wearing down opponents by having all 18 skaters going 100%
Anyone catch the Rupert spear? I didnt catch a replay during the game. And was wondering how bad it was.
Griffith with a stupid high stick, and then complains about the call? And then gets a ten after the Rangers bury the PP opportunity? Look in the mirror.
Anyone catch the Rupert spear? I didnt catch a replay during the game. And was wondering how bad it was.
Limited/poor/no camera angle may be what saves Rupert from a further suspension. It was well behind the play (which deserves greater punishment, in my opinion - it's not the heat of the battle at that moment in time).
Limited/poor/no camera angle may be what saves Rupert from a further suspension. It was well behind the play (which deserves greater punishment, in my opinion - it's not the heat of the battle at that moment in time).
at least no video from Rogers.
Not sure if teams have their own videos?
Anyone catch the Rupert spear? I didnt catch a replay during the game. And was wondering how bad it was.
Griffith with a stupid high stick, and then complains about the call? And then gets a ten after the Rangers bury the PP opportunity? Look in the mirror.
Didnt check (I never care who the 2 stars are) Dont care.
Really, why does anyone care who they give the stars too? Much ado about nothing
I don't but it's sometimes it's worth laughing about.
Seems like my expectations were met almost to the enth degree yesterday. I actually don't think London played too bad to lose both to OS and KIT. The shooting towards the net is getting better but there are still too many times when London will have a 3 on 2 and not get a SOG. To me that should be almost as unacceptable as Griffith and Rupert taking their team out of the game with awful penalties. How did OS socre their goals on Friday? Shots from the point with tips and then a rebound. How did Kitchener score 3/4 goals yesterday? The exact same thing. With the amount of time London has the puck on an average night, they should be outshooting the other team nearly 2:1. Ya rarely see that.
It can take some time to get the touch back after a broken hand. If it's 4 before he's ready to go it could be another few before he starts finding the range again, which is into the 2nd round. Hunter may end up paying dearly because he didn't do what was necessary to secure another talented scorer i.e. Trocheck because he was trying to save for next year too. Should be interesting to watch from afar.
Just in case anybody's worried about losing top spot, I wouldn't be. We are 11 points up on Kitchener with 14 games left.
If Kitchener finishes the season with 14 straight wins, we still finish first by going 9-5. If the combined number of London wins and Kitchener losses is 9, we clinch first seed.
If we generously assume Kitchener finishes 11 and 3, we clinch first seed by going 6-8 in our last 14.
It's going to take some pretty major sucking from our Knights to lose top spot.
What worries me is that they don't have the same consistentency as last year's team. Outside of the big streak, we've looked pretty beatable. Everybody is going to step up their game for the next few weeks with Griffith out. Whatever he may do in terms of penalties and lack of effort, his sniping is going to be missed.
When the playoffs roll around, every round will be a hard fought battle. A first or second round upset is completely possible with the way this whole conference is playing. But I have confidence in this group going forward.
Good news is apparently there's only 4 teams bidding (London, Windsor, Guelph and Barrie). If Windsor doesn't make the playoffs, which is looking likely, it could make this a three horse race.
London has done well trading up the last couple years. Windsor maybe looking to move up this year.
I can see the "have nots" drafting imports just to stop the "have teams" from drafting them since they have zero to lose in doing this.
Certain players who wants to come and play in NA may be prevented under my scenario above and they agents could start making noise about going to court.
I can see the "have nots" drafting imports just to stop the "have teams" from drafting them since they have zero to lose in doing this.
Certain players who wants to come and play in NA may be prevented under my scenario above and they agents could start making noise about going to court.
If the team that drafts them doesn't try to sign them then they are in essence stopping them from plying their talents here in North America.
That player has his "rights" violated and could sue the CHL to insure he can play here in NA.
If the team that drafts them doesn't try to sign them then they are in essence stopping them from plying their talents here in North America.
That player has his "rights" violated and could sue the CHL to insure he can play here in NA.
If the "have nots" don't do what you suggest today, why would they do it under the new rules?
Under the old rules, they could draft the player, try and get him to commit, if not trade him. Under the new rules, they draft him, can't get him to commit and are forced to keep him and get nothing out of it. To me, there's more reason to do it under the old rules then the new rules. You mentioned teams don't have lots to lose, I'd disagree, Peterborough is far better off having guys like Martschini or Tanus in their lineup then they are having some kid who won't report and they can't trade.
I know I am probably not going to say anything that most of us don't already know, but if you have a game on a friday night you should probably not let half of your team go to a concert thursday night and drink there face off??? Jus sayin'
Just saw the update, Knights lose to Erie. Wow. It has come to this. I like a previous posters comments regarding Hunter standing pat at the deadline for next year. Part of me hopes we lose a ton of players next year seeing as how they didnt leanr their lesson from the year Kane left, and then Gagne. If you have the team now, you make the move and go all in now while you have it.
Worried about this team........
Cant help but think that the trade deadline shakeup (albeit minor) has no effect now...
Mid day on Thursday and here I sit wishing it was seat #2 in sec 314 and the game was about to start.
Should be a great game tonight, Sarnia has quite a lineup (and just imagine if they had those 3 players - Murphy, Gally, Nail).
Today's paper even has the players agreeing that the lineup shuffling is good for them and will prepare them better for playoffs if the need arises so hopefully that shuts up the LDN fans who complain about Hunter and his shuffling...Hunter knows its good, the players knows its good so just deal with it.
Sarnia's goal thing where they do the 'yuuup' thing...um, really dumb. Cant even make something up, they have to steal it from a tv show.
Our Rick Flair thing is obviously stolen (from Rick Flair) and the Canes used it almost 10 years ago...Boston still uses it.
Our um, dance thing....people who say that is the bushwacker dance, i guess is for lack of a better description because their arms flail at a much quicker rate, this is to a timing of 1,2 1,2 etc. If Im drunk i do it to get the blood flowing but whatever, i can see why others think it is dumb. anyone tell that im bored?
Good luck to all those traveling to games (near or far) this eve, going to get nasty in the late hours of the night.
HMMM, watched Chicago Black Hawk games,same music as London.Wondering who is uncreative.
I know I am probably not going to say anything that most of us don't already know, but if you have a game on a friday night you should probably not let half of your team go to a concert thursday night and drink there face off??? Just sayin'
Just saw the update, Knights lose to Erie. Wow. It has come to this. I like a previous posters comments regarding Hunter standing pat at the deadline for next year. Part of me hopes we lose a ton of players next year seeing as how they didnt leanr their lesson from the year Kane left, and then Gagne. If you have the team now, you make the move and go all in now while you have it.
Worried about this team........
Cant help but think that the trade deadline shakeup (albeit minor) has no effect now...
Knights 77, don't you just think the Knights are taking it easy until the playoffs. I mean Erie had won only 1 game out of there last 9, so eventually they gotta win right. I mean how can the Knights get up for palying against a team li9ke that? No worries, I think Hunter will have them primed and ready to win this things when it really counts in the playoffs. Don't know if you follow the SPITS, but man they have been the PITTS this year.
Just saw the update, Knights lose to Erie. Wow. It has come to this. I like a previous posters comments regarding Hunter standing pat at the deadline for next year. Part of me hopes we lose a ton of players next year seeing as how they didnt leanr their lesson from the year Kane left, and then Gagne. If you have the team now, you make the move and go all in now while you have it.
Worried about this team........
Cant help but think that the trade deadline shakeup (albeit minor) has no effect now...
To me it's not the same as when they had Kane and Gagner. That team wasn't going anywhere anyway with no depth and awful defence. Even this year, I didn't have a problem if they didn't make moves. Maybe the 2 Americans who come over here partway through the season for their own convenience has messed with the formula. Also the Raine/Sefton deal was just terrible, but switching #6 D shouldn't wreck your team. But it's unlikely they don't finish first, so it could be much worse.
This team has had nothing to play for since Christmas. Now as the gap dwindles down to under 8 points for 1st overall in the league....you'll see them starting to put the pedal down a bit more each week. If people are that worried...they're fooled. This is still the best team in the OHL...by far. There's not a team in the West that scares me moving forward....realistically.
anyone tell that im bored?
