2008-09 Calgary Hitmen/WHL thread - Page 21 - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Resolute 14 · 03-05-2009, 07:39 AM

Even considering the travel joke that is Prince George to Kamloops overnight, that was a bad, bad game. Vancouver just became a must win if the Hitmen have any hope of finishing first overall.

Flickered Flame · 03-06-2009, 08:28 PM

Just a quick heads up...the Hitmen and Giants are about to start on Shaw TV. The two best teams in the league doing battle. GO HITMEN!

Resolute 14 · 03-06-2009, 10:15 PM

At least one Calgary team showed up to play tonight. 2-0 Calgary after 40 minutes.

Resolute 14 · 03-06-2009, 10:55 PM

Hell of a game for Calgary tonight... 4-0 win with 4 powerplay goals. Gotta wonder if these two teams somehow meet again if we're going to be in their heads? Hopefully we get a chance to see it.

Wednesday's loss might well have cost us the regular season title, however. Need Vancouver to drop one more game...

Flickered Flame · 03-06-2009, 10:56 PM

What a great game by the Hitmen. The power play was clicking on all cylinders as it produced all 4 goals tonight. Marty wasn't tested with many top notch chances but he was solid. 4 points up on the Giants, who have 3 games in hand.

Resolute 14 · 03-06-2009, 10:59 PM

That was also the first time this season Vancouver has been shut out. Sucks for the home fans.

Flickered Flame · 03-06-2009, 11:00 PM

The Hitmen defence really shut down the Giants attack. I hardly noticed Kane and Casey PZ.

604flames · 03-06-2009, 11:43 PM

Just got home, great crowd (14,000 +) got silenced/frustrated early thanks to dumb penalties and questionable calls... that said, congrats guys on the win.

Giants beat themselves tonight. Got into penalty trouble, and Calgary's PP is multi-dimensional, you have to defend all five guys on the ice 'cause both pointmen have rifles, and the down-low play particularly of Sonne and Bortis tonight was good. That said, Zalaski and Klein were BRUTAL tonight.

Offensively, Calgary just kept getting in front of anything, and Jones really wasn't tested too much, and he takes up a lot of net as well which makes any shots without screens/deflections/forced lateral movement all low percentage shots.

That said, and no offence to Calgary, I think Kelowna (the last time they were here) was the best team I've seen in the Coliseum this season.

I'd say see y'all in the Finals, but I am still crossing my fingers for a Giants/Ice final (unlikely I know).

johnnyluv · 03-06-2009, 11:44 PM

That was quite the bounce-back game. If we make the league final, I'd probably rather play Vancouver than Kelowna. Maybe over Tri-City or Spokane as well.

C.F · 03-06-2009, 11:56 PM

As a Giants fan, I was very impressed with the Hitmen's defensive game. They did a great job clogging up the neutral zone and kept everything to the outside in their own zone. Despite the fact that I thought the Giants outplayed the Hitmen 5 on 5, they really didn't get many scoring chances. The Hitties will be a force to be reckoned with in the playoffs, that's for sure.

That being said, the reffing was brutal. It's the biggest game of the season and this is the best reffing the league can offer? To be honest, I'm not surprised.

Resolute 14 · 03-07-2009, 09:11 PM

Hey, I'm surprised that Savage didn't call that game. For some reason, the Dub always schedules him to fumble his way through big games here in Calgary. I half think they do it in the hopes that whoever scouts WHL refs might decide he should be promoted to the AHL so he wont ruin games in this league anymore.

Unfortunately, I think he and Derek Herman are WHL lifers.

johnnyluv · 03-07-2009, 11:09 PM

You'd think with all the up-and-coming players in the WHL, there'd be some up-and-coming refs as well.

An OT loss for the Giants tonight - I doubt they make it out of the West if they face Kelowna at some point.

Resolute 14 · 03-08-2009, 04:50 PM

There are a few. But politics plays a role as well. That is the only fathomable reason why Rob Matsouka has been buried in the AHL, while Kyle Rehman has pulled some NHL duty this year after being full time in the Dub last year.

The Alan Paradice Award is pretty much a who's who of WHL refs who made the NHL...

1995, 97 - Tom Kowal (god the officiating must have been bad those years)
1996 - Lonnie Cameron - in the NHL
1998 - Brad Meier - in the NHL
1999 - Kelly Sutherland - in the NHL
2000 - Mike Hasenfratz - in the NHL
2001, 02 - Kevin Acheson
2003 - Steve Kozari (lol) - in the NHL
2004, 05 - Rob Matsouka (a million times better than Kozari, but stuck in the AHL)
2006 - Kyle Rehman - cup of tea in the NHL this year
2007, 08 - Andy Theissen - WHL/AHL this year, I believe.

Flickered Flame · 03-09-2009, 10:59 PM

I don't remember this being posted here so I want to send my congrats to Hitmen forward Brett Sonne on signing with the Blues last week. What a great year Brett has had and has really developed into an excellent player.

http://www.bclocalnews.com/tri_city_.../40391143.html

johnnyluv · 03-11-2009, 05:47 PM

If Sonne adds a little more weight, I could see him getting into a game or two at the NHL level next year.

johnnyluv · 03-11-2009, 10:52 PM

Hitmen in control of their own destiny now. 3 point in the last two will clinch 1st overall.

604flames · 03-12-2009, 02:41 PM

Justin Leclerc just clinched you guys the regular season title.. 58 saves last night up in Kamloops, Blazers (who have played the Giants tough all season) win 3-1.

Everett and PG to close out the season at home this weekend. PG in the first round of the playoffs. I declined to pick up my playoff tickets this year, probably will only go to 1 game in the first round, play it by ear after.

Resolute 14 · 03-12-2009, 09:12 PM

I'm going to reserve my celebrating until and unless we do clinch it. Both the Tigers and the Hurricanes are going to be wanting to prove a point against us, and with a week off to get rusty, the Hitmen will be in tough.

johnnyluv · 03-13-2009, 11:07 PM

Well, given Vancouver's latest loss to Everett, we'll be fine - one measly point will clinch the league. I definitely want us to take the title with a win, rather than a Giants loss, though.

604flames · 03-13-2009, 11:57 PM

That loss was inexcusable. Sexsmith should have had 3 of Everett's 5 goals without a doubt. 'Tips played well though, can't say they didn't capitalize on their chances (few as they were).