2013-14 WHL Season

[LockedOut]

Both starting goalies have been playing like hot garbage in the last two games. Driedger had trouble all night fighting the puck. He's got to pick it up if the Hitmen expect to win the series.

[Matty81]

So much for my prediction that PA would put up a good fight, I guess the first three games were pretty close at least. Hopefully they get better opposition in round 2, cheering against Edmonton sports teams just feels right.

Cranbrook is doing well, and agree with the earlier poster, attendance has just been sad out there, makes me understand the relocation to Winnipeg talk.

Good to see Tim Bozon recovering, I noticed on twitter that he seems to be back on his feet which is great to see, was worried for him.

Edit... also not for sure but sucks to see Seattle coming back into Kelowna again, I've never seen another team at any level with 5 goons (I guess Hickman is debatable). Their series with Kelowna last year was one of the dirtiest I've ever seen, I think the Rockets were left with 3 of their original 6 dmen healthy afterwards. Kelowna is a year older and added Yorke to Goulborne and Heffley so hopefully it is a different story this year.

[Trojan97]

Big comeback from 4-1 down for Brandon tonight to win 5-4 and go up 3-0 in their series with Regina. The young talent is really shining through for Brandon right now which is exactly what they need. The experience they will get of playing one of the elite East teams if they can close the Pats out would be huge going forward.

[Red John]

Bit of a dull first round so far. Lots of sweeps.

Dumpsville hammered PA in four straight. Brandon hammering Regina 3-0. Speedy Creek and the Hat split their first four as did Calgary and Cranbrook - those are going to be good series finishes.

Out west it's been boring as all favourites have done well. Portland swept Vancouver. Seattle and Victoria are both a win away from sweeping. Kelowna is up 3-1 on Tri...game 5 will be on Sportsnet tomorrow.

This does however set up an absolute killer second round in the West. Going to be nasty.

[DOOM]

Driedger has been awful so far. Time for Shields, imo.


Edit - lol of course he allows another goal right after I post this. 4 goals on 14 shots, PULL HIM.

[Resolute 14]

It's really hard to tell if Kootenay is playing really well this series, or if the Hitmen have just played like complete ass. Truthfully, I'm leaning more toward the latter. This isn't a great matchup for Calgary, but there is no way Kootenay fares nearly so well if the Hitmen are on their game.

[DOOM]

lol, maybe Shields wont be any better.

5-2 now.

[Mass_nerder]

I don't watch a lot of hitmen hockey, so I don't have a good feel for the team, but I'm trying to catch a few top prospects. Is virtanen usually this invisible? Does he just not have a major role on the team, or?

[Resolute 14]

Virtanen is rarely this invisible.

And Calgary got lucky. Yet another completely lazy defensive play, and Kootenay scores at 20:00.1 of the period.

[Resolute 14]

What the F?

Jesus. Now we have the replay official screwing us over. That puck was OBVIOUSLY outside the net when the clock read 0.00.

[getbak]

Wow, horrible call. You can see that the puck is out and the clock is at 0.0.

[Mass_nerder]

That's a terrible call. What is this, nba? Get the shot off before the buzzer and it counts?

[jschick88]

Terrible call. Wow.

[Street Pharmacist]

That was no goal. Really confused there

[Red John]

That should not count as a goal.

It's too bad Hitmen fans will likely just blame the officiating now instead of the fact that Cranbrook has dominated this game and deserves to win (based on first 40 mins anyway).

Hard to believe the Hitmen actually had 100 points this season, they have zero composure. They only try to score off the rush and are awful at taking away passing lanes in defensive zones. Just not an impressive team at all.

The fact that they're letting the Ice skill game dominate them is damning considering the Ice aren't even that talented a team beyond the Reinhart line.

The fact that they got so easily rattled in game 1 shows that they just aren't a mature team. And Chris Driedger...wow. He looks awful.

Epic choke by the Hitmen. In fairness though they did respond well in game 2 in a must win situation so perhaps they will rally facing elimination.

But it looks like Cranbrook is a way better team in this series.

[Mass_nerder]

Hot garbage from the hitmen here tonight. They look completely outmatched.
Goaltending is really bad. Defense hasn't looked great, and the forwards look very tentative.

[Resolute 14]

Yup. Get a penalty shot and shoot it right in the logo. Dumb, dumb.

[Mass_nerder]

Wow, not the penalty you want to take.

[Resolute 14]

6*-4 now, 6 minutes left.

The video screw job and abysmal penalty shot attempt looming large.

[Resolute 14]

6*-5 with a minute left.