2013-14 WHL Season

[Matty81]

Up 3-1 with four and a half minutes to go and the game looking done and cough it up and lose... pretty painful.

Puts them in a do or die tomorrow in Portland, not looking great, hopefully they still have some fight left in them after that collapse. They have looked real bad in the last two games though, close enough on the scoreboard but I haven't seen Kelowna get soundly beaten on the shot clock like that back to back all year. Too bad I thought they owned most of game 1 and it's been all downhill.

[Flickered Flame]

^Portland hasn't won anything yet but I think Portland is a lot better than some people on this board were giving them credit for. I watch a lot of whl games online and I think Portland is the best team I've seen this year, nothing against Kelowna because I think they are a close 2nd but just the way Portland plays makes them very difficult to beat. Their offensive game play really allows them to cover up and overcome a lot of suspect defensive play and suspect goaltending, although Boes was good in ot tonight.

[Matty81]

I think Portland are great when they control the puck and have offensive zone possession but when they have to defend they have looked not so hot... good for them this series that they have done a very good job staying on the attack and hanging on to the puck. Dumba and Pouliot are going to struggle at the next level as they are not great defenders imo. When you outshoot your opponent 2-1 you can give up 3 goals a game and not worry though.

Portland is far from through but I'm not thrilled with the spot Kelowna is in... lose tomorrow and it's a 3-1 stranglehold, not where you want to be playing in an away game in Portland of all places.

Especially when tonight's game was pretty much over and in the bank, man that hurts... that tripping penalty Tvrdon took with a couple minutes left - hope the guy doesn't see any ice in the last couple minutes with a lead again if Kelowna has one.

[KevanGuy]

Going to the Kelowna game Friday, first row seats! Looking forward to some good hockey.

[dash_pinched]

Nice to see the Tigers take one game away from Edmonton, Langhamer was fantastic between the pipes. Game 4 goes tonight, Oil Kings will likely take this series, but at least the Tigers are making them work for it.

[Matty81]

Kelowna losing again 3-1 with two more powerplay goals bringing them to 7 in the series. Powerplays in the series are 22-11 Portland now.

[Flickered Flame]

Rough 2nd period for Kelowna. They actually played an excellent first period, maybe their best period since game 1.

[dash_pinched]

Oil Kings win 4-1 tonight in the Hat and take a 3-1 series lead. Refs weren't very good tonight (bad calls and missed calls). Tigers also lost Cox to an injury in the 2nd period and he didn't return (probably gone for the series).

[Zach]

Petan has put on a show tonight. Series should be all but over now.

[Montana Moe]

It's been a good night for Portland sports fans. I hope the Hawks can sew it up on Friday.

[Zach]

1-0 Portland so far. Hope they can end it tonight.

[Zach]

Originally Posted by Red John

Terrible defense.

Teams that don't play D don't win the playoffs.

Edmonton will make a long run again. Kelowna will probably come out of the west...maybe Victoria could take them out.

Kelowna would beat Portland in a 7 game series.

Portland too talented. Not a shock Port will most likely win it all.

[puffnstuff]

To be fair he did say in a 7 game series and they only played 5

[Matty81]

Refs got too involved, every game was half powerplays but the better team won the series anyway.

Portland was clicking at the right time and the Rockets played their best hockey in the first half of the season. I think even without Myles Bell and Damon Severson they will be in the mix for the title again next year.

Hawks fans enjoy before the next couple years with no 1sts (and 2nds i guess thanks to Dumba) catch up to you. Hope you kick edmonton's ass.

[Flickered Flame]

Originally Posted by Matty81

Hawks fans enjoy before the next couple years with no 1sts (and 2nds i guess thanks to Dumba) catch up to you. Hope you kick edmonton's ass.

Good and valid point but they do have a first this year, from the Hitmen in the Adam Tambellini trade.

[Flickered Flame]

And to no surprise, Edmonton knocks out the Tigers in a very short series. 3rd straight year of Portland-Edmonton final. Go Portland.

[Roof-Daddy]

4th straight year in the finals for Portland.

[Flickered Flame]

And when you think of the cycle of junior hockey, these runs by Portland and Edmonton are unreal.

[Fire]

Originally Posted by Flickered Flame

And when you think of the cycle of junior hockey, these runs by Portland and Edmonton are unreal.

It is impressive, but it's easier for the bigger markets because can attract the better quality coaches/GMs/etc. Players are more willing to skip the college route if they can play on a good CHL team.

If this was the 3rd year in a row where Moose Jaw met Prince George in the final, then that would really be impressive.

[Matty81]

Originally Posted by Fire

It is impressive, but it's easier for the bigger markets because can attract the better quality coaches/GMs/etc. Players are more willing to skip the college route if they can play on a good CHL team.

If this was the 3rd year in a row where Moose Jaw met Prince George in the final, then that would really be impressive.

I think your second point is spot on - good chl teams (and I'd add in good markets with good facilities) can recruit players who might otherwise go to the NCAA. Try getting a top NCAA recruit to go to PG right now. Coaching to me is less of an advantage, most teams have decent staffs and big teams pick dud coaches sometimes too though the big NHL owned clubs do also have huge support staffs the players can use to get training, nutritional, counseling advice from.

The city teams also typically but not always offer better facilities for training, and a better quality of life for the players where their every move isn't scrutinized like in the small towns but success is the biggie, when you look at the Giants they have everything else but have struggled to recruit since their program went into the tank.

Great facilities with a decent quality of life and success can even happen in a mid sized city, programs like London and Kelowna (bias) have had long competitive stretches too.

Portland and Edmonton are doing great right now and watching Portland I think they've rebuilt well enough to contend for a while still. Edmonton loses Lazar, Samuelsson, Reinhart and Moroz and they will be an average team. I didn't think Reinhart should have gone back this year, they got a bit lucky. The east sucks and the last couple big prospects in Barzal and Benson went to Seattle and Vancouver so I don't even know who else over there will be rising up.