Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Bunz's Tigers beat Brown's Rockets

  • Can you lose 2-0 on the road yet be pleased with your overall play? I think the Kelowna Rockets should focus on the positives despite a shutout loss to the hands of Tyler Bunz and the Medicine Hat Tigers Tuesday night. Bunz made 26 saves for his second shutout of the season as the Tigers won for the 21st time this season. For the Rockets, the shutout was the third time this season they have failed to find the score-sheet.
  • The Rockets had several glorious chances to score but were unable to find the back of the net. Cody Chikie's breakaway chance from centre ice and two shots that rang off the goal post from Andreas Stene and Shane McColgan stand out as missed opportunities. If those go in the Rockets find themselves in first place in the BC Division, not a point back of the idle Vancouver Giants.
  • I really like the line of Shane McColgan, Mitchell Callahan and Brett Bulmer. I thought Bulmer was a real threat offensively and created some good things with his new line mates. With Bulmer added to the line, Zach Franko was bumped yet played his best game in a long time. Franko showed good jump and energy a didn't sulk over the demotion.
  • I thought Geordie Wudrick had another solid outing. He was hard to hit off the puck and was dangerous around the net. One thing that really stood out for me was his ability to stay on his skates. He is often up ended easily and taken off the puck. On Tuesday he looked like a 20 year-old that should be a dominating presence on the ice.
  • You have to be impressed with Tigers forward Linden Vey. Despite being cut by the Canadian World Junior Team earlier in the day, the 19 year-old had as much jump as any forward on the Tigers roster. Vey is an impressive player and just earned a little more respect from yours truly as the disappointment from being cut didn't affect his play in the least bit.
  • This was a fun game to watch and a great game to call from a broadcasters standpoint. It was high tempo with few stoppages of play. A 2-0 game is often a yawner. That wasn't the case Tuesday night.
  • Fifteen year-old Madison Bowey took the pre-game warm up. It was a good chance to get the butterfly's out of the system as he prepares to make his debut Wednesday night in Lethbridge. No question they will still be there at game time, but it was a good decision to let Bowey get his feet wet a day in advance of his first game at the WHL level.

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