cautious optimism
Rejoint: mars 2021
Messages: 3,004
Mentions "j'aime": 5,753
Oh boy, a double-header!
Bobcat’s Post Game Notes, Fuel Edition
Fuel win, 3-2 the Kalamazoo Wings.
-I’ve found myself in Indianapolis for the weekend, so that means some ECHL hockey! Time for Chicago’s AA squad to play Columbus’s AA squad. Prepare for a lot of names you’ve never heard before.
-It’s Star Wars Night for the Fuel, so they’re wearing special Star Wars-themed jerseys. I will be honest: them sh*t’s ugly. I wish these teams would just wear these special jerseys for practice only. You’ll still get the money for auctioning them off…
-The Fuel actually have a player that’s actually contracted with the Blackhawks (Cameron Hillis). Somehow, he’s not good enough to get the starting nod on the ECHL squad. I don’t know if that’s funny or sad.
-Another thing: the Fuel have a former Blue Jackets draft pick on the squad. I don’t know if you’re familiar with the name Kale Howarth, but he was our 5th round pick in 2017. He went to college at UConn, and we let his reserve list rights expire. This is what he ended up doing. He DID get the starting nod for tonight. That’s cool.
-I don’t know which team I’m watching: the Indy Fuel, or last year’s Blue Jackets. 36 SECONDS INTO THE FIRST PERIOD Max Humitz scores for the K-Wings. Not the best of starts, but they’ll heat up.
-Carson Focht (who, fun fact, is contracted with the Canucks) gets sent to the box for tripping, but that gets killed off. The K-Wings have a good PK for the standards of the league, all things considered.
-At 7 minutes flat, Spencer Watson beats Kalamazoo’s goalie glove side to tie the game! That was a nice play.
-This game has looked very chippy thus far. Both teams have been finishing their checks hard. I expect a fight in the coming minutes.
-No fight occurred in the first period, but another K-Wings penalty happened, and that gets killed off.
-This physical play is definitely going to continue into the second period. It’s very entertaining to watch, and I wish the Jackets played like this.
-Not even thirty seconds into P2, they get very close. Two players get to pushing and shoving after play is blown dead, but the refs are all over it before anything really happens. Whelp.
-Focht gets sent off for tripping AGAIN. He’s gotta get that under control if he’s gonna make it at the higher levels.
-Not much happens until Leif Mattson scores on a one-timer to put the K-Wings up 2-1. I missed a lot of that play since I was in line at the concession stands.
-This Kalamazoo goalie has looked pretty strong tonight. The ECHL has had a reputation for producing some solid goalies, so I’d expect this kid to get a shot in the AHL, or, if worse comes to worse, the big leagues. Remember the name: EVAN CORMIER.
-…As soon as I say this, Watson scores his second on the night. Spence capitalized on a loose puck to let loose a slapper that blows by Cormier. This game is tied once more.
-A tripping call while Andrew Perrott is on a breakaway gives the Fuel a penalty shot. They don’t convert.
-Another Andy Perrott breakaway with 6 seconds left, and this time, they score! The Fuel take their first lead of the night!
-I loved the play seen here by the Fuel. Noticeably better than the first period. Let’s see if they continue this into the final frame…
-The game has gotten so much chippier as the third period gets going. Still no fights, but a lot of checks in the corners that will knock your d*ck stiff.
-Play gets stopped completely with about 9 minutes left because someone from the stands is shining a laser pointer into the field of play. No, it was not me.
-A very blatant interference penalty by the Fuel. Keoni Teixiera just shoved a K-Wing with one hand and took him all the way down. This could be costly in a one-goal game like this…
-Thankfully, it doesn’t cost them one bit. It had a bit of a scare, but ultimately we held firm.
-An even more blatant tripping call for the K-Wings gives the Fuel what is likely their last PP of the night.
-That gets killed off rather easily. About a minute left now.
-A little scare as the clock is winding down, but in the end, the Fuel hold firm, and win!
-If you have an ECHL franchise in your area, I highly, HIGHLY recommend going to one of their games. It’s a very different experience to the NHL product, and I really like it. They also would appreciate your patronage; they need money to, you know, stay running, so buying a ticket would help a bunch.