Tbirds Split Weekend

Sometimes I just don't feel like writing until the end of the weekend. I was able to watch the game at Calgary on Friday and listen to the game in Cranbrook last night.   The Tbirds were able to split the weekend and return home after a 2-4 road trip, a bit of a mixed bag over the weekend. Here are some thoughts... none of which you will hear me calling Calvin Pickard "overrated".

• Friday night's game was very entertaining and saw a flurry of goals scored in the first period, followed by both teams buckling down a little bit and providing some intensity in the final moments.  In the end, Seattle was able to escape with a 5-4 win over the Calgary Hitmen.
• Saturday night's game was pretty entertaining as well, as the Tbirds were able to keep the game much closer than the 5-1 final indicated.  This was essentially a two goal game in the third period with Seattle hitting no less than two irons that could have made it a one goal game or tied it up.
• Justin Hickman is starting to find his groove.  In my opinion, Hickman has played hard all season and just hasn't had very many points to show for it. Since Thursday, we saw Hickman come through with some tangible evidence of his ability as he notched two assists on Thursday, two goals on Friday and another goal last night. I think Hickman has a chance to be a very good power forward in this league as things are starting to come together.  He must stick to the excellent game plan of fore-checking hard and creating those opportunities by disrupting the opposition's defense.
• Brendan Rouse had an excellent road trip, registering points in each of the 6 games (2 goals, 5 assists).
• I haven't held back my criticism of Dave Sutter lately. I think he takes too much flack overall but lately the flack has been pretty deserved.  Sutter had an excellent game on Friday night chipping in an assist and going +3 but then reverted back to a -2 last night. I think this is pretty much what you are going to get from Sutts, some good nights and some bad nights. He is still 3rd on the team (among regulars) in plus/minus, and I think more significant faults can be found in other bodies on this team.
• Shea Theodore was back in the lineup Saturday after sitting out two games in a row. I'm not really sure whether they were HS's or whether he was a little banged up.  Either way, he was back last night and Hauf was the one to sit out.
• Daniel Cotton continues to do a fine job filling in for Pickard when called upon.  His 27 saves last night didn't seem to be the reason for the loss.  Thom Beuning mentioned on the radio broadcast that perhaps Pickard has been trying to do a little too much in net and I think that is a bit of an accurate statement.  I can attest to the fact that when your defense isn't playing well you tend to resort to crazy things in net.  It is easy to focus on things that you shouldn't, overreact to certain situations, and find difficulty concentrating on stopping the first shot and controlling the rebound.  Pickard is a NHL caliber goaltender and his numbers have been extremely consistent over his WHL career.  I have no doubt that they will be similar by the end of the season. Cotton's time will come but that time is not here yet. Pickard is your starter, no controversy here.
• Chance Lund got off to a great start to the season but has faded a little bit as of late, which leads me to wonder if he's been working through an injury. His hustle was back on Friday night in Calgary as he helped kill off the end of the game when the Hitmen pulled the goalie in an attempt to tie the game. Lund also created another scoring chance where he just powered past the Hitmen defender.  
• Sean Aschim has 2 points in 4 games since joining the Birds.  So far, I like what he has brought to the table.
• Brad Deagle has one of the most incredible lip sweaters I have seen on a player in recent years. Everyone needs to check that caterpillar out before Movember is over.

Seattle now returns home for a 4 game home-stand starting Friday night against the Tri-City Americans and Saturday against Portland.  

Tbirds sign Kevin Wolf

Kevin Wolf has signed a developmental deal with the Seattle Thunderbirds.  Wolf, 15, hails from Cuomo, MN and was drafted by the Tbirds in the 10th round of the 2011 Bantam draft.

Wolf is a big kid standing 6'4" and weighing in at 180 lbs. at the time he was drafted (he might be bigger now). He attended rookie camp and training camp in August where his skating ability proved to be very impressive for a 15 year old, especially one of his size.

This is a quality signing for the Birds.  These are the types of kids that you hope to hit on occasionally to augment your draft classes.

Streak Over

Seattle gets a nice win in Lethbridge last night to break their losing streak. Things sure do feel a lot better after wins.  I didn't get a chance to catch much of the game last night (bad blogger, I know) but I was able to listen to portions of the game in the 2nd and 3rd periods. It’s feeling like this team isn't giving up on the season.  It gives me hope when I feel like the players still have hope to turn this thing around.  Regardless of whether or not that happens, it feels better when it appears that the players still genuinely care.

This "observations" come from the box score and listening to the radio, so keep that in mind.

• Calvin Pickard seemed to have a nice rebound game, stopping 33 of 35 shots to pick up his 6th win. When Pickard is on top of his game, the team always has a chance to win.
• Justin Hickman probably deserved a star last night.  His forecheck led to the Brendan Rouse goal that gave Seattle a two goal cushion and eventually was the GWG. Hickman finished +3 for the night, had an assist on the Noebels goal and probably deserved one on the Rouse goal.
• Another good game from Rouse, who now has 5 points on the road trip in 4 games and has 9 points on the season.
• Marcel Noebels, goal, assist +2. That is more like it.
• Shea Theodore was a scratch a night after Jared Hauf was a scratch.  It could be that both are getting the old HS for performance reasons but I think it has a lot to do with them being 16 and the coaches not wanting to burn them out over the course of a long season.

Seattle travels to Calgary next to face the Hitmen in the other potentially winnable game of the trip.

Tbirds lose again, Showare gets high marks

Seattle lost again on Saturday night in Edmonton 4-1 to the Oil Kings.  From what I have been told, Seattle played a tad bit better but still had a dreadful start to the game getting out-shot 16-6 in the first period and falling behind 3-0. I haven't watched the game yet but I'm going to assume it was a lot of the same except they didn't fall apart after the rough first period.

Seattle also announced a trade in which Center Sean Aschim was acquired from Moose Jaw for a conditional Bantam draft pick.  Aschim played for Kelowna last season and had logged 4 goals and 5 assists in 13 games for the Jaw this season. I hope Aschim can help get some offense going because at this point I would hate to see him take minutes away from younger players who need to play and get better.

Last but not least.  I little plug for a website called Stadium Journey that posted a review of their experience at ShoWare Center for opening night.  It is nice to see the Sho get a nice review and even nicer that we have a good barn to call our home.  The review can be found here. Take a look at it if you get a chance.

Rebels Hammer Tbirds

I'll keep this short and sweet. Mostly because there just isn't much to say after another dreadful performance by the Tbirds. I'm addicted to bullet holes so let's just stick to the formula.

• Seattle gave up the first 11 shots of the game and thanks to Calvin Pickard they were somehow able to keep the Rebels off the scoreboard before Burke Gallimore scored on Seattle's first shot.  It wasn't a fair indication of how the game was being played and sure enough the Rebels answered back with 4 unanswered goals in the first period and the game was effectively over.
• Pickard should probably be traded. Picks gave up 5 goals on 22 shots and none were really his fault. Seattle is playing horribly in front of him and probably killing any chance he had of making Team Canada at the WJC.  At this point, Cotton has proven himself to be a pretty capable goaltender and this team isn't going anywhere this season.  I know Russ and Steve keep saying that they "like their team" but I don't expect them to say anything different.  They have to believe in their team publicly. My eyes tell a different story and there isn't much to like about this team. Trade Pickard for players that are already in the league... NOT draft picks.  Seattle had a bad track record with draft picks but Russ has a knack for recognizing talent once it hits the league. Trade Pickard to Kamloops who have played very well in front of a rookie goaltender and a journeyman goaltender. He deserves better than this.
• Speaking of Cotton... I want to emphasize that I was very impressed with his technique and overall play tonight.  Cotton looks like a solid WHL goaltender in the making. As a 17 year old he could use the experience of playing and seeing some shots and we all know Seattle can provide plenty of shots for him to face.
• Noebels, Lockhart and Gallimore - 2 points, -4. I'm picking on these guys for a reason. These are your best players and they need to start playing like it if this team has any chance at winning.
• The first period was staggeringly bad. I can't believe after the crappy game they played on Tuesday that the Tbirds could manage to play arguably worse in the first period tonight.  Passes were being thrown to areas of the ice instead of sticks. Teams in upper levels of adult rec league hockey don't do things like that. I realize we're talking about completely different levels of competition but comparatively there is no excuse. This is major junior hockey and the expectation is that "most" of the time passes are going to be intended for a teammates stick and not an area where you hope someone can pick up the puck.
• The officials were crap tonight but I'm not going to sit here and pretend it had any impact on the game. It was just annoying.

I can't stand to write anymore about this game.  I'm going to go tailgate and attend the Huskies and Ducks game tomorrow and hope that ignoring this team will cause them to play better tomorrow in Edmonton.  I'm trying to keep the faith but it's pretty difficult when things are getting worse. We all have to hope that the team is approaching "bottom" and they will soon start to swing back towards positive play and results.

Road Trip, Follow Up

I apologize for not having a game recap from Tuesday's game against the Giants.  I meant to write on Wednesday morning and I've just been super busy at work and wasn't able to get to it until today.

A few quick thoughts on the game.

It was awful.  Of the games that I have seen this season (which is most), this was the worst I have seen the team play.  Vancouver out-worked and out-hustled them from the opening faceoff and never really looked back.  Fortunately for Seattle, Calvin Pickard was truly up to the task and was able to keep the Tbirds in the game for 59 minutes. They actually had a chance to win after Kyle Verdino converted a Power Play goal with just over 6 minutes to play, cutting the deficit to 3-2 but Vancouver was able to hold them off and added an empty net goal to produce the final 4-2 margin.

• Penalties killed the Tbirds again as they gave up 2 PP goals in 6 chances.  Holding, USC, Delay of Game (twice!) and finally a Too Many Men penalty with 1:25 to play in the game.  These are penalties of the frustrating variety and these are the kinds of things Coach K has to crack down on.
• Connor Sanvido must be in the doghouse.  It appeared to me that he didn't play a whole lot on Tuesday night and was picked to serve the Too Many Men penalty at the end of the game.
• At what point do I start to worry about Luke Lockhart, Burke Gallimore and Marcel Noebels.  Combined they have just 20 points in 35 games with a -27 rating. Yikes.
• It's pretty tough for me to defend Dave Sutter lately as his play has lacked (to say the least)... however... he is still tied for the team lead at +1. Worth noting.
• I heard someone say that Doty was hurt and wasn't able to play on Tuesday but he is not listed on the weekly injury report. Breaden Laroque is listed as "day to day", Evan Wardley is listed as 1 week and Colin Jacobs is now listed at 1 month+.
• Branden Troock was one of the few skaters I thought had a decent game for the Birds. Justin Hickman also had a decent game, getting Seattle's first goal.
• One thing that has driven me crazy about the Seattle teams of the past couple of years is the inability of the players to keep shots from getting blocked and passes from getting intercepted.  This is actually harder than it would seem to the average fan, but other teams seem to be better than we are at getting pucks through to the net and threading passes through to other players.  I'm not really sure how to fix this, but it is extremely frustrating.

Things are about to get very tough for the Birds on this road trip. We can probably expect to see similar results to the ones we have seen out of Everett.  The Silvertips have lost 4 of their 5 games so far on their trip with their only win coming in Red Deer in the shootout. I wish I could be more optimistic, but I'm just not going to expect anything more than about 3 out of 12 possible points on this trip.

Kevin Sundher wishes he played Seattle every game

Not very many glorious things to write about the game on Sunday with the exception of the impressive volume of alcohol that I consumed over the course of the weekend.  Oh... you wanted hockey coverage? Ok, fine... but don't say I never did anything for you people.

Kevin Sundher put on a show, collecting his first career hat-trick, adding a 4th goal and all coming after he potted 2 goals the night before. Sundher is on pace for 216 goals and 252 points... if he played Seattle every game. Bummer for him.

Overall the game was crap for Seattle. I'm not sure what to tell you.  They gave up a goal early, responded with a Power Play goal but then continued to get vanquished on the PK by giving up the next 3 goals on the kill.  The penalties are troubling in both number and type.  Delay of the Game, Tripping, Tripping, Hooking, Tripping, Too Many Men... These are penalties of the lazy variety.  Roughing you can excuse because guys are playing hard and being physical. The "stick" penalties are killer and especially when you are sitting at 21st in the league killing penalties at a rate of only 70.2%

I'd like to talk less about this game specifically and more about the team in general.

The biggest issue going forward (obviously opinion here) is the ability of Coach K and Coach Rumble to change the culture of the team and in the locker room.  Steve Sarkisian, football coach of the University of Washington Huskies, has talked about talking over that program and needing to change the culture surrounding the players and how they approached games.  They needed to "Expect to Win". But repeating the mantra doesn't just make it true... you need to have tiny victories here and there before players start to believe in the message and truly start expecting to win.

This is what Steve Konowalchuk must do with the Seattle Thunderbirds. We have seen it happen a few times this season in both ways. Friday night the Tbirds fell behind 2-0 on two shorthanded goals and could have easily folded the tent.  Instead... they immediately answered with 3 goals and earned themselves two points.

Saturday nights game was the opposite.  After Seattle fell behind 4-1 the game truly felt like it was over and the team seemed to take on the "here we go again" look.  As the Tbirds improve, and I believe that they will, they will need to conquer the psychological demons that have developed as a result of the past 2 seasons of losing. Games like Friday give fans hope that the players are learning to win.  Games like Saturday are a reminder that results don't happen overnight and that the journal back to the playoffs will be a process.

Seattle is due for a good showing at home and they have already proved that they can beat Vancouver.  They need to bring it on Tuesday before they head out on a very tough road-trip.

One down, One to go

Road trips are always fun.  My wife and I boarded the Clipper yesterday morning with a buddy and about two dozen other Tbird fans yesterday for the two games up here on the "Island". It was nice to see so many fans making the trek up here for the two games.  The game itself was a tad on the boring side for most of two periods, so we entertained ourselves by getting about 2.5 sheets to the wind, setting the stage for a dramatic 3rd period that saw the Royals and Birds combine for 6 goals and push the game into the shootout.  Seattle would eventually win on a Luke Lockhart shootout goal and to even their record at 5-5 (3-1 on the road).

• Dave Sutter. Sutter is the current "fans complain about this particular player far more than they should for slightly justifiable but ultimately incorrect and misguided reasons... see: Scott Jackson for reference." Some nights I feel like I have to point out all of the good plays that Sutter makes just to counterbalance the fans who point out every single mistake that he makes.  I don't know how or why he has become this player to Tbird fans... but he is and it definitely has something to do with expectations.  Last night I can't really defend him very much.  He simply wasn't very good and he was out for both of the Shorthanded goals early in the 3rd period that could have easily been the outcome in the game. He was also out for the 1st and 3rd Seattle goals and helped Seattle get right back into the game.  You take what you get with Sutter and I think the expectations on him are a little unfair... but it is what it is.  Sutter is far from perfect but he is rapidly improving and he is vastly better than he was at the beginning of last season.  Stay patient people... it's coming along.
• Nice to see Connor Sanvido get his first goal of the season, the tying goal came on a partial breakaway off a pass from Chance Lund. Sanvido fought off a defender and slipped it past goaltender Keith Hamilton.
• Brad Deagle had another nice game for the Birds. Deagle and Breaden Laroque both have their consistency issues as well but both have had some excellent games lately.  Deagle's shot from the point sneaked through Hamilton to give the Birds some life after the two quick shorthanded goals. He added an assist on the goal by Sanvido and finished +2 for the night.
• The Burke Gallimore goal, to give Seattle a 3-2 lead was scored just 13 seconds after the goal by Sanvido.
• Jacob Doty was much better tonight.  More focus on playing hockey first and let the fights come to him. The fact that he didn't have a fight should not deter him from continuing to play this way.  If he continues to play hard and drive hard to the front of the net and make other teams frustrated by his play... he'll have plenty of chances to fight.
• Pickard 34/37, 1st star. Yawn... ho hum, just another night.

Seattle gets to enjoy their day here in Victoria (as will I) before getting back to work tonight at the Save On Foods Memorial Arena.  Just a hunch... but I will probably be a few sheets again tonight, so don't expect any mind blowing analysis (isn't that normal??)

Fleming to Swift Current

Seattle has traded Erik Fleming to Swift Current for future considerations in the 2012 Bantam Draft.

The considerations will clearly depend on whether Fleming A) Reports to Swift. B) Sticks with the team. C) How much he plays.

Hopefully Fleming can catch on with Swift and keep his career going.

Fleming and Frank Out

Erik Fleming has been removed from the roster page at the Thunderbirds website. I can't confirm from any sources what exactly has gone down.  I will update when I can.

UPDATE - Erik Fleming and Austin Frank are both gone.  Frank appears to have chosen to leave, I'm not sure exactly what the circumstances are surrounding Fleming being gone.

Frank was known to be a very hard worker but found himself without a spot on the blueline after Seattle traded for Brad Deagle and Braeden Laroque.  He played some forward on Sunday but my guess is that he wants a chance to play defense somewhere.

Fleming, a first round bantam selection in the year that Seattle selected Calvin Pickard in the 2nd round, just never seemed to find a comfortable fit with the Tbirds and unfortunately will go down as another 1st round bust in Seattle's history. Fleming had been sitting out with an injury

Where these guys go from here is not quite clear to me at this time.