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"Kyle":38ctt4m7 wrote:First up, Bears taking on John McGlashan. You’d have to be a fair way out on a limb to pick Bears to win this one, and I’m going to have to be safe and pick Johnnies, 3-1.[/quote:38ctt4m7]
Let’s see, it finished up 6-1 to Johnnies. I thought Bears had the best of the first period, only letting in one goal and having a number of good opportunities at the other end. Anna Craw fired from the mid-slot and hit the left upright, and the puck bounced off and hit the right upright, and then sat there just in front of the posts before Johnnies cleaned it up. If her shot had gone literally a couple of millimetres to the right, it would have deflected over the line. The second period though killed the Bears, their defense started to fall over and they let in about four goals. They picked it up better in the last period, and Hellyer got a late goal off some good fore-checking from his teammates. Johnnies played well throughout and put some good shots in when they had chances.
"Kyle":38ctt4m7 wrote:Kings vs Beasts. This should be a good game. My pick. I think this game is going to be much closer, but I’m still going with Kings, 4-3.[/quote:38ctt4m7]Ooh, a good game. Beasts starting to fire as the season builds to a big finish, knocking over Kings 3-2. Beasts worked hard for this victory, including some really good short-handed play in the final period where they had as many attacking opportunities as the Kings team on the powerplay – nice work by Baker and Honore getting high for the open pass and putting pressure on the Kings defense. Kings seemed to be more interested in the video recording that was being done from their bench for some of the game than winning it, but I’m sure they’ll be fired up next week for a big final. ETA: I should mention, big game from Neil Dudley in goal. He stopped some shots that Kings were expecting to go in, and given that they only won it by 1 goal, Beasts owe him a big pat on the helmet for a good game.
"Kyle":38ctt4m7 wrote:Also, Dunedin midgets and Dunedin Ducks (SNC team with some great players, including former Ice Blacks Steve Jackson and Mike Sam), are playing Alexandra tomorrow at the Dunedin rink. Midgets are on at 8.30 and 11.30am, Ducks at 10.00am and 4.30pm. Come along and support the local rep teams and see some good hockey.[/quote:38ctt4m7]Ugh, and the award for ‘most like a movie game of hockey’ goes to the first Ducks-Alexandra game. Ducks take a 7-1 lead at the end of the first period, before the break when Alex figure out that Graham Phipps-Black isn’t really a goalie star, and knock in some 6 straight goals in 8 minutes, during which time most of the Ducks hardly touch the puck. The game finished up 9-8 to Alex with Dunedin unable to get it back for their first loss of the season. Second game goes much better, when Ducks nab a goalie and win it 4-2. Matthews picks up a couple of the most ugly and uncoordinated goals you’ll ever see, but it’s Jackson who gets the game winner with some great strength out of the corner and then driving the net.
Dunedin midgets give over a couple of their players to Alexandra who were real short, but for reasons that aren’t clear, give up a couple of pretty good players, who knock in goals against their own team. Midgets go down in both games, but there’s lots of good talent there, and potential for them to play better as a team – they had opportunities there, but struggled a bit with positional play and driving the net and supporting the player with the puck.
I wouldn’t worry about it Stefan… er Stefan being Ryan. The original team you put in was ‘stacked’, which is why it got bumped. That’s no biggie, you were just putting in a team based on what you thought other teams would be like, and they didn’t turn out that way. The current roster that you have fulfils the rules and isn’t ‘out of whack’ with the other teams greatly. It’d be easy to say that you’ve benefited by not having a weaker A grade player show up at all, but you also have Peter Lamb on your roster, and he hasn’t shown up either so it balances out.
I don’t think the Phantoms are a fantastically greater set of players than any other team. Several people on your team has their rating increased between last year and this year in recognition of the level that they were playing at, so I think the numbers are probably a fair reflection.
I think you’ve got benefit out of grouping together a bunch of players who play together in the prems team. The system that we use to balance teams out doesn’t take this into account, but it’s obvious out there that a few of you practice and play together on the same lines. Other players didn’t organise themselves in this way and so miss out on this benefit. As the person organising the DIHL, I’d much rather four people put their hands up to put together the four teams from all the available players, but unfortunately only two teams worked out that way, so the other players just have to live with where they end up.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, getting properly balanced teams is the hardest thing to do in running the DIHL, particularly when players sign up late or don’t show etc. Sharks have picked up four players since I made their team (though between the four of them they probably balance out right), Johnnies we had to add a player to when they lost two that they thought they had, and Bullfrogs have added Jacques (assuming he keeps on showing!) to their roster, because Andrew Kibbelwhite is probably not going to be seen again. Phantoms are the only team not to pick up late players. Bullfrogs also added James VL last week with the consent of the Phantoms (and Graham PB, recovering from a knee injury) as a one-off casual player (the rules allow this, though typically I try to keep in mind when allowing teams to add casuals that they shouldn’t unbalance the game greatly, so adding two top players would be too much for me), and it turned out to be a very even and good game as a result.
My opinion on the DIHL, is that we should take it seriously as a competition. The DIHA association is looking ahead at some increased separation from the SIHL – their own NZIHL team for example, and while I presume we’ll still be playing southern teams, we’re a big enough (and hopefully we’ll get bigger) club that we can have a reasonably high quality local competition that people take seriously, play 100%, and that helps with the growth of the club and provides a game environment to push juniors, prems, snc etc players to perform better in the other competitions that they play in. I know it pushes me to play better when I’m chasing prem players around on the ice, and I hope that I’m good enough that I’m at least not making them play worse when they face off against me!
But that doesn’t mean that we can’t take a sensible look at two teams on the night and with the consent of both teams, add or swap a player, because in the end of it the whole point is the quality of the game and being able to play good, enjoyable hockey. There are limits as to what I would allow teams to change from their roster, but if both teams agree to allow changes beyond that, then that’s fine with me. Stefan agreed that James could play for us, and it probably cost his team a point, but it was an enjoyable game.
So in summary, Stefan’s been doing a good job with the Phantoms and good on him for stepping up and doing it.
That wasn’t a hit, that was clipping. Not really something that players should have to ‘take’ and just bounce back up, and he did a fairly good job to avoid it.
Nice one prems. Sounds like the team is having a really good start to the season.
From the schedule, looks like next time you have a home game is 7 July. Have to see if I can arrange to get that night free to come down and support the team.
I believe all the Sunday SIHL games that are held at our rink start at 4:30. The original schedule had some generic times for all rinks, they’ve since been changed, but as far as I know the calendar schedule has never been updated.
Only come video the game if we play better than we did this morning. Went from 7-1 up at the end of the first period, and then let in 6 goals in the first 8 minutes of the second period, after Alex figured out that our goalie didn’t have much experience in the position. It finished up 9-8 to them
” title=”Sad” />Alright, B grade is in the last week of round robin tomorrow night. The places for the finals next week are actually already decided (Kings 10 points, Beasts 8 points, John McGlashan 1 point, Bears 1 point I think), so as it works out, this weeks games are warm-ups for the finals, since everyone will be playing their finals opponent this week.
First up, Bears taking on John McGlashan. This was a good game last time, both teams were pretty evenly matched, and Bears went into the back end of the game one up, but a late goal to Johnnies saw it tied up. Johnnies won’t have been happy about that result at all. Key for Johnnies – they’ve been having nightmare problems in goal this season, I can’t keep track of the number of different people they’ve had playing there. If they get someone there who plays well, they should win. Key for Bears – skate, skate skate! The team has got some good players, but also some beginners, and they’ve struggled a lot with other teams catching them and taking the puck off them. A bit more pace on the ice, and you’d see a lot more from the Bears. You’d have to be a fair way out on a limb to pick Bears to win this one, and I’m going to have to be safe and pick Johnnies, 3-1.
Kings vs Beasts. This should be a good game. Kings ran away with it 7-3 in the first match-up, Beasts will have been unhappy with that and will be looking to push the game a lot closer. Both teams will be thinking ahead to a final next week against the same team, and an impressive performance this week will put the pressure on the opposition for the following week. Key for Kings – previously I’ve been lauding a few players on the Kings team, but they played well last week missing their junior reps, so their whole team has stepped up significantly. If they keep playing like that, they should take this game. Key for Beasts, playing like they can do. They had a great game in the Easton Cup against the Dunedin Juniors team at Easter. If they play like that, they can push for a win. They don’t seem to have quite fired this DIHL, they’ll be hoping to rectify that now they’re in the home straight. My pick. I think this game is going to be much closer, but I’m still going with Kings, 4-3.
Also, Dunedin midgets and Dunedin Ducks (SNC team with some great players, including former Ice Blacks Steve Jackson and Mike Sam), are playing Alexandra tomorrow at the Dunedin rink. Midgets are on at 8.30 and 11.30am, Ducks at 10.00am and 4.30pm. Come along and support the local rep teams and see some good hockey.
Yeah, you guys played a good game last night with some good goals. I was surprised that the Sharks didn’t get more shots on.
Though, when I made my picks, you didn’t have Toby Schuck playing in goal. That does tend to help out.
"Chris":ebvjqizk wrote:No, that would just be silly. What I issued was a challenge.
[/quote:ebvjqizk]And you didn’t look silly at all doing it. Honest.
"Chris":ebvjqizk wrote:The point about this is that she’s Canadian, but I was giving her shit about being American….. but good try on ripping me out Kyle. A for effort
” title=”Wink” />
[/quote:ebvjqizk]And it was so original too. She must be the first Canadian that someone has tried that on.
"Chris":2vfqpr13 wrote:"Jono_":2vfqpr13 wrote:its getting rather annoying to see the constant dribble of whinge coming from one guy getting binned on the forum. Get over it buddy.[/quote:2vfqpr13]Then why don’t you come and shut me up? Seriously. I dare you.[/quote:2vfqpr13]
Wow. Did we all get sent back to primary school and no one told me? What’s next? “I know you are, you said you are, but what I am?” “A pinch and a punch for the first of the month and no returns?”
"Chris":2vfqpr13 wrote:"tess":2vfqpr13 wrote:how you manage to talk a mile a minute on the ice, in the lockerroom, and on the forum is beyond me.
[/quote:2vfqpr13]I have a lot to say tess, all of it intelligent. You AMERICANS wouldn’t understand
” title=”Wink” />
[/quote:2vfqpr13]Because no Americans are ever smart? I heard they don’t have any of the world’s top universities there either. All morons, clearly.
No we’ve got a team.
Just not a large one
” title=”Sad” />Pete offered to drag Mike Sam down, but given that we’re already hoping to bring in one ringer who’s probably pretty good, I thought it’d be a bit rude to bring in a second. If Jacques doesn’t turn up (I didn’t get a contact phone number unfortunately) we might make an emergency phone call to Mike.
I’ve hit up a couple of Beasts to see if they’ll play, so the balance doesn’t get out of whack, but no use.
I’ll see how we’re looking at the beginning of the game, maybe a shark or two will want to help us out. I was trying to add casual players to the lineup without stacking the team unfairly, so I’ll keep trying to do that.
I’ve just received emails from a couple of Bullfrogs who are injured or sick and unable to play tonight. The team is going to be real short of numbers (we only started with 9 skaters, and two injured and one not coming in from central leaves us with 6), so if any A grade level player wants to come along tonight and play a game at 9pm, contact me on kyle.matthews@otago.ac.nz and let me know.
Cheers,
KyleWell we’re down to 5 now. Buffalo and Ottawa make fairly impressive advances in the East. Ottawa is looking like a bit of a dark horse, they got rid of New Jersey 4-1, which is no easy feat. Stefan’s Sabres made to work a bit 4-2 against the Rangers.
Joe’s San Jose, of the good photos are still in it, but they’ve got to beat Detroit at home and then away to take it 4-3, which is a tough ask. Whoever goes through will face off against the Ducks who looked fairly good against Vancouver.
A Grade tonight. Ooh, quick, get some picks together.
Tonight will see the last game of the first round-robin. Teams will be looking for a win to cement their positions and get ahead. Last week was close – any of the four teams could have won their games.
First up, Johnnies take on the Sharks. Johnnies have been having all sorts of problems so far, they got their first win last week over a very short Bullfrogs, but now they’re hung out without a goalie (rugby injury!), and no signs of being able to find a replacement. If they can’t fix that the Sharks will eat them up. Sharks will be looking for Wilson to be back in the lineup tonight, if he’s there, they should beat Johnnies quite convincingly. My pick: I’m picking Johnnies will end up with someone reasonable between the posts, but still go down. First win for Sharks, 3-2.
Phantoms vs Bullfrogs. Phantoms have been looking pretty good so far this DIHL, and under normal circumstances, I’d have to make the pick for them to win. Bullfrogs have played short, and will be short again tonight, and they’ll be missing Kibbelwhite’s defence with him not making the trip in from Roxburgh. However, Bullfrogs and hoping to pick up a late import to the team – a chap called Jacques, who’s just arrived in NZ from South Africa, via Ireland. Nothing’s concrete at this stage, but if he turns up at 9pm tonight, I’m picking Bullfrogs to pull a draw out. My pick 2-2.
