Tough Loss to Tri City…

Last night was a tough loss for the Winter Hawks…I thought they played one of their best first periods of the season, outshooting the Americans 10-3 and creating scoring opportunities with speed through neutral ice, but the lack of finish showed again and Chet Pickard did enough to keep the puck out of the net.

After the first period, Tri City really put the clamps on and played a solid defensive game – which, IMO, isn’t their forte’ – limiting the Hawks chances down the stretch.

The Ams took advantage of a couple opportunities for their two goals and they roll out of town with the win.

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Note to Hawks scheduling committee — don’t schedule the Americans for a game in Portland on January 30, 2010…

Last year, on January 30, 2008 – Americans 4, Portland 0 – Chet Pickard with the shutout.

This year, on January 30, 2009 – Americans 2, Portland 0 – Chet Pickard with the shutout.

Exactly one year between blankings by Pickard and the Ams against the Hawks…

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Tonight the struggling Everett Silvertips come in to the MC on a team record eight game losing streak, having gone 0-6-1-1 in their last eight.  They have been outscored 40-12 during that stretch, including a 9-1 loss on home ice to the Spokane Chiefs this past Wednesday.

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Portland’s streak is now at 10 straight, a record of 0-8-0-2 during the stretch.  Portland has been outcored 51-23 in the 10 games.

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Game notes to follow later today…

Tri City @ Portland…Game Notes…

Hawks Notes: Tri City @ Portland – January 30, 2009

 

Previous Game – Portland 2 @ Tri City 5:  Taylor Procyshen had two goals and two assists to lead the Tri City Americans to a 5-2 win over the Portland Winter Hawks on Wednesday night at the Toyota Center in Kennewick, WA.  Jason Reese, Petr Stoklasa and Mitch Fadden also scored for Tri City while Johnny Lazo had three assists.  Portland got an even strength goal from Luke Walker on a deflection of a Travis Ehrhardt entry shot in the first period to tie the score at 1-1.  Chris Francis also assisted on the play.  Tri City would take a 3-1 lead before Killian Hutt would score for Portland early in the second period, off an assist from Max Brandl, but the Hawks would get no closer.  Kurtis Mucha handled 34 of 39 shots in net for Portland while Chet Pickard stopped 24 of 26 to get the victory for Tri City.  On special teams, Tri City went 2 for 7 on the power play while Portland went 0 for 5.

Team Notes:  Portland is (12-32-1-2); (7-13-1-1) at home (1-4-0-0 in Rose Garden); (5-19-0-1) on the road.  The Hawks last home win was on January 2, 2009, a 4-0 win over Everett.  The last road win was on January 3, 2009, a 2-1 win over Spokane. 

Portland vs. Tri City:  This is the sixth of nine meetings between the two teams, with the Americans leading the series at 3-2-0-0, outscoring Portland 19-16.  Portland is 4 for 27 (14.8%) on the power play in the series while Tri City is 10 for 37 (27.0%).  Tri City has out-shot Portland 181-149 in the series.

 

Game Schedule:

10/31/08 – Portland 4 @ Tri City 1                             11/15/08 – Tri City 3 @ Portland 4

12/28/08 – Tri City 4 @ Portland 3                             1/10/09 – Portland 3 @ Tri City 6

1/28/09 – Portland 2 @ Tri City 5                               1/30/09 – Tri City @ Portland

2/6/09 – Tri City @ Portland                                       2/22/09 – Tri City @ Portland

3/1/09 – Portland @ Tri City

 

All-Time vs. Tri City:

 

Total:  199 GP – 90 (W) – 91 (L) – 9 (T) – 7 (OTL) – 2 (SOL)

 

At Home:  98 GP – 56-34-4-3-1 – On Road:  101 GP – 34-57-5-4-1

 

 

Portland All-Time:

 

Total:  2351 GP – 1139 (W) – 1046 (L) – 127 (T) – 29 (OTL) – 10 (SOL)

 

At Home:  1174 GP – 717-384-61-8-4 – On Road:  1177 GP – 422-662-66-21-6

 

Regular Season Leaders:

 

Goals:  Luke Walker (16)

Assists:  Chris Francis (25)

Points:  Chris Francis (34)

Penalty Minutes:  Tayler Jordan (98)

GAA:  Kurtis Mucha (3.76)

Save Percentage:  Kurtis Mucha (89.3%)

Power Play:  30 for 226 (13.3%) overall   

Penalty Kill:  169 of 232 (72.8%) overall

 

Current Streaks:  Max Brandl (1-1-2 in last 2).

 

Injuries & Roster Updates:  Jason Grecica, F, Knee (Indefinite); Brock Cornish, D, Shoulder (Indefinite).  The Hawks have lost 118 man games to injury in 2008-09. 

Milestones:  Kurtis Mucha needs one win to reach 50 in his WHL career. Travis Bobbee needs two games played to reach 150 in his WHL career.  Chris Francis needs one point to reach 75 in his WHL career.  Luke Walker needs one point to reach 50 in his WHL career.

Winter Hawks Season Highs and Lows:
Most Goals Scored:  7 (11/9/08 vs. Kamloops, 7-5 win)

Fewest Goals Scored:  0 (Seven Times)
Most Goals Allowed:  8 (1/7/09 @ Kamloops, 8-6 loss)

Fewest Goals Allowed:  0 (1/2/09 vs. Everett, 4-0 win)
Most Power Play Chances: 10 (10/18/08 @ Moose Jaw, 5-4 loss)

Most Power Play Chances Against:  11 (12/28/08 vs. Tri City, 4-3 loss)
Most Power Play Goals Scored: 3 (1/11/09 vs. Everett, 5-4 SO loss)
Most Power Play Goals Allowed: 4 (Twice)
Most Shots Taken:  40 (9/20/08 vs. Spokane, 3-0 loss)
Fewest Shots Taken:  17 (9/21/08 vs. Kelowna, 2-1 win)
Most Shots Allowed:  53 (1/10/08 @ Tri City, 6-3 loss)
Fewest Shots Allowed:  19 (Twice)
Last Shutout:  1/2/09 vs. Everett (Mucha, 38 Saves – 4-0 win)
Last Time Shutout: 11/28/08 @ Everett (Barrie, 22 Saves – 3-0 loss)

Overtime Game Winning Goals:  Rutkowski 10/22 vs. Saskatoon

 

Portland @ Tri City…Game Notes…

Hawks Notes: Portland @ Tri City – January 28, 2009

 

Previous Game – Portland 1 @ Seattle 3:  Greg Scott scored two second period power play goals and added an assist to lead the Seattle Thunderbirds to a 3-1 win over the Portland Winter Hawks on Saturday night at the ShoWare Center in Kent.  Portland got on the scoreboard first when newly acquired Max Brandl got his first goal as a Winter Hawk, chipping in a backhand set up by Travis Bobbee and Tayler Jordan five minutes into the second period.  Scott evened the score six minutes later when he fired a slapshot from the right circle and then he snagged the lead when he finished an up-ice rush with five minutes remaining the second period.  Jim O’Brien would round out the scoring with an empty net goal for Seattle in the final minute of the third period.  Kurtis Mucha stopped 31 of 33 shots in net for Portland while Calvin Pickard handled 25 of 26 for Seattle.  On special teams, Seattle went 2 for 5 on the power play while Portland went 0 for 2.

Team Notes:  Portland is (12-31-1-2); (7-13-1-1) at home (1-4-0-0 in Rose Garden); (5-18-0-1) on the road.  The Hawks last home win was on January 2, 2009, a 4-0 win over Everett.  The last road win was on January 3, 2009, a 2-1 win over Spokane. 

Portland vs. Tri City:  This is the fourth of nine meetings between the two teams, with the series even at 2-2-0-0, with both teams having scored 14 goals.  Portland is 4 for 22 (18.2%) on the power play in the series while Tri City is 8 for 30 (26.7%).  Tri City has out-shot Portland 142-104 in the series.

 

Game Schedule:

10/31/08 – Portland 4 @ Tri City 1                             11/15/08 – Tri City 3 @ Portland 4

12/28/08 – Tri City 4 @ Portland 3                             1/10/09 – Portland 3 @ Tri City 6

1/28/09 – Portland @ Tri City                         1/30/09 – Tri City @ Portland

2/6/09 – Tri City @ Portland                                       2/22/09 – Tri City @ Portland

3/1/09 – Portland @ Tri City

 

All-Time vs. Tri City:

 

Total:  198 GP – 90 (W) – 90 (L) – 9 (T) – 7 (OTL) – 2 (SOL)

 

At Home:  98 GP – 56-34-4-3-1 – On Road:  100 GP – 34-56-5-4-1

 

 

Portland All-Time:

 

Total:  2350 GP – 1139 (W) – 1045 (L) – 127 (T) – 29 (OTL) – 10 (SOL)

 

At Home:  1174 GP – 717-384-61-8-4 – On Road:  1176 GP – 422-661-66-21-6

 

Regular Season Leaders:

Goals:  Luke Walker (15)

Assists:  Chris Francis (24)

Points:  Chris Francis (33)

Penalty Minutes:  Tayler Jordan (98)

GAA:  Kurtis Mucha (3.72)

Save Percentage:  Kurtis Mucha (89.4%)

Power Play:  30 for 221 (13.6%) overall   

Penalty Kill:  164 of 225 (72.9%) overall

 

Current Streaks:  No Current Streaks.

 

Injuries & Roster Updates:  Jason Grecica, F, Knee (Indefinite); Brock Cornish, D, Shoulder (Indefinite).  The Hawks have lost 116 man games to injury in 2008-09. 

Milestones:  Kurtis Mucha needs one win to reach 50 in his WHL career. Travis Bobbee needs three games played to reach 150 in his WHL career.

Winter Hawks Season Highs and Lows:
Most Goals Scored:  7 (11/9/08 vs. Kamloops, 7-5 win)

Fewest Goals Scored:  0 (Seven Times)
Most Goals Allowed:  8 (1/7/09 @ Kamloops, 8-6 loss)

Fewest Goals Allowed:  0 (1/2/09 vs. Everett, 4-0 win)
Most Power Play Chances: 10 (10/18/08 @ Moose Jaw, 5-4 loss)

Most Power Play Chances Against:  11 (12/28/08 vs. Tri City, 4-3 loss)
Most Power Play Goals Scored: 3 (1/11/09 vs. Everett, 5-4 SO loss)
Most Power Play Goals Allowed: 4 (Twice)
Most Shots Taken:  40 (9/20/08 vs. Spokane, 3-0 loss)
Fewest Shots Taken:  17 (9/21/08 vs. Kelowna, 2-1 win)
Most Shots Allowed:  53 (1/10/08 @ Tri City, 6-3 loss)
Fewest Shots Allowed:  19 (Twice)
Last Shutout:  1/2/09 vs. Everett (Mucha, 38 Saves – 4-0 win)
Last Time Shutout: 11/28/08 @ Everett (Barrie, 22 Saves – 3-0 loss)

Overtime Game Winning Goals:  Rutkowski 10/22 vs. Saskatoon

 

           

Enterprise…A Day in Photo’s…

The team arrived in Kennewick about 6:30 this evening after a busy day in the small Northeastern Oregon town of Enterprise…a day that started very cold (-15 degrees fahrenheit in Enterprise on Monday night)…and ended with a lot of smiles and community goodwill.

This picture is of the Eagle Cap Chalet just off the shores of the frozen over Wallowa Lake, about fifteen miles out of Enterprise.  The resort is broken up into chalets, condos and cabins and the team was split up between the buildings as we were the only tenants.

No cell phone service or Internet, but it was incredibly beautiful…

 

 

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The bus ready for loading (the players hung their gear in a conference room to keep it warm) in the parking lot at the Eagle Cap Chalet. 

We had a bit of a nervous moment a few minutes later when the bus had issues starting, but a few adjustments by our bus driver Rags and we were on our way to town.

After a great breakfast at Lear’s Pub & Grille in downtown Enterprise, it was off to the Enterprise Public School.

 

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The players unload at the school.  The one building school houses Kindergarten through Grade 12, with the 7 room elementary school on one side and the Middle/High School on the other.

 

 

 

 

 

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Jerry Moss and the players meet the elementary school students with the emphasis on safety, physical fitness and reading. 

This is the small gymnasium in the school, with the larger one just down the hall where they host basketball and volleyball games.

The morning started with this assembly and then the players separated into three groups that went into the individual elementary classrooms to read to the students and to answer questions and sign autographs.

Each student got a soft puck and a program for autographs.

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Brett Ponich, Stefan Schneider and Max Brandl assisted on the school’s teachers in putting on the full hockey gear to the amusement of the 150+ students.

The focus was on safety and wearing the proper equipment while skating, riding a bike, skateboarding and other outdoor activities.

 

 

 

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After finishing at the school, the team posed for a picture on the front steps of the school.

From there, it was back to Lear’s for lunch and then off to the local outdoor rink for a spirited skate followed by a chance for the locals to skate with the Hawks.

 

 

 

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The view from the street at the outdoor rink…it was cloudy with snow fluries flying and it had warmed up into the 20’s.   In other words…perfect…

The town really opened their arms to the team, including a big “Welcome Winter Hawks” banner made by the grade school kids.

The team had just arrived and were getting their first feel of the surface.

 

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The players start some passing and skating drills…notice the small nets, evidently goaltenders are scarce in Enterprise, and also, there are only end boards with snow banks on the sides.

The small nets also had boards up with strategically placed holes where players could score goals. 

 

 

 

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Kurtis Mucha, with a spare hockey sock for a toque, looks remarkably huge in front of the small nets.

The Winter Hawks donated some equipment, hockey socks and also are having two full sized metal goals to the local rink.  The nets didn’t arrive in time for today’s festivities, but it didn’t dampen the spirits.

In fact, the players took particular enjoyment in beating the goaltender and finding the miniature targets.

 

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Head Coach Mike Johnston sets up the next drill for his team. 

Due to the size of the surface, they were limited in the drills they could run, but the drills focused on crisp passing and skating.

 

 

 

 

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The local school kids had a close-up look at the Hawks running through the practice.  There were lots of oohs and aahs and they also got excited when Jerry Moss and crew handed more goodies to the young spectators.

This was a big deal in this small town and the smiles of the kids made the day incredibly special.

 

 

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The crowd, young and old, all had a great time and many took the time to come up to me and the other staff to say Thank You for making the day a special event.

The Hawks had a professional photographer on hand taking photo’s and also a videographer shooting video, including interviews with the Mayor of Enterprise and other people that will be put into a documentary that will be shown at hopefully future games.

 

 

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Ryan White, columnist from The Oregonian, made the long trek over with a photographer, and he will be working on a feature for the paper in the coming days.

It was great to have the coverage, especially from Ryan, who is a hockey guy.

 

 

 

 

 

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The three goaltenders – Kurtis Mucha, Ian Curtis and Keith Hamilton – pose for a photo before leaving the ice.

The smiles were all over the ice, and I think the goalies liked the smaller nets…

 

 

 

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In the end…it was a long day, but a ton of fun…we left the town with snow falling and we had a great opportunity to see a lot of deer and elk in the mountains as we made our way back to LaGrande and then the main highways to Kennewick.

Tomorrow…back to game action against the Tri City Americans…

Tough Road Loss…

For forty five minutes last night, the Portland Winter Hawks and Seattle Thunderbirds were about as even as two teams could be.  The final fifteen minutes of the second period was the difference as Seattle took advantage of some power play time to take a 2-1 lead and hold on for a 3-1 win.

Greg Scott, who is becoming this years Bud Holloway vs. Portland, scored twice to break the Hawks two game winning streak vs. Seattle.  His first goal was a beauty of a blast from the right circle through a screen and the second was a lucky break as his rebound bounced off a Hawk skate and in.

Portland’s lone goal was a lucky break as well and a dump-in found its way to the front of the net and Max Brandl got his first goal as a Hawk on the backhand.

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I thought both goaltenders – Kurtis Mucha and Calvin Pickard – were solid in this one and I felt that Mucha deserved third star recognition over Devon LeBlanc. 

Goaltending Coach Steve Switzer was in town this week working with the Hawks goaltenders and made the trip to Seattle with the team.  The two – Switzer and Mucha – spent much of the trip home reviewing video of the game.

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As far as our technical difficulties went, it was a phone line issue somewhere between OR and Kent and we found a work-around just as the game started.  We apologize for the incovenience and we now know how to solve it if it happens again.

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It was nice to see a lot of Hawks fans at the game last night and it is definitely nice to take approximately 30 minutes off the trip north. 

Thanks to the boosters for putting together a bus trip, hopefully they can continue to put more of those together as it always great to see a large group of fans sitting together in enemy barns.

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While the press box view isn’t the best from basically the goal line at the ShoWare Center, it wasn’t as bad as I had envisioned it in my mind.

The new building is still going through growing pains as the security folks are a bit jumpy about people in their building prior to it opening.  Even though I had a media pass around my neck, I was asked at least four times by different ushers/security about what I was doing.  Everett was the same way for the first year or two…

The only other issue I had was when after the game, a can light fixture fell out of the ceiling and hung by the wire above my head in the radio booth. 

Typical new building issues…I look forward to going back.

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Thats it for now…next update from Enterprise…

Technical Difficulties…

We’re having some technical issues at the arena…hope to be on the air soon…

Portland @ Seattle…Game Notes…

The view from the press box at the ShoWare Center in Kent…

Hawks Notes: Portland @ Seattle – January 24, 2009

 

Previous Game – Kamloops 5 @ Portland 1:  C.J. Stretch scored two goals and Justin Leclerc made 34 saves to lead the Kamloops Blazers to a 5-1 win over the Portland Winter Hawks on Saturday night at the Memorial Coliseum. Both of Stretch’s goals came in the first period, one on the power play, when Kamloops took a 3-1 lead.  Curtis Kulchar had the other first period marker for Kamloops.  Killian Hutt scored the lone goal for Portland with a wrist shot from the left face-off circle just as a power play expired.  Travis Ehrhardt and Colin Reddin assisted on the goal.  Kamloops got a power play goal from Jimmy Bubnick in the second and two-man advantage goal from Seth Compton in the third period to provide the final margin.  Ian Curtis went the distance in net for Portland making 21 saves on 26 shots while Leclerc stopped 34 of 35 in the victory for Kamloops.  On special teams, Kamloops finished the night 3 for 7 on the power play while Portland went 0 for 7.

Team Notes:  Portland is (12-30-1-2); (7-13-1-1) at home (1-4-0-0 in Rose Garden); (5-17-0-1) on the road.  The Hawks last home win was on January 2, 2009, a 4-0 win over Everett.  The last road win was on January 3, 2009, a 2-1 win over Spokane. 

Portland vs. Seattle:  This is the seventh of 12 meetings between the two teams.  Seattle leads the season series 4-2-0-0.  Portland is 3 for 24 (12.5%) on the power play while Seattle is 3 for 22 (13.6%).   Seattle has outshot Portland 199-172 in the series. 

 

Game Schedule:

10/11/08 – Seattle 4 @ Portland 0                  11/22/08 – Portland 2 @ Seattle 6

11/29/09 – Seattle 5 @ Portland 3                  12/6/08 – Seattle 3 @ Portland 1

12/27/08 – Portland 5 @ Seattle 1                  12/31/08 – Seattle 2 @ Portland 4

1/24/09 @ Seattle                                           2/14/09 @ Seattle

2/21/09 @ Portland                                         2/28/09 @ Seattle

3/13/09 @ Seattle                                           3/14/09 @ Portland

 

All-Time vs. Seattle:

 

Total:  407 GP – 214 (W) – 163 (L) – 23 (T) – 6 (OTL) – 1 (SOL)

 

At Home:  204 GP – 127-66-8-3-0 – On Road:  203 GP – 87-97-15-3-1

 

 

Portland All-Time:

 

Total:  2349 GP – 1139 (W) – 1044 (L) – 127 (T) – 29 (OTL) – 10 (SOL)

 

At Home:  1174 GP – 717-384-61-8-4 – On Road:  1175 GP – 422-660-66-21-6

 

Regular Season Leaders:

Goals:  Luke Walker (15)

Assists:  Chris Francis (24)

Points:  Chris Francis (33)

Penalty Minutes:  Tayler Jordan (98)

GAA:  Kurtis Mucha (3.77)

Save Percentage:  Kurtis Mucha (89.3%)

Power Play:  30 for 219 (13.7%) overall   

Penalty Kill:  161 of 220 (73.2%) overall

 

Current Streaks:  Travis Ehrhardt (1-2-3 in last 3).

 

Injuries & Roster Updates:  Jason Grecica, F, Knee (Indefinite); Brock Cornish, D, Shoulder (Indefinite).  The Hawks have lost 114 man games to injury in 2008-09.  The Hawks acquired the rights to German import 20 year old Max Brandl form the Prince Albert Raiders on 1/10/09.  Brad Ross is serving a one game suspension for a Checking From Behind Major and Game Misconduct assessed on 1/17/09 vs. Kamloops.

Milestones:  Kurtis Mucha needs one win to reach 50 in his WHL career.

Winter Hawks Season Highs and Lows:
Most Goals Scored:  7 (11/9/08 vs. Kamloops, 7-5 win)

Fewest Goals Scored:  0 (Seven Times)
Most Goals Allowed:  8 (1/7/09 @ Kamloops, 8-6 loss)

Fewest Goals Allowed:  0 (1/2/09 vs. Everett, 4-0 win)
Most Power Play Chances: 10 (10/18/08 @ Moose Jaw, 5-4 loss)

Most Power Play Chances Against:  11 (12/28/08 vs. Tri City, 4-3 loss)
Most Power Play Goals Scored: 3 (1/11/09 vs. Everett, 5-4 SO loss)
Most Power Play Goals Allowed: 4 (Twice)
Most Shots Taken:  40 (9/20/08 vs. Spokane, 3-0 loss)
Fewest Shots Taken:  17 (9/21/08 vs. Kelowna, 2-1 win)
Most Shots Allowed:  53 (1/10/08 @ Tri City, 6-3 loss)
Fewest Shots Allowed:  19 (Twice)
Last Shutout:  1/2/09 vs. Everett (Mucha, 38 Saves – 4-0 win)
Last Time Shutout: 11/28/08 @ Everett (Barrie, 22 Saves – 3-0 loss)

Overtime Game Winning Goals:  Rutkowski 10/22 vs. Saskatoon

 

           

Perspective is Everything…

It has been interesting to browse around the Internet and read the take on the escapades between the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Medicine Hat Tigers.   Nothing like a little perceived showboating followed by a multi-fight scenario to rouse people up.

I’ve watched the video and it did appear that Kyle Beach taunted the Tigers a bit before he filed the empty net goal that led to a Tiger (Tyler Ennis, I believe) throwing his stick at Beach and then Tigers d-man Matt McCue tuning former Winter Hawk Colton Sceviour.  The McCue incident prompted two ‘Canes (Dwight King and Craig Orfino) to leave the bench to join the fray.

Being an analytical sort, I always look at what would of happened if the roles had been reversed.  What if it was Ennis that taunted before scoring the empty netter?  Would the end result have been the same?  Would fans/bloggers make such a big deal out of it?

Beach has a reputation for being an agitator and he brings a lot of attention to himself for his actions – both good and bad. 

Like most things, this got blown out of proportion and out of  perspective by those most passionate about their teams.  It sounds like it even cost the Color Analyst of the ‘Canes, Dick Gibson, his broadcast job for making some questionable comments while it was occurring.

In the end…this would have been avoided if Beach just would have skated it down the ice and dumped it in the empty net like 99% of the players in the WHL would have…without making a spectacle of himself.

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And, speaking of color guys…having been one myself for three years with Scooter…I find that the ones that I like the best are the ones that provide timely information with a small mixture of editorial content.  I would rather have someone explain to me the situation than to just say “the referee missed that call”.   Why?  What happened?  Was he out of position?  Was his vision blocked?  Give me details…

At this level, color guys make virtually nothing and do it for the enjoyment of it.  I doubt any have any grand illusions of being the next addition to the Hockey Night in Canada staff, but we would all jump at the chance.   When I did color, all I got for payment was a CHL Media Pass and free parking.

To me, that role was about the three E’s – educate, entertain and enlighten – and stay out of Scooter’s way.  This blog was titled “After The Whistle” because that was when I got  the chance to talk most nights – after the play had stopped and before the next faceoff.  

Lastly, and most importantly I think, don’t overreact to anything that happens…be prepared and stay level-headed. 

Know what you want to say and say it clearly with brevity and in terms that anyone with even a small amount of hockey knowledge would understand.

End rant…

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Next up, the Hawks invade the new ShoWare Center in Kent tomorrow night…game notes to follow tomorrow…

An Excursion to Enterprise…

The photo is of farmland just outside of Enterprise, OR, in the valley surrounded by the Wallowa Mountains. 

The Portland Winter Hawks will be taking a side trip to Enterprise early next week to help instruct physical fitness courses at the local school and to run a practice on the outdoor rink in the middle of the small Northeastern Oregon city.

The Hawks will be there on Tuesday of next week in preparation for their game in Tri City on Wednesday night.

I’m looking forward to this trip as it will be a nice excursion to allow the players to play a little pond hockey and for folks like me to witness it.  Something tells me it will be a bit colder and whiter than the above picture shows…

I’ll have the digital camera with me, snapping some photos…

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The Hawks will be without Brad Ross for the game on Saturday night in Kent as he picked up an one game suspension for his major penalty on Saturday night against Kamloops that knocked Kenton Dulle from the game.

Dulle did play the next night for Kamloops…

Monday Thoughts…

In a lot of ways, that was  a weekend that I’d rather forget…two losses by more than three goals and trying to call two games while fighting a cold and a persistent cough.  Thankfully, we have a few days off before heading North to the Hawks first game in the new ShoWare Center in Kent on Saturday.

On the positive, it was great to reacquaint with a lot of the players parents and to meet some that I hadn’t met before.  As the primary voice for the team, I take a great responsibility in delivering the game broadcasts to not only the fans of the team, but the parents as well.  I received a lot of compliments, and while that isn’t why I do this, it is always nice to hear.  It made a bad weekend on the ice a little bit better.

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Due to  a wonky voice, I bowed out of being the MC for the Hawks skill challenge yesterday, but I did watch the festivities from the bleachers at Mountain View.  I enjoyed it, and it most certainly would have been better if the microphone had worked better,  but it appeared that the players had a good time.

I don’t have the official results, as I didn’t keep track, but from memory:

Hardest shot – Ryan Kerr (93 mph) – in a challenge after Brett Ponich posted 92.

Fastest Skater – Brad Ross (I believe around 13.97…)

Accurate Shot – Joel Ridgeway (only player to hit all four targets)

3-on-0 challenge – Brad Ross/Brett Ponich/Joe Morrow (~3 goals in 36 seconds)

Goaltender Challenge – Ian Curtis (stopped all 12 breakaways)

Kurtis Mucha did not take part due to his illness as well as Radim Valchar…

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Ian Curtis kind of stole the show yesterday making some Hasek-esque sprawling saves in the breakaway drill and the 3-on-0 drill. 

One thing about Curtis, he may have the best pokecheck I’ve seen from a Winter Hawks goaltender in a  long time…

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Keith Hamilton also showed well, allowing 2 goals on 12 chances on the breakaway drill.

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If you haven’t heard, the Stark Street Pizza Booster Event on January 26 will be a Town Hall style event with new Winter Hawks President Doug Piper.  It will run from 7-8 PM, and the admission is $3 at the door. 

Here is a chance to ask questions of the new business management and I hope that a lot of folks attend.

It should be enlightening…

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That’s it for now…