Winterhawks: veteran needed for playoff drive

Kamloops Daily News to close within 60 days. So much for covering the Brier!
— Gregg Drinnan (@gdrinnan) January 6, 2014

Lots of talk about the trade deadline, which is this week.  Several years ago I floated a trade for Gregg Drinnan - and his response was that he'd love to work here in Portland.  The problem with that deal is we have no beat writer to send the other way, and journalistic prospects are hard to come by these days.  That, and Portland has no 1st or 2nds for the next 3 years.

I live in a town with three local papers that cover the Winterhawks, but none of them have a beat writer or cover them full time.  During those 11 win years, I used to read the 2 paragraphs that the Tribune would put out, twice every week.  Sometimes during the playoffs, Scooter will dig up an article from The Columbian.  The best coverage we get is from the Oregonian: which consists of a blogger as well as another blogger who hosts gameday discussions.  I love both these writers, but they are not unlike you & me - they have day jobs, and do it out of the goodness of their own hearts.

To be perfectly honest: that's why do this blog - there seems to be a void there.   We need a beat writer to put me out of business.

Drinnan is the first thing I read every day.   Or at least he's the first thing I read when he's writing, and for the last little while he's been busy with more important things than junior hockey - helping his wife Dorothy recover from a much needed kidney transplant.  We should always remember that there are things more important than the game, even though many of us forget that from time to time.  I know I certainly do.

This dude has been around for a long time.  He's been covering the WHL basically as long as there's been a WHL, and it shows.  He spent time co-authoring a book: Sudden Death: The Incredible Saga of the 1986 Swift Current Broncos, which covers a tragic event that every hockey fan should know about.  Joe Sakic walked away.  Trent Kresse, Scott Kruger, Chris Mantyka and Brent Ruff did not.

The future of newspapers has been turned upside down by the internet.  Many publications with runs approaching the century mark are falling on hard times, and the Kamloops Daily News is simply the latest.  Folks are having to get creative to continue with their journalism, and I'm sure that Drinnan will land on his feet.

The traffic meter on his blog shows 4.7 million page views.  Writers like this are a national treasure, and we are fortunate to have had access to his work for this long. The news about the paper closing broke today, so the future is wide open.  I'll continue to read Drinnan as long as he's available, and you can't keep a good man down.

Kamloops V Portland: Game 5 / series recap

 

  

  

  

 

 

 scoresheet

video highlights

handshake photos

game photos from the O

post-game fan discussion:

united001

I really like that the Hawks had their bus packed and ready to go. No cockiness, they respected the competition, made no assumptions, just put on their work boots and kicked ass and got to unload the bus for a well earned trip back to billets (after a bit of a partying I suspect)

 Winterhawks put away Kamloops.....

Rattie is the No. 2 playoff goal-scorer in WHL history, so he’s seen those lights go on lots of times in the post-season. Still, he said, that goal was special. “That would be top goal of my career, with the crowd being so loud and how close a game it was. It was awesome to score. … an exciting game to play.’’

Rattie reflected on a major-junior career filled with playoff highlights. “Unbelievable,’’ he said. “I’ve been so lucky to be here for four deep playoff runs, three WHL Finals. Now the last thing to do is win this next series and go on to the Memorial Cup.’’

 Guy Charron quotes:

They have so much firepower and transition, and they were very committed to playing two-way hockey and made it very difficult for us. So, they deserve their wins. 

It wasn't easy for (our top guys). Whoever played against them are great players. It made it tough to produce, we didn't have much room. Let's give credit to their defensive corps, their top four is as good as anybody I've ever seen in this league and all four might play in the NHL.

Drinnan's piece:

 And so ends a Kamloops season that included a lot of highlights, from an early-season franchise-record 14-game winning streak to the No. 1 position in the CHL’s weekly rankings, from a second-round sweep of the arch-rival Kelowna Rockets to an appearance in the Western Conference final for the first time since 1999.

“There’s a lot of good memories this season,” Charron said. “To start off with 14 wins in a row was a unique situation.

“I think this group of players has accomplished something tremendous in terms of consistency and winning over 40 games. Credit has to be given to these guys.

 Things got a little rough late:
 

Hard to tell what happened there, I didn't get a good angle - neither did the camera guy.  I will say I love what DeLeo did there - not generally that kind of guy, but he more than held his own.

How 'bout that Joel Edmundson?  Got kicked out of this game (twice) in that scrum,  took the penalty that set up the first 'Hawks goal, and went -1 on the night (-2 for the series overall, with their Game 3 win being the only plus night at +2).  He is a signed 2nd round NHL pick (STL).  Kamloops brought him in at deadline time, giving up a ton for him: 

The Blazers acquired St. Louis Blues second-rounder Joel Edmundson and a fifth-round bantam pick in 2015 from the Moose Jaw Warriors for 18-year-old blueliner Tyler Bell, 2012 first-round bantam pick Jayden Halbgewachs, and a first-round pick in 2015.

 I suppose the Blazers felt that they needed to go for it this year, after last playoffs winning their first series in a long, long time - including a run of 19 straight losses.  These playoffs featured their first home OT goal since Jarome Iginla had one in 1996.  Still, seems like a huge gamble to load up this year - when by trade deadline it was apparent what kind of year the 'Hawks were having.

When Rattie stole a puck for that shorthanded breakaway in Game 5, it immediately brought me back to the Tri-City series in last years WCF - when Shinnimin got loose for a breakaway - but Carruth beat him.  In both plays, our guys came out on top, and won the series.

Stay tuned for more from this page during the week - and I'll see you on Friday:

Kamloops V Portland: Games 3 & 4

 

 

**** Game 3 ****

scoresheet

video highlights

photo essay 

real time fan discussion 

Drinnan: Blazers right back in Western Conference final

“It was a matter of, we weren’t generating what we thought we needed to generate,” Guy Charron, the Blazers’ head coach, explained. “You sometimes go back to what gave you success and early on they were the top line in the WHL. There was no reason to think they wouldn’t be able to put it together.”

“They’re a good line,” said Travis Green, Portland’s interim general manager and head coach, “one of the best lines in the league. But we made mistakes tonight that we don’t usually make.”

I was kind of worried all day leading up to Game 4, but then this happened:

**** Game 4 ****

 scoresheet

video highlights 

photo essay 

real time fan discussion  

Drinnan:  West coast offence carries Winterhawks to Game 4 victory

The second period took on something of a different tone, with the Blazers pushing and the Winterhawks seeming to have lost the oomph from their game.

It started when Portland wasn’t able to muster even one shot on a power play that took up the first 1:44 of the period.

And it continued for the rest of the period, the result being a 16-5 edge in shots for the home boys, but they weren’t able to solve Carruth. On one occasion when Carruth was beaten, winger JC Lipon drilled a goalpost.

In the second half of period, Kamloops forwards Kale Kessy and Colin Smith both had Carruth dead to rights but couldn’t beat him.

“I thought our second period was very strong. We had 16 shots,” Charron said. “But, again, as we were having momentum we took another penalty in the offensive zone.”
Kessy was penalized for roughing at 13:21 after he separated Jones’ head from his helmet.

“It’s frustrating for everyone,” Charron continued, “because we’re a team that when things go well, yeah, we’re a happy group and we play well . . . we’re hard to play against. But adversity . . . all year we’ve had a difficult time dealing with it.”

I concur with Drinnan that the 'Hawks carried the play in the 1st, aided by an early 5-on-3 which they converted.  2-0 at the break.

However, that 2nd period was all Kamloops.  They didn't even need to run the zamboni in their end of the ice.  They threw the goddamned kitchen sink at Carruth, who was  named CHL goalie of the week,  and got nothing.  The 'Hawks fans in the chat room were just hoping to get to the break without giving up too many goals.

Starting out the 3rd with that early Petan goal just killed the Blazers - as it would anyone.  Took the life right out of the building.  Then, controversy:

Iverson was given a 5 min major + tossed from the game.

Watching that hit with my Rose Garden colored glasses on, it looks like clean shoulder-to-chest to me.  No charging, no leaving the feet, no targeting the head, not late.

That being said, I get it.  You and I have the benefit of watching it as many times as we like, and in slow motion.  In real time, at least on the webstream - this hit sounded gnarly.  Sounded like a shotgun blast, to be honest.  Then, you've got Ranford's cage flying - which is a terrible visual.

Now, you have heard a thunderous check, and there's a heart & soul 5 year Blazer laying there in a heap.  The natives are restless, booing with some empties littering the playing surface.  The Blazer trainer is on the ice.  The linesman made the call, which you almost have to do just to avoid a potential riot - Kamloops is known as "Little Montreal" after all.

**** Game 5 preview ****

Well, goddamned blogger won't load photos right now - which sucks.

Its a whiteout for game 5.  I'm pretty sure this was an organic thing between the players, and they just got behind it one by one.  I don't think I've ever seen that before:  generally the team handles the marketing.  These kids just got a wild hair, and we need to back them up.

Also cranking up the fun factor, Chase Souto said to Kamloops Weekly:

After the game, Blazer forward Chase Souto offered these words when asked about the daunting task of erasing the two-game deficit.

"We did it last year. I think we're going to go in their barn, cause a ruck and shut their fans up," he said. "Bunch of losers down there. Just gonna give it our all."

I love that kind of stuff.  Should be a party on Friday night.  The 'Hawks facebook page was all over that.

Kamloops V Portland - games 1 & 2

The layoff between series left room for lots of preview pieces, but this one from Drinnan is the must read out of the bunch:

"It all has served to turn the Winterhawks into the most despised - nay, most hated - organization in the history of the WHL, which has been around since the summer of 1966. Who's No. 2? No one. The Winterhawks are the only entrant. They rule. They own the category. Back in the day, the Flin Flon Bombers and the big, bad New Westminster Bruins were feared for what they might do to you on the ice. But the organizations weren't hated.

The Winterhawks are. Period."

**** Game 1 ****

Scoresheet

video highlights

photo essay

fans postgame discussion 

united001:

In my opinion Bozon hurt his team by playing. I'll wager he begged Charon to play, totally ineffective. Smith was no better. They were better off without both vs. Kelowna, but what are you gonna do vs. a team that has you outnumbered.

Paul Buker / Scott Sepich piece

Maybe it was Carruth, a notorious trash talker, who got into the Blazers’ heads.

“They kind of left me alone there in the first, and I kind of brought it on myself in the second and third,’’ he said of the back-and-forth. “It’s something I’ll probably need to work on in Game 2. Keep my mouth shut and my stick down.’’

Carruth said Kessy – who amazingly has been suspended seven times in his career – nailed him a good one. “He elbowed me, stuck me in the head, whatever. It’s what they’re going to try and do all series,’’ said Carruth. “It’s just going to be the way it is.’’

Dylan Bumbarger, one of the best Winterhawks bloggers, had some thoughts:

But in the last five minutes, as the Blazers became less focused on winning and more focused on "sending a message", the Winterhawks took some ill-advised retaliations. Adam De Champlain took a really dumb obvious trip at the Kamloops blue line and then added a rough that originally was going to put Portland shorthanded four minutes, which would have given the Blazers a chance to get back in the game, before Tyler Hansen took a dumb retaliation of his own and cancelled two minutes of it.

 From another Dylan post:

Not remarked on in the scoring: The monster game Seth Jones had. I thought he was Portland's best player after Carruth. Nobody got by him.

So, a good performance, with a slight worry about the impact of the end of the game.

  **** Game 2 ****

Scoresheet

video highlights

photo essay

post-game fan discussion:

Dylan Bumbarger, community blogger

question: is Portland playing at a higher level than they did on their double-digit winning streaks? I think they might be.

 Paul Buker / Scott Sepich piece:

Kamloops’ worst nightmare is unfolding in the Western Conference finals. The question is, can the Blazers do anything to stop it?

 Dylan's next day thoughts:

Following yesterday's events you'd have no idea which organization was out of favor with the league. Yes, I'm as shocked as anyone else.

Finally, the most obvious part, and the most satisfying: the Winterhawks didn't overreact. They learned from Friday, and did just enough to defend themselves, let the Blazers hang themselves with officials, and used the power plays to help gain momentum. That the league essentially backed them up helped--you see teams including the Winterhawks all the time taking matters into their own hands when they don't feel justice is being served--but kudos to the group for staying focused.

Part two:

The Winterhawks were almost perfect in their own zone the whole game. Seth Jones had one mixup/bad pass that led to a Kamloops partial breakaway, the only real blemish.

I'd have still given him the number one star. If his draft stock even needed to rise, it did this weekend, he even gained some points in the "physical" and "standing up for teammates" categories.

  Next day Buker / Sepich piece full of great quotes:

Charron is waiting for Kamloops’ skilled forwards to show up. The likes of Colin Smith and Tim Bozon, Brendan Ranford and JC Lipon.  

“With all the experience I've had in hockey, when you look at the success of teams you have to look at your best players,’’ Charron told the Oregonian’s Scott Sepich after Saturday’s game. “Their best players are on the scoresheet every night. For us, our big guns haven't showed up on the scoresheet yet and it's going to be difficult until they get going.’’

Mac Carruth is killing it:

 Is there a hotter goaltender in hockey than Portland's Mac Carruth, the Chicago Blackhawks' draft pick?

Find me somebody - at any level - who has had a more sizzling month of April.

Samantha Meese made some observations:

 Better late than never: The Blazers start a three-ring circus late in Game 1, Joe Mahon returns to the lineup in Game 2. Coincidence? I think not. But no fireworks of the fighting kind were needed until late in the third period of Game 2, when Joe finally took care of business with JC Lipon to the delight of a packed house.

throw another draft pick on the fire

The events of the weekend's games have been covered pretty well, so I'm going a different direction.

I've been pushing this idea for a while now, but we are in the midst of something truly special right now.  Its in our best interest as fans to take all of this in, as a wave like the 'Hawks are riding doesn't come around very often.  Every game we are seeing records set - franchise playoff shutouts, all time WHL games played, the all time playoff goals number is in jeopardy, etc etc etc. 

Around town, at work, or whatever - more and more folks notice my 'Hawks gear (and playoff beard) and ask me "how are they doing?  We're thinking about getting to a game..." - and I always tell them that there's plenty of room on the bandwagon, but they better do it quick.  The next home game could very well be Game 1 of the final.  This train is rollin' along with a head of steam.

I've been backing the 'Hawks since the tail end of the 2005 season, and I've never seen the Glass Palace rocking like it was on Saturday night.  I was still on the concourse at the start of player intros and it sounded like they were scoring goals already.  The folks by me were all sorts of rowdy, which made for a pretty fun atmosphere - one guy was hellbent on getting a "KESSY SUCKS" chant going, with mixed results.

I missed the goddamned Boychuk jersey from the 2011 final by 3 tickets in the raffle.  I was joking about how it had to be in good shape, being how he missed time in that series.

Cherish this run - who knows when (if) we will see something like this again.  Spokane was a good team, with a nice season, and their best couldn't touch the 'Hawks best.  Blew 'em right out of the water.  This series is still young, but its shaping up much the same:  if the 'Hawks play their game, up to their potential, then the Blazers don't stand a chance.  No one does.

Kale Kessy - turned over a new leaf?

Kale Kessy is killing it right now.  This playoffs he's got loose for a hat trick, another hat trick,
in addition to an OT series clincher.  Dude's been a candidate for the Cy Young, with 11G / 2A in 10 games - while picking up only 8 penalty minutes.  Watching the video highlights of that Game 4 of the Kelowna series, it appears as though the Blazers put together a nice highlight package.  They even show most of the penalties, although that may be in part due to the heat created by the 11-to-1 powerplay ratio handed out in this game.

Kessy's had a pretty interesting year.  Started out in Medicine Hat, where he picked up his 7th WHL suspension - 12 games worth - which is how he caught my attention.  While suspended, he was traded to Vancouver, and that team struggled.  At the deadline, Kamloops picked him up for the stretch run.  Kessy put up 25 points in 31 games for the Blazers - against 44 PIM's.  He helped balance the top two lines for them, which can prove to be extremely valuable.

At the NHL trade deadline, he saw his rights go from Phoenix to Edmonton - and the Oilers turned around and signed him.

I'm a big second-chance guy.  That being said, I'm a little concerned that Kessy could start running around and really hurt someone - which is an issue being how my favorite team is about to see him over and over for the next week-and-a-half.  I'm hoping he's taken a page out of Matt Cooke's book and has turned over a new leaf.  If he hurts the 'Hawks playing hard and scoring goals - I can live with that.