ATD#7 1st rd. RESULTS in the Bob Cole: #3 Barrie Flyers vs. #6 Aurora Tigers

[VanIslander]

Game 1:

High-flyin' Flyers go one up

Fans in Barrie were treated to an entertaining brand of hockey as their boys rushed end to end three times in highlight scoring plays of a 3-1 first game of a Bob Cole division first round match up. The home team outshot their opponents 31-20, the top line combining for 14 of them. Busher Jackson opened the scoring 3:52 in with a nifty backhand over Tretiak's right shoulder after receiving a quick pass from dimunitive Max Bentley on a 2-on-1 rush started by Harvey's puck recovery along the boards in the defensive zone. Bentley was run over by Art Coulter on what many in the arena thought was a late hit and Dit Clapper was quick to shove Coulter to the ice, each then sent to the box. Two minutes later, as he stepped onto the ice, Clapper took a pass from Harvey and tenaciously pushed past Numminen to take a shot, Bentley burying the rebound. Down 2-0 early, Tigers coach Ivan calls an unexpected timeout, which the refs don't see, and the Flyers get two shots on Tretiak before the netminder can cover and get the whistle. Ivan argues the faceoff should be called back to the Flyers zone, shaking his head in the losing effort. The Tigers fourth line is sent over the boards and both Probert and Nolan end up in the box for roughing and high sticking respectively. The Tigers kill off the two-man disadvantage and on the very next penalty kill, with Roenick in the box, Linseman scores shorthanded to draw the Tigers to within one. No scoring in the second but the Flyers regain their 2-goal lead, 3-1 halfway through the third, on a Sloan goal from Mohns and Harvey.
Three stars of the game: 1. Harvey 2. Bentley 3. Linseman

Game 2:

Goaltending duel sends Worsley to hospital

Flyers starter Gump Worsley played 108 minutes of shutout hockey, extending back to the first period of the opening game and ending at 5:39 of the first overtime in a scoreless 0-0 contest that continued well into second overtime before Bentley ended it with a dipsy doodle move past a double-shifted Lafontaine and a tapped puck through the legs of Ramage into the net, Tretiak a bit screened on the shot, though he got a piece of it. Tretiak finished the game having saved 47 of 48 shots in the loss, receiving plenty of cheers from an impressed crowd in Barrie. The biggest cheer of the night was when it was announced that Worsley regained consciousness in the hospital, having been removed listless on a stretcher following the unleashing by Tigers Bobrov of a rocket which went off Gump's maskless face. When interviewed from his hospital bed, the stubborn goalie re-iterated his careerlong mantra: "My face is my mask. Good thing the puck hit me flat!" His replacement, backup "Iron Mike" Karakas, survived a Lindros net crashing and saved 11 shots to get the win. The Flyers, up 2-0, now go on the road to Aurora, where Worsley is expected to be a game-time decision.
Three stars of the game: 1. Bentley 2. Tretiak 3. Harvey

(Games three and four results will be posted later today along with any additional games if necessary.)

Click to read more...

 

[VanIslander]

Game 3:

The Tigers' Best at Their Best

Aurora roared with glee as their very own Lindros and Bourque combined for four goals in a 4-1 Tigers win to avoid going 0-3 in the series. Captain Bourque led the charge with a powerplay shot top left corner at 4:22 of the first on a nice feed from Ozolinsh after Lafontaine lunged to keep the puck onside on a Vasko clearing attempt. Ozolinsh went on to assist on both other Tiger man advantage goals as he sees his first start of the series, as a powerplay specialist. Coach Ivan opted to dress seven defensemen and sit Probert, and for once the team had less penalties to kill than their opposition. The Flyers killed off 6 of 9 penalties including a five-minute major for highsticking to Clapper for bloodying Leclair's nose. The boys from Barrie scored a goal of their own on special teams, by Nilsson from Harvey, with Tigers Ramage in the box for ramming Simmer into the boards. Simmer left the ice after the incident and didn't return. Worsley did start and stopped 24 of 28 in the loss. Tretiak only faced 19 shots for his first win. The highlight of the night belonged to Lindros when midway through the second period, the Tigers up 2-1, he won a faceoff in his own end and surged up ice to receive the puck from Roenick just in time to barrel through Sjoberg and, with "Chief" half-Cree Neilson on his back, Lindros shovelled the puck and himself into the net, taking Worsley along for a photofinish three men in the net ending that will likely make the cover page of every Canadian newspaper save The Barrie Examiner.
Three stars of the game: 1. Lindros 2. Bourque 3. Linseman


Game 4:

A See-saw Battle to the End

The Flyers and Tigers traded goals all night long as the home team evened up the series at two apiece with the 5-4 win. Hlinka started it all when he scored on a one timer in the slot at the 6:14 mark of the first. Bentley answered back when he unexpectedly broke out of a cycle down low and drove to the net, chipping the puck in as he was being checked to the ice by Sologubov. Bourque scored his third of the series to put the Tigers up 2-1 in the last minute of the period but less than two minutes into the second the Flyers respond when Helmut Balderis tried to fake out Harvey, resulting in a turnover and quick pass to a quick rushing Busher Jackson who followed up his backhand shot with the rebound goal. Tretiak immediately shook his head and wanted the play called on the offside but the goal stood. Each team killed off a penalty in the middle frame, then at 13:55 Lindros scored his team's only powerplay goal from Leclair and Ozolinsh. Not long after the very next faceoff Jackson tries for his second flashy goal of the night when he backhands a shot through Bourque's skates only to see Tretiak pad save it. The Flyers top left winger would assist on the 3-3 Bentley equalizer at 17:38. The visitors would go ahead on a Clapper deflection of a Harvey shot to close out the period. But the third belonged to Bobrov. The original Russian Rocket scored two nearly identical goals, both unassisted thrusts off of self-generated turnovers ending with quick releases which beat Worsley's stacking of the gumpers twice high. He also hit the post when Lafontaine sent him in alone with five minutes remaining. The Flyers pulled their goalie for the extra attacker right after Hedberg forced Tretiak to cover up on "The Flying Swede"'s shot, with 1:47 remaining, to no avail.
Three stars of the game: 1. Bobrov 2. Bourque 3. Jackson

 

[arrbez]

Good writin' there, partner. I can't believe I'm saying this about the internet, but I'm kinda nervous and anxious. Should a be a close one, and I full expect it to go 7.

 

[VanIslander]

Game 5:

Tretiak Stops Penalty Shot in Another Road Loss

The rink in Barrie was a lucky place to be tonight for the hometown Flyers as they are fortunate to have eeked out a 2-1 OT win despite failing to capitalize on the three best chances they got. A scoreless first period was highlighted by a two man disadvantage for the visiting Tigers for a full 2:00 with Goodfellow penalized for tripping Mohns and Roenick joining him for touching the ref while arguing the call. Bentley got three shots on that powerplay, the last one went wide on an empty net after Jackson's shot had rung off the post behind a sprawling Tretiak, Ramage tied up with Clapper behind the net. The second period was all Tigers, outshooting the locals 16-4 but the Flyers got the only marker of the middle frame on a 35-foot slapshot by Harvey which bounced awkwardly just wide of Tretiak's glove after being tipped accidentally by defending Ellis. The Tigers made it 1-1 on their first shot of the third period as Bobrov faked a rocket and tapped the puck to Lafontaine for the center's first point of the series. Minutes later Backstrom hauls down Nilsson on a partial breakaway resulting in a penalty shot call. Nilsson puckhandled to Tretiak's left and appeared to have him beat but the Russian netminder elbowed the puck over the net, drawing ooohs from the stands. The third period was otherwise penalty free until the last minute of regulation when Bourque hooked down a streaking Bentley. With seconds remaining Clapper nearly scored the winner from the crease on a fat rebound which followed Harvey's screened shot from the point. Clapper fanned on the shot but redeemed himself by scoring the overtime winner 4:56 in, from Bentley and Jackson. The Flyers now head to Aurora hoping to close out the series even though the home squad has to date won every game in the series.
Three stars of the game: 1. Harvey 2. Clapper 3. Tretiak

Game 6:

Four Assists by Bourque Force a Deciding 7th

The Tigers of Aurora continued to play unlike a sixth seed when at home in topping third seed Flyers 4-2 in a must-win game characterized by deja vu. Flyers starter Worsley left the game early after another facial injury, this time on a deflected shot from Leclair, backup Karakus playing well in relief, at least for the eight shots he faced in the opening period. The Flyers went up 1-0 by intermission on a Bentley goal from Harvey and Flaman. The hometown crowd didn't get into the game until Lindros' powerplay goal from Bourque at 10:21 of the second. The noise rose to a roar when Bourque checked Hedberg off the puck and kept the play onside, passing across to Ozolinsh for a successful shot through a maze of legs in front of the net. The sound was deafening at 12:39 when Bourque blocked Sloan's shot on a 2-on-1 play and recovered himself fast enough to send the puck up to Roenick fresh off of a line change who took it all the way up wide behind the net, finding a long-shifted Bobrov in the slot for a 3-1 Tigers lead. The Flyers called a timeout but the remainder of the period was uneventful with tentative play. Wilson scored from Bentley with six minutes remaining in the third but a Linseman empty netter off of a Bourque pass ended the scoring.
Three stars of the game: 1. Bourque 2. Bentley 3. Lindros

 

[pappyline]

Vanislander, nice work!! You have reallyy captured the essence of players we never saw. Particularly Guys like Max Bentley & Busher Jackson. You obviously did some good research. So far, Flyers seem to be a one line team which makes sense as I know you are going on the 3 star voter choices. However, I would have liked to have seen more of a role from my other lines.

Even though Flyers are in the lead right now, I expect this series could go either way. As Arrbez predicted Tretiak is playing superb & could be the difference.

 

[VanIslander]

Game 7:

Captain Raymond in 3OT

A point shot on the powerplay beat Worsley in triple overtime as the Tigers upset the Flyers 3-2 in the deciding seventh game of a long entertaining series. Bourque scored it from Ozolinsh and Bobrov at 5:07 with the Flyers Nesterenko in the box for roughing as he had knocked Ramage's helmet off in frustration after a failed freewheeling attempt to move in from the wing to the net. It was a disappointing end to a good game for Barrie's fourth line, as small, square-jawed pivot Mackell scored from big two-way winger Nesterenko and Harvey at 1:28 of the first to draw first blood. Lindros made it 1-1 minutes later in redirecting a Roenick shot at the doorstep. The play was often around the Flyers net but it was the Flyers Bentley who scored next with his fourth of the series from Harvey on the transition. The Tigers entered the third period down a goal and it wasn't until the 14:19 mark that the game was tied up at 2-2 on Lindros' second of the game, from Bourque and Sologubov. Lindros nearly got a hat trick late but Harvey sped back to break up the play. Shots at the end of regulation were 24-19 for the Flyers but the tide turned in the two and a half overtime periods as the final shot tally for the game was 45-42 for the Tigers.
Three stars of the game: 1. Bourque 2. Lindros 3. Harvey

Aurora Tigers win the series in overtime in seven games.
Three stars of the series: 1. Doug Harvey 2. Raymond Bourque 3. Max Bentley

 

[God Bless Canada]

This heartbreak is going to start getting to murray/pappy after a while. Last time he lost in 2OT to reck. This time it's 3OT. I thought pappy would be able to pull it out in the end, but this team definitely didn't have the offensive depth that we've come to expect from his teams.

Anyways, congrats to Aurora for pulling off a big upset over one of HF's resident historians and ace posters. Savour the win, arrbez. You get the champ in the next round.

Looking forward to the write-up for the Montreal/Quebec series. That one might be the best of the first round.

 

[pappyline]

This heartbreak is going to start getting to murray/pappy after a while. Last time he lost in 2OT to reck. This time it's 3OT. I thought pappy would be able to pull it out in the end, but this team definitely didn't have the offensive depth that we've come to expect from his teams.

Anyways, congrats to Aurora for pulling off a big upset over one of HF's resident historians and ace posters. Savour the win, arrbez. You get the champ in the next round.

Looking forward to the write-up for the Montreal/Quebec series. That one might be the best of the first round.

I am pretty discouraged. I actually think this team was an offensive powerhouse, Unfortunately I was away & didn't get my analysis in until the votes were cast. That coud hve swayed a couple of voters my way. I really think my team was Quite a bit better in most regards. I probably get hurt by not picking modern players There seem to be no middle ground with my teams. people seem to either love them or hate them, At least this time I didn't finish last in my division altho I am out in the first round again. I sure would like to hearthe logic of the people that voted against me.

Anyways, congrats to Aurora. You have a good team & should go far. VanIslander, thanks for the great write ups.

 

[arrbez]

That's about as close as they come I guess. Congrats to Barrie on a hard-fought series, and especially to their GM Pappyline for being gracefull in defeat (something that hasn't been true for every series so far). You think your team is better, I think my team is better, and luckily we can agree to disagree in a civil manner. These teams were so close, it really could have gone either way.

Can the voting be revealed at all (not which GMs voted for who, but how many votes each team had)? I've been told that this was the closest series, and the write-ups seemed very Bourque-heavy...could it be that this came down to the tiebreaker and Bourque had the most votes?

The Tigers are happy to be moving on, and look forward to facing their next challenge.

 

[raleh]

Harvey had to have the most votes since he was the first star of the series I think. I personally thought Tretiak would steal the series. On the whole I thought Pappy had the better team, but I thought the Lindros-Tretiak combo could really do some damage and voted Aurora. You're in tough against the habs now though. Dryden vs Tretiak. I love it! Now we just wait on Montreal-Quebec to see who plays the Wanderers. After a loss on home ice it's not looking great for the maroons!

 

[arrbez]

Dryden vs. Tretiak is such a classic matchup...should be fun

 

[VanIslander]

Can the voting be revealed at all (not which GMs voted for who, but how many votes each team had)?

Not in the least. No.

I bust my butt to do write-ups which REFLECT the voting, not only in order but in sense of scale (50+ points vs. 22 vs 19 vs. 3).

You want to know which players received a lot of votes and which didn't, read the dang write-ups!

Of course the 1,2,3 is the top three in order. The other vote getters are pretty easy to understand after one has read the stories. For instance, Lindros, Tretiak and Bobrov were not among the three stars of the series, but in individual games they were stars, reflecting the voting.

 

[arrbez]

No, I wasn't trying to knock the write-ups, I was just curious how close it really was, but I can understand why the results won't be revealed. I was actually more interested in how the GM votes were split between the teams in terms of who won the series, but again, I can see why those might be kept secret.

Nothing personal brah, you did a bang-up job

 

[VanIslander]

I was just curious how close it really was

The write-up SHOWS how relatively close it really was. Look closely and you can figure out who received more votes than whom, all the way down.

 

[kruezer]

Crazy, that is exactly what I said would happen in this series, Aurora in triple OT of game 7.

 

[Hockey Outsider]

I am pretty discouraged. I actually think this team was an offensive powerhouse, Unfortunately I was away & didn't get my analysis in until the votes were cast. That coud hve swayed a couple of voters my way. I really think my team was Quite a bit better in most regards. I probably get hurt by not picking modern players There seem to be no middle ground with my teams. people seem to either love them or hate them, At least this time I didn't finish last in my division altho I am out in the first round again. I sure would like to hearthe logic of the people that voted against me.

Anyways, congrats to Aurora. You have a good team & should go far. VanIslander, thanks for the great write ups.

Pappyline, here's my take on your team. This is all meant as contstructive criticism.

Your two ATD teams have such a fast, skilled group of forwards and strong, steady defensemen. There's a lot of chemistry and talent. However your starting goalies in the past two drafts are mediocre--not bad of course, but not ones capable of stealing a series on their own. I know it's your preference to pick goalies late--but I think that if you went for a netminder earlier, you'd eliminate your team's only major weakness. The cost of losing out on a forward in the #25-100 range would be offset by having a dominant goalie, which would give you a very well-rounded team.

Anyway, this is just my take on it. You are one of several GMs capable of winning this draft and I think that if you take an elite goalie early next time, you could make the final four in ATD #8.

 

[vancityluongo]

Triple OT!!! Ouch. Awesome series. Great write-ups VanI.

 

[pappyline]

Pappyline, here's my take on your team. This is all meant as contstructive criticism.

Your two ATD teams have such a fast, skilled group of forwards and strong, steady defensemen. There's a lot of chemistry and talent. However your starting goalies in the past two drafts are mediocre--not bad of course, but not ones capable of stealing a series on their own. I know it's your preference to pick goalies late--but I think that if you went for a netminder earlier, you'd eliminate your team's only major weakness. The cost of losing out on a forward in the #25-100 range would be offset by having a dominant goalie, which would give you a very well-rounded team.

Anyway, this is just my take on it. You are one of several GMs capable of winning this draft and I think that if you take an elite goalie early next time, you could make the final four in ATD #8.

Good point. However, even if I picked earlier, I would still prefer Worsely over Tretiak. Last draft, I had Gardiner & would have picked him again if he hadn't went so dang early. I really don't think Tretiak vs Worsely was enough to put Aurora over the top.

 

[VanIslander]

I really don't think Tretiak vs Worsely was enough to put Aurora over the top.

AS per the write-up: It wasn't. Yes, Tretiak was second game star in a LOSS and third game star in a win. That's it. No more than that. Worsley was not a game star for any of the seven games and twice he couldn't finish games, both wins for his team, which should give some indication of where voting was w.r.t. him!

 

[pappyline]

AS per the write-up: It wasn't. Yes, Tretiak was second game star in a LOSS and third game star in a win. That's it. No more than that. Worsley was not a game star for any of the seven games and twice he couldn't finish games, both wins for his team, which should give some indication of where voting was w.r.t. him!

I don't know. I read thru the write ups again & nothing jumps out that would put Aurora over the top other than Tretiak over Worsely (which I disagree with) and maybe Lindros coming up big (also puzzling as he never has in the playoffs). This was Raleh's logic in picking Aurora to win.The first & third stars of the series were both Flyers (harvey & Bentley)

 

[John Flyers Fan]

No, I wasn't trying to knock the write-ups, I was just curious how close it really was, but I can understand why the results won't be revealed. I was actually more interested in how the GM votes were split between the teams in terms of who won the series, but again, I can see why those might be kept secret.

Nothing personal brah, you did a bang-up job

I don't have the actual voting in front of me at the moment, the speadsheet is n my home computer, but I know that you defeated him by one vote.

I believe it was 10-9.

 

[VanIslander]

I don't have the actual voting in front of me at the moment, the speadsheet is n my home computer, but I know that you defeated him by one vote.

I believe it was 10-9.

why the heck put effort into a write-up? why not just talk about votes directly rather than gauge closeness of series based on number of games, players success based on game-by-game success and failure...

this is truly crap.

i asked that voting totals not be discussed publicly. if it is the will of the group to talk about vote totals for one team or another, one player or another then i'll be bowing out of the effort: it's a lame step backwards which only feeds PETTY concerns imo

 

[John Flyers Fan]

why the heck put effort into a write-up? why not just talk about votes directly rather than gauge closeness of series based on number of games, players success based on game-by-game success and failure...

this is truly crap.

i asked that voting totals not be discussed publicly. if it is the will of the group to talk about vote totals for one team or another, one player or another then i'll be bowing out of the effort: it's a lame step backwards which only feeds PETTY concerns imo

I released the voting on this one series after the write-up was completed. If nobody want this information released I'll certaily respect that, but I didn't feel that releasing this onfo after the write-up was done was an issue.

 

[arrbez]

I don't think releasing vote counts undermines the write-up process at all...but maybe that's just me...

I mean, if someone isn't planning on reading them, they can just skip to the last sentence of the last write-up, right? The write-ups are great because they bring intrigue and context to the series, and it allows you to see what going on in your mind.

I was just curious over how many voted for each squad. Going by write-up, there's no way to know this, because if every GM votes for squad A to win in 7 games, then it comes out the same as a 50/50 split with the winner going to the tiebreaker would (correct me if I'm wrong on that). In both situations the series is seen to be close, but they differ wildly in terms of who they think should have won it.

 

[Nalyd Psycho]

I don't think releasing vote counts undermines the write-up process at all...but maybe that's just me...

I mean, if someone isn't planning on reading them, they can just skip to the last sentence of the last write-up, right? The write-ups are great because they bring intrigue and context to the series, and it allows you to see what going on in your mind.

I was just curious over how many voted for each squad. Going by write-up, there's no way to know this, because if every GM votes for squad A to win in 7 games, then it comes out the same as a 50/50 split with the winner going to the tiebreaker would (correct me if I'm wrong on that). In both situations the series is seen to be close, but they differ wildly in terms of who they think should have won it.

When I tabulated, I cross referenced the two, so, a 50/50 split of sweeps or everyone voting one way for 7 games would go 5/6 games.