Best thing that could have happened to DeakinPoot now he can concentrate on hockey. Too bad for Stevens, guy always works hard. Hope it works out for both of them.
Guelph Storm 2018 Offseason Thread
- Thread starter EON
- Start date
- Status
Living Vicariously
Registered User
I think I read somewhere that they were going to try a few avenues with the trade route, but didn't garner any interest. The next route was to at least find them somewhere to play. Best of luck to both.
As the forward numbers are down now and people come back from injury etc., the forward corp should look something like this I'm guessing, that's not too bad -
Ratcliffe Schnarr Toropchenko
McEwan Hawel Smith
Hotchkiss Hillis Bertuzzi
Primeau Kirwin Poirier
Ralph
Ratcliffe Schnarr Toropchenko
McEwan Hawel Smith
Hotchkiss Hillis Bertuzzi
Primeau Kirwin Poirier
Ralph
Just my stab at the line up:
Ratcliffe Hillis Toropchenko
McEwan Schnarr Bertuzzi
Hotchkiss Hawal Poirer
Kirwin Primeau Stevenson
Ralph
Smith
Assuming that we get both Hawal and Schnarr back from sick bay!!!!
You think they will sit Smith once healthy, I would think he has a place somewhere in the line up and may eventually get traded for picks later in the year as I can see teams valuing him.
I forgot about Stevenson, he seems decent, but hasn't stood out nor had the impact other new young forwards have had so far.
battfan888
Podcaster
Pretty frustrating game to watch tonight.
Boys played a pretty much perfect 1st period and probably should have had 3 or 4 goals if not for DiPietro so you couldn't ask for much more there.
Second period was about a 180 however especially when the Spits got their 2 quick goals. After those two Spits goals the team just seemed to totally deflate. To me the push back really didn't seem real until the final few minutes of the third period.
Give DiPietro all the credit in the world, he didn't have to make many spectacular saves tonight he was the reason why the Spitfires won this game.
Some positives for the Storm.
I really liked the top 6 tonight, of course really like that Ratcliffe-Hillis-Toropchenko line they are dangerous 9/10 they are on the ice.
McEwan and Schnarr being back in the lineup was a boost and took some pressure off the top line. McEwan seemed to have a bit of jump in his step while I really liked Schnarr's work along the boards (though his faceoffs left a lot to be desired, especially late in the game). Poirier is a good addition to that line as wow he was a mack truck out there tonight. One shift alone during the first period he laid two huge hits along the boards before creating a very dangerous scoring chance. Of course that hit he laid on 88 of the Spits late in the third was beautiful.
Bottom 6 didn't seem to do a whole lot tonight, though I do remember Hawel and Ralph connecting for a very good chance in the first period. Hotchkiss seemed invisible to be all night as did the 4th line.
Another positive for the Storm was penalties. Guelph took just two penalties all game, one being a too many men call while the other was Ratcliffe getting a roughing penalty which was offsetting after a Spitfire blew through Popovich after their first goal. Considering where this team has been penalty wise the past 12 months tonight was a dream.
I am really trying not to rag on Merkley and for the most part this season he hasn't given me a ton of ammo in that regard but tonight was one of those nights he makes you pull your hair out. Yes he got the Storm's only goal and as usual there was some great passing but oh man was there a few plays that made me shake my head. In particular right at the end of the second period he turns the puck over on a powerplay which leads to a Spits 3 on 1 and while Popovich is making the save Merkley hasn't even gotten back to centre ice yet, he totally gave up on the play after turning it over. Another was in the third period the Spits cleared the puck and Merkley is headed back towards Popovich to get it at a near snails pace to the point a Spitfire catches him and nearly gets by in the race for the puck. There was one soon after where he was in behind the Spits net for some reason trying to physically match up wish Sean Day which just why.
He was taking Tyler Bertuzzi length shifts out there in the third period so too be fair he may have been dead tired.
I really want to just throw my unwavering support behind Merkley because he is an insanely gifted player but some nights like tonight he makes it very hard to not be totally frustrated with his play.
As for Kitchener tomorrow....
Good news: Guelph isn't going up against nearly as strong goaltending that the Spits had
Bad news: Kitchener has a MUCH better offense than Windsor does.
Tomorrow could be a high scoring one.
Shoemaker will be back tomorrow as his suspension is done.
Boys played a pretty much perfect 1st period and probably should have had 3 or 4 goals if not for DiPietro so you couldn't ask for much more there.
Second period was about a 180 however especially when the Spits got their 2 quick goals. After those two Spits goals the team just seemed to totally deflate. To me the push back really didn't seem real until the final few minutes of the third period.
Give DiPietro all the credit in the world, he didn't have to make many spectacular saves tonight he was the reason why the Spitfires won this game.
Some positives for the Storm.
I really liked the top 6 tonight, of course really like that Ratcliffe-Hillis-Toropchenko line they are dangerous 9/10 they are on the ice.
McEwan and Schnarr being back in the lineup was a boost and took some pressure off the top line. McEwan seemed to have a bit of jump in his step while I really liked Schnarr's work along the boards (though his faceoffs left a lot to be desired, especially late in the game). Poirier is a good addition to that line as wow he was a mack truck out there tonight. One shift alone during the first period he laid two huge hits along the boards before creating a very dangerous scoring chance. Of course that hit he laid on 88 of the Spits late in the third was beautiful.
Bottom 6 didn't seem to do a whole lot tonight, though I do remember Hawel and Ralph connecting for a very good chance in the first period. Hotchkiss seemed invisible to be all night as did the 4th line.
Another positive for the Storm was penalties. Guelph took just two penalties all game, one being a too many men call while the other was Ratcliffe getting a roughing penalty which was offsetting after a Spitfire blew through Popovich after their first goal. Considering where this team has been penalty wise the past 12 months tonight was a dream.
I am really trying not to rag on Merkley and for the most part this season he hasn't given me a ton of ammo in that regard but tonight was one of those nights he makes you pull your hair out. Yes he got the Storm's only goal and as usual there was some great passing but oh man was there a few plays that made me shake my head. In particular right at the end of the second period he turns the puck over on a powerplay which leads to a Spits 3 on 1 and while Popovich is making the save Merkley hasn't even gotten back to centre ice yet, he totally gave up on the play after turning it over. Another was in the third period the Spits cleared the puck and Merkley is headed back towards Popovich to get it at a near snails pace to the point a Spitfire catches him and nearly gets by in the race for the puck. There was one soon after where he was in behind the Spits net for some reason trying to physically match up wish Sean Day which just why.
He was taking Tyler Bertuzzi length shifts out there in the third period so too be fair he may have been dead tired.
I really want to just throw my unwavering support behind Merkley because he is an insanely gifted player but some nights like tonight he makes it very hard to not be totally frustrated with his play.
As for Kitchener tomorrow....
Good news: Guelph isn't going up against nearly as strong goaltending that the Spits had
Bad news: Kitchener has a MUCH better offense than Windsor does.
Tomorrow could be a high scoring one.
Shoemaker will be back tomorrow as his suspension is done.
stormfanone
Registered User
Should've went with my gut last night. After DiPietro blanked them in the first they gave up.
6-3 Kitchener, Mascherin gwg.
6-3 Kitchener, Mascherin gwg.
Looking forward to seeing Shoemaker back, Lalonde looked rough last night and Merkley almost never hustled back once he was beat.
Always good to get a win against the rangers. Good bounce back after last night. This team has a great work ethic, great penalty kill, Kirwin and Ralph pester with the best and disrupted the rangers pp on many occasions. It is going to be an interesting year, and hope the city can get behind the team and start filling the arena.
battfan888
Podcaster
First period on Saturday was almost exactly the same as the first period Friday night, the difference was the Storm weren't shooting on DiPietro and as a result got a couple goals. Once the boys got up 3-0 they seemed to slack off a tad and let Kitchener back in it but got it back under control and got the win.
Gotta say Kirwin and Ralph were awesome on the PK and some great work by Ralph on the insurance marker with just a few minutes to go, even if Stanley had his stick stuck in the net.
I was hard on Merkley for his effort Friday, he was better Saturday but still not at his best in my opinion. PK had been very good and the PP while not connecting as much as it probably should doesnt seem bad, good puck movement thanks in large part to Merkley and Hillis.
Popovich has been pretty good though I've found much like Nichols he seems to get beat most of the time on his glove side, except maybe a bit lower than where Nichols always got beat a few years ago. Overall cant complain.
In my opinion three winnable games coming up this weekend though Sarnia is off to a very good start, Niagara seems like they are hot and cold.
Guelph 5
Flint 3
GWG: Ratcliffe
Guelph 4
Niagara 1
GWG: Toropchenko
Sarnia 4
Guelph 3OT
GWG: Rymsha
Gotta say Kirwin and Ralph were awesome on the PK and some great work by Ralph on the insurance marker with just a few minutes to go, even if Stanley had his stick stuck in the net.
I was hard on Merkley for his effort Friday, he was better Saturday but still not at his best in my opinion. PK had been very good and the PP while not connecting as much as it probably should doesnt seem bad, good puck movement thanks in large part to Merkley and Hillis.
Popovich has been pretty good though I've found much like Nichols he seems to get beat most of the time on his glove side, except maybe a bit lower than where Nichols always got beat a few years ago. Overall cant complain.
In my opinion three winnable games coming up this weekend though Sarnia is off to a very good start, Niagara seems like they are hot and cold.
Guelph 5
Flint 3
GWG: Ratcliffe
Guelph 4
Niagara 1
GWG: Toropchenko
Sarnia 4
Guelph 3OT
GWG: Rymsha
Wed. Oct. 11
Guelph 4
Flint 2
GWG: McFadden
Fri. Oct. 13
Guelph 3
Niagara 2
GWG: Schnarr
Sat. Oct. 14
Guelph 5
Sarnia 4
GWG: Ratcliffe
Guelph 4
Flint 2
GWG: McFadden
Fri. Oct. 13
Guelph 3
Niagara 2
GWG: Schnarr
Sat. Oct. 14
Guelph 5
Sarnia 4
GWG: Ratcliffe
Guelph 5
Flint 3
GWG: schnarr
Niagara 2
Guelph 5
GWG: merkley
Guelph 3
Sarnia 2
GWG: Toropchenko ot
Flint 3
GWG: schnarr
Niagara 2
Guelph 5
GWG: merkley
Guelph 3
Sarnia 2
GWG: Toropchenko ot
RoyalCitySlicker
Registered User
- Sep 6, 2013
- 2,123
- 848
Guelph 4
Flint 2
GWG: Toropchenko
Niagara 4
Guelph 3
GWG: Thomas
Sarnia 5
Guelph 1
GWG: Ruzicka
Standings to come later this afternoon.
Flint 2
GWG: Toropchenko
Niagara 4
Guelph 3
GWG: Thomas
Sarnia 5
Guelph 1
GWG: Ruzicka
Standings to come later this afternoon.
- Status
Ad
Upcoming events
-
GAME 6 - London Knights @ Saginaw Spirit - London Knights leads series 3-2Wagers: 1Staked: $25.00Event closes- Updated:
-
GAME 6 - Oshawa Generals @ North Bay Battalion - Oshawa Generals leads series 3-2Wagers: 1Staked: $25.00Event closes
- Updated:
-
-
-