GangGreen
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- May 27, 2012
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It's too bad Edmonton wasn't hosting this year. Certainly would have added a championship calibre host team. Saskatoon is a good team, but not a great one.
*OFFICIAL* London Knights 2012-13 Season Thread (Part 3)
- Thread starter OHLFan8771
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It's too bad Edmonton wasn't hosting this year. Certainly would have added a championship calibre host team. Saskatoon is a good team, but not a great one.
That's the thing the last 10 years. The BC and US divisions meaning anything west of the rockies save for Cranbrook are BC or US teams.....and they have been better the last number of years except for the Oil Kings who came on last year. Since Blades were hosting we pretty much new it was down to Kamloops, Hitmen, Portland or Edmonton so finally Portland broke through.
Even after last night's game I am not sold yet....Portland will get better and if they ever rematch Halifax that would be a classic. Pressure does funny things to teams in this tourney and the Winterhawks didn't look themselves last night.
Another problem is Halifax and Portland are now going to get the Blades who may get better as this progresses. London have a tough one Monday night then another Tuesday...slip ups here will force them into tie breaker likely. The longer we go here teams begin to get desperate.
I don't really have any particular love for Vancouver. The tournament was in the eastern conference this year, so maybe next time around it goes to the west. Vancouver also has a beautiful arena and a fan base to fill it. And while teams like Edmonton will be still rebuilding after this year, Vancouver just had the best draft class in the WHL and look to building for a run for 2 and 3 years from now
Snippit
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- Dec 5, 2012
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With Portland coming off a 7-4 thrashing and the Moose poised to lose, this is probably the worst possible scenario for London. Both teams are coming off losses where they were probably over confident.
Portland will do everything they can to avoid going 0-2. We can't expect Carruth to play like that again. Halifax will be coming off their loss and won't underestimate a team again. I was hoping we'd catch them over confident, like Saskatoon did.
Going to have 2 tough games on our hands, with 2 teams who are looking to redeem themselves. Not to mention that they're back to back. Let's see if our Knights are championship material.
Portland will do everything they can to avoid going 0-2. We can't expect Carruth to play like that again. Halifax will be coming off their loss and won't underestimate a team again. I was hoping we'd catch them over confident, like Saskatoon did.
Going to have 2 tough games on our hands, with 2 teams who are looking to redeem themselves. Not to mention that they're back to back. Let's see if our Knights are championship material.
aresknights
Registered User
4 good teams. It was never going to be easy for any of them.
In spite of the medias and posters thoughts after 1 or 2 games.
In spite of the medias and posters thoughts after 1 or 2 games.
Knights77
Registered User
Sorry, I see this quite differently. This is best case scenario for the Knights. They won their first game against the 'weakest' of the three foes. The 'toon then go and give the mighty Halifax (who some have already crowned) a loss and assure them of no easy path to the final game. I would sure rather play Halifax after a loss hoping their tiny bit discouraged AND you have some actual material on what works to beat them. Better than facing a hot Halifax team. Portland was awful the other night. Goaltending was very bad. That guy has issues between the ears. Anyways, I guess to over simplify it all, you have to win games to get the cup and we are one closer to it 
Go Knights Go!!!!!!
Go Knights Go!!!!!!
timekeep
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- Apr 28, 2010
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Can't see the Memorial Cup being hosted in a building that houses a NHL team or in the states again. The tourney is in the heart of the playoffs and the sponsors don't want to support an event in the states.
Blades fans will start coming out to the games now that the weekend is almost over and the Blades have won a game.
Blades fans will start coming out to the games now that the weekend is almost over and the Blades have won a game.
Sorry, I see this quite differently. This is best case scenario for the Knights. They won their first game against the 'weakest' of the three foes. The 'toon then go and give the mighty Halifax (who some have already crowned) a loss and assure them of no easy path to the final game. I would sure rather play Halifax after a loss hoping their tiny bit discouraged AND you have some actual material on what works to beat them. Better than facing a hot Halifax team. Portland was awful the other night. Goaltending was very bad. That guy has issues between the ears. Anyways, I guess to over simplify it all, you have to win games to get the cup and we are one closer to it
Go Knights Go!!!!!!
Tomorrow night is major swing game maybe. 4 teams end up 1-1 with goal differential coming into play soon. If London somehow sneak out another win over a Dub team they are almost a lock to go to finals. If they played Halifax already 2-0 while Hally is 1-1 London could move to finals on goals and wait for Sasks last game with Portland to see if another is 2-1.
Big Big game Monday night now and London are more rested finally.
Libbs
Registered User
London will need to beat Portland and Halifax to guarantee the bye.
Only way tie breaker will come into play is if you beat Portland and lose to Halifax and Portland goes 0-3 (3 way tie with Saskatoon, London and Halifax being 2-1 and head to head isn't considered in this case).
krazy kanuck
Registered User
Remember, in the WHL they draft Bantams...so as great as Tyler Benson is (and boy is he impressive), the next time the Cup comes to the dub he will have just completed his rookie season.
krazy kanuck
Registered User
I'm sitting next to some Knights fans and we had some interesting conversation on this topic. Interestingly the Blades and the Hawks have the easiest schedules (play-rest-play-rest). The Mooseheads started real slow last night...almost tired? They were on a back to back while the Blades had the day off before (not to mention the last 6 weeks). I think tonight becomes critical for the Knights, otherwise they may be facing a win or they're out tomorrow night against a focused Mooseheads team tomorrow.
Otto
Lynch Syndrome. Know your families cancer history
PhlyerPhanatic31
Love is Love
This could fall out just like last year. After 2 played each all 4 at 1-1. It was nice to actually hear some emotion from the crowd during last nights game. Halifax got a little chippy when they were trailing. Fun tourney to watch so far..the dislike is starting to amp up a bit.
PhlyerPhanatic31
Love is Love
The host league gets the benefit of the "easier" sched. No team at this time of year isn't use to back to backs. It's a sprint to the finish now.
So he will be in his second junior year, his draft year correct? Much like the stars at this years mem cup. This is all hypothetical but I see Vancouver being one of the top teams by then and Benson being ranked top 5 in the draft for 2016 (I think it will be 2016).
Anyway, London will need to be on their A game tonight facing a desperate Portland team. They should get in Carruth's face early and often
krazy kanuck
Registered User
I guess they do... All this talk about fairness in the tournament, that would be the easiest thing to fix to make it a little more difficult for the Shawingan's of the world to come in and win the tournament without winning their league. Make the teams that have to travel the furthest have the toughest schedule. That doesn't seem to make much sense...
Used to it or not, in the playoffs you're playing the same team in the back-to-back so it's fair... Here one team is turning around on ~20 hours, while the other is not. That's not the same thing.
aresknights
Registered User
Every tourney, every sport, every level ive seen, Host gets the preferable draw, sched whatever. Just the way it is. I don't really see another way.
But yeah it can suck for some. No excuses, just gotta win enough to get thru.
But yeah it can suck for some. No excuses, just gotta win enough to get thru.
krazy kanuck
Registered User
I agree, it's just that every tourney, every sport - with the exception of this tournament - the home team has earned the right to be there (or the host ends up being neutral FA Cup, Superbowl etc.).
The leagues always have the same sched with neither playing back to backs this years it's the Dub teams. Last year it backfired on Shawi who ended up playing 4 in 5 due to bad start. A London win tonight would be similar to last year when they went to finals at 2-1....on wins and goal difference against Edmonton....who went to semi's .
Next Mem Cup London and other OHL rep will have the same sched Portland and Ssk have right now.
aresknights
Registered User
C'mon 8!
A knights win and they're at least in the semis.
A loss and were ALMOST back to square one for all teams.
Hopefully all the posters who made a trip out are enjoying the tourney, atmosphere and the city.
Nice to meet sports nut Friday night! It's too bad we don't get more of that type comradery. We don't gotta cheer for the same teams but we all like hockey.
A knights win and they're at least in the semis.
A loss and were ALMOST back to square one for all teams.
Hopefully all the posters who made a trip out are enjoying the tourney, atmosphere and the city.
Nice to meet sports nut Friday night! It's too bad we don't get more of that type comradery. We don't gotta cheer for the same teams but we all like hockey.
Knights77
Registered User
Portland capitalized, Stolarz was nowhere near good enough(wouldnt be surprised if we dont see himagain in the tourney), and Knights missed some glorious chances. Oh well, bring on Halifax and hope for a better result.
poisonivy
05, 12, 13 Champs
- May 18, 2013
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It's too bad. Stolarz established himself as the #1 and I understand going back to him, but he played poor against Barrie and played poor tonight. London was okay as a team tonight but not great. Very winnable game. You hope now that Patterson has the game of his life tomorrow as Halifax will have the advantage having not played tonight, and they will come out like no team London has faced. All that firepower Halifax has, coming off only their 8th loss of the season leads me to think London needs a lot of breaks tomorrow.
So, by my count, here are the scenarios:
1) London wins, Saskatoon wins - London in the final.
2) London wins, Saskatoon loses - London in the semi-final.
3) London loses - automatically London in the tie-breaker.
PhlyerPhanatic31
Love is Love
I didn't think the boys played poorly. Stolie gave up a couple weak ones but Carruth wasn't top notch either. The 4th goal was a weird hop right onto a stick. The bad angle goal was weak. The 5th goal was a fortuitous bounce off the official. Shouldn't be in that position on a wheel around. Head in ass on that play by the ref.
Seth Jones is touted as the #1 NHL pick? Really? Now seeing him in 2 games...they may need to rethink this..or put down the pipe. Kid hasn't looked good at all.
Had a hunch we'd be looking at 1-1 x 4 and we are. London plays in the tiebreak game...bank it.
Seth Jones is touted as the #1 NHL pick? Really? Now seeing him in 2 games...they may need to rethink this..or put down the pipe. Kid hasn't looked good at all.
Had a hunch we'd be looking at 1-1 x 4 and we are. London plays in the tiebreak game...bank it.
Anyone that watched the game knows how bad our goaltending was. I was swearing the entire game every time they got a shot on net. Poor angles on shots, poor net awareness on the farside and not giving his team the needed saves. Mac did that all game long for them and that to me was the difference. We could have easily won this game 7 or 8 to 2.
At the same time, our forwards made their share of mistakes. Missed assignments, taking the wrong man, passing it to locations (set clearing plays) and nobody there. All of these things leading to turnovers and when your goaltender is fighting the puck like Stolarz was, that equals goals.
I get a kick out of the announcers praising that goal by Rattie. That was a good play by him to get position for a backhand shot but it was Tierney that knocked his own goalie over to give him the empty cage to put the puck in. It should have been a very easy save since, in Stolarz's defence he was following across the crease perfectly on the play until Tierney took him out.
On a positive sign, London needs adversity to battle back and they got it. What I saw as a 4-3 game with us winning turned out a 6-3 loss. Oh well.
As for Players of the game, I choose 4.
1st star - Mac - great goaltending or they lose
2nd - Bo Horvat - just a beast and if we would have won would have been 1st star
3rd - Max Domi - dominant
4th -Pouliott - by far the best d-man out there, without him they lose big time
I also don't see the biggie about Seth Jones. He is their 4th best d-man. 1st overall???????
Let's battle back boys.
At the same time, our forwards made their share of mistakes. Missed assignments, taking the wrong man, passing it to locations (set clearing plays) and nobody there. All of these things leading to turnovers and when your goaltender is fighting the puck like Stolarz was, that equals goals.
I get a kick out of the announcers praising that goal by Rattie. That was a good play by him to get position for a backhand shot but it was Tierney that knocked his own goalie over to give him the empty cage to put the puck in. It should have been a very easy save since, in Stolarz's defence he was following across the crease perfectly on the play until Tierney took him out.
On a positive sign, London needs adversity to battle back and they got it. What I saw as a 4-3 game with us winning turned out a 6-3 loss. Oh well.
As for Players of the game, I choose 4.
1st star - Mac - great goaltending or they lose
2nd - Bo Horvat - just a beast and if we would have won would have been 1st star
3rd - Max Domi - dominant
4th -Pouliott - by far the best d-man out there, without him they lose big time
I also don't see the biggie about Seth Jones. He is their 4th best d-man. 1st overall???????
Let's battle back boys.
Knights77
Registered User
See for me this was like a regular season game for Stolarz. Made some good saves. Gave up an 'A' side goal (note: this is what they call a short side goal in the pro's cuz when you let too many of those in you are going down to the AHL). He always is in the middle of the net which is bad, leaves the short side open too much.
Rattie's goal was brutal. Why are you not staying on your feet or going across in a half butterfly to stop this?!? Instead he felt threatened by a shot as he is cutting across and dropped early to which he had to do an attempted split save to desperately try to get a slow moving puck. Weak. This is not the type of goaltending you need in the big show.
Mac wasn't much better! He made some good saves, but several pucks just hit him (awful shooting by the Knights). Throw in some posts and you have yourself the winning goalie.
So, the Knights played the trap and still let in 6 goals. (one empty net). Please give it up. I think the Knights should run and gun it and see what happens. No trap is going to stop Halifax, why not let your best players try and be best at what they do!
Some of the best games Patterson has played is with 40+ shots. Let em have it. Let Domi and everyone else run wild, stretch passes etc. try for an 6-4 score and hope we end up with 6.
Officiating has been very good. Not much to say there.
Seth Jones would not be my first pick overall, wouldn't be my second either.
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