posted 07 December 2009 12:41
Looks like the season is pretty well settled into identified strata: Helena has a clear path to the AW title. As usual, Coach C has assembled a cast that can dominate, but doesn’t always. This past week they visited and beat Bozeman 6-2; rolled on over to Billings for another victory at 8-1; went on back home to host Missoula, who they also beat 3-2, but it appears that the Maulers made a game of it - even out shooting the horns on their home ice. As usual, Helena leads the league in PK, with a 93.57% kill ratio – which is pretty outstanding considering that they were way below typical for the first part of the season. Puget is second in this stat, at 88.31%. At the midpoint of the season, Helena has lost 1. They may lose 1 in the second half, too, if they are not careful. Missoula is second, followed closely by the Quake. But they lead the season series 4-1 against the Quake, so the best that Yellowstone can do for the season is get a split with them. The Quake is the only team to post a victory against the ‘Horns this year. Missoula is 0-5 vs. Helena - regardless of whose barn. It all looks now like Miss and Yellow will take 2nd and 3rd. Fourth is another matter, with Billings currently in that position, but Bozeman is right on their heels. In the usual year, the ‘Dogs finish stronger, so the 4-point Bull lead is tenuous. Hapless Butte continues to do battle – they never give up until they are down by 5 or 6 goals – but just don’t have the horses to get it done, either in talent or numbers. They have won one, however, and may still win another. If they had a couple more kids who were decent players, maybe some of them could actually catch their breaths between shifts. Out West, the usual suspects are again in the lead. Seattle and Eugene are 1st and second in points, but Seattle has one more loss and one more win – meaning that Eugene has the higher winning percentage. Head to head, 5 games are in the books, with Eugene winning 2 of 3 at home and 1 of 2 in Seattle. They have 4 remaining matches on their schedules. Seattle had a pair with RV at home this weekend and had the expected easy time of it, with a pair of 8-2 wins. Eugene traveled up to Bremerton and eked out 1-goal wins in both, having had to come from down 2 to win the first game. As to third place onward, the current standings are Tri-cities, River City, and Puget. They are all within a 6 point range. Who knows what is going to happen here. Puget just doesn’t have quite enough horsepower. Can’t help thinking of the 2 ‘V’ boys as being the little kids I remember from when I saw the most of them – but now they are two of the top scorers, along with Surgalski and Reeves. Tri has 2 ‘89s, and 2 ‘90s on their roster, with the remainder of their team being younger. There is a bit more maturity on RC, but not a lot. Tri split with RC this weekend, at home. Earlier they went on a home and home with RC, and the visitor won both. They are 5 games down with Puget, and the home team has won them all, so Tri is up in that series 3-2. But all were close. They do have one win against the Generals, but none over Seattle. RC has one win over Seattle but none on Eugene. Puget is yet to beat either of the leaders, but has played Eugene close. Rogue Valley, of course, continues to be Rogue Valley. At the current rate, the present roster will all age out before the team gets to 10 lifetime wins. If I had to call it right now, I would have Eugene first by a whisker over Seattle, followed way behind by RC, TC, and Puget, in that order. Where are all the ‘89s and 90’s that were maturing toward being team leaders. There sure seems to be a lot of them missing from this year’s rosters. Where did the Coeur d’Alene players all go for the year? Hung up the skates? Some have just disappeared from various teams. I know that there are a few that have moved on to college rosters – mostly without fanfare – and in some cases without realistic prospect for getting much ice time. Are the college ranks that that thin, too? Or maybe the economy caused parents and kids to decide it just isn’t worth the $15,000 per year to leave home, pay billet fees, pay ice time, buy new and replacement equipment, pay medical bills, and buy a few airline tickets or tanks of gas for mom and dad to visit them as they play? -- All to make it worth the investment to keep junior in the ranks of junior hockey. Or maybe some of the kids just got fed up with the owners/coaches/managers and being treated like expendable chattel, thus losing their passion for the game and decided to spend the winter riding their boards when and where they want --- or maybe getting a job or going to school and getting on with life. Any cogent thoughts out there?
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Them boys shore do chase them little rubber blobs around, don't they?
Posts: 498 | From: Western Washington | Registered: Mar 2007 | IP: Logged
madmax
Vet
Member # 6113
posted 07 December 2009 13:47
With regard to the CDA Lakers players: I believe 5-6 are playing with the Spokane Braves in the KIJHL. A few filtered into the America West, unknown about the rest.
posted 08 December 2009 19:02
Don't know about the CDA players did, however I did always think it was odd to have the CDA in the Western Division. Seems like we could lose the Butte franschise and put another team in the west, since CDA is only 150 miles from Missoula. By the way the Quake are 2 and 3 against the Maulers, but their loss to billings will definitely hurt them in the standing. But the Maulers aready have a loss to Bozman and of course the Adamo loss to Butte, which will be hard to make up. As I said before I would be surprised if Helena runs the table, but I look for them to be the 1 seed, with Missoula and Yellowstone 2 and 3. Too bad the showcase is in Billings this year, its 4 hours further away from me than Casper.
Posts: 62 | From: Wyoming | Registered: Oct 2009 | IP: Logged
NewFan
Vet
Member # 6070
posted 09 December 2009 11:39
Speaking of the Adamo win over Missoula, thought I would five and update on him. He has only got 2 games in Wenatchee so far, but both were wins. One was over Kenai (This years overall bottom dweller in all the NAHL), but the other over Texas who is an over .500 team. He gave up one goal in each, and has a cumulative save % of .949. Good on him. Wenatchee leads the NAHL overall with a .824 WPCT, with only 2 other teams being over .646, so they are doing right well.
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Them boys shore do chase them little rubber blobs around, don't they?
Posts: 498 | From: Western Washington | Registered: Mar 2007 | IP: Logged
posted 07 December 2009 12:41
posted 07 December 2009 13:47
