The Guelph Reapers have had one of the most frustrating seasons a team could ever have. Frustrating for both its fans and the team itself. It has been hilighted with so many highs and lows.
The team is barely above 500 percent despite having the leagues top 2 scorers, and 3 of the top 10. It has had huge losing streaks, and equally impressive winning streaks.
So entering a home and away with the two best teams in the RHL on back to back nights, most expected ugly results for Guelph Reaper fans.
What occurred instead was two dominant statements... two clear and decisive wins against the two best teams in the RHL.
It started at home versus the 32 and 10 Baffin Island Rovers. In a game where they were expected to lose, and even the team management had contemplated starting 4th string goalie Alex Auld in loo of that expectation, the Reapers pounded the heavily favoured Rovers.
The Reapers would pound Chris Mason and the Rovers relentlessly all night. 46 shots peppered the goalie, and 9 goals slid past him. It was an outright dominant win. The Reapers dominated the boards, controlled the offensive zone and never relented their attack. Teemu Selanne led the attack, with a 7 point night! His hat trick also led the way in goals. Shane Doan and Vincent Lecavalier both missed a hat trick by just one goal, with Lecavalier having a 5 point night. 8 different Reapers had a multiple point game. The Rovers were so shaken by the ease of the victory for the Reaper team, that they went right out to acquire Norstrom, not even knowing the Reapers were also in the Norstrom hunt.
Next the Reapers had to travel to Calgary to face the Vampyres. The Vampyres had an even more impressive 37 and 9 record, and at home were the best team in the league, as they were overall. Facing the impossible, winning in Calgary on no rest, the Reapers once more sent a message. Not the dominating offensive show they had before, but now a message sent by former Vampyre number one goalie Marty Turco.
On this night both teams would show off their offences. The Reapers used 36 shots on Backstrom to net their 4 goals. However all they really would need was 2, as Marty Turco stood on his head to teach his former team the price of letting him go. Marty Turco stopped 40 of 41 shots in his best game as a Reaper.
Martin Straka, Alexei Yashin, Pavel Kubina and Shane Doan all had multiple point games. However a streak had ended in the win. Vincent Lecavalier had no points, ending a streak of dominance seldom seen in the RHL.
Vincent Lecavalier had a 7 game point streak end, with 11 goals, and 21 points in those 7 games! A lesser streak, Geoff Sanderson's 3 game point streak also ended. However Teemu Selanne netted a goal to continue his 8 game point streak. He has 7 goals, 16 assists for 23 points in those 8 games. Shane Doan had his goal scoring streak broken by injuries, but healthy, he has 8 goals in his past 7 games, and 11 points. Radim Vrbata has a 8 game point streak as well, with 15 points in that stretch. Martin Straka has 10 points in his last 7 games. Travis Roche and Pavel Kubina both have 7 points in their past 7 games... and Alexei Yashin has 7 points in his past 4 games.
For the top line of Selanne, Lecavalier and Vrbata, the offense has been explosive. A collective 23 goals and 59 points in the past 8 games. Even the second unit of Yashin, Straka and Doan have combined for 13 goals and 29 points in the past 7 games.
The Reapers now get a day off to rest (althout travel back home) to meet the Sockeyes tomorrow night. With deadline day today, the Reapers management will be staying behind from the trip to try to focus the entire day on trade talks, rather then lose time travelling.
Rumours say the Reapers while interested in many things, will likely not make any moves of consequence on this day.
Of note for the Reapers, they have outscored their opposition 21 to 5 in the past 3 games, a three game win streak. If not for a one goal loss to the T-Men, the Reapers would have 8 straight games with at least a point.
If not for a start that saw the team lose 9 of their first 13 games... the Reapers would be a sure thing for the playoffs.
Reporting for your Reapers,
Sal Trachan
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Reapers D the Key
With the passing of Day 75, the Reapers found themselves in a familiar position.
An injury to a defenseman, literally on his first shift. This time though the Reapers would battle and the defensemen would be the story of the game on several fronts.
The Guelph Repaers beat the Waterloo Roadkill 6 to 3 to take a 3-2 series lead in the head to head matchup. The score ironically was the exact same score with which the Roadkill beat the Reapers in Guelph four nights ago. These teams have met three times in a row now, but will not meet again til day 98.
The storyline in this game was the blueline. 3 goals from the blueline tonight for the Reapers, and two more defenseman added assists in a 5 point night for 4 blueliners. For Kubina, his first goal was the game winner, and his second came on the powerplay. For Noah Welch, he had a beautiful (surprisingly) lone man effort for an unassisted marker to give the team insurance midway into the third. Eminger assisted on the first Reaper goal before being sidelined with an injury. Wesley had the other blueline point for Guelph.
The storyline continued on the blueline however beyond scoring. Injury timelines play a role for the Reapers. Travis Roche was cleared to play for tonight's game after missing 30 days with a major knee injury. However the team was unable to get him into Waterloo in time for the game, despite the short half hour drive between cities. GM Gandour was heard muttering "half an hour is not enough time apparently" as he left to go to the bench to coach. The story hardly ends there though. Rhett Warrener remains sidelined day to day, and once more did not play tonight. Kyle Cumiskey remains out for 1-2 weeks, leaving the Reapers three dmen short this night. The extra ice time killed the d who played, as Jamie Heward went down with an injury, and is believed to be out for 2 weeks. Steve Eminger also went down with an injury and is likely going to miss the Reapers next two games.
With the Reapers playing back to back nights, look for Travis Roche to return to the lineup finally, but too late to help the newly injured dmen. Alex Brooks may also get the nod, to fill the other vacated d position as the teams only other option is a callup of Jeff Finger that would put their cap situation in peril. The cutting of Wade Belak earlier in the year freed up a bit of room, but also left them weaker on defense.
"No doubt we miss his flexibility," GM Gandour admitted after tonights injuries, "he could play forward or d, and was tough and fierce. But we had to get under the cap, and that was the move we made. Now we must try to survive til we get healthy again."
When asked to comment if he was actively in talks for another defenseman, GM Gandour refused to comment.
The Reapers win while crucial in the battle for a playoff spot, was costly on the blueline and may cost them points tonight against a tough Mounties squad.
"Being down on D hurts," GM Gandour admitted, "but Rochie is back, and he is our leading point and plus minus dman when healthy. The Mounties have a losing record currently, and so if we buckle down we should be able to still get the points despite injury problems. Then again, the Roadkill had a far worse record and beat us twice this year already so who knows."
The Reapers and Mounties split the season series so far, with the home team winning each game. Unfortunately for the Reapers, this game is in Kitchener.
"I guess it could be worse," GM Gandour admitted, "the travel at least isn't too bad... Guelph to Waterloo to Kitchener... I think I drove farther to do my christmas shopping."
With the Reapers and Mounties set to roll tomorrow night,
Sal Trachan for Face the Reapers
An injury to a defenseman, literally on his first shift. This time though the Reapers would battle and the defensemen would be the story of the game on several fronts.
The Guelph Repaers beat the Waterloo Roadkill 6 to 3 to take a 3-2 series lead in the head to head matchup. The score ironically was the exact same score with which the Roadkill beat the Reapers in Guelph four nights ago. These teams have met three times in a row now, but will not meet again til day 98.
The storyline in this game was the blueline. 3 goals from the blueline tonight for the Reapers, and two more defenseman added assists in a 5 point night for 4 blueliners. For Kubina, his first goal was the game winner, and his second came on the powerplay. For Noah Welch, he had a beautiful (surprisingly) lone man effort for an unassisted marker to give the team insurance midway into the third. Eminger assisted on the first Reaper goal before being sidelined with an injury. Wesley had the other blueline point for Guelph.
The storyline continued on the blueline however beyond scoring. Injury timelines play a role for the Reapers. Travis Roche was cleared to play for tonight's game after missing 30 days with a major knee injury. However the team was unable to get him into Waterloo in time for the game, despite the short half hour drive between cities. GM Gandour was heard muttering "half an hour is not enough time apparently" as he left to go to the bench to coach. The story hardly ends there though. Rhett Warrener remains sidelined day to day, and once more did not play tonight. Kyle Cumiskey remains out for 1-2 weeks, leaving the Reapers three dmen short this night. The extra ice time killed the d who played, as Jamie Heward went down with an injury, and is believed to be out for 2 weeks. Steve Eminger also went down with an injury and is likely going to miss the Reapers next two games.
With the Reapers playing back to back nights, look for Travis Roche to return to the lineup finally, but too late to help the newly injured dmen. Alex Brooks may also get the nod, to fill the other vacated d position as the teams only other option is a callup of Jeff Finger that would put their cap situation in peril. The cutting of Wade Belak earlier in the year freed up a bit of room, but also left them weaker on defense.
"No doubt we miss his flexibility," GM Gandour admitted after tonights injuries, "he could play forward or d, and was tough and fierce. But we had to get under the cap, and that was the move we made. Now we must try to survive til we get healthy again."
When asked to comment if he was actively in talks for another defenseman, GM Gandour refused to comment.
The Reapers win while crucial in the battle for a playoff spot, was costly on the blueline and may cost them points tonight against a tough Mounties squad.
"Being down on D hurts," GM Gandour admitted, "but Rochie is back, and he is our leading point and plus minus dman when healthy. The Mounties have a losing record currently, and so if we buckle down we should be able to still get the points despite injury problems. Then again, the Roadkill had a far worse record and beat us twice this year already so who knows."
The Reapers and Mounties split the season series so far, with the home team winning each game. Unfortunately for the Reapers, this game is in Kitchener.
"I guess it could be worse," GM Gandour admitted, "the travel at least isn't too bad... Guelph to Waterloo to Kitchener... I think I drove farther to do my christmas shopping."
With the Reapers and Mounties set to roll tomorrow night,
Sal Trachan for Face the Reapers
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)