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Post by donjohnson on Feb 21, 2024 13:37:04 GMT -5
Another week, another 3 very important games as we're basically in the final month of the season. Sure seems to be flying by...Memorial Cup will be here in no time.
Rivalry game against a (relatively) hot Flint team. Shouldn't be any issue but I'm sure they'll play us tough tonight as they are fighting for the playoffs. Can't afford to sleep on them tonight, need to come out hot and blow the doors off it.
North Bay will be an interesting one on Friday night...if you take away the 3 goals scored on the 5min PP, it's a very close game. I'm sure NB will be trying to stay out of the box and I'm sure we'll see an "A" effort from Divincentis but we're a better team than them and need to show it.
Finally the first ever visit for Brantford to the Dow...Brantford obviously made a splash at the deadline getting a ton of picks for Donovan but they also made some good strategic adds and they're tied with Sudbury at the top of the Eastern Conference.
3 tough games, hopefully we can come away with 6 points!!!
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Post by MidlandSpiritFan on Feb 21, 2024 15:12:10 GMT -5
Flint just rewarded their head coach and general manager with contract extensions earlier today. The Spirit can not sleep on these guys. They better be ready to play tonight.
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Post by aj0512 on Feb 22, 2024 8:29:01 GMT -5
A good start to the week with a 3-1 win over Flint in a game that never really seemed to be in much doubt. It feels like we've been juggling lines a lot since the trade deadline, but I thought the Castle-Beck-Christopolous line seemed to have some instant chemistry. Lalonde had what felt like his best game in a Spirit uniform, though I'd guess with him starting last night, Oke will be playing both games this weekend.
Dillon mentioned on the broadcast that Mangone has an upper-body injury, and Glavin is injured as well.
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Post by MidlandSpiritFan on Feb 22, 2024 10:47:04 GMT -5
Dillon mentioned on the broadcast that Mangone has an upper-body injury, and Glavin is injured as well. So the only healthy scratch was Storch. Mangone, Glavin, and Forgione all injured right now. |
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Post by eric8199 on Feb 22, 2024 10:57:50 GMT -5
Really expected a more physical game against Flint last night, but it felt like all the grit from that team is gone now. I wonder if it's a new coaching direction not to be as physical/dirty, if it has anything to do with the feisty Giroux no longer being there, or if they just are ready for the season to be over, but for a potential first round playoff matchup, it sure didn't play that way.
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Post by donjohnson on Feb 22, 2024 11:43:31 GMT -5
A good start to the week with a 3-1 win over Flint in a game that never really seemed to be in much doubt. While I agree that it was never really in doubt, it sure was on the scoreboard. We absolutely dominated play in the first and we're sitting there with just a 1-0 lead. This has been how a lot of our games have gone over the past month or so. Completely dominate on possession and shots and then give up some 3on1s and suddenly it's a game and the other team pulls the goalie. I heard Lazary say on the postgame that they went to a 1-1-3 defensive scheme in the 3rd which I absolutely LOVED hearing. Made for a boring 3rd period but that's what you have to do to hold leads in the playoffs and it's great that the team is learning how to do that. I've been worried about how the "system" will work in the late stages of the playoffs and seeing this defensive mode gives me a lot more confidence. |
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Post by donjohnson on Feb 22, 2024 11:53:12 GMT -5
Lalonde had what felt like his best game in a Spirit uniform, though I'd guess with him starting last night, Oke will be playing both games this weekend. Agree...Lalonde played very well last night and the only goal was off of a big fat rebound that I think just hit him in a bad spot (a little high on the chest) and popped right on the guys stick before he could slide over. Other than that there weren't a ton of Grade A's but there were definitely some saves that got my attention. I agree that Oke is probably playing both...that seems to have been the trend the last few weeks...Lalonde is getting the team that is lower in the standings and Oke is getting the better opponents. If that's indeed the case I will be interested to see how he does in back to back days at this point in the season. I looked at his game by game and he does have a few of those this season and has performed really well in them but hasn't had one since November. He's 6-1 with a 2.16gaa and .9375% in the 3 times he's played back to back days. That said, it wasn't great teams that we played against but hopefully we can get a similar performance this weekend against two good teams in Brantford and NB. |
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Post by ricardo on Feb 22, 2024 17:18:02 GMT -5
The Spirit posted on Facebook that the games on Friday and Saturday are nearly sold out. That's great but unfortunately that means a lot of people don't know the proper hockey etiquette, like standing up and going up and down the steps while the game is being played. We had a guy at a recent game that got up to leave, then stood there talking to his friend instead of doing it while he was just sitting there.
Despite that, it should be a loud crowd rooting for a very good Spirit team.
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Post by kingpin794 on Feb 22, 2024 18:00:22 GMT -5
A good start to the week with a 3-1 win over Flint in a game that never really seemed to be in much doubt. While I agree that it was never really in doubt, it sure was on the scoreboard. We absolutely dominated play in the first and we're sitting there with just a 1-0 lead. This has been how a lot of our games have gone over the past month or so. Completely dominate on possession and shots and then give up some 3on1s and suddenly it's a game and the other team pulls the goalie. I heard Lazary say on the postgame that they went to a 1-1-3 defensive scheme in the 3rd which I absolutely LOVED hearing. Made for a boring 3rd period but that's what you have to do to hold leads in the playoffs and it's great that the team is learning how to do that. I've been worried about how the "system" will work in the late stages of the playoffs and seeing this defensive mode gives me a lot more confidence. We’ve been behind in a good chunk of games. Don’t get the lead til later so we don’t often get a chance to sit back and defend in third. I think Laz is very much willing to play that trap game, we just have to be better about getting on top first and setting the pace on a consistent basis. |
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Post by kingpin794 on Feb 23, 2024 10:43:51 GMT -5
While I agree that it was never really in doubt, it sure was on the scoreboard. We absolutely dominated play in the first and we're sitting there with just a 1-0 lead. This has been how a lot of our games have gone over the past month or so. Completely dominate on possession and shots and then give up some 3on1s and suddenly it's a game and the other team pulls the goalie. I heard Lazary say on the postgame that they went to a 1-1-3 defensive scheme in the 3rd which I absolutely LOVED hearing. Made for a boring 3rd period but that's what you have to do to hold leads in the playoffs and it's great that the team is learning how to do that. I've been worried about how the "system" will work in the late stages of the playoffs and seeing this defensive mode gives me a lot more confidence. We’ve been behind in a good chunk of games. Don’t get the lead til later so we don’t often get a chance to sit back and defend in third. I think Laz is very much willing to play that trap game, we just have to be better about getting on top first and setting the pace on a consistent basis. To really drive this point home, in 55 games this year, we have been tied or trailing going into the 3rd 30 times. We have scored first in 24 of 55 games. We have scored first and carried a lead into the 3rd only 18 times all year. 17-1. In those 17 wins our GAA is 1.82. |
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Post by MidlandSpiritFan on Feb 23, 2024 12:55:37 GMT -5
Timeline for tonight’s game vs North Bay per Spirit website:
Red Room opens 5:30 pm
Arena doors open 6:00 pm
Brandon Saad jersey retirement ceremony 7:05 pm
Puck drop 7:35 pm
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Post by kingpin794 on Feb 25, 2024 9:48:29 GMT -5
Another game where the opposing goalie channels Patrick Roy. Good on him to make the game close. Another rough start but still got the W against (currently) the 1st place team in the east. Still watching the OT winner on repeat. What a goal and what a call.
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