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Post by aj0512 on Apr 11, 2023 11:22:44 GMT -5
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Post by eric8199 on Apr 11, 2023 12:10:27 GMT -5
I plan to be at all of them. Things won't be any easier after the Flint series, as Sarnia is pretty stacked and has had our number. A win in the first two games will be paramount if we want to move onto the third round.
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Post by MidlandSpiritFan on Apr 17, 2023 10:31:16 GMT -5
REMINDER: Season ticket holders who bought all of their playoff tickets up front need to use tickets marked Round 2, Home Game 1 on Tuesday night (April 18th) and tickets marked Round 2, Home Game 2 on Thursday night (April 20th).
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Post by MidlandSpiritFan on Apr 17, 2023 14:25:43 GMT -5
The offense needs to wake up or this series and the season will end Thursday night.
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Post by donjohnson on Apr 17, 2023 16:10:50 GMT -5
The offense needs to wake up or this series and the season will end Thursday night. We need to get some power plays and I don't know if it's the refs or if it's the players but until the elbowing on Dillingham (it wasn't a head check), we went 167min 13sec without having a power play. That is staggering to go nearly 3 full playoff games without a power play. In game 2 when we did have the man-advantage both on the PP and with the goalie pulled, we moved the puck with ease and got good scoring chances. That has to be the formula for the two home games because these guys are too good and they're currently playing without Kyrou so they'll get even better if/when he returns. I watched both games on TV and while there were definitely times when Sarnia dominated (like the 1st period in Game 2), we controlled much of the play in the 3rd and even some in the 2nd. These guys aren't unbeatable but if the refs aren't going to make any calls on them, I think you can break out the brooms because Lennox can only stand on his head for so long. |
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Post by eric8199 on Apr 17, 2023 16:25:59 GMT -5
We need to come out stronger. The first period of Game 2 we played like we were on the penalty kill the entire period. Second was better and we finally played the game we can play in the third. Sarnia's goalie is spectacular, and so is their defense. Their skill on offense will make us pay EVERY mistake we make, and so far Tristan has done a great job at stopping most of those chances.
We need to score first. We've now played nine playoff games and only scored first in one of them (we lost that one by the way). We have spent two entire series' coming from behind so far. Come out hard, get the first goal, and hold the lead (unlike how we tried to do in Flint during Game 6).
Now, that's easy for me to say. lol.
No matter how it goes, we've had nine games of playoff experience for a bunch of players who had none before this season. That will go A LONG WAY next season. I think we can pull out a win or two at home during this series, but I've had my doubts about getting out of it from the beginning because I think the Sting will be playing for the championship when it's all said and done. If we can get out of this series, we can make it to the finals. Hopefully with every game these guys get better and we'll capitalize on that. It's not over until it's over.
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Post by aj0512 on Apr 17, 2023 22:09:50 GMT -5
At least Saginaw hasn't been blown out in either game like they were against Sarnia in the post-deadline regular season. So that's an improvement. Sarnia is just tough, man. I think Saginaw matches up better against London/Windsor/Kitchener to be honest. Lennox is just going to have to steal one and hope the offense can find a spark. Either way there's lots of lessons to be learned in this series and the experience will be very beneficial for next season.
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Post by farmgirl62 on Apr 18, 2023 6:14:24 GMT -5
At least Saginaw hasn't been blown out in either game like they were against Sarnia in the post-deadline regular season. So that's an improvement. Sarnia is just tough, man. I think Saginaw matches up better against London/Windsor/Kitchener to be honest. Lennox is just going to have to steal one and hope the offense can find a spark. Either way there's lots of lessons to be learned in this series and the experience will be very beneficial for next season. Let's remember this team wasn't even supposed to be in the playoffs, let alone the second round. The boys gave it their all to beat Flint. The bragging rights alone are priceless. It is true the boys didn't have the same tenacity in the first two games against Sarnia. Hopefully, being at home will give them more gusto. Even if they don't make it past game 4 in this series, I am proud of their work and determination to get this far. This is a great learning experience for next year. |
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Post by spiritfan8 on Apr 18, 2023 7:04:31 GMT -5
While I obviously want to see a win, farmgirl is right. We’re in pure gravy territory. The team and coaching staff have really showed me a lot this season, especially in how they sank and then rebounded after Pavel left. A W tonight and it’s a series. Let’s hope the offense comes through. We know we dont have to worry about Lennox. (I sure the Spirit figured to get Oke at least nominal minutes somewhere along the line, but it just hasnt worked out that way)
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Post by donjohnson on Apr 19, 2023 9:59:09 GMT -5
Another solid effort last night, unfortunately another loss. I'm proud of the way these boys are competing but a couple mistakes in our own end and it led to two quick goals from Sarnia. These guys absolutely blew us out after the trade deadline and all three games so far have been extremely close which, to me, shows that the team grew and also that we have fantastic goaltending. The trouble is, different from the Flint series, that Sarnia also has elite goaltending in Gaudreau...he's made some saves in the last two games that have won the games for them. His save on Hill in OT gave them the win and he had a few last night that were simply stellar and kept the game from getting out of hand on the road.
While it's possible that we could win 4 in a row, I think it's highly unlikely and the way that this team has reacted this year, I think there's a chance they throw in the towel and we get rolled in Game 4. I hope that's not the case but that's been their m-o the last couple of years...when things get bleak, mail it in. Even if we get blown out in Game 5, I'd love to see these boys come out with reckless abandon and send the series back to Sarnia. Our games are a stark contrast to the other Western Conference series where it's been 4 blowouts with Kit/Lon.
Oh, and how in the hell do we have Monette so many times in the playoffs? I'd rather have dinner with Hutchinson than see Monette in the stripes...he just doesn't have a clue and unfortunately he's always paired with Bet (who I used to like) but Monette is corrupting him. How Haight got called for a penalty when he was crosschecked by multiple players is beyond me. This isn't the playoffs magnifying the refs...most of the bad ones are bad during the regular season and I think some of them don't understand how to control the flow of the game. Reffing is hard work but there's an art to the game and once you lose control, you're dead in the water and guys like Monette just don't know how to control a game.
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Post by eric8199 on Apr 19, 2023 14:17:46 GMT -5
Another solid effort last night, unfortunately another loss. I'm proud of the way these boys are competing but a couple mistakes in our own end and it led to two quick goals from Sarnia. These guys absolutely blew us out after the trade deadline and all three games so far have been extremely close which, to me, shows that the team grew and also that we have fantastic goaltending. The trouble is, different from the Flint series, that Sarnia also has elite goaltending in Gaudreau...he's made some saves in the last two games that have won the games for them. His save on Hill in OT gave them the win and he had a few last night that were simply stellar and kept the game from getting out of hand on the road. While it's possible that we could win 4 in a row, I think it's highly unlikely and the way that this team has reacted this year, I think there's a chance they throw in the towel and we get rolled in Game 4. I hope that's not the case but that's been their m-o the last couple of years...when things get bleak, mail it in. Even if we get blown out in Game 5, I'd love to see these boys come out with reckless abandon and send the series back to Sarnia. Our games are a stark contrast to the other Western Conference series where it's been 4 blowouts with Kit/Lon. Oh, and how in the hell do we have Monette so many times in the playoffs? I'd rather have dinner with Hutchinson than see Monette in the stripes...he just doesn't have a clue and unfortunately he's always paired with Bet (who I used to like) but Monette is corrupting him. How Haight got called for a penalty when he was crosschecked by multiple players is beyond me. This isn't the playoffs magnifying the refs...most of the bad ones are bad during the regular season and I think some of them don't understand how to control the flow of the game. Reffing is hard work but there's an art to the game and once you lose control, you're dead in the water and guys like Monette just don't know how to control a game. Sapy had two posts in the first period that would have completely changed the game had the pucks been a centimeter closer to the goal. Boys played really well last night. Other than the first period of Game 2, I've been super impressed with their play against Sarnia, and even that game they only gave up the one goal during that time. Regarding the refs, I'm so confused because I simply do not know what interference is anymore. I see it called so many times when it happens the exact same way as when it wasn't called. It feels like back when they started amping up the interference calls back in the 00s again, there's no consistency, and I don't know how you play a physical game without risking getting called constantly. The call on Haight was atrocious. Sarnia fans insist the reviewed goal for the Spirit was goaltender interference, but there's absolutely no way. The goalie ran into Sapy outside of the crease and it was all on him, not us. Glad they got that one right. I'm always frustrated with the officiating in the OHL, and I'm not being a homer, because I'm frustrated with it on both sides of the ice. I don't get why it's so bad. |
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