Tri City IceHawks' Justin Lacy puts a shoulder into an Ice Dog. Icehawks Show Improvement But Fall To Ice Dogs 12-5
October 24, 2010
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It has been a tough start to the season for the TriCity Icehawks. With the addition to three upper level teams in the area, it has been harder to find the number of talented players necessary to be competitive at this level. For that reason, the Icehawks have established a working relationship with a triple A team out of Cleveland to expand their talent pool.
Saturday night the Tri Cities got a glimpse of some of that talent as the Icehawks took on the Michigan Ice Dogs at the Bay County Civic Arena. Of special interest was a Russian defenseman named Maxim Pyluyko, who demonstrated solid puck handling skills plus a physical toughness sorely needed around the net. As Coach Slater evaluates his players' strengths on the ice, the level of play clearly has elevated with a much stronger effort being observed on the ice. While the outcome was the same, the play showed marked improvement. There is no doubt that once the roster is finalized, Coach Slater will be able to work on team defense thus limiting the shots on his net and increasing the offensive production on the other end.
The game started with ferocious up and down action by both teams. Goalie Sean Shriner looked strong early under some Ice Dog pressure. When an Icehawk was whistled for hooking, the composition of the game changed. Ice Dogs James Subu found line mate John Deal streaking for the net and hit him with the pass for a top shelf one timer to put the Ice Dogs on top, 1-0. To make matters worse, the goal was scored while Tri City was being called for another penalty thus allowing Michigan to remain on the power play. This "let the Dogs out" as thirty seconds later as a pass to the back door of the net resulted in a 2-0 lead. The Ice Dogs made it 3-0 four minutes later when Fred Kowalski took a pass in front of the net and buried the shot.
The Icehawks responded when they went on a power play of their own. Newcomer Jake Clifford took a nice pass from Zach Bauer and Justin Lacy to beat netminder Alex Caruana making it 3-1. The Icehawks didn't waste any time as another newcomer, Stephen Jones took a rebound off the post and fired the shot just inside the post above the pads narrowing the margin to 3-2.
The Ice Dogs would get a break late in the first period to put them up 4-2. Shriner stopped the initial point blank shot on the charging Ice Dog. But the play pulled not only the goalie to the right of the net but also the players leaving a puck sitting on the right side of the net for a poke in by James Kastely of Northville.
(MyBayCity Photo by John Keuvelaar)
(MyBayCity Photo by John Keuvelaar)
(MyBayCity Photo by John Keuvelaar)
(MyBayCity Photo by John Keuvelaar)
(MyBayCity Photo by John Keuvelaar)
(MyBayCity Photo by John Keuvelaar)
(MyBayCity Photo by John Keuvelaar)
The second period started promising for the Icehawks. Due to penalties, the Icehawks found themselves on a 4 on 3 advantage. Soon Tri City had a 5 on 3 power play. The Ice Dog defense limited Tri City to single shots that Caruana handled. Holding off the Icehawks switched momentum which Michigan took advantage of. The Ice Dogs Alex Stewart scored five minutes into the period and when Brandon Kaput added another goal with a top shelf wrist shot, the Icehawks switched up goaltenders turning to Elliot Wrasse. The strategy failed as the Ice Dogs scored 45 seconds later and went on to add three more goals before the period was over. The Ice Dogs took a 10-2 lead into the locker room at the end of the second period.
The third period demonstrated an impressive amount of heart by the Icehawks. Playing as if they are only down by one goal, the Hawks looked crisp and aggressive. They exchanged goals before two minutes had ticked off the clock thanks to a Alex Hegstrom goal. Soon always hard working Dean Potila took a pass from Bauer and Lacy tucked it in the corner on a wrap around play making it 11-4.
Tri City turned back to Shriner to finish the game in nets. The sixteen year old netminder from Myrtle Beach finished strong only giving up one goal when Ice Dogs John Deal made it a Texas hat trick picking up the second rebound and shooting into the open net. Justin Lacy capped off the scoring for the night as he picked up the puck on a faceoff and beat the Ice Dog goaltender on the short side making the final 12-5.
The score didn't reflect the play of the game. The Icehawks look much stronger than they've looked all year especially in the first and third period. Play in the second period got chippie resulting in a dramatic slow down of play. This took Tri City out of their rhythm and the game got away from them.
The caliber of play was encouraging as Tri City experiments with new players and blends them with some quality talent they have. Once the roster is set and Coach Slater's system is implemented, it seems clear the fortunes of the Icehawks will greatly increase.
Tri City returns to action next Saturday at home as they take on the Mountain Cats at 7:30 pm.
(MyBayCity Photo by John Keuvelaar)
(MyBayCity Photo by John Keuvelaar)
(MyBayCity Photo by John Keuvelaar)
(MyBayCity Photo by John Keuvelaar)
(MyBayCity Photo by John Keuvelaar)
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John Keuvelaar |
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