Split personality. Liking the arts, especially opera, and hockey and Los Toros. I know, I know THAT one is non pc currently. But I can't help it saw some in Spain and got hooked, but good.
But on the other hand right now opera and hockey are in the forefront!
in front of a measly crowd (but it IS a Thursday night) of 4000 - absent STH must have been counted as well, because it just did not look that full to these old eyes :-)!
But even though they won with the empty netter by McMillan and Fontaine by 4 to the sole goal by Checkers' by Terry, Welsh and Raymond in the 2nd period, IMO it was not as exciting a game to watch as others have, and this one could have been. it was a win at home and that makes up for a lot, right, chers reader-hockey-fans?
Right?
First in line is Phillips.. last is Kuemps ;-)!
Kuemper did extra well, stopping all but that one, which did come on a PP for the Checkers.
Yes, the team's passing has rather improved.
Yes, 2 of 4 PP resulted in goals, by Phillips, Kampfer and Petersen, and Fontaine, Connelly and Petersen in the First.
Scandella with Granlund (he does a good job lining up pucks for others to score with) and Kuemper, put Aeros on the board about half into the First!
Yes, there was some grappling, and one real fight, and yet, IMO, it was just an average game.
Muse Nr. 1 during 1.period
Fredheim on guard
Granlund keeps a sharp eye on puck after face off
Save by Kuemps- first of 3
Second of 3
Saved-Third of 3
All looking, open mouthed, at Kuemper's saves from earlier in the game ;-)
Checkers switched goalies after Muse let in 3 in the First.
Madore Nr. 30 stops one of the 16 SOGS
And Rob Madore (also a 'short' goalie at 5'10), was so good in the 2. and 3. periods that Aeros could not score with any of the 16 Shots on goal. BTW the 2 Shots on Goal they managed on Madore in the Third were - shall we say - less than stellar!:-( But a win and 2 points that's what counts, right!
What we saw tonight, when Aeros banked the 'Heat of Abbotsford' 4-1, looked like the REAL Aeros. Which have been not exactly present at the home ice over part of the season.
Was it the energy of the Sunshine Kid in goal?
Was it the addition of so many newcomers?
Or the absence of some 'old' familiar faces?
Kassian gone, Genoway gone, Zucker, Coyle and Brodin gone Wild?
Matt Hackett being a "Knight of the soulful countenance"on the bench at the Wild?
Connelly Nr. 1 *
Aeros Goal Connelly, Mara and Rau
Well, whatever it was it sure made for an power packed (Aeros got 2 PP!! both by newly returned to the line Brian Connelly), aggressive and 'wild' game.
With just 14 seconds to go Heat's Testwuide (not the former Aeros) and Lamb got the sole goal for Abbotsford and robbed Kuemper of a shut out.
Ruegsegger Nr. 26
Get outta my sight, Nr. 26!
Kuemper had a very light 1.period (Heat managed only 5 sogs, then the pace heated up with a barrage of 16 in the 2. and finally 14..Kuemper stopped 23 of 24!
And what stops he made, despite some pesky Heat guy (Nr. 26) who kept himself real close to Kuemps. He also sat once for goaltender interference, although Kuemper did 'embrace' Ruegs with his stick, but got away with it... refs did not 'see' that and so no call on Kuemps for hooking:-). Because that's what it was - looked to me (alas no photo taken of that move;-)!.
With 12 assorted penalties called, the game was certainly hectic.
Aliu on his way off the ice
What a safe by Kuemps!!
Aliu.. twice unsportsmanlike conduct, also received a game misconduct and was not seen on the ice after that. Krys Kolanos sat for him.
And another one
Seemed to me the Aeros penalty kill talents went a notch higher,
using 5 power play to score 2 goals also showed improvement.
All in all a very exciting game...and the 5 fights or roughhousing had fans screaming and jumping! Yea.. old fashioned hockey for a change.
The short striptease on the heat bench by Nr. 2 did not distract Aeros at all ;-)
And a healthy Cuma did what he is supposed to, defend!
Cuma on station
Kolanos - Nr. 8 (it seemed to me) skated so smoothly it looked much slower.
He was not much on the ice during the first, but much more in the 3.
Did the coach save him for last ditch efforts?
maybe it worked, afterall Testwuide did get a goal in the last seconds;-)
Barry Brust keeping an eye on the rebound?
BB and defense !
Regretfully (for BB's ardent fans) Brust did not shine tonight, he let in 4 of just 24 sogs the Aeros threw at him, even though his defenders were there and trying hard.
thanks to Jason Zucker, who scored two goals (one unassisted) and assisted with the empty netter at the end to a 4 - 2 victory over the Oklahoma City Barons.
It was a good game, this first in 2013.
The guys.. a bit sluggish during the first period, found their "ice legs" and gave a good, not superb, but good performance.
Saw several new names (Couture for one) and some familiar ones from last season, too. Replacements for the injured or penalized scratches, I assume. Short of interviewing coach in the locker room, I could not say yeah or nay who is truly injured, other than Brodin, Kampfer, and Scandella.
Somehow, this game, while rather interesting AND satisfying (they won!) it lacked a bit ... what? Compared to the Checkers vs Aeros game, at least I thought so, especially during the first period.
Ah well, a win is a win! GO AEROS!
While I am inspired to post this short BUT OH SO SWEET report on the victorious lead in ti 2013 by Aeros, my ears are listening to .. what else...
The Neujahrskonzert der Wiener Philharmoniker, without which no new year can start properly.
So while Welser Moest conducts polkas, waltzes and marches and - sorta like the teddy bear toss at hockey games - passes out toys to the individual soloists during
"Mei Huat der hat Drei Ecken" song
to great acclaim of the spell bound audience in the gilded salon in Vienna,
I am skipping through the photos taken with a new Nikon.
Hmmm, must practice a bit more.
But without further ado a few snapshots below:
Save by Hackett
Cuma alertly defends
Another save by a flexible Hackett
Nr. 12 (Couture) starts his own fashion of play...entanglement with Danis-net minder OKC :-)
Happy New Year for Aeros - a win is a win
Arcobello on defense ;-)?
The number 3 Star- a competent Hackett stops 28 in (fortunately) descending order from a barrage of 13 in the first ( no goal Aeros), then 11 and finally 6 sogs. However, the guys kept up the pace and scored 1. Zucker (Nr.1 *), Granlund, Connelly on a PP, and 2. Coyle, Petersen and Granlund (Nr. 2 *).
OKC got on the board first with a PP by Hall, Eberle and (that pesky - remember from last year) Arcobello. And evened the score to 2 in the second with another PP by Eberle, Hartikainen and ... yes... Arcobello.
The 'sugar icing on the New Year's cake' (so to speak) was the empty netter by Larsson with - yes, again Zucker, and Bagnall.
Seems to me, that the team is jelling, and the system by Torchetti, who has been rather patient, is finally coming together. Well, we ought to look forward to more of the same.. or ought not?
Now the Concert is past with its usual flourish and sweetness... a bit of Chat Polka By Josef Strauss, the ubiquitous, albeit conducted somewhat slower than I am used to, Blue Danube, and the culmination a rousing presentation of the Radetzky March with audience participation..
CLAP CLAP CLAP.. and now repeat softly ... clap, clap, clap..
and like a tribute to the game tonight!
And so 2013 has officially started (at least to thisViennese)
After the soso game two nights ago, this was a wild fast paced, exciting game between two worthy opponents. A funny little tidbit: Aeros Nr. 35 battled Checkers Nr. 35 (net minders) :-D.
Garnering for Kuemper in goal (finally - his fans were so pleased) the Nr. 3 * nomination as he stopped 30 of the 32 sogs with which the Checkers peppered him, even increasing the number in periods 2 and 3.
Considering that the Aeros Only shot 21 sogs on Justin Peters, making this a win in OT was - almost - a miracle. Tonight's Aeros defense was present and accounted for IMO.
Overall I really liked the quality of the game played by both teams. Fast, furious and (almost) no holds barred, even though IMO the Checkers managed to slide past a goaltender interference call or two, despite TWO referees, who called 6 penalties, one resulted in the PP goal by Granlund. Jordan and Medvec had at it to the pleasure of excited yelling and screaming fans, and sat in the box for roughing.
Zac Dalpe (19 ) tries but defense and Kuemper hold him off
Tripping up a Checkerman ;-)
I am totally in awe over the speed, ice sense and well aimed passing that Granlund seems to toss off effortlessly.
On the other hand I felt Cuma lacked some umph tonight, despite doing yeoman's work checking Checkers (lol) opponents often, his slow and often short distance passing almost caused another goal by checkers! Yikes!
Attacking the Aeros net
Caught between Cuma and Kuemper
And what a surprise to see Petersen (11), latterly with the Solar Bears, get his AHL goal in the first period with the help of McIntyre (26).
Larsson whoops it up after his game winner goal
And the game winner by Larsson (with Bagnall) about halfway through Overtime went over rather well to the 7 000 plus fans
You could say so, this afternoon in San Antonio, the team only lost by 1.
And both Aeros goals were scored by the new boyz on the ice.
Per Voice of the Aeros (to whom we listen faithfully when the team plays away) the first goal was by Coyle with assists by Granlund and Zucker.
Now then the second goal was by Zucker with assists by Connelly and Coyle!
Now how sweet is that! A double dose of Zucker surely qualifies for sweet!
Which just shows the new boys have the talent, despite grumblings from fans that the OLD guard should play and the NEW boyz should sit and take notes ;-).
Matt Hackett was in goal versus Markstrom for the Rampage.
BTW... former Aeros Casey Wellman, in case you are interested, got a assist.
Is the 'system' working?
Are the new boyz stepping up?
Are the old guard on guard to guide the newbies?
Only time will tell.
Meanwhile my suggestion is:
sit back, enjoy a game of hockey, watch the new boyz fly across the ice, and keep wishing.
At least, WE have AHL to watch and entertain us.
