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!
Even if it was not a Friday, the 13th seems an unlucky number for the Aeros.
Alas, no Birthday Present of a win for Chilly who had invited friends to
celebrate and entertain the few 3,000 loyal fans who kept sneaking
away to check on the Texans game ;-)!
Friends of Chilly's
To my big surprise the First Period saw heavy action, fast and furious skating and lots of slipping, sliding and pile ups in front and into nets :-D!
And some heavy crashing into boards ... a WILD game!
Foucault tried often
Despite that appearance, the Checkers were off to a slow start with just 8 sogs but 1 goal by Dalpe,
Shugg and Beca, while Aeros managed to toss 10 on Muse all of which he
stopped.
In the second period penalties multiplied 5 for Checkers
who skated aggressively. They revved up their attack on Hackett to 14 but no goal. Aeros had progressively fewer sogs for the rest of the game.
Genoway on offense?
Genoway on defense
Glove Catch by Muse
.
Genoway takes on Sutter
Fredheim in action-no he did NOT trip Rutherford
Another pile up-save by Muse
Hackett lets puck go after save
One of the PP allowed Foucault, Phillips and Cuma the only goal for Aeros in the 2nd.
In
the 3rd a visible slowing occurred; neither team scored. And so we went to OT.
What seemed to
me happened at the very end of the period, or even just into the 2nd
intermission was a huge fight. Mara and Sutter, which almost
escalated - but did not - into confrontation between the two goalies, as
well. 5 minutes to each Fighter plus a game misconduct-leaving the
bench for Mara - and so HE was out for the rest of the game. I am sure Mills
did not intend that when he hired Mara!
Somewhere in there is Muse, Fredheim hugs Pistilli ;-)!
Mara and Sutter, Muse faces Hackett - lineman arm keeps them apart ?
Rau speeds by fallen Bellemore ;-)
Red Sweaters after Zucker !
Genoway seemed just about everywhere, on defense, on offense, taking on Sutter in a little "Hey you" broken up soonest by officials. McMillan skated like the devil was after him...and twisted and turned rapidly where needed.
Phillips, long locks flying, gave a lot. Larssen tried, as did others. Fredheim had long carry of the puck only to pass it to the wrong stick ;-)!
Cuma had a few good moments but overall was ineffective.
The Goal by Nash in OT-fuzzy pic due to shock ;-)! by photo taker :-)!
Zucker appeared to have become the whipping boy for the opponents, many times he was hemmed in by red sweaters.
A sad state of affairs on the ice at the tonight!
And in front of respectable crowd of over 9,000...
That was a rebound and no gaol!
Larsson tries again
Kuemper saves
That bundle is Aittokallio ;-)! and he did MAKE THE SAVE!
Where is Tony Hrcak when you need a steadying seasoned Veteran to inspire the youngsters?
Mara certainly did not seem quite THE thing.
Of course, it was only his second appearance so maybe I need to cut him some slack.
The other newcomer, Reed (#15), seemed to be in the spot more often than not and did push a puck away from the net. Kuemper did stop 29 sogs of 32, but Aittokallio faced 28 and stopped 26.
Somehow, the guys seemed disoriented, albeit skating furiously and passing passably-at times.
Too many times the action took place in the Aeros zone! So better get the puck out of there, guys!
Yes, Zucker and Larsson nicely made the two goals on a PP out of 6.
I must say Larsson has grit!
He was escorted to the bench seemingly injured, but soon was back on the ice and SCORED the 2nd goal.
What more can one write about this game without sounding repetitive.
A replay from last evening when Hackett ate the loss. Now it was Kuemper who choked.
Is it catching?
Kendo between Fredheim and G Walker?
Geoff Walker pats Fredheim on helmet! :-) after the Kendo move!
Kuemper saves this one ..
After the Zucker Goal.. Pock of Austria looks on while Aittokallio can't believe it!
Yes, the boring to bad First period - seemingly an Aeros speciality - has returned at this game tonight. Letting the Stars start out with 13 sogs, while OURs only managed a measly 5!!!!
Hackett on the Prowl
It was almost entirely due to Hackett (earning him 3rd *) stopping all but 2 sog's which the Stars threw at him, IMO, the team would have lost even more, because .. just asking:
Where, really, was the defense, or better yet where was the offense?
Where was the power play by the Aeros who are listed up to this game as 5th in the division?
Genoway Goal
They did have 6 opportunities, but only Genoway with Zucker and Granlund scored in the Second ... and it was THE lonely goal tonight!
The power of black pads threatening:-)!
Aeros DID skate up to better snuff (not perfect, but better) in the 2nd with 9 and even better - 12 during the 3rd - albeit to NO avail.
Nilstorp stopped all but the Genoway one and was named Nr. 1 *, Benn the number 2*. Patrik Nemeth of the Stars-usually a more 'mild' player, caught the ref's eye with high-sticking... twice!
The victorious Three plus Vincour-Goal 2 Stars!
On the other hand ONLY 2 penalties were called on Aeros (Granlund for holding) and the second for Interference on McMillan; and yet the Stars (14th in pp!!) scored one PP by the Victorious Three: Alex Chiasson, Eakin, Smith, while Jordie Benn and Glennie put the Stars on the board in the First Period!
Several players kinda stuck out, in my eyes at least, tonight:
A Stars player skate keeps Larsson's stick away from the puck
Coyle, Phillips battle for the puck with Fortunus, Baldwin
for speed and super effort: Phillips and Palmieri;
for rather good passing and some good plays: Granlund, and - surprise - Couture!
Larsson gives his all -Phillips and others look for ?
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)
YES indeed,
the Aeros achieved a win in OT 3-2 - AT HOME - against a formidable opponent, the Abbortsford Heat (thankfully sans Krys Kolanos and Barry Brust).
Not that Danny Taylor was a slouch in the net for the Heat!
Jason ZUCKER (he's just such a sugar :-) on the ice, he is) with the help of blond locked Larsson, scored the winning goal 5, yes, just Five, seconds into OT.
How sweet :-) THAT was for fans.
OK gang, this was a fun to watch game.
When I consider that the HEAT played their third game in a row, they played well, fast and aggressively,
especially Piskula who scored the evener goal in the Third, sailing the puck right over a prone Hackett, who was literally helpless before him!
Other wise Hackett had a good night, he stopped all but those 2 the Heat threw at him.
Fontaine Goal
Fontaine with Cuma and Phillips scored in the 1.
Piskula Goal
Followed soon by Heat's Olson goal.
McIntyre with Palmieri and Fontaine made it 2 Aeros in the second, and fans were getting ready to celebrate when the
Pesky Piskula scored goal 2 for Heat...............................................
Of course, tempers flared at times, and later when it happened that someone interfered with Hackett, Bagnall took it upon himself to discipline, without a major fight, the Heat who interfered with Hackett...............
see photos.
Sadly, Palmer could not score when Taylor was out of crease with ..the net wide open like the photo at right shows :-)
- that will surely give him some nightmares to come.
Equally sadly Bulmer had to be escorted off the ice..
And at another time the two team captains conferred with the referees about an Aeros goal, which wasn't
while Chilly sits waiting!
But all went well in the end with players celebrating en masse,
and Hackett jumping on top (for a change) of the pile of happy players!
