11 Temmuz 2012 Çarşamba
10 Temmuz 2012 Salı
9 Temmuz 2012 Pazartesi
St. John's IceCaps visit Hershey Bears tonight
To contact us Click HERE
The St. John's IceCaps are currently the #2 seed in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. They have all but locked up the Atlantic Division, leading by 14 points over second place Manchester. More than likely, barring a Norfolk collapse, they will remain as the #2 seed until the playoffs.
The Hershey Bears are the #5 seed and are, truth be told, in solid position there. They are 6 points up on 6th place Bridgeport and 5 points behind 5th place Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Obviously the goal is to be as high as possible in the standings come playoff time, but, like St. John's, barring a Norfolk collapse, the Bears are looking at 4th or 5th.
Unlike their NHL affiliate, the Washington Capitals, the Bears final 12 games will probably not feature any 'must win' games. But when you have Calder Cup aspirations and the #2 team in the conference is visiting for the first time all season...you want to win.
The IceCaps have been a solid team on the road all season. In fact, based on points percentage, they are the BEST team in the AHL on the road. They are 20-5-2-2 on the road on the season. Considering that makes them only 18-13-3-0 on home ice, the Bears two losses there a couple weeks ago look even worse.
But there is some good news. The IceCaps have been struggling of late. In their last 7 road games they are only 3-3-0-1.
And the Bears are playing well at home of late too. Hershey is 5-1-0-0 in their last 6 games, dating back to mid-February.
Tonight's game (and next Saturday's game as the IceCaps return then) is likely to be decided on via special teams. The Bears boast the #1 home power play in the league. The IceCaps counter that with the #3 road penalty kill in the league. On the flip side...the IceCaps have the 3rd best road power play in the league. The Bears home penalty kill ranks 5th overall.
Either one side is going to bend...or this game will be won 5 on 5.
Hershey has been somewhat decimated by injuries both in Washington and Hershey. Keith Aucoin and Braden Holtby remain on recall to the Caps. With injuries, and a conflicting travel schedule, the Bears were forced to sign Matt Tendler to an Amateur Tryout Agreement. Basically it is just so they have a backup in case something happens to Dany Sabourin (knock on wood). He just completed his senior season at Neumann College and is probably not ready for game action in the AHL...just guessing.
Other new players to watch on the Bears (who many of you saw last weekend) are T.J. Syner and Daniel Koger. Both are forwards who made their debuts last weekend.
So who are they...let's start with Syner.
T.J. Syner is very much like a Cory Conacher of the Norfolk Admirals. And Jacob Micflikier of the Bears. He wasn't drafted mainly because of his size. He is listed at 5'9" 173lbs. And apparently he can really skate:
From HockeysFuture.com's college preview earlier this year:
He did make an appearance at the Capitals developmental camp this past summer and then proceeded to score 13 goals and add 24 assists in 36 games during his senior season.
So far with the Bears he has played in 3 games and has an assist. Based on Tim Leone's Tuesday update, he was on the second line with Eakin and Bourque.
Daniel Koger is a rookie hockey player from Hungary. He has played for multiple ECHL and AHL teams this season in attempt to stick somewhere. In the ECHL he has 9 goals and 18 assists in 32 games for Cincinnati and South Carolina. In the AHL he has 0 goals and 2 assists in 15 games with the Bears (2 games, 1 assist), St. John's, Providence, and Milwaukee.
I haven't seen him and a quick google search doesn't bring too many talent evaluations of him. But he is listed at 6'2" 195 lbs so at least he is a full grown player instead of another Hershey miniature.
I am looking forward to seeing both new players and a Bears win tonight!
The Hershey Bears are the #5 seed and are, truth be told, in solid position there. They are 6 points up on 6th place Bridgeport and 5 points behind 5th place Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Obviously the goal is to be as high as possible in the standings come playoff time, but, like St. John's, barring a Norfolk collapse, the Bears are looking at 4th or 5th.
Unlike their NHL affiliate, the Washington Capitals, the Bears final 12 games will probably not feature any 'must win' games. But when you have Calder Cup aspirations and the #2 team in the conference is visiting for the first time all season...you want to win.
The IceCaps have been a solid team on the road all season. In fact, based on points percentage, they are the BEST team in the AHL on the road. They are 20-5-2-2 on the road on the season. Considering that makes them only 18-13-3-0 on home ice, the Bears two losses there a couple weeks ago look even worse.
But there is some good news. The IceCaps have been struggling of late. In their last 7 road games they are only 3-3-0-1.
And the Bears are playing well at home of late too. Hershey is 5-1-0-0 in their last 6 games, dating back to mid-February.
Tonight's game (and next Saturday's game as the IceCaps return then) is likely to be decided on via special teams. The Bears boast the #1 home power play in the league. The IceCaps counter that with the #3 road penalty kill in the league. On the flip side...the IceCaps have the 3rd best road power play in the league. The Bears home penalty kill ranks 5th overall.
Either one side is going to bend...or this game will be won 5 on 5.
Hershey has been somewhat decimated by injuries both in Washington and Hershey. Keith Aucoin and Braden Holtby remain on recall to the Caps. With injuries, and a conflicting travel schedule, the Bears were forced to sign Matt Tendler to an Amateur Tryout Agreement. Basically it is just so they have a backup in case something happens to Dany Sabourin (knock on wood). He just completed his senior season at Neumann College and is probably not ready for game action in the AHL...just guessing.
Other new players to watch on the Bears (who many of you saw last weekend) are T.J. Syner and Daniel Koger. Both are forwards who made their debuts last weekend.
So who are they...let's start with Syner.
T.J. Syner is very much like a Cory Conacher of the Norfolk Admirals. And Jacob Micflikier of the Bears. He wasn't drafted mainly because of his size. He is listed at 5'9" 173lbs. And apparently he can really skate:
From HockeysFuture.com's college preview earlier this year:
Syner is a really fun player to watch. He's not big (5'9, 173lbs), but he is very fast. He can dart in and out of traffic and is difficult to contain because he utilizes his speed so effectively.
He did make an appearance at the Capitals developmental camp this past summer and then proceeded to score 13 goals and add 24 assists in 36 games during his senior season.
So far with the Bears he has played in 3 games and has an assist. Based on Tim Leone's Tuesday update, he was on the second line with Eakin and Bourque.
Daniel Koger is a rookie hockey player from Hungary. He has played for multiple ECHL and AHL teams this season in attempt to stick somewhere. In the ECHL he has 9 goals and 18 assists in 32 games for Cincinnati and South Carolina. In the AHL he has 0 goals and 2 assists in 15 games with the Bears (2 games, 1 assist), St. John's, Providence, and Milwaukee.
I haven't seen him and a quick google search doesn't bring too many talent evaluations of him. But he is listed at 6'2" 195 lbs so at least he is a full grown player instead of another Hershey miniature.
I am looking forward to seeing both new players and a Bears win tonight!
8 Temmuz 2012 Pazar
St. John's IceCaps visit Hershey Bears tonight
To contact us Click HERE
The St. John's IceCaps are currently the #2 seed in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. They have all but locked up the Atlantic Division, leading by 14 points over second place Manchester. More than likely, barring a Norfolk collapse, they will remain as the #2 seed until the playoffs.
The Hershey Bears are the #5 seed and are, truth be told, in solid position there. They are 6 points up on 6th place Bridgeport and 5 points behind 5th place Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Obviously the goal is to be as high as possible in the standings come playoff time, but, like St. John's, barring a Norfolk collapse, the Bears are looking at 4th or 5th.
Unlike their NHL affiliate, the Washington Capitals, the Bears final 12 games will probably not feature any 'must win' games. But when you have Calder Cup aspirations and the #2 team in the conference is visiting for the first time all season...you want to win.
The IceCaps have been a solid team on the road all season. In fact, based on points percentage, they are the BEST team in the AHL on the road. They are 20-5-2-2 on the road on the season. Considering that makes them only 18-13-3-0 on home ice, the Bears two losses there a couple weeks ago look even worse.
But there is some good news. The IceCaps have been struggling of late. In their last 7 road games they are only 3-3-0-1.
And the Bears are playing well at home of late too. Hershey is 5-1-0-0 in their last 6 games, dating back to mid-February.
Tonight's game (and next Saturday's game as the IceCaps return then) is likely to be decided on via special teams. The Bears boast the #1 home power play in the league. The IceCaps counter that with the #3 road penalty kill in the league. On the flip side...the IceCaps have the 3rd best road power play in the league. The Bears home penalty kill ranks 5th overall.
Either one side is going to bend...or this game will be won 5 on 5.
Hershey has been somewhat decimated by injuries both in Washington and Hershey. Keith Aucoin and Braden Holtby remain on recall to the Caps. With injuries, and a conflicting travel schedule, the Bears were forced to sign Matt Tendler to an Amateur Tryout Agreement. Basically it is just so they have a backup in case something happens to Dany Sabourin (knock on wood). He just completed his senior season at Neumann College and is probably not ready for game action in the AHL...just guessing.
Other new players to watch on the Bears (who many of you saw last weekend) are T.J. Syner and Daniel Koger. Both are forwards who made their debuts last weekend.
So who are they...let's start with Syner.
T.J. Syner is very much like a Cory Conacher of the Norfolk Admirals. And Jacob Micflikier of the Bears. He wasn't drafted mainly because of his size. He is listed at 5'9" 173lbs. And apparently he can really skate:
From HockeysFuture.com's college preview earlier this year:
He did make an appearance at the Capitals developmental camp this past summer and then proceeded to score 13 goals and add 24 assists in 36 games during his senior season.
So far with the Bears he has played in 3 games and has an assist. Based on Tim Leone's Tuesday update, he was on the second line with Eakin and Bourque.
Daniel Koger is a rookie hockey player from Hungary. He has played for multiple ECHL and AHL teams this season in attempt to stick somewhere. In the ECHL he has 9 goals and 18 assists in 32 games for Cincinnati and South Carolina. In the AHL he has 0 goals and 2 assists in 15 games with the Bears (2 games, 1 assist), St. John's, Providence, and Milwaukee.
I haven't seen him and a quick google search doesn't bring too many talent evaluations of him. But he is listed at 6'2" 195 lbs so at least he is a full grown player instead of another Hershey miniature.
I am looking forward to seeing both new players and a Bears win tonight!
The Hershey Bears are the #5 seed and are, truth be told, in solid position there. They are 6 points up on 6th place Bridgeport and 5 points behind 5th place Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Obviously the goal is to be as high as possible in the standings come playoff time, but, like St. John's, barring a Norfolk collapse, the Bears are looking at 4th or 5th.
Unlike their NHL affiliate, the Washington Capitals, the Bears final 12 games will probably not feature any 'must win' games. But when you have Calder Cup aspirations and the #2 team in the conference is visiting for the first time all season...you want to win.
The IceCaps have been a solid team on the road all season. In fact, based on points percentage, they are the BEST team in the AHL on the road. They are 20-5-2-2 on the road on the season. Considering that makes them only 18-13-3-0 on home ice, the Bears two losses there a couple weeks ago look even worse.
But there is some good news. The IceCaps have been struggling of late. In their last 7 road games they are only 3-3-0-1.
And the Bears are playing well at home of late too. Hershey is 5-1-0-0 in their last 6 games, dating back to mid-February.
Tonight's game (and next Saturday's game as the IceCaps return then) is likely to be decided on via special teams. The Bears boast the #1 home power play in the league. The IceCaps counter that with the #3 road penalty kill in the league. On the flip side...the IceCaps have the 3rd best road power play in the league. The Bears home penalty kill ranks 5th overall.
Either one side is going to bend...or this game will be won 5 on 5.
Hershey has been somewhat decimated by injuries both in Washington and Hershey. Keith Aucoin and Braden Holtby remain on recall to the Caps. With injuries, and a conflicting travel schedule, the Bears were forced to sign Matt Tendler to an Amateur Tryout Agreement. Basically it is just so they have a backup in case something happens to Dany Sabourin (knock on wood). He just completed his senior season at Neumann College and is probably not ready for game action in the AHL...just guessing.
Other new players to watch on the Bears (who many of you saw last weekend) are T.J. Syner and Daniel Koger. Both are forwards who made their debuts last weekend.
So who are they...let's start with Syner.
T.J. Syner is very much like a Cory Conacher of the Norfolk Admirals. And Jacob Micflikier of the Bears. He wasn't drafted mainly because of his size. He is listed at 5'9" 173lbs. And apparently he can really skate:
From HockeysFuture.com's college preview earlier this year:
Syner is a really fun player to watch. He's not big (5'9, 173lbs), but he is very fast. He can dart in and out of traffic and is difficult to contain because he utilizes his speed so effectively.
He did make an appearance at the Capitals developmental camp this past summer and then proceeded to score 13 goals and add 24 assists in 36 games during his senior season.
So far with the Bears he has played in 3 games and has an assist. Based on Tim Leone's Tuesday update, he was on the second line with Eakin and Bourque.
Daniel Koger is a rookie hockey player from Hungary. He has played for multiple ECHL and AHL teams this season in attempt to stick somewhere. In the ECHL he has 9 goals and 18 assists in 32 games for Cincinnati and South Carolina. In the AHL he has 0 goals and 2 assists in 15 games with the Bears (2 games, 1 assist), St. John's, Providence, and Milwaukee.
I haven't seen him and a quick google search doesn't bring too many talent evaluations of him. But he is listed at 6'2" 195 lbs so at least he is a full grown player instead of another Hershey miniature.
I am looking forward to seeing both new players and a Bears win tonight!
Don't Call It a Comeback (Please)
To contact us Click HERE
I finally caved and bought a yearlong subscription to Ken Pomeroy's genius college basketball website, www.kenpom.com. It's possible I may have mentioned this advanced stats site to some of you before.
So in order to make my $19.99 pay for itself, it's about damn time to get back to AMATEUR SPORTSWRITING! Wahoo! (You can call it a comeback when I manage to stick to a writing schedule for more than one day.)
It also helps that the Big Ten is having the most exciting men's college hoops season I can remember, and that Indiana is back in the mix. Here's the plan. I'm going to try to write an article at least once per off-day (Saturday, Monday, Thursday), focusing mostly on this incredibly awesome basketball season, and of course the Hoosiers, Northwestern Wildcats, the Big Ten, and maybe even the Bulls in particular.
Enough jibber jabber. I'm shakin' the rust off, baby. Indiana gets Wisconsin at the Kohl Center tonight at 9, which means it's Yogi's Time (gunning for a corporate sponsorship by March...). Here's a little preview. Inside the Hall does a better job of these things than me, by the way, and you can check them out at their FREE site. Take that, peegs.
KEYS TO THE GAME
1. Oladipo's defense on Jordan Taylor. Taylor killed us last year - courtesy ITH's Justin Albers, "the Wisconsin guard ruined two upset attempts by scoring a combined 67 points in two meetings last season." If he goes off again, we're in some trouble. However, Victor has had to guard Bo Spencer and Tim Frazier now in the last two games, who happen to be the conference's other undersized do-everything guards.
If he's learned anything from the last two games, and can hold Taylor to under or around twenty, that's huge. 'Dipo doesn't need to force a lot of turnovers, just contest every shot and not foul much.
2. Cody Zeller needs to get Jared Berggren in foul trouble. Jared who? Berggren was a godawful reserve last year (think Capobianco level bad) but has turned into a solid scorer and inside presence as a junior. He's also the Badgers' only player over 6'6 other than freshman Frank Kaminsky. (That, by the way, is a CLASSIC Wisconsin name right there.)
I don't really need to spell this out. Do like Dicky V says and get Cody the damn ball. Wisco plays good team defense, but Cody can score at will over just about anybody smaller than him, and I think he can own Flat Top Ryan Evans and/or Bruesewitz in the paint if Berggren goes out and leaves them shorthanded.
3. Wake up Christian Watford on offense. Wat's been rebounding well, but not scoring like he's capable of doing. I think IU needs to get to around seventy points to win this game, and we need Christian to get at least 12-14 to get there. Now would be a great time to break out of this little mini-slump and get your name headed toward's people's All-Big Ten lists, buddy. I would say that you can't live off the Kentucky shot forever, but.... well, you can totally live off that shot forever. Please don't.
This is a pretty good Wisconsin team but I think with our superior size and scoring punch we match up surprisingly well. The Badgers are allowing the lowest 3pt percentage of any B10 team and the fifth lowest in the country at 26.4% (thanks, Pomeroy!). Is it the Kohl Center rims? Because if it's not, we may just mess that stat up for them pretty badly tonight.
Indiana 72 - Wisco 66
Random Notes:
Michigan vs. Michigan State last week was one of the best games I've seen all year, thanks to ESPN3 for televising (computering?) it and a great job by the ESPN crew catching Denard Robinson in the student section partying his ass off and having a blast like the star quarterback at a major state university ought to be doing. Oh, and supporting his fellow student-athletes, of course.
Draymond Green is my favorite non-Indiana player in the Big Ten. I love his attitude, I love watching him play. His court demeanor reminds me of DJ White as a senior. This is a Very Good Thing. It's been cool watching him grow into a leader at Michigan State. By the way, that braces picture? That's the #1 image result for "Draymond Green" on Google. Hah.
Northwestern, at 12-7 and having gotten shellacked by Minnesota, is probably looking at the NIT now. Hey, as long as they go to the NIT Final Four, I'm happy. This is Not Such a Good Thing.
Kenpom has this cool thing now where you can see a player's profile year by year, and also guys that have had similar stats throughout the years the site has been up. Will Sheehey's #1 parallel? This year's edition of UNC's Harrison Barnes. I know Barnes hasn't been quite as good as hyped, but he's still been The Guy for the #8 team in the country. That's pretty cool.
By the way, UNC vs. NC State starts at 7, and I'm goanna go watch it. Zeller double feature! (I stole that line). Also an important game for Indiana's NC SOS (that's non-conference strength of schedule).
Matt Roth's #1 parallel, by the way? '11 Jon Diebler. That's almost as good as Sheehey's. It's great to see Roth playing well as a senior.
Thanks for reading and I hope to have a lot more for you as the year goes on. Much love. Go Hoosiers!
So in order to make my $19.99 pay for itself, it's about damn time to get back to AMATEUR SPORTSWRITING! Wahoo! (You can call it a comeback when I manage to stick to a writing schedule for more than one day.)
It also helps that the Big Ten is having the most exciting men's college hoops season I can remember, and that Indiana is back in the mix. Here's the plan. I'm going to try to write an article at least once per off-day (Saturday, Monday, Thursday), focusing mostly on this incredibly awesome basketball season, and of course the Hoosiers, Northwestern Wildcats, the Big Ten, and maybe even the Bulls in particular.
Enough jibber jabber. I'm shakin' the rust off, baby. Indiana gets Wisconsin at the Kohl Center tonight at 9, which means it's Yogi's Time (gunning for a corporate sponsorship by March...). Here's a little preview. Inside the Hall does a better job of these things than me, by the way, and you can check them out at their FREE site. Take that, peegs.
KEYS TO THE GAME
1. Oladipo's defense on Jordan Taylor. Taylor killed us last year - courtesy ITH's Justin Albers, "the Wisconsin guard ruined two upset attempts by scoring a combined 67 points in two meetings last season." If he goes off again, we're in some trouble. However, Victor has had to guard Bo Spencer and Tim Frazier now in the last two games, who happen to be the conference's other undersized do-everything guards.
If he's learned anything from the last two games, and can hold Taylor to under or around twenty, that's huge. 'Dipo doesn't need to force a lot of turnovers, just contest every shot and not foul much.
2. Cody Zeller needs to get Jared Berggren in foul trouble. Jared who? Berggren was a godawful reserve last year (think Capobianco level bad) but has turned into a solid scorer and inside presence as a junior. He's also the Badgers' only player over 6'6 other than freshman Frank Kaminsky. (That, by the way, is a CLASSIC Wisconsin name right there.)
I don't really need to spell this out. Do like Dicky V says and get Cody the damn ball. Wisco plays good team defense, but Cody can score at will over just about anybody smaller than him, and I think he can own Flat Top Ryan Evans and/or Bruesewitz in the paint if Berggren goes out and leaves them shorthanded.
3. Wake up Christian Watford on offense. Wat's been rebounding well, but not scoring like he's capable of doing. I think IU needs to get to around seventy points to win this game, and we need Christian to get at least 12-14 to get there. Now would be a great time to break out of this little mini-slump and get your name headed toward's people's All-Big Ten lists, buddy. I would say that you can't live off the Kentucky shot forever, but.... well, you can totally live off that shot forever. Please don't.
This is a pretty good Wisconsin team but I think with our superior size and scoring punch we match up surprisingly well. The Badgers are allowing the lowest 3pt percentage of any B10 team and the fifth lowest in the country at 26.4% (thanks, Pomeroy!). Is it the Kohl Center rims? Because if it's not, we may just mess that stat up for them pretty badly tonight.
Indiana 72 - Wisco 66
Random Notes:
Michigan vs. Michigan State last week was one of the best games I've seen all year, thanks to ESPN3 for televising (computering?) it and a great job by the ESPN crew catching Denard Robinson in the student section partying his ass off and having a blast like the star quarterback at a major state university ought to be doing. Oh, and supporting his fellow student-athletes, of course.
Draymond Green is my favorite non-Indiana player in the Big Ten. I love his attitude, I love watching him play. His court demeanor reminds me of DJ White as a senior. This is a Very Good Thing. It's been cool watching him grow into a leader at Michigan State. By the way, that braces picture? That's the #1 image result for "Draymond Green" on Google. Hah.
Northwestern, at 12-7 and having gotten shellacked by Minnesota, is probably looking at the NIT now. Hey, as long as they go to the NIT Final Four, I'm happy. This is Not Such a Good Thing.
Kenpom has this cool thing now where you can see a player's profile year by year, and also guys that have had similar stats throughout the years the site has been up. Will Sheehey's #1 parallel? This year's edition of UNC's Harrison Barnes. I know Barnes hasn't been quite as good as hyped, but he's still been The Guy for the #8 team in the country. That's pretty cool.
By the way, UNC vs. NC State starts at 7, and I'm goanna go watch it. Zeller double feature! (I stole that line). Also an important game for Indiana's NC SOS (that's non-conference strength of schedule).
Matt Roth's #1 parallel, by the way? '11 Jon Diebler. That's almost as good as Sheehey's. It's great to see Roth playing well as a senior.
Thanks for reading and I hope to have a lot more for you as the year goes on. Much love. Go Hoosiers!
7 Temmuz 2012 Cumartesi
St. John's IceCaps visit Hershey Bears tonight
To contact us Click HERE
The St. John's IceCaps are currently the #2 seed in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. They have all but locked up the Atlantic Division, leading by 14 points over second place Manchester. More than likely, barring a Norfolk collapse, they will remain as the #2 seed until the playoffs.
The Hershey Bears are the #5 seed and are, truth be told, in solid position there. They are 6 points up on 6th place Bridgeport and 5 points behind 5th place Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Obviously the goal is to be as high as possible in the standings come playoff time, but, like St. John's, barring a Norfolk collapse, the Bears are looking at 4th or 5th.
Unlike their NHL affiliate, the Washington Capitals, the Bears final 12 games will probably not feature any 'must win' games. But when you have Calder Cup aspirations and the #2 team in the conference is visiting for the first time all season...you want to win.
The IceCaps have been a solid team on the road all season. In fact, based on points percentage, they are the BEST team in the AHL on the road. They are 20-5-2-2 on the road on the season. Considering that makes them only 18-13-3-0 on home ice, the Bears two losses there a couple weeks ago look even worse.
But there is some good news. The IceCaps have been struggling of late. In their last 7 road games they are only 3-3-0-1.
And the Bears are playing well at home of late too. Hershey is 5-1-0-0 in their last 6 games, dating back to mid-February.
Tonight's game (and next Saturday's game as the IceCaps return then) is likely to be decided on via special teams. The Bears boast the #1 home power play in the league. The IceCaps counter that with the #3 road penalty kill in the league. On the flip side...the IceCaps have the 3rd best road power play in the league. The Bears home penalty kill ranks 5th overall.
Either one side is going to bend...or this game will be won 5 on 5.
Hershey has been somewhat decimated by injuries both in Washington and Hershey. Keith Aucoin and Braden Holtby remain on recall to the Caps. With injuries, and a conflicting travel schedule, the Bears were forced to sign Matt Tendler to an Amateur Tryout Agreement. Basically it is just so they have a backup in case something happens to Dany Sabourin (knock on wood). He just completed his senior season at Neumann College and is probably not ready for game action in the AHL...just guessing.
Other new players to watch on the Bears (who many of you saw last weekend) are T.J. Syner and Daniel Koger. Both are forwards who made their debuts last weekend.
So who are they...let's start with Syner.
T.J. Syner is very much like a Cory Conacher of the Norfolk Admirals. And Jacob Micflikier of the Bears. He wasn't drafted mainly because of his size. He is listed at 5'9" 173lbs. And apparently he can really skate:
From HockeysFuture.com's college preview earlier this year:
He did make an appearance at the Capitals developmental camp this past summer and then proceeded to score 13 goals and add 24 assists in 36 games during his senior season.
So far with the Bears he has played in 3 games and has an assist. Based on Tim Leone's Tuesday update, he was on the second line with Eakin and Bourque.
Daniel Koger is a rookie hockey player from Hungary. He has played for multiple ECHL and AHL teams this season in attempt to stick somewhere. In the ECHL he has 9 goals and 18 assists in 32 games for Cincinnati and South Carolina. In the AHL he has 0 goals and 2 assists in 15 games with the Bears (2 games, 1 assist), St. John's, Providence, and Milwaukee.
I haven't seen him and a quick google search doesn't bring too many talent evaluations of him. But he is listed at 6'2" 195 lbs so at least he is a full grown player instead of another Hershey miniature.
I am looking forward to seeing both new players and a Bears win tonight!
The Hershey Bears are the #5 seed and are, truth be told, in solid position there. They are 6 points up on 6th place Bridgeport and 5 points behind 5th place Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Obviously the goal is to be as high as possible in the standings come playoff time, but, like St. John's, barring a Norfolk collapse, the Bears are looking at 4th or 5th.
Unlike their NHL affiliate, the Washington Capitals, the Bears final 12 games will probably not feature any 'must win' games. But when you have Calder Cup aspirations and the #2 team in the conference is visiting for the first time all season...you want to win.
The IceCaps have been a solid team on the road all season. In fact, based on points percentage, they are the BEST team in the AHL on the road. They are 20-5-2-2 on the road on the season. Considering that makes them only 18-13-3-0 on home ice, the Bears two losses there a couple weeks ago look even worse.
But there is some good news. The IceCaps have been struggling of late. In their last 7 road games they are only 3-3-0-1.
And the Bears are playing well at home of late too. Hershey is 5-1-0-0 in their last 6 games, dating back to mid-February.
Tonight's game (and next Saturday's game as the IceCaps return then) is likely to be decided on via special teams. The Bears boast the #1 home power play in the league. The IceCaps counter that with the #3 road penalty kill in the league. On the flip side...the IceCaps have the 3rd best road power play in the league. The Bears home penalty kill ranks 5th overall.
Either one side is going to bend...or this game will be won 5 on 5.
Hershey has been somewhat decimated by injuries both in Washington and Hershey. Keith Aucoin and Braden Holtby remain on recall to the Caps. With injuries, and a conflicting travel schedule, the Bears were forced to sign Matt Tendler to an Amateur Tryout Agreement. Basically it is just so they have a backup in case something happens to Dany Sabourin (knock on wood). He just completed his senior season at Neumann College and is probably not ready for game action in the AHL...just guessing.
Other new players to watch on the Bears (who many of you saw last weekend) are T.J. Syner and Daniel Koger. Both are forwards who made their debuts last weekend.
So who are they...let's start with Syner.
T.J. Syner is very much like a Cory Conacher of the Norfolk Admirals. And Jacob Micflikier of the Bears. He wasn't drafted mainly because of his size. He is listed at 5'9" 173lbs. And apparently he can really skate:
From HockeysFuture.com's college preview earlier this year:
Syner is a really fun player to watch. He's not big (5'9, 173lbs), but he is very fast. He can dart in and out of traffic and is difficult to contain because he utilizes his speed so effectively.
He did make an appearance at the Capitals developmental camp this past summer and then proceeded to score 13 goals and add 24 assists in 36 games during his senior season.
So far with the Bears he has played in 3 games and has an assist. Based on Tim Leone's Tuesday update, he was on the second line with Eakin and Bourque.
Daniel Koger is a rookie hockey player from Hungary. He has played for multiple ECHL and AHL teams this season in attempt to stick somewhere. In the ECHL he has 9 goals and 18 assists in 32 games for Cincinnati and South Carolina. In the AHL he has 0 goals and 2 assists in 15 games with the Bears (2 games, 1 assist), St. John's, Providence, and Milwaukee.
I haven't seen him and a quick google search doesn't bring too many talent evaluations of him. But he is listed at 6'2" 195 lbs so at least he is a full grown player instead of another Hershey miniature.
I am looking forward to seeing both new players and a Bears win tonight!
SEC Still Sucks at Scheduling Out Of Conference
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Everyone knows I hate SEC scheduling. See here , well I just got some more ammo.
To everyone who says the SEC has finally stepped up their out of conference scheduling is still full of crap.
Georgia has left the south once in the past 3 decades to play Arizona State
Florida hasn't played an out of conference game outside the state of Florida since 1992
Now Alabama is too scared to do a home and home with Wisconsin
Alvarez, who handled scheduling when he coached the Badgers from 1990 to ’05, said Bielema countered with an offer to play a home-and-home series with the Crimson Tide — no specific years were discussed — but that Alabama coach Nick Saban declined.
Read more: http://host.madison.com/sports/college/football/article_fdf326b2-c302-11e1-9540-001a4bcf887a.html#ixzz1zmPIZV00
If it keeps working for them, why change it. Bet this won't even change when playoff is around.
I am so glad IU Athletic director Glass called out the SEC for being a bunch of weaklings in his letter to Kentucky when they broke off IU's
Everyone knows I hate SEC scheduling. See here , well I just got some more ammo.
To everyone who says the SEC has finally stepped up their out of conference scheduling is still full of crap.
Georgia has left the south once in the past 3 decades to play Arizona State
Florida hasn't played an out of conference game outside the state of Florida since 1992
Now Alabama is too scared to do a home and home with Wisconsin
Alvarez, who handled scheduling when he coached the Badgers from 1990 to ’05, said Bielema countered with an offer to play a home-and-home series with the Crimson Tide — no specific years were discussed — but that Alabama coach Nick Saban declined.
Read more: http://host.madison.com/sports/college/football/article_fdf326b2-c302-11e1-9540-001a4bcf887a.html#ixzz1zmPIZV00
If it keeps working for them, why change it. Bet this won't even change when playoff is around.
I am so glad IU Athletic director Glass called out the SEC for being a bunch of weaklings in his letter to Kentucky when they broke off IU's
5 Temmuz 2012 Perşembe
St. John's IceCaps visit Hershey Bears tonight
To contact us Click HERE
The St. John's IceCaps are currently the #2 seed in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. They have all but locked up the Atlantic Division, leading by 14 points over second place Manchester. More than likely, barring a Norfolk collapse, they will remain as the #2 seed until the playoffs.
The Hershey Bears are the #5 seed and are, truth be told, in solid position there. They are 6 points up on 6th place Bridgeport and 5 points behind 5th place Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Obviously the goal is to be as high as possible in the standings come playoff time, but, like St. John's, barring a Norfolk collapse, the Bears are looking at 4th or 5th.
Unlike their NHL affiliate, the Washington Capitals, the Bears final 12 games will probably not feature any 'must win' games. But when you have Calder Cup aspirations and the #2 team in the conference is visiting for the first time all season...you want to win.
The IceCaps have been a solid team on the road all season. In fact, based on points percentage, they are the BEST team in the AHL on the road. They are 20-5-2-2 on the road on the season. Considering that makes them only 18-13-3-0 on home ice, the Bears two losses there a couple weeks ago look even worse.
But there is some good news. The IceCaps have been struggling of late. In their last 7 road games they are only 3-3-0-1.
And the Bears are playing well at home of late too. Hershey is 5-1-0-0 in their last 6 games, dating back to mid-February.
Tonight's game (and next Saturday's game as the IceCaps return then) is likely to be decided on via special teams. The Bears boast the #1 home power play in the league. The IceCaps counter that with the #3 road penalty kill in the league. On the flip side...the IceCaps have the 3rd best road power play in the league. The Bears home penalty kill ranks 5th overall.
Either one side is going to bend...or this game will be won 5 on 5.
Hershey has been somewhat decimated by injuries both in Washington and Hershey. Keith Aucoin and Braden Holtby remain on recall to the Caps. With injuries, and a conflicting travel schedule, the Bears were forced to sign Matt Tendler to an Amateur Tryout Agreement. Basically it is just so they have a backup in case something happens to Dany Sabourin (knock on wood). He just completed his senior season at Neumann College and is probably not ready for game action in the AHL...just guessing.
Other new players to watch on the Bears (who many of you saw last weekend) are T.J. Syner and Daniel Koger. Both are forwards who made their debuts last weekend.
So who are they...let's start with Syner.
T.J. Syner is very much like a Cory Conacher of the Norfolk Admirals. And Jacob Micflikier of the Bears. He wasn't drafted mainly because of his size. He is listed at 5'9" 173lbs. And apparently he can really skate:
From HockeysFuture.com's college preview earlier this year:
He did make an appearance at the Capitals developmental camp this past summer and then proceeded to score 13 goals and add 24 assists in 36 games during his senior season.
So far with the Bears he has played in 3 games and has an assist. Based on Tim Leone's Tuesday update, he was on the second line with Eakin and Bourque.
Daniel Koger is a rookie hockey player from Hungary. He has played for multiple ECHL and AHL teams this season in attempt to stick somewhere. In the ECHL he has 9 goals and 18 assists in 32 games for Cincinnati and South Carolina. In the AHL he has 0 goals and 2 assists in 15 games with the Bears (2 games, 1 assist), St. John's, Providence, and Milwaukee.
I haven't seen him and a quick google search doesn't bring too many talent evaluations of him. But he is listed at 6'2" 195 lbs so at least he is a full grown player instead of another Hershey miniature.
I am looking forward to seeing both new players and a Bears win tonight!
The Hershey Bears are the #5 seed and are, truth be told, in solid position there. They are 6 points up on 6th place Bridgeport and 5 points behind 5th place Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Obviously the goal is to be as high as possible in the standings come playoff time, but, like St. John's, barring a Norfolk collapse, the Bears are looking at 4th or 5th.
Unlike their NHL affiliate, the Washington Capitals, the Bears final 12 games will probably not feature any 'must win' games. But when you have Calder Cup aspirations and the #2 team in the conference is visiting for the first time all season...you want to win.
The IceCaps have been a solid team on the road all season. In fact, based on points percentage, they are the BEST team in the AHL on the road. They are 20-5-2-2 on the road on the season. Considering that makes them only 18-13-3-0 on home ice, the Bears two losses there a couple weeks ago look even worse.
But there is some good news. The IceCaps have been struggling of late. In their last 7 road games they are only 3-3-0-1.
And the Bears are playing well at home of late too. Hershey is 5-1-0-0 in their last 6 games, dating back to mid-February.
Tonight's game (and next Saturday's game as the IceCaps return then) is likely to be decided on via special teams. The Bears boast the #1 home power play in the league. The IceCaps counter that with the #3 road penalty kill in the league. On the flip side...the IceCaps have the 3rd best road power play in the league. The Bears home penalty kill ranks 5th overall.
Either one side is going to bend...or this game will be won 5 on 5.
Hershey has been somewhat decimated by injuries both in Washington and Hershey. Keith Aucoin and Braden Holtby remain on recall to the Caps. With injuries, and a conflicting travel schedule, the Bears were forced to sign Matt Tendler to an Amateur Tryout Agreement. Basically it is just so they have a backup in case something happens to Dany Sabourin (knock on wood). He just completed his senior season at Neumann College and is probably not ready for game action in the AHL...just guessing.
Other new players to watch on the Bears (who many of you saw last weekend) are T.J. Syner and Daniel Koger. Both are forwards who made their debuts last weekend.
So who are they...let's start with Syner.
T.J. Syner is very much like a Cory Conacher of the Norfolk Admirals. And Jacob Micflikier of the Bears. He wasn't drafted mainly because of his size. He is listed at 5'9" 173lbs. And apparently he can really skate:
From HockeysFuture.com's college preview earlier this year:
Syner is a really fun player to watch. He's not big (5'9, 173lbs), but he is very fast. He can dart in and out of traffic and is difficult to contain because he utilizes his speed so effectively.
He did make an appearance at the Capitals developmental camp this past summer and then proceeded to score 13 goals and add 24 assists in 36 games during his senior season.
So far with the Bears he has played in 3 games and has an assist. Based on Tim Leone's Tuesday update, he was on the second line with Eakin and Bourque.
Daniel Koger is a rookie hockey player from Hungary. He has played for multiple ECHL and AHL teams this season in attempt to stick somewhere. In the ECHL he has 9 goals and 18 assists in 32 games for Cincinnati and South Carolina. In the AHL he has 0 goals and 2 assists in 15 games with the Bears (2 games, 1 assist), St. John's, Providence, and Milwaukee.
I haven't seen him and a quick google search doesn't bring too many talent evaluations of him. But he is listed at 6'2" 195 lbs so at least he is a full grown player instead of another Hershey miniature.
I am looking forward to seeing both new players and a Bears win tonight!
Don't Call It a Comeback (Please)
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I finally caved and bought a yearlong subscription to Ken Pomeroy's genius college basketball website, www.kenpom.com. It's possible I may have mentioned this advanced stats site to some of you before.
So in order to make my $19.99 pay for itself, it's about damn time to get back to AMATEUR SPORTSWRITING! Wahoo! (You can call it a comeback when I manage to stick to a writing schedule for more than one day.)
It also helps that the Big Ten is having the most exciting men's college hoops season I can remember, and that Indiana is back in the mix. Here's the plan. I'm going to try to write an article at least once per off-day (Saturday, Monday, Thursday), focusing mostly on this incredibly awesome basketball season, and of course the Hoosiers, Northwestern Wildcats, the Big Ten, and maybe even the Bulls in particular.
Enough jibber jabber. I'm shakin' the rust off, baby. Indiana gets Wisconsin at the Kohl Center tonight at 9, which means it's Yogi's Time (gunning for a corporate sponsorship by March...). Here's a little preview. Inside the Hall does a better job of these things than me, by the way, and you can check them out at their FREE site. Take that, peegs.
KEYS TO THE GAME
1. Oladipo's defense on Jordan Taylor. Taylor killed us last year - courtesy ITH's Justin Albers, "the Wisconsin guard ruined two upset attempts by scoring a combined 67 points in two meetings last season." If he goes off again, we're in some trouble. However, Victor has had to guard Bo Spencer and Tim Frazier now in the last two games, who happen to be the conference's other undersized do-everything guards.
If he's learned anything from the last two games, and can hold Taylor to under or around twenty, that's huge. 'Dipo doesn't need to force a lot of turnovers, just contest every shot and not foul much.
2. Cody Zeller needs to get Jared Berggren in foul trouble. Jared who? Berggren was a godawful reserve last year (think Capobianco level bad) but has turned into a solid scorer and inside presence as a junior. He's also the Badgers' only player over 6'6 other than freshman Frank Kaminsky. (That, by the way, is a CLASSIC Wisconsin name right there.)
I don't really need to spell this out. Do like Dicky V says and get Cody the damn ball. Wisco plays good team defense, but Cody can score at will over just about anybody smaller than him, and I think he can own Flat Top Ryan Evans and/or Bruesewitz in the paint if Berggren goes out and leaves them shorthanded.
3. Wake up Christian Watford on offense. Wat's been rebounding well, but not scoring like he's capable of doing. I think IU needs to get to around seventy points to win this game, and we need Christian to get at least 12-14 to get there. Now would be a great time to break out of this little mini-slump and get your name headed toward's people's All-Big Ten lists, buddy. I would say that you can't live off the Kentucky shot forever, but.... well, you can totally live off that shot forever. Please don't.
This is a pretty good Wisconsin team but I think with our superior size and scoring punch we match up surprisingly well. The Badgers are allowing the lowest 3pt percentage of any B10 team and the fifth lowest in the country at 26.4% (thanks, Pomeroy!). Is it the Kohl Center rims? Because if it's not, we may just mess that stat up for them pretty badly tonight.
Indiana 72 - Wisco 66
Random Notes:
Michigan vs. Michigan State last week was one of the best games I've seen all year, thanks to ESPN3 for televising (computering?) it and a great job by the ESPN crew catching Denard Robinson in the student section partying his ass off and having a blast like the star quarterback at a major state university ought to be doing. Oh, and supporting his fellow student-athletes, of course.
Draymond Green is my favorite non-Indiana player in the Big Ten. I love his attitude, I love watching him play. His court demeanor reminds me of DJ White as a senior. This is a Very Good Thing. It's been cool watching him grow into a leader at Michigan State. By the way, that braces picture? That's the #1 image result for "Draymond Green" on Google. Hah.
Northwestern, at 12-7 and having gotten shellacked by Minnesota, is probably looking at the NIT now. Hey, as long as they go to the NIT Final Four, I'm happy. This is Not Such a Good Thing.
Kenpom has this cool thing now where you can see a player's profile year by year, and also guys that have had similar stats throughout the years the site has been up. Will Sheehey's #1 parallel? This year's edition of UNC's Harrison Barnes. I know Barnes hasn't been quite as good as hyped, but he's still been The Guy for the #8 team in the country. That's pretty cool.
By the way, UNC vs. NC State starts at 7, and I'm goanna go watch it. Zeller double feature! (I stole that line). Also an important game for Indiana's NC SOS (that's non-conference strength of schedule).
Matt Roth's #1 parallel, by the way? '11 Jon Diebler. That's almost as good as Sheehey's. It's great to see Roth playing well as a senior.
Thanks for reading and I hope to have a lot more for you as the year goes on. Much love. Go Hoosiers!
So in order to make my $19.99 pay for itself, it's about damn time to get back to AMATEUR SPORTSWRITING! Wahoo! (You can call it a comeback when I manage to stick to a writing schedule for more than one day.)
It also helps that the Big Ten is having the most exciting men's college hoops season I can remember, and that Indiana is back in the mix. Here's the plan. I'm going to try to write an article at least once per off-day (Saturday, Monday, Thursday), focusing mostly on this incredibly awesome basketball season, and of course the Hoosiers, Northwestern Wildcats, the Big Ten, and maybe even the Bulls in particular.
Enough jibber jabber. I'm shakin' the rust off, baby. Indiana gets Wisconsin at the Kohl Center tonight at 9, which means it's Yogi's Time (gunning for a corporate sponsorship by March...). Here's a little preview. Inside the Hall does a better job of these things than me, by the way, and you can check them out at their FREE site. Take that, peegs.
KEYS TO THE GAME
1. Oladipo's defense on Jordan Taylor. Taylor killed us last year - courtesy ITH's Justin Albers, "the Wisconsin guard ruined two upset attempts by scoring a combined 67 points in two meetings last season." If he goes off again, we're in some trouble. However, Victor has had to guard Bo Spencer and Tim Frazier now in the last two games, who happen to be the conference's other undersized do-everything guards.
If he's learned anything from the last two games, and can hold Taylor to under or around twenty, that's huge. 'Dipo doesn't need to force a lot of turnovers, just contest every shot and not foul much.
2. Cody Zeller needs to get Jared Berggren in foul trouble. Jared who? Berggren was a godawful reserve last year (think Capobianco level bad) but has turned into a solid scorer and inside presence as a junior. He's also the Badgers' only player over 6'6 other than freshman Frank Kaminsky. (That, by the way, is a CLASSIC Wisconsin name right there.)
I don't really need to spell this out. Do like Dicky V says and get Cody the damn ball. Wisco plays good team defense, but Cody can score at will over just about anybody smaller than him, and I think he can own Flat Top Ryan Evans and/or Bruesewitz in the paint if Berggren goes out and leaves them shorthanded.
3. Wake up Christian Watford on offense. Wat's been rebounding well, but not scoring like he's capable of doing. I think IU needs to get to around seventy points to win this game, and we need Christian to get at least 12-14 to get there. Now would be a great time to break out of this little mini-slump and get your name headed toward's people's All-Big Ten lists, buddy. I would say that you can't live off the Kentucky shot forever, but.... well, you can totally live off that shot forever. Please don't.
This is a pretty good Wisconsin team but I think with our superior size and scoring punch we match up surprisingly well. The Badgers are allowing the lowest 3pt percentage of any B10 team and the fifth lowest in the country at 26.4% (thanks, Pomeroy!). Is it the Kohl Center rims? Because if it's not, we may just mess that stat up for them pretty badly tonight.
Indiana 72 - Wisco 66
Random Notes:
Michigan vs. Michigan State last week was one of the best games I've seen all year, thanks to ESPN3 for televising (computering?) it and a great job by the ESPN crew catching Denard Robinson in the student section partying his ass off and having a blast like the star quarterback at a major state university ought to be doing. Oh, and supporting his fellow student-athletes, of course.
Draymond Green is my favorite non-Indiana player in the Big Ten. I love his attitude, I love watching him play. His court demeanor reminds me of DJ White as a senior. This is a Very Good Thing. It's been cool watching him grow into a leader at Michigan State. By the way, that braces picture? That's the #1 image result for "Draymond Green" on Google. Hah.
Northwestern, at 12-7 and having gotten shellacked by Minnesota, is probably looking at the NIT now. Hey, as long as they go to the NIT Final Four, I'm happy. This is Not Such a Good Thing.
Kenpom has this cool thing now where you can see a player's profile year by year, and also guys that have had similar stats throughout the years the site has been up. Will Sheehey's #1 parallel? This year's edition of UNC's Harrison Barnes. I know Barnes hasn't been quite as good as hyped, but he's still been The Guy for the #8 team in the country. That's pretty cool.
By the way, UNC vs. NC State starts at 7, and I'm goanna go watch it. Zeller double feature! (I stole that line). Also an important game for Indiana's NC SOS (that's non-conference strength of schedule).
Matt Roth's #1 parallel, by the way? '11 Jon Diebler. That's almost as good as Sheehey's. It's great to see Roth playing well as a senior.
Thanks for reading and I hope to have a lot more for you as the year goes on. Much love. Go Hoosiers!
St. John's IceCaps visit Hershey Bears tonight
To contact us Click HERE
The St. John's IceCaps are currently the #2 seed in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. They have all but locked up the Atlantic Division, leading by 14 points over second place Manchester. More than likely, barring a Norfolk collapse, they will remain as the #2 seed until the playoffs.
The Hershey Bears are the #5 seed and are, truth be told, in solid position there. They are 6 points up on 6th place Bridgeport and 5 points behind 5th place Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Obviously the goal is to be as high as possible in the standings come playoff time, but, like St. John's, barring a Norfolk collapse, the Bears are looking at 4th or 5th.
Unlike their NHL affiliate, the Washington Capitals, the Bears final 12 games will probably not feature any 'must win' games. But when you have Calder Cup aspirations and the #2 team in the conference is visiting for the first time all season...you want to win.
The IceCaps have been a solid team on the road all season. In fact, based on points percentage, they are the BEST team in the AHL on the road. They are 20-5-2-2 on the road on the season. Considering that makes them only 18-13-3-0 on home ice, the Bears two losses there a couple weeks ago look even worse.
But there is some good news. The IceCaps have been struggling of late. In their last 7 road games they are only 3-3-0-1.
And the Bears are playing well at home of late too. Hershey is 5-1-0-0 in their last 6 games, dating back to mid-February.
Tonight's game (and next Saturday's game as the IceCaps return then) is likely to be decided on via special teams. The Bears boast the #1 home power play in the league. The IceCaps counter that with the #3 road penalty kill in the league. On the flip side...the IceCaps have the 3rd best road power play in the league. The Bears home penalty kill ranks 5th overall.
Either one side is going to bend...or this game will be won 5 on 5.
Hershey has been somewhat decimated by injuries both in Washington and Hershey. Keith Aucoin and Braden Holtby remain on recall to the Caps. With injuries, and a conflicting travel schedule, the Bears were forced to sign Matt Tendler to an Amateur Tryout Agreement. Basically it is just so they have a backup in case something happens to Dany Sabourin (knock on wood). He just completed his senior season at Neumann College and is probably not ready for game action in the AHL...just guessing.
Other new players to watch on the Bears (who many of you saw last weekend) are T.J. Syner and Daniel Koger. Both are forwards who made their debuts last weekend.
So who are they...let's start with Syner.
T.J. Syner is very much like a Cory Conacher of the Norfolk Admirals. And Jacob Micflikier of the Bears. He wasn't drafted mainly because of his size. He is listed at 5'9" 173lbs. And apparently he can really skate:
From HockeysFuture.com's college preview earlier this year:
He did make an appearance at the Capitals developmental camp this past summer and then proceeded to score 13 goals and add 24 assists in 36 games during his senior season.
So far with the Bears he has played in 3 games and has an assist. Based on Tim Leone's Tuesday update, he was on the second line with Eakin and Bourque.
Daniel Koger is a rookie hockey player from Hungary. He has played for multiple ECHL and AHL teams this season in attempt to stick somewhere. In the ECHL he has 9 goals and 18 assists in 32 games for Cincinnati and South Carolina. In the AHL he has 0 goals and 2 assists in 15 games with the Bears (2 games, 1 assist), St. John's, Providence, and Milwaukee.
I haven't seen him and a quick google search doesn't bring too many talent evaluations of him. But he is listed at 6'2" 195 lbs so at least he is a full grown player instead of another Hershey miniature.
I am looking forward to seeing both new players and a Bears win tonight!
The Hershey Bears are the #5 seed and are, truth be told, in solid position there. They are 6 points up on 6th place Bridgeport and 5 points behind 5th place Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Obviously the goal is to be as high as possible in the standings come playoff time, but, like St. John's, barring a Norfolk collapse, the Bears are looking at 4th or 5th.
Unlike their NHL affiliate, the Washington Capitals, the Bears final 12 games will probably not feature any 'must win' games. But when you have Calder Cup aspirations and the #2 team in the conference is visiting for the first time all season...you want to win.
The IceCaps have been a solid team on the road all season. In fact, based on points percentage, they are the BEST team in the AHL on the road. They are 20-5-2-2 on the road on the season. Considering that makes them only 18-13-3-0 on home ice, the Bears two losses there a couple weeks ago look even worse.
But there is some good news. The IceCaps have been struggling of late. In their last 7 road games they are only 3-3-0-1.
And the Bears are playing well at home of late too. Hershey is 5-1-0-0 in their last 6 games, dating back to mid-February.
Tonight's game (and next Saturday's game as the IceCaps return then) is likely to be decided on via special teams. The Bears boast the #1 home power play in the league. The IceCaps counter that with the #3 road penalty kill in the league. On the flip side...the IceCaps have the 3rd best road power play in the league. The Bears home penalty kill ranks 5th overall.
Either one side is going to bend...or this game will be won 5 on 5.
Hershey has been somewhat decimated by injuries both in Washington and Hershey. Keith Aucoin and Braden Holtby remain on recall to the Caps. With injuries, and a conflicting travel schedule, the Bears were forced to sign Matt Tendler to an Amateur Tryout Agreement. Basically it is just so they have a backup in case something happens to Dany Sabourin (knock on wood). He just completed his senior season at Neumann College and is probably not ready for game action in the AHL...just guessing.
Other new players to watch on the Bears (who many of you saw last weekend) are T.J. Syner and Daniel Koger. Both are forwards who made their debuts last weekend.
So who are they...let's start with Syner.
T.J. Syner is very much like a Cory Conacher of the Norfolk Admirals. And Jacob Micflikier of the Bears. He wasn't drafted mainly because of his size. He is listed at 5'9" 173lbs. And apparently he can really skate:
From HockeysFuture.com's college preview earlier this year:
Syner is a really fun player to watch. He's not big (5'9, 173lbs), but he is very fast. He can dart in and out of traffic and is difficult to contain because he utilizes his speed so effectively.
He did make an appearance at the Capitals developmental camp this past summer and then proceeded to score 13 goals and add 24 assists in 36 games during his senior season.
So far with the Bears he has played in 3 games and has an assist. Based on Tim Leone's Tuesday update, he was on the second line with Eakin and Bourque.
Daniel Koger is a rookie hockey player from Hungary. He has played for multiple ECHL and AHL teams this season in attempt to stick somewhere. In the ECHL he has 9 goals and 18 assists in 32 games for Cincinnati and South Carolina. In the AHL he has 0 goals and 2 assists in 15 games with the Bears (2 games, 1 assist), St. John's, Providence, and Milwaukee.
I haven't seen him and a quick google search doesn't bring too many talent evaluations of him. But he is listed at 6'2" 195 lbs so at least he is a full grown player instead of another Hershey miniature.
I am looking forward to seeing both new players and a Bears win tonight!
News around Hershey
To contact us Click HERE
So a guy goes on vacation for a week and a few things of note take place. Obviously a good deal has happened this offseason so far and I haven't exactly been updating with any type of frequency. Let's take a second and look at some of the stories I haven't mentioned to date.
Cody Eakin traded
The Capitals traded the young center and a 2nd round pick to the Dallas Stars for Mike Ribeiro. Eakin was likely destined for the Bears roster for at least part of the upcoming season so this can be considered to have a direct impact on the Bears 2012-13 roster.
For the Caps I love this trade. They have been missing a true 2nd line center since Sergei Federov left and Ribeiro should fill that role admirably.
For the Bears I don't hate this trade. Yes Eakin was a good young talent and always played hard, but he would have been a top recall option for the Caps this season and likely wouldn't have been much of a factor come playoff time assuming the Caps make the playoffs and bring up some extra bodies. So yes I think Eakin would have been a member of the Bears for much of the season and would have been a top contributor, but at the same time I think this allows the Bears to go out and sign a free agent that has a better chance to last in the AHL this season.
Rule Changes
The AHL is getting video replay for questionable goals. This is obviously a good thing for the game as there were some questionable goals scored against (and surely for) the Bears this past season. In theory, the replay will remove the doubt from some of the goals.
My only concern is how the equipment works on an arena by arena basis. Unlike the NHL system this will be done by each team and will be all in house. Therefore, you could come across a situation where the equipment at one arena is inferior to the equipment at another. Time will tell, but overall I don't see where this is ever a bad thing.
One other rule change that you will notice immediately is being done at the request of the NHL. A variation of a no-touch icing rule will be in effect until November 19, 2012. Basically if the puck is already across the goal line and the defensive player is the first to reach the faceoff dot, the play is whistled at that point.
The theory behind the no-touch icing is to eliminate the collisions that take place when players are racing for the puck beyond the goal line. I don't see how this changes anything. Within the current rules injuries are probably rare when the defenseman reaches the faceoff dots first anyways as the forward likely isn't coming that hard anymore. The times when injuries surface are when two guys are still neck and neck at that point, which will not be affected by this rule.
Both rules are for the betterment of the game and I don't think either is, in any situation, bad for the game. But I also don't think they are earth shattering changes.
Jacob Micflikier to Europe
I honestly believed that the Bears/Caps were going to give Micflikier another contract and the diminutive winger would be back in Hershey for at least another year. Alas, that isn't going to be the case as he has signed to play in Switzerland for the upcoming year. Based on the linked article from Tim Leone, it sounds as though he was close to resigning with the organization but is hoping a shift to a different league might give teams a different view of him.
At the age of 28, Micflikier is running out of time to impress NHL staffs and get a legitimate shot in the league. I am not convinced that going to Switzerland is really the best thing for any player. The game in Europe is much different than the North American game and you rarely hear of players having success with "re-launching" their careers in Europe. If they do it is surely when they play in either the KHL or Swedish Elite League.
Chris Bourque played in Switzerland for the 2010-11 season before returning to the AHL last season and having an MVP caliber season. If Bourque gets an NHL opportunity this upcoming season he will have this past season to thank...not his year in Europe.
The AHL is arguably the second best league in the world. Maybe the financial parts of his deal were more influential than we realize (I have no idea what the terms are), but if he is truly using this as a launching pad then I question the logic.
But hey, what do I know. Good luck Jacob!
Mike Carman is signed for 2012-13
Carman was a restricted free agent and the Capitals had tendered him an offer so the chances of him leaving were slim to none already. But yesterday it was made official as he signed a one year contract with the organization. Based on numbers from Capgeek.com he will make $65,000 in the AHL this season, a $5,000 a year raise from last year.
Carman played in 32 games for the Bears in 2011-12 after coming over in a trade from the Colorado/Lake Erie organization. He scored 7 goals and added 5 assists while bouncing around from the 2nd-4th line. He is a center in the mold of Andrew Joudrey, a solid defensive player with a limited offensive game. He is a role player with some upside.
Glad to see him back for 2012-13.
Capitals Developmental Camp
The Capitals announced that their annual summer development camp will take place from July 9-14 in Washington. A roster for the camp has not yet been announced, but it is generally recent draft choices as well as rookie free agents. There are typically signings that result from the camp and possibly even a player that could contribute in Hershey this upcoming year. Time will tell. I have yet to go to one of these....someday I will make it down.
Free Agency begins tomorrow, July 1
NHL/AHL free agency period is open for business tomorrow. With an expiring CBA currently being negotiated you might see a little more cautious activity than usual as teams can't be certain of an exact salary cap number for 2012-13 but plenty of activity will surely take place.
On this site we are mainly concerned with how signings impact the Hershey Bears. And thanks to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins beat writer Jonathan Bombulie we have a comprehensive list of AHL talent that is available. On June 24 he posted his top 250 list that identifies, in his opinion, the top 250 AHL caliber players available.
As of this morning the list is somewhat jumbled as players have been eliminated and/or added due to qualifying offers being made. He will be updating the list tomorrow and, if I remember, I will update this post to include that link.
He has Keith Aucoin ranked as the #2 player available. I am honestly somewhat concerned that Keith hasn't resigned with the organization already. Hopefully it is just a formality, but something tells me he is curious to hear what teams are offering. If he manages to get a one way offer from an organization I have to imagine he will take it...I would. Hopefully he comes back, but if he doesn't I hope he finds permanent success in the NHL.
I am excited to see who the Caps/Bears sign as there are lots of spots open on the Hershey roster and a limited number of prospects available to fill them. The #1 player on the list is LW Jonathan Audy-Marchessault who played for the Connecticut Whale last season, scoring 24 goals and adding 40 assists in his first pro season. He is a small forward, only 5'9", which explains why he wasn't drafted by an NHL team. But as the Norfolk Admirals are well aware (and the Bears for that matter), smaller players can pack an offensive punch at this level. Might the Bears be in on the Audy-Marchessault sweepstakes....who knows.
That's all for now. For the next month there should be some regular updates as we discuss players that have signed with the Caps/Bears. The roster will begin taking shape tomorrow.
Cody Eakin traded
The Capitals traded the young center and a 2nd round pick to the Dallas Stars for Mike Ribeiro. Eakin was likely destined for the Bears roster for at least part of the upcoming season so this can be considered to have a direct impact on the Bears 2012-13 roster.
For the Caps I love this trade. They have been missing a true 2nd line center since Sergei Federov left and Ribeiro should fill that role admirably.
For the Bears I don't hate this trade. Yes Eakin was a good young talent and always played hard, but he would have been a top recall option for the Caps this season and likely wouldn't have been much of a factor come playoff time assuming the Caps make the playoffs and bring up some extra bodies. So yes I think Eakin would have been a member of the Bears for much of the season and would have been a top contributor, but at the same time I think this allows the Bears to go out and sign a free agent that has a better chance to last in the AHL this season.
Rule Changes
The AHL is getting video replay for questionable goals. This is obviously a good thing for the game as there were some questionable goals scored against (and surely for) the Bears this past season. In theory, the replay will remove the doubt from some of the goals.
My only concern is how the equipment works on an arena by arena basis. Unlike the NHL system this will be done by each team and will be all in house. Therefore, you could come across a situation where the equipment at one arena is inferior to the equipment at another. Time will tell, but overall I don't see where this is ever a bad thing.
One other rule change that you will notice immediately is being done at the request of the NHL. A variation of a no-touch icing rule will be in effect until November 19, 2012. Basically if the puck is already across the goal line and the defensive player is the first to reach the faceoff dot, the play is whistled at that point.
The theory behind the no-touch icing is to eliminate the collisions that take place when players are racing for the puck beyond the goal line. I don't see how this changes anything. Within the current rules injuries are probably rare when the defenseman reaches the faceoff dots first anyways as the forward likely isn't coming that hard anymore. The times when injuries surface are when two guys are still neck and neck at that point, which will not be affected by this rule.
Both rules are for the betterment of the game and I don't think either is, in any situation, bad for the game. But I also don't think they are earth shattering changes.
Jacob Micflikier to Europe
I honestly believed that the Bears/Caps were going to give Micflikier another contract and the diminutive winger would be back in Hershey for at least another year. Alas, that isn't going to be the case as he has signed to play in Switzerland for the upcoming year. Based on the linked article from Tim Leone, it sounds as though he was close to resigning with the organization but is hoping a shift to a different league might give teams a different view of him.
At the age of 28, Micflikier is running out of time to impress NHL staffs and get a legitimate shot in the league. I am not convinced that going to Switzerland is really the best thing for any player. The game in Europe is much different than the North American game and you rarely hear of players having success with "re-launching" their careers in Europe. If they do it is surely when they play in either the KHL or Swedish Elite League.
Chris Bourque played in Switzerland for the 2010-11 season before returning to the AHL last season and having an MVP caliber season. If Bourque gets an NHL opportunity this upcoming season he will have this past season to thank...not his year in Europe.
The AHL is arguably the second best league in the world. Maybe the financial parts of his deal were more influential than we realize (I have no idea what the terms are), but if he is truly using this as a launching pad then I question the logic.
But hey, what do I know. Good luck Jacob!
Mike Carman is signed for 2012-13
Carman was a restricted free agent and the Capitals had tendered him an offer so the chances of him leaving were slim to none already. But yesterday it was made official as he signed a one year contract with the organization. Based on numbers from Capgeek.com he will make $65,000 in the AHL this season, a $5,000 a year raise from last year.
Carman played in 32 games for the Bears in 2011-12 after coming over in a trade from the Colorado/Lake Erie organization. He scored 7 goals and added 5 assists while bouncing around from the 2nd-4th line. He is a center in the mold of Andrew Joudrey, a solid defensive player with a limited offensive game. He is a role player with some upside.
Glad to see him back for 2012-13.
Capitals Developmental Camp
The Capitals announced that their annual summer development camp will take place from July 9-14 in Washington. A roster for the camp has not yet been announced, but it is generally recent draft choices as well as rookie free agents. There are typically signings that result from the camp and possibly even a player that could contribute in Hershey this upcoming year. Time will tell. I have yet to go to one of these....someday I will make it down.
Free Agency begins tomorrow, July 1
NHL/AHL free agency period is open for business tomorrow. With an expiring CBA currently being negotiated you might see a little more cautious activity than usual as teams can't be certain of an exact salary cap number for 2012-13 but plenty of activity will surely take place.
On this site we are mainly concerned with how signings impact the Hershey Bears. And thanks to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins beat writer Jonathan Bombulie we have a comprehensive list of AHL talent that is available. On June 24 he posted his top 250 list that identifies, in his opinion, the top 250 AHL caliber players available.
As of this morning the list is somewhat jumbled as players have been eliminated and/or added due to qualifying offers being made. He will be updating the list tomorrow and, if I remember, I will update this post to include that link.
He has Keith Aucoin ranked as the #2 player available. I am honestly somewhat concerned that Keith hasn't resigned with the organization already. Hopefully it is just a formality, but something tells me he is curious to hear what teams are offering. If he manages to get a one way offer from an organization I have to imagine he will take it...I would. Hopefully he comes back, but if he doesn't I hope he finds permanent success in the NHL.
I am excited to see who the Caps/Bears sign as there are lots of spots open on the Hershey roster and a limited number of prospects available to fill them. The #1 player on the list is LW Jonathan Audy-Marchessault who played for the Connecticut Whale last season, scoring 24 goals and adding 40 assists in his first pro season. He is a small forward, only 5'9", which explains why he wasn't drafted by an NHL team. But as the Norfolk Admirals are well aware (and the Bears for that matter), smaller players can pack an offensive punch at this level. Might the Bears be in on the Audy-Marchessault sweepstakes....who knows.
That's all for now. For the next month there should be some regular updates as we discuss players that have signed with the Caps/Bears. The roster will begin taking shape tomorrow.
Bears Go Shopping
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After sitting by on day 1 of free agency the Bears have made a pretty big splash this holiday week. On Monday the Bears signed 4 players to AHL only contracts and then added another yesterday. Prior to that the Capitals made a signing that could (likely will) influence Hershey. Without further delay...
Jeff Taffe
This is probably the most recognizable name to Bears fans. Taffe played for the Baby Pens in 2007-08 and 2008-09. In fact, his best career season, in regards to total points, was 08-09 when he recorded 25 goals and 50 assists in 74 games. His career for goals in a season is 30, recorded two years ago while playing in Rockford. His linemate in Rockford that season...Ryan Potulny. Just sayin'.
Last year, while playing in Houston, he recorded 18 goals and 35 assists over 73 games while also picking up 2 assists for the Minnesota Wild in 5 NHL games.
Taffe has played in more than 320 professional games and is will count against the Bears veteran limit. He is actually signed to an AHL one way contract right now as that came with more money than a two-way deal would have at the AHL level. He has played in at least 1 NHL game in every season since he finished his college career and expectations are that the Caps will not hesitate to sign him to an NHL deal should they need him.
Jon DiSalvatore
This name is, to me anyways, much less recognized. He has spent the past three years in Houston, playing alongside Taffe last year, and has been their captain all three years. He has played 9 AHL seasons and has scored 20 or more goals in all of them. He has scored 28 in each of the last two seasons.
He is durable as well. He has missed only 1 game the past three regular seasons and has played in 72 or more games in all but one of his 9 AHL seasons. And that one season he still played in 66 games.
Like Taffe, he will count against Hershey's veteran limit.
Alex Berry
Last season Berry was a member of the Portland Pirates but suffered a compound arm fracture in training camp and missed the whole season. Prior to that the 26 year old right wing spent the 2010-11 season with the Norfolk Admirals where he recorded 14 goals and 20 assists.
Steve Oleksy
Oleksy has played in only 67 career AHL games so he is more of a depth signing than anything, especially considering the players already under contract on the blue line, but as we have seen in recent years...you can never have too much depth. Last season he played 50 games for Bridgeport. He scored 1 goal and added 14 assists while also finishing a +16 (third on the team).
Mathieu Beaudoin
Mr. Beaudoin broke into the AHL back in 2007-08 and played 7 games for the Bears that season before moving on to additional playing time and opportunity. In 2010-11 he scored 21 goals and added 30 assists in just 63 games as a member of the San Antonio Rampage and played in the AHL All-Star game in Hershey.
Last season he battled a thumb injury for much of the season and only played in 47 games for Portland, recording 5 goals and 17 assists. He was also a member of the Texas Stars in the 2010 Calder Cup finals against the Bears.
One of the best qualities that he brings to the team this year is that he is not a veteran. So he is an offensive skill player that will not count against the teams veteran limit which should open the door to plenty of playing time. Unlike DiSalvatore though, he appears to be a bit more fragile. He hasn't played in more than 72 games in any of his professional seasons.
Garrett Stafford
This is the only player of this group that is a Washington Capitals signing.
Stafford played his 2011-12 season split between Hamilton and Portland. He only played in 48 games between the two teams but recorded 9 goals and 19 assists in those games.
Like Beaudoin, he was a member of the Texas Stars 2010 Calder Cup finals team against Hershey. In fact, Doug Yingst had this to say about Stafford:
Kevin Marshall
Marshall has agreed to terms for the 2012-13 season. As a restricted free agent this doesn't surprise me too much, but it always good to officially get guys under contract with time to spare.
Jeff Taffe
This is probably the most recognizable name to Bears fans. Taffe played for the Baby Pens in 2007-08 and 2008-09. In fact, his best career season, in regards to total points, was 08-09 when he recorded 25 goals and 50 assists in 74 games. His career for goals in a season is 30, recorded two years ago while playing in Rockford. His linemate in Rockford that season...Ryan Potulny. Just sayin'.
Last year, while playing in Houston, he recorded 18 goals and 35 assists over 73 games while also picking up 2 assists for the Minnesota Wild in 5 NHL games.
Taffe has played in more than 320 professional games and is will count against the Bears veteran limit. He is actually signed to an AHL one way contract right now as that came with more money than a two-way deal would have at the AHL level. He has played in at least 1 NHL game in every season since he finished his college career and expectations are that the Caps will not hesitate to sign him to an NHL deal should they need him.
Jon DiSalvatore
This name is, to me anyways, much less recognized. He has spent the past three years in Houston, playing alongside Taffe last year, and has been their captain all three years. He has played 9 AHL seasons and has scored 20 or more goals in all of them. He has scored 28 in each of the last two seasons.
He is durable as well. He has missed only 1 game the past three regular seasons and has played in 72 or more games in all but one of his 9 AHL seasons. And that one season he still played in 66 games.
Like Taffe, he will count against Hershey's veteran limit.
Alex Berry
Last season Berry was a member of the Portland Pirates but suffered a compound arm fracture in training camp and missed the whole season. Prior to that the 26 year old right wing spent the 2010-11 season with the Norfolk Admirals where he recorded 14 goals and 20 assists.
Steve Oleksy
Oleksy has played in only 67 career AHL games so he is more of a depth signing than anything, especially considering the players already under contract on the blue line, but as we have seen in recent years...you can never have too much depth. Last season he played 50 games for Bridgeport. He scored 1 goal and added 14 assists while also finishing a +16 (third on the team).
Mathieu Beaudoin
Mr. Beaudoin broke into the AHL back in 2007-08 and played 7 games for the Bears that season before moving on to additional playing time and opportunity. In 2010-11 he scored 21 goals and added 30 assists in just 63 games as a member of the San Antonio Rampage and played in the AHL All-Star game in Hershey.
Last season he battled a thumb injury for much of the season and only played in 47 games for Portland, recording 5 goals and 17 assists. He was also a member of the Texas Stars in the 2010 Calder Cup finals against the Bears.
One of the best qualities that he brings to the team this year is that he is not a veteran. So he is an offensive skill player that will not count against the teams veteran limit which should open the door to plenty of playing time. Unlike DiSalvatore though, he appears to be a bit more fragile. He hasn't played in more than 72 games in any of his professional seasons.
Garrett Stafford
This is the only player of this group that is a Washington Capitals signing.
Stafford played his 2011-12 season split between Hamilton and Portland. He only played in 48 games between the two teams but recorded 9 goals and 19 assists in those games.
Like Beaudoin, he was a member of the Texas Stars 2010 Calder Cup finals team against Hershey. In fact, Doug Yingst had this to say about Stafford:
“We collectively [with Washington] designated Garrett as the No. 1 right-handed defenseman available on a two-way contract for the American Hockey League,” Yingst said. “We thought when Texas played against us -- they had him and Andrew Hutchinson as their No. 1 and 2 -- we thought Stafford was better. Our need, obviously, on our depth chart is for right-handed D.”Stafford will also count against the veteran limit.
Kevin Marshall
Marshall has agreed to terms for the 2012-13 season. As a restricted free agent this doesn't surprise me too much, but it always good to officially get guys under contract with time to spare.
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