U-G-L-Y You Ain't Got No Alibi, You UGLY

I'm guessing, and it is just a guess since I'm not in on coaching meetings, that the plan for Comrie and Rimmer is to have them rotate game-to-game, which is what we've seen.  I am also guessing the plan was to throw in Comrie and have him sink or swim early to get him used to the pressure and increase his stamina and so on so that he could really take the reins later in the season.  I don't know if that's a good plan or if it's even a plan at all, but to throw him into Spokane's home opener...not sure I agree with that move.  I get wanting to get him accustomed to pressure and whatnot, but I don't want to see his confidence shattered.

All that being said, I do not for one minute pin the loss entirely on Comrie.  At all.  They gave up 4 power play goals to the Chiefs.  That is pitiful.  For a team that has always had a PK to be proud of, it's stinking to high heaven.

Saturday, the Spokane Chiefs were 4-for-12 on the power play against Tri-City. First, 12 power plays is about 12 too many to give a team like Spokane. Second, the PK appeared to have no life at times. Guys trying to get the puck out of the zone sent it to a Spokane player at the blue line and the Chiefs were back in business

Over the last 10 years, the Americans ranked in the top 10 in the WHL five times, finishing first in 2007-08 with a sterling 88.4 percent kill rate. In 2005-06, they were 13th, but their average was a respectable 83 percent.

With players like Mason Wilgosh, Justin Feser, Brendan Shinnimin and some long-armed defensemen, 68 percent is unacceptable. These guys have proven they are some of the top PK guys in the business — and again it's still early — but we haven't seen that killer instinct come out yet.

The one way to improve in this category is to stay out of the penalty box. Last year, the Americans were one of the least penalized teams in the WHL. In four games, they averaging 20.5 PIMs a game.
Something's just not right here.  (Red-Light District)

It's early, we're only 4 games in so (theoretically) these kinks will be worked out.  Hopefully sooner rather than later.  It also goes without saying but I'm saying it anyways, they aren't going to win all 72 games.

I had a lot of trouble with the streaming feed again last night and I know I'm not the only one.  I heard only 2 of Spokane's 7 goals.  It cut out all the time and everytime the feed came back it played an ad first.  Then promptly cut out again.  Very frustrating.  Words I never thought I'd say:  I like the old Sports Frequency feed better.  And that's saying something.