Game Day vs. Regina

Whew! I survived 3 days with family.  More importantly, they all survived too--even had a good time at the game last night.  I think it was the bacon-wrapped turkey that helped us all get along so well.  Bacon has magical powers like that.

Bullet points from the last two games:

• The game against Portland was greasy, sloppy, whatever you want to call it.  But I'll take it, especially when Mac Carruth looks like a whiny babyhead.
• I don't know that the Ams necessarily got out-worked in that game, but they did get out-goalied for a lot of it.
• Really nice to see Nate MacMaster back on the ice, effective and feisty as ever.
• The play of Marcus Messier, Brian Williams, and Connor Rankin.  Hell yeah.
• Don't overlook the outstandingness of Dow and Ryckman.  Traditionally the 5th & 6th D-men get less playing time, but not this team.  All 6 (or 7 with Hamonic in last night) can all log a shitton of ice time, and kick ass while doing so.
• Malte, my poor Malte.  Some nights you can tell he's really on it and his confidence is high.  Other nights, like last night, he looked defeated.  I just gotta remember he's 17, getting used to North American hockey.  Maybe he needs to remember that too, I don't know.  But I believe in Malte.
• Mason Wilgosh's breakaway goal.  HOT.
• Decent game by Comrie last night, team in front helped by limited Swifty to 25 shots.

And what has being going on the last couple days that I've missed:

Coming Down the Pipe takes a look at the potential problem Team Canada might have in goal at the World Juniors this year.  They toss in the idea of our Ty Rimmer being a goalie way off the radar but maybe should be considered:

What that means is unclear but one has to wonder if there is a wild card out there that could be a huge surprise December invite. It wouldn't be the first time that a spot went to a previously unheralded guy - think of Calgary Hitmen keeper Martin Jones a couple of years ago for example.

Maybe what Hockey Canada has to do is turn over more stones, beat the bushes even harder and look waaaaay off the radar. Maybe so far as to even consider and American.

Statistically speaking, the top netminder in the CHL right now is Tri-City Americans goalie Ty Rimmer. The 19-year-old from Edmonton leads the entire country in both goals against average (1.77) and save percentage (.941). No question, Rimmer's name and Hockey Canada have probably never appeared in the same sentence but there is no denying that he's had a strong 2011-12 campaign.

With four camp slots reserved for pipemen, maybe the answer to Hockey Canada's goalie question will be found by looking outside the box. (Coming Down the Pipe)

I find it interesting Calvin Pickard isn't mentioned in their analysis at all.

I've been a Drydn Dow believer from the very start.  But it's been a long road for Drydn to make his true value known.  He never got a lot of playing time, but when injuries stacked up last season he logged a ton of time at forward, where his small but quick style worked quite well for him.  He's not afraid to get gritty and do some work.  I am so glad to finally see his patience and hard work paying off.  Additionally, playing alongside Ryckman has helped both their games.

"I feel like this is the first year I'm playing to my ability and earned a role on the roster every night," said Dow, who has one goal and two assists in 23 games entering tonight's home game against Swift Current.

"The first year, there were times I felt out of place. I wanted to be here and play for this team. I can't ask for any more than I've been given. It was worth the struggles of the first year."

"When he came in, we had an automatic chemistry," Dow said. "He's an awesome defenseman. There was a time my rookie year I played five or six games with (Jarrett) Toll. It was fun to play with a guy of that caliber. I've been all around the horn. It's nice to finally find a guy to be paired with on a regular basis."

Dow and Ryckman had a little history between them before they ended up with the Americans.
"We lived together back in the day when we were trying out for the Drumheller Dragons (Alberta Junior Hockey League)," Dow said. "He made the (Lethbridge) Hurricanes that year, and I was sent back to midgets."

"Last year was interesting," Dow said. "I came in expecting to play more, but we had a solid team. I wasn't playing to my ability. Then, we had a bunch of injuries, and Jim (Hiller) gave me a chance to play up front. That gave me confidence."

"He has persevered not one year, but parts of two," Hiller said. "He wasn't an everyday player, but one we relied on. It took him a couple of years, but now he's very dependable. He's in his comfort zone and has confidence to excel.

"He and Ryckman complement each other," Hiller continued. "They are the same age. Derek is big, strong and physical, and Dowsie gets up the ice better."  (Herald)

Tonight the Regina Pats are in town, including former Americans Tanner Olstad and Nils Moser.  They are coming off a 5-2 win in Everett last night.  If nothing else, the Tips at least wore them down a bit.  Then again, the Ams are on game 3 in 4 nights.