Game Day vs Spokane

How about that game, eh?  What a great win.  THAT'S the real Tri-City Americans--making hard work pay off.

"It’s hard to single anyone out in a game like that,” said Tri-City coach Jim Hiller in a telephone interview. “Our defense had its best game of the year, and Zach Yuen had his best game of the year.” (Herald)

Trombley was outstanding. He's a big goalie and I thought he played really well. He faced 23 shots in the first. Now we all know Portland inflates its shot count, but whatever--makes Troy's stats look even better.

*Bad Fan Alert*
I've never been a huge LLK believer, he's had some good games for sure, but overall...meh. So maybe run him and Trombley in a more evenly-split tandem. But what do I know? I remember after LLK had a lights-out performance against Portland people were calling for him to be the starter (instead of Comrie--get your head checked people). I'm sure we'll see the same calls for Trombley to take the #1 spot now that he had a great showing against Portland (and in relief vs. Calgary) but let's not get ahead of ourselves. Coaches are the ones who see these two in practice every day and notice things during games that I don't, let them sort it out.

Speaking of Bad Fan Alert, I want to revisit comments made in yesterdays' paper:

“We have to play a full 60 minutes,” Mychan said. “When you win, they love you. When you lose they should still love you. They should know we feel the same (when we lose), plus more. Some nights there’s only so much you can do.”

I had a lot of feels when I read this originally but didn't know how to organize them. I still have feelings and still no way of organizing, so I'll just spit them out.

• First of all, no. Don't tell people how they should feel about the team.
• Some of us, I'd venture to say a great many of us, DO love you even if you lose. There's a HUGE difference between frustration and hate. If the fans really hated you, they'd stop showing up, they'd stop buying the tickets that keep this team running. I'm not pulling a "I buy a ticket so you work for me", and I know there's a small percentage of people who DO feel that way, there's just a difference between frustration and hate.
• Fans can tell the difference between hard work and players not giving it their all. Especially players we know can play better but just aren't for whatever reason. Comments like this assumes fans don't love the team for whatever reason, but we are not stupid (not all of us), we know when players--including veterans--aren't giving their best effort.
• That being said, there are probably more bumps and bruises going on that we average fans know about, there's possibly a good reason some players aren't playing their best. But if we don't know, then the assumption is said player putting heart into it. Is that a fair assumption? God, no. But that's the way it is.
• Coach in recent articles and post-game chats has hinted there's a lack of drive, lack of heart on the part of some of the players. So it's obvious it's not just fans seeing it, coach is too. Maybe you ought to listen to your coach. He can run you through drills day and night and work on plays and whatnot, but he can't MAKE you put your heart into it, that's up to you.
• Speaking of coach, I get the tough position they're in with so many bodies injured. I do, I get it (maybe some don't, I don't know). I get that he has to walk a fine line between coaching and running tough practices to improve play and letting guys rest so they are fresh for games. I get it. Getting it and being frustrated by it are two different things. As a fan I want to know that my team is working hard in practices to get better, to be the best they can be, it's frustrating to know that can't happen because of fatigue and injuries.
• I've said it before and I'll say it again, Bob's built a very successful program, people have come to expect excellence and when they don't get it, it's frustrating. Again, knowing that there's cycles in junior hockey and being frustrated by it are two different things.
• Are there some asshats who say really awful things when the boys lose? Yes. DO NOT LUMP ALL FANS IN WITH A FEW SORE LOSERS. Most of us love this team, love this sport, win or lose.
• Didn't Mychan have a tryout with the Canucks? If he thinks people don't like him/the team in Kennewick, wait until he (possibly) makes the NHL--the vitriol spewed is way harsher. The microscope is greater. There's definitely a greater "I bought a ticket you work for me" attitude. So good luck with that.
• Around here I do like to keep things from being to negative, I don't see the point--it's just a game. But I'm not every fan. But I think overall most fans are level-headed, there's a few boneheads who make the rest look bad.

Sorry for the randomness, but I think I puked out all the feels.