Hamilton vs Toronto: Game Live Blogging
Apr 3, 2012; Buffalo, NY, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs left wing Matt Frattin (39) takes a shot on goal during the third period against the Buffalo Sabres at the First Niagara Center. Buffalo defeats Toronto 6 – 5. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-US PRESSWIRE
Tonight I’ll be experimenting with live updates on the match against the Toronto Marlies.
Period One
– Marlies start off a lot stronger than the Bulldogs in even strength play, quite a bit more offensive zone time.
-Desjardins makes a huge save against Gardiner who had a clear opportunity from in close on the right hand side on a pass made through Jarred Tinordi who was covering the front of the crease.
-Desjardins takes a roughing penalty, Marlies PP can’t crack Bulldog’s PK. Then Tinordi takes a hooking penalty.
-Nattinen with a good chance on a break away he generated himself going up the left side. ‘Dogs can’t maintain possession afterward.
-Bulldogs kill off a 5 on 3. Interestingly, use 2 forwards and one defense for penalty kill when Tinordi is in the box. Boyce and Dumont form an agressive upper triangle that works while Corbin covers front of net.
-Matt Fratin takes advantage of the remaining penalty time with a snipe from the left half wall that beats Desjardins over the shoulder. That’s the kind of shooting skill that the Bulldogs have lacked this season and desperately need.
– Terrific segment by Quailer-Bournival-Palushaj/St.Denis-Ellis 5 man unit leads to a goal. Palushaj protects the puck well in the offensive zone, I believe he draws a penalty here. Later on the same possession St. Denis carries puck deep into the offensive zone on a pinch, makes a strong feed to Ellis on the right point. Ellis’ one time slap shot is through a screen provided by Bournival. I believe the goal is tipped in off Bournival’s stick.
– Dispite my misgivings, the Nattinen-Boyce-Avtsin line is doing pretty good. Avtsin is playing well, backchecking and having at least one blocked shot. Avtsin scores on another point shot generated goal. Stejskal takes a shot that is saved by Scrivens. But both Boyce and Avtsin are right at the goal mouth. Boyce gets it to Avtsin who shoots it home right next to the net.
-Bulldogs’ PP late, Bournival wins the draw, it gets to St. Denis who gets it back to Bournival. Bournival carries the puck in deep, keeping the Marlies off him behind the net. Pass to a wide open Gallagher in the right slot who one-times the puck for a goal. Gallagher now tied for team lead with 4 goals, Bournival with 2 points in the period.
– Avtsin has 4 shots of his lines’ 5 that period.
-Shots 14-9 in favour of the Bulldogs, who started slow but had a strong finish to the period.
Period Two
-Another Bulldog penalty, killed without incident this time. Tinordi-St.Denis are a really strong top PK unit. As is Boyce-Blunden.
-Beaulieu is raw, but a tremendous talent. Can skate himself into and out of trouble.
-Blunden-Dumont-Gallagher have tended to get trapped in their own end.
-Dumont challenges Colborne to a fight. Colborne accepts and ends up getting a penalty but Dumont doesn’t.
-Gallagher-Bournival-Avtsin new top PP line.
-Frattin scores, again.. Sigh. His line with Kadri and Colborne has been solid tonight.
-Colborne and Frattin 2 on 1, Frattin makes a pass back that Colborne can’t handle and no scoring chance.
-Beaulieu drags down a Marlie in front of the net, on the PK again.
– Desjardins is a really combative goaltender. Taking nothing from Komarov.
-Desjardins robs Frattin again.
-Holland moved up to play with Boyce and Avtsin, good looking line.
-Gallagher runs over Gysbers, ends up drawing a penalty.
-Scrum at end of period after Zigomanis chops on Bournival.
-Shots 12 to 3 in favour of Toronto in the 2nd.
-St. Denis and Tinordi remind me of Gill and Gorges on the penalty kill. I believe they’ve yet to be scored on in 5 games as the team’s top PK pairing.
Period Three
-St. Denis has carried the puck deep into the offensive zone a number of times today.
-Palushaj now with Blunden and Dumont.
-Gallagher with Quailer and Bournival
-Gallagher gets a decent scoring chance on the rush, stopped by Scrivens.
– D’Amigo scores on a Gysbers point shot. Now its a 3-3 game.
-Blunden-Dumont-Gallagher grind out a long period of offensive zone possession. Next shift the Boyce line builds on this, results in Boyce feeding Avtsin in the left slot while Nattinen crashes the net. His shot produces a rebound which Nattinen bangs home. 4-3 Bulldogs.
– Just afterward, Palushaj scores on a play set up by Ellis and Bournival. Bulldogs up 5-3 and suddenly sitting pretty again.
-New Dogs PP on Kostka penalty. First unit can’t manage anything. 2nd unit Quailer and Blunden get close on a play in the slot that gets broken up by Holzer.
-Toronto pulls the goalie, attacks with 6 men. Stejskal intercepts pass, gets it to Dumont who carries the puck out towards the empty net but misses his shot. Gallagher attacks the other side, retrieves the puck and gets the empty netter. 6-3 Hamilton.