Seattle is definitely still alive and perhaps I was too quick to write them off.
The Tbirds needed some serious help from the teams around them in the standings and right now they are getting it.
Last night Tri-City jumped out to a 2-0 lead on Kamloops only to fall behind but eventually come from behind and score with 56 seconds left in the game to deny the Blazers of any points.
Red Deer went up to Prince George and spanked the Cougars 7-0 and Spokane took care of Everett at home 4-2.
The three teams closest to Seattle couldn't gain a single point last night and suddenly this thing looks doable.
I will repeat though... Seattle must get 4 points out of their two games against Chilliwack and Prince George this weekend. Preferably both wins would come in regulation (especially the Prince George game) but getting 4 points is an absolutely must.
Scoreboard watch for tonight:
Chilliwack is in Vancouver tonight to face the Giants.
Hockey Challenge 2014
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16 comments :
Do you realize that the T-birds now control their own fate? I know it may not be practical, but if Seattle wins out, they earn a playoff spot and wouldn't need help from anyone else. Simple isn't? Just win their remaining six games (and beat PG in regulation) and they earn a playoff spot. Highly unlikey they go 6-0 with Port, Spok, Kel and Tri still on the sched so they'll probably still need help.
Absolutely... and crazy to realize that is true.
I'm just not counting on them going 6-0 so I'm assuming they will still need some help along the way.
I almost peed last night when I saw that those three teams lost!
It just amazes me that the season will be judged as being successful if the birds make the playoffs. Look it is obvious that this team is not competitive with the likes of Port., Spok., Tri,and maybe a few of the other teams in the west.
At X-Mas the playoffs were basically "a given". So for this squad to be in this position says a bundle about the coaching, intensity, desire, dedication, and will to win. It is non-existent in my opinion.
When the heck will we be able to have a discussion about what it takes to get the number one overall seed (instead of just getting in)?
Oh that is right, it will be next year (Picks 19). Or at least that is what most were saying at this time last year. It does not get much funnier than that.
The current head coach has been given ample opportunity to win and that has not been close to happening. Worse, it seems he has "lost the team" and with most expected back next year I am not sure you want that chemical mixture to brew over the summer.
Let's make some changes. It really can't get worse. A winning percentage of appx. .400% over the last two seasons is very laughable. That is a number that would make Marc Boileau or Sheldon Ferguson feel right at home. Is that really where we want this franchise to land? It sure seems to be in a free fall right now.
Jonathan Parker had three goals in a ten minute span of the first period tonight. That gives him 44 for the season. Gee think he MIGHT have made this run at the play offs a bit easier?
That is ok Seattle got a D-man that lasted all of ten months on the roster for him. Need a better example why the birds have become bottom feeders lately?
This team hasn't been competitive in a few years. I've taken my family over eight games this year and I've attended a couple of others. I have seen two wins and my boys have seen one. The defense routinely gives up 50 plus shots and we lose by a large margin. No wonder, how can the offense get any shots away with the T-Birds constantly being on the D. Serious changes need to be made. The coach and the GM need to go. We are attending one last game on Saturday and then hoping for someone to come to their senses. Sorry but it's just not entertaining, even with being a fan, to see the boys lose by 4 or 5 goals every time we visit.
yes, Parker is a great scorer but he is a -10 player on a team that is actually barely making the playoffs with a pct. of .440 (vs the tbirds pct of .447 in the whl's thoughest division....but lets not get carried away with simple details and context that might make us forguetthe main point her ...Sumner and Farwell suck and should be fired..)
Sarcasm aside, I don't get it. The team is lacking talent yes.But are People expecting them to go to Portland and then what? win 6-0? the fact that they were able to compete most nights against them is showing a great level of improvement (need I remind the abysmal record against Portland last year, and Portland is a much better team this year)
I must have missed those games that were close this year. As my five year old says, "Thunderbirds always lose and they have only won one game." Seriously, the GM and Coach needs to go. I can't blame the kids.
Here ya go: As recently as Feb 26, Portland 4 @Seattle 3 GWG scored with 30 seconds left).
Jan 8th @ Portland 2 Seattle 1,
Dec 31st @ Portland 3 Seattle 4
Sat Dec 18 Portland 2 @Seattle 4
Fri Oct 22nd @ Portland 2 Seattle 1 (SOL)
Sat Oct 2 @ Portland 3 Seattle 2(SOW)
Sat Sep 25 Portland 1 Seattle 4
T-birds also have 4 wins against Portland this season, not one. I'd say that is a few close games. In fact, more than half the games have been close to the very end. Which is pretty good considering we play them 12 times and they have 8 NHL draft picks on their roster (including 2 of the top 6 picks last spring in Johansen and Niedderreiter), as well as a signed NHL free agent. Not to mention that 4-5 more of their players are expected to be top draft picks this spring as well (Rattie, Morrow, Wotherspoon, Bartschi).
The NHL folks seem to be saying Portland's roster should dominate the T-birds (who have only two drafted players; Pickard and Button) and one signed player (Dillon). So the fact Seattle is playing Portland fairly tough in a majority of the 12 games...maybe that is the coach getting a less talented roster ready to play. I keep reading how the T-birds have a roster of great talent and that the coach is the fault. NHL scouts aren't dummies; they know talent and it seems they are saying that the T-birds don't have a very talented roster; at least not among their 18, 19 and 20 yr olds.
Where are T-bird fans saying we have a talented roster? I know people are blaming coaching... But the whole chatter has been about how this management group as a whole has made terrible decisions and thus left us with no talent. As for the coaching it's hard to bring Sumner down when the team is showing some fight. But most of us that are at every game for 10, 20, even 30 years have seen what championship teams look like and we don't see it happening under Sumner.
Maybe, just maybe Portland has "played down" to the level of the birds. One of the Portland losses came when World Junior was in progress. Portland was not the same team during that break.
It sure looked like the real Winterhawk team stood up last game. A total mismatch and embarrasment 9 - 1 and alomst 60 shots on goal.
I guess what I am trying to say is a loss is a loss and this team has fewer points than any other team in the west this year.
Very tired of the consistent aspect on loosing. From what I can see the future is dim at best.
It's all over the facebook page about how Sumner stifles this team and its great talent. They are what they are...not very talented because they have drafted poorly. Seattle was also missing players to WJ and other tournaments at the time. Seattle has never played a game against Portland this season with both teams at full strength. Will never know what this team might have been capable with a healthy Troock. Just my opinion but based on what I saw last season in just 4-5 games he was probably capable of 10-15 goals this year. Could have been the difference in winning 4-5 more games. Hope his health issue gets resolved over the summer.
TURN OUT THE LIGHTS THE PARTY'S OVER....another season in last place in the west. outscored 4-0 in the third with the season riding in the balance. just when you think it can't get any worse a period like this happens. oh well at least they won't have the opportunity to show just how competitive they would (WOULDN'T) have been against Portland. it is really really really really awful. but just wait until next year....ha ha ha
I'm not seeing the talent; especially, the defense. Giving up 50 shots on goal routinely is not the anwser. Tonight the T-birds kept the shots down but gave up after the second goal. Before that, minus the first period, it was a decent game. Tonights performance has to be on the coach and the team. They had no heart.
Not sure it is lack of heart but there's no way you can keep up that level of play when you have to treat everyone of your final 10 games as a must win, game 7 type game. At some point, you're gonna crash.
They did finally crash and burn. It was a bad game all around, players look tired and just outworked. Certainly got out coached but that's for another day. I'm just glad they put up some decent home efforts to end the season. The only thing is last year I was optimistic that we would take the right steps to be competitive again. I like a lot of people wasn't expecting much this season but was hoping to see improvement. Now looking at next year this team seems destined for another battle for 8th in the West. Maybe things will change, maybe the returning players will finally put the work in instead of just saying it who knows. The only thing I can say is we really need Button back for his 20 season, because after him Bonsor, Fleming, Sutter.... we are in serious trouble if this is the best we can do.
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