The Melville Millionaires have been a bit of a sleeping giant all season. Perhaps they are waking up. In a tremendous showing of character, which they have not shown much of all year, they have beaten the Yorkton Terriers with back to back gutsy performances in the third period of games. On Monday, they really showed a will to win with their ability to get down and block shots and then a hustling play from Connor Bradshaw at 19:38 gave them a 5-4 win in a game that saw them down 4-2 at one point and being badly outshot.
Tonight (Wednesday), they played from behind all night long and overcame a couple of weak goals to win 4-3 with not one, but two, last minute goals from Ian McNulty. The first one was a classic last minute, goalie pulled, send everyone to the front of the net, desperation type of score. The second was a partial breakaway thirty seconds later. Before McNulty's first one, I thought to myself, "McNulty has been very quiet in this series, for the most part. He needs to be better because he's the best player on either side." Not anymore. McNulty took the game over from the 19 minute mark of the third period on.
This is going to be very tough for Yorkton to come back. I don't know how much better they can play. On one hand, I look at this series and think the Terriers should have won all four games. After winning game one, game two was a bit of a 'last shot wins' type of affair that the Mils took in overtime. Monday night's game didn't feel like it was at all close, but somehow the Mils hung around. And, tonight Yorkton led the entire game until there was just fourteen seconds left.
On the other hand, Melville deserves credit for their third period performance Monday and the 'no quit' attitude tonight.
While I'm not sure the Terriers can play better, I think Melville has room for improvement. We haven't seen Blake Voth's best game yet. Russell Trudeau doesn't have a point, and Jesse Mireau doesn't have a goal. Both have missed two games though with injuries. Sean Aschim didn't get his first goal until tonight (he had his best game of the series tonight), and Lee Christensen has been held to 1 point through four games despite logging plenty of ice time.
While Yorkton has played well, the stats don't lie. Zak Majkowski and Jeremy Johnson have combined for just one assist in the series. Tyler Giebel, Brent Struble, and Curtis Oliver have scored 10 of Yorkton's 16 goals in the series. And, they've allowed too many goals on too few shots. Dawson MacAulay's performance tonight was encouraging and I think he's the guy in the net going forward. Obviously, if they lose, the season is over. If they come back and win, it's because MacAulay has been crucial and it would be impossible to take him out.
I have to admit. I, silently, picked Yorkton in five at the start of the series. It's been incredibly fun to watch. I expect Friday to be exciting for anyone watching.
Oh, and despite the real tough loss tonight I give full marks to Trent Cassan for conducting himself professionally and doing a really good interview on GX94 with Craig Stein after the game. We live in a day and age where players and coaches are spoiled and unaccountable. So, they shrug off interviews following a tough defeat and they don't get any tougher than tonight. Yet, Cassan was there and offered full praise for his players. I've said this privately and now I don't mind saying it publicly. You know Trent Cassan is doing a great job when you take an informal survey and discover you can't find a player, parent, fan, opposing coach, referee, or zamboni driver that has anything bad to say about him. Good work Trent.
And, kudos to Jamie Fiesel. There are a few in Melville just waiting for him to fail and my message to you is this: shame on you. Eleven other SJHL teams would hire him in a heartbeat if there was an opening on any of their teams and Fiesel was available. I know you want a championship, but you have no right to demand it. The only thing you can demand is that your team is competent and the Mils have been, at least, that every year of Fiesel's watch. Of course, if they lose three straight the naysayers will be out in full force and they will all be posting on my blog telling me how wrong I am about Jamie. Still. You stand by your friends and Jamie, I'm happy to say, is one of the best ones I have in hockey and he does a great job.
Your right everybody was ready to send him to the road,but something I must comment on is the way,Neil laberty handled a play which saw Tyler Bird take a penelty for roughing which both players should have been sent to the box.when Bird went back to the bench Lamberty yelled at him pushed him around like a rag doll and he didn't play for the rest of the second period.I have seen you screw up a lot worse Lamberty,so grow some balls and be accountable for some of your mistakes to.Good job Bird keep playing hard,and Lamberty shame on you because everybody saw what you did and how you treated him,you are not a coach when you treat a player like that ,punish him in the dressing room and scream at him,not in front of 1500 people.
ReplyDeleteBird has done a tremendous job of becoming public enemy #1 in Yorkton.
ReplyDeleteThat is right bird is out there to be a enforcer and he never goes looking,and he also never backs down from anything.So good job Tyler bird don't back down
Deletenever hurts to give a hot-head like bird a wake-up call...good job sitting him down for taking a costly penalty
ReplyDeleteWell Mills are lucky to have Bird; at least he is tough and not scared to hit someone.
ReplyDeleteBird fights Sookro and Oliver? Niether of them are fighters. Tell him to try Rockwell then its enforcer against enforser or maybe Bird remembers his last tilt with Rockwell.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't exactly say demanding a championship,anxious for one would be better wording, but maybe you can enlighten us Mike. When was the last time a coach who had been with a team in this league eight years, not win a championship??
ReplyDeleteRegarding Feez, you of all people should know theres always more to a story than one side. Feez talks a good game but theres a whole lot more to it. You should hear him after a game and how he talks to the players. I don't think they should be babied either but all you had to do throughout the season was go into the men's washroom after a game and listen. I'm sure he wouldn't appreciate it if someone talked to his boys that way. Its easy to judge when you're not aware of some of the things that go on.
ReplyDeleteLast two points are well noted. When did Dwight McMillan (greatest coach ever) last win an SJHL championship? RBC doesn't count as they were the hosts. I'm talking SJHL. I'd suggest it's been longer than 8 years.
ReplyDeleteHeck, Brian Burke has run the Maple Laughs for 4-5 years and has never made the playoffs and still commands the top salary in the NHL. Sorry. Had to get that in there.
And, the sad reality about a coach talking to players and you hearing through the bathroom wall is this: how many coaches do you think speak to players in a manner that you would approve of? Part of my problem with minor hockey in general is how kids and players are spoken to. My own son has played competitive soccer and baseball for, at least, 5 years. I haven't witnessed any of what you are talking about in either sport with regards to the teams my son has played on. Having said that, it's just run of the mill jargon in hockey.
One final note: if you are old enough to behave the way some of those players behave, then you are old enough to be talked to in that manner in my opinion. But, I realize that opinion isn't necessarily the one held in the majority of the public.
ReplyDeleteIf thats all it was it wouldn't have been mentioned. It was way beyond run of the mill hockey jargon so don't be referring to the behavior warranting it. He's jumped from one scape goat to another. If it wasn't Froese, it was Bird and vice versa but always one of them.
ReplyDeleteHey Mike its nice to see Jamie is one of your best friends in hockey. But it always seems when things start going sideways ,Jamie calls out players ,fans or volunteers.Maybe he should figure out the buck stops with him,but with friends like you I guess he will always have a story/excuse. And for saying there are people waiting for him to fall B.S. They might be getting tired of the B.S.
ReplyDeleteWhen's the last time an SJHL team won the league without paying some big dollars for/to some big-time players? Maybe it's neither here nor there in regards to this thread, but I believe it warrants some examination.
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