Thursday, January 13, 2011

Middle of the Week Madness

Wednesday night hockey had to be one of the more interesting nights in hockey as we have seen all season long. Some things didn't change while we saw what happens when you anger a Truck.

OK by rights Ryan Bourque (NYR 2009 3rd) can claim that he has a 4 game goal scoring streak and be telling the truth. What he might want to leave out is that he went an entire month between goals.

Bourque returned to the Quebec Rempart lineup for the first time since December 12th and picked up right where he left off by scoring what turned out to be the game winning goal as the Remparts held off the Gatineau Olympiques 4-3.

Bourque's 21st goal of the season came at 12:40 of the 3rd period gave his Remparts a 4-2 lead that led to the win. Bourque is now 21-19-40 on the season as he also has a 7 game scoring streak (8-1-9) to help the Remparts pull within 1 point of the best record in the QMJHL.

While Bourque and his Remparts are looking at the best record in their league, Roman Horak (NYR 2009 5th) and his Chilliwack Bruins are in a huge dogfight just to earn a spot in the WHL's Western Conference. Horak scored his 16th goal of the season and added his 28th assist to help his Bruins win 5-2 over BC Division leaders the Prince George Cougars.

Horak has a 4 game scoring streak of his own going 1-6-7 as Chilliwack used the win to jump out of the Western Conference cellar. If you have a strong heart and love a playoff race then the WHL's BC Division is for you. The difference from being division leader (and the 2 seed that goes with it) to being in last place is 4 points.

Even better for Horak and his Bruins is they hold 2 games in hand over said Cougars. Horak scored Chillwack's 2nd goal of the game and then set up their 5th goal to help Chilliwack win their 2nd straight.

At the same time it seems like Nino Niederreiter (NYI 2010 5th) and his Portland Winterhawks are in a dogfight of their own making after losing to the Spokane Chiefs 4-3. Niederreiter was shut out by the Chiefs who won their 7th straight to pull within 2 points of first place Portland.

The Winterhawks we are pretty sure are no longer looking to see if they can win 60 games as the team just about everyone was punching them a ticket to the Memorial Cup back in November now has to fight off the Chiefs as well as the Tri-City Americans for the top spot in the WHL Western Conference.

For the second time in a month Dylan McIlrath (NYR 2010 1st) and his Moose Jaw Warriors were shut out at home by the Red Deer Rebels, this time it was 4-0. McIlrath we have to report lost it late in the 3rd period with the game already decided.

McIlrath reminded us that he is just 18 as he racked up 19 PIMs when he first slashed then instigated a fight with Red Deer's Daulton Siwak. Sorry Dylan no excuse for you here as your frustration has to be tempered when you risk suspension that would hurt you and the Warrior's cause for a long playoff run.

When you are a big part of a team you have to know when to fight and sorry kid this was a poor decision by you here. This is a pretty weak video of what happened but key in on the upper right side as you will see McIlrath slash and when Siwak pushed back went after him (McIlrath is in white)




Finally David Toews (NYI 2008 3rd) and his Brandon Wheat Kings lost 8-4 to the Prince Albert Raiders. Toews was scoreless and a -2 as this loss was a costly one for the Wheat Kings who are chasing the Raiders who hold the 8th seed in the WHL's Eastern Conference.

This was the good old "4 point" game for the teams as the Wheat Kings with the loss pushed them 5 points behind the Raiders.

(Bourque/Katherine Ep)

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