storm

And That Was That

A season of promise ends with a four-game flamout to the Saginaw Spirit, a team about one year ahead of the Storm in a development sense.
The Storm special teams, including a power play that was in the top five the second half of the regular season, went for a crapper.
The goaltending was inconsistent — at times brilliant, but spoiled by too many bad, bad goals. Inconsistency also from several forwards and a couple of defenceman.
It all adds up to a disappointing end to the year, even if the big picture was more focused on next year and the year after than this one.
Saginaw is a good team, but no way Guelph should have been swept.
Now the planning turns towards next year, and there is indeed a plan in place.
There will be many new faces on this team next year — perhaps as many as eight or nine. Some players you like will be gone. There will be a few surprises.
It all starts May 2, the day of the OHL draft. Guelph picks 11th.
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And so another year of Saxon on the Storm comes to an end.
I consider it a success, and not just because we managed to avoid posters challenging one another to a fight this year. I think I only deleted two comments all year (hey, I'll let you disagree with me, but I'm not going to let you call me a "moron.").
For the most part it was what this is intended to be — a discussion on the Storm and issues surrounding it. Debate and disagreement is fine, as long as it's mature and focused on the issue. This year, for the most part, it was.
In the past four months we had 48,000 page views, making us the most popular blog the Guelph Mercury has. The high was trade deadline day, where there were 3,900 page views.
See you in the fall.

The Right Call

He had to call it.
No matter how frustrating it might seem, not matter how you may believe that certain calls shouldn't be made in overtime, a hit from behind near the boards has to be called.
Yes, the 6-foot-2, 200-pound Mitch Fillman went down like he'd been shot, but there was no denying that Ben Chiarot was too aggressive in his pursuit of Fillman and pushed him in the numbers as the pair went for the puck in the corner.
The shame of it all is that Chiarot has been a tower of strength in the playoffs. He has firmly showed he is ready to be a top-three defenceman and has enhanced his status for June's NHL draft immensely.
The truth is Game 3 should never have gone to overtime. Brandon Foote let in three bad goals. One big save and this one's over in regulation.
You should not be losing hockey games where you score six goals. But with a junior B backup on the bench as the other goalie, the team really has no choice.
Foote wasn't even looking like the starter for the playoffs when he was first acquired. Jake Fischer was. But when Fischer broke his collarbone, it left no choice.
Now Foote -- who one day will be a top-notch goaltender -- is struggling with his consistency. He was bad  regulation yesterday, but great in overtime. But that's not good enough.

Game 2

Many will say refereeing decided this one, but that's just sour grapes.
Yes, the officiating was not very good, but the power plays were even - difference was Saginaw scored on two of theirs.
When you go 0-7 on the power play and lose by a goal and several of your top players are virtually invisible, the focus shouldn't be on the refereeing.
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Can't complain about being tired.
Both teams left Saginaw after last night's game and got into Guelph around 4 a.m.
Besides, how do you explain Guelph having more energy in the third period than the first two?
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A sick Tyler Carroll again played very sparingly.
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J.P. Labardo dressed instead of Tyler Osborne last night and got some early shifts.

What A Game

What game last night in Saginaw. Quite frankly one of the most entertaining hockey games I think I've ever seen.
Read the full report here.
Sometimes, overtime brings about cautious hockey, with each team afraid to make that crucial mistake. Not last night. There were as many good scoring chances in overtime as there were during the first three periods. Back and forth, breathtaking saves, kids leaving it all on the ice.
Superb hockey.
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Tyler Carroll was feeling ill and played sparingly last night. Couple of shifts early then one or two in overtime.
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Guelph's third line of Denis Hollenstein, Tyler Melancon and Yves Bastien outplayed the second line last night. They were rewarded with plenty of ice time.
Only thing that sucked was hearing Bastien's first name butchered over the P.A. They were pronouncing it "Ives."
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Brandon Foote looked a little nervous early on, as did many of the younger Storm players, but settled down to play a very strong game.
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The Saginaw High School band was on hand to provide entertainment last night and what a show they put on. They took up a section in the stands, which were about 20 per cent empty, and gave several lively performances, complete with dancers.
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One thing I just can't get used to when travelling to the States: hospitals advertising for business.

Thursday Practice

Story on Ryan Baldwin being a father in tomorrow's paper. Shows a gentler, kinder side of the Storm tough guy.
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Big debate at practice today was whether to go with dyed blonde hair, dyed Storm-maroon hair and/or mohawks. I think blonde was decided upon, but not sure if the Mohawks got the thumbs up.
Practice was a short, intense 50-minute one today, but lots of joking around and fun. Team looked very loose.
Coach Brooks was again away scouting the OHL Cup in Mississauga.
He will be back for tomorrow's 9 a.m. meeting and 10 a.m. practice. Then it's off to Saginaw.
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Don't forget, coverage of Game 1 will be available on the Mercury website roughly 45 minutes after the game ends.

Saturday's Game Coverage

Just a reminder, we will be in Saginaw this Saturday to provide coverage of Game 1 on the Mercury web site shortly after the game's conclusion.
Just go to www.guelphmercury.com about 45 minutes after the game for a full story, with interviews.

Storm Heads West

Storm practice today was held at West End Community Centre because of the Great Big Sea concert at the Sleeman Centre.
Coach Brooks was absent, off scouting the important OHL Cup minor midget tournament taking place at the Hershey Centre in Mississauga.
Also absent was Yves Bastien, who was home near Sudbury attending his grandfather's funeral.
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Scary moment near the end of practice when Matt Kennedy took a Taylor Beck slapshot off the forearm. Kennedy left the ice but appeared to be okay as he left practice.
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Team will practice early on Friday morning then head to Saginaw right after rather than head down there on game day.
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Filling in as the second goaltender at practice was Trevor Prior, the Rogers Television host. Trevor was quite the junior B goaltender back in the day.

First Round Action

I'm picking Windsor and London to meet in the Western Conference final, with Windsor winning in six games. Just too good, too deep and too big.
In the East I see Brampton and Belleville battling it out in a seven game series, with Brampton winning.
Windsor over Brampton in six for the OHL final.
As for the Storm, I know they can beat Saginaw, but they'll need consistent goaltending to do it. Given that question mark, I'm picking Saginaw in seven.
Full playoff preview in Wednesday's Guelph Mercury.
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Storm Trackers fan club is hoping to load a bus for Saginaw on Saturday for Game 1. Anyone interested can call519-824-3618 for details.

Storm vs. Spirit

Storm loses 4-1 in Erie.
They get Saginaw in the playoffs, with the Spirit holding home-ice advantage.

Here's the schedule:
Game 1: Saturday in Saginaw
Game 2: Sunday in Guelph
Game 3: Tuesday the 24th in Saginaw
Game 4: Thursday the 26th in Guelph
Game 5: Saturday the 28th in Saginaw
Game 6: Sunday the 29th in Guelph
Game 7: Tuesday the 31st in Saginaw.

All Guelph games start at 7 p.m. All Saginaw Games start at 7:11 p.m.

Wrong Again

I'm wrong again.
Forgot that Plymouth has more wins than Guelph, which is the first tiebreaker.
Guelph beats Erie, they play Plymouth, Guelph loses, they play Saginaw.
Guelph will not have home-ice advantage.