A quiet Thanksgiving

On Thanksgiving Monday some thoughts out and about...

Further to the post below on Nathan Lieuwen's performance in Red Deer Saturday night. Here's the evidence.... On that note, take a long look at Weller's hit on Max that gave the Ice the power play in which Pearce scores the winner. Clean hit or not?.

F Matt Fraser didn't take long to make an impression with the Dallas Stars AHL affiliate the Texas Stars deep in the heart of Texas. Fraser scored two goals and added an assist for the Austin-based AHL in a 7-0 drubbing of the Oklahoma City Barons last night.

The game had lots of local connections as along with Fraser, the Stars are captained by Brad Lukowich; Jace Coyle patrols the blueline and with Oklahoma G David LeNeveu of Fernie came on in relief of Barons starter Yann Danis.

In keeping with the graduated '20's; Kevin King with the Syracuse Crunch hasn't played yet (late start in the AHL schedule) and Steele Boomer is now with the NAIT Ooks of the Alberta College ACAC.

Some interest in the fact that D James Martin was a healthy scratch in the Abbotsford Heat first two games of the season on the road against Lake Erie. Dustin Sylvester scored in the first game Friday night for the Heat. They are the other AHL club with more Kootenay/local connections in that along with Martin, F Carter Bancks (Marysville), Sylvester and D John Negrin are also on the club. Negrin also was a healthy scratch over the weekend. Bancks is injured and did not play.

Martin theoretically could still be returned by the Flames/Heat to junior but it's not likely. If he were the Ice would have two weeks to decide on which three they would keep. The WHL's deadline for 20-year-olds is October 13 but Martin could return anytime up until the WHL roster/trade deadline.

Another team with a couple of former Ice players on it is Barys Astana of the KHL in Russia. F Nigel Dawes and G Jeff Glass along with another Winnipegger, Dustin Boyd are in the Russian league. There's an older story here on Dawes, Glass and Boyd and the former's thoughts on travelling in the KHL after the tragic plane crash that killed all 44 aboard that were members of the KHL team Lokomotiv Yaroslavl.

Back in the WHL Ice PBP Jeff Hollick said on the broadcast Saturday that forward Brendan Hurley will have his knee examined by doctors to determine the extent of the injury suffered after a collision with Oil Kings D Griffin Reinhart. His feeling is that Hurley's out at least 4-6 weeks. Reinhart got a major and a game misconduct for his troubles and a further 5-game suspension from the league.

And lastly, if you're a bit of a stats geek, like myself, you'll notice that the Ice - 4-1-0-2; 10pts, tied with four other teams for tops in the WHL - have scored just 19 goals through those seven games. 2.71 goals per game, just ahead of the Red Deer Rebels at 2.666/game (without RNH who scored in his début with the Oilers last night, that'll set the hockey world atwitter with the debate of will he or won't he return to the Rebels. Right now he won't but wait 8 more games) and the lowly T-Birds in Seattle just 2.5 goals/game through their first four WHL games. So 20th in team scoring in the 22-team WHL but only allowing 1.86/game through those same seven games, by far the best in the league. Good goaltending, get used to it because it's going to be a theme this year. Firewagon hockey surely won't be. Discuss.

Oh, and Happy Thanksgiving!