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Naosu · 08-27-2019, 08:51 PM

Detroit Falcons vs Kelowna Knights Knights

We’re nearly halfway through this regular season as we finish these games on Day 31. We’ll be covering game 110 between the Detroit Falcons (15-6-1) and the Kelowna Knights (14-6-2). Heading into this game Kelowna had the chance to take first in the league after a 3 game skid earlier this week by Detroit. Both teams would choose their elite starters, Emiko Spector for Detroit, and Alexander Thorstrom for Kelowna. With the first and second ranked goaltenders in the league for each respective team starting, you wouldn’t be wrong if you expect a low scoring game as we get into it.

1st Period:

Overall the first period was very solid play by both teams. Kelowna got a chance right out of the gate off an early icing by Satoshi Zizagonney, however Spector robbed Kalevolaripaavo Kaspertommevisnapuu on a tricky deflection. Play would be pretty tight outside of that chance, with neither team getting much zone time until a few minutes left. With penalties at 16:21 and 18:51 Kelowna was playing with fire giving Detroit a chance to burn them early. Unfortunately for the Falcons they couldn’t convert. Shots after the first would be 7 - 4 for Detroit

2nd Period:

In total contrast to the first period, the second was sloppy play on both sides. There was a total of five stick infraction penalties between the two teams, three for Detroit and two for Kelowna. Noah Andros would open our scoring midway into the second. After being stuck in his own end, Berg Svensen tries to make a bad outlet pass and is read by Miikka Salo. Salo quickly passes it back to his d partner and Andros blows one by Thorstrom from the point. The score would remain 1-0 for the period and shots were 16-12 for Detroit.

3rd Period:

Detroit looked to take a stranglehold on this game as Khabib Nurmagomedov made it 2-0 at 11:33 of the 3rd. Kelowna seemed unphased even though they hadn’t beat Spector yet they’d had some good looks. A minute and a half later, Kalevolaripaavo Kaspertommevisnapuu strikes to lessen the lead to 2-1. Shortly after this goal, Saotshi Zizagooney would take his second hooking minor of the game and give Kelowna an opportunity to tie it. It took until the end of the powerplay but Big Fudge would do it and tie the game for Kelowna at 15:45. We would head into overtime with shots at 24-23 for Detroit.

OT:

Starting our 4on4 overtime Detroit wins the draw and heads into the Knight’s zone to cycle. Kelowna steals the puck and manages to get a shot off after missing the net but Spector sees it all the way. Soon after Detroit dumps the puck and makes a change. Epsen Knutsen Jr. steals the breakout pass by Big Fudge and gets it back into the Knight’s zone. After another cycle Knutsen Jr. gets hit and temporarily loses the puck but manages to get it to a wide open Miikka Salo who narrowly misses and hits the post. After this play Aleksander Scherbak would win a faceoff in his defensive end and Horvat would skate the puck in the Falcon’s zone. Tah Puhcheese would get set up by Scherbak to rip one past Spector for the game winner. Final shots would be 26-25 for Kelowna.

Final Score:

2 - 3

(OT)

*thiefofcheese* · 08-27-2019, 10:45 PM

3 Stars of the Game

3 - Piotr Horvat Knights

Our 3rd star of the night goes to Defenseman Piotr Horvat who ended the night with 1 point (Assist to Kalevolaripaavo Kaspertommevisnapuu), 1 hit, 1 shot blocked, and a +2. This is a very solid showing for the defenseman in his 3rd season in the SMJHL.

2 - Kalevolaripaavo Kaspertommevisnapuu Knights

Kalevolaripaavo Kaspertommevisnapuu lands our 2nd star of the night by opening up the Kelowna scoring at 13:04 into the second period which started shifting the momentum to the Knights. His high hockey IQ put the Knights in position to take home the W.

1 - Simon LeBlanc Knights

The 1st star goes to Simon LeBlanc for putting on a clinic for everyone about how defense is played. With 2 assists, a +2, and 4 blocked shots, LeBlanc was simply unstoppable tonight. Simon was the anchor on the Knights Penalty Kill that saw 3 Detroit Power Plays, but with his hard work (and the work of 3rd star Horvat) the Knights were able to keep the Falcons off the board on special teams. Defense can win games and LeBlanc showed everyone tonight that the Kelowna blue line is a force to be reckoned with.

(204 words)

ImASurvivor · 08-28-2019, 01:14 AM

Three Stars:
In this segment, we will analyze the players that Simon T chose as the three stars, and determine whether they deserve the accolade.
3 - Piotr Horvat Knights

Piotr helped turn the game around for the Knights halfway through the third period by setting up Kalevolaripaavo alongside LeBlanc on the Knights' first goal of the game. Rounding out his stat line, Piotr was a +2, took a shot, threw a hit, blocked a shot, and ate over 1/3 of ice time in this win over the league-leading Falcons. I would agree with SimonT's selection in this case as Horvat had a strong influence on this comeback win.
2 - Kalevolaripaavo Kaspertommevisnapuu Knights

Kalevolaripaavo fired home Kelowna's first goal of the game which began the turn around for the Knights in this game. The rest of his stats included an additional shot, but limited time on ice. For myself, I think that the player in question should not be the second star and we should be looking at one of the players who scored either the game-winning goal or game-tying goal, but that's just me.
1 - Simon LeBlanc Knights

Simon's place is deserved and we will see why after I go through all of his statistics just to see how essential he was to the Knights' victory in this one. Having an assist on both the opening goal and game-winning goal is all I need to hear to argue in favor of LeBlanc's presence in this list of stars of the game. He showed his defensive attributes for the game as well by blocking 4 shots, that's right he had more blocks in the game than most players have accumulated in the entire season.

Standings Shakeup:
Kelowna entered the game having 14 wins and 9 losses, with 3 of those losses coming in overtime or shootout, which garnered them in extra points each time, for a total of 31 points from 46 possible. At the same time, Detroit arrived in Kelowna with 14 wins of their own but only 7 losses, but only 1 extra point in OT, which is 29 points from 42 possible. Both of these teams remained atop the standings with Kelowna remaining atop the standings but Detroit with a couple of games in hand to make up for blowing the lead in this one.

Turning Point:
This game clearly had two turning points, one when Detroit took the lead well into the second period, and the second coming halfway through the third when Kelowna began their comeback. The ice was tilting throughout the first as Detroit took a dominating shot lead into the first intermission. When they scored halfway through the second the floodgates opened as they also scored another unanswered halfway through the third and the game look all but settled. That's when things turned around for the Knights, scoring two goals in a matter of three minutes, one at even-strength and one on the powerplay. The game settled with an early overtime goal by Tah Puhcheese, who I feel should have replaced Kalevolaripaavo as the second star of the game.

**Rich** · 08-28-2019, 06:29 PM

Physical Play Comparison

I just wrote about a game where Kelowna had a sad hit total, and now I have to do it again? Come on, Knights. Detroit had 20, which is very nice to see. Kelowna had half as many, which is not so nice. The biggest hitting standouts in this game were Lunga Gumba and Miikka Salo for Detroit, and Prince Devitt and Raquel Castillo Gutierrez for Kelowna. Each of them had 3 hits, which is good, not great. Shot blocks were a little more even, but still favoring Detroit who had 14 to Kelowna’s 12. Travis Bitties had of the Falcon’s blocks. Simon LeBlanc had 4 for Kelowna. Miikka Salo needs to be singled out for having 3 hits and 3 shots blocked. Very nice game for him. Detroit clearly wins the physical game, but loses a close game, giving up a late power play goal that tied the game up, and allowing another just 2 minutes into overtime.

DET Hits: 20
KEL Hits: 10

DET SB: 14
KEL SB: 12

*puolivalmiste* · 08-29-2019, 07:09 PM

Symmetrik · 08-30-2019, 03:51 PM

When the Game Got Away

The game nearly got away from Kelowna, when Detroit made it 2-0 with 9 minutes left. Instead, the Knight bounced back and scored 1:30 later. The Falcons, despite still leading the game, let it get away from them when Zigzagooney took a hooking penalty with 6 minutes left. The Knights tied the game on that powerplay, and got all the momentum for the rest of the 3rd and overtime. From the penalty onwards, the Falcons had just 2 shots on goal, and the Knights scored the winner just 2 minutes into overtime. They still had the lead at the time, and it still went to overtime, but the penalty by the Falcons gave the Knights all the momentum, and they capitalized to win the game.

uhh · 08-30-2019, 06:16 PM

Detroit's Top Line Struggles Continue

After an extremely hot start to the season that saw the Detroit Falcons win ten of their first twelve games, the team has cooled off significantly. Last night's loss to Kelowna was Detroit's fourth in their last five games.

Contributing heavily to the Falcons' struggles is the sudden disappearance of the team's top line. Savoli Tankovic @ItssYoBoiDaLegend, Austin Roenick @XLeafer, and Khabib Nurmagomedov @khabib have been held collectively to just a goal and an assist in their last six games, and went scoreless again against Kelowna last night.

The line's performance has stoked rumors that a lineup change could be in the cards for Detroit. At today's morning skate, Roenick skated with Jagger Fourquette @Waters and Josh Driver @jblock3 while Tankovic and Nurmagomedov were centered by Espen Knutsen Jr. @Randominoe.

"We're just looking to get a spark going," said Roenick. "We have a lot of good players on this team. Any three forwards we put on the ice can be dangerous. Sometimes a change can help get things going. It happens."

KlusteR · 09-01-2019, 09:28 AM

The Duel

SMJHL enthusiasts were talking about it all day. Detroit vs. Kelowna, a battle for the first spot in the league, with two very hot first lines and goalies. It was going to be a treat!

Unfortunately for some, and fortunately for others, we saw not only a low-scoring affair, but a low shot total from both teams. Not only this, the highly anticipated matchup between the Knutsen/Tankovic/Roenick and Novotny/Pucheese/Gutierrez lines was not an offensive one, but a defensive bout, as neither team wanted to give an edge to the opposition's best players! This allowed second line players to shine on both teams, as we saw Khabib Nurmagomedov and Kalevolaripaavo Kaspertommevisnapuu exchange crucial goals for their respective team, late in the third period. And while some were ready for a great goaltending showdown, especially coming into overtime, Tah Puhcheese beat Emiko Spector pretty early, closing the curtains on what was a tight, but somewhat drab game for a neutral. But looking at the standings, we could see this game as the turning point in the standings, as Kelowna are edging closer and closer to Detroit. It'll be a tight race to the finish line!

(202 words)

**OrbitingDeath** · 09-01-2019, 12:06 PM

Small differences

In the matchup between the two biggest competitors for this season the difference was expected to be little. Infact it was so little that the two teams needed overtime to decide who would win the game. The two things that gained Kelowna the win would be their face off ability and their special teams. None of the Falcons centers that took over ten face offs managed to win more as 50 %, For Kelowna on the other hand 50% was the minimum and it even went up to 75 % won for Novotny. Also the added effectiveness on the special teams and capitalizing on one of the three powerplay opportunities decided the win in Kelowna’s facor.

ACapitalChicago · 09-02-2019, 09:39 PM

This game featured a huge heavyweight bout between the Detroit Falcons and the Kelowna Knights, one that culminated in a stunning Knights victory thanks to a late game rally and overtime clincher. Unfortunately, it appears that one player in particular should really be feeling the brunt of the loss thanks to a dumb penalty taken late in the third. At just a hair over fourteen minutes into the third period, Satoshi Zizagooney took a minor penalty for Hooking, prompting Kelowna to start salivating at their opportunity. It took them nearly the entire power play, but eventually Big Fudge would tie the game thanks to a beautiful shot at 15:45 in the third. They still get the point for overtime, but Detroit's problems of discipline seem to truly be a downfall for them. Detroit has lost some easily winnable games thanks to their inability to maintain their composure on ice, something to keep an eye on.

S66 Damian Littleton

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pazuzu15 · 09-03-2019, 06:40 AM

Unsung Hero

Both Detroit and Kelowna fought hard in this game, but the Knights were able to squeak out a win in Overtime today. For me, today's unsung hero has to be Aleksandr Scherbak for the Knights.

Scherbak finished the game with a plus 2, with an assist, Scherbak's 7th assist of the season. The goal that he assisted was the game winning goal in Overtime as well. Also, the center-man was also able to win over 50 percent of his face offs in today's game. Even though a
Scherbak was not one of the 3 stars for today, he played a vital role in the win for Kelowna, and their success this season. If Kelowna looks to go far in the playoffs, then they'll need support like what Scherbak provided from all their players.

AlwaysGettingHaxed · 09-07-2019, 07:53 PM

First Comment: Szlerchek’s 3 Keys to Kelowna’s Win

Kelowna had to come from a 2-0 deficit to win this game in overtime. There were 3 keys, in my opinion, that led to this win over the heavily favored Detroit team. First, was the first period play of goaltender, Alexander Thorstrom, who kept the Falcons off the scoreboard. This was key in that Detroit outshot Kelowna, 7-4, and Detroit had 2 powerplays they were unable to convert on. The second key to the Knights victory was their special teams. The Knights were able to keep Detroit from scoring on their 3 chances, while converting on one of their 3 chances. Their PP came late in the third period to tie the game and send it to overtime. Kelowna’s third key was the carrying of the momentum into overtime. While they did allow a single shot by Detroit, they were able to capitalize on their third shot.

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Second Comment: Pahajaarinen’s 3 Keys to Detroit’s Loss

Detroit suffered a tough loss when they blew a 2-0 lead late. Here are my 3 keys to them losing a game the had well in hand. Their first key was in the faceoff circle. Detroit was dominated by Kelowna all night long, losing 28-41 at the dots, including the last one in the offensive zone, that led directly to the game-winning goal. My second key focuses in on the third period collapse, where they were outshot 11-8 by Kelowna. Nine of those which came in the last 7 minutes of the period, which saw both goals scored less than 3 minutes apart. The third key was the undisciplined penalty by Satoshi Zizagooney. His hooking penalty less than a minute after Kelowna’s first goal, led to the tying goal being scored shortly after.

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Third Comment: AGH’s Closer Look at the First Star

In the matchup between the Kelowna Knights and the Detroit Falcons, we saw Kelowna come out on top 3-2 in overtime. This was in no small part due to the play of first star, Simon Leblanc. Leblanc is in his third season with the Kelowna Knights, and a season 48 draft pick of the Los Angeles Panthers. The top pairing defenseman, who is used in all situations, took advantage of the minutes he was given tonight. He played nearly 22 minutes in the game, 2 of which were on the PP, and 3 nearly on the PK. His play in all situations were vital to the Knights win. He helped shut down the Falcons’ PP, while help creating chances on his own team’s mad advantages. A fearless shot blocker, he led the Knights with 4 shots blocked. His most important contributions though came on the scoresheet. He assisted on both the first goal for Kelowna, leading them on the comeback trail, and the game winner in overtime. As you can see, Simon Leblanc’s play tonight made him a good recipient of the first star.

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Henrik · 09-08-2019, 10:37 AM

Rookie Performance Spotlight

Kalevolaripaavo Kaspertommevisnapuu Knights

Aside from having one of the most interesting names in sports history, Kaspertommevisnapuu has been a bit of a revelation in his rookie season. His offensive capabilities have been on full display and his consistency has been remarkable not to mention his very responsible play in his own zone. Tonight he added to his already impressive offensive tally with a beautiful goal worthy of the highlight reels.

Landon Flynn Falcons

The Falcons rookies didn't have a particularly flattering game but Flynn at least showed up offensively with 4 SOG, although unfortunately he didn't receive any payoff for his efforts.

Samsung virtual assistant · 09-12-2019, 11:06 AM

Swegs post game Interview

Tonights interview will be with Khabib Nurmagomedov, Lightweight champion of the UFC, as well as player for the Detroit Falcons.

Hello Khabib and congratulations on both the win in this game and on the succesful defense of the belt in the UFC. How do you balance the two sports?

Good diet, good genes and hard work.

Yes i do have to say that it's pretty amazing how you managed to stay the world champion in a MMA competition while competing and performing at an elite level in the SMJHL. What are the plans, can you keep this up and jump to the SHL without giving up on your UFC career? The schedule and training will be more intense in the major leagues so is there really time for the UFC?

I will do everything as long as i feel i can keep up. If not i do what i'm better at, i refuse to be anything but the best. I need to go to a Press Conference now goodbye.

There you have it folks, Thank you Khabib and good luck on both careers!

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