|
CSNS-740 Raiders Lunch: Preseason Retrospective (part 1)
|
charlieconwayRegistered Posting Freak
08-06-2019, 11:01 PM
(This post was last modified: 08-06-2019, 11:02 PM by charlieconway.
Edit Reason: added a tag
)
Robert Hess: Hello everybody, welcome to Raiders Lunch on CSNS-740 in the Halifax metro area. I’m your host Robert Hess, and here with me is special guest and sharp dresser Langdon Alger, who works as a writer for PuckShack News covering the SMJHL. Pleased to have you co-hosting today, Langer.
Langdon Alger: Great to be here. RH: Let’s get right to it. The first half of the SMJHL S49 preseason is over, and your Halifax Raiders are sitting in a three-way tie for 5th with 27 points on the board and a 13-11-1 record after 25 games. Before we get into the five game stretches, what are your initial thoughts, Langdon? LA: Well, I think there are some things to be happy about and some that really have to bother you, if you’re a Raiders fan. RH: Right. Let’s take a look at the first five games of the preseason, in which the Raiders went 3-2. Game 1 (5): Lions [2] - [3] Raiders Game 2 (10): Raiders [3] - [2] Lions Game 3 (14): Scarecrows [4] - [7] Raiders Game 4 (22): Lions [4] - [3] Raiders Game 5 (25): Raiders [1] - [5] Scarecrows RH: Game 1 against the Lions. Your thoughts? LA: I thought it was a good first game. After such a long offseason, you expect the teams to be a bit slow to start, and I think that was the case here. The Raiders did well to score 3 in the second period, and the Lions tried to answer back but just couldn’t. In terms of standout performances, I think we all got more than we were expecting with rookie goalie Monty Montgomery (@CapMonty)— RH: He did great, especially at the end to keep the game tied. LA: Certainly. It’s hard not to be impressed by his rebound control, especially at such a young age, and at a critical time in the game no less. I also thought [Disisde] Dayudie (@"スウェグキング") had a solid 2nd star performance for the Lions, and we know it’s not easy to come in like that as a rookie. RH: How about game 2? LA: Another great performance from Montgomery. This game I think is where Cody (@Winter is Coming) really starts to take off in this tournament: 2 goals and a great presence on the ice. The Lions responded quickly after Cody’s second with a tally by Face of the Franchise (@Frankcarp21), but it wasn’t enough to tie it up. RH: Cody, Adam Barron, and Conor Tanner (@Keygan) are the three stars in that one. Game 3? LA: Rought night for Marques Brownlee (@Really), really emblematic of a hot and cold beginning to the preseason for him. Again Cody gets on the board, this time with a hattrick and giving him 5 goals in 2 games. The thing about this game is, Montgomery started poorly, and with three quick goals by the Scarecrows I was surprised to see Raiders coach Ed Balls (@"Flareon4043") leave him in. RH: But he did, and it paid off. LA: It’s always interesting to me to see how a goalie handles that kind of situation. You’re obviously getting beat and it’s just an absolute stinker of a night to start, but when the coach gives you that nod and says you’re staying in, it says a lot about a player—especially a young guy—to just regain your focus and do what you can to stop the bleeding. I thought the rest of the team really had his back, and it showed as the Raiders put up 5 In the second period, 3 of them coming on the powerplay. Esa Parmborg (@Steelhead77) scores 2 and Josef Kubinec (@"Marc Bradford") picks up a goal and two assists, so there’s no surprise when they join Cody in the three stars. RH: Game 4 sees the Raiders lose for the first time in the preseason, but you don’t think it reflects the story of the game? LA: Well when you look at the scoreboard, you see both teams each taking a turn putting the puck into the net until the Lions finally ice it. FR Finn-Rhys (@FinnRhys) had a great game, scoring his first of the preseason, and Cody and Kubinec once again got on the board. RH: And then there was an ugly game for their fifth. LA: Real ugly. I thought they really failed to get engaged to start, and it led to a really painful performance by pretty much everyone. James Ronlain (@Rankle) put up 2 and assisted once, I thought that kid really played well. In fact, he had a great start to the preseason, leading all rookies in points. RH: Don’t forget Jakub Bruchevsky (@JaytheGreat) picking up 4 assists. LA: Another great performance, yeah. And I think Scarecrows management was happy to see Marques Brownlee redeem himself after a poor performance in game 3. RH: So that’s five to start, what were your thoughts moving into the next five? LA: That it was hard to be positive if you’re a Raiders fan when the team can look like world beaters against the Scarecrows and then lay an egg against that same team two games later. But as we said, that’s really the nature of the SMJHL: you can’t expect these young guys to have any sort of consistency yet. It’s something that comes with time and experience. RH: Moving on. Game 6 (29): Raiders [3] - [2] Militia (SO) Game 7 (34): Outlaws [3] - [5] Raiders Game 8 (39): Raiders [2] - [0] Outlaws Game 9 (44): Scarecrows [1] - [3] Raiders Game 10 (50): Militia [4] - [2] Raiders RH: The Raiders follow up the disappointing performance against the Scarecrows in game 5 with four wins in a row. LA: When you look at this run of games, you come out thinking the Raiders have a real gem of a defenseman in Haley Knight (@satf). She’s got a solid defensive presence but also perhaps one of the best offensive minds on the team. RH: Let’s start with game 6, and Halifax’s first shootout win of the preseason. LA: Another goal by Cody, and the first and only goal of the preseason for rookie defenseman Adam Barron— RH: Who will be joining us a little later to give his thoughts on the start to his Raiders career, by the way. LA: That’s right. The Militia I think did well to tie it up early in the third, and it was a goalie battle for most of the shootout until rookie Suzuki Namokato (@Thejaff) barely squeaked one by Montreal’s Mike Hunt (@"AtlasHunter"). A solid performance for a forward that hasn’t really had much potential paid to him since the draft, but I honestly think he could wind up being a good one. RH: Game 7 is, like you alluded to before, one of those times you really get to see Haley Knight shine. LA: A very good offensive performance. Raiders rookie Karl Krashwagen (@CementHands) surprised me with his first goal and assist. The trouble here if you’re the Outlaws is that Jacob Riley really hamstrung his team with two penalties—including one in the last minute of the game when Anaheim was trying to climb back in it. Speak to anyone involved in hockey at the junior level on up, they’ll tell you coaches hate it when you take penalties in the last moments of the game, let alone when you’re down by one. RH: Game 8. Great night for the goalies? LA: Montgomery earns a warranted 1st star, I thought he played really well. Even [Patrick] Niederreiter (@DieselJ) looked strong for the Outlaws, it’s just that he had no help from his offense. It only took Cody 8 games to score his 8th, which is spectacular. Try as they might, Anaheim couldn’t beat Monty, who made 27 saves for the shutout, including 14 in the first alone. I may get emails from some of your listeners, but I thought the Outlaws were unlucky to lose this one. RH: Only if they know your email, Langer. Game 9? LA: Revenge for the game 5 loss to the Scarecrows. Taisei-Tiikeri Wawazat (@Wawazat) … that’s how you pronounce it, right? From now on I’m gonna call him TT. RH: Pretty sure that’s what his teammates call him. LA: I don't blame them. TT had a great game, notching a goal and an assist. The big takeaway from this game was the poor officiating: tempers flared in the 3rd period as Oliver Klozoff (@Alex Mack) boarded LW Nicolaj Muller (@esilverm) and his teammates came to his defense. Again, it won’t win me over any of your listeners, but come on, that’s a clear major. The Raiders were lucky to only be penalized for 2. RH: Finally, a rough night for Montgomery in game 10. LA: You have to feel for the kid, he clearly does his best. But it wasn’t good enough this time… he really has to do better than 10 saves from 14 shots. Knight has another strong performance with a goal and an assist, but she was outshone by Montreal’s Phineas Gold (@Z0REM). He really impressed me with his puck handling… you can see there’s something to work with there. I predict big things. And then there’s Padraig Sarantez (@EuroCap) who’s a bit of a wildcard— RH: --For the first but not last time in preseason— LA: --That’s right. Two assists, but two stick infractions as well. Doesn’t matter in the end: the Raiders are unable to capitalize, and they suffer their first of five straight defeats. RH: Whoa, Langer. Spoilers, buddy. Your thoughts after the first 10? LA: One thing that struck me watching them, especially early on in the preseason, is that they have a very strong presence at center. Sure, you have wingers like Cody, Spanish and Rush, or defense like Knight and Finn-Rhys, but I think TT Wawazat, Timmo Kyllonen (@Lemonade), Conor Tanner and Esa Parmborg as your centermen is tough to match. RH: Esa Parmborg… you haven’t said much about him so far. LA: Don’t worry, Rob, we’ll get there. RH: Let’s take a look at games 11 through 15. Game 11 (55): Raiders [2] - [4] Militia Game 12 (59): Raiders [1] - [5] Scarecrows Game 13 (64): Outlaws [5] - [4] Raiders Game 14 (70): Raiders [5] - [6] Militia (OT) Game 15 (74): Militia [1] - [2] Raiders RH: Four losses to finish off that five game losing skid. LA: By the end of it you could really see the frustration on the faces of the Raiders, especially with the tough defeat against Montreal. RH: First thing’s first: Game 11. LA: Their second straight loss to the Militia. Ravyn Tedisko (@Darkened_Rose_16) had an outstanding game, scoring 2 and adding an assist. Despite another strong offensive performance from Cody with two goals, Halifax just couldn’t get one by Hunt to tie it with the empty net. I think this is one of those games where there had to be some yelling in the locker room from coach Ed Balls with the way they were undisciplined at the worst times. 10 minutes of combined penalties, and 2 allowed on the PK. Rookie Karl Krashwagen takes two penalties on his own, and I think that really underscores a concern that a lot of Raiders fans have about the kid. RH: It’s something that’s come up a lot in the first half, isn’t it? LA: You know, it’s tough. Because if you’re rusty to start a steady run of games like this, you can wind up chasing the game and taking yourself out of it. That’s a rough thing to overcome as a new guy, when you’re still trying to make a game. Krashwagen finished the first half of the preseason with the second highest amount of penalty time of all Raiders, and I think at a certain point it’s up to him to prove what kind of player he wants to be. RH: Is it emblematic of how he is as a player, or is it something of a one-off? LA: That’s the strange thing, I don’t think it really reflects the type of player he can be. He was drafted by the Raiders because of his strong two-way game, and I’m not convinced that this isn’t just a blip, that he’ll go back to impressing sooner than later. RH: Moving on to the 12th game of Raiders preseason. LA: Another miserable performance by the Raiders, and another bit of evidence that when he’s on, Marques Brownlee is one of the best goaltending prospects in the world. He just needs to work on consistency, like a lot of these guys. 25 saves on 26 shots is great, but truth be told it was a forgettable game from the Raiders. They were in it for most of it but after the Scarecrows scored three quick goals in a span of 3 minutes in the 3rd period, Halifax just gave up. RH: Speaking of consistency, Montgomery gets pulled for the Raiders in game 13 against the Outlaws. LA: Deservedly so, I think. As much as the defense faltered in the beginning of the game, he really needed to be better. I remember being there in the arena, and it was almost like you can feel the frustration in the air. It boiled over in the third as Timmo Kyllonen and Anthony Banthony (@Nebula) fought a pretty spirited tilt just one second after Nick Connolly (@shutdown) scored the game winner. Esa was good for Halifax, as is so often the case, but his two goals were wasted. RH: And now we come to the final loss of the 5, against the Militia. LA: An OT loss, one that I think really hurt, but there were some positive signs. Wawazat put up 2, including the tying goal at 7:08 of the third. I think he’s a player that some analysts have a tendency to sleep on, which really isn’t justified given what he brings to the table. Padraig Sarantez again had a couple of assists but got into penalty trouble, including a double minor in the first that led to a goal on the powerplay by Klozoff. RH: And the game winner in OT? LA: Herry Morris IV (@Taxman100) with an absolute rocket of a shot past Biz Nasty (@GrilledTwinkiez). It took two and a half minutes to end it, but I was convinced at the time it was heading to a shootout. RH: Game 15 mercifully saw the losing streak come to an end, against their familiar foes in Montreal. LA: As much as you could see the frustration on their faces when they lost in OT to the Militia, you could see the relief when they finally won. After getting pulled again in game 14, Montgomery put up a redeeming performance, stopping 19 of 20. Atlas Rush isn’t someone I’ve mentioned much so far, but he played phenomenally and scored the game winner on the powerplay in the third. The captain really brings a strong presence on the wing for the Raiders. RH: Your thoughts after the first fifteen games? LA: I’m convinced that the easiest way to success in hockey, especially at the youth level, is to maintain consistency as a team. It’s just so important to maintain your focus, even when you’re losing, because one loss can quickly turn into five, as it did with the Raiders. In the end, you have to learn how to forget the other games you’ve played and just move on. Had Halifax done so, maybe they get 4 out of 5 wins there instead of 4 out of 5 losses. Game 16 (81): Scarecrows [1] - [5] Raiders Game 17 (87): Raiders [3] - [4] Whalers Game 18 (89): Raiders [6] - [4] Lions Game 19 (96): Falcons [3] - [4] Raiders Game 20 (99): Raiders [2] - [1] Armada (SO) RH: Which is a great segue to the next five, of which the Raiders won four and looked to be recovering as a team. LA: Game 16 saw an amazing performance from Finn-Rhys, whose 3 assists earned him the first star. We saw a familiar sight in Marques Brownlee’s rough performance: 4 goals on 16 shots led to Shiqa Vitalievich coming in after only 23 minutes. Suzuki Namokato scored his first regulation goal of the preseason, his only other being the shootout winner in game 6. RH: In game 17, the Raiders finally play the defending champions. How’d they fare against the Whalers? LA: Better than you might have expected, but worse than they hoped. We don’t talk about Jon Snow much, he’s a bit of a quiet forward for Halifax, but he tallied his team’s first two. I’ve heard a lot of people downplay the chances the Whalers have of repeating, given the big names they’ve lost to the SHL over the offseason. But if they can maintain the offense they showed in game 17, they have as good a chance as anyone to repeat. It’s not a common occurrence but Haley Knight got into some penalty trouble, which really hurt the Raiders. And you’d think with 7 goals total the goalies would have had a poor game but I don’t think so at all. They played solidly, if not spectacular. RH: Next is a 6-4 win against the Lions. LA: Jon Snow with his third goal in two games, and Haley Knight redeems herself with a goal, an assist, and an overall solid defensive performance. But the main story in game 18 is the bad blood between the two teams. RH: It really was quite a sight, wasn’t it. LA: I wonder what Ed Balls put in Josef Kubinec’s gatorade, because he fought twice: once against Boruvka Banananak (@PeanutButter) in the second period and once against Liam Hutchinson (@Sir__Magoo) in the third. All together, 28 minutes of penalties were handed out just in the second period. RH: What sparked the animosity? LA: I’m not quite sure. I’ve heard from league sources that there was some trash talk between the two teams that crossed a line at some point, and you know how easy it is for one thing to lead to another in hockey. One guy hits another guy, who retaliates, and then you get into a parade of retaliation until you can’t even remember what started it all in the first place. RH: Forgetting about roughhousing for a minute, there were a couple of young players that impressed you, correct? LA: Absolutely. Disisde Dayudie picked up his 11th assist on a goal by fellow rookie Akira Ren (@Velevra), which further highlights a great performance from the two young Lions. RH: Moving on to Game 19, and another outstanding performance by Esa. LA: You can’t say enough good things about him: he’s an offensive force for the Raiders, one they’re going to have to count on once the regular season starts. A goal and two assists earned him the first star, despite a solid performance from Falcons goalie Emiko Spector (@"MantoRune"). Lunga Gumba (@Pingy Pingu) had 2 goals and Izem Abioye (@eddiesnothere) had 2 assists but it wasn’t enough to pick up the win against the soaring Raiders. RH: And Game 20, the first time Adam Barron plays the Armada since his somewhat controversial accusation in an interview with you that they made a mistake in passing on him. LA: Yeah, that was a rough one. If he was looking to prove a point in this game, I don’t think the message got through: his performance was mediocre. Despite struggling in the faceoff dot, TT Wawazat scored the game tying goal with just over a minute left to send the game to extra time, and Josef Kubinec had the only goal in a six-shot shootout. RH: OK, Langer, what were you thinking after 20 games? LA: That the Raiders have a strong leadership core. Esa, Cody, Ricky Spanish, Wawazat, Finn-Rhys, Knight, Kubinec, Tanner… all key figures moving into the second half of the preseason and beyond. There are some teams that are looking to rely on their new and less-experienced talent to take them to the promise land in S49, but the Raiders have the luxury of a lineup with talent and will at every position. RH: Finally, the last five games of the first half of preseason. Game 21 (105): Outlaws [5] - [2] Raiders Game 22 (109): Scarecrows [2] - [4] Raiders Game 23 (114): Raiders [3] - [5] Outlaws Game 24 (121): Armada [5] - [4] Raiders Game 25 (123): Raiders [2] - [6] Lions RH: A bit of a stumble at the end there, Langer. What went wrong in game 21? LA: A lot. Mainly, though, it was down to a great night from Anaheim’s offense. Gordon Bombay (@RunnerBert11) picked up a goal and two assists to earn himself a well-deserved first star. Monty Montgomery tallied an apple on the second Raiders goal on the power play in the third, but other than that Halifax didn’t show much. RH: And game 22? LA: Another great performance from James Ronlain, but it wasn’t enough to match Wawazat, Knight and Kubinec, who picked up 1st, 2nd and 3rd star respectively. Again, Marques Brownlee gets pulled against the Raiders. In the other end of the rink, Montgomery played well. A game like this one just underscores how feast or famine junior goaltending can be. RH: Game 23 sees the first of three Halifax defeats heading into the second half of the preseason. LA: It’s a shame, because Kubinec tallied his 9th and 10th of the preseason, and Esa picked up a pair of assists. The Outlaws did a good job of out-shooting the Raiders, and I thought Cody had a poor game. Anaheim’s Lallo Selman (@BDonini) played well: he was a buzzsaw all over the ice, and his effort was rewarded with two goals and an assist. RH: Game 24 seemed like a battle of wills between two high-octane forwards. LA: It was. The Armada’s Elijah Jones (@Toivo) and the Raiders’ Esa Parmborg were by far the best players on the ice, and the score showed it. Jones scored a hattrick and Parmborg finished the night with two goals and two assists. Two penalties by Snow and Rush really cost the Raiders, who couldn’t keep the puck out on the penalty kill. Another quiet night from Cody and another strong game from Kubinec, who finished with a goal, two assists, and a plus-four rating. RH: Finally we come to Game 25, a 6-2 loss against the Lions. LA: An awful end to the first half of the preseason for Monty Montgomery. He gave up 4 goals on 6 shots, which led to him being pulled after just over six and a half minutes. RH: Was that on him, or was it just the Lions offense overwhelming him? LA: A bit of both, Rob. The Lions scored 5 in a row, 4 of which came from Eva Lykke Aparjode (@Jogurtaa), who had a phenomenal game. Boruvka Banananak picked up 4 assists and Nolan McMahon (@Reynolds) put in a strong performance for Lethbridge. RH: Looking back on the first 25 games, what are your thoughts heading into games 26 through 50? LA: Simply put, I’d like to see better hockey from the Raiders. That goes for a few other teams, actually. You can’t tell me the Raptors should be sitting in last place in preseason with the roster they have: just based on the pickups they made in the draft, they should be improved on last season. Vorian Atreides (@OrbitingDeath) is sitting at 3 points in 25 games… there’s something wrong there. He was taken 2nd overall for a reason. He can score, he can skate, he can even defend. The coaches in Colorado must be expecting more, and so am I. RH: I was more asking about the Raiders. LA: I wonder what they’ll do about goaltending. It’s a keen move to give Montgomery lots of playing time in the first 25 games, but you can’t say it's always it’s paid off: for every great game he has, he follows up with a poor one. I also wonder if we’ll see more of some of the rookies, like Stacey Jefferson Jr. and Suzuki Namokato. When it comes to preseason, you don’t always get an honest glance at players, but the more they play the clearer the picture gets. And of course you hope Karl Krashwagen can pick it up on the scoreboard and stay out of the box. RH: OK, after the break, we’ll be joined by rookie Raider Adam Barron, who can fill us in on how the room’s reacted to the preseason so far, and what he thinks the team needs to improve on moving forward. --------------------------------- RH: Right, joining us now via satellite is Adam Barron, 18th overall selection in the S49 SMJHL entry draft. Thanks for giving us your time, Adam, we know you’re working your ass off practicing. Adam Barron: No problem, thanks for having me. RH: Let’s jump right in. How do you think you’ve played? AB: Uhh, not bad, not great. It’s not really something that can be summed up in a word. When it comes to playing against SMJHL level talent, I had an introduction in the prospect showcase with the Wranglers, but even that was no comparison to this. RH: You’ve noticed a jump in quality of opposition? AB: For sure. It’s not lost on me that some of these players wouldn’t look out of place on an SHL roster. It’s more of a challenge, especially as a defender. Sometimes it’s hard to keep up. LA: Hey Adam, it’s Langdon Alger from PuckShack News. In terms of --- AB: Hey Larry. LA: -- it’s Langdon and you know it. In terms of your own game, what are the aspects that you’re satisfied with and what is it you specifically need to work on? AB: I’m mostly OK with how I’ve defended. My defensive zone exits have been good, and I’ve been skating well. I also had a good start adjusting to Ed’s system, and everyone else has been making my life easier in being understanding in those moments when I go out of sync. I think I just need to work on the way I’m jumping into the play. My rushes on offense have to get better. RH: Is there any opponent, be it team or player, that’s given you a high amount of trouble so far? AB: Uhh, yeah. In terms of teams, Montreal’s played us really well. We’ve been back and forth with the Outlaws a few times, and even though we’ve only faced them once, the Whalers and Armada look like good teams. RH: And in terms of players? AB: [James] Ronlain’s been good. Elijah Jones was a nightmare to try and defend … I need to work on my skating to try and keep up with him. I’ve been really impressed by the way Nicolaj Muller plays. [Lallo] Selman and [Nick] Connolly on the Outlaws, too. Thinking about it, it’s mainly the fast-paced forwards that can skate and think quick that have given me the most trouble. I see it as a sign that I need to get quicker in my decision making to match them, otherwise I’m gonna have a rough year. LA: Talking about other players, there’s been some criticism directed at the 1st overall in August’s SMJHL entry draft, Ryan Shephard (@Naosu) … namely that his offensive game hasn’t been as good as you’d expect from such a highly touted prospect. Do you agree? AB: [laughs] Not at all. I’m not surprised that people take it upon themselves to judge when a guy’s having a bad game or two, but the fact is he’s got top talent and it’s not going to be long before he shows it. I know Ryan from our time with the Wranglers, and he made it clear in the showcase that he’s 1st overall material. LA: Yes, Adam, but three goals in 25 games… do you have any advice for him? AB: No. That’s for his coaches to give. I’m not worried about him, I’m worried about my own team and how we do. RH: Speaking of, how has it been playing with the talent on the Raiders? AB: An adjustment. Like I mentioned before, it’s a step up from the showcase when it comes to thinking and acting fast. When a guy like Esa or Cody gets the puck, it takes no time at all for ‘em to pass it to you and expect a play to be made. There’s just no extra time. The key to offense in the SMJHL, and the SHL I assume, is acting fast. It’s not so much about being bigger or more skilled with the puck like it is in Midget AAA; you need to think the game better. That’s something I’ve always prided myself on: my hockey mind. I’m confident that in time I’ll gain a step or two and be right there with the best of my teammates. LA: Who’s impressed you the most on the Halifax roster? AB: Well, I’m a defenseman. I try and take cues from the other D, which means playing close attention to Ollie [Oliver Klozoff], Haley [Knight] and Finn [FR Finn-Rhys]. They’ve all wowed me at different times in these first 25 games, and I’m gonna be fortunate to get quality ice time with them eating up all the minutes. But in the end that bodes well to for the team, and in the end, that’s what I’m here to do: win games. My own development will happen in the meantime. On offense, I've really liked watching Cody, Conor [Tanner] and Ricky [Spanish] all work together, they have a lot of chemistry. RH: Seeing the crowds in the stands at these preseason games, has it sunk in the kind of support the Raiders and the other SMJHL teams have? AB: Yeah, it’s interesting. To be completely honest you see it more on social media than anything else. You get lots of praise when you do well, and when you cost your team in some way, it can be tough to stay online. LA: Any particularly tough criticisms? AB: You’d like to hear all about it, wouldn’t you. RH: How has it been learning the ropes with your fellow rookies? AB: It’s great, they’ve had my back and we have all really helped each other. Stace [Stacey Jefferson Jr.] and I try and keep each other informed on [coach] Ed’s expectations, in terms of where we need to be on the ice and what we need to practice on between games. Suzie [Suzuki Namokato] has been a ball of energy on and off the ice, I get the sense he’s enjoying every second of it, even if maybe he’s not being rewarded on the scoresheet like he should be. Krasher [Karl Krashwagen] has been checking everything that moves, and it’s rubbing off on me and the boys, really gets us going. And of course Monty’s been fantastic. RH: You mention fellow rookie Monty Montgomery. How would you rate his performance so far? AB: I just said fantastic. LA: Has it been, though? Montgomery has a winning record, which is impressive as a rookie, but there are some fans that think he shouldn’t be starting. He’s been pulled a few times, and some would say those were games you could’ve won if Biz Nasty was in net. AB: When I spoke earlier about how much faster everything is right now, that goes double for a goalie. It can’t be overstated how difficult it is to graduate to a different tier of play when you’re tasked with stopping every shot. It’s not just the skates or the mind that gets faster in this kind of situation: it’s the release, too. Every time a shooter bears down on him, Monty needs to be that much quicker. I’m surprised how well he’s done, all things considered. LA: So you expected him to be worse? AB: Don’t start shit. RH: Adam, before we let you go, what is it you think the Raiders need to work on moving into the second half of preseason? AB: Discipline is a big thing. There have been times when a great effort was wasted just because guys haven’t been able to keep their sticks off the other guy. That has to stop. I think we need to work on our focus… it’s been dropping at times and Ed hasn’t been shy to let us know. RH: Are you getting tired? AB: Not at all. But like with anything else, there’s an adjustment, and I’m not used to playing so many games in such a short period of time. LA: I’ve been saying for years that 50 games is too long for a preseason. RH: Adam Barron, new Halifax Raider. We’re all excited to see what you can accomplish at this level, good luck my friend. AB: Take care guys. LA: Bye. … RH: There you have it. LA: That guy can be touchy. RH: Were you trying to “start shit” with the Montgomery question? LA: I plead the fifth. RH: Ladies and gentlemen, that’s it for today’s Raiders Lunch. Tune in every week at 1:00 PM on CSNS-740 for your Halifax and SMJHL news. I’ve been your host Robert Hess, with me has been PuckShack News’ Langdon Alger— LA: See ya. RH: And we’ll see you again soon. [Outro music.] ■ ** 6524 words, with the x2 first article bonus. Ready for grading. Apologies if I missed a user ping or misspelled a name, there was a lot going on in this one. Should have the second part up after the rest of the preseason is simmed. **
esilvermSite Management Index Dad
Nice!
Pass Forfeit (D) ● Player Profile
   ![[Image: esilverm.gif]](https://sig.grumpybumpers.com/host/esilverm.gif) Special thanks to Blitz, jhockey, Ragnarr, and sulo for the gorgeous sigs <3 ![[Image: DG0jZcS.png]](https://i.imgur.com/DG0jZcS.png)
ThejaffRegistered Junior Member
bilboRegistered Should be working but just loafing around
Seeing the name Montgomery on the Raiders again is going to heck me up for a bit, but v nice!
 hype
![[Image: 56791_s.gif]](https://signavatar.com/56791_s.gif) sigs by sulovilen, slothfacekilla, Flareon
avatar by prettyburn Current:
  | Alumni:    
RublicRegistered S27, S29 Challenge Cup Champion
S52 "A" Alternate Captain of the Calgary Dragons
"GM" - Former Prince George Firebirds and Regina Force General Manager "C" - Former Captain of the Halifax Raiders S48 Brandon Holmes Trophy Recipient - Top Defensive Forward  -  - -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  Davos Otasrob Player Page Davos Otasrob Player Updates
RankleSMJHL GM Posting Freak
WhikadoodleRegistered S23, S45 Challenge Cup Champion
Steelhead77Registered S27, S29, S32, S40, S42 Challenge Cup Champion & Parm King
This is awesome!!
---> ParmBorg Highlights <---
![[Image: cgv4vCv.png]](http://i.imgur.com/cgv4vCv.png)  ![[Image: 95lCCDx.png]](http://i.imgur.com/95lCCDx.png) ![[Image: parmborg.gif]](https://sig.grumpybumpers.com/host/parmborg.gif) ![[Image: steelhead77.gif]](http://sig.grumpybumpers.com/host/steelhead77.gif) #1 All-Time SHL Goal & Point Scorer - First 2,000 TPE Player in SHL History - - First 400 Goal Scorer in SHL History - - Only 500 Goal Scorer in SHL History - - First GM to Win 5 & 6 Challenge Cups - Esa Anrikkanen Award - SMJHL ROY - Est. S34 Vidrik Onoprienko Award Winner - S45  ![[Image: 271.png]](https://s15.postimg.cc/l6bfga06z/271.png) ![[Image: 291.png]](https://s15.postimg.cc/nc5qaco3f/291.png) ![[Image: 321.png]](https://s15.postimg.cc/g8xuusg3v/321.png) ![[Image: 401.png]](https://s15.postimg.cc/snkmv5pmj/401.png) ![[Image: 42banner2.png]](https://s33.postimg.cc/a502ovjxb/42banner2.png) ![[Image: r-Wt4-AB350oooo.png]](https://i.postimg.cc/TwGddFcM/r-Wt4-AB350oooo.png) |
|
« Next Oldest | Next Newest »
|
![[Image: 9ZNnX19.png]](https://i.imgur.com/9ZNnX19.png)
![[Image: fYimPTz.png]](https://i.imgur.com/fYimPTz.png)
![[Image: Raiders-banner.png]](https://simulationhockey.com/images/Raiders-banner.png)
![[Image: rankle.gif]](https://sig.grumpybumpers.com/host/rankle.gif)
![[Image: 9rbVE0N.png]](https://i.imgur.com/9rbVE0N.png)
![[Image: EePsAwN.png]](https://i.imgur.com/EePsAwN.png)
![[Image: eaex9S1.png]](https://i.imgur.com/eaex9S1.png)
![[Image: owenm43.gif]](https://sig.grumpybumpers.com/host/owenm43.gif)
![[Image: 9vAsr7c.png]](https://i.imgur.com/9vAsr7c.png)
| Users browsing this thread: |
| 1 Guest(s) |
