Junior hockey playoff talk: Wildcats' season comes to an end.
Well, since I'm now talking about the NHL playoffs, I need to give an update on the Wichita Falls Wildcats.
The Wildcats made the NAHL playoffs, but lost in the first round to the two-time defending national champion Texas Tornado. The series went the distance, and the 'Cats had a chance to close out the series on home ice in Game 4, but let the opportunity slip away. After getting drilled in Game 1, our boys put up a great defensive effort, goalie Tom Billick was magnificient, and despite getting outshot 31-17, we came out with a win by the score of 2-1. In the process, the boys had to finish the game 4-on-6 because of a penalty and an empty net at the other end. That was the first win ever for the Wildcats on the Tornado's home ice, which has been a real house of horrors for us. Game 3 was on our ice, and the Wildcats dominated with a 3-0 shutout. Again we outshot by a wide margin (37-19), but the D was solid and Billick was brilliant. In spite of the difference in shots, that was probably the best 60 minutes of hockey the Wildcats played all season. Going into Game 4, we had all the momentum and jumped out to a 2-0 lead. And then, with less than 10 seconds left in the period, there was a defensive breakdown, and a Tornado shot from a sharp angle that found the top of the net. From that point, the Wildcats' mental state was shaky while the Tornado regained their confidence. We just missed on a beautifully set up 2 on 1 in the second period, and then the Tornado scored two quick goals to take a 3-2 lead. Then, just as in the first, we had a defensive breakdown with under 10 seconds. That allowed a skater an open lane right down the slot for a point blank shot which made the score 4-2. We put up 12 shots in the 3rd, but the Tornado goalie really found his game and stopped them all. That meant a deciding Game 5 on the road. The final score of that Game was 4-0, but the game was much closer than the score indicated. The game was scoreless until the 18:40 mark of the 2nd, and there was an empty netter at the end. The real difference was the Tornado goalie. He was less than good in Games 2-3 and the first two periods of Game 4, but from there on out, he was outstanding.
Still, the Wildcats took away a lot of positives from that series, and those will provide a great foundation for next season. We have a solid group coming back next year (as long as some don't get offered college scholarships, and there are couple of possibilities there), and new players that have already been signed for next year have plenty of size and skill. And most importantly, Tom Billick will be back. Tom was the best player on the team all season long. Due to a long stretch where the offense was not producing much at all and the D was not helping him out, his statistics do not show how good he was this year. His improvement from last season to this was big, and if that continues, he will be one of the premier goaltenders in the NAHL (and American junior hockey in general) next year.
The guys who aged out this year will be missed. A big thanks to Kyle "The Captain" Kraemer, Chris Ochoa, Dan Medenwaldt, Nicholas "The Minister" Ghidina, Nick Swinteck, Paul Velo, and Doug Robinson.
Any Hockey East fans can see Kraemer next year playing with the Northeastern University Huskies.
The Wildcats made the NAHL playoffs, but lost in the first round to the two-time defending national champion Texas Tornado. The series went the distance, and the 'Cats had a chance to close out the series on home ice in Game 4, but let the opportunity slip away. After getting drilled in Game 1, our boys put up a great defensive effort, goalie Tom Billick was magnificient, and despite getting outshot 31-17, we came out with a win by the score of 2-1. In the process, the boys had to finish the game 4-on-6 because of a penalty and an empty net at the other end. That was the first win ever for the Wildcats on the Tornado's home ice, which has been a real house of horrors for us. Game 3 was on our ice, and the Wildcats dominated with a 3-0 shutout. Again we outshot by a wide margin (37-19), but the D was solid and Billick was brilliant. In spite of the difference in shots, that was probably the best 60 minutes of hockey the Wildcats played all season. Going into Game 4, we had all the momentum and jumped out to a 2-0 lead. And then, with less than 10 seconds left in the period, there was a defensive breakdown, and a Tornado shot from a sharp angle that found the top of the net. From that point, the Wildcats' mental state was shaky while the Tornado regained their confidence. We just missed on a beautifully set up 2 on 1 in the second period, and then the Tornado scored two quick goals to take a 3-2 lead. Then, just as in the first, we had a defensive breakdown with under 10 seconds. That allowed a skater an open lane right down the slot for a point blank shot which made the score 4-2. We put up 12 shots in the 3rd, but the Tornado goalie really found his game and stopped them all. That meant a deciding Game 5 on the road. The final score of that Game was 4-0, but the game was much closer than the score indicated. The game was scoreless until the 18:40 mark of the 2nd, and there was an empty netter at the end. The real difference was the Tornado goalie. He was less than good in Games 2-3 and the first two periods of Game 4, but from there on out, he was outstanding.
Still, the Wildcats took away a lot of positives from that series, and those will provide a great foundation for next season. We have a solid group coming back next year (as long as some don't get offered college scholarships, and there are couple of possibilities there), and new players that have already been signed for next year have plenty of size and skill. And most importantly, Tom Billick will be back. Tom was the best player on the team all season long. Due to a long stretch where the offense was not producing much at all and the D was not helping him out, his statistics do not show how good he was this year. His improvement from last season to this was big, and if that continues, he will be one of the premier goaltenders in the NAHL (and American junior hockey in general) next year.
The guys who aged out this year will be missed. A big thanks to Kyle "The Captain" Kraemer, Chris Ochoa, Dan Medenwaldt, Nicholas "The Minister" Ghidina, Nick Swinteck, Paul Velo, and Doug Robinson.
Any Hockey East fans can see Kraemer next year playing with the Northeastern University Huskies.
posted by WCharles @ 4/26/2006 02:07:00 PM
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