We’ve been talking for three days about what Josh Ho-Sang and Michael Dal Colle had been doing on the power play, and to a lesser extent what they and Connor Jones had been doing at even strength, where the rewards hadn’t come.
They came today in a game where the rewards came for everyone, like turnaround goals from heaven.
“To get rewarded with a couple tonight is big,” said Dal Colle, who scored one and got an assist on Devon Toews’.
Ho-Sang had four assists, tying the team record, becoming the 10th Sound Tiger with more than one four-point game. Brent Thompson said he’s working hard. Jones was effective. Dal Colle has 13 points in 10 games.
“Wilkes-Barre’s one of the better teams in the league. They’re fast. They attack. At five-on-five hockey, they’re very dangerous,” Thompson said.
“Especially early in the game, I thought we played a very tight game. We executed our breakouts and our game plan. It’s nice to see Josh, Jonesy and DC rewarded.
“It’s nice to see all the guys rewarded. (Otto) Koivula gets his first goal of the year, it’s nice to see that, a young guy, working hard, trying to feel out the North American game. I feel there’s a lot of positives we can build on.”
…..
Let’s start with the good: Chris Bourque gets off the schneid a couple of days after he talked Friday about it. “It’s nice, obviously, to contribute,” he said. “It’s obviously good to get the win. A great weekend for us.”
A couple for Kieffer Bellows, too. “This game really showed the offensive upside of our team, how many different guys can score goals,” Bellows said. We need to be more defensively sound throughout the full 60 minutes, but a win’s a win. We’ll take it right now.”
(For two games, it’s been the goals coming in a flood. #callbacks Also I have been told that “antediluvian” is too long a word.)
On the other side, this is six games in a row allowing a power-play goal, and four times in those six that they’ve allowed more than one. “The penalty kill, we’re going to have to step up,” Thompson said. “We’re going to have to be a heck of a lot better, because it can help win hockey games.”
In particular, he said: “Battle level. We’re giving up too many secondary chances, and we’re not clearing the puck when we get opportunities. It gives teams extended zone time.”
Following up the pregameblog, Thompson said Sebastian Aho is “a little sore. It’s more just maintenance. I know he had a little lower-body soreness, wanted to make sure he’s rested. Hopefully Wednesday.”
The long delay after the last goal was apparently over Christopher Gibson, who we’re told paddled the puck into the stands. The officials did finally give him a misconduct, though under abuse of officials. (The other long, though not as long, delay, after Kevin Czuczman and Steve Bernier tussled, was to try to decide whether the teams should play four-on-four or five-on-five. No comment.)
A friend of the blog noted that, during the early-second penalty chaos, Bridgeport’s penalty box had St. Denis, Rathgeb and Burroughs in a row: 24, 6, 8. I did not appreciate.
NHL deal for Matt Donovan, who’s 6-6-12 in 13 games for Milwaukee.
The elder John Stevens was fired in Los Angeles this morning. The younger remains on IR.
The team’s off tomorrow after a solid weekend. More Tuesday unless warranted.