The Regina Pats were scheduled to play a game in Prince Albert last night against the Raiders before returning home to play their first game at Brandt Centre since Nov. 10 against the Spokane Chiefs.
Included in that stretch was their annual Agribition-induced west coast road-trip. Despite suffering a slew of injuries, including the loss of their top three centres (Chandler Stephenson, Trent Ouellette and Emil Sylvegard) and number one defenceman and team captain (Colton Jobke), the Pats had a reasonably successful trip, securing six of a possible ten points in five games.
On the bright side, the team has been getting solid play from their two goaltenders (Matt Hewitt and Teagan Sacher). They’ll face a tough test tonight, though, as Spokane currently sports the third best record in the WHL’s Western Conference. Game time at Brandt Centre is 7 p.m.
No fine for not playing their top players?
http://lubbockonline.com/filed-online/2012-11-30/doc-rivers-criticizes-nba-fine-against-spurs
sheesh!
Pats as pick of the Saturday night gives me shivers…
Ie Pats gave up an W by letting Spokane skate too much.. over 50 shots, by the Chiefs?
hi chl/ahl/ihl & euro league fans
http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Richard-Cloutier/CBA-Goes-Nuclear-NHLPA-to-Decertify/131/47637
If All the current Nhl millionaire players just quit the NHL 100% right now,& re-instated the World Hockey League with their own money, F*** Gary B., would be outa the picture in a millisecond…
Re: #1.
I have mixed feelings about the NBA’s action. In most sports leagues, it’s an accepted practice that as the season winds down, and teams have secured playoff spots, they have the right to rest top players to get ready for the playoffs. In their last regular season game against the B.C. Lions, for instance, the Riders sat out Darian Durant and Weston Dressler among others.
It’s also an accepted practice for teams to play back-ups from time to time and rest starters during a long season, as in the case of an NHL team playing a back-up goalie or a baseball team having a pitcher miss a start to rest their arm.
In this instance, San Antonio Spurs were playing their fourth road game in five nights and the coach elected to send four of the team’s 12 players, including its three biggest stars (Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobli) home early rather than have them suit up for a game against the Miami Heat.
Miami is the defending league champion, the Spurs are one of the top teams in the Western Conference, and the game was on national TV, so it was a marquee match-up.
It actually turned out to be a pretty decent game, with the Heat coming from behind to win 105-100. But the NBA product is tied pretty closely to its star players. You only have 12 player rosters, and five players on the court at the same time, so star players typically have plenty of room to shine. If teams start resting key players at multiple points in the season the entertainment value for fans, both at the arena and watching at home (or in sports bars) on TV, goes down considerably.
Of course, part of the problem is that regular seasons in basketball and hockey in particular are way too long, and the amount of travel teams have to do is insane, so you end up getting a substandard product anyway until the intensity ramps up at playoff time.
#5 As I heard on 1 of our local sport radio shows, one announcer said almost the exact sentence as your did GB: ” It actually turned out to be a pretty decent game”.
Isn’t that part / most of the fun of being a spectator?
You paid to see an entertaining event.
The Pat’s blew an easy?lead, but the overtime I’m sure left some of the fans happy with the outcome.