Blazers NewsOK.com Blogging Community

By Robert Przybylo
BPrzybylo@opubco.com

10:33 - Couldn’t make it easy on me, huh? I spent the latter half of that third period writing the Bill Vandermeer story that you can find Friday in The Oklahoman and NewsOK. How’s that for blatant self-promotion?

Anyway, Blazer fans can take a sigh of relief. Talking with various members of Blazers management after, all in agreement. If you lose a game like this, it haunts you some tonight but a lot more in February and March.

As is the MO of this season, Blazers controlled the puck but the scoreboard didn’t reflect it. I should just copy and paste that after every game.

Sauter seemed most pleased with Goose. He was hoping Goose could have been one of the three stars. For the record, during that 5-on-3, it was Oriel McHugh, Stacey Bauman and Ted Vandermeer putting down that threat.

As for Goose, Sauter’s words on him were simple: “He’s not here because he’s a backup. Nothing about his performance surprised us. We knew he is a quality goaltender.”

No word on who will get the call Saturday at Wichita. I’d love to make that trek one of these times. Not this weekend as I’ll be a HS football game (Midwest City/Stillwater for any wondering).

- Simon Lambert should be back Saturday. Lambert was one of the four that all got injured in 30 minutes during Tuesday’s practice.

- D.J. Jelitto was banged up in the second period. He took a hard hit on the boards, but he looked OK in the locker room. No speculation on his status.

Overall thoughts

It’s not true, but I feel Oklahoma City stole one tonight after nearly giving it away. Yeah, that doesn’t make sense, but let me try to convince you.

Playing without Andy Franck in net and without leading scorer Lambert and losing Jelitto and still coming out on top?

Every coach says it. It gets tiresome, but it’s true. Championship teams find a way to win games like this.

Speaking with Bill Vandermeer after, he thought the team’s pressure was great all night. He admitted to being very fired up about playing his former team. He was a star with Amarillo, and he’s a vital cog for the Blazers.

And once again, how about Robin Gomez getting the Gordie Howe in one period?

One down, two to go. At Wichita on Saturday and back home against Texas on Sunday.

9:27 - Three minutes to go, 5-on-3 for Amarillo, still 3-2.

9:15 - This will be the final update until postgame unless something extraordinary happens. With 8:50 left, it’s still Oklahoma City 3, Amarillo 2.

9:01 - Hey, maybe I do know something. Twenty-seven seconds in, Bill Vandermeer scores on a beautiful goal from Brian Passmore and Chad Hinz. Bill was playing too good tonight to be denied.

8:37 - He hasn’t found the net yet, but Bill Vandermeer is playing the best game I’ve seen from him yet. Keep in mind, I’ve only got to see a couple of games so far. Bill is really showing his speed and getting some great opportunities.

But right now, can’t light up the red light. We’re tied 2-2 through the second.

Blazers showed more life in those final five minutes. It’s not like they were sleepwalking those first 15 minutes, but just didn’t see that urgency that is needed in a tie game.

If the Blazers are going to win, you can almost guarantee it will because of Chad Hinz and/or Bill Vandermeer. They’ve been all over the ice causing havoc.

Oklahoma City had some good PP opportunities in those final 10 minutes but just couldn’t cash in. I stand by my story that it feels like the Blazers should be up. This is one you can’t let get away.

In the only other game, Laredo is up 3-2 against Rio Grande Valley and they, too, are in the second intermission.

8:22 - It’s just one of those games. It feels like it should be 4-1 or 5-2, but Amarillo scored a minute ago to tie this sucker up. It was a beautiful PP goal for the Gorillas.

With 9:19 left, Oklahoma City is going on the power play, so maybe something will get going.

7:50 p.m. - Where did the chippiness come from? You could say the first period had everything you could hope for. In 20 minutes, Robin Gomez earned his second Gordie Howe Hat Trick of the season. He started with the goal, then the assist and got into a scuffle as time expired.

Gomez has had a pretty good track record, but this one was more of a draw. Neither man landed anything on consequence. Ring generalship (or is it ice) would have went to Gomez who dictated the pace.

On the other hand, crown Tyler Fleck with a middleweight title. He absolutely obliterated Amarillo’s John Snowden. Took him to the cleaners.

I love how Fleck gets charged with instigating it when he’s the one that got boarded. All is well that ends well, and that reminded me of Brock Lesnar and Randy Couture in just the smidgest way possible.

After seven minutes, it was 2-1 Oklahoma City. Thought we were in for a real shootout. Things settled down and we’re still at that 2-1 mark as we head to the second period.

Goose got off to a rocky start. One shot, one goal. But he settled down and had a couple of really nice saves in the period. As usual, the Blazers dictated play, registering 18 official shots.

Gomez scored the first while Stacey Bauman found the net for the second goal. Jason Murfitt has picked up an assist on each of the two goals.

And side note, I dig Amarillo’s unis. What can I say, I’m sucker for black jerseys. Be back after the second.