No words for how amazing you were tonight. (Photo: Bridget Samuels/flickr)
Sometimes a goalie steals a game for you. Rangers fans are used to that since they have “The King” in net. After tonight, I think we need to start calling Cam Talbot “The Prince” (i.e. next in line for the throne).
First let’s start with some news – earlier today the Connecticut Whale sent defenseman Sebastian Piche to the ECHL Greenville Road Warriors. The official release mentions he missed the first seven games due to injury so I am not sure if this is a conditioning stint or permanent. With Dylan McIlrath hopefully coming back soon I’m guessing it’s permanent (unless there are other injuries).
Otherwise, line-up was the same as last weekend including Talbot in net.
The game didn’t start well as Talbot let one slip past him just four and a half minutes in to give the Devils the 1-0 lead. It was a softy but Talbot would more than make up for it the rest of the night.
The Devils continued to control play till the 7:46 mark when the Whale finally got their first shot on net. Fortunately after that, Chad Kolarik got one past Devils’ goalie Jeff Frazee. Unfortunately it was deemed it went in off a high-stick and didn’t count.
The Whale did finally get one past Frazee that did count late in the period when Tommy Grant found Christian Thomas for his second of the season to tie the score at one at 18:05 of the first period. Michael Haley got the other assist.
Unfortunately things didn’t change in the second as after being outshot 12-6 in the first period, the Whale were outshot 18-2 in the second for a 30-8 shot total after 40 minutes. Fortunately Talbot did his best Henrik Lundqvist impression and the score remained 1-1.
The third period continued the trend although the Whale helped with this one as they spent almost half the period in the box. Not sure how he didn’t get benched but Chris Kreider had three of the four penalties the Whale took that period. (He had a fourth one earlier in the game.)
Luckily Talbot continued to stand on his head and the score remained 1-1. Shot total at the end of the third – Devils 41, Whale 15.
Overtime was much of the same as the Whale were outshot 3-0 while killing the remainder of one of Kreider’s penalties to start the five minutes. Final shot totals as the game went to a shootout were 44-15 in favor of the Devils. That is ridiculous but great to know the Rangers have a backup waiting in the wings if anything were to happen to Lundqvist.
And so the teams went to a shootout and proved why many are against the skills competition ending a game. There was no reason the Whale should’ve received one point in this game nonetheless two. Of course that means they managed the second as Matt Gilroy scored in the first round and Talbot stopped all five shots he faced (in the AHL it is five rounds rather than three) to give the team the 2-1 victory.
I know the score sheet will say Whale 2, Devils 1 but it should really say Talbot 2, Devils 1 as he is the only one who deserved the win. The Whale have off tomorrow (although I’m sure they will have a practice to remember) and then face off against the Springfield Falcons on Sunday night. The Falcons are Columbus’ affiliate so a couple of familiar names on that roster. Should be a good game. Hopefully the boys show up to that one since it’s a home game.
