After watching the 2009-10 Gorillas for the first time, I get it. Bruce Pellerin has assembled a formidable group of players who bear no resemblance to the mess that he inherited from Tom Coolen in January. Several times during tonight's game I considered the reversal of fortunes as the Gorillas resembled last seasons Brahmas and vice versa. Despite a tremendous effort in the final period, the Brahmas fell by a score of 4-3 tonight in Amarillo.
The Brahmas record goes to 3-3-2, tied for fifth place in the Southern Conference with Rio Grande Valley and Arizona with eight points. Only Corpus Christi lies beneath. The Gorillas remain in second place behind the Odessa Jackalopes with a 6-3-0 record and 12 points.
There was a lot of action but no scoring in the first 20 minutes as the two teams felt each other out. The Brahmas had a 13-10 shot advantage with Pete Rouleau and AJ Gale leading the Brahmas with two shots apiece but neither could solve Mike Brown. Both Brown and Palmer were outstanding in net.
The second period opened with 1:06 left on the Brahmas second power play but they failed to capitalize. Instead, eight seconds after killing the penalty, the Gorillas struck first blood when Anthony Battaglia sent in a shot from the high slot that was picked up by James Jernberg who hammered it past Palmer at the 1:14 mark.
The two newest Gorillas, Jason Beeman and Chris Cloud would see action a few minutes later as Beeman took a pass from defenseman Andrew Smale and sent it in past Joe Palmer for the 2-0 lead at the 5:52 mark. Andy Brennan was also credited with an assist. Beeman, by the way, played in China with former Brahma Kevin Korol last season with the China Sharks.
Right off the draw following the score, Cloud and Brahmas defenseman Luke Lucyk dropped gloves. It didn't take long for Cloud to take Lucyk to the ice and both would draw five minute Fighting Majors.
Gorillas coach Brian Pellerin pulled Mike Brown in favor of an extra attacker twice in the period but without success.
After a flurry of Brahmas penalties, the Gorillas did find success with a power play score during a stretch of five-on-three play. Defenseman Rod Aldoff sent a shot in past Palmer from between the circles with an assist from James Jernberg. It was Aldoff's first score of the season and in fact, the first CHL score for the 14th year veteran.
Through two periods, the Brahmas had the 22-17 shot advantage but remained unable to solve Brown and after going 0 for 5 on the power play, the Gorillas remained on top with the 3-0 score.
Despite the lack of success through the first 40 minutes, the Brahmas' quick-strike offense would get them back in the game in the opening minutes of the third period. The Brahmas came out fighting, sending several shots at Mike Brown.
Then, a Cross Checking call on James Jernberg would set up a Brahmas power play at the 4:52 mark. It took AJ Gale just 11 seconds to score his first goal of the night off of a feed from Craig Minard at the 5:03 mark.
24 seconds later, Gale scored goal number two on even strength, this time taking a pass from Jason Deitsch to make it a 3-2 game. Minard was in on the assist again as the Brahmas began to turn the tide of the game in their favor.
After four minutes of back and forth play, Pete Rouleau scored the equalizer with a set up by Tyler Skworchinski and Dan Welch and suddenly we had a tie game at the 9:28 mark.
With seven minutes left in the game, Ross Rouleau was the recipient of a high stick that drew blood and resulted in a four minute High Sticking Double Minor on James Jernberg. Rouleau was assisted off the ice and left the game to be attended to by Tom Hart. The Brahmas now had a tremendous opportunity to take the lead, but once again, they failed to convert as the Gorillas killed the penalty as well as a burst of offensive firepower that could have won the game.
Instead, the Gorillas would score the winning goal after Luke Lucyk lost his balance and the puck at the blue line. Chris Cloud took control of it, sending it to Jake Morrissette who broke a three game scoring deficit to tally his sixth goal of the season with 2:01 remaining in the game.
Dan Wildfong called a time out to strategize with his players but when play resumed, the Brahmas were unable to maintain possession of the puck in the offensive zone long enough for Joe Palmer to leave the ice safely and the clock ran out with the Gorillas on top, 4-3.
Mike Brown stopped 31 of 34 shots faced for the win. His record goes to 4-2-0. Joe Palmer stopped 17 of 21 and takes the loss and goes to 2-1-2.
The Brahmas went 1 for 8 in the power play and the Gorillas went 1 for 4.
The Brahmas were assessed 11 minutes on four infractions and the Gorillas were called for 19 minutes on eight infractions.
The 3rd Star of the game went to AJ Gale who had two goals tonight. The 2nd Star went to Amarillo defenseman James Jernberg who had a goal and an assist and the 1st Star went to center Jake Morissette who scored the game winning goal.
You can view the box score here
Observations:
- I know I seem to be focusing on the power play but let's face it - the failures here are costing games. The Brahmas remain in the cellar with a pitiful 8.51 power play percentage. I'll venture to say the last two games were lost due to the lack of power play success. Cowtown, on Brahmas.net, brings up a telling stat: The Brahmas have scored a total of 23 goals this season - equal to the number of power play goals the Odessa Jackalopes have scored. I've said it before, the Cup is Odessa's to lose this season. They're hungry, they want it and they have what it takes to get it. How will the Brahmas respond?
- James Hiebert's absence in the second consecutive game is raising questions.
- Combined, Jason Deitsch, Jordan Cameron and Tyler Skworchinski have scored two goals in eight games. WTF?
- Luke Lucyk probably shouldn't be fighting.
- AJ Gale remains the leagues' top scoring rookie as well as the Brahmas leading scorer with nine points (5 G, 4 A, +2).
- Dan Welch continues to impress. Welch has four points (2 G, 2 A, +2) in four games thus far with the Brahmas including an assist tonight.
The Brahmas will return home overnight to get some rest and to prepare for the Tulsa Oilers on Saturday night and the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs on Sunday afternoon. I will not be at tonight's game.
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