Gorillas 5, Scorpions 4 (SO)

Earlier today, Randy Murphy released Peter Vetri and Josh Paquette. With a trimmed-down roster, this probably was not the result he had hoped for in a home-and-home series with Amarillo, but Murphy still has plenty of bright spots to look at and (clearly) plenty of things to work on as well. Here are a few observations from this, the preseason finale.

• Both goaltenders looked pretty sharp between the pipes. Martin wasn't really tested until early in the second period, but all-at-once he was facing a barrage when Kevin Graber decided he'd seen enough 5-on-5 hockey. You can't really fault Martin on either of his two goals against. Olauson's first tally was just a bad bounce off the boards. Martin played the shot correctly, but the puck squirted off the back boards and right onto Olauson's stick. The second goal was just a well-executed 5-on-3 PP tally. As for Wolfe, he kind of got thrown to the lions as soon as the third period started. He made some spectacular saves and seemed to see the puck very well. Olauson's hat-trick goal was a carbon-copy of his second tally. Credit the Gorillas with good puck movement down low on the two-man advantage.


• Mitch Stephens showed tonight that he is capable of taking a game over. He completely froze Nielsen on his goal to open the night, and both of his assists were absolutely gorgeous. He had three Gorilla defenders watching the puck on his back-door pass to Robertson, and then he threw a beautiful cross-ice pass from the right point on Bowles' game-tying goal late in the third. He's definitely giving Randy Murphy some consideration for a top-line nod.


• Yes, the game was overrun with penalties. Still, I hate to see the Scorpions dominate a game 5-on-5 and lose...again. The top powerplay unit showed flashes of brilliance, but they were pretty sporadic. It didn't help having no Craig Macdonald tonight, but with the distribution of talent on the ice, that PP unit should be capable of some sustained pressure. The big question there revolves around who's going to quarterback the No. 1 unit. I think that's where the Scorps feel Vladimir Hartinger's absence most. Aaron MacInnis is the first guy Randy Murphy could turn to, but if he's running the point as a puck distributor, it takes away that vaunted one-timer that has been so successful over the past two seasons. I thought Stephens did a pretty good job at the point, but I'm a bit weary of having a forward as the last line of defense. The Scorpions could definitely use someone like a Bill McCreary to help out that second unit as well. As for the penalty kill, it was -- well -- the Scorpions' penalty kill. It was a problem in the Edwards/Murphy era, it continued in the Murphy/Soltys era, and it's a problem that needs to be addressed in the Murphy/Ambroziak era. The Scorpions can't afford to finish dead last on the penalty kill for three consecutive seasons, especially in a heavily retooled Southern Conference. Having said that, 3-for-18 isn't a god-awful number, nor is it one the Scorpions are liable to see during the regular season. Still, that 3 could have easily been a 5, 6 or worse if not for some superb netminding.


• Sam Bowles has the potential to be one of the Scorpions' best defensive forwards in recent memory. He looked great out there on the PK and the forecheck and that beautiful one-timer to tie the game was icing on the cake. If I'm Randy Murphy, I like seeing him on the ice if my team has a lead


• Lastly, a tip of the hat to Nick Theriault. The hit he put on Chris Robertson was one of the best open-ice hits I've seen at the CHL level. And it was a risky one at that, because Robertson had Bowles cruising untouched down the slot.

Elsewhere, as the preseason winds down:

• Tudor Floru calls a penalty in overtime? Never! I'm sure the Brahmas aren't complaining


• I'm pretty sure this may very well be the only time we'll see a goose egg in a Laredo/Corpus scoreline this season


• Bossier starts its annual blankfest at the expense of a retooled Memphissippi squad. Neil Poulson made sure he put up the biggest numbers on the scoresheet


• OKC flirts with double-digits against Tulsa. A bit surprised to see Scorpion-killer Bill Vandermeer as one of only three Blazers without a point


• Rapid City: welcome to the CHL. I'm sure that was the easiest shutout of Andrew Penner's life. Looks like the defending runners-up are pissed


• Arizona equals Wichita's goal output in the game's first 10 minutes.