Week In Review: 12/18/11 Christmas Edition

All I want for Christmas is an eight point week. Well merry Christmas! The Thunder played seven games in ten days and went 5-2. A great way to come off of a two game skid on a trip to Texas, they are back in first place and have the best record in the Central Hockey League.

This week is much easier for Wichita, two road games with a day break in between games. Friday at Quad City and Sunday at Tulsa. However both teams are on hot streaks right now. Quad City is 7-1-1 in their last nine, and Tulsa is on a three game winning streak. So while the schedule will be easier, the opponents don't get any easier. Add to that both games are on the road and ten and a half hours in between cities will make things a bit more difficult.

One thing that needed to happen in order for a 4-0 week was special teams and defensive play to improve. Both things happened. After going 0 for 10 last week on the power play, the Thunder went 4 for 17 (24%) this week. The defense also tightened up, allowing only seven goals on the week including a shutout against Rio Grande Valley. Jarred Mohr and Andrew Martens currently lead the league in +/- at a +17. All of this happened while being a defenseman short with Daniel Tetrault being out.

Alex Bourret and Thomas Beauregard have been on an absolute tear of late. Over the last four games the French duo have combined for twenty points, contributing eight goals in the four game stretch. This week the two had five goals that were directly from each other, either Beauregard to Bourret or Bourret to Beauregard. Think about that, five goals! If that doesn't show the chemistry that the two have together, I'm not sure what will.

I want to go on a bit of a rant here, so forgive me. But I have come to appreciate the fact that on the blog I can give my personal opinion without any repercussions from an editor or site master. Basically what I am saying is I write what I want. With that being said, I'd like to point out what piece of crap Kyle Radke is. After Chris Greene laid a nice hit on Scott Balan, Radke proceeded to elbow Greene in between the circles and then rough up Greene along the boards. But Radke didn't stop there. Radke then proceeded to drop his gloves and ripped Greene's full cage and helmet off his head. The same cage that was protecting the face that Greene had hit by a Mike Wakita cheap shot. The same face that suffered significant injuries. Radke then landed a few hits to the back of the head, and an uppercut that appeared to connect with Greene's face. At what point does the "game" turn into trying to harm someone. Just because Greene is the physical checker that no one wants to play against, does not mean someone should try to harm him. And if someone argues that that wasn't intent to injure I don't know what is. It was a selfish, cheap, and dirty play on Radke's part. I was happy to see Chappell step in and stick up for his team mate, but what was done was done.

Changing pace a bit, I want to take the time to tell all of you I hope you have a wonderful Christmas. Many of you I have gotten to meet after starting this blog, and many of you I already know. I think the world of all my hockey friends and hope you all have a great holiday with your friends and family! Please take time to remember that through our jobs, daily stress, and the hustle and bustle of life, we still have a great amount of blessings in life. Nothing can replace our freedom in this country, our friends, and our families. Merry Christmas to you all.

Until next time.