Alumni in the Pros - February 2009

Started by Rita, February 01, 2009, 02:30:50 PM

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Al DeFlorio

#30
February 05, 2009, 07:11:47 AM
Quote from Bruins' coach Claude Julien in today's Boston Globe:

"Again, our best line by far was the [Stephane] Yelle line [with Thornton and Byron Bitz]," said coach Claude Julien, frustrated that his power play was blanked (0 for 5) for a fourth straight game, some of his most talented forwards contributing little. "They did a great job bottling [the Flyers] up . . . that's good when some of our guys aren't playing their best right now."
Al DeFlorio '65

scoop85

#31
February 05, 2009, 08:06:12 AM
I am pleasantly surprised with Bitz' progress; I thought he was a solid college player, but did not envision playing on the NHL level.  Just goes to show you that you don't have to be a superstar in college hockey to make the jump.

Trotsky

#32
February 05, 2009, 09:34:09 AM
The Flyer PBP made several unfortunate mistakes with Bitz' name last night, and his color guy remarked "Boston's Byron Bitz" -- man, that's a bad name.

RatushnyFan

#33
February 05, 2009, 10:23:20 AM
[quote scoop85]I am pleasantly surprised with Bitz' progress; I thought he was a solid college player, but did not envision playing on the NHL level.  Just goes to show you that you don't have to be a superstar in college hockey to make the jump.[/quote]It doesn't hurt to be 6'5" and about 225 pounds.  Smart aleck comments aside, I agree with you.  I only saw him play a few times in a Cornell uniform, but he looked a step slow to me and lacked finishing touch.  He's either improved or I should keep my day job (probably both are true).  In any event, I'm really happy that he's doing well.

ugarte

#34
February 05, 2009, 10:51:18 AM
[quote RatushnyFan][quote scoop85]I am pleasantly surprised with Bitz' progress; I thought he was a solid college player, but did not envision playing on the NHL level.  Just goes to show you that you don't have to be a superstar in college hockey to make the jump.[/quote]It doesn't hurt to be 6'5" and about 225 pounds.  Smart aleck comments aside, I agree with you.  I only saw him play a few times in a Cornell uniform, but he looked a step slow to me and lacked finishing touch.  He's either improved or I should keep my day job (probably both are true).  In any event, I'm really happy that he's doing well.[/quote]
According to a B's fan friend of mine, Bitz still lacks the finishing touch and has missed the net a few times on excellent chances - but he loves Bitz's grit.

Jeff Hopkins '82

#35
February 05, 2009, 12:09:51 PM
Bitz looked like Bitz to me.  Hard to get off the puck behind the net, good possession in the corners, and getting his chances.  The one he got stoned on, he put right into Biron's gut, but he was pretty low in the slot.

The Flyers' TV announcers were rather impressed for how well he was playing for someone only in the league for 11 games.

And I missed the first period, but considering that the ref called another goalie interference later in the game, it makes me think it was probably a message penalty rather than a legit one.

oceanst41

#36
February 05, 2009, 04:15:18 PM
[quote ugarte]According to a B's fan friend of mine, Bitz still lacks the finishing touch and has missed the net a few times on excellent chances - but he loves Bitz's grit.[/quote]

Totally agree. He's had about three golden chances, with timely saves and iron thwarting him. Then again Krejci couldn't score a goal to save his life last year, now he has 19 and is playing at a point per game pace. Bitz's job isn't to score right now, however just keep doing what he's doing and those chances will keep coming though.

oceanst41

#37
February 05, 2009, 04:20:23 PM
[quote Jeff Hopkins '82]Bitz looked like Bitz to me.  Hard to get off the puck behind the net, good possession in the corners, and getting his chances.  The one he got stoned on, he put right into Biron's gut, but he was pretty low in the slot.

The Flyers' TV announcers were rather impressed for how well he was playing for someone only in the league for 11 games.

And I missed the first period, but considering that the ref called another goalie interference later in the game, it makes me think it was probably a message penalty rather than a legit one.[/quote]

They did, on Blake Wheeler. Similarly weird - Wheeler was trying to get position at the top of the crease and did a blind turn back towards goal. By then Biron had skated out of the blue paint to challenge a shot and Wheeler kind of had to hit the brakes hard. They made skate contact and Biron went down, drawing a penalty.

Neither involved a hard charging player heading towards goal, as you would typically expect. Bitz was already setting a screen and lost his balance, and Wheeler was trying to move his screen to a different position.

oceanst41

#39
February 07, 2009, 01:43:55 PM
Byron Bitz scores his first NHL goal. ::banana::

He came in hard on the forecheck and caused a turnover. Mark Stuart's shot hit the crossbar and came straight down, and Bitz shoveled it in from there.

jkahn

#40
February 07, 2009, 01:45:10 PM
Bitz gets his first NHL goal in 1st period vs. Flyers, tapping in a rebound which came off the crossbar.
Jeff Kahn '70 '72

cth95

#41
February 07, 2009, 01:47:55 PM
NESN announcers gave Bitz a lot of credit for starting the forecheck which caused a turnover to intiate the play in the first place.

Flyers1037

#42
February 07, 2009, 02:26:45 PM
Something I just realized while watching the game.  The Powe line for Philly is getting some of the ice time against Bitz' line.  Powe is class of '07 out of Princeton, think these two know how to play each other a little bit?

TimV

#43
February 10, 2009, 02:23:26 PM
Versus network at 7 pm.  Douglas v Byron.::banana::
"Yo Paulie - I don't see no crowd gathering 'round you neither."
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