Oilers vs Coyotes and OKC Barons vs Stars

OKC Barons Practice for Nov 19th

Storylines for today's practice.
1. Alex Plante on ice or not
2. No Gerber for tonight's game.
3. Recall of Bryan Pitton

Goalie Zemlak Anchors the Thunder

The Stockton Thunder has had a lot to deal with as a team this week. Garet Hunt is serving game 1 of a 2 game suspension, and Jesse Gimblett is on game 3 of a 4 game suspension; goalie Tyson Sexsmith is out with a broken hand; Jason Pitton was called up to the Manitoba Moose; Jordan Bendfeld was called up to the Oklahoma City Barons; and today, goalie Bryan Pitton flew to OKC to back up Jeff Deslauriers.

That's a lot of adjustments to make in a short period of time, but such is the life of an ECHL team.

Tonight the Stockton Thunder was matched against the Idaho Steelheads-who also had their starting goalie, Tyler Beskorowany, recalled by the Texas Stars. In goal for this game was Garrett Zemlak for the Thunder and Michael Zacharias for the Steelheads.

It's easy to be nervous about a game like this. Defenseman Ryan Constant was moved up to the first line to play as a forward with Chris D'Alvise and Fraser Clair. Center Marcus Watson signed an Amateur Tryout Agreement with Stockton today. The emergency backup goalie to Tyson Sexsmith (who was moved to the 7-day IR), Garrett Zemlak would be starting in net. There's no time to get used to each other, no time to really accustom to the changes.

Well Coach Thomas is a smart man, and the impromptu team he put together did well tonight, defeating the Idaho Steelheads 3-2 in a shoot-out win. What we needed was for the rest of the Thunder to step-up huge, and they did.

Mark Arcobello, with an assist from Bretton Cameron, put the Thunder ahead 1-0 midway through the first period. Idaho tied up the score at 1 halfway through the second period with a goal from Kael Mouillierat. A powerplay goal by Bretton Cameron put the Thunder up 2-1 late in the second period. But in the third, with less than a minute left in the game, Idaho, who pulled the goalie for an extra attacker, tied the game at 2. The game went into the 5-minute overtime period, and then to a shoot-out.

Let's talk about Garrett Zemlak. I was really curious to see how he would play, having been thrown into this game as the starting goalie. But he was everything a fan could've asked for. He looked huge in net, he directed rebounds into the corners, he didn't overplay the puck, he made some nifty glove saves, helped kill a four minute high-sticking penalty late in the third period, and kept the Thunder in the game during the five minute overtime period.

And the shoot-out is where Zemlak shone. Anthony Aiello and Chris D'Alvise scored shoot-out goals for Stockton, and the only puck Idaho could get by Zemlak was shot by Marty Flichel. I love seeing the goalie ecstatic after a win, and Zemlak was no exception. There was a small crowd of 3,144 in attendance at Stockton Arena, but I hope Zemlak heard our cheers of appreciation. It was a thrilling victory, and I'm sure a lot of fans who have kept up with all the recent changes with the team were able to breathe once this game was over.

Stars of the game:

1. Garrett Zemlak
2. Bretton Cameron
3. Mark Arcobello

Linus Omark Interview, Cleaner Translation

Many thanks to Martin Lundén (@dohfOs) for the translation.

Edmonton Oilers prospect Linus Omark recently had a chat with Swedish tabloid Aftonbladet to talk about his time in Oklahoma City Barons and what the future might hold for him.

Something that needs to be taken into account when reading this is that Aftonbladet is the largest tabloid in Sweden. It also writes by far the most crap and I doubt there is any paper that’s taken the expression “there’s no news like bad news” in as much as they have. They are rather known for their focus on the bad parts and trying to make something out of nothing. An example would be one of their latest articles, stating Calgary Flames GM Darryl Sutter had enough of his own alcoholic son, Brett Sutter, and got rid of him in a trade with Carolina Hurricanes. Well, that’s not exactly what happened now was it?

Article with Linus Omark below, read between the lines and you’ll soon figure out Omark is actually quite positive about his future, not being full of himself. He’s not at all sour – that’s just papers talking for him (and him not being able to express himself good enough when speaking English during interviews).

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“We would get beaten by some Swedish teams”
Omark on the boring life in the AHL: “Obviously it’s not here you want to be”.
The dream was to play vs. NHL-stars such as Alexander Ovechkin and get to play in Edmonton.
Instead Linus Omark ended up in Oklahoma City Barons where the audience are lured coming using free turkey, fights but not to watch nice plays.
Welcome to the AHL – the league noone wants to play in, that goes for Omark as well.
Ticket sales have been so and so. Even though it’s newly renovated barely 3000 made it to the arena that houses 14000 and something had to be done. For the next game Oklahoma made up their mind: 1 dollar a beer.
Adding to that, all supporters were given a shot to win a 8.8 lbs turkey. All they had to do was to score on an empty net.
- Well yes, people tend to like beer around here, Omark smiles.
How the people feel about turkey remains unsaid but it’s clear the difference between the NHL and the AHL is more then just a letter.
He wanted to play in the NHL and he hoped to be playing for Edmonton.
He ended up playing in the AHL and for Oklahoma. Instead of battling it out with Toronto and Montreal he’s playing the San Antonio Rampage and Rockford Ice Hogs.

Didn’t know anything
- I hardly knew anything about Oklahoma except that it was the location of the Edmonton AHL affiliate. I googled some information before I left.
A couple of weeks later he knows this:
The hockey as easy as possible:
- The game (over here) is a lot stricter then at home or in Russia. They want you to dump the puck into the zone at all times. Here you can play a really simple game and be successful just doing that. I guess you could say we would get beaten by a Swedish team on a big rink.

The game schedule can sometimes be a nightmare:
- We’ve played ten games in fifteen days, once we played three different games in the same amount of days and there are is lot of travelling.
Everyone has the same target: leaving the AHL as quickly as possible.
- Obviously, this is not where I wanted to be. I’m not satisfied being here but you have to accept it and not be depressed about it.
While waiting on the call from Edmonton the only thing he can do is doing his best. So far with great success, recently with five goals in a game and a AHL player of the week award.

Well defined roles
I just continue playing the way I do. Obviously I want to play in the NHL and the positive is that I’m getting used to how things work by playing down here. There are very clear, well defined roles in who’s doing what around here (referring to how it’s different from Sweden and the KHL), some are supposed to fight and others play box play. Mine is to score points.

You’re seen as the player who makes nice plays. How often do you get challenged to fight during games?
- Well, it happens. But I’m not a fighter and I don’t fight. But sometimes there can be up to five fights a game.
How much do you follow Edmonton playing?
- Sure I check if they’ve won and if they would call I’d be really, really happy. But my focus for now has to remain here (and on Oklahoma). What I’m missing the most right now is interest in the team and playing in front of a big crowd.
Have you set yourself a deadline?
- I can see myself staying here for a whole season. I got no plans going home, I want to give this an honest shot.

Next week he’s playing two games on the road on the same amount of days vs. Lake Erie Monsters, 1700 kilometres (1 056.33103 miles) away from Oklahoma.
And yes, hoe about the ticket sales and the turkeys?
Well, there where just 3600 people there, but at least they got to see a Oklahoma win vs. Chicago.

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Pretty amazing how some things get lost in translation. Thanks again to Martin Lundén. One thing is true though, it's bad that the majority of OKC fans don't come for the hockey. We've got some great players out there that have more than just fighting and skating skills. I was wondering just the other day, of the opening day crowd of 9000, how many people really knew who Linus Omark was? Hopefully we can get some people to convert one of these days.

-Written by -Eric Rodgers-

Linus Omark Speaks... Again

Here is what Omark had to say this time...

(Translated by Google)

Unchecked about the dull life in the AHL: "It's not this man wants to be"
His dream was to be contrasted with NHL stars like Alexander Ovechkin and get a chance in Edmonton.


Instead came Linus Omark in Oklahoma City Barons where the audience enticed with free turkey, but fights with the less finlir.


Welcome to the AHL - the league does not want to stay in, least Omark himself.


Ticket sales had been mildly gone like that. Despite Recent renovations was barely 3000 at the stadium with a capacity of 14 000 and something needed to be done. For the next home game decided to Oklahoma: the price of a beer in the stadium would be one dollar, just under seven dollars.


In addition, all fans would get a chance to win a little over four pounds of turkey. All one had to do was shoot the puck into the goal - also without goalkeeper.


- Yes, people like to drink beer here, "Unchecked smile.


How interest is for the turkey sounds he be gone, definitely, however, that the difference between NHL and AHL is much larger than just one letter.


It was in the NHL and Edmonton, he was hoping to play.


It was in the AHL and Oklahoma, he ended up. Instead of meetings with Toronto and Montreal, he will play against the San Antonio Rampage and the Rockford Ice Hogs.


Did nothing
- I knew nothing about Oklahoma in addition to Edmonton's AHL affiliate was there. I "googled" up some information before I left.


A few weeks later, he knows this:


Hockey is the simplest possible:


- There is much stricter than at home or in Russia. You want the players to dump the puck into the zone at all times. People can play damn easy and be successful. We would have a great strike by Swedish Law on the larger rinks.


Games schedule can be a nightmare:


- We have played ten matches in 15 days, once we played three games in as many days and there are a lot of traveling.


All have the same goal - getting away as soon as possible.


- It's not this man wants to be. I am not happy to be here but you have to accept it and not moping together.


Awaiting the call from Edmonton, he can therefore make just as much as possible. So far with great success, recently became five goals in one match and named this week's player in the AHL.


Predominantly roles
- I run my own game. It's in the NHL, I want to play so the positive is that I will get into it by playing here. It's very distinct roles, some will be fighting for second play-play box. Mine is to make points.


TT: You seen like a finlirare. How often are you challenged to fight during games?


- Enough, it happens but I'm not a fighter and not fighting. But sometimes it can be up to five fights in a match.


TT: How much are you Edmonton's performance?


- Sure, do you tell if they have won and they would call makes me very glad. But my focus must be on this. What I lack now is the public interest in the matches.


TT: Do you see a deadline for themselves?


- I can see myself staying here all season. I have no plans to go home but want to give this a fair chance, "said Omark.


Next week he is playing two away games in as many days against the Lake Erie Monsters - 1700 miles from Oklahoma.


And finally, how did the sale of tickets and the turkeys?


There, 3600 came but they got to see the Oklahoma win against Chicago.


Tobias Osterberg / TT


http://www.aftonbladet.se/sportbladet/hockey/internationellt/nhl/ahl/article8139990.ab

TRANSLATED ORIGINAL BELOW


Omark om den trista tillvaron i AHL: ”Det är ju inte här man vill vara”
Drömmen var att ställas mot NHL-stjärnor som Alexander Ovetjkin och få chansen i Edmonton.

I stället hamnade Linus Omark i Oklahoma City Barons där publiken lockas med gratis kalkon, slagsmål men med desto mindre finlir.

Välkommen till AHL – ligan ingen vill stanna kvar i, allra minst Omark själv.

Biljettförsäljningen hade milt sagt gått sådär. Trots en nyrenovering kom knappt 3 000 till arenan som rymmer 14 000 och något behövde göras. Inför nästa hemmamatch bestämde sig Oklahoma: priset på en öl i arenan skulle bli en dollar, knappt sju kronor.

Dessutom, alla supportrarna skulle få chans att vinna en drygt fyra kilo tung kalkon. Allt man behövde göra var att skjuta pucken i mål – dessutom utan målvakt.

– Ja, folk gillar att dricka öl här, säger Omark leende.

Hur intresset är för kalkon låter han vara osagt, klart är dock att skillnaden mellan NHL och AHL är betydligt större än bara en bokstav.

Det var i NHL och Edmonton han hoppades få spela.

Det var i AHL och Oklahoma han hamnade. I stället för möten med Toronto och Montreal ska han spela mot San Antonio Rampage och Rockford Ice Hogs.

Visste ingenting
– Jag visste väl ingenting om Oklahoma förutom att Edmontons farmarlag låg där. Jag "googlade" fram lite information innan jag åkte.

Ett par veckor senare vet han det här:

Hockeyn är enklast möjliga:

– Det är mycket striktare än hemma eller i Ryssland. Man vill att spelarna ska dumpa ned pucken i zon i alla lägen. Här kan man spela jävligt enkelt och bli framgångsrik. Vi skulle få storstryk av svenska lag på större rinkar.

Spelschemat kan vara en mardröm:

– Vi har spelat tio matcher på 15 dagar, en gång spelade vi tre matcher på lika många dagar och det är mycket resande.

Alla har samma mål – ta sig därifrån så snart som möjligt.

– Det är ju inte här man vill vara. Jag är inte nöjd med att vara här men man får acceptera det och inte deppa ihop.

I väntan på samtalet från Edmonton kan han därför bara göra så gott det går. Hittills med stor framgång, nyligen blev det fem mål i en match och utsedd till veckans spelare i AHL.

Utpräglade roller
– Jag kör mitt eget spel. Det är ju i NHL jag vill spela så det positiva är att jag kommer in i det genom att spela här. Det är väldigt utpräglade roller, några ska slåss andra spela box play. Min är att göra poäng.

TT: Du ses ju som en finlirare. Hur ofta blir du utmanad på att slåss under matcher?

– Nog händer det men jag är ingen fighter och slåss inte. Men ibland kan det vara upp till fem slagsmål i en match.

TT: Hur mycket följer du Edmontons resultat?

– Visst kollar man om dom har vunnit och skulle dom ringa blir jag jätteglad. Men mitt fokus måste vara på det här. Det jag saknar nu är publikintresset på matcherna.

TT: Ser du någon deadline för egen del?

– Jag kan se mig själv stanna här hela säsongen. Jag har inga planer på att åka hem utan vill ge det här en ärlig chans, säger Omark.

Nästa vecka spelar han två bortamatcher på lika många dagar mot Lake Erie Monsters – 1 700 kilometer från Oklahoma.

Och slutligen, hur gick det med biljettförsäljningen och kalkonerna?

Sådär, 3 600 kom men de fick i alla fall se Oklahoma vinna mot Chicago.

Tobias Österberg/TT