Denver Ice Chips

 The Wisborg Donuts put a pin in the Spurs' run with a 4-0 whitewashing on New Year's Day behind Ullmark. It was, to say the least, a dismal showing.

Ullmark upped his record to 33-3-1. Basically, he's unbeatable. The Donuts are well on their way to another Cup. Hamilton (9), Kaprizov (22), Kempe (24) and Forsberg (9) lit the lamp for the Donuts. After the 4th goal, Jarry was yanked in favor of Korpisalo by the Spurs' Coach Berube.

This game tells Berube he has a long way to go to get these boys into contention. Maybe, just maybe, they can squeak their way into a playoff spot but they won't go very far.

That's this reporter's opinion.

Reported by
I.P. Daley

Denver Ice Chips

 Ever since Brock Nelson was traded on Dec. 14th with Coach Bruce Boudreau being dismissed

and Craig Berube installed as the new head coach, the Spurs have been on a tear.
Berube has lit a fire under these boys!
They have posted a 5-1 record through tonight, New Year's Eve, since Berube took over the reins.
With wins vs. Baltimore, Fergus, Val-d'Or, Parry Sound & Niagara Falls.
The lone loss came against the Canosa Conference leading Wisborg Donuts.

The game vs. Parry Sound on Christmas Eve featured an old tyme hockey donnybrook at 18:11 of the 3rd period
with the game in hand for the Spurs with a 6-2 lead at the time. The game notes indicates a general fight at 18:11.
The Spurs' Brayden Schenn took umbrage with Justin Faulk's comments and the donnybrook was on!
When the chips settled Schenn received a 5 minute fighting major, game misconduct for instigating,
ejection from the game and a one game suspension!! This fight was a draw.

But that was not the only tilt. Newcomer Frederic of the Spurs, (one of the players received in the Brock Nelson trade),
got into it with Scheifele of the Orrsmen in a mismatch. This possibly was a result of slashing and roughing penalties
Scheifele received earlier in the period.
Frederic took the tilt in a match Scheifele wished he hadn't engaged in.
Then another newcomer to the Spurs in a recent trade on 12/16 with Fort Erie, youngster Ridly Greig,
traded haymakers with Michael Bunting of the Orrsmen.
Other penalties that were handed out during this donnybrook were:
Michael Matheson (PAR) for Slashing (Minor) at 18:11, Patrick Kane (PAR) for Roughing (Minor) at 18:11,
Jeff Petry (DEN) for Slashing (Minor) at 18:11, Calvin De Haan (DEN) for Slashing (Minor) at 18:11.
In all, 50 minutes in penalties.

It appears new Spurs' Coach Craig Berube has motivated the Spurs to play an aggressive style.
Quite the change from their performance under Bruce Boudreau this season.

Leading the Spurs in scoring during the past 6 games were Nichushkin 4g 6a 10pts, Spurgeon 1g 8a 9pts and Vilardi 3g 3a 6pts.
For the season to date Nichushkin leads the Spurs in scoring with 31g 40a 71pts in 47gp.
Guentzel is a distant second at 21g 35a 56pts in 51gp.
Spurgeon leads the blueliners with 8g 41a 49pts in 51gp.

Reported by I.P. Daley