China Trip - Game 2 Thread

[Alex Goldsmith]

Hey everyone,
Post here to comment on Game 2 scheduled against Hosa. I don't expect to be able to view the comments until well after the game is over, but just letting me know you're listening is great or asking specific questions I can address later is fine too.
The team is touring Tiananmen Square, Mao's Tomb, and the Forbidden City today before the game tonight at 6 PM in Beijing (2 AM PST)
Hope you can tune in!
-Alex

[usclaw77]

Hi Alex! Great call of tonight's (this morning's ??) game. Excited to hear the end result (Trojans 4-3) -- sounded like a very exciting match during that last 3rd / 4th quarter (period ??). Awaiting your game summary with your thoughts on how the Trojans fared throughout the match, and your detailed analysis braking down the play. Elaine and I will be on line for game three of the road trip (? -- boy that's an understatement). 4 am is an unusual time for tuning in but it certainly doesn't interefere with any other plans that we have ( Trojans hockey overrules sleep). Very excited to be following the team during this trip and thanks to you Alex for painting such wonderful and detailed pictures of the play for us at home. Fight ON !!!

[Alex Goldsmith]

USC beats the Hokay Club (pronounced Hawk-eye) 4-3! It was an exciting game from beginning to end... Here's some assorted thoughts.
- Wilbur sent out the fourth line (McClanathan, Cerrasuolo, Scialfa) to start the game, which seemed to put the Hokays off guard. Seconds after the first line (Joyce, Lofthus, Nijjar) took their place, USC had their first goal of the game.
- The first line was on the ice for three of the four goals.
- Dante Caravaggio was the clear MVP, scoring a goal and an assist while playing shut down defense 95% of the time. His goal-scoring slapshot nearly tore a hole through the net.
- From a timing perspective, this was a bizarre game. The first period was about 15 minutes. The second... 10 and a half minutes (timed by the Nijjars). The third... nearly 30 minutes. Between the second and third periods the referee told a few USC players and parents that we would be playing 4 quarters (this didn't happen). Complicating things further was the lack of a scorekeeper, timekeeper, scoreboard, or clock. Another bizarre bit of timing is that penalties seemed to be about 2 minutes long running time or occasionally 30 seconds. It was a weird game to be sure.
- Although there was no scorekeeper, there were two goal judges. Interesting set of priorities?
- It seems that teams USC plays here in China get better as the ice surface gets worse and worse, almost like their used to playing without a zamboni ice cut during the late stages of a game.
- There's a distinct feeling that Josh Cerrasuolo is incredibly close to scoring his first career USC goal. He's had his chances, but just hasn't finished.
- Michael Nijjar's game was reminiscent of his games last season. He was always in the right position to score a goal, but just couldn't put one home for various reasons.
- Charlie Mach didn't play because of a reaggravated shoulder injury.

The team will be looking for a short game tomorrow, because Thanksgiving dinner follows the game. Puck drops at 4:00 AM PST, hope you can tune in (thanks McClanathans!)

[Alex Goldsmith]

Official scorers for USC in the game:
Joyce (Caravaggio)
Lofthus (Gawlik)
Caravaggio
Landsinger