tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-121601532024-03-07T15:36:33.632-06:00I, IgorLooking at hockey ... and maybe other stuff tooAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405512234106476602noreply@blogger.comBlogger355125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12160153.post-69974591998140236852016-05-12T19:07:00.002-05:002016-05-12T20:03:39.875-05:00Baseball doesn't need copsThe baseball season is only five weeks old, and fans of the Chicago Cubs are already looking ahead to October baseball.<br />
<br />
After all, why not? Despite losing both ends of a doubleheader on Wednesday, the Cubs are a major league-best 25-8. Though they haven’t won it all since 1908, they appear to have the pieces in place to — in the words of the Nationals’ Bryce Harper — make baseball fun again.<br />
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But John Lackey didn’t join Chicago for fun. He’s all business. Don’t you dare forget that.<br />
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So when he allowed a homer to career .224 hitter Christian Bethancourt, a blast that landed somewhere on Waveland Avenue and turned out to be only run either team would score, Lackey yelled at Bethancourt because he had the utter gall and temerity to watch the ball he hit.<br />
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The nerve of him.<br />
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"How many home runs does he have?" Lackey asked sarcastically after the game, according to ESPN’s Jesse Rogers.<br />
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That would be three this season. Five for his career. But Lackey wasn’t finished and uttered this threat.<br />
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"I got a long memory," said Lackey, 37, who added that the 24-year-old Bethancourt will “learn.”<br />
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Learn what exactly? The unwritten code of faux sportsmanship in baseball? Stop it. Lackey has been a noted jagoff for much of his 14-year career. Anyone remember in 2012 when he and buddies Jon Lester and Josh Beckett would hang out in the Red Sox’s clubhouse with fried chicken, beer and video games instead of being a good teammate and staying on the bench.<br />
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Lackey is one a group of players in recent years who have taken it upon themselves to be baseball’s lawmen. Bud Norris, now with Atlanta, took Houston outfielder Carlos Gomez to task for his exuberance last season.<br />
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“I think it’s a culture shock,’’ Norris told USAToday in September. “This is America’s game. This is America’s pastime, and over the last 10-15 years we’ve seen a very big world influence in this game, which we as a union and as players appreciate. We’re opening this game to everyone that can play.<br />
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“However, if you’re going to come into our country and make our American dollars, you need to respect a game that has been here for over a hundred years, and I think sometimes that can be misconstrued. There are some players that have antics, that have done things over the years that we don’t necessarily agree with.”<br />
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I chuckle at the term “our American dollars.” Will Latin players have to build a wall and pay for it, too?<br />
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Then there was the <a href="https://youtu.be/-UdsVO7HaJg">infamous bat flip</a> by the Blue Jays’ Jose Bautista in Game 5 of the AL division series against Texas last season. That caused long-retired big leaguer Goose Gossage to call that a “disgrace” and fellow Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt said it showed “flagrant disrespect.”<br />
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Turn off the siren, officers. Baseball players today come from all Latin America, Asia, all over the globe. That means different cultures. If some players, past and present, have a problem with that, don’t watch. You won’t be missed. <br />
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Does anyone really care what Gossage or Schmidt have to say or have they become the old men wanting kids to get off the lawn? Is anyone rushing to buy a ticket to a Braves game to see Norris pitch before he’s cut? Having a 1-5 record and a 7.31 ERA on the worst team in the majors isn’t exactly good for one’s job security.<br />
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And as for Lackey, get over being embarrassed, and keep collecting your $16 million this season and next. If Lackey feels he’s been shown up by a kid with 91 career games in the bigs under his belt, don’t give him something to hit.<br />
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<a href="https://youtu.be/85RZMIAL7vM">Don't be this guy.</a> That only works in movies. <br />
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Problem solved. <br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405512234106476602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12160153.post-60242943730369030682016-05-02T18:35:00.000-05:002016-05-02T18:35:08.310-05:00Anyone got a tourniquet?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The first newsroom I entered in 1995 had one computer with Internet access. There was no thought of reporters taking pictures and shooting video with their phone. Word people worked with words and picture people did their thing.<br />
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Stories, even for an entity where turnaround needed to be lightning-quick, went through one set of eyes — minimum — before going out over a wire, being set for print or posted to that vast new online world.<br />
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The game has changed, indeed. You cannot stop technology or progress. In all cases, it must be embraced without fear whether you’re fresh out of Mizzou or Syracuse or Northwestern, or if you’ve been chained to a desk for decades.<br />
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Not sure how this happened, but my 30’s gave way to the 40’s and now the early 50’s. I don’t consider myself too long in the tooth. If genetics hold true, I could very well be walking the earth for another 35 to 40 years.<br />
<br />
But back to the state of industry, and it’s not good. Teresa Schmedding (<a href="https://twitter.com/tschmedding">@tschmedding</a>) is leaving a 25-year-career in legacy journalism to become managing editor at Rotary international in Evanston, Ill.
An article by her titled <a href="http://www.poynter.org/2016/the-news-industry-cant-cut-its-way-to-quality/409356/">“The news industry can’t cut its way to quality”</a> was posted on Poynter.org today. She gets it.<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>“He (James Robinson, Managing Editor for Content, Bay Area News Group) includes a serious warning that clearly states the value copy editors bring. Unfortunately, it’s not valued enough to pay for.
Is this a tectonic shift in copy editing? No. The tectonic shift took place some years ago.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>"According to the American Society of News Editors, copy editors have been bearing the brunt of legacy media job losses.
Newspapers are now being produced by half the copy editors they were in 2007. More than 7,000 copy editing jobs were cut by 2015. And more current numbers, when available, will be more stark. </i><br />
<br />
<i>"What this is is another nail in the coffin of legacy media. The industry is hemorrhaging revenue and readers. And all the cuts over the past nine years haven’t stanched the bleeding. </i><br />
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<u><i><b>The reason is simple: You cannot make a case that your stories are worth paying for by delivering crappy content.” </b></i></u><br />
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Amen, sister. <br />
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When reading an article online. there is one thing that drives me up a wall. It’s seeing errors get by, such the Twins playing in Target Center rather than Target Field, and Columbia as a country in South America instead of a university or a shade of blue. And those are just two examples that leap to mind. And it's not just me who feels this way. Look at comments on social media when one of these mistakes crop up. It's pitchforks and kindling time. <br />
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Why do things like this make me and other readers cringe and suck in a deep, dismissive breath? Quality — which includes accuracy — in story, headline and deck is everything in my industry. Plain and simple. Non-negotiable. Presentation is nice, but facts are indisputable.<br />
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Too many news organizations, though, have decided the middle layer, people who have to be experts at everything and in many cases have been reporters at one time, is an expendable underbelly. Problem is not every reporter or writer has the makeup or desire to be an editor as it's definitely not a glamorous job. <br />
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Asking and, in some cases, telling a reporter to keep their story to 17 inches because there is a finite space in print shouldn’t be met with “I need more room.” If you’re blowing the lid off something, sure, but 99 times out of 100, that’s not the case, and the writers know that.<br />
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Anyone can write long. Writing concisely without losing any meaning is a skill. If you can write it in 800 words, you should be able to do it in 500. If the reporter cannot do it, that’s where the desk is needed, be it New York, L.A. or Natchitoches.<br />
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There also needs to be an understanding between news organizations and veteran “desk folk,” referred to in some places as the Island of Misfit Toys.<br />
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News organizations must, and I cannot stress that enough, understand the desk will invariably save the paper from embarrassment several times over. Each and every week.<br />
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I have also been in newsrooms where the old copy-editing guard still thinks it’s 1996. Or 1986. Or 1976. You get the idea.<br />
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To management, don’t strip resources that provide incredible value in so many ways. To the desk folk, learn to post stories and embrace technology and become indispensable. Readers are not always waiting for the slap of the paper at the front door.<br />
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It’s a start. If anyone has better ideas, serve ‘em up. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405512234106476602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12160153.post-78488393214030192072016-05-01T18:15:00.002-05:002016-05-01T18:15:27.766-05:00Is this still a thing anymore??It’s been a long time — too long — since I have posted. <br />
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***<br />
<b> Cubs storm out of the gate: </b>Despite a two-game split with lowly Atlanta on Sunday, the Northsiders are off to an NL-best 17-6 start and are drawing comparisons to Cub teams from the early 1900s. All well and good: Theo Epstein, Joe Maddon, et al. are following through on the plan to try and bring a championship to the corner of Clark and Addison for the first time in 109 years.<br />
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Anchored by NL Cy Young award winner Jake Arrieta (5-0, 1.00 ERA, no-hitter), the Cubs’ staff has a 2.39 ERA and a WHIP of 0.98. If the opening month is any indicator, though, the Cubs will need their pitchers to keep stepping up.<br />
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Sure, Anthony Rizzo has eight homers and 24 RBIs, but he’s hitting just .220. Addison Russell (.216) is also off to a slow start, and the same could be said for Kris Bryant (.287) as compared to last season, when he was the NL Rookie of the Year.<br />
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The loss of Kyle Schwarber — five HRs in nine postseason games lat year — to a season-ending knee injury cannot be underestimated. But what should be most alarming is the lack of production from Jason Heyward, anointed with an 8-year, $184 million deal to jump from rival St. Louis.<br />
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Yes, I am well aware that there are 139 games to play, but after Sunday, Heyward is 0-for-17 in his last five games. He’s hitting just .211 so far, has yet to homer and <a href="http://m.mlb.com/video/topic/8878538/v646677483">driven in 13</a>.
Defensive metrics aside, he’s averaged almost 14 homers and 52 RBIs through his first six seasons.<br />
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Standing 6-foot-5, 240 pounds, lefty bat? Hey, hey — that’s not nearly enough bang for the buck. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405512234106476602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12160153.post-75033630426363477922012-11-05T18:28:00.000-06:002012-11-05T18:38:02.294-06:00False hope<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The respective sergeants-at-arms for the NHL and the union met over the weekend and more talks are planned for Tuesday.<br />
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Yeah. Thanks for the update and false hope. Does it matter? It’s another lost season as far as I can tell.<br />
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The first two months have been cancelled – right about the time where Roberto Luongo starts playing like he’s the second coming of George Hainsworth. Same for the Winter Classic – the league’s signature event, apart from the playoffs.<br />
<br />
Even if, for example, a 50- or 60-game season is able to played, does it matter?
Think back to last year when the NBA went to a condensed schedule because of a work stoppage. Teams were forced to play three games in three nights, and damned if it didn’t seem like there were more injuries.<br />
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If the labor issues don’t take down the players, torn ACLs and concussions can handle that, no questions asked.<br />
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I do hope it comes back. I miss watching and going. But unlike 2004-05, I won’t be crushed at all if the season is washed away. I’m used to this by now.
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405512234106476602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12160153.post-77575524949870329062012-11-01T13:57:00.001-05:002012-11-02T07:17:51.670-05:00Relocation blues<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
… so I have been living in Northeast Louisiana for 37 days.
You can just call me the Big Jew in the Bayou. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I had little trepidation about coming here. I was offered a
pretty good job, and after being out of full-time work for 11 months, I needed
something to go to, something to make me feel productive. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
About 10 years ago, I was offered a chance to work for The
Associated Press primarily as a sportswriter in Jackson, Miss. Looking back, I
should have jumped on it, but didn’t – a family-fueled decision. My father, a
New York City native, underwent basic training in the Army during World War II
at Fort Campbell on the Kentucky-Tennessee border. While he didn’t come right
out and say that he subject to racism, he did everything but utter that. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Since I have been in the Deep South, nothing has happened or
been said to me that remotely smacks of racism. If anything, just the opposite
has occurred. People from the cashiers at Wal-Mart and Target to school
administrators have bent over backwards to be friendly. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There have been two things, though, that have me doing the
facepalm and that would probably have people from outside the region shaking
their heads. I want to make it clear
that neither of these incidents happened where I live. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Several weeks ago, I drove to Baton Rouge to hit the Apple
store. Could have easily had anything I needed shipped to me, but I cannot
resist the need to get in the car and just go now and then. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Since there is no real direct route to get to I-10 from
where I am, state roads and US routes were the way to go to the Gulf Coast.
Driving east on one of these roads, I looked at houses that had the Confederate
flag – good ol’ Stars and Bars – hanging from poles.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ooooooooooookay. While hardly an expert on the Civil War,
here is what I know – it’s been over for nearly 150 years. There is no
cease-fire. REALLY highly doubtful that it’s going to start up again. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Just seeing those flags made me a little uncomfortable.
Since I am not black, I cannot imagine what it’s like for a person of color to face
that, but I imagine anger is an emotion that’s right up there. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Meanwhile, in
<a href="http://jimromenesko.com/2012/11/01/al-com-apologizes-for-posting-inappropriate-blackface-photo/">Alabama</a>, a news website thought this was – what were we going for here? Clever?
Funny? A light-hearted tweak? That’s right, blackface and the dumb-ass ignorant
thinking lives in 2012. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Needless to say, there has been the proper outrage and
disgust over this and the site issued this statement: <span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 10pt;"><b><i>“This photo
has been removed because of its inappropriate nature. The AL.com staff
apologizes for any offense it may have caused, and we thank our readers who
took the time to voice their concerns.”</i></b></span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>May</i> have? Lukewarm
at best. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Keep this in mind – a decision was reached by at least one
person to post this, that somehow it was OK in this day and age. Of course this
is the same day and age that’s given us <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=12160153#http://www.forbes.com/sites/gregorymcneal/2012/02/18/espn-uses-chink-in-the-armor-line-twice-did-linsanity-just-go-racist/">this</a>
and <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=12160153#http://www.chicagonow.com/chicago-sports-media-watch/2012/10/espn-posts-kkk-rod-alex-rodriguez-headline/">this</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Talking about diversity is one thing. Accepting it is
another. Seems there are a number of people in my industry that don’t. <o:p></o:p></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405512234106476602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12160153.post-27225030571757145182012-01-09T10:17:00.009-06:002012-01-09T11:07:08.148-06:00Blue Jackets lower boom on Arniel, rebuilding continues<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNz4nh9RHyzmdtF4du3wQp7oyhJj9zJCqO2n8nJ2LQ9ChJPsf3fFeH21Dm-vkGSLZV4kxqdb6GOkFyxhFqJkmtxU-Edl81i2cZfMv3_umDmBPPasPianxoBYK7RfVSCzCq_k9v/s1600/CBJ-3rd-Jersey-Logo.gif"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 389px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNz4nh9RHyzmdtF4du3wQp7oyhJj9zJCqO2n8nJ2LQ9ChJPsf3fFeH21Dm-vkGSLZV4kxqdb6GOkFyxhFqJkmtxU-Edl81i2cZfMv3_umDmBPPasPianxoBYK7RfVSCzCq_k9v/s400/CBJ-3rd-Jersey-Logo.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695670639122350770" /></a>That boom you heard this morning? Another NHL coach was fired in a move that was seen coming for some time.<br /><br />The league-worst <a href="http://bluejackets.nhl.com/index.html">Columbus Blue Jackets</a> ended the Scott Arniel era by parting ways with him Monday morning. Todd Richards, former coach of the <a href="http://wild.nhl.com/">Minnesota Wild</a>, takes over for the remainder of the season. <br /><br />Arniel’s dismissal comes at the midpoint of the season, one that’s going to end without a playoff appearance for a third straight season for Columbus, currently sporting an 11-25-5 record.<br /><br />"We have two wins in our last 11 games,'' general manager Scott Howson told <a href="http://espn.go.com/">ESPN.com</a>. "I just wanted to move the team in a new direction with a different head coach. Scott tried everything and he was running out of answers. I didn't see much hope in moving forward with him. I just felt this needed to be done."<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmyLIzDEVe2T8lCppkgnR4lx6GIgoz9fVEBX3PGzgGn4iW3xmSO8_dOi0xztsvVANjmu_yAXqM_icUZJ_NF6IshITnHa3ltrCdU3Nw-SDZ6e98P7q37AkQ36P0YWu9VaNUfkqW/s1600/scottarniel.jpeg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 223px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmyLIzDEVe2T8lCppkgnR4lx6GIgoz9fVEBX3PGzgGn4iW3xmSO8_dOi0xztsvVANjmu_yAXqM_icUZJ_NF6IshITnHa3ltrCdU3Nw-SDZ6e98P7q37AkQ36P0YWu9VaNUfkqW/s320/scottarniel.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695671186353090530" /></a>Arniel becomes the seventh coach to be let go by the Blue Jackets. Two of them – Ken Hitchcock and Claude Noel - have resurfaced this season with great success. <br /><br />A Stanley Cup winner with the <a href="http://stars.nhl.com">Dallas Stars</a>, Hitchcock took over in St. Louis for the fired Davis Payne and has the <a href="http://blues.nhl.com/">Blues</a> contending for the Central Division crown. Noel was given the honor of being the <a href="http://jets.nhl.com/">Jets</a>’ first coach since their relocation from Atlanta, and he has Winnipeg contending for one of the final Eastern Conference playoff spots. <br /><br />For now, Arniel joins the likes of Dave King, Gerard Gallant and Gary Agnew as those who tried – and ultimately failed – in a hockey market that’s questionable at best. Roddy Marciano, a poster on the Columbus Dispatch's website, summed up fans' frustrations succinctly: <br /><blockquote><b><i>"Like that's going to change a thing, columbus will always be the black hole of the NHL, give me a break. We couldn't be any more irrelevant when it comes to sports."</blockquote></b></i>And from Ohiosucks: <br /><Blockquote><b><i>"The whole team needs fired. This is a garbage product and always has been."</blockquote></b></i><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5DBszcWQ847iqV-xkIIqZ4jPFST2SpgKFSXI1_7ppA0nJUh3A6ISVu2SdHQIFgW-0-O6egZvmCbHRNyZv1F-_eJcYXMk1WqL19RLrjNVJKZSCjMjsNVsrW_N9JqXVaHr8HNjh/s1600/carter_wisniewski_jackets_presser.jpeg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 113px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5DBszcWQ847iqV-xkIIqZ4jPFST2SpgKFSXI1_7ppA0nJUh3A6ISVu2SdHQIFgW-0-O6egZvmCbHRNyZv1F-_eJcYXMk1WqL19RLrjNVJKZSCjMjsNVsrW_N9JqXVaHr8HNjh/s200/carter_wisniewski_jackets_presser.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695677933615055634" /></a>The powers that be in Ohio's capital city didn't expect this to happen. The Blue Jackets were active in the offseason, acquiring three-time 30-goal scorer Jeff Carter from Philadelphia and adding James Wisniewski - at $33 million for six years (???) - to bolster the blueline. <br /><br />Instead, Carter missed 10 games with a broken foot and is out indefinitely with a separated left shoulder. Wisniewski was suspended for the first eight games of the season for an intentional elbow to the head and is not expected back before mid-February due to a broken ankle. <br /><br />Add captain Rick Nash headed for one of the worst statistical seasons of his career and Steve Mason looking more like the second coming of Jim Carey, and it's another lost season in central Ohio. <br /><br />Don’t be shocked if Howson is next to be shown the door.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405512234106476602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12160153.post-79348813090831123612011-12-19T15:30:00.006-06:002011-12-19T17:55:31.822-06:00No Anglos allowed? Really??<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil5c6RyEBQY-jSSXCD_92nE0fiUjl1-JX44zdXQtcnmw8S-xy5leHCNBfIDgW21NPez3-swtqhCIdnjwoyNziQ78WhIB_oONZM5_8H-lMbhe0Trpct_G694avAPNV11nuMRmqB/s1600/CAN_Quebec+flag+map.png"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 345px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil5c6RyEBQY-jSSXCD_92nE0fiUjl1-JX44zdXQtcnmw8S-xy5leHCNBfIDgW21NPez3-swtqhCIdnjwoyNziQ78WhIB_oONZM5_8H-lMbhe0Trpct_G694avAPNV11nuMRmqB/s400/CAN_Quebec+flag+map.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5687955385236622434" /></a>So, let's see if I have this right. It's almost 2012, but in Montreal, si tu ne parle pas français as your primary language, then you should not be behind the bench of the vaunted <a href="http://www.canadiens.com"><b><i>"bleu, blanc et rouge."</b></i></a><br /><br />Not even temporarily. <br /><br />That's the position taken by Christine St-Pierre, the culture minister for the province of Quebec, after Montreal fired coach Jacques Martin and replaced him with longtime NHL grinder Randy Cunneyworth on an interim basis Saturday. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifeRYn0AptnUsk_izDLSxzQvrhkWIlRgHIruuzVluxm9RnVssWjUDWKcNlZ-aCQ4veLduB-JLIn9i-8vMUb0dU2bkLQs2AWVB13iSqcWS5p8veFwdpgHZemrNgZQNCNsmhBKlF/s1600/600_que_culture_minister_st_pierre_cp_111124.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 195px; height: 145px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifeRYn0AptnUsk_izDLSxzQvrhkWIlRgHIruuzVluxm9RnVssWjUDWKcNlZ-aCQ4veLduB-JLIn9i-8vMUb0dU2bkLQs2AWVB13iSqcWS5p8veFwdpgHZemrNgZQNCNsmhBKlF/s200/600_que_culture_minister_st_pierre_cp_111124.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5687977875757786498" /></a><b><i><blockquote>"The Montreal Canadiens are an institution and the coach must communicate in the language of the massive majority of its Quebec fans," she told The Canadian Press on Monday.</b></i></blockquote><br />It should be noted that St-Pierre – a former journalist for more than three decades with the CBC – was referred to in September by fellow blogger <a href = http://christopherdiarmani.com/3734/freedom-of-speech/christine-st-pierre-quebecs-very-own-minister-of-propaganda/ >Christopher di Armani </a> as Quebec’s “self-proclaimed minister of propaganda.”<br /><br />Di Armani may be on to something. He notes that St-Pierre is responsible for enforcing Bill 101. That’s the set of laws making it illegal to have a sign where English words are bigger than the French words. <br /><br />Well, if that just doesn’t smack of censorship, but that’s another issue altogether. <br /><br />Though they may bleed the fleur de lis, my message to St-Pierre and the remainder of the Bloc Quebecois is stay out of this issue. <br /><br />Three – that’s right three – of the 26 players currently Montreal’s roster are from La Belle Province. I’m sure Cunneyworth, who has pledged to learn French, will be able to get his point across just fine en anglais pour maintenant.<br /><br />Hard to have much of an uproar over a lack of French-first. The last time the Habs had a unilingual coach, Al MacNeil guided them to the Stanley Cup - oops! Coupe Stanley, sorry! - way back in 1971. <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsIf-77UOMpzEVPie35X21k5Md0GDSr1AR_BXHdYsosnCQefAGMY8jeFqXftYH2TsaW-Eq780vGwPjZoXSSrgCwkoiw5ACWIc_3H65mvS-RbjlPlg_cXFV4qqev00a94LD6OHW/s1600/montreal+canadians+stanley+cup+cob.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsIf-77UOMpzEVPie35X21k5Md0GDSr1AR_BXHdYsosnCQefAGMY8jeFqXftYH2TsaW-Eq780vGwPjZoXSSrgCwkoiw5ACWIc_3H65mvS-RbjlPlg_cXFV4qqev00a94LD6OHW/s320/montreal+canadians+stanley+cup+cob.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5687991599053831538" /></a><br />With 24 Stanley Cup banners hanging from the rafters of the Bell Centre – oops! Centre Bell, sorry! – the Canadiens will forever be NHL royalty, on a par in North American sports with the Boston Celtics or New York Yankees. <br /><br />However, there have been no victory parades since 1993. In fact, Montreal has reached the conference finals once since then. <br /><br />Under whose guidance? Laperriere and Tremblay. Vigneault and Therrien. Julien, Carbonneau around two brief stints by Gainey and, finally, Martin. <br /><br />Maybe there is something to this English-first thing after all. <br /><br />There’s no doubt Canadiens fans want the best of both worlds – a francophone to help bring the Cup to Montreal. Suppose Cunneyworth out of Etobicoke, Ontario, somehow, someway gets this bunch to win it all next summer. Not likely, but what if?<br /><br />Then what? <br /><br />A mea culpa from St-Pierre and her cronies? <br /><br />An apology?<br /><br />Not likely on either count.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405512234106476602noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12160153.post-22357923159931916822010-11-04T20:33:00.012-05:002010-11-05T01:17:51.247-05:00Two minutes<b>THE GOOD...</b><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEqbNf2-ONltYvKvg2jbuz5o3A_5AwirbIrhBlAkVKvpyzdIlyFpWCIgvEs5Cb0CpcDPrQLsVyBabyBdktQZbS7Otb5GIP_a-Nbmq-JRVP8M0_AoKrtCjwe8NVow9hw8OnQoSe/s1600/1968.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 65px; height: 85px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEqbNf2-ONltYvKvg2jbuz5o3A_5AwirbIrhBlAkVKvpyzdIlyFpWCIgvEs5Cb0CpcDPrQLsVyBabyBdktQZbS7Otb5GIP_a-Nbmq-JRVP8M0_AoKrtCjwe8NVow9hw8OnQoSe/s200/1968.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535873325549391314" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOdkAul6tJXtE_URN1ABghOsWYg-n6Itc6nqvjIASMQviBi7MvP1ol5VPLmT4MtiTblp-tJ7otlsX_Xexazg_NoTJZs3cBFgE1Mf9MZuHIcK20LZzAsLgqLAmQuDoAZLOSSmfm/s1600/cob.gif"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 80px; height: 60px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOdkAul6tJXtE_URN1ABghOsWYg-n6Itc6nqvjIASMQviBi7MvP1ol5VPLmT4MtiTblp-tJ7otlsX_Xexazg_NoTJZs3cBFgE1Mf9MZuHIcK20LZzAsLgqLAmQuDoAZLOSSmfm/s200/cob.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535873229027390178" border="0" /></a>Mathieu Garon, <a href="http://bluejackets.nhl.com/">Columbus Blue Jackets</a><br /><br />Steve who? Former Calder Trophy what?<br /><br />Garon recorded his second straight shutout - and matched his total from last season - by turning aside 25 shots in a 3-0 win over the <a href=http://thrashers.nhl.com>Atlanta Thrashers</a>.<br /><br />The longtime journeyman has four career wins at Philips Arena, three by shutout.<br /><br />"I don't know what it is about this building," Garon said. "There's always teams that for some reason - I'm not saying it's easier - you have more wins against."<br /><br />If one-time rookie of the year Steve Mason isn't hearing footsteps, he should. Garon is 4-0-0 with a 0.89 goals-against average.<br /><br />The win improved the Blue Jackets to 8-4-0, making the Central Division perhaps the best in the NHL this season. All five teams are separated by three points.<br /><br />Speaking of the Central Division ...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTQox3PWNEpO5FhpoR63Vsq0DZa2VtWDtufQvvx5vP71cGQtB7v8xy_on1KdjLqggXyzdVDTzMo9zL5YatWLlsQKIh4ZhTt_4DXUjUPeN7U1l_Z2b41DYWdUxjPSi-XBJohXdE/s1600/3734.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 65px; height: 85px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTQox3PWNEpO5FhpoR63Vsq0DZa2VtWDtufQvvx5vP71cGQtB7v8xy_on1KdjLqggXyzdVDTzMo9zL5YatWLlsQKIh4ZhTt_4DXUjUPeN7U1l_Z2b41DYWdUxjPSi-XBJohXdE/s200/3734.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535874268259503986" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhThFyBGHbEeAr_usH8mrHGlvhoiJ2RoOW-nQ4zFrYbepqZ2lce7CGS_AjO7pPPODCAIfw9Vwc6s9-ThRjSxT3xzn_UKSOyLvPvRWXPm4vexzXpjYvG2gWInMHEOOZwn2FwLoeQ/s1600/stl.gif"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 80px; height: 60px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhThFyBGHbEeAr_usH8mrHGlvhoiJ2RoOW-nQ4zFrYbepqZ2lce7CGS_AjO7pPPODCAIfw9Vwc6s9-ThRjSxT3xzn_UKSOyLvPvRWXPm4vexzXpjYvG2gWInMHEOOZwn2FwLoeQ/s200/stl.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535874108909911154" border="0" /></a>Jaroslav Halak, <a href="http://blues.nhl.com/">St. Louis Blues</a><br /><br />Three shutouts and a 0.73 GAA in his last four games. Not bad.<br /><br />With a 2-0 win over the <a href=http://sharks.nhl.com>San Jose Sharks</a>, Halak moved into a tie with Tim Thomas of the <a href=http://bruins.nhl.com>Boston Bruins</a> for the league lead in whitewashes.<br /><br />"(Halak) plays into a lot of the things we talked about right from Day 1 in training camp - how we're going to show up and work every day, how we're going to prepare, how we're going to play and how we're not going to allow one day to affect the next," Blues coach Davis Payne told the NHL's official website. "We're just going to get back at it and he plays goal with that mindset.<br /><br />"It's one play to the next and away we go. Very few highs and lows, just steady performances, and that's what we want out of our hockey team. We tailor things to opponents, but when we talk about our game we want it to be steady, consistent and at a high level and he plays right into that."<br /><br />Now the test begins. Starting Friday night in Boston, the Blues will play seven games in 11 days with six away from St. Louis, where they're 6-0-0 in 2010-11.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVsfOjQcGJ5SZ0LOwKpMgp2N8OOoOuVM_vNJ9Wz7Q0xFx-uPUvwBjlTrb0hKpr4yNDr0Ww50mDCkA118kRR5gpcv1U5zkAfIzHSdqBLs0LFnQAQk1o5btUWoamIIvaIvptvn66/s1600/2900.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 65px; height: 85px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVsfOjQcGJ5SZ0LOwKpMgp2N8OOoOuVM_vNJ9Wz7Q0xFx-uPUvwBjlTrb0hKpr4yNDr0Ww50mDCkA118kRR5gpcv1U5zkAfIzHSdqBLs0LFnQAQk1o5btUWoamIIvaIvptvn66/s200/2900.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535885313089184466" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFHL4CE92WiuoVk8-QFGklDR4MiCpB0WwGO6sf4lFu_R9qmFUf8gLbJTK0QlltEoSpfGkZibBOiFu-2bQMEJkglFrZ7d4TdY4fDWsGKXs6MUkA6Ey3ZDj35JIpMlWKrC-N0aOH/s1600/ott.gif"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 80px; height: 60px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFHL4CE92WiuoVk8-QFGklDR4MiCpB0WwGO6sf4lFu_R9qmFUf8gLbJTK0QlltEoSpfGkZibBOiFu-2bQMEJkglFrZ7d4TdY4fDWsGKXs6MUkA6Ey3ZDj35JIpMlWKrC-N0aOH/s200/ott.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535885241557301202" border="0" /></a>Jason Spezza, <a href="http://senators.nhl.com/">Ottawa Senators</a><br /><br />If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself. Spezza proved that with a goal and three assists in Ottawa's 4-1 win over the New York Islanders.<br /><br />The four points was one shy of his season total he had coming into the contest. Groin injuries have kept the high-scoring whipping boy out of the lineup.<br /><br />"We don't watch the standings at this point in the season, but we do judge (ourselves) by how we're playing and you want to be playing good hockey. We're heading in the right direction and to get a few wins in a row here would be nice," Spezza told the team's official website earlier on Thursday.<br /><br /><b>THE BAD...</b><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhrIG1pWLPv_6T-OElBzs-bdWPgdATqJZPSVJpvE8NwXAQczF6I39qv6bZMWrQ85uU06QVfs0O5G_vwFSij9QrTMXmVUebkTLNcgpJbZlU4iopojWlqcOlAOslg2liWOPll-oF/s1600/1600.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 65px; height: 85px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhrIG1pWLPv_6T-OElBzs-bdWPgdATqJZPSVJpvE8NwXAQczF6I39qv6bZMWrQ85uU06QVfs0O5G_vwFSij9QrTMXmVUebkTLNcgpJbZlU4iopojWlqcOlAOslg2liWOPll-oF/s200/1600.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535884875569001458" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilFJjj70XAeaX-alwyYYpCDBz90oX-sOUlfqGh883gUcySSqzrnN47Q2x1W5srYP2O8Q8E7MaSaJdSDS2pmeLJ_dqXQQc6by4towk65TuTotqAQHQr_OgX-m3SeL3k8xnspDCu/s1600/san.gif"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 80px; height: 60px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilFJjj70XAeaX-alwyYYpCDBz90oX-sOUlfqGh883gUcySSqzrnN47Q2x1W5srYP2O8Q8E7MaSaJdSDS2pmeLJ_dqXQQc6by4towk65TuTotqAQHQr_OgX-m3SeL3k8xnspDCu/s200/san.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535884804147599858" border="0" /></a> Joe Thornton, San Jose Sharks<br /><br />Jumbo Joe is probably looking at a suspension after laying out David Perron with an elbow to the head in a shutout loss to St. Louis.<br /><br />Early in the second period, Thornton got a boarding minor for flattening T.J. Oshie. Seven seconds after coming out of the box, he ran Perron, but didn't think much of it.<br /><br />"I felt like I established myself on the ice," Thornton said. "I just braced myself for the hit. He just ran into me, to be honest with you."<br /><br />Perron would later score on a pretty backhand.<br /><br />Three games sounds about right for Thornton to sit and feel shame - the same number of games given to Phoenix's Shane Doan and Philadelphia's Danny Briere for their respective head shots in recent weeks.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCMXjG6T39dLZFkpuaaEL_RoZf2vtuh8LKAWaaYzM4CZrZNBiy_fYmK7OrDhb_g6JR9e94Wbi_MJPOMycxEWWWf8sL-8qdQwtHyShdslWchdAslXg9bU1hg_2xymNcae7FntbP/s1600/82290030.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 276px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCMXjG6T39dLZFkpuaaEL_RoZf2vtuh8LKAWaaYzM4CZrZNBiy_fYmK7OrDhb_g6JR9e94Wbi_MJPOMycxEWWWf8sL-8qdQwtHyShdslWchdAslXg9bU1hg_2xymNcae7FntbP/s320/82290030.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535895944921419874" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkPTgHpgKXiX_PtVWd9LTtyuFt6WNcNIV8IoeU2Ge_EXDIowCw5bLnqO7rs0Jdj4uRCzq-9lskbRSUCZKk0V320RBk_OZ5FuVtQ29gAy9rS7ZJ20YZ0hKGaTdmgcYunjdbsfFB/s1600/nyi_2.gif"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 80px; height: 60px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkPTgHpgKXiX_PtVWd9LTtyuFt6WNcNIV8IoeU2Ge_EXDIowCw5bLnqO7rs0Jdj4uRCzq-9lskbRSUCZKk0V320RBk_OZ5FuVtQ29gAy9rS7ZJ20YZ0hKGaTdmgcYunjdbsfFB/s200/nyi_2.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535885469766247090" border="0" /></a>The <a href="http://islanders.nhl.com/">New York Islanders</a><br /><br />Has the Scott Gordon death watch begun yet?<br /><br />If not, why?<br /><br />With a loss to Ottawa, Team Fishsticks has been outscored 29-11 while losing six in a row.<br /><br />"We didn't score," Gordon said. "I mean, we had two breakaways, we had a couple of point-blank chances in the slot that we didn't bury on and right now we're just going through a situation where it seems like every time we do make a mistake it's in the back of our net and we don't get the same kind of return on our chances."<br /><br />It also doesn't get any easier immediately with a home game against Philadelphia before a three-game swing through California. Makes me wonder if Gordon will be returning from the West Coast with the rest of the team.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Gio5KaYZBmGrX94Lksj-NnUYaFGvtA7JltPkJPmMM5MjAYxmTqIEVbWnDzCfCRf8sifJfYrK7klqNGvdbNLsCGCUMELycCDQGhdP9n2s1EJWyVhYVkFwK3xXpqrMVRhDxCg8/s1600/san.gif"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 80px; height: 60px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Gio5KaYZBmGrX94Lksj-NnUYaFGvtA7JltPkJPmMM5MjAYxmTqIEVbWnDzCfCRf8sifJfYrK7klqNGvdbNLsCGCUMELycCDQGhdP9n2s1EJWyVhYVkFwK3xXpqrMVRhDxCg8/s200/san.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535925033558506018" border="0" /></a>The Sharks ... provided they're not in San Jose.<br /><br />It's been a while since the Sharks scored on the road. Like, a looooooong while.<br /><br />To be precise, 185 minutes and 15 seconds since John McCarthy scored in the third period of a 6-1 rout of Edmonton on Oct. 23.<br /><br />That was San Jose's third straight road win in which the Sharks found the back of the net 13 times. After that, there was a 4-0 loss in <a href=http://flames.nhl.com>Calgary</a> on Oct. 24 followed by a 1-0 defeat in <a href=http://wild.nhl.com>Minnesota</a> on Tuesday.<br /><br />No team has been blanked in four straight road games since the <a href=http://canadiens.nhl.com>Montreal Canadiens</a> from Feb. 3-15, 1938.<br /><br />"It's been kind of all or nothing," San Jose forward Joe Pavelski said. "We have to figure it out. We're offensively challenged right now."<br /><br /><b>AND THE QUOTABLE...</b><br /><b><i></i></b><br /><blockquote><b><i><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-HzGszZk8Ld1OMQceabkXLpD5j-Wmwj-fY2Ab9NkHoVoFp6KN2rD4UmY1f7TeP1XeRdhuyfABVXjjqXf-WsQgqySDYEW_0GubxwS7aEO3fcxibAyUXN7DU-LyxNaGr7tPpo0Y/s1600/4e59413039084bcf8d3aec7323693d87.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 198px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-HzGszZk8Ld1OMQceabkXLpD5j-Wmwj-fY2Ab9NkHoVoFp6KN2rD4UmY1f7TeP1XeRdhuyfABVXjjqXf-WsQgqySDYEW_0GubxwS7aEO3fcxibAyUXN7DU-LyxNaGr7tPpo0Y/s320/4e59413039084bcf8d3aec7323693d87.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535945299670367442" /></a>"That was a real playoff game. It was a real hard-fought battle. Nobody was going to give each other an inch, and there wasn't much out there for either team to get some offense. We're similar teams, in that we don't give much to the opponent. It was going to come down to who was going to make the mistake, and we made that little mistake and they capitalized on it.</b> - <a href=http://lightning.nhl.com>Tampa Bay</a> coach Guy Boucher after the Lightning's 1-0 loss to the <a href=http://kings.nhl.com>Los Angeles Kings</a> in a matchup involving surprise division leaders</i></blockquote>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405512234106476602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12160153.post-44506407210522550352010-11-03T08:06:00.015-05:002010-11-04T02:31:45.887-05:00Game of the night - Nov. 3 - Lightning look to continue dominance of Kings in LA<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUJc6IDbRUHEHleomc8mLfKoO85Obm2y6i5_BCo0Epy5X6Tk4TtONDDoBX_kMroiP6W5YG7mnvGEF6M0u3Xy4HCJgT8vWiUmbcgZ8himUwnGEcRRTWLxA3xIntBVC69P5USzB3/s1600/los.gif"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 80px; height: 60px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUJc6IDbRUHEHleomc8mLfKoO85Obm2y6i5_BCo0Epy5X6Tk4TtONDDoBX_kMroiP6W5YG7mnvGEF6M0u3Xy4HCJgT8vWiUmbcgZ8himUwnGEcRRTWLxA3xIntBVC69P5USzB3/s200/los.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535310827748448194" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGG1alhkWVwFAIiGw9LP3b-EMdlZKQa-Qc56aSw7Vy-Bd9fO-Z29ble9SAmapurOy0KtQYpk2btW74_qpxIghlBVu5g9ze0E_Ys3hPTBNxkFgKAJC4SN6VJbhlsJkBJXnjiSv1/s1600/tam.gif"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 80px; height: 60px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGG1alhkWVwFAIiGw9LP3b-EMdlZKQa-Qc56aSw7Vy-Bd9fO-Z29ble9SAmapurOy0KtQYpk2btW74_qpxIghlBVu5g9ze0E_Ys3hPTBNxkFgKAJC4SN6VJbhlsJkBJXnjiSv1/s200/tam.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535310703408177074" /></a><b><a href=http://lightning.nhl.com>Tampa Bay Lightning</a> (7-2-2) at <a href=http://kings.nhl.com>Los Angeles Kings</a> (8-3-0), STAPLES Center, Los Angeles, Calif.</b><br /><br />Yes, I am serious. Have you not looked at the standings recently? <br /><br />Just about a month into the season, the Lightning and Kings are at the top of their respective conferences. <br /><br />Hey, if the Saints and Giants can come out of nowhere to win the Super Bowl and World Series, who's to say one of these teams can't take the Stanley Cup?<br /><br />For Tampa Bay – which is tied with high-scoring Washington first in the Southeast Division and has a game in hand - its hot start is the continuation of a quick turnaround from last-place finishes in 2008 and 2009. <br /><br />Last season, the Bolts didn’t make the playoffs, but totaled 80 points to place third in the Southeast. Despite coming off a loss Wednesday, they're playing right now as if they could win it all. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiivYpl2_Gb6rWM5FsEOfCyQ1CH_DA8lyPL6itrQmhUvqqdcGAXkix9GAfXlabzHuaDF1_LNsxkeKOkewDwugVxf7NRT102a6tniWrrKqVwkk57rpzlhGUGjHOE05jM7Vd-VFbT/s1600/277-Stamkos-Game-Photo-3.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 248px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiivYpl2_Gb6rWM5FsEOfCyQ1CH_DA8lyPL6itrQmhUvqqdcGAXkix9GAfXlabzHuaDF1_LNsxkeKOkewDwugVxf7NRT102a6tniWrrKqVwkk57rpzlhGUGjHOE05jM7Vd-VFbT/s400/277-Stamkos-Game-Photo-3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535487452927709922" /></a>The key to Tampa Bay’s success? Steven Stamkos - and it pains me to no end to have to admit that. <br /><br />Picked first overall in 2008, I called <a href=http://alefko.blogspot.com/2009/01/is-it-too-soon-to-call-stamkos-bust.html>Stamkos a bust</a> after the then-18-year-old failed to make much of an initial impression with no points in his first seven games and struggled for much of the first half of his rookie season. <br /><br />With a return to Sarnia long out of the question, things changed on Feb. 17, 2009, when Stamkos recorded all of Tampa Bay’s goals in a 5-3 home loss to the <a href=http://blackhawks.nhl.com>Chicago Blackhawks</a>. <br /><br />Since then, guess who leads the league with 77 goals scored including 34 on the power play? Hint: It's not Ovechkin. Or Crosby. Or Malkin, Semin, Toews, Kane or Gaborik.<br /><br />So. consider this my <b><I>mea culpa</b></I>: Stamkos is the superstar few know about, and needs to be talked about in the same breath as Ovechkin and Crosby. <br /><br />Now, fellow STATS puckhead Jon Palmieri can STFU. <br /><br />For years, the face of the Lightning franchise was Vincent Lecavalier and, to a lesser extent, Martin St. Louis and Brad Richards, now with the <a href=http://stars.nhl.com>Dallas Stars</a>. The three of them were keys in leading the Lightning to their only Stanley Cup in 2004 before the lockout. <br /><br />While Lecavalier is still the captain, and the diminutive St. Louis can still score in bunches, it's clear the Lightning's success rests with Stamkos. <br /><br />After going from 23 goals as a rookie to tying for the NHL lead with 51 last season, first-year coach Guy Boucher told USA Today last month not to put so much stock into numbers because he wants Stamkos to be more of a two-way player. <br /><br />"We have to watch out when we look at numbers," Boucher said. "Improving doesn't necessarily mean he has to get more than 50 goals. He might get 42 goals and be a better player."<br /><br />Stamkos getting better than last season when he tied Crosby for the league lead with 51 goals? Doing more and scoring less? Scary, scary thought. <br /><br />No. 91 scored - what else? - a power-play goal 21 seconds into the third period Wednesday to lift Tampa Bay in a 2-1 lead over the <a href=http://ducks.nhl.com>Anaheim Ducks</a>, a game the Lightning went on to lose 3-2 in overtime. <br /><br />Still, Stamkos' 10th goal of the season moved him into a tie with the Blackhawks' Patrick Sharp for the NHL lead. <br /><br />"We expected a tough game," Stamkos said. "They've been struggling as of late and they were coming back home, so they wanted to come out strong - and I think they did that. It just took us too long to wake up."<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN04AwsilqG2OlwbN0iP7aVjU9O3uMhoRqmGmZIavCrBjJtS9I89DD_Mcd1oMFiiAncc3gkRh1Z68Dyqv04jXX5dyzLR3cIuGYBqCLqchF3ZyQBHfP0CLNPoKVVI2Fs1BWnKog/s1600/84725517.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN04AwsilqG2OlwbN0iP7aVjU9O3uMhoRqmGmZIavCrBjJtS9I89DD_Mcd1oMFiiAncc3gkRh1Z68Dyqv04jXX5dyzLR3cIuGYBqCLqchF3ZyQBHfP0CLNPoKVVI2Fs1BWnKog/s400/84725517.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5535495066618102530" /></a>Los Angeles will get a key player back in Norris Trophy finalist Drew Doughty after missing six games with a concussion. <br /><br />"No question you miss your top defenseman, but the good thing is that we came through it in pretty good shape," coach Terry Murray told the Kings' official website. "It shows a lot of character on the team. Guys stepped up and played very well in the games that he was out.<br /><br />Los Angeles allowed 16 goals while going 4-2-0 without Doughty. Still, there is no question the Kings missed what Doughty can bring. <br /><br />Selected second in 2008 after Stamkos, Doughty emerged last season by finishing third among defensemen with 59 points. That put him ahead of more established names like Pronger, Gonchar, Lidstrom and Niedermayer. <br /><br />Los Angeles has allowed six goals while winning its first four at home. Jonathan Quick stopped 39 shots, and improved to 7-1-0 with a 3-1 win over the <a href=http://devils.nhl.com>New Jersey Devils</a> on Saturday. <br /><br />The pick? Since joining the NHL in 1992, the Lightning have simply owned the Kings in LA, going 10-1-0 with two ties. I don't see much changing this year.<br /><br /><b>LIGHTNING 5, KINGS 1</b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405512234106476602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12160153.post-82085243103278510802010-10-31T04:33:00.013-05:002010-10-31T20:05:46.325-05:00Game of the night - Nov. 1 - Blackhawks, Rangers in Original Six matchup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK27rzqWA94NTLqSOMPJYpTsw6YSEBK7GjnkltW-aW4j_Fjj7N7K8eWsqOtj8zKJJeSzh6W0m0jh7M5ulYbmc6t2QdFnU9Uhxp2Vuio7RszyK8ccutaj_vu08CbFSzlOlytyod/s1600/chi.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK27rzqWA94NTLqSOMPJYpTsw6YSEBK7GjnkltW-aW4j_Fjj7N7K8eWsqOtj8zKJJeSzh6W0m0jh7M5ulYbmc6t2QdFnU9Uhxp2Vuio7RszyK8ccutaj_vu08CbFSzlOlytyod/s1600/chi.gif" /></a></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzq_EuREB8dnwQrTru3__PXBL-QK1MgAUekXCTcFgBOE8442hn8cmPAy3SoiZ9Ssh79inkef-JJFLVET8djVMLLsbLy6VTmr9D13M_JTm5_ngCAiQHRZU-qpXsjxonCLiFuU6w/s1600/nyr.gif"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 80px; height: 60px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzq_EuREB8dnwQrTru3__PXBL-QK1MgAUekXCTcFgBOE8442hn8cmPAy3SoiZ9Ssh79inkef-JJFLVET8djVMLLsbLy6VTmr9D13M_JTm5_ngCAiQHRZU-qpXsjxonCLiFuU6w/s320/nyr.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534142526675934018" /><b></b></a><b><a href="http://blackhawks.nhl.com/">Chicago Blackhawks</a> (7-5-1) at <a href="http://rangers.nhl.com/">New York Rangers</a> (5-4-1), Madison Square Garden, New York, N.Y.</b><br /><br /><blockquote><b><i>“Some say that’s progress. Some say that’s cruel.”</i></b><i> – Midnight Oil</i></blockquote>I fly from Chicago to New York roughly once every four to six weeks. On my frequent flier statements, it’s the same 733 miles each way. <br /><br />Not talking LA to Johannesburg here. Sometimes, I have gotten from O’Hare to La Guardia in around an hour and 45 minutes – less time than it used to take to get to high school in the Bronx from Queens. <br /><br />So, when games like Monday’s tilt at MSG between the Blackhawks and Rangers are on the schedule, it makes me lament why there are not more of them. <br /><br />The price of progress – or in this case, expansion. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO6aGKNfslZMdKKx5u7u7RSSZcPjkgn2YughLjCKLz9lKKclxQBawA8h_VxWhVHlAVvdvtsn0SeU5fGMclgFYw-mZcvUMDtAvGQ8wYPVNw17P7szVPMBz91jiK2tbqt2aWI3G-/s1600/001.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 377px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO6aGKNfslZMdKKx5u7u7RSSZcPjkgn2YughLjCKLz9lKKclxQBawA8h_VxWhVHlAVvdvtsn0SeU5fGMclgFYw-mZcvUMDtAvGQ8wYPVNw17P7szVPMBz91jiK2tbqt2aWI3G-/s400/001.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534156386032912498" /></a>Fifty years ago in the Original Six era, Chicago and New York faced off 14 times. In 1970-71, with the league more than doubled to 14, the Blackhawks and Rangers met just six times. <br /><br />A decade later, there were four games between Chicago and New York as the league had 21 teams spread out over four divisions – including Calgary in the same one with Washington, Philadelphia, the Rangers and Islanders following the Flames’ relocation from Atlanta. <br /><br />It’s 2,031 miles from New York to southern Alberta. The Rangers traveled there twice. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1heFP2nUfVqCVltMkcUJ1GwHDGPPKI1S0SrM44JxMFzrr6feJXFyeTlCBxiFHF5ZCq4sXk6vKV_OZL1czlgCZ802ucHJibOtp_KjBTM5mXLB0k1SEMZ8S0F4duUPtNSvaLYgG/s1600/201.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 291px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1heFP2nUfVqCVltMkcUJ1GwHDGPPKI1S0SrM44JxMFzrr6feJXFyeTlCBxiFHF5ZCq4sXk6vKV_OZL1czlgCZ802ucHJibOtp_KjBTM5mXLB0k1SEMZ8S0F4duUPtNSvaLYgG/s320/201.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534160847030769378" /></a><br />By 1990-91, Chicago and New York would meet only three times. Ten years ago, with the league comprised of 30 teams, the Rangers and ‘Hawks faced off twice. <br /><br />That was cut to once each of the following five seasons, and none in 2007-08. <br /><br />Why do I view this as a tragedy? Simple - because it’s a piece of history being erased. <br /><br />No sport in North America reveres history as much as hockey. Think back to the reverence when the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup last spring, and the pomp and circumstance when a team raises a championship banner on opening night the following season. <br /><br />The Blackhawks had members of the 1960-61 team hand off the banner to the remaining members of last season’s squad. A poignant gesture on a sports landscape dotted with ME! ME! ME! attitudes. <br /><br />Do the Rangers have to play New Jersey or Pittsburgh six times a season? Does Chicago have to do the same against Nashville or Columbus? I think not.<br /><br />As for this game, New York returns home following an impressive 2-0 win at Toronto on Saturday in the third of four meetings between the Original Six teams this year. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3W4HvbJebbDHQzTHS7mTzIoK0QH1lHW2X3XTC8DcFGrJwJDqsiX0L4VeGblhpiE7UwgHB0fIx0vPDuWRQKEqDYlLa1HZUFOhcX3RbviPp1AtKRDyg4ZykIM8Mko70Opl-HcNW/s1600/522de3b975594923a14fe4d0fcb468ed.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 206px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3W4HvbJebbDHQzTHS7mTzIoK0QH1lHW2X3XTC8DcFGrJwJDqsiX0L4VeGblhpiE7UwgHB0fIx0vPDuWRQKEqDYlLa1HZUFOhcX3RbviPp1AtKRDyg4ZykIM8Mko70Opl-HcNW/s320/522de3b975594923a14fe4d0fcb468ed.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534379306565428514" /></a>Henrik Lundqvist, who recorded his first shutout of the season, is 3-0-2 with a 1.76 goals-against average in his career versus Chicago, and has allowed only three goals in two home wins. <br /><br />Despite losing two top players in Marian Gaborik and Chris Drury to injuries on Oct. 15, the Rangers have scored 18 goals while going 4-3-0. US Olympian Ryan Callahan has picked up the scoring slack with four goals, but five others have two goals each. <br /><br />The biggest surprise in that bunch is Brian Boyle, a 6-foot-7 forward who has already matched a career-high with four goals in just 10 games. <br /><br />Chicago will be without high-scoring Marian Hossa for a couple of weeks with an injury, but they still have Patrick Sharp, a steady performer over the past few seasons who is breaking out early in 2010-11. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd-yu_cWPxu-V7NIqWGtDVjiapHAX68PMeJ3-tuTbJp1IvIKeBkCm_yVN6_4S1zes8zPn18pxLAY57xmxGOYPr4ncd_nY0MEHQ4OzTv0de9GwCRlYEZhOaacZR1-of9niSDOHf/s1600/cbd7851556f37692cd96e70da954f028-getty-102677401dv004_chicago.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd-yu_cWPxu-V7NIqWGtDVjiapHAX68PMeJ3-tuTbJp1IvIKeBkCm_yVN6_4S1zes8zPn18pxLAY57xmxGOYPr4ncd_nY0MEHQ4OzTv0de9GwCRlYEZhOaacZR1-of9niSDOHf/s200/cbd7851556f37692cd96e70da954f028-getty-102677401dv004_chicago.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5534379810026139314" /></a>Through 12 games, the 28-year-old has 10 goals, including four on the power play and three game-winners. However, he hasn’t scored in seven games against the Rangers since getting two in 2004 when he was with the Flyers.<br /><br />Chicago, which defeated the Wild 3-1 in Minnesota on Saturday, has dropped three of its last four in MSG. <br /><br />The pick? Sharp will score, but the Rangers will shut down Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews and come away with a narrow win. <br /><br /><b>RANGERS 3, BLACKHAWKS 2</b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405512234106476602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12160153.post-19810308503071751322010-10-23T19:01:00.008-05:002010-10-23T22:21:47.908-05:00The $73,000 scratch<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikfHKX2Yp4pIiqLouXREIPjtudJo4-FnADdB86TcR4WzAq9B7xqvrTEIyVEva1vYtXd6HkTkr4C9F1Di98mO0kko6fEWbzKNFRbd-ytbFC2sAcceBYiH2_KDwx7kvoSz8QZjIk/s1600/njd.gif"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 393px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikfHKX2Yp4pIiqLouXREIPjtudJo4-FnADdB86TcR4WzAq9B7xqvrTEIyVEva1vYtXd6HkTkr4C9F1Di98mO0kko6fEWbzKNFRbd-ytbFC2sAcceBYiH2_KDwx7kvoSz8QZjIk/s400/njd.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531444246389701170" border="0" /></a>Seems $100 million doesn't mean much in the NHL these days. Results matter.<br /><br />Still, Saturday's decision by first-year <a href="http://devils.nhl.com/">New Jersey Devils</a> coach John MacLean to bench high-scoring - and high-priced - forward Ilya Kovalchuk is one of the most eyebrow-raising moves this season by any team.<br /><br />Kovalchuk was a healthy scratch for Saturday's 6-1 loss to the <a href="http://sabres.nhl.com/">Buffalo Sabres</a>. For those with short memories, this is the same Kovalchuk and these are the same Devils who dragged out a contract saga for more much of this past summer.<br /><br />First, it was a 17-year, $102 million deal in July that the NHL rejected because it circumvented the salary cap. After the union filed a grievance, a 15-year, $100 million agreement was hammered out and given blessing by the legal department on Avenue of the Americas.<br /><br />Not without a heavy hand coming down. The league fined the Devils $3 million and took away two high draft picks over the next four years.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgobVjwzNlv_ONzkdYJjmT_RjCRXQg-wE3v69e4ePhfJ5KJlUR1qbUTjLqNJgf4fBqNg10vtgI87qGIq-bhAhODK_YAZzRiCC0-OeguG_U7PW220mUjvWa1n2rbcyW55DwJQxdt/s1600/kovalchuk1jpg-3515c98576e39958_large.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 237px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgobVjwzNlv_ONzkdYJjmT_RjCRXQg-wE3v69e4ePhfJ5KJlUR1qbUTjLqNJgf4fBqNg10vtgI87qGIq-bhAhODK_YAZzRiCC0-OeguG_U7PW220mUjvWa1n2rbcyW55DwJQxdt/s320/kovalchuk1jpg-3515c98576e39958_large.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531444877440530738" border="0" /></a>General manager Lou Lamoriello told the New York Times in September that things are just fine between New Jersey and Kovy.<br /><br />“Certainly, the Devils are pleased that Ilya Kovalchuk will be an asset for the team for years to come," he said.<br /><br />Or seven games into the new season, anyway.<br /><br />Though Kovalchuk is tied for the team lead with five points, the Devils are in last place, and MacLean has said that all players are responsible for the slow start.<br /><br />Commendable, sure, but look at the message being sent.<br /><br />According to Yahoo! Sports' Greg Wyshynski, the decision to bench Kovalchuk was made by MacLean, arguably one of the best players in Devils franchise history.<br /><br />"That's between him and I. It was my decision." MacLean said, and told The Associated Press that Kovalchuk knows the reason for being benched. <br /><br />There is also a chance that Kovalchuk will be held out from Sunday's tilt against the <a href="http://rangers.nhl.com/">New York Rangers</a>. Based on his $6 million salary this season, Kovalchuk will lose $73,000 for each game he's held out.<br /><br />So, what we have here, if I read this right, is an old-fashioned pissing match between a coach trying to exert his influence and a superstar player.<br /><br />This scenario has been played out countless times.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhakIMM6VGCTxm0X8CjBJlduMzBLUXw4av5Qn4cC3TZBmea4gCcvtHMiHSXlLNl9far3VZVe6j6SVgdHVN6-sUr818xigVs64GhhZiny9rd-Gp7ncIGa2ccexKnJI_UjIMErb4Q/s1600/73875137_crop_340x234.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 220px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhakIMM6VGCTxm0X8CjBJlduMzBLUXw4av5Qn4cC3TZBmea4gCcvtHMiHSXlLNl9far3VZVe6j6SVgdHVN6-sUr818xigVs64GhhZiny9rd-Gp7ncIGa2ccexKnJI_UjIMErb4Q/s320/73875137_crop_340x234.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531445111613487698" border="0" /></a>Johnny Mac? Your intentions are good in wanting to show that <b>you</b> are the bench boss. Being the franchise's all-time goal-scoring leader also helps enhance your status some.<br /><br />It will only go so far.<br /><br />I don't know what Kovalchuk did that raised MacLean's hackles, but this is not some rookie from Moose Jaw. Kovalchuk was a No. 1 overall pick, and despite some perceptions of being soft, the Russian has scored at least 41 goals in six straight seasons.<br /><br />Plus, you know, there is that contract and what it cost the Devils.<br /><br />Advantage, Kovalchuk. Whether MacLean likes it or not.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405512234106476602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12160153.post-51624152909154069342010-10-22T19:18:00.004-05:002010-10-22T20:35:57.855-05:00Canucks' Rypien draws six-game suspension<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbMp-WCPoSrUGCkYqbIr2B-ueCyCLCcg9Pi3nzNJfF-leeoYaTCMl6XHuCTIkXWY_GMHpFiAIQALFx244TP6P_liiivdC4wpq93um8QkXxxzAJNfJxsTpal0CYYII2Ro3CQgOf/s1600/562_187x280.rick-rypien.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 187px; height: 280px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbMp-WCPoSrUGCkYqbIr2B-ueCyCLCcg9Pi3nzNJfF-leeoYaTCMl6XHuCTIkXWY_GMHpFiAIQALFx244TP6P_liiivdC4wpq93um8QkXxxzAJNfJxsTpal0CYYII2Ro3CQgOf/s400/562_187x280.rick-rypien.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531029518659614322" /></a>When I wake up, one of the first things I do is check what's going in the world - both in and out of sports.<br /><br />I knew Rick Rypien of the <a href=http://canucks.nhl.com>Canucks</a> was going to have a hearing with the NHL for a run-in with a fan that made its way onto YouTube before the end of Vancouver's 6-2 loss to the <a href=http://wild.nhl.com>Minnesota Wild</a> on Tuesday.<br /><br />So, when I walked into work and co-worker and fellow hockeyhead Jon Palmieri told me Rypien would sit for six games, I was underwhelmed: "That's all?"<br /> <br />Originally, I thought three to five games. Then 10. It's hard to gauge with this league.<br /><br />In handing down the suspension, the NHL said Rypien - a fourth-liner/enforcer/energy-type player - "made contact with a fan." That's couched a little too lightly considering Rypien shoved 28-year-old James Engquist and appeared to grab his Minnesota jersey. <br /><br />"We understand and respect the League's decision today regarding Rick Rypien. While this game is played with passion and intensity, the safety of all of our fans and players is of the utmost importance at all times," Canucks' general manger Mike Gillis in a statement. <br /><br />"Throughout his career Rick has been well respected by his teammates, coaches, fellow players and our community. Rick is a valued member of our organization and we will continue to support him and all of his teammates to ensure incidents like this do not happen in the future."<br /><br />Perhaps it was frustration over having his ass handed to him by the same combatant in two fights. Or that his team was already trailing by four. Or that he's struggled to produce on a team that has largely underachieved early on. <br /><br />The bottom line is Rypien crossed one. The NHL had a chance to send a message to its players Friday, and as they always seem to do, came up a little short.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405512234106476602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12160153.post-8967287028013703552010-10-21T19:37:00.023-05:002010-10-22T00:26:04.588-05:00Two minutes<b>THE GOOD...</b><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLOiD7KbQ37UfmL4cP39NJYGYYxmapms-nplR1F51w5-IcyoNleJ4xXpNkSYPDOvl9dhXHlt5KxT8sLYwC-NWQZMetxW8gTRwlNMEvjKh9XKTOh3JyLDQzcqZQ1DWbBDtxGrJI/s1600/1395.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 65px; height: 85px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLOiD7KbQ37UfmL4cP39NJYGYYxmapms-nplR1F51w5-IcyoNleJ4xXpNkSYPDOvl9dhXHlt5KxT8sLYwC-NWQZMetxW8gTRwlNMEvjKh9XKTOh3JyLDQzcqZQ1DWbBDtxGrJI/s200/1395.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530664044841551602" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggXqR5lHJSFtrQsbj6h91V3XwxtmoV6cTdFplUoRCDtWd2J7vx0G2-w-MvO9jZZkGOuT4UdDYVXryoBSKl2s7LCQYn3HsYx284XsMrRj2quNh3FQzsl-e5jAXWq97RXJNgpXyn/s1600/nyr.gif"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 80px; height: 60px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggXqR5lHJSFtrQsbj6h91V3XwxtmoV6cTdFplUoRCDtWd2J7vx0G2-w-MvO9jZZkGOuT4UdDYVXryoBSKl2s7LCQYn3HsYx284XsMrRj2quNh3FQzsl-e5jAXWq97RXJNgpXyn/s200/nyr.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530663248932462258" border="0" /></a>Martin Biron, <a href="http://rangers.nhl.com/">New York Rangers</a><br /><br />Now, that's a Broadway-style debut! So what if it came in Toronto?<br /><br />Biron made 24 saves, including a stop on a breakaway by Kris Versteeg on the power play midway through the third period of a 2-1 win over the <a href="http://mapleleafs.nhl.com/">Maple Leafs</a>.<br /><br />"As a team, I think this was the first time this year that we played a solid 60 minutes," Biron said. "We have to play up to that standard the rest of the season."<br /><br />Biron came over as a free agent from the New York Islanders, giving the Blueshirts a better option as a backup to Henrik Lundqvist. Last season, Alex Auld, Chad Johnson, Stephen Valiquette and Matt Zaba combined to go 3-6-1 with a 2.84 goals-against average.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguvZd_osClZSdcTNpgzy7ZzQD2kjle0FOFdbej_hR5dsYASAV6DrGw4b11XoG1DuGm9_ZfkXQJbTy-SGFLS8kM1lL4ai5eNkZ0GN2C3zyDAtaM2xqZU5bo5BZPyVwAo5olTZEQ/s1600/3601.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 65px; height: 85px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguvZd_osClZSdcTNpgzy7ZzQD2kjle0FOFdbej_hR5dsYASAV6DrGw4b11XoG1DuGm9_ZfkXQJbTy-SGFLS8kM1lL4ai5eNkZ0GN2C3zyDAtaM2xqZU5bo5BZPyVwAo5olTZEQ/s200/3601.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530689527574633650" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOonghBlJnDMWpfjN5gK6vPVx4KJbH38lQAjNlykn9gRoLAFIixT6-XwrZK-2hTWVyMedx-mRqchEYW_nq3w-Kls1sTUUMUXQlw2SadMnQImDPqRtflX2l7xaBoHE0Q5ytj_VZ/s1600/min.gif"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 80px; height: 60px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOonghBlJnDMWpfjN5gK6vPVx4KJbH38lQAjNlykn9gRoLAFIixT6-XwrZK-2hTWVyMedx-mRqchEYW_nq3w-Kls1sTUUMUXQlw2SadMnQImDPqRtflX2l7xaBoHE0Q5ytj_VZ/s200/min.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530689456413570786" border="0" /></a>Kyle Brodziak, <a href="http://www.blogger.com/wild.nhl.com">Minnesota Wild</a><br /><br />Always a good feeling to stick it to your former team. It didn't take Brodziak long to do so.<br /><br />The former Oiler scored twice in the opening 5:24 as Minnesota coasted to a 4-2 win over Edmonton.<br /><br />"Both times, great passes from my linemates," the Alberta native said between periods. He played for Edmonton from 2005-09 before being dealt to Minnesota for draft picks.<br /><br />Typical tactful response, careful not to rip his old team. You know he's amped on the inside, though.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8zrPhvX5RcwcSAAyQ2c8pXLE3rwXjdCflCQjwEbOjTpoQ3gFdy8dbIPt2sVwOcNIKmEfA4U28nHPPVzX5HtOJnJVLASUgk6bmPmTh-dyBKsFRcdLeTRH9ovEXg68vwhTp-6q-/s1600/2969.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 65px; height: 85px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8zrPhvX5RcwcSAAyQ2c8pXLE3rwXjdCflCQjwEbOjTpoQ3gFdy8dbIPt2sVwOcNIKmEfA4U28nHPPVzX5HtOJnJVLASUgk6bmPmTh-dyBKsFRcdLeTRH9ovEXg68vwhTp-6q-/s200/2969.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530665700983144658" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJNZHpjowWwOEKTTlj7JzMbp3pR4ij-8MF1AShNN4xCWFJd0ZeuMAbFKuqfNlq84_IU5k5CgzeuVeZAljL5ln1RZo7DaanRSBT8GH9TysyQFxyAPdFEue1Q3gIKUMoyVcNAHe9/s1600/bos.gif"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 80px; height: 60px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJNZHpjowWwOEKTTlj7JzMbp3pR4ij-8MF1AShNN4xCWFJd0ZeuMAbFKuqfNlq84_IU5k5CgzeuVeZAljL5ln1RZo7DaanRSBT8GH9TysyQFxyAPdFEue1Q3gIKUMoyVcNAHe9/s200/bos.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530665627215395394" border="0" /></a>Tim Thomas, <a href="http://bruins.nhl.com/">Boston Bruins</a><br /><br />Thomas may be the only player to allow a single tally - and see his goals-against average rise.<br /><br />The US Olympian stopped 38 shots, and the Bruins won their home opener 4-1 over the <a href="http://capitals.nhl.com/">Washington Capitals</a> to complete the home-and-home sweep.<br /><br />The 2009 Vezina Trophy winner was 3-0 with a 0.67 GAA coming into the contest. His GAA is now 0.75.<br /><br />"I'm hoping this isn't just a hot streak; this is me now," said Thomas, who had offseason left hip surgery. "At times last year I felt like I was a one-legged goalie."<br /><br /><b>THE BAD...</b><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0e-yLDgV6WsW5tt8Ew0N9n50gLMqvQ35nD0lNr-rsBOZTbYvZTjBY69NBhWyYFUMAQ86hcXXSqHzJVdIVf5cNQ_4M-cOfk9pS9rcszMZ26ZQSMgWrTHD7-8gXNEZlFinWn9Tu/s1600/njd.gif"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 80px; height: 60px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0e-yLDgV6WsW5tt8Ew0N9n50gLMqvQ35nD0lNr-rsBOZTbYvZTjBY69NBhWyYFUMAQ86hcXXSqHzJVdIVf5cNQ_4M-cOfk9pS9rcszMZ26ZQSMgWrTHD7-8gXNEZlFinWn9Tu/s200/njd.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530709178988706914" border="0" /></a>The <a href="http://devils.nhl.com/">New Jersey Devils</a><br /><br />Here is all you need to know about the Devils some two weeks into the 2010-11 season: Both their wins have been courtesy of shutouts by Martin Brodeur, including 3-0 over the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVdAlA1mRvpK-BdLR3HRlXO6ZgYLDpTW-lLWJ29V6bMdl7jmpWh-vHIZK40EpKK3dxO9SqNs0ovKwEJpB7SPnOOwz0SK_NXMDqwZbPviDQCekfC5x0u44paqtiOJqZPUSyXPKG/s1600/7b47573e97304e6385a9d02dec255b6f.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVdAlA1mRvpK-BdLR3HRlXO6ZgYLDpTW-lLWJ29V6bMdl7jmpWh-vHIZK40EpKK3dxO9SqNs0ovKwEJpB7SPnOOwz0SK_NXMDqwZbPviDQCekfC5x0u44paqtiOJqZPUSyXPKG/s320/7b47573e97304e6385a9d02dec255b6f.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530710559515589202" border="0" /></a>When he doesn't extend his NHL record for whitewashes, New Jersey is 0-4-1 and has been outscored 21-9.<br /><br />Brodeur hasn't denied the club's slow start under new coach John MacLean.<br /><br />"It looks like it so far but hopefully we'll get different kinds of wins eventually because it'll be tough to do that," he said. "It's been a rocky start but on the road the last few games with Buffalo and here in Montreal, it's nice to have shutouts but definitely wins is what we're looking for right now."<br /><br />And you plan on doing this how?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbZqLs8sU7Wwk1g4Xc_WQGoVKp6g06Hu4-QxB4e1McUUzskPoYFFexwQODKYdIn06roquFW-ebNc7huooUv65d3UmF4smUeQfi6mPhGkOH7Hc7J-Af-CfnQRqA4Zg6lNp-F4zf/s1600/cgy.gif"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 80px; height: 60px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbZqLs8sU7Wwk1g4Xc_WQGoVKp6g06Hu4-QxB4e1McUUzskPoYFFexwQODKYdIn06roquFW-ebNc7huooUv65d3UmF4smUeQfi6mPhGkOH7Hc7J-Af-CfnQRqA4Zg6lNp-F4zf/s320/cgy.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530732325090267122" /></a>The <a href=http://flames.nhl.com>Calgary Flames</a><br /><br />This is how bad things have gotten for Calgary: Rookie Mikael Backlund had his first two-goal game in a 4-2 loss to the <a href=http://redwings.nhl.com>Detroit Red Wings</a>. <br /><br />He also moved into a tie for the team's goal-scoring lead. <br /><br />Calgary has split its first six games, but has managed only Backlund's markers in the three losses, and 11 goals overall - one from franchise scoring leader Jarome Iginla, none from the reacquired Olli Jokinen. <br /><br />It's time to clean the House of Sutter.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw67zQ_gwPHCqDSwi-T_QUjdpEV1QIGs5i_mpkfyEHtp7g2KhYq-iOFHzOUpJTJb1tFqeR6OCPZWevBghR8sBuHZIkqQ9C-QWQhLwXR1yKAd_SyhgSgYpMSxCxpIRXrAQxf2Pm/s1600/pho_3.gif"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 80px; height: 60px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw67zQ_gwPHCqDSwi-T_QUjdpEV1QIGs5i_mpkfyEHtp7g2KhYq-iOFHzOUpJTJb1tFqeR6OCPZWevBghR8sBuHZIkqQ9C-QWQhLwXR1yKAd_SyhgSgYpMSxCxpIRXrAQxf2Pm/s320/pho_3.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530732389849722818" /></a><a href=http://coyotes.nhl.com>Phoenix Coyotes</a> fans in Arizona<br /><br />I took fans of the Blue Jackets to task earlier this week after the smallest crowd in Columbus' franchise history showed up. <br /><br />That was an overflow gathering compared to the 6,706 that watched the Coyotes post a 4-2 win over the <a href=http://kings.nhl.com>Los Angeles Kings</a>. <br /><br />Chicago investor Matthew Hulsizer reached an agreement earlier this week on a new lease at Jobing.com Arena that should lead to him buying the club from the NHL. <br /><br />He must really want this team bad. If there's any doubt, and having seen the sparse crowd on television, he should reconsider wanting a club in a region of the country not really suited for the sport, and whose fans are apathetic at best despite an unexpected playoff charge last spring. <br /><br />I'll ask again. Kansas City with a new arena waiting for a tenant? Back to Winnipeg? Seattle? Milwaukee? Fold?<br /><br />Anyone? <br /><br /><b>...AND THE QUOTABLE</b><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinvD8iid8bm96kKFVhbxUhSeIKCq6P_shWX2LMgxGJKlcSPHQAo8DUNos-TCceLGFMGdH70Ca7f4hJrvfd2k-vsbkTOiv0OBuJp6Rz70hDwpBQgV4jyXuW9Dk4kHhqz1XBpmlP/s1600/US_Hockey_Hall_of_F_713821l.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 204px; height: 252px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinvD8iid8bm96kKFVhbxUhSeIKCq6P_shWX2LMgxGJKlcSPHQAo8DUNos-TCceLGFMGdH70Ca7f4hJrvfd2k-vsbkTOiv0OBuJp6Rz70hDwpBQgV4jyXuW9Dk4kHhqz1XBpmlP/s320/US_Hockey_Hall_of_F_713821l.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530713358355774754" /></a><b><i></i></b><blockquote><b><i>"Everywhere I go, everybody asks me about Derian, and I'll put this one to rest right now. Derian, I respect you, and I'm jealous of you because of your Stanley Cup. But never, ever did I feel one bit of animosity for our competitive level and what we did on the ice."</i></b><i>- Jeremy Roenick speaking at his induction to the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame about fellow inductee Derian Hatcher, who broke Roenick's jaw in four places (impresssive!) late in the 1998-99 NHL season.</i></blockquote>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405512234106476602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12160153.post-22202678516810793102010-10-20T21:37:00.010-05:002010-10-21T00:03:11.392-05:00Two minutesIt's a light night, so this may be cut down to 90 seconds.<br /><br /><b>THE GOOD...</b><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinlXs0ZFRrNQBIeF71wXRguT5jXLjuBGWW4dhBRHQKBca096mI8nW0duopweVVHu-BvYDoQUWFzk_tja-zwc-IgpYmQ9sYMqx0HDgK2-FWIrwMGDNbic2Cpydcd28PHG-SlnEm/s1600/500.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 65px; height: 85px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinlXs0ZFRrNQBIeF71wXRguT5jXLjuBGWW4dhBRHQKBca096mI8nW0duopweVVHu-BvYDoQUWFzk_tja-zwc-IgpYmQ9sYMqx0HDgK2-FWIrwMGDNbic2Cpydcd28PHG-SlnEm/s200/500.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530343056780178610" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimI4DExaf-dayVj68rQk27UntrXjxsbfpVuzfQf-8pRnXxRyqu5H_GxLMakgNRDuIrkql5w3uCa0HDvqkjrIhJziIiorhEDi359uwhXGXxor_wNE0ZlBmmlzlg4QGaTrN6sXXo/s1600/ana.gif"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 80px; height: 60px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimI4DExaf-dayVj68rQk27UntrXjxsbfpVuzfQf-8pRnXxRyqu5H_GxLMakgNRDuIrkql5w3uCa0HDvqkjrIhJziIiorhEDi359uwhXGXxor_wNE0ZlBmmlzlg4QGaTrN6sXXo/s200/ana.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530342914982809154" border="0" /></a>Teemu Selanne, <a href="http://ducks.nhl.com/">Anaheim Ducks</a><br /><br />The old man can still bring it. The 40-year-old Finn scored his 609th career goal in a 3-1 loss to Columbus.<br /><br />Selanne moved past Dino Ciccarelli into sole possession of 16th place all time. Next up - Bobby Hull with 610.<br /><br /><b>THE BAD...</b><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQb8XKNkezhrIne4rC9ALTOYmveVDWNopshjhYuEqJAwxdXciY71NRfeuT82MD9NaURBjz_NlfV5Ip_6JzvmSxhanvhkRAmDWCZyauv_5q1tNEhFGngnXfanUXGQA8F9opPN3O/s1600/van.gif"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 80px; height: 60px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQb8XKNkezhrIne4rC9ALTOYmveVDWNopshjhYuEqJAwxdXciY71NRfeuT82MD9NaURBjz_NlfV5Ip_6JzvmSxhanvhkRAmDWCZyauv_5q1tNEhFGngnXfanUXGQA8F9opPN3O/s320/van.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530328342674535026" border="0" /></a>Rick Rypien, <a href="http://canucks.nhl.com/">Vancouver Canucks</a><br /><br />Putting your hands on a fan? Not really the way you wanna go here, Ricky.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0v4LcUSJ7lxiFuVoSySpcUb0WJIqSLJ2BndVyoYsuPWFSj51VfYEJTP3LDWp3uSqJl7IIpn0TTc9Ny3ou9P5lSOIwHzZWfpSKbzeIoQK7mO46aolpTfgbhWYhXXdg3IpR_50T/s1600/rypien_skate.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0v4LcUSJ7lxiFuVoSySpcUb0WJIqSLJ2BndVyoYsuPWFSj51VfYEJTP3LDWp3uSqJl7IIpn0TTc9Ny3ou9P5lSOIwHzZWfpSKbzeIoQK7mO46aolpTfgbhWYhXXdg3IpR_50T/s320/rypien_skate.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530328549582895202" border="0" /></a>For those who didn't see what happened Tuesday in the Canucks' 6-1 loss to the Minnesota, Rypien was being led off the ice after a second fight with the Wild's Brad Staubitz. A fan was clapping as Rypien walked past - from what could be seen, clapping, not jeering, not being a knucklehead.<br /><br />Rypien charged into that role with his blades up, grabbing a double-handful of the fan's jersey before order was quickly restored. The NHL on Wednesday suspended Rypien indefinitely pending a hearing.<br /><br />Canucks general manager Mike Gillis tried defending Rypien.<br /><br />"This was totally unexpected," he said Wednesday night during the Canucks' game in Chicago. "In our experience with Rick, we never expected anything like this to occur. He's been a solid guy on our team. He's a good teammate, good in the community. It was something completely unexpected.<br /><br />"Sometimes things happen, and you have to deal with them. You don't anticipate any event like that from a player of Rick's stature. There were events that led up to it, and we're going to support him."<br /><br />Support him all you like. Look at footage and all you'll see was a Minnesota fan clapping.<br /><br />At first, I was thinking a three- to five-game suspension. I'm thinking more like 10 now.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjanTT859BLRUBh7bC5s6uvjMObRGOOlbA29M1Mqi_M5q_Afdne8tEP-v9b3ZC09YdWiJsnYoSoiO76x-y-L1LHxIYVlt8X9FpD07pM2CEV7Xz7Nw3ue4oHNcnvsYXgzp00zp9Q/s1600/cob.gif"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 80px; height: 60px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjanTT859BLRUBh7bC5s6uvjMObRGOOlbA29M1Mqi_M5q_Afdne8tEP-v9b3ZC09YdWiJsnYoSoiO76x-y-L1LHxIYVlt8X9FpD07pM2CEV7Xz7Nw3ue4oHNcnvsYXgzp00zp9Q/s320/cob.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530328215459507746" border="0" /></a><a href="http://bluejackets.nhl.com/">Columbus Blue Jackets</a> fans<br /><br />Way to show up - all 9,802 of you.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg662_iZihDdpNIC861eAz2wbpTxlJzSt2sx2fACcfN4r0Oe4cC0jIklmq8Mu57dL9THxLYsB90Ni757sU7xfYyQIV_rIsbe0ICIT2cnubhrbUxBgMlO_YAaSLtNjRqkstOLqtg/s1600/cbj.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 146px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg662_iZihDdpNIC861eAz2wbpTxlJzSt2sx2fACcfN4r0Oe4cC0jIklmq8Mu57dL9THxLYsB90Ni757sU7xfYyQIV_rIsbe0ICIT2cnubhrbUxBgMlO_YAaSLtNjRqkstOLqtg/s200/cbj.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530332412473261890" border="0" /></a>The Blue Jackets defeated Anaheim in front of the smallest crowd to see a game at Nationwide Arena.<br /><br />Columbus is celebrating its 10th season in the NHL, but I'm sure this was a disappontment to the franchise.<br /><br />"Yeah, it was unfortunate we got embarrassed," team captain Rick Nash said, referring to a lethargic, lopsided 5-2 loss to Chicago on Friday night in the Jackets' home opener. "The only way we're going to win them back is by winning games."<br /><br />Good seats are available for Friday night's tilt against the <a href="http://www.blogger.com/flames.nhl.com">Calgary Flames</a>.<br /><br /><b>...AND THE QUOTABLE</b><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLuKemNw9ZY3S8JYOm-daW8CyE70jE-7a0H_Jhszm294lujhmy2gKdV_brDp5wirlHkS9Ny8Ctq6M4kH5WSUGU6vrash37TVMD8INTTmXQ9H7DcK5q-K50k9WSfxNGkNWNCpF9/s1600/67301_canucks_wild_hockey_large.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 250px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLuKemNw9ZY3S8JYOm-daW8CyE70jE-7a0H_Jhszm294lujhmy2gKdV_brDp5wirlHkS9Ny8Ctq6M4kH5WSUGU6vrash37TVMD8INTTmXQ9H7DcK5q-K50k9WSfxNGkNWNCpF9/s400/67301_canucks_wild_hockey_large.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5530330121553269106" border="0" /></a><b></b><blockquote><b><i>"I was just standing straight up applauding as he was getting kicked out. He was out of control. And then I said, 'Way to be professional,' and he obviously didn't care for that comment and decided to grab me and almost dragged me over the rail. If my brother wasn't grabbing me and the other player wasn't grabbing him, he probably would have dragged me over the edge."</i></b><i> - James Engquist, a 28-year-old fan of the Minnesota Wild who had his jersey grabbed by Vancouver's Rick Rypien on Tuesday.</i></blockquote><i></i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405512234106476602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12160153.post-76600996522763607412010-10-19T06:11:00.021-05:002010-10-20T15:17:17.486-05:00Game of the night - Oct. 20 - Canucks, Blackhawks renew battle<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVAZZqcLO2SUzeaVIzqkOSXCqzbo76vwXAXF42rI9ecGc77tNVqGbWR17rP5_Cj5HIiKL_WseJPQcjaOQIAC3zA5cgf_LcrELhseA8_LHI_eMCMTsCJklNSP_hSvkuw_pdeOK1/s1600/chi2.gif"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 80px; height: 60px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVAZZqcLO2SUzeaVIzqkOSXCqzbo76vwXAXF42rI9ecGc77tNVqGbWR17rP5_Cj5HIiKL_WseJPQcjaOQIAC3zA5cgf_LcrELhseA8_LHI_eMCMTsCJklNSP_hSvkuw_pdeOK1/s320/chi2.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529715548691948930" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikG5u2iBfh5PbK8lGDSG6snmiIwDyxbwjalVggXpFEmGrjtFKf3cktaAc6B8XkOZmBAjW5d9XQ8ZnNlfh9CGty32K7u2-npXLgVTQfnjX0wmDqIroeUfAAOvVIEcsH033VFpQR/s1600/van.gif"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 80px; height: 60px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikG5u2iBfh5PbK8lGDSG6snmiIwDyxbwjalVggXpFEmGrjtFKf3cktaAc6B8XkOZmBAjW5d9XQ8ZnNlfh9CGty32K7u2-npXLgVTQfnjX0wmDqIroeUfAAOvVIEcsH033VFpQR/s320/van.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529715466049846002" border="0" /></a><b><a href="http://canucks.nhl.com/">Vancouver Canucks</a> (2-3-1) at<a href="http://blackhawks.nhl.com/"> Chicago Blackhawks</a> (4-2-1), United Center, Chicago, Ill.</b><br /><br />There is a lot to like about Chicago - the skyline along the lake. Wrigley Field. Maxwell Street Polish.<br /><br />There is also a lot to dislike - high taxes. Potholes you could hide Chilean miners in. Bitter, winter weather off that same beautiful lake. The Cubs.<br /><br />For the Canucks, who will face the Blackhawks for the first time since again being ousted by the eventual Stanley Cup champions last spring, it's a song that makes them have disdain for the Windy City.<br /><br /><center><object height="385" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/sEXHeTcxQy4?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/sEXHeTcxQy4?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="385" width="640"></embed></object></center><br /><br />The 'Hawks play the Fratellis' "Chelsea Dagger" after every goal scored at home. With apologies to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Congreve">William Congreve</a>, music hath not the charms to soothe the savage breast on this one<br /><br />Kinda catchy. Kinda grating after a while - especially if your goalie keeps getting beat, and some 20,000 fans in the Midwest, and perhaps just as many back home, let you know it.<br /><br /><b><i></i></b><i></i><blockquote><i><b>"Worst song in hockey. I don't even want to listen to it anymore. I was in the press box last game in Chicago, and I heard it six times, and I was cringing every time, so ... we all know about that song in this room, and we all hate it."</b> - Vancouver defenseman Kevin Bieksa.</i></blockquote><br /><br /><center><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/m3cV688Fi-g?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/m3cV688Fi-g?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="385" width="480"></embed></object></center><br /><br />During the 2009-10 regular season, Vancouver and Chicago were about as evenly matched as you could. The teams split four games with the Canucks outscoring the Blackhawks 11-10. Vancouver was 2 for 13 with the man-advantage, slightly better than Chicago's 1 for 16.<br /><br />Far different story in the postseason.<br /><br />Chicago advanced to the Western Conference finals in six games, winning three including the clincher in British Columbia. The key was Game 4 at the former GM Place, where captain Jonathan Toews recorded a hat trick, notching three of the 'Hawks' four power-play tallies.<br /><br />It was also helped close out a rematch of their 2009 semifinals matchup, taken by Chicago in six games.<br /><br />"We wanted this opportunity," Vancouver coach Alain Vigneault said in May after the most recent series loss. "We wanted this challenge, and for the second year in a row we weren't able to get it done."<br /><br />Who to blame? <a href=http://www.talk-sports.net/nhl/sucks.aspx/Roberto_Luongo>Bobby Lu</a>.<br /><br />Roberto Luongo certainly has the pedigree - and the 12-year, $64-million contract - to be considered among the best goaltenders in the NHL, but truth is he's melted down in the postseason, posting a 17-17 record in spite of a goals-against average just under 2 1/2.<br /><br />Olympic gold medal winner? Sure. Undying love of your country. Yes. But until you hoist a Cup, it means nothing.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt-X9XsKjYVD1_0PFSPXjr_Mpb1VPCeZ3fge8FhEIyU7vPbh-HnA9cSacYq5bd6gXm0l2k3RPsGdNTWjaNVb4wf8CwRLqtLjVst-dwHADvLs26iedypjn6vgofOtcMpqKY-mBF/s1600/hawks-vs-canucks.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 206px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt-X9XsKjYVD1_0PFSPXjr_Mpb1VPCeZ3fge8FhEIyU7vPbh-HnA9cSacYq5bd6gXm0l2k3RPsGdNTWjaNVb4wf8CwRLqtLjVst-dwHADvLs26iedypjn6vgofOtcMpqKY-mBF/s320/hawks-vs-canucks.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529838885890033170" border="0" /></a>If there is one thing these teams can agree on is they enjoy <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8YHuTs-C_w">fighting</a>: In 20 games over the past two seasons, they've combined for more than 700 penalty minutes.<br /><br />While both teams still have tough personnas, most of the fighting spirit may no longer be there. Chicago has parted ways with Dustin Byfuglien and agitators Ben Eager and Adam Burish. Shane O'Brien and Darcy Hordichuk are no longer with the Canucks, and Alexandre Burrows is still rehabbing from shoulder surgery.<br /><br />I say most of the fighting spirit because the highlight of Vancouver's 6-2 blowout loss to the <a href="http://wild.nhl.com/">Minnesota Wild</a> on Tuesday night came in the second period. As the Canucks' Rick Rypien was ushered off to the dressing room following another fight with Brad Staubitz, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5LdnNz2gXo">he grabbed a double-handful of a jersey worn by a Wild fan who was clapping</a>.<br /><br />Three-game suspension? Five? Someone in the 604 may be getting a call tomorrow. (<b>UPDATE: Suspended indefinitely pending a hearing with the NHL.</b>)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvDkf04QEl-_FSZMmtyyRQ9l7KNkP0PAgAYfVgSGPy1Af1v9GVVOY6IsWuE9E6GfjglOlrKHwGPu593tYtS-l8PtBKR0hk88qzk3_NlVCSnFRdFSptKFsV10xDdl8LDZU0jI6V/s1600/luongo_roberto_big_381.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 174px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvDkf04QEl-_FSZMmtyyRQ9l7KNkP0PAgAYfVgSGPy1Af1v9GVVOY6IsWuE9E6GfjglOlrKHwGPu593tYtS-l8PtBKR0hk88qzk3_NlVCSnFRdFSptKFsV10xDdl8LDZU0jI6V/s320/luongo_roberto_big_381.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529962232617933826" border="0" /></a>Luongo was lifted after 40 minutes - the third straight time he's failed to play a full game in St. Paul, and he's surrendered 16 goals over that stretch.<br /><br />Yeah, elite. Maybe Mike Milbury knew something many years ago when he shipped Luongo off the Island to <a href="http://panthers.nhl.com/">Florida</a>.<br /><br />Luongo, who's expected to start at the UC, is 5-3-0 with a 2.50 GAA, .913 save percentage and two shutouts during the regular season at Chicago since joining the Canucks in 2006.<br /><br />Chicago has won three in a row, and rallied for the second straight time Monday with a 3-2 overtime victory over the <a href="http://blues.nhl.com/">St. Louis Blues</a>.<br /><br />Maran Hossa - named the NHL's second star of the week earlier in the day - scored two late third-period goals, and Patrick Sharp notched the game-winner with 1:10 to play in extra time.<br /><br />Hossa leads the NHL with seven goals and 11 points, and Sharp has netted five of his six goals over the last three contests.<br /><br />“I feel really good so far,” Hossa said. “There’s still things I should be working on, but so far the puck is going in for me.”<br /><br />He's not playing at his best? Scary thought.<br /><br />The pick? Given their short turnaround from having played in Minnesota, the Canucks are going to be frustrated - and hearing "Chelsea Dagger" a lot.<br /><br /><b>BLACKHAWKS 7, CANUCKS 4</b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405512234106476602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12160153.post-53674429163018429702010-10-18T13:43:00.012-05:002010-10-18T21:35:50.451-05:00Game of the night - Oct. 19 - High-powered Caps play host to stingy Bruins<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdUMQYHP11D2QM-U84IVZ4mNT_vAnNmOZNEnN4vg-jtnxrJx6tG7ycPhueSwjf2u86dfs8jvLUQHeLMm-uLWufoUVbthJgpeBkHOtfzF27j-FX11lTREI-LgzVlRKt9Y9oDe5O/s1600/was.gif"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 80px; height: 60px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdUMQYHP11D2QM-U84IVZ4mNT_vAnNmOZNEnN4vg-jtnxrJx6tG7ycPhueSwjf2u86dfs8jvLUQHeLMm-uLWufoUVbthJgpeBkHOtfzF27j-FX11lTREI-LgzVlRKt9Y9oDe5O/s320/was.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529464071096589234" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLyS78APXoKIZq_9g1UP2sNVJZ5V_0SbV_F1neJekLy1CUVeFXWfS2sE9UxJeeH0akOOLhmtzfyrEyU0lwutB9-procLCIaJSLzX0mYdSZ0-5rDkGicunEctE6MeLUyka6NJ_4/s1600/bos.gif"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 80px; height: 60px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLyS78APXoKIZq_9g1UP2sNVJZ5V_0SbV_F1neJekLy1CUVeFXWfS2sE9UxJeeH0akOOLhmtzfyrEyU0lwutB9-procLCIaJSLzX0mYdSZ0-5rDkGicunEctE6MeLUyka6NJ_4/s320/bos.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529463953486019010" /></a><a href="http://bruins.nhl.com/">Boston Bruins</a> (2-1-0) at <a href="http://capitals.nhl.com/">Washington Capitals</a> (4-1-0), Verizon Center, Washington DC<br /><br />Hammer, meet nail.<br /><br />Over the last nine games against the Bruins, Washington has picked up 16 of a possible 18 points with losses in overtime and a shootout preventing a clean sweep.<br /><br />Not shockingly, a well-known trio of Capitals have led the way. Nicklas Backstrom is the top scorer with 11 points, including eight assists, followed by Alex Ovechkin (five goals, five assists), and Alexander Semin (three goals, seven assists).<br /><br />Washington’s top-scoring defenseman over that span was the notoriously fragile Tom Poti with just six assists. This season, John Carlson has emerged as the Caps’ top scoring threat from the blueline.<br /><br />In five games, the 27th overall pick in 2008 has a goal and five assists – matching his total in 22 contests a season ago.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuSAa441m43c1uDBg7r6qprw_n1qVB5tO32OYAJra0H-GIZJxQUBZ-q9Wvs51nAcxHH6GfYAbeMXfGFCfrmFl29iEe5zZ72PZp4xyV5eqVq0WphW1IxTztF7f8VuOxZRPhNdSC/s1600/large_HOCKY1_1228_PAC_22680web.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 230px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuSAa441m43c1uDBg7r6qprw_n1qVB5tO32OYAJra0H-GIZJxQUBZ-q9Wvs51nAcxHH6GfYAbeMXfGFCfrmFl29iEe5zZ72PZp4xyV5eqVq0WphW1IxTztF7f8VuOxZRPhNdSC/s400/large_HOCKY1_1228_PAC_22680web.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529578412902931234" /></a>With Semyon Varlamov injured and Jose Theodore now a backup in Minnesota, goaltending chores have fallen to Michal Neuvirth – and given how well he's playing, it could be hard for Varlamov to get his starting job back.<br /><br />After losing to the <a href="http://tharshers.nhl.com/">Atlanta Thrashers</a> on opening night, the Czech-born Neuwirth is 4-0-0 with a 1.71 goals-against average and .945 save percentage. He stopped 37 shots Saturday in a 3-2 overtime win against the <a href="http://predators.nhl.com/">Nashville Predators</a>.<br /><br />Brooks Laich scored the game-winner, but credited Neuvirth's solid play as the reason why the Capitals extended their winning streak.<br /><br />“Neuvy, for he second game in a row is the storyline,” Laich told the Caps' official website. “After he gives up the second goal, he shuts the door and doesn’t give up any more. Which is a great sign for a young goaltender, to be calm when he is under siege. I think they had 30 shots after two periods. That’s a lot of shots to give up."<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMPogtqDCb4fECnJvfuu6Xgefwy6U2AlHQMPftSWCNoSJ7uYBPCW4sIqk4gEteRplUdxUl6ik1abMwkViaioEHv8snaxCaDh3uH1dqzzJzs2VgrToafdMZiZ4SA8Nd1qV2_8Ak/s1600/b887a1e5d8eb475d844294a5e40e7d6e.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 304px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMPogtqDCb4fECnJvfuu6Xgefwy6U2AlHQMPftSWCNoSJ7uYBPCW4sIqk4gEteRplUdxUl6ik1abMwkViaioEHv8snaxCaDh3uH1dqzzJzs2VgrToafdMZiZ4SA8Nd1qV2_8Ak/s400/b887a1e5d8eb475d844294a5e40e7d6e.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529578649065665826" /></a>If Boston was fatigued after splitting a season-opening series with the <a href="http://coyotes.nhl.com/">Phoenix Coyotes</a> in the Czech Republic, it wasn’t evident Saturday in New Jersey. Rookie Jordan Caron’s first NHL marker ignited a four-goal outburst, lifting the Bruins to a 4-1 win.<br /><br />Tim Thomas stopped 31 shots, and improved to 2-0-0 with a 0.50 GAA, .984 save percentage and one shutout.<br /><br />The portly Thomas is playing more like the goalie that won the Vezina Trophy two seasons ago, not the one who finished below .500.<br /><br />“It wasn’t like we were looking at beating New Jersey,” Thomas told The Associated Press. “We’ve had trouble with them in the past, but it was more that we wanted to be 2-1. Our goal coming in was to start working our way up the standings. We were hungry for the victory, no matter who it was against.”<br /><br />These teams won’t have to wait long to meet again. They’ll complete the back end of a home-and-home set Thursday in Boston for the Bruins’ home opener.<br /><br />The pick? With Thomas, Boston’s early-season goaltending has been solid, but Washington still has way too many weapons.<br /><br /><b>CAPITALS 5, BRUINS 2</b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405512234106476602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12160153.post-38106901138036992012010-10-17T18:55:00.008-05:002010-10-17T20:27:08.707-05:00Game of the night - Surprising Stars, Lightning square off<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHXjvLNX-7twGXoMcgGeZ0cmx_pS5ooF1ExUBBrUmQCpGWp-7OIPCg8HEQMBAbLnxrXSNON07MVpPUPmv0DhasD4qA3R3QGxheL6kcs3e9cHljVxX7zBPkyh9PQuYJW_snWR2J/s1600/tam.gif"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 80px; height: 60px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHXjvLNX-7twGXoMcgGeZ0cmx_pS5ooF1ExUBBrUmQCpGWp-7OIPCg8HEQMBAbLnxrXSNON07MVpPUPmv0DhasD4qA3R3QGxheL6kcs3e9cHljVxX7zBPkyh9PQuYJW_snWR2J/s320/tam.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529175265827455074" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmQ37uXSiPNuej2g2RZbLdn-Kc61-EPtO2JNMvw7YVpK76dKxtNrmTwe8Q_DlQp9f1GTCAAjYFDcUGYkZ0U-qDyP47iCuddljL4k9NOJohgi_3mKsFfaisGy4v6uPtkJAia43D/s1600/dal.gif"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 80px; height: 60px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmQ37uXSiPNuej2g2RZbLdn-Kc61-EPtO2JNMvw7YVpK76dKxtNrmTwe8Q_DlQp9f1GTCAAjYFDcUGYkZ0U-qDyP47iCuddljL4k9NOJohgi_3mKsFfaisGy4v6uPtkJAia43D/s320/dal.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529175117719004354" /></a><b><a href="http://stars.nhl.com/">Dallas Stars</a> (4-0-0) at <a href="http://lightning.nhl.com/">Tampa Bay Lightning</a> (3-1-0), St. Pete Times Forum, Tampa, Fla.</b><br /><br />Earlier this decade, the Stars were a model of consistency : Good enough to get into the playoffs with aspirations of reaching the Stanley Cup finals, not good enough to get very far as lesser teams would take them down.<br /><br />Postseason games are not won in October, but Dallas is laying the foundation needed to be a high seed in what's shaping up as a very competitive Western Conference.<br /><br />Last season, the Stars failed to win three in row, and missed the playoffs for the second straight year. Now, Dallas is in position for its first five-game winning streak since Jan. 21-Feb. 3, 2009.<br /><br />Why the huge change? Well, it's been nothing earth-shattering, but perhaps a change in the culture has helped.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiBkQ5qW1Bww8WBbZ_GUqRGu6vR2N-lN3IzLxjD6Zz_o5NRPMYWiOIsdrSkgHrUp7qKc0Jyix8HO2GXthZVf9nOSwsJQCcBXL9yxzX-P-TGsK1-Kr93jblbpmzKGcsujtVunyP/s1600/ba4b9ee2fbb44a94aacccb026115261f.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 226px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiBkQ5qW1Bww8WBbZ_GUqRGu6vR2N-lN3IzLxjD6Zz_o5NRPMYWiOIsdrSkgHrUp7qKc0Jyix8HO2GXthZVf9nOSwsJQCcBXL9yxzX-P-TGsK1-Kr93jblbpmzKGcsujtVunyP/s320/ba4b9ee2fbb44a94aacccb026115261f.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529181854570006930" /></a>Now that franchise icon Mike Modano is in Detroit after 20 years with the Stars, this team clearly belongs to Loui Eriksson, Brad Richards and Brenden Morrow - currently among the team's leading scorers.<div><br /></div><div>And with former No. 2 overall pick Kari Lehtonen in goal, Dallas is allowing 2.50 goals per game, down from a shade under three last season.<div><br />He gave up two goals less than four minutes into the game Saturday against the <a href="http://blues.nhl.com/">St. Louis Blues</a>, but Dallas rallied for 3-2 shootout win.<br /><br />"It is great to see how when one part is not doing well, the other part picks up. We were in a little bit of trouble and I was able to make good saves. The next night it could be another way. That's the sign of a good team," Lehtonen told the Stars' official website.<br /><br />Richards, who leads Dallas with seven assists and nine points, was a key member of the Lightning from 2000-08, helping win the franchise's only Stanley Cup in 2004. In his only visit to face his former club since being dealt to Dallas nearly three years ago, Richards had a power-play goal and assist in a 4-2 loss in February 2009.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtIsSmWnnLg5B8LPidqFQnWJiw0N40sEJgE-Li7Op8S6PQoB_QcbpvWRbccoMz_CzshWNWgqY_jP9jKOHBJtbMLcRe1DkVV3E3sTiqoQknVfiQi5U3jGrYkX6RpbOBjK96s_Wc/s1600/Tampa+Bay+Lightning+v+New+Jersey+Devils+6Aa-S6bKBPpl.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 224px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtIsSmWnnLg5B8LPidqFQnWJiw0N40sEJgE-Li7Op8S6PQoB_QcbpvWRbccoMz_CzshWNWgqY_jP9jKOHBJtbMLcRe1DkVV3E3sTiqoQknVfiQi5U3jGrYkX6RpbOBjK96s_Wc/s320/Tampa+Bay+Lightning+v+New+Jersey+Devils+6Aa-S6bKBPpl.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5529189166591217682" /></a>For Tampa Bay and first-year head coach Guy Boucher, the question is how well the team responds to a bad game, and first loss of the new season.<br /><br />The Lightning had outscored their opponents 12-8 heading into Saturday's contest with the rival <a href="http://panthers.nhl.com/">Florida Panthers</a>. Instead, Tampa Bay allowed four first-period goals on the way to a 6-0 drubbing.<br /><br />“(The Panthers) were home and they need to please their fans at the opener,” Boucher said. “They had all the emotions they needed. For us, it was just the opposite. Our goaltenders have been great up until now but they were like the rest of the team tonight. They were just off.”<br /><br />Dan Ellis stopped 12 of 15 shots in 15:13 before giving way to Mike Smith, who turned aside 20 of 23 shots.<br /><br />Whoever Boucher comes back with has Dallas ties.<br /><br />Ellis, who had spent the previous three seasons with the <a href="http://predators.nhl.com/">Nashville Predators</a>, was picked 60th overall by the Stars in 2000, and won in his only appearance with them in February 2004. Smith, a key to the trade that sent Richards to Big D, was a fifth-round pick of the Stars in 2001, and was a backup to Marty Turco from 2006-08<br /><br />High-scoring Steven Stamkos has six goals in a four-game streak at home dating back to last season. After scoring 51 goals last season to share the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy with Sidney Crosby of the <a href="http://penguins.nhl.com/">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>, Stamkos already has four in 2010-11.<br /><br />Dallas is 19-6-0 with three ties all-time against the Lightning, with 11 wins in 15 games at Tampa. The Stars have scored two goals in each of their last four visits to Florida's Gulf coast, but that's going to change.<br /><br />The pick? Dallas' winning ways continue.<br /><br /><b>STARS 3, LIGHTNING 1</b><br /><br /></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405512234106476602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12160153.post-241436959970197982010-10-16T19:34:00.023-05:002010-10-17T01:39:03.277-05:00Two minutes<b>THE GOOD...</b><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixbNuYOGcTyOHYy06na7txg1rHhRSi1V_yxLJJwrQhICWHofjQ30v15BBRHSamTvHJENBlZEGFwd17rF4rw7hDeGtjhUtkXypm-jZ_b9FHjTwFPI44BWdI_rURIGEKT52AI6ul/s1600/7efba0554a5d2292ccb0f3e59b49c185-getty-102997295ja014_lightning_panthers.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixbNuYOGcTyOHYy06na7txg1rHhRSi1V_yxLJJwrQhICWHofjQ30v15BBRHSamTvHJENBlZEGFwd17rF4rw7hDeGtjhUtkXypm-jZ_b9FHjTwFPI44BWdI_rURIGEKT52AI6ul/s320/7efba0554a5d2292ccb0f3e59b49c185-getty-102997295ja014_lightning_panthers.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528857196639197522" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS-0RQ76b2QBdfCpvkNE5k2Nf7DdFgpUiRdL2RFQAXZBxkMuZ-RxXBeMartuWYz1p73LNOsS4b121N33pARRQ4jj16OKfYr7fbYzeiBAGosb_59KSqHuo72e_V93YtnQ8gMZ8q/s1600/fla.gif"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 80px; height: 60px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS-0RQ76b2QBdfCpvkNE5k2Nf7DdFgpUiRdL2RFQAXZBxkMuZ-RxXBeMartuWYz1p73LNOsS4b121N33pARRQ4jj16OKfYr7fbYzeiBAGosb_59KSqHuo72e_V93YtnQ8gMZ8q/s200/fla.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528857016042195618" border="0" /></a><a href="http://panthers.nhl.com/">Florida Panthers</a><br /><br />Beware. These cats may not be as bad as advertised.<br /><br />Following a pair of one-goal losses and a shutout win on a season-opening three-game trip through western Canada, the Panthers scored four first-period goals, and handed the <a href="http://lightning.nhl.com/">Tampa Bay Lightning</a> their first loss of the season, 6-0.<br /><br />Tomas Vokoun made 29 saves to record his second straight shutout, and 40th of his career.<br /><br />"Sometimes it's tough coming back from a road trip and sometimes there's a letdown. We didn't let that happen tonight," said defenseman Bryan McCabe told The Associated Press.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwTK89j-_m4lBnOllI7lGsk5HL8w9xPv5VhvyxJOB9v0_yR_R_GU5WaS3tCsSNJWAVsOvxoNNIrR8yFqqynXQrBAjpu1C680g3WlrPXLM8zr8V_txtoCYaSuIGv7heCSd-aIPX/s1600/c64d239390313e21bb94ab5dd0f77c65-getty-102932588bb026_pittsburgh_p.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 176px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwTK89j-_m4lBnOllI7lGsk5HL8w9xPv5VhvyxJOB9v0_yR_R_GU5WaS3tCsSNJWAVsOvxoNNIrR8yFqqynXQrBAjpu1C680g3WlrPXLM8zr8V_txtoCYaSuIGv7heCSd-aIPX/s200/c64d239390313e21bb94ab5dd0f77c65-getty-102932588bb026_pittsburgh_p.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528858331329264178" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC3uGegG-nFvYDEQksguReDqxPurBwiMyfzk0onq51zDHYHX9AYVmqP2HhD5AEO-IeG9CmY_3JVGaLpRdTzYgZrutf7hw6exgYdrgWX3YL5OS6euyASdzI3UbFZxgNYmA70zpq/s1600/pit.gif"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 80px; height: 60px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC3uGegG-nFvYDEQksguReDqxPurBwiMyfzk0onq51zDHYHX9AYVmqP2HhD5AEO-IeG9CmY_3JVGaLpRdTzYgZrutf7hw6exgYdrgWX3YL5OS6euyASdzI3UbFZxgNYmA70zpq/s320/pit.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528809511649747730" border="0" /></a>Sidney Crosby, <a href="http://penguins.nhl.com/">Pittsburgh Penguins</a><br /><br />This was only a matter of time.<br /><br />Crosby scored two power-play goals in a 90-second span to help the Penguins to a 5-1 over the <a href="http://flyers.nhl.com/">Flyers</a> in Philadelphia, avenging a season-opening loss to their cross-state rivals last week in Pittsburgh.<br /><br />"When we do get those chances, we have to make the most of them," Crosby said<br /><br />Crosby had one goal in five games after tying Tampa Bay's Steven Stamkos for the league lead with 51 in 2009-10.<br /><br />In 17 regular-season games in Philadelphia, Crosby has 13 goals and 15 assists.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjayzjgWk2GI3XuiBxkX-kgIWOhBySd93cfqg_jhV1uH-GJEzwHiQ4MTOVBTmSQ2_j_8sN8fRHLm2PXdxIkNK2Bzy902nEnP0TsHAFBz_xvkgwtAG7Ls6jPfhSu4p9uPjmayxi3/s1600/iginla.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 65px; height: 85px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjayzjgWk2GI3XuiBxkX-kgIWOhBySd93cfqg_jhV1uH-GJEzwHiQ4MTOVBTmSQ2_j_8sN8fRHLm2PXdxIkNK2Bzy902nEnP0TsHAFBz_xvkgwtAG7Ls6jPfhSu4p9uPjmayxi3/s200/iginla.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528865800823559346" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-qwhVuly1BQ2Tz-lKq8py5aYdBNDxSdic_WmF__Nh3hUXhlzPcl-qV_QJmisiE_v7Pyj5RooRTXyKXNQyGywrJbpTQth7ct3tlvL8ZJmysCH2fvLnTDvJAb8RcFlqPEm7UVBn/s1600/cgy.gif"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 80px; height: 60px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-qwhVuly1BQ2Tz-lKq8py5aYdBNDxSdic_WmF__Nh3hUXhlzPcl-qV_QJmisiE_v7Pyj5RooRTXyKXNQyGywrJbpTQth7ct3tlvL8ZJmysCH2fvLnTDvJAb8RcFlqPEm7UVBn/s200/cgy.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528865212269033714" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a>Jarome Iginla, <a href="http://flames.nhl.com/">Calgary Flames</a><br /><br />Couldn't have picked a better time for his first goal - or point - of the season.<br /><br />The longtime Flames captain scored on the power play with 12:11 to play, and Calgary went on to a 5-3 victory over the <a href="http://oilers.nhl.com/">Edmonton Oilers</a> in the second chapter of the "Battle of Alberta" this season.<br /><br />"I think Tangs (teammate Alex Tanguay) got sick of me missing those one-timers, so he decided to give me a 1-footer and I'll take it," Iginla said. "As it came right across the crease, my eyes got pretty big. I was pretty excited to see that one go in."<br /><br />Iginla - the Flames' all-time scoring leader - had four assists in his past 14 games before Saturday. <br /><br /><b>THE BAD...</b><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjadraorD04XaMNAVGTeMoATE7bjDvSO9z3ytCmJjEWRnFwUy41vh3MLpxAuCHWrWrVSne9-GNRU2KuSBi0q4gTjt5u3mu5bIp2NdEOgQChYa5BxMOvNg0L-SACH1ucXAgor6Ki/s1600/turco.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 65px; height: 85px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjadraorD04XaMNAVGTeMoATE7bjDvSO9z3ytCmJjEWRnFwUy41vh3MLpxAuCHWrWrVSne9-GNRU2KuSBi0q4gTjt5u3mu5bIp2NdEOgQChYa5BxMOvNg0L-SACH1ucXAgor6Ki/s320/turco.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528814015375869154" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxnBBG7vO9EjK2sfbU4LcVYjS2DGO1TZXuQ3-zdluVScq1ZKKl9Ic6u-baExOvTQNPG1j5QUnB3clLEFf7cc6XX7pHrJUTLIBl2kNp9kD9HByl-mnb4v6eMVuSh6Kp8-Edzp96/s1600/chi.gif"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 80px; height: 60px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxnBBG7vO9EjK2sfbU4LcVYjS2DGO1TZXuQ3-zdluVScq1ZKKl9Ic6u-baExOvTQNPG1j5QUnB3clLEFf7cc6XX7pHrJUTLIBl2kNp9kD9HByl-mnb4v6eMVuSh6Kp8-Edzp96/s320/chi.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528813928445535666" border="0" /></a>Marty Turco, <a href="http://blackhawks.nhl.com/">Chicago Blackhawks</a><br /><br />Before you start - yes, I know the Blackhawks beat the <a href="http://sabres.nhl.com/">Buffalo Sabres</a> 4-3. And I know there's been a lot of turnover in personnel, and yes, I am acutely aware that Chicago is missing one of its top defensemen in Brian Campbell.<br /><br />However, there still seems to be a Stanley Cup hangover, and Turco has not been at his sharpest early on with his new team.<br /><br />Given a 1-0 lead early in the contest. Turco gave up two goals 15 seconds apart, forcing Chicago to battle back. Patrick Sharp ended up scoring two goals for the second straight game to rescue his new netminder.<br /><br />"There are no perfect games. We strive for them, but that was pretty far from it," Turco said."<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Ars4iZbIO4dSzCMRMVuIFjuylxAnG9a7zv8NKGh7t82Hqia1CXoWU2uqP1UgR7a9P2SqB9YBvy5Lci6HQKsvUKJTwKvTgB5LO3RKiqNSmZs_AcEKNHfJ92n5cOzY3MYNEw2W/s1600/4432.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 65px; height: 85px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Ars4iZbIO4dSzCMRMVuIFjuylxAnG9a7zv8NKGh7t82Hqia1CXoWU2uqP1UgR7a9P2SqB9YBvy5Lci6HQKsvUKJTwKvTgB5LO3RKiqNSmZs_AcEKNHfJ92n5cOzY3MYNEw2W/s320/4432.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528892544133910290" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6oYmxmY5DSwJ6gldZyFFCrsxSAQP_RcpClACQfThyphenhyphen_sAWzwH7qInpNv3gHx76ouecA9Gr8t987Vz1dB05IYnQECBy-L5rBOhGWcOcA8c-sT1Yo3IswCBcsxp11j_kFHqosUPY/s1600/san.gif"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 80px; height: 60px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6oYmxmY5DSwJ6gldZyFFCrsxSAQP_RcpClACQfThyphenhyphen_sAWzwH7qInpNv3gHx76ouecA9Gr8t987Vz1dB05IYnQECBy-L5rBOhGWcOcA8c-sT1Yo3IswCBcsxp11j_kFHqosUPY/s320/san.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528891851903987330" border="0" /></a>Antti Niemi, <a href="http://sharks.nhl.com/">San Jose Sharks</a><br /><br />Stanley Cup hero? What have you done for me lately?<br /><br />Niemi allowed the go-ahead goal to former Chicago teammate Dustin Byfuglien as San Jose fell 4-2 in its home opener to the <a href="http://thrashers.nhl.com/">Atlanta Thrashers</a>.<br /><br />"It's always fun to come back and play against a former teammate and have a good time," Byfuglien said of the goalie who ended a 49-year title drought in the Windy City. "At the same time we're here to do a job and we can't ease up on him. We wanted to put as many shots on him as we could.<br /><br />"He's a pretty quiet guy, a good kid, and he has a bright future."<br /><br /><b>...AND THE QUOTABLE</b><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_eHon_1MnJ3XiIulGjWjZbF74CBnI_vwhvzBOYfnCBIQKmePllF-1pIqBJCL3_iMykF4oNLOUyXVEdOP0XdaDXEs-W_Js-W0uXyBZUv23GFVuYVCVs1cEyH76KzeYsNYYPPsJ/s1600/3b52a37e080758d3f83d0397f4f39df7-getty-102908765cp022_detroit_red_.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 218px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_eHon_1MnJ3XiIulGjWjZbF74CBnI_vwhvzBOYfnCBIQKmePllF-1pIqBJCL3_iMykF4oNLOUyXVEdOP0XdaDXEs-W_Js-W0uXyBZUv23GFVuYVCVs1cEyH76KzeYsNYYPPsJ/s320/3b52a37e080758d3f83d0397f4f39df7-getty-102908765cp022_detroit_red_.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528885208027382706" border="0" /></a><blockquote><i><b>"Btw I couldve made better ice for us to skate on tonight out of a 7/11 slurpee machine. Common ice crew, figure it out!"</b> - Tweet by Phoenix forward Scottie Upshall about poor ice conditions at Jobing.com Arena during the <a href="http://coyotes.nhl.com/">Coyotes</a>' 2-1 home-opening loss in overtime to the <a href="http://redwings.nhl.com/">Detroit Red Wings</a>.</i></blockquote><i></i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405512234106476602noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12160153.post-78149958976654248582010-10-15T23:20:00.005-05:002010-10-16T04:17:33.860-05:00Injury bug bites Gaborik, Drury and Prospal<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Lhu6purfMfJIxCCFcyQbwDAFXRZ1nnU50t1Sa_elp8EiHsj0xlMbJhGECid8F90W3aOVZIRsOYG55U-8UAHBieQEwYQ9Y-nRDy703hBO__P_LHYOQfva23-gs4FwtzHXmhfA/s1600/alg_gaborik.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 278px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9Lhu6purfMfJIxCCFcyQbwDAFXRZ1nnU50t1Sa_elp8EiHsj0xlMbJhGECid8F90W3aOVZIRsOYG55U-8UAHBieQEwYQ9Y-nRDy703hBO__P_LHYOQfva23-gs4FwtzHXmhfA/s320/alg_gaborik.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528494130442489602" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLmT0HI5E0itTokFakW9EPyQfeyoVoCG5K6GeEmABjlBuXOXL1jROmNXb9kWkQ-nqzJflgENpmXOJbb9eTWMSRQ8W6VBwVrd5YmegAaiJ6uX5oHQlkl3sDo3RmeH2qyiUshJR1/s1600/nyr.gif"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 80px; height: 60px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLmT0HI5E0itTokFakW9EPyQfeyoVoCG5K6GeEmABjlBuXOXL1jROmNXb9kWkQ-nqzJflgENpmXOJbb9eTWMSRQ8W6VBwVrd5YmegAaiJ6uX5oHQlkl3sDo3RmeH2qyiUshJR1/s320/nyr.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528494042895003634" border="0" /></a>Ranger fans, despite living in Chicago, I feel your pain.<br /><br />It's not a long stretch to say much of the team's success, and hopes of returning to the playoffs, will come as long as Marian Gaborik stays healthy this season.<br /><br />Instead, it's a bumpy start for the black-and-Blueshirts in 2010-11.<br /><br />Gaborik will miss up to three weeks with a shoulder injury suffered in a 4-3 overtime loss to the <a href="http://mapleleafs.nhl.com/">Toronto Maple Leafs</a> on Friday.<br /><br />When <a href="http://rangers.nhl.com/">New York</a> signed Gaborik for five years and $37.5 million in July 2009, the risk was understood.<br /><br />Though he left as the <a href="http://wild.nhl.com/">Minnesota Wild</a>'s all-time scoring leader, Gaborik had never played a full 82-game season while with them from 2000-09, suiting up for fewer than 66 contests four times.<br /><br />Reason? He's 28, but Gaborik has a surgically repaired hip that limited him to 17 games in 2008-09, and a groin that's hovering closer to age 78.<br /><br />How big a loss is this for New York? Despite failing to make the postseason by the slimmest of margins last spring, Gaborik accounted for 42 of the team's 219 goals and 44 of 370 assists.<br /><br />“It’s tough, obviously, but it just means that the other 22 guys are going to have to step up, pick up the slack, and make sure we just find some ways to get some wins," forward Brandon Dubinsky told the Rangers' official website.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW8iB9V18tC_lu4p5C6CfhYXWM9p0_rWzhTGbI1FZ12_3V0XiWfiiK__zj129vBw2qVZjeXPXvhh-rO2Pgqp3So4EDZYWW1zmveKI8GsgAfbqjwSQVslTznKMvhfommsgQhNaX/s1600/1549.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 65px; height: 85px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW8iB9V18tC_lu4p5C6CfhYXWM9p0_rWzhTGbI1FZ12_3V0XiWfiiK__zj129vBw2qVZjeXPXvhh-rO2Pgqp3So4EDZYWW1zmveKI8GsgAfbqjwSQVslTznKMvhfommsgQhNaX/s320/1549.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528494907396403378" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOR8SyIbdbViWBeLi-pVJh-KgdPtS5NcyNuTXUDP-DValbo0wVljvShE8v_kfpdq6z9cMWqW3Nnygh0zqPA_sv2jh_ctjxGjM192Wsy1T-q34JtFFeDHFd7sYI5wtUhQbsogxO/s1600/drury.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 65px; height: 85px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOR8SyIbdbViWBeLi-pVJh-KgdPtS5NcyNuTXUDP-DValbo0wVljvShE8v_kfpdq6z9cMWqW3Nnygh0zqPA_sv2jh_ctjxGjM192Wsy1T-q34JtFFeDHFd7sYI5wtUhQbsogxO/s320/drury.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528494823216211058" /></a>Gaborik's injury wasn't the only bad news for the Rangers on Friday. Captain Chris Drury - making his season debut after a finger injury - broke the same digit in a different place, and will miss six weeks.<br /><br />Sorry. Not a big loss to me. I was hoping they could put him on the same island with <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/nhl/2010-09-27-training-camp-notes_N.htm">Wade Redden</a>.<br /><br />This, however, is a bigger loss: The Rangers also said Vinny Prospal will have knee surgery Tuesday, and be out indefinitely. He was tied with Dubinsky for second with 20 goals, and alone in second with 38 assists.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405512234106476602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12160153.post-43205515052758975602010-10-15T19:05:00.026-05:002010-10-16T04:30:17.353-05:00Game of the night - Angry Sabres, Blackhawks to meet again<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUxzwau8RDUlDlgT2LOhrshwo1egrEtERK51X53Fk0tQqq6R7lR-5gDsJ7Lp2Q-ojlw8Pk-8VY4_aA9U9bWr_MdlkgN32bDiPZChhKY4RjDGqufmY_eB7P7rgNbl9pJjtrnHNH/s1600/chi.gif"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 80px; height: 60px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUxzwau8RDUlDlgT2LOhrshwo1egrEtERK51X53Fk0tQqq6R7lR-5gDsJ7Lp2Q-ojlw8Pk-8VY4_aA9U9bWr_MdlkgN32bDiPZChhKY4RjDGqufmY_eB7P7rgNbl9pJjtrnHNH/s200/chi.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528430166875765586" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp81p89OlmUg28WFyToO4UHkWKbqw1zNZ9PokPo1URzxPO_oXlxnBqDrbineLvnkOB3IcYA_I28a_U-GEtgaDCPgYX48LPDk-oSCvEbRRYIwwQJwHPgO8bcnj-NvwkwFgshtlo/s1600/buf_3.png"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 80px; height: 60px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp81p89OlmUg28WFyToO4UHkWKbqw1zNZ9PokPo1URzxPO_oXlxnBqDrbineLvnkOB3IcYA_I28a_U-GEtgaDCPgYX48LPDk-oSCvEbRRYIwwQJwHPgO8bcnj-NvwkwFgshtlo/s200/buf_3.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528430113338081090" border="0" /></a><b><a href="http://sabres.nhl.com/">Buffalo Sabres</a> (1-3-1) at <a href="http://blackhawks.nhl.com/">Chicago Blackhawks</a> (2-2-1), United Center, Chicago, Ill.</b><br /><br />There may be some bad blood Saturday night on the West Side, and it will have nothing to do with gang activity.<br /><br />That's where Buffalo and Chicago will meet for the second and final time this season - and a less than a week after the Blackhawks' Niklas Hjalmarsson laid out the Sabres' Jason Pominville with a hit that resulted in a suspension.<br /><br /><center><br /><object height="385" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/h-4aH7nnPjc?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/h-4aH7nnPjc?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="385" width="480"></embed></object><br /></center><br />Pominville was checked from behind early in the first period of the Blackhawks' 4-3 win Monday, resulting in the usual extra-curricular activities and protestations well after the fact.<br /><br />Pominville was Buffalo's third-leading goal-scorer with 24 last year, but was he the victim of a dirty hit? Depends.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqoLeER0vIKih6ipgY5ZIHoh-DlcCF86RQ_hc8UO7B2LoEoLVkgv-obh-A-RLE_lDzOt-yxlln2JhpHSnT9ODBREE7vBgy1vr5mdLLLZlx_zb3KPTZ9bYtD-LliJczC6kHviya/s1600/hjalmarsson.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 310px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqoLeER0vIKih6ipgY5ZIHoh-DlcCF86RQ_hc8UO7B2LoEoLVkgv-obh-A-RLE_lDzOt-yxlln2JhpHSnT9ODBREE7vBgy1vr5mdLLLZlx_zb3KPTZ9bYtD-LliJczC6kHviya/s320/hjalmarsson.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528440436351451634" border="0" /></a>It seems if your reputation is tarnished then every check is scrutinized. As far as I can tell, Hjalmarsson has never had a headhunter's mentality.<br /><br />If anything, he's contrite.<br /><br />"It was too hard of a hit, I guess," Hjalmarsson told the Chicago Tribune on Wednesday. "Maybe I should have considered him being in a vulnerable position and not hit him as hard. That's what (the NHL) said.<br /><br />"If I could turn back time I probably would have acted differently. The bottom line is you have to have respect for the guys you play and maybe I hit him a little bit too hard."<br /><br />Ryan Miller, though, didn't hide his anger toward Hjalmarsson or the NHL.<br /><br />"You can't have a hit like that, it's dangerous," the Sabres' Vezina Trophy winner told The Associated Press. "I'm glad he admitted he didn't mean to do it. But you've got to change the culture some time, and I hope the league wakes up and sets a precedent for the year."<br /><br />Miller said "something's got to be done" and encouraged reporters to quote him because he felt it's the only way to "hold the league accountable."<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUEyBEbcudXO2DtoeQtFtV3sT_Nr5E2wj8ZI72WZrleW8MBOArPlRXe9vMGOWE7cx2qF3S3VSKF0aBwQU96sEEvocC4rYMfQD1H4jikRatI0YxsgIoknsK_qQUomJZlcw3JpaC/s1600/030810_Savard.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 94px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUEyBEbcudXO2DtoeQtFtV3sT_Nr5E2wj8ZI72WZrleW8MBOArPlRXe9vMGOWE7cx2qF3S3VSKF0aBwQU96sEEvocC4rYMfQD1H4jikRatI0YxsgIoknsK_qQUomJZlcw3JpaC/s200/030810_Savard.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528450698331475730" border="0" /></a>True, the NHL has put a well-placed spotlight on concussions in the wake of Boston's Marc Savard being waylaid by Pittsburgh's Matt Cooke last season, resulting in an immediate rules change involving lateral, back-pressure or blind-side hits to head.<br /><br />Never mind that players are still allowed to drop the gloves for looking at each other the wrong way, but that's a story for another day.<br /><br />Hjalmarsson received a five-minute major for boarding, a game misconduct - he played fewer than four minutes - and two-game suspension that ended with the Blackhawks' 5-2 win over the <a href="http://bluejackets.nhl.com/">Columbus Blue Jackets</a> on Friday.<br /><br />Chicago should have Buffalo native Patrick Kane back in the lineup after missing Friday's game with an illness. Kane scored his first goal of the new season in Monday's win over the Sabres.<br /><br />Also on Friday, Buffalo lost its fourth straight, 2-1 to the <a href="http://canadiens.nhl.com/">Montreal Canadiens</a>. Each of the Sabres' last three losses have been one-goal decisions.<br /><br />Buffalo has won four of its last six visits to the Windy City.<div><br /></div><div>The pick? Chicago outmuscles Buffalo for much of the night and extend the Sabres' misery. </div><div><br /></div><div><b>BLACKHAWKS 5, SABRES 3</b><br /><br />And now ... two minutes.<br /><br /><b>THE GOOD ...</b><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_f1T7OCdgr4uGjCK4pKoIxNuSBT2ztVamrvji5b4SoqsUsQ62ES29RvFd3ya5-zHbTqzkLnHuP4TOidXCv1DK8ByGfgbnqk88eORzyEdFKH-9TEl9XfHJl7joUdJ0fg1lcwRh/s1600/boyle.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 65px; height: 85px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_f1T7OCdgr4uGjCK4pKoIxNuSBT2ztVamrvji5b4SoqsUsQ62ES29RvFd3ya5-zHbTqzkLnHuP4TOidXCv1DK8ByGfgbnqk88eORzyEdFKH-9TEl9XfHJl7joUdJ0fg1lcwRh/s200/boyle.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528448424581552482" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_B6jHWMGhyHuF_yjEHc-Mmx4XvPZ4urGTwQ_jsp__70NCwY7U8FocyVU18DLk8zzVR68LFUU5RZiSXLUnSftFzqAhAIgEJ9pFylHM5idblVFAtweANX_UwVrmH6t40ovTNMXc/s1600/nyr.gif"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 80px; height: 60px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_B6jHWMGhyHuF_yjEHc-Mmx4XvPZ4urGTwQ_jsp__70NCwY7U8FocyVU18DLk8zzVR68LFUU5RZiSXLUnSftFzqAhAIgEJ9pFylHM5idblVFAtweANX_UwVrmH6t40ovTNMXc/s200/nyr.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528448358763029362" border="0" /></a>Brian Boyle, <a href="http://rangers.nhl.com/">New York Rangers</a><br /><br />At 6-foot-7, Boyle usually isn't sent out on the ice to score. On Friday night and with two stars lost to injury, though, the Rangers needed his touch.<br /><br />With high-scoring Marian Gaborik and captain Chris Drury forced to leave early, Boyle got plenty of ice time and scored twice to force overtime, but the Rangers fell 4-3 to the <a href="http://www.blogger.com/mapleleafs.nhl.com">Toronto Maple Leafs</a> on Phil Kessel's power-play goal.<br /><br />Coming into the contest, Boyle had 12 goals in 109 career games, never scoring more than four in a season.<br /><br /><b>THE BAD ...</b><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ5iciGYwBxzBHTnycL7EHBVBlkDlj4YwVcOh3u0i-7IjzrCLMAfHmh6aeMezTsDquFnFF7YPjfx-uZWyu3e-XsiUCEM5v8i9Jm7iIHy_BUMh4ezwH9LKpIhYOFVwkf7960tZD/s1600/mason.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 65px; height: 85px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ5iciGYwBxzBHTnycL7EHBVBlkDlj4YwVcOh3u0i-7IjzrCLMAfHmh6aeMezTsDquFnFF7YPjfx-uZWyu3e-XsiUCEM5v8i9Jm7iIHy_BUMh4ezwH9LKpIhYOFVwkf7960tZD/s200/mason.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528449056534852322" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBd8FAU_eP1aW7AVEHvj8XZwjKeRmL8Y_reLP6xLLVfC8EpFzRLqEi2unCaYerjS-17VllbOg4wUt7f1fh0kyzsQYd7LneGzvZt6xdg_D7ZXmzChnc8AOmF9gXebszIbTqumTm/s1600/cob.gif"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 80px; height: 60px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBd8FAU_eP1aW7AVEHvj8XZwjKeRmL8Y_reLP6xLLVfC8EpFzRLqEi2unCaYerjS-17VllbOg4wUt7f1fh0kyzsQYd7LneGzvZt6xdg_D7ZXmzChnc8AOmF9gXebszIbTqumTm/s200/cob.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528448957904913682" border="0" /></a>Steve Mason, Columbus<br /><br />Mason had allowed five goals to the high-powered <a href="http://sharks.nhl.com/">San Jose Sharks</a> in his first two starts of 2010-11. It took little more than two periods to match that in Columbus' 5-2 loss to Chicago on Friday.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb2QKwQwYg-z_D2Heuw9WhXIX3Tl85Zx0pyiLmNcOwefXQaVwJKhu51-4y9awLuyfTKUyqeWAPJmEKNe6Rgtvv_V4k3JNjBqJXgttYXE11e5oNYrdb6-b_Fp6Zb-dR4RlIUCud/s1600/scott-arniel-jets.gif"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb2QKwQwYg-z_D2Heuw9WhXIX3Tl85Zx0pyiLmNcOwefXQaVwJKhu51-4y9awLuyfTKUyqeWAPJmEKNe6Rgtvv_V4k3JNjBqJXgttYXE11e5oNYrdb6-b_Fp6Zb-dR4RlIUCud/s200/scott-arniel-jets.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528465417005846978" /></a>When Scott Arniel took the job to become the Jackets' head coach, I have to think part of the reason is because of Mason - the 2009 Calder Trophy winner as the league's top rookie, but hasn't really done much since and probably should be bumped to backup status.<br /><br />Now, I'm wondering if he's rethinking that decision to leave Manitoba of the AHL for his first NHL gig. That's what he seemed to indicate to the Winnipeg Free Press earlier this week.<br /><br />"I miss my wife and my daughter and the simple familiarity of having everything in place in Winnipeg," said Arniel. "I also miss (Moose GM Craig Heisinger) Zinger. Both our relationship as friends and how easy we worked together and how we had the same beliefs and ideas about hockey."<br /><br /><br /><b>... AND THE QUOTABLE</b><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjNxIkh8XBdexUt1iXlkqPU7qDGLJtwtvr0CqgruqMQgqEid_8NQklf0-MOZOjH2MOk9Mty7FMPWarlqydLjHgOC3kg3mr6HElMZ28CiIouwzNPMZyXs-G1cMTRjr2Spdd8VLQ/s1600/a9b13e85702d74ae5079e0640f1f9c33-getty-102967659cp024_los_angeles_.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjNxIkh8XBdexUt1iXlkqPU7qDGLJtwtvr0CqgruqMQgqEid_8NQklf0-MOZOjH2MOk9Mty7FMPWarlqydLjHgOC3kg3mr6HElMZ28CiIouwzNPMZyXs-G1cMTRjr2Spdd8VLQ/s320/a9b13e85702d74ae5079e0640f1f9c33-getty-102967659cp024_los_angeles_.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528476042658379090" /></a><blockquote><b><i>"Watches? We threw those out a long time ago,"</i></b><i> - Phoenix forward Petr Prucha said about the <a href="http://coyotes.nhl.com/">Coyotes</a>' opening the season with two games against the <a href="http://bruins.nhl.com/">Boston Bruins</a> in the Czech Republic.</i></blockquote></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405512234106476602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12160153.post-49072918005882445462010-10-14T22:05:00.010-05:002010-10-14T23:33:21.096-05:00Sick bay, calling Leclaire and FranzenJust some things you can always count on: <br /><br />Tax Day each and every April 15, complete with news organizations rushing to interview late-night filers ... <br /><br />Sun rising in the East ... <br /><br />Sky being blue ... <br /><br />And Pascal Leclaire and Johan Franzen being helped off the ice with injuries. <br /><br />Leclaire, the starting goaltender for <a href=http://senators.nhl.com>Ottawa</a>, exited just 2:06 into the Senators' 3-2 win over the <a href=http://hurricanes.nhl.com>Carolina Hurricanes</a> on Thursday.<br /><br />When alerted, Illinois-based Senators fan Christopher Altruda texted back if Leclaire was suffering from a bruised vagina. Yes, he's a classy boy, I know. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIJHoDL5Se0fEK_HrzojBuOoEBhJaOUhW-Manpn_ao4j07v4GxsBzSGgnHNfp2nGU2Ryk1SP55X9k10_PqBb_GtsKTDhFmsjmBJyThi6riSiI55_KwiXFwAkoe7T2Z6xjHVnr-/s1600/b941377351f9404387bffd52f600b453.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 228px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIJHoDL5Se0fEK_HrzojBuOoEBhJaOUhW-Manpn_ao4j07v4GxsBzSGgnHNfp2nGU2Ryk1SP55X9k10_PqBb_GtsKTDhFmsjmBJyThi6riSiI55_KwiXFwAkoe7T2Z6xjHVnr-/s320/b941377351f9404387bffd52f600b453.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528112188482679026" /></a>But I get Altruda's frustration. Since February 2006, the one-time eighth overall pick by the <a href=http://bluejackets.nhl.com>Columbus Blue Jackets</a> has missed <b>139</b> games, seemingly with no body part unscathed. <br /><br />Last season, a fractured cheekbone followed by a concussion kept him out for 25 games. Ankle woes in 2008-09 resulted in 51 games being missed. Couple of games with a thumb. Sit out seven with the cryptic "head injury." Knee woes cost Leclaire more than half a season a couple years back. <br /><br />I mean, seriously, Pascal - <big><b>SOMEONE IS TRYING TO TELL YOU SOMETHING!</big></b><br /><br />Go open a poutine shop or boulangerie in Repentigny. Anything. Just. Hang. It. Up. <br /><br />(Besides, Altruda wants more Brian Elliott, and I'm kinda inclined to agree.) <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpCGtoxlUtzGrtFRlLgI9mlAAD39wtJSYpYO_9FrLXivfKRDsaUwSe_Sd8X-W7kTRJrkqixMl5dfF4LMQYyxGS9vYZdn3-upUi407oey3LwLuFeCTa1JxQizzlb5-w9B0mZhxO/s1600/franzen93.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 273px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpCGtoxlUtzGrtFRlLgI9mlAAD39wtJSYpYO_9FrLXivfKRDsaUwSe_Sd8X-W7kTRJrkqixMl5dfF4LMQYyxGS9vYZdn3-upUi407oey3LwLuFeCTa1JxQizzlb5-w9B0mZhxO/s320/franzen93.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528112476298962354" /></a>Franzen left midway through the first period of the <a href=http://redwings.nhl.com>Detroit Red Wings</a>' 4-1 loss on Thursday to the <a href=http://stars.nhl.com>Dallas Stars</a> with what the team initially called an undisclosed injury. <br /><br />After the game, it was called a head injury, but coach Mike Babcock wouldn't use the "C"(oncussion) word. <br /><br />"It's not too bad," Franzen told The Associated Press. "I feel OK right now."<br /><br />Check your watches: If it's October, "Mule" is laid up. <br /><br />In 2007, Franzen missed 10 games with a sprained knee. The following October, No. 93 was down for five games with sprained MCL. Last year, Franzen outdid himself, missing 55 contests after tearing an ACL. <br /><br />With three goals in his first three games, a bounce-back season seemed possible. Even if Franzen didn't bruise his brain Thursday, it would make sense for the Red Wings to sit him out for a while and make sure all is good. <br /><br />And now - Two minutes<br /><br /><b>THE GOOD ...</b><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQgk06IJ7h4l26dvjSYbprk6Xg6x0fpmFydR6JT4FcccZq_hYNwk6l-MKwf7WK_s4i3LLSDGpw8rpJ9xCT_nY2Welb_OVDPq49AMUw3Pf0bY5Xz6FbNL8WaFj2ijXBxQuWCySN/s1600/min.gif"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 80px; height: 60px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQgk06IJ7h4l26dvjSYbprk6Xg6x0fpmFydR6JT4FcccZq_hYNwk6l-MKwf7WK_s4i3LLSDGpw8rpJ9xCT_nY2Welb_OVDPq49AMUw3Pf0bY5Xz6FbNL8WaFj2ijXBxQuWCySN/s320/min.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528114209577104882" /></a>The Minnesota Wild. <br /><br />OK, so the <a href=http://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20101010&content_id=15562844&vkey=news_min&c_id=min>Minnesota Twins</a> can't win a playoff game anywhere. <br /><br />But Wild fans know this: If the <a href=http://oilers.nhl.com>Edmonton Oilers</a> are in town, it's almost a sure-fire two points. <br /><br />Minnesota won its 14th straight at the Xcel Energy Center over its Northwest Division rival, 4-2 on Thursday. Mikko Koivu scored twice for the Wild, who tallied all their goals with the man advantage. <br /><br />After losing twice to the Hurricanes in Finland to open 2010-11, Minnesota clearly wanted to have a better showing in front of their home fans. <br /><br />"You always have to be desperate to get wins," Koivu said. "I think we were tonight and it worked for us."<br /><br /><b>THE BAD ...</b><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVo_-YGUVxcNJfCBWLpLqgWeqRWB-e9VwAn6eyfvc3LfqDv3lUpcQTJvFOt3F8DNOGH-33xIJqx0dTgpAucQ_7-MjMZR0f5AG2_CCY-FmBPk4KhYASmfIdmb4SV6CQ8N7YaFTq/s1600/e5e69a31917a090226b7ca9aeb528854-getty-102982587rm023_detroit_red_.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 134px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVo_-YGUVxcNJfCBWLpLqgWeqRWB-e9VwAn6eyfvc3LfqDv3lUpcQTJvFOt3F8DNOGH-33xIJqx0dTgpAucQ_7-MjMZR0f5AG2_CCY-FmBPk4KhYASmfIdmb4SV6CQ8N7YaFTq/s200/e5e69a31917a090226b7ca9aeb528854-getty-102982587rm023_detroit_red_.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528115256960077410" /></a>Mike Modano and the Red Wings<br /><br />Way to come up big in that return to Big D!<br /><br />Despite outshooting the Stars 26-15, the Red Wings didn't score until 8:25 remained.<br /> <br />Modano received a standing ovation during a first-period break in the action from Dallas fans, but the former face of the franchise and a link to their Stanley Cup win a decade ago and the old Minnesota North Stars didn't record a shot, and was even in 15:14 of ice time. <br /><br />"There was just a world of emotions and memories," said Modano. "A lot of special things have gone on here. I was involved in the game from the ground floor, and helping to promote the game of hockey here in Texas. It was fun to play here."<br /><br />Not so much over his last three games. The 40-year-old future Hall of Famer has averaged 13:06 of ice time, has one shot and no points. <br /><br />I'm thinking one-and-done in Motown, and the end could come soon for the highest-scoring U.S.-born player of all time. <br /><br /><br /><b>... AND THE QUOTABLE</b><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI3CjtokrUjmKh9UUBc_vwhlSuak6AdqaHjX6MygJ2AWkGmsQs3PkHvEkglZ0Nkr-HnsuA_tlu7dxQFSN0YNmCkVL9AMDPi499e7CyWmHRH0E7Q-XLk2pK1fcOmtccoON4qxTB/s1600/8a0d4cde2a67a96caf29383558a49006-getty-102713411bb004_tampa_bay_li.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI3CjtokrUjmKh9UUBc_vwhlSuak6AdqaHjX6MygJ2AWkGmsQs3PkHvEkglZ0Nkr-HnsuA_tlu7dxQFSN0YNmCkVL9AMDPi499e7CyWmHRH0E7Q-XLk2pK1fcOmtccoON4qxTB/s200/8a0d4cde2a67a96caf29383558a49006-getty-102713411bb004_tampa_bay_li.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5528121643191647378" /></a><blockquote><b><i>"I wanted to cry. I had to stop watching (the video) a couple of times. A lot of emotion. Everything started here. They showed my first goal and all the big goals. It's still hard to think about. They're always going to be in my heart. That's something I'll always remember." </b>- <a href=http://lightning.nhl.com>Tampa Bay</a> forward Simon Gagne after seeing a video tribute during the Lightning's 3-2 win over <a href=http://flyers.nhl.com>Philadelphia</a> in his first game against the Flyers.</i></blockquote>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405512234106476602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12160153.post-71909362033751210372010-10-13T18:58:00.010-05:002010-10-13T20:44:18.706-05:00Game of the night - Modano returns to Dallas<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigrXJyR6u8Y_fg7muOgPmQa8Yf-TpWzsfW_bANa0_4c5P2YRpX8jYRrtJKxswz8D_k83eJLijN9cSsDrk3nBEsRdLxHFegnIjAyaqcE6YxOm2z3pbj3VpQ2neJn9Y349JK3tQh/s1600/det.gif"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 80px; height: 60px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigrXJyR6u8Y_fg7muOgPmQa8Yf-TpWzsfW_bANa0_4c5P2YRpX8jYRrtJKxswz8D_k83eJLijN9cSsDrk3nBEsRdLxHFegnIjAyaqcE6YxOm2z3pbj3VpQ2neJn9Y349JK3tQh/s200/det.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527692216528295874" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXJcDpTsIDV_nMiLVY8rzXuCbFzYWnZsMPsF5JAnuQpzlMH-XJeePhmQjQoc1cgjfd9CwcPb_Mb8Wv3H6rmvjWuxNJpzGqQUQgoCUbZbqo_cUgrr56sMNfme2eO-iaTkSIWRfY/s1600/dal.gif"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 80px; height: 60px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXJcDpTsIDV_nMiLVY8rzXuCbFzYWnZsMPsF5JAnuQpzlMH-XJeePhmQjQoc1cgjfd9CwcPb_Mb8Wv3H6rmvjWuxNJpzGqQUQgoCUbZbqo_cUgrr56sMNfme2eO-iaTkSIWRfY/s200/dal.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527692031259373298" /></a><b><a href=http://redwings.nhl.com>Detroit Red Wings</a> (2-0-1) at <a href=stars.nhl.com>Dallas Stars</a> (2-0-0), American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas</b><br /><center><br /><object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/kZTPgmlHFkQ?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/kZTPgmlHFkQ?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br /></center><br /><blockquote><b><i>"I think the possibility to win is something that you're always chasing after when you're older. If there wasn't a chance to win, I probably would have retired." </b></i>- Livonia, Mich. native Mike Modano after joining Detroit in August.</blockquote><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoycSLYbYfNnt_inDFcFuwseCADzkc_eTgAhQPexApY1vrMeE9KKOgQ57iF3QeMJ6jQZwpsyIzhwFcNnJtc0frqpt6kiPQnCkeAGjTOiV9MIPlBcDl10RZBVvRnWxGrLmUrbuD/s1600/65376_red_wings_modano_hockey.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 187px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoycSLYbYfNnt_inDFcFuwseCADzkc_eTgAhQPexApY1vrMeE9KKOgQ57iF3QeMJ6jQZwpsyIzhwFcNnJtc0frqpt6kiPQnCkeAGjTOiV9MIPlBcDl10RZBVvRnWxGrLmUrbuD/s320/65376_red_wings_modano_hockey.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527691200453770722" /></a>Looks weird, right?<br /><br />For 20 years, all Mike Modano has ever worn for the most part was green, black and white. The only number he ever knew was 9. <br /><br />So, when Dallas parted ways with the face of their franchise, and Modano signed with Derotit in the off-season, the thought of him wearing the Winged Wheel brought other images to mind ... <br /><br /><a href=http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/multimedia/photo_gallery/0808/icons.at.end.of.the.road/images/johnny-unitas.jpg>Johnny Unitas</a> with a lightning bolt instead of a hoofprint ... <br /><br /><a href=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/2005/06/03/odd.uniforms.ad/gallery_3_namath.jpg>Joe Namath</a> in Rams blue and gold instead of Jets green and white ... <br /><br /><a href=http://www.thegrio.com/uploads/mays-mets.jpg>Willie Mays</a> swapping a San Francisco Giants uniform for the Mets and a brief return to New York ... <br /><br />The old, broken-down athlete returning to the city where he starred and served for so many years. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit3xehGfVTg-I2H7JbJbdrBVQs0QueFWgfDQpoRXq4nh1ifgTfqozfyAH8NznrAimDvIKyyUoIqjVXG2mS_wkH6MLxHJwFQI_0-UWZqOKtV8oYflptmbLSlQRMNDy3Ew5pqrUy/s1600/mike-modano.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 290px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit3xehGfVTg-I2H7JbJbdrBVQs0QueFWgfDQpoRXq4nh1ifgTfqozfyAH8NznrAimDvIKyyUoIqjVXG2mS_wkH6MLxHJwFQI_0-UWZqOKtV8oYflptmbLSlQRMNDy3Ew5pqrUy/s400/mike-modano.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527705720415366290" /></a>So, what better way to get reacquainted with his old team than trying to spoil the Stars' home opener Thursday night, just months after an emotional farewell. <br /><br />"It’s going to be fun," Modano, 40, told the Montreal Gazette. "It's going to be a mix of emotions I’m sure. Nonetheless, I’m looking forward to it and seeing a lot of familiar people."<br /><br />As for the reception he'll get in Big D? <br /><br />“You never know,” said Modano, the highest-scoring U.S.-born player in NHL history with 1,360 points. “It’ll probably be a little mixed. It’s obviously a little salt in the wound that I’m in Detroit, one of our (nemeses) for a while when we were in Dallas. I think for the most part it’ll be positive."<br /><br />Modano had five shots on goal and scored in his Detroit debut, a 4-0 win over Anaheim on Oct. 8. In two games after that, he's totaled a single shot and no points. <br /><br />Maybe the image of a re-energized Modano was a little premature. <br /><br />Dallas opens its home schedule after impressive wins over New Jersey and the New York Islanders, and looking for a sixth straight win at the AAC over the Red Wings. <br /><br />Having severed ties with Modano and Marty Turco - now with Chicago - the Stars have turned the page as they ultimately seek their first playoff berth since 2008. <br /><br />“We’re a confident team, but we realize we have to be a team that can close games out too,” Brenden Morrow, the team's early leader with three goals, told the Stars' offical website. “As a whole, we feel like we are catching on, we are grasping our system. We are pretty confident with our start so far.”<br /><br />The pick? Modano scores in overtime. <br /><br /><b>DETROIT 5, DALLAS 4</b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405512234106476602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12160153.post-57256581235118066302010-10-12T19:53:00.005-05:002010-10-12T21:35:08.827-05:00Game of the night - Oct. 13<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmqHGQnw7K6rzOGeRqKDjml67Uwal1pGL7FXC7_L-O9Wyr6COysB6nN1E1q_TWP1dL8R6gYOnnUmQebC8gb_CI_Rz15sNJqAWD6tPohxaOmUXOXO1UAhHC42GYiHRP0OH4kng6/s1600/pit-1.gif"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 80px; height: 60px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmqHGQnw7K6rzOGeRqKDjml67Uwal1pGL7FXC7_L-O9Wyr6COysB6nN1E1q_TWP1dL8R6gYOnnUmQebC8gb_CI_Rz15sNJqAWD6tPohxaOmUXOXO1UAhHC42GYiHRP0OH4kng6/s320/pit-1.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527328386763137298" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyLeT_7xNRUYK0Q4W1jKkyHb8DfrTxyENIqFnTj1OJoqKSAoRVTl9a04EunWa7sAc1GgUNc0mFS-MN2LseWLEf1xwYq4Mjyx1YA06Jyt9Qm6_PKJ34afYbHapUW_Q7xeB5FIjF/s1600/tor.gif"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 80px; height: 60px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyLeT_7xNRUYK0Q4W1jKkyHb8DfrTxyENIqFnTj1OJoqKSAoRVTl9a04EunWa7sAc1GgUNc0mFS-MN2LseWLEf1xwYq4Mjyx1YA06Jyt9Qm6_PKJ34afYbHapUW_Q7xeB5FIjF/s320/tor.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527328127507809826" /></a><b><a href=http://mapleleafs.nhl.com>Toronto Maple Leafs</a> (2-0-0) vs. <a href=http://penguins.nhl.com>Pittsburgh Penguins</a> (1-2-0), Consol Energy Center, Pittsburgh, Pa.</b><br /><br />The last time the Maple Leafs started a season with three straight wins? Try 1999 when they were paced by names like Sundin and Thomas. <br /><br />And <a href=http://images.usatoday.com/sports/hockey/_photos2/2002-05-16-inside-hoglund.jpg> Hoglund</a>??<br /><br />Regardless, Toronto is one of the pleasant surprises early this season behind solid goaltending from Jean-Sebastien Giguere (2-0-0, 1.51 goals-against average, .935 save percentage), and two goals each from Phil Kessel, Clarke MacArthur and Tim Brent. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPVCSBIc4kbZbPyzioarkE8zIf0yuk7sdhsta1mka4m58wA9d5Y4OgsNsJOkRoH49yJrhhk_n-8DKpZ5Rg0osGycP0NPq4lPJ9IQW42oA_Wt1esi2bVDr1w6Yb9wjpJuBjMMw-/s1600/Toronto+Maple+Leafs+v+Dallas+Stars+SNoOHMZtyybl.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 232px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPVCSBIc4kbZbPyzioarkE8zIf0yuk7sdhsta1mka4m58wA9d5Y4OgsNsJOkRoH49yJrhhk_n-8DKpZ5Rg0osGycP0NPq4lPJ9IQW42oA_Wt1esi2bVDr1w6Yb9wjpJuBjMMw-/s320/Toronto+Maple+Leafs+v+Dallas+Stars+SNoOHMZtyybl.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527339147243556274" /></a>But Giguere has never won in the Steel City, going 0-3-1 with a 3.24 GAA and .893 save percentage. That could mean the season debut of “The Monster” – a/k/a Jonas Gustavsson. <br /><br />The 6-foot-3 Swede had a decent rookie season, going 16-15-9 with a 2.87 GAA and .902 save percentage for a team that finished last in the Northeast Division. He’s yet to play in Pittsburgh, and lost his only start at home to the Penguins.<br /><br />Last season, Kessel was one of 11 players tied for the team lead in goals scored againt the Pens with one. Besides Kessel, the only others remaining are Tyler Bozak, Carl Gunnarsson, Colton Orr and Luke Schenn. <br /><br />Toronto, which starts a two-game road trip with this contest, was 12-21-8 away from home last season, but closed that slate with a 3-1-1 mark. <br /><br />The last time the Penguins dropped three in a row in Pittsburgh? Dec. 20, 2008 to Jan. 3, 2009 – a five-game stretch that started with a loss to Toronto.<br /><br />A third straight setback is probably not how they envisioned christening their new $321 million arena. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3fAyEqN1ButjWxwCQ53W9uKWaRJS8-3lpOKbIreit180HEWi0qhRFZnre5mlJIqXp3aLjaeujON-AM8vZwIrjV5MRvDvAHF1W8H_utvF1JL76kVUzLzvMDOOLOh7sRWsszvWn/s1600/crosby-malkin.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 238px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3fAyEqN1ButjWxwCQ53W9uKWaRJS8-3lpOKbIreit180HEWi0qhRFZnre5mlJIqXp3aLjaeujON-AM8vZwIrjV5MRvDvAHF1W8H_utvF1JL76kVUzLzvMDOOLOh7sRWsszvWn/s320/crosby-malkin.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527352759959293970" /></a>Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin have long been considered the second coming of Lemieux and Jagr. Though they have combined for one goal and one assist so far in 2010-11, Sid and Geno could be in line for a breakout performance. <br /><br />Crosby scored in all four games against Toronto last season, totaling six goals and an assist. Malkin has five goals and 13 assists in an eight-game points streak versus the Maple Leafs, and has points in 14 of 15 career games versus them. <br /><br />Pittsburgh is off a 1-2-0 start after winning 3-1 at New Jersey on Monday. Crosby and Malkin getting off to slow starts is not the only reason for the Penguins’ woes. <br /><br />The loss of Jordan Staal, out indefinitely with a foot injury, has been a big blow, and not choosing to bring back Bill Guerin appears to be a short-sighted decision. Staal and Guerin were tied for third on the team last season with 21 goals each. <br /><br />So where is the scoring coming from? Try the blueline. Paul Martin – the club’s top free-agent pickup – leads the team with three assists and four points. Alex Goligoski has two goals so far after managing a career-high eight in 69 games last season. <br /><br />Marc-Andre Fleury rode the bench against the Devils in favor of Brent Johnston, but should be back in goal despite some pretty mediocre numbers against the Leafs (4-4-1, 2.97 GAA, .899 save percentage). <br /><br />The pick? I’d like to see Toronto move to 3-0-0, but Crosby and Malkin are due to break out sooner or later. I’m guessing Wednesday will be the night. <br /><br /><b>PITTSBURGH 4, TORONTO 2</b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405512234106476602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12160153.post-18040827180722417992010-10-11T19:01:00.021-05:002010-10-11T22:17:38.518-05:00Two minutes<B>THE GOOD…</B><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiT3HeciEOV5LmXmtSYXzc-yN4timNdM3O3-5Xyt9C9Iy4-cHhRWMlTCr6XvBcb-SsPBeGXKP6S8i-bVLhmHIkby8dq8tYmSeScsebds-cKc3QxXMQnHHuXEAl4t5n5WYrebap/s1600/stl.gif"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 80px; height: 60px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiT3HeciEOV5LmXmtSYXzc-yN4timNdM3O3-5Xyt9C9Iy4-cHhRWMlTCr6XvBcb-SsPBeGXKP6S8i-bVLhmHIkby8dq8tYmSeScsebds-cKc3QxXMQnHHuXEAl4t5n5WYrebap/s200/stl.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526943249398826802" /></a>David Backes and Andy McDonald, <a href=http://blues.nhl.com>St. Louis Blues</a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6BY1RZ_y3eDdVY0QrVPqCBX1L6IFFHPrsUG4TOfwWqk3ZazRiGx05TkN54oVK8xmUaboqS2n018geWtHPb3sN7RqVLT5l_PAo2DAQ44jSRL5B7pmdVPYq_zKkbTE2vUcUATH_/s1600/mcdonald.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 65px; height: 85px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6BY1RZ_y3eDdVY0QrVPqCBX1L6IFFHPrsUG4TOfwWqk3ZazRiGx05TkN54oVK8xmUaboqS2n018geWtHPb3sN7RqVLT5l_PAo2DAQ44jSRL5B7pmdVPYq_zKkbTE2vUcUATH_/s200/mcdonald.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526943458863407490" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG_9N9OY63L2jx4dXcNrO1SNEE9LyqHS5uVorBC1eWK5Mf1W7pjq9AM32G6lLT6ch7G7azEeQ2WjGIe3942vNnGERLmJHZ6zyFawMlN_kpzdR4c8nAgNDLlLj6SDaTKXZ806I2/s1600/backes.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 65px; height: 85px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG_9N9OY63L2jx4dXcNrO1SNEE9LyqHS5uVorBC1eWK5Mf1W7pjq9AM32G6lLT6ch7G7azEeQ2WjGIe3942vNnGERLmJHZ6zyFawMlN_kpzdR4c8nAgNDLlLj6SDaTKXZ806I2/s200/backes.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526943575499024258" /></a>If you showed up late Monday, you missed a 42-year-old franchise record being broken. The forwards beat Anaheim goaltender Jonas Hiller a mere six seconds apart in the Blues’ 5-1 win over the struggling Ducks. <br /><br />The old record of 7 seconds apart was set by Don McKenney and Frank St. Marseille on Jan. 24, 1968, against the Minnesota North Stars during both clubs’ inaugural seasons.<br /><br />“To be rewarded that early, it really helps you to stick to your game plan and I thought we did a good job throughout the game to do that,” St. Louis defenseman Barret Jackman told The Associated Press.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1OP1VBeigJF-R4PKD-xqF0pjaqkxjsyUjNV52ot9eVMCHFkWfaDZgfioXnqoJVD_KxDkeG033CwYiBXYQuUg6A8PnndGXgmGmDkxBpmAm-aEGPI85Z5WRqtXbvA5GJrwyATFZ/s1600/chi.gif"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 80px; height: 60px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1OP1VBeigJF-R4PKD-xqF0pjaqkxjsyUjNV52ot9eVMCHFkWfaDZgfioXnqoJVD_KxDkeG033CwYiBXYQuUg6A8PnndGXgmGmDkxBpmAm-aEGPI85Z5WRqtXbvA5GJrwyATFZ/s200/chi.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526960142456485010" /></a>Corey Crawford, <a href=http://blackhawks.nhl.com>Chicago Blackhawks</a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyw-OBpOMWSeH-PAjdiZqNvJV50zV9AbxBw3GdoQSmWuZu52JmYFMcncf_y67mcvpFTDKAifxRL6FjBSv2268IuW1MprM3Wt7IRgM-RYw9qlJxNH4xebXyOolyUIiEYgwhG5UL/s1600/crawford.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 65px; height: 85px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyw-OBpOMWSeH-PAjdiZqNvJV50zV9AbxBw3GdoQSmWuZu52JmYFMcncf_y67mcvpFTDKAifxRL6FjBSv2268IuW1MprM3Wt7IRgM-RYw9qlJxNH4xebXyOolyUIiEYgwhG5UL/s200/crawford.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526960348396889842" /></a>A lesser rookie may have folded up after giving up two goals on the first two shifts in his first start of the season for the defending Stanley Cup champions.<br /><br />Crawford, if nothing else, proved pretty unflappable after that <br /><br />With Marty Turco getting the night off, Crawford allowed Drew Stafford’s goal 14 seconds into the game before Derek Roy found the back of the net at 2:43. <br /><br />After that, Crawford didn’t allow anything in until early in the third period, and survived a short-handed situation in the closing minutes to lift Chicago to a 4-3 win, its first of 2010-11. <br /><br />“A little panic sets into your head, but you have to try and brush that away,” Crawford said. “I just kept battling and stuck with it.”<br /><br /><B>THE BAD…</B><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUSjfmMLDlA7bS2JL5VxGbG13NfITVto2DvdUe8QsrAOk9ANCldWCImr1xf7rKBDclYhyphenhyphenSqyzlhcpgkwYAYGp1DTsY22vNOP5fERkZfWwY8YGDmFWFYDyiwZo5oXYYSGHaGoBN/s1600/njd.gif"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 80px; height: 60px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUSjfmMLDlA7bS2JL5VxGbG13NfITVto2DvdUe8QsrAOk9ANCldWCImr1xf7rKBDclYhyphenhyphenSqyzlhcpgkwYAYGp1DTsY22vNOP5fERkZfWwY8YGDmFWFYDyiwZo5oXYYSGHaGoBN/s200/njd.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526943941821474418" /></a>Martin Brodeur, <a href=http://devils.nhl.com>New Jersey Devils</a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZBHxJ-asyK6jnIL1uXuIWIxGbLu64zNEAwFf_uD3yOH0zxXzZhTNBJdMueABFfU__a_eBbFZConHRKF-Yd1_x3rtM2FKbltjv3jTTxUEQ5wZfjWk0FmbH-FOTOeysQX1okLvB/s1600/brodeur.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 65px; height: 85px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZBHxJ-asyK6jnIL1uXuIWIxGbLu64zNEAwFf_uD3yOH0zxXzZhTNBJdMueABFfU__a_eBbFZConHRKF-Yd1_x3rtM2FKbltjv3jTTxUEQ5wZfjWk0FmbH-FOTOeysQX1okLvB/s200/brodeur.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526944325051732018" /></a>At 38 and now in his 17th NHL season, perhaps the all-time wins leader (602) is starting to show his age. <br /><br />With a 3-1 loss to Pittsburgh on Monday, the four-time Vezina Trophy winner has allowed 11 goals in his first three games, going 0-2-1 – New Jersey’s worst start since 2001-02. <br /><br />“It’s not the way we wanted to start,” said the Devils’ Patrik Elias. “We know what we’re doing wrong. We have to play 60 minutes, put it all together and get some consistency. We have to get back to doing what we do best.”<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmmp0Tq5QEMkjUvCuM9XK_fXzxcBNHzGLvFdhaTZf1xcp3_Zm57cVlSZDYHrh5RaG9N5btrri_2IvrRlRaxZhJfNItDdhRgbqPe4IHYCVbOzi9q3R9sI4eduqn-0vdqxFzsmok/s1600/nyi.gif"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 80px; height: 60px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmmp0Tq5QEMkjUvCuM9XK_fXzxcBNHzGLvFdhaTZf1xcp3_Zm57cVlSZDYHrh5RaG9N5btrri_2IvrRlRaxZhJfNItDdhRgbqPe4IHYCVbOzi9q3R9sI4eduqn-0vdqxFzsmok/s200/nyi.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526944598872017170" /></a>James Wisniewski, <a href=http://islanders.nhl.com>New York Islanders</a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqXcharaClr3OZAY04U4rSguoDIQ5G9FYSUwaSmWrnGjXylsylSivWnlWKUROOTcLPnSgxak_iuFlL0qkhR5ZpLpPeNUi64nMoB8r-ix1tBEehIfTF6KvxuHVwfjEMN1A2jWnB/s1600/wisniewski.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 65px; height: 85px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqXcharaClr3OZAY04U4rSguoDIQ5G9FYSUwaSmWrnGjXylsylSivWnlWKUROOTcLPnSgxak_iuFlL0qkhR5ZpLpPeNUi64nMoB8r-ix1tBEehIfTF6KvxuHVwfjEMN1A2jWnB/s200/wisniewski.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526948823851787426" /></a>In his first season on Lawn Guyland, Wisniewski has already written a new chapter in the hatred – um, rivalry - between the Islanders and the New York Rangers. <br /><br />Wisniewski was caught on tape Monday making an obscene gesture toward Rangers agitator Sean Avery in the Isles’ 6-4 win. <br /><br />An AP report called it a hand gesture, however Wisniewski mimicked a blowjob at Avery after the two were jawing during a stoppage in the opening period. Wisniewski said he didn’t remember doing so, but <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dI1Q2AY1-Eo>video of the incident</a> was on YouTube before the game was over.<br /><br />A suspension is almost assuredly coming. No pun intended. <br /><br />While impressive, it’s nothing compared to <a href=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kJno60rwE4>Dan Cloutier calling out all of the Islanders </a>after hammering away at Tommy Salo in 1998. <br /><br /><B>…AND THE QUOTABLE</B><br /><blockquote><I><b>"It's pretty obvious what the guy was doing, but I'm sure nothing will happen to him because nothing ever happens. It's interesting, he'd get a warning for something like that. Can you imagine if I did that? They sent me to rehab the last time I did something. It's crazy.”</b> – New York Rangers forward Sean Avery after New York Islanders defenseman James Wisniewski mimicked a blowjob motion at him Monday. </blockquote></I>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405512234106476602noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12160153.post-14545061582769215052010-10-10T20:34:00.009-05:002010-10-10T20:59:07.134-05:00An early look-inHere are some observations from the opening weekend of the new season … <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGeBByRBTvYs29jDg-jFJGdHJO0cDTDX0K4A_x3sf_AOl4MjDYrTcnbtBci8KUMuyX-VHhR1FMaoSIfiWk8pC_h97c3-OreGwgnriYOE_UGYDxgL3mTEhyhfNtdGigWLSPqRIq/s1600/ott.gif"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 80px; height: 60px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGeBByRBTvYs29jDg-jFJGdHJO0cDTDX0K4A_x3sf_AOl4MjDYrTcnbtBci8KUMuyX-VHhR1FMaoSIfiWk8pC_h97c3-OreGwgnriYOE_UGYDxgL3mTEhyhfNtdGigWLSPqRIq/s200/ott.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526596508766803682" /></a><b>The <a href=http://senators.nhl.com>Ottawa Senators</a> are in trouble.</b> <br /><br />Fans in the Canadian capital can live with Friday night’s 2-1 loss to Buffalo in the season opener – first-night jitters, whatever you want to call it. <br /><br />A rout at the hands of their most-hated rival on Saturday has to be considered inexcusable. <br /><br />Forget for a moment that Toronto has had three straight last-place finishes and hasn’t been to the playoffs since Paul Martin - <a href=http://penguins.nhl.com/club/player.htm?id=8468542>not this one!</a> – was prime minister. <br /><br />Ottawa didn’t get on the board until there were less than 13 minutes to play in Saturday’s 5-1 drubbing by the Maple Leafs. Perhaps the most glaring issue was the shot differential – 38-18 after being outshot 36-26 by the Sabres. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuNSRE9UeeYtrxGVStq1ZFRbMx2b1AqP6y0B563U8DfpMPXTtoOeZFu3sn_1eXgVfLRHbUxUawKICgjza2zHgSg_NYbfk9TkFGI6cHIxqaXuBXmZHllfMVVG8Ra3gpJXIedl9e/s1600/HABS-v-Sens-I-O--16.preview.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuNSRE9UeeYtrxGVStq1ZFRbMx2b1AqP6y0B563U8DfpMPXTtoOeZFu3sn_1eXgVfLRHbUxUawKICgjza2zHgSg_NYbfk9TkFGI6cHIxqaXuBXmZHllfMVVG8Ra3gpJXIedl9e/s320/HABS-v-Sens-I-O--16.preview.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526596988807068818" /></a>"A tough start is a tough start," general manager Bryan Murray told the Senators’ official website. "It's tough to catch up and you do have to win a lot of games. We have been a streaky team (in the past) and we certainly talked to a couple of players and the coach (Sunday) about that.”<br /><br />And it’s not going to get any easier Monday when Ottawa faces Alexander Ovechkin and the <a href=http://capitals.nhl.com>Washington Capitals</a>.<br /><br />Images of Pascal Leclaire doing a jig and crashing into the wall <a href=http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/9898/denislemieux.jpg>like this guy</a> in the dressing room between periods are coming to mind. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOlMtwAEsvBnSvYoI1Auj1mFvuPMNDaSzR6ns0b0nklBawbceLm8748891jQiUgOAh4k4AQjxbx5d0-wKWFCnAkmI6nNg3NnQ-OuQPOJyMTtt45_A-W13rgwVAXpTF3ywwltg-/s1600/tor.gif"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 80px; height: 60px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOlMtwAEsvBnSvYoI1Auj1mFvuPMNDaSzR6ns0b0nklBawbceLm8748891jQiUgOAh4k4AQjxbx5d0-wKWFCnAkmI6nNg3NnQ-OuQPOJyMTtt45_A-W13rgwVAXpTF3ywwltg-/s200/tor.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526596740719778930" /></a><b>The <a href=http://mapleleafs.nhl.com>Toronto Maple Leafs</a> are working their way toward relevancy again.</b> <br /><br />Stop me if you heard this before. <br /><br />An Original Six team hasn’t won a championship in generations. Fans are disgusted by last-place finishes and no playoff games. <br /><br />Changes at the top combined with some savvy personnel moves result in the team ultimately winning the Stanley Cup again, ending a decades-long drought. <br /><br />It’s worked for the Chicago Blackhawks. It may be working for the Maple Leafs. <br /><br />Much like the combination of Stan Bowman and John McDonough have done in the Windy City, Brian Burke appears to be doing the same in Toronto. <br /><br />The Maple Leafs have scored eight goals in weekend wins over Montreal and Ottawa to move atop the Northeast Division – rarefied air considering they’ve finished at the bottom of the division each of the last three years. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd2TrNy5d42tk6BbPxjt3OhX4DMj4eP9i1gpGjw92yQXIezvmg6kw1HZcX3QJEzT1O7sm_P-bvPqeVU4CUVDACNYyYy1FcJh0EpLPK1MFSgX9OzLYrnc6Rs5VcQsqv_WBEEjtt/s1600/1286517044.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 201px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd2TrNy5d42tk6BbPxjt3OhX4DMj4eP9i1gpGjw92yQXIezvmg6kw1HZcX3QJEzT1O7sm_P-bvPqeVU4CUVDACNYyYy1FcJh0EpLPK1MFSgX9OzLYrnc6Rs5VcQsqv_WBEEjtt/s320/1286517044.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526597286497491618" /></a>What I like about the Leafs so far is they don’t have one true superstar. Three players are tied for the team lead with two goals each, and seven players have multiple points. <br /><br />Jean-Sebastien Giguere is looking more like the goalie that helped Anaheim win the Cup in 2007. Since then, his win total had decreased from 35 to 19 to 10 last season with the Ducks and Leafs. <br /><br />“If you get decent goaltending, then often you solve a lot of problems,” coach Ron Wilson told Yahoo! Sports. <br /><br />Toronto hasn’t won the Stanley Cup since 1967, the longest current title-less streak by any NHL team. Odds are, the Cup will not be paraded there this spring, but it may not be much longer after that. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7CUkZ8hZSIcMeL9QnnwstaGNSnaCgCp26Ftn3emaYUSEbV0_mfvGW947HKS3qF0yM73azwsVrMoHiQ5KzrNFo3qRrhRclVea7ScjtNFRo4jTtK_aysQ23TG43nrHREKOUN-E7/s1600/ana.gif"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 80px; height: 60px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7CUkZ8hZSIcMeL9QnnwstaGNSnaCgCp26Ftn3emaYUSEbV0_mfvGW947HKS3qF0yM73azwsVrMoHiQ5KzrNFo3qRrhRclVea7ScjtNFRo4jTtK_aysQ23TG43nrHREKOUN-E7/s200/ana.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526597723211484290" /></a><b>The <a href=http://ducks.nhl.com>Anaheim Ducks</a> may be the worst team in the league.</b><br /><br />I thought the <a href=http://wild.nhl.com>Minnesota Wild</a> would be the worst team of 2010-11, but Anaheim is staking an early claim to that title. <br /><br />It’s one thing to be blanked on opening night by a Detroit team that seems to have all the pieces back together to make a championship run. It’s another also give up four goals to a Nashville club that has a whole lotta ‘meh.’ <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0wjWZNxsGrHm3dAn_vdJQlpSoX2dP0eUGvViSzWSFom2XUeB8ZFyJVP9EbMWhvM5c9-9FZM1U13Fkr4aMjM6KYXjEXgWSvZ3VbuabKDmDBS9eJlWZGvbjBtTu1YSbopiFWLmg/s1600/b7a4ba2caff64b14835ebced9c323fdf.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 267px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0wjWZNxsGrHm3dAn_vdJQlpSoX2dP0eUGvViSzWSFom2XUeB8ZFyJVP9EbMWhvM5c9-9FZM1U13Fkr4aMjM6KYXjEXgWSvZ3VbuabKDmDBS9eJlWZGvbjBtTu1YSbopiFWLmg/s320/b7a4ba2caff64b14835ebced9c323fdf.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526601785762242850" /></a>“It’s tough having to play from behind all the time, but it is only Game Two right now,” Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf told The Associated Press after Saturday’s loss to the Predators. “We’re a learning team right now, and we have to take things out of tonight and go forward with it.”<br /><br />Getting some bodies in front of Jonas Hiller might help. The Swiss netminder has faced a league-high 92 shots so far – 15 more than Dallas’ Kari Lehtonen heading into play Sunday. <br /><br />The loss of future Hall of Fame defenseman Scott Niedermayer to retirement has been a big blow, and Teemu Selanne and Saku Koivu are another year older and closer to hanging it up. <br /><br />Just two games, but two games could be telling.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405512234106476602noreply@blogger.com0