Another great night of NHL action last evening.
Here are video recaps of some of my favorite moments:
1) "Can you hear us?"
This one gave me goosebumps. The reason the hockey playoffs are such an epic event is because that Hockey fans are so tuned in with their teams and following so closely that it is like they are in the room with their team and along for the ride. Every win entices fans with visions of Lord Stanley’s Holy Chalice, any loss and it feels like your team will not be able to get up off the mat and never win a game again. Washington’s Coach Bruce Boudreau had taken a potshot at the Ranger fans, saying that he did not consider their home rink, Madison Square Garden, to be all that loud of a building. It was a ridiculous thing to say, but not surprising to anyone who watched Boudreau act like a total clown throughout the entire HBO 24/7 TV series. The Ranger’s fans response was just pure hockey fandom music to my ears.
2) Perry Eats Preds Souls Shorthanded:
The Anaheim Ducks tendency to play undisciplined and take untimely penalties is the key reason why the Nashville Predators were up on them two games to one. In a tie game last night the Ducks once again went down a man at a bad moment. It looked like Nashville could once again capitalize, but Corry Perry had other ideas and turned the tables on the Preds while his team was down a man. This is the kind of individual play that can really shift the momentum in a playoff round. Just awesome.
3) Marty and Vinny Hook Up:
The Tampa Bay Lightning are down 3 games to 1 in their series with the Pittsburgh Penguins, but it is certainly not from lack of effort from the smallest and most skilled player between the two teams, Martin St. Louis. After the Bolts were shutout in game one, Marty has 4 goals in 4 games and has almost single handedly kept Tampa close in this series. Don’t overlook the nice setup from his teammate Vincent Lecavalier with a tricky bank pass off the boards. The connection these two have may not be enough to get past the Pens, but it is still something special to watch.
4) Miller stones Briere, Flyers:
Last year in the Olympics Ryan Miller was the Great American Hero as a Goalie leading the underdog Americans to the brink of the Gold Medal. This year he has resumed his more unassuming role as Superman for the city of Buffalo. He was beyond spectacular in evening things with the Philadelphia Flyers at home last night with his 2nd 1-0 shutout victory of the series. He robs Daniel Briere here for one of about 3 or 4 stops that could have been shown here from the 3rd Period of that game. This save was the most impressive to me however for the mano-a-mano aspect of it.
5) Neal Finally Puts One In:
James Neal is one of those hockey forwards going through a stretch where he is snakebit. He does everything right but just can’t seem to finish the play by finding the back of the net. He finally got one to fall last night in the 2nd overtime, and there was much rejoicing.
6) Chimera Flips it Home to Close Things Out:
Alas for Ranger fans, the magic night at MSG did not have a happy ending for them. While Henrik Lundqvist and Marian Gaborik played a game of “You got it, I’ll take it” in the crease, Jason Chimera cooley swept in and banked it home for the OT winner and put the Blueshirts on the brink of elimination heading back to Washington.
7) Shane Doan Shakes Lidstrom's Hand:
Shane Doan has only played for one franchise in his entire career. He played his rookie year as a Winnipeg Jet. The next season that team packed up and moved South of the Border to Phoenix and was re-branded the Coyotes. Now the future of the team in Phoenix is in serious doubt. The Dessert Dogs have never been the most popular of tickets in the Valley of the Sun, but I do feel for the diehards who have been drawn in over the past decade and now look to have their team pulled out from under them, just as they are starting to gain some traction as a legitimate contender. I know a lot of hockey fans are pumped up to see the possibility of another team moving to back to the Great White North. I however hate to see any team relocate. It is not the fault of the dedicated fans that their fickle ‘casual’ counterparts are not coming out to support a team. They are there every game, watching road games on TV, buying jerseys, and doing all they can to support their club. It is much harder to be a fan in a market where hockey is not the most popular thing to follow, so I’d like to take this time to salute all Coyote fans, regardless of how this turns out who have been there through thick and, far too often, thin times. You did not fail hockey, hockey has failed you.
Showing posts with label James Neal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label James Neal. Show all posts
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
All that is Solid [Brain Matter] Vanishes into Thin Air
Sometimes silence is a deafening roar. The NHL yesterday made a decision not to even hold a disciplinary hearing for the Detroit Redwings Todd Bertuzzi after he was given a 5 minute major and a game misconduct for elbowing the Chicago Blackhawks Ryan Johnson. The reek hypocrisy and maddening inconsistency of taking such a non stance after making a league wide whipping boy out of Matt Cooke, banishing him from play for the rest of the regular season and the first round of the playoffs, is absolutely bewildering.
As Burress pointed out here in the wake of the Cooke suspension, Bertuzzi is the one guy in the league with a bigger reputational footprint from being a dirty player than Cooke himself.
“Irony would also rear it's beautifully hideous head when Matt Cooke would serve the first game of his suspension against a Red Wings team featuring the aforementioned Bertuzzi. Prior to the game, Red Wings Alternate Captain Henrik Zetterberg weighed in on the Cooke situation calling for Cooke to be shelved for the remainder of the season and much like everything else in the NHL, the Red Wings got their wish. Zetterberg clearly overlooked the fact that his choir boy organization employs a guy who once came up behind another human being, grabbed him by the back of his sweater, wound up, and delivered a gloved punch to the back of his head sending him plummeting to the ice face first. The result was merely a concussion, 3 broken neck vertebrae, facial lacerations, and 5 months in a hospital plus a year in a neck brace. Nothing major, I guess. Heck the most storied Red Wing ever, Mr. Hockey himself, was known to throw an elbow or 10 during his career, so at least they have that going for them!”
“For all of Steve Moore and his family's suffering, Todd Bertuzzi was suspended for only 3 more games than Matt Cooke for an elbow that didn't even sideline a guy for a period. Since the "Steve Moore Incident" Bertuzzi has played in nearly 400 NHL games and pocketed nearly $18 million dollars for his troubles while Steve Moore can skate, but that's about it. While his neck has healed but he still suffers from the concussion he received when Todd Bertuzzi held the back of his jersey, cocked his fist, and sucker punched him in the back of the head so hard that he fell helplessly to the ice face first and unconscious. For that, Bertuzzi got only 3 more games than Matt Cooke for his stupidity in finishing a check with a dirty elbow. Get my drift?”
And yet despite that history and prior reputation, and the heralded new found revelatory focus and immense attention paid to protecting players from vicious, brutal, concussing headshots, the league DID NOT BAT AN EYEBROW OR RAISE ITS TINIEST FINGER toward an incident that was similar in every way shape and manner to the elbow that Cooke put into McDonagh’s cranium. That duplicitous roar you are hearing is absolutely deafening. And please, spare me any sort of super slow motion instant replay analysis and breakdown establishing intention and intricacies of the incidents at hand. The bottom line: both guys were trying to finish checks after the puck had left, and both ended up inserting their elbow directly into the skull of the opposing player.
If the NHL is serious about eliminating headshots, they must take a hard stance on these flying elbows as they do on high sticks. From my understanding of the league’s rules in that situation, it is that the player responsible for wielding his stick must be in control of it at all times, and any contact, even the most unintentional and incidental, with an opposing player is an automatic penalty. Of course, my understanding of such a solid rule was brought into question last night when James Neal of the Penguins was clipped in the face by Claude Giroux of the Flyers. Giroux was following through on the puck and, under his own power, lifted his stick into Neal’s mouth and cut his lip. Instead of an ensuing 4 minute power play, the officials on the ice huddled and waived off the infraction. It was a fitting end to a perfectly baffling day.
As Burress pointed out here in the wake of the Cooke suspension, Bertuzzi is the one guy in the league with a bigger reputational footprint from being a dirty player than Cooke himself.
“Irony would also rear it's beautifully hideous head when Matt Cooke would serve the first game of his suspension against a Red Wings team featuring the aforementioned Bertuzzi. Prior to the game, Red Wings Alternate Captain Henrik Zetterberg weighed in on the Cooke situation calling for Cooke to be shelved for the remainder of the season and much like everything else in the NHL, the Red Wings got their wish. Zetterberg clearly overlooked the fact that his choir boy organization employs a guy who once came up behind another human being, grabbed him by the back of his sweater, wound up, and delivered a gloved punch to the back of his head sending him plummeting to the ice face first. The result was merely a concussion, 3 broken neck vertebrae, facial lacerations, and 5 months in a hospital plus a year in a neck brace. Nothing major, I guess. Heck the most storied Red Wing ever, Mr. Hockey himself, was known to throw an elbow or 10 during his career, so at least they have that going for them!”
“For all of Steve Moore and his family's suffering, Todd Bertuzzi was suspended for only 3 more games than Matt Cooke for an elbow that didn't even sideline a guy for a period. Since the "Steve Moore Incident" Bertuzzi has played in nearly 400 NHL games and pocketed nearly $18 million dollars for his troubles while Steve Moore can skate, but that's about it. While his neck has healed but he still suffers from the concussion he received when Todd Bertuzzi held the back of his jersey, cocked his fist, and sucker punched him in the back of the head so hard that he fell helplessly to the ice face first and unconscious. For that, Bertuzzi got only 3 more games than Matt Cooke for his stupidity in finishing a check with a dirty elbow. Get my drift?”
And yet despite that history and prior reputation, and the heralded new found revelatory focus and immense attention paid to protecting players from vicious, brutal, concussing headshots, the league DID NOT BAT AN EYEBROW OR RAISE ITS TINIEST FINGER toward an incident that was similar in every way shape and manner to the elbow that Cooke put into McDonagh’s cranium. That duplicitous roar you are hearing is absolutely deafening. And please, spare me any sort of super slow motion instant replay analysis and breakdown establishing intention and intricacies of the incidents at hand. The bottom line: both guys were trying to finish checks after the puck had left, and both ended up inserting their elbow directly into the skull of the opposing player.
If the NHL is serious about eliminating headshots, they must take a hard stance on these flying elbows as they do on high sticks. From my understanding of the league’s rules in that situation, it is that the player responsible for wielding his stick must be in control of it at all times, and any contact, even the most unintentional and incidental, with an opposing player is an automatic penalty. Of course, my understanding of such a solid rule was brought into question last night when James Neal of the Penguins was clipped in the face by Claude Giroux of the Flyers. Giroux was following through on the puck and, under his own power, lifted his stick into Neal’s mouth and cut his lip. Instead of an ensuing 4 minute power play, the officials on the ice huddled and waived off the infraction. It was a fitting end to a perfectly baffling day.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Fleury outduels Brodeur
Marc-Andre Fleury is the Pittsburgh Penguins' most valuable player, and made a case to the league Friday night in outdueling New Jersey's Martin Brodeur at the Consol Energy Center.
Fleury stopped 21 shots for his third shutout this season, and James Neal scored in the shootout for a 1-0 Penguins' win.
The scored was 0-0 after regulation and overtime.
Brodeur turned aside 26 shots, but couldn't stop Neal in the shootout. Brodeur did pick up 116th career shutout, even though he lost, 1-0. The shootout goal doesn't count against Brodeur's record.
The Penguins will hand out their team awards Sunday before their game against the Florida Panthers, and Fleury should grab team MVP. Not bad for a guy that was supposed to be a liability. Fleury is underappreciated and underrated.
He deserves most of the credit for Pittsburgh's success after Sidney Crosby went down with a concussion.
I was glad to see the Penguins beat the Devils at their own game.
Crosby had a 45-minute workout Friday, and the coaching staff is hinting at the superstar making a comeback before the end of the season. To not have Crosby is not only tough for the Penguins, but for the league as well.
Sometimes you question professional athletes' determination, but there is no doubting Crosby. I have always been impressed with his work ethic. He doesn't take his abilities for granted.
The Penguins are two points back of the Philadelphia Flyers, who play the New York Islanders tonight. The Flyers also have two games in hand.
Brooks Orpik is supposed to play against the Panthers.
Mike Comrie made his return to the Penguins' lineup Friday.
Fleury stopped 21 shots for his third shutout this season, and James Neal scored in the shootout for a 1-0 Penguins' win.
The scored was 0-0 after regulation and overtime.
Brodeur turned aside 26 shots, but couldn't stop Neal in the shootout. Brodeur did pick up 116th career shutout, even though he lost, 1-0. The shootout goal doesn't count against Brodeur's record.
The Penguins will hand out their team awards Sunday before their game against the Florida Panthers, and Fleury should grab team MVP. Not bad for a guy that was supposed to be a liability. Fleury is underappreciated and underrated.
He deserves most of the credit for Pittsburgh's success after Sidney Crosby went down with a concussion.
I was glad to see the Penguins beat the Devils at their own game.
Crosby had a 45-minute workout Friday, and the coaching staff is hinting at the superstar making a comeback before the end of the season. To not have Crosby is not only tough for the Penguins, but for the league as well.
Sometimes you question professional athletes' determination, but there is no doubting Crosby. I have always been impressed with his work ethic. He doesn't take his abilities for granted.
The Penguins are two points back of the Philadelphia Flyers, who play the New York Islanders tonight. The Flyers also have two games in hand.
Brooks Orpik is supposed to play against the Panthers.
Mike Comrie made his return to the Penguins' lineup Friday.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Great response by Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins rebounded from two tough losses, one being a game, the other being Matt Cooke, to pick up a 5-4 shootout victory over the Detroit Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena.
The Penguins jumped out to a 2-0 lead after the first period, scored two more, chased Jimmy Howard, allowed the Red Wings to tie the game in the third before James Neal won it in the shootout.
I was very impressed with how Pittsburgh responded after losing to the New York Rangers Sunday. Also, Cooke's suspension, although warranted after another cheap shot by the LW, gave the Pens a "us against the world" approach.
Cooke was suspended by the NHL Monday for the remainder of the regular season and the first round of the playoffs for his elbow to the head of the Rangers' Ryan McDonagh Sunday.
Cooke got what he deserved, Mario Lemieux and Ray Shero had to support it, but the players will go that extra mile for their teammate, even if they're upset.
Chris Kunitz had another great game. Kunitz and Jordan Staal have elavated their game. Brent Johnson was strong, and didn't really let in any bad goals. The Red Wings started to take control in the third. I believe that can be attributed to the Penguins playing back-to-back games against two quality opponents, but take nothing away from Detroit. That team is loaded with talent and Mike Babcock is one of the best coaches around.
Pittsburgh has big games coming up against New Jersey and Philadelphia. As I mentioned in an earlier post, the game with the Flyers is important. (Understatement of the year). I don't think the Penguins will win the division, but who knows. I doubt Philadelphia will struggle going into the playoffs.
We shall see.
Keep your head up!
The Penguins jumped out to a 2-0 lead after the first period, scored two more, chased Jimmy Howard, allowed the Red Wings to tie the game in the third before James Neal won it in the shootout.
I was very impressed with how Pittsburgh responded after losing to the New York Rangers Sunday. Also, Cooke's suspension, although warranted after another cheap shot by the LW, gave the Pens a "us against the world" approach.
Cooke was suspended by the NHL Monday for the remainder of the regular season and the first round of the playoffs for his elbow to the head of the Rangers' Ryan McDonagh Sunday.
Cooke got what he deserved, Mario Lemieux and Ray Shero had to support it, but the players will go that extra mile for their teammate, even if they're upset.
Chris Kunitz had another great game. Kunitz and Jordan Staal have elavated their game. Brent Johnson was strong, and didn't really let in any bad goals. The Red Wings started to take control in the third. I believe that can be attributed to the Penguins playing back-to-back games against two quality opponents, but take nothing away from Detroit. That team is loaded with talent and Mike Babcock is one of the best coaches around.
Pittsburgh has big games coming up against New Jersey and Philadelphia. As I mentioned in an earlier post, the game with the Flyers is important. (Understatement of the year). I don't think the Penguins will win the division, but who knows. I doubt Philadelphia will struggle going into the playoffs.
We shall see.
Keep your head up!
Monday, February 28, 2011
A few trades
Dustin Penner is the newest member of the Los Angeles Kings. The Kings, who are fifth in the Western Conference standings with 74 points, are my pick for biggest acquisition. Penner is a legitimate goal scorer with 32 this season and 105 in 343 NHL games.
This was the biggest deal on a rare slow last day for the NHL trade deadline. The Kings are 8 points behind the division-leading Sharks and are ready to make a push. Los Angeles gave up prospect Colton Teubert and draft picks in 2011 and 2012.
The Devils parted ways with Jason Arnott, who went to the Capitals for David Steckel. Steckel is the No. 1 enemy around Pittsburgh for being primarly responsible for Sidney Crosby's absence in the Penguins' lineup. He will fit right in with New Jersey.
I don't think the deal helps the Capitals too much. They need some good blue liners if they want to take that next step.
Pittsburgh didn't do anything, which is fine. I like the additions of Neal, Niskanen and Kovalev.
This was the biggest deal on a rare slow last day for the NHL trade deadline. The Kings are 8 points behind the division-leading Sharks and are ready to make a push. Los Angeles gave up prospect Colton Teubert and draft picks in 2011 and 2012.
The Devils parted ways with Jason Arnott, who went to the Capitals for David Steckel. Steckel is the No. 1 enemy around Pittsburgh for being primarly responsible for Sidney Crosby's absence in the Penguins' lineup. He will fit right in with New Jersey.
I don't think the deal helps the Capitals too much. They need some good blue liners if they want to take that next step.
Pittsburgh didn't do anything, which is fine. I like the additions of Neal, Niskanen and Kovalev.
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