The Hockey Thread - October

[Angle-plex]

Great Bruins game tonight.

[treble]

The Leafs had lost so many games like that in the past few years, it was nice to be on the other side of it.

 

There is a lot to like about this team, even if they don't keep up playing like this.

[bob_barron]

I just emailed someone the same thing. How many times have we seen the Leafs have a second period like this? Or get the goal to make it 2-1, suddenly try in the last few minutes, only to lose anyway?

 

I'm an eternal Leafs optimist, but I'm starting to feel really good about these guys.

[Guest C*Z*E*C*H]

The Blackhawks finally won a shootout, so that brought me joy. Here are the Adjusted Standing that don't take into account half a win for trying ever so hard.

 

San Jose 9-2

Minnesota 6-3

Detroit 7-4

Calgary 6-4

Nashville 6-5

Vancouver 6-5

Anaheim 6-6

Edmonton 5-5

-----

St. Louis 5-5

Colorado 5-5

Phoenix 4-4

Chicago 5-6

Columbus 4-7

Dallas 4-8

L.A. 3-6

 

As it turns out, most teams don't move around too much, except for Chicago moving from 6th to 12th. Keeping the close eyes and ears on this team that I do, they're playing much more like a 12th place team than a 6th place team because their goaltending is so unreliable. Immovable, too: sometimes I wonder if calling Antti Niemi up from Rockford would be the best option, but how do you even make room for him? You can't. Carry three goaltenders and drop a skater that adds nothing, like Ben Eager? Why bother? That's stupid. Speaking of the (groan) IceHogs, I have high hopes for this Sean McMorrow goon they picked up. He might be the secret weapon we need, the one that Ben Eager sure isn't.

 

Do we have any fans of the London Knights here? What the fuck is with Akim Aliu? What is he, retarded?

[The Ghost of bps21]

I went to my first Sabres game of the year tonight. The bar owner of my local tavern gave us two tickets in the 200s for free (they run about $173 apiece...anyone who says alcoholism is bad...is wrong). Thomas Vanek is sick. He's now put in 11 goals in 11 games. Sabers win 5-0.

[the max]

So the Broons absolutely dominated Dallas.

 

Steve Ott was trying to get them off their game, I can appreciate that. It's what he does, it's his game. But the low hits, post-whistle nonsense and turtling when approached got really old, really quick. Low bridged Yelle, Thornton stepped in, Ott backs off. Charged Stuart, Hnidy steps up, Ott turtles. Ference stepped up and smoked him, Ott runs Nokelainen, Avery had to fight for him and lost (IMO) to Ference. Seemed every penalty that Ott may have drawn was given right back because of his stupidity. He got a game misconduct once the Bruins got up by 2, seemingly knowing that he was going to get his ass handed to him.

 

The Bruins have really come together as well. Lucic got hit from behind by Avery and SAVARD of all people jumped in immediately. Great to see that, they're fast becoming a team that nobody wants to play.

[CanadianGuitarist]

As of 9:45, the only team I incorrectly picked on ProLine was the Rangers. I was pretty well inventing swears out of anger at the Leafs. (I've forgiven them, as I also had the Sens). Still, that nullified what was a remarkable five minutes of hockey. They certainly figured out Valiquette: Goals one, three, and four looked almost identical (though some replays may prove me wrong): All from the top of the right circle, all over his left shoulder.

 

In the same vein, no one's mentioned the Habs four-goal third period, but that's easy to overlook, given our recent history against the Isles, coupled with the Leafs-Rangers head-to-head records.

 

Don Cherry may have been right about the Leafs, they absolutely don't quit. I don't know what them going halfway through the third, but seemingly all of a sudden, they got going. From immediately after Betts' goal to about the ten-minute mark, they just looked lost. But Stajan's effort and great pass on Mitchell's first goal really woke them up, and the crowd was really alive. What a fun game to watch.

 

What's the bounty on Steve Ott, Max? I'm beginning to get, like you said, a Big Bad Broons vibe from them.

[Guest]

I love Drew Doughty.

[Red Baron]

I love Drew Doughty.

 

And you should.