BTW, I liked that article, Lefty.
that is until detroit is in the east right lol, leafs on a mini 3 game win streak
Good game, but the Habs arent in the Wings league. Havent been for years.
IMO, the entire Eastern conference is a step behind the West (or two). They dont play defense. Until they do, the West will continue to win the Cup 60-70% of the time.
I totally agree.
Good game, but the Habs arent in the Wings league. Havent been for years.
IMO, the entire Eastern conference is a step behind the West (or two). They dont play defense. Until they do, the West will continue to win the Cup 60-70% of the time.
Actually, Detroit is my 2nd favorite team : Datsyuk+Zetterberg : Wow
(plus they have the best uniform in the NHL, by far)
By the way, Scott Niedermayer is back with Anaheim; bad news Red Wings
Last edited by lefty; 12-05-2007 at 10:55 PM.
There's Leafs-Habs, and then there's these new rivalries
Amber
By David Amber
Special to ESPN.com
(Archive)
We all know about the storied rivalry between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens. The "Battle of Alberta," the Islanders vs. the Rangers and Detroit vs. Colorado are clashes that will always hold a special place in our hearts.
But with new teams, new players and new story lines, we have some fresh rivalries ready to hit a boiling point. In the latest 10 Degrees, we look at the best "new" rivalries in the NHL.
10. Vancouver vs. Minnesota
Here are two teams without much head-to-head history, geographical ties or any reason to despise one another. That all changed on Nov. 16, when the mild-mannered Mattias Ohlund took a two-hander to the leg of Mikko Koivu after he was elbowed by the Wild center. The fallout from what became an international incident between Ohlund (Sweden) and Koivu (Finland) was a four-game suspension for Ohlund, a cracked fibula for Koivu and some bad blood between the Canucks and Wild. When the two teams faced each other again on Dec. 2, a scrap broke out just three seconds into the game and four misconducts followed. These teams face off five more times this season, so don't be surprised if we see more fireworks as they battle for the Northwest Division le.
9. Anaheim vs. Los Angeles
Separated by less than 40 miles, the Ducks and Kings have become bitter local rivals. Last season, the teams played eight times; seven were decided by one goal and three of those tilts were shootouts. This season, they have already played five games, including the back-to-back, season-opening games in London, England. Despite playing in a division with Cup contenders Dallas and San Jose, Ducks coach Randy Carlyle calls the Kings "our fiercest rival." The numbers don't lie. In their meetings this season, there have been eight roughing penalties, six boarding penalties, two fights and four misconducts, including a game misconduct. Next up, Jan. 24 in L.A. Game on!
8. Philadelphia vs. Boston
Considering their leader is 5-foot-9, 175-pound Daniel Briere, the Flyers aren't exactly the reincarnation of The Broad Street Bullies. But with five player suspensions (52 games) already in the books this season, Philadelphia is stirring things up around the NHL. No team has felt the effects more than the Boston Bruins. Patrice Bergeron's season may be over after suffering a concussion and broken nose in October, courtesy of a nasty hit from Flyers defenseman Randy Jones. In the teams' next meeting one month later, Scott Hartnell smashed Andrew Alberts head first into the boards, knocking the Bruins' tough guy out of the game. Both Jones and Hartnell were given two-game suspensions. The league has spoken, but what about the Bruins? Most players and teams subscribe to the "eye for an eye" philosophy. We'll find out in "Flyers vs. Bruins, Part III" on Jan. 12.
7. Derek Boogaard vs. Georges Laraque
The NHL's top two heavyweights have had a running feud since 2005. They have fought four times overall, with the lefty Laraque getting the better of Boogaard each time. The last scuffle one season ago sent the 6-foot-7 Boogaard to the injured list with a knee injury and he sat out nearly a month. With Laraque now in the Eastern Conference, the next edition of this rivalry will have to wait until the 2008 season since he missed this season's Penguins-Wild matchup. Still, at just 25, Boogaard has made it clear he plans to unseat Laraque as the game's most feared pugilist. Time will tell, but Round 5 between these two enforcers is bound to happen.
6. Ottawa vs. Buffalo
As if meeting in the playoffs four times over the last decade wasn't enough, the Senators and Sabres get to face each other eight times during the regular season in a matchup of two of the better skating teams in the league. Every game is a physical, end-to-end affair, with both teams' fans well represented in each city. This growing rivalry has been particularly hot since last February, when Chris Neil ran over Chris Drury, injuring the then-Sabres' leading scorer. The hit sparked a brawl, including goaltenders Martin Biron and Ray Emery. Even though Drury (Rangers) and Biron (Flyers) left Buffalo, the ill will between the teams remains. They play three games over a 15-day stretch starting on Dec. 26.
5. Chicago vs. Detroit
Superman had kryptonite, Seinfeld had Newman and the Detroit Red Wings apparently have the Chicago Blackhawks. Of all the possible Original Six matchups, this is the most improbable of rivalries. Since the last time the Hawks won a playoff series in 1996, the Wings have won three Stanley Cups and seven Central Division les. But, this season, a rivalry has been revived out of what has recently been a mockery. Chicago is 4-0 vs. Detroit this season, the only team to beat the Wings at The Joe. After missing the playoffs eight of the last nine seasons, this maybe the season where the Windy City has the final say against Hockeytown.
4. Edmonton vs. Anaheim
On the ice, this rivalry has been timid compared to what has been said and done off it. It started in June 2006, when Chris Pronger asked for a trade from Edmonton after helping the Oilers reach the Stanley Cup finals. GM Kevin Lowe obliged by shipping the former MVP to Anaheim. The following offseason, just weeks after Anaheim won the Cup, Lowe presented restricted free agent Dustin Penner with a five-year $21.25-million offer sheet. Some considered the move "breaking protocol" with GMs and Ducks GM Brian Burke called it "colossal stupidity." Burke went on to say, "If I had run my team into the sewer like that, I wouldn't have thrown a grenade at the other 29 teams, and my own indirectly." Lowe shot back, calling Burke an "egomaniac" and a "blowhard." The war of words paved the way for some passionate on-ice battles. The Oilers recently swept a home-and-home series from the Ducks, outscoring the defending champs 9-1.
3. Sidney Crosby vs. Mike Richards
By all accounts, Mike Richards is a goal scorer. He leads the Flyers in scoring and sits in the top 10 in the NHL. But he can also be a pest. Just ask Sidney Crosby. Last season, the Penguins won all eight regular-season matchups vs. the Flyers and Crosby delivered seven goals and nine assists along the way. This season, with Richards draped all over Crosby, the Penguins are winless in two games. In their last meeting, a 5-2 Flyers win, Crosby was accused of diving, an accusation that left the reigning MVP seething and led to some jawing with Richards during the game. Neither will discuss what was said on the ice, but they both concede it was a spirited conversation. They may have won two gold medals as teammates for Team Canada at the World Junior Championship, but, right now, Richards and Crosby are bitter rivals with six more matchups this season. Next up, Dec. 11 in Philly.
2. Claude Julien vs. the Montreal Canadiens
It used to be former Boston coach Don Cherry that caught the ire of the Montreal Canadiens. Move over Grapes; say o to former Habs bench boss Claude Julien, who has picked up right where Cherry left off. The rivalry began in earnest Nov. 8, when Bruins defenseman Aaron Ward suffered a concussion after getting elbowed by Francis Bouillon. Julien was incensed no penalty was called, and no suspension followed (Ward missed two games). In a rematch in Montreal nine days later, Julien let his players loose after the Habs held a comfortable lead in the third period. A series of fights ensued. After Bruins defenseman Mark Stuart roughed up non-fighter Andrei Kos syn, Julien and Montreal assistant coach Kirk Muller were screaming at each other from the benches. Following the game, Julien sent a message via the media to his Montreal counterparts: "Take care of your own business, and we'll take care of our own." There will be plenty of business for Julien to take care of with five more meetings between these clubs.
1. Sean Avery vs. ...
Where do we begin? Since making his NHL debut six seasons ago, Avery quickly established himself as a pest. In last season's ESPN.com NHL Players Survey, 38 percent of the 141 players polled said Avery was the dirtiest player in the league. The 27-year-old Rangers forward has a number of ongoing feuds, both on and off the ice. Within the last three seasons, he was suspended by his former team, the L.A. Kings, for conduct detrimental to the team; he made an inflammatory comment about French-Canadian hockey players; he was accused of uttering a racial slur at Georges Laraque; he had a very public and heated argument with Ducks broadcaster Brian Hayward; and, last month, he had a heated pregame and in-game battle with Toronto's Darcy Tucker. But let's not forget, Avery can play. He's been the spark in the Rangers' lineup since joining the club before last season's trade deadline. And it's safe to say Avery will be stirring up new rivalries once he returns from a wrist injury.
4 game win streak, here we come playoffs lol
Bringing old school and new school together, one puck at a time
Buccigross
By John Buccigross
ESPN.com
(Archive)
Updated: December 11, 2007, 3:53 PM ET
* Comment
For those of us who now get the NHL Network on our television, life as an NHL fan has never been better. We can see every highlight of every game, every night and every morning.
This cannot be overstated. The griping about the "mainstream media" ignoring the NHL in the United States has, for some of us, become academic. Slowly, the mainstream is being obliterated. All that is really left is the NFL, "American Idol" and Britney Spears. We can watch hockey highlights on the NHL Network, read about it on the Internet and listen to it on satellite radio. These things do cost money, so the revolution does come at a price.
A couple of weeks ago, I did a retro blog of an old Red Wings-Maple Leafs game from 1971 that got some pretty good reaction. I wanted to wait awhile before the next one, but Monday's Vintage Game was too juicy to pass up -- Canadiens vs. Bruins, 1979 Prince of Wales Conference finals. The winner would go on to play Phil Esposito and the New York Rangers in the 1979 Stanley Cup finals.
Shot of the Week
By popular demand (and we mean that), the shot of the week is back!
You know how it works. We will present an NHL photo, and Bucci will provide a caption. E-mail him your suggestions (include your name and hometown/state) and we will use the best ones and provide a new photo the following week.
LAST WEEK:
"One more 'A' and we could provide free towing for qualified members." (Getty Image)
Your captions:
"Hey, that kid in the stands said he wants his jersey back."
-- Tim Koen
"Think we'll land the part for "Stuck on You 2?"
-- David M. Hintz
Hemsky: "OK, you get first pick, we get first puck."
Nash: "Fine. I'll take Fedorov."
-- Mike Aurilio ( Philadelphia)
"No, really. In Canada, the 'A' means ' o.'"
-- Craig L. Roberts
THIS WEEK:
Attendance problems continue in Detroit despite "Guaranteed Christmas Star Night." (Getty Image)
Then, I thought of trying something that might never have been done in blogging history -- simultaneously blogging two games played 17½ years apart. So, I recorded the Canadiens-Bruins game and the present-time Red Wings-Predators game from Monday night and waited until the Detroit-Nashville game ended to begin the blogging process.
I'll go back and forth from 1979 to 2007 in intervals because the "score bug" we now enjoy in any game we watch was not around in the '70s.
First period
Canadiens-Bruins
The Bruins had not beaten the Canadiens in a playoff series since 1943. Montreal won the first two games at the Forum, and the Bruins took Game 3. So, this is the pivotal Game 4.
Opening faceoff: After the large size of Peter McNab's head, the first thing one notices is the small rink size of the old Garden (191 by 83 feet). Today's "Garden" is like every other NHL rink (200 by 85). The old dimensions resulted in NASCAR hockey -- fast bumping and grinding. It had to have been terrifying for defensemen going back for the puck in their own zone.
19:48: Hey, it's Don Cherry in a burgundy Ron Burgundy-vested suit! This was Cherry's last season as Bruins coach despite four straight 100-point seasons. He went on to coach the Colorado Rockies the next season and lasted one year before later being hired by CBC. The analyst for this game, Irvin, just said, "Cherry has worn a different suit every game." Changing clothes was apparently breaking news in 1979.
19:00: Stan Jonathan just gave Mario Tremblay a wicked forearm right to the head in the neutral zone. Today, this would have resulted in an elbowing penalty and a 30-minute discussion on how players don't respect one another. This is why I like watching old games. It dispels myths. Yes, players took head shots 30 years ago. The issue is today's hard equipment hitting skulls. For fun, I just timed how long it took to complete a faceoff after a whistle -- 35 seconds. They get longer as the game goes along.
18:00: It's a physical game early. Bob Gainey flattened Jean Ratelle. Then, Guy Lapointe had back-to-back checks on Don Marcotte and Ratelle. Ratelle was just shy of his 39th birthday in this game, but he looks like Sen. Joe Biden (1979's 39-year-olds looked much different from today's). The overall skating compared with today's game is startling. Some of the players appear to be wearing 30-pound ankle weights, especially the defensemen. You can see why the Edmonton Oilers did what they did three seasons later with their 417 goals and Wayne Gretzky's 50 goals in 39 games. The NHL was there for the taking by a team with speed.
16:00: Double pad-stack save by Gilles Gilbert on Pierre Mondou. My gosh, the net looks enormous, and Gilbert is 6-foot-1 and 175 pounds. Even at the other end with Ken Dryden (6-4, 205), there is plenty of twine to shoot at.
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Don Cherry
Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images
Don Cherry pulled off the Ron Burgundy look before it was 'cool.'
Red Wings-Predators
So far this season, the Detroit Red Wings are the best team. They are by far the best-coached club. Mike Bab is hands down the best coach in the NHL. He has to be Canada's coach at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, and Steve Yzerman should pick the team. Synergy, people.
They score, they check and simply control the game. They are a little top-heavy scoringwise and, for this game (at least at the start), will split up Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg. Jiri Hudler is coming on and has been playing at about a point-per-game rate. You can see his confidence growing.
Nashville, as expected, took a hit from its offseason losses. The Preds give up more goals than they score and have poor special teams and spotty goaltending. But they are right on the playoff cusp and have games in hand on just about every team in the West. I picked Nashville to finish ninth in the West. Unless the Preds shore things up, that's about where they will finish.
20:00: Unlike the Canadiens-Bruins game, this contest is in high definition and even the referees are wearing helmets and visors. This game also has two referees and the road team is wearing white instead of at home like the ol' Bruins. It's a small thing, but I love the home whites. Baseball, basketball and hockey should have home whites and football should have home colors. It's simple.
19:59: As play begins, I see other differences. The camera angle, as in all new NHL arenas, is higher up and farther back compared with the hovering-above-the-ice look in the old Boston Garden. The Canadiens-Bruins game is much more intimate; I feel as though I am in the arena. The goalie equipment is much bigger today, yes, but the goalies also play bigger from the evolution of coaching and equipment; both make goalies fearless. They hold their pads in an upside-down V with their knees flexed. Their elbows are away from their bodies. Psychologically, this is damaging to the shooter. He can't see a thing coming down the wing.
18:19: Whistle on the play, and U2's "Desire" blares from the sound system in Nashville, although it sounds as if it's played at a reasonable decibel level. (1979 was the last full year U2 wasn't signed to a significant label.) Big hit by Jordin Tootoo. Stan Jonathan had a big hit at about the same time in the 1979 tilt. This Nashville crowd is into the game, which helps because comparing a playoff game and a regular-season game is not always the best matchup.
Back to Boston …
14:00: Terry O'Reilly is a menace. A big bodycheck on Larry Robinson sets up a scoring chance, and for the rest of the shift, the eyes of fans in the Garden are on O'Reilly. Imagine what that did to a player. A player knows when he has the crowd's attention, and it makes him faster, stronger, more confident. It's the greatest feeling in the world. Dryden makes a sprawling save. Butterfly style wasn't common in 1979, but Dryden used the length of his body to take away the ice in distress situations.
13:00: Gainey is flying. He is a big, rangy player who skates well and plays with a lot of edge and heart. He would have been a popular and effective player on this small Garden ice. This game has become a turnover fest. Let's go back to Nashville.
Back to Nashville …
12:50: Datsyuk sets up Tomas Kopecky with an amazing play to make it 1-0. After the goal, there was a weird collision involving referee Kerry Fraser. Apparently, Fraser just got the wind knocked out of him. His hair is still perfect. Fraser has more kids than Nicklas Lidstrom has Norris Trophies -- that scoreboard stands at 7-5. Martin Erat just was called for an elbowing penalty on a play identical to Jonathan's hit from 1979. The big difference in this game is the Red Wings' amazing puck-possession skills. On the small ice, turnovers were inevitable. It led to up-and-down action and lots of contact. With bigger ice and better skating skills, the Red Wings wait for an opening. The Bruins and Canadiens didn't have that luxury. That's why going to a bigger surface than what we have now will result in less up-and-down action and more puck-possession time.
It's 1979 again …
7:00 left in the first: Still scoreless in Boston. In a big playoff game like this, there are a lot of safe, chip-it-out plays. Mike Milbury is one of two Bruins players wearing a helmet. Sadly for Islanders fans, the helmet didn't prevent damage to the portion of Milbury's head that would help him land good trades in the future. The Bruins are an aging, slow team at this point. They are doing it all with heart, led by O'Reilly. They could have used Ray Bourque, a player they would welcome five months later.
4:35: Ratelle scores to make it 1-0. The hustle of O'Reilly makes it happen. When the camera shows the cheering crowd, there are no Bruins jerseys on the fans and lots of well-dressed adults. That is an enormous change to sports in the past 25 years. This entertainment option was primarily for adults. With a couple of minutes left in the first period, we get our first look at Canadiens coach Scotty Bowman. Cherry has had about three shots on camera; Bowman one. Al Sims just shot the puck over the glass in his own end, but he will not be penalized as Brian Rafalski will be late in the Red Wings game.
1:00: Mondou scores late in the first to tie the score at 1. Cherry gets two more close-ups, plus a shout-out to Cherry's dog Blue from the announcers. Cherry leads Bowman in camera close-ups, 8-2. Bowman leads in Cups, 9-0.
It's 2007 again …
4:45: There is simply no better NHL broadcasting tandem than Ken Daniels and Mickey Redmond. Some might be as good, but not better. Daniels has few peers as a play-by-play man. He has passion, a great voice and extensive knowledge, and he flawlessly sets the scene. I assume he rejects any national game opportunities because he clearly should get those assignments. Redmond is so likable and warm, you feel as though he is in the living room with you. Every one of their games sounds important and eventful. Penalty shot! Valtteri Filppula gets tripped up going to the net alone, and Fraser awards a penalty shot. Filppula's world-class move beats Predators goalie Dan Ellis. It's 2-0 Detroit after one.
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Referee Kerry Fraser
Gregg Forwerck/NHLI via Getty Images
A shocking sight -- Kerry Fraser wearing a helmet.
Second period
Canadiens-Bruins
20:00: The second period is marred by whistles and lifeless play. The crowd is out of the game. No one sounds too concerned in 1979. People are being patient. There is a lot of hooking and holding with no penalties having been called yet.
13:10-ish: Montreal defenseman Brian Engblom makes a nice backhand chip pass out of the Montreal zone to a streaking Guy Lafleur, who takes eight strides, crosses the Bruins' blue line and blisters a shot by Gilbert to make it 2-1. (It is the identical shot Lafleur would take to tie the score late in Game 7 to force overtime.) The Canadiens are more talented and deeper than the Bruins. It's amazing this series went seven games.
Red Wings-Predators
20:00: The second period begins with an Igor Larionov interview. Larionov's daughters will be part of the new "American Idol" that begins in January. Larionov also mentions that the Red Wings' patience with Datsyuk throughout the years has made all the difference. He said a lot of Russians and Europeans often are not given the time to grow.
15:38: The improved level of athleticism compared with 1979 is blatant. The equipment, weight training, nutrition and coaching make today's game more difficult and skillful. And that should be the case. However, I think the overall passing in 1979 was a little better, perhaps out of necessity. Not many players were beating people one-on-one. They worked together more, and the physical play was more prevalent in 1979. It was more of a battle of wills than today. I think both eras cared as much and tried as hard, but the one-referee system allowed the game to have a better flow. I will always be a one-referee guy.
Canadiens-Bruins
6:30: Ratelle ties the score at 2. He had a strong postseason, scoring seven goals in 11 games. Ratelle was not very productive in his postseason career with the Rangers; but, with the Bruins, he scored 23 goals in 52 playoff games 1976-79. He scored only nine playoff goals in 65 games as a Ranger. Pat Hughes of the Canadiens just took a dive after a hook from Jonathan. Yes, players took dives in 1979, although that was the first one so far in this game. The second period ends with the score 2-2.
Red Wings-Predators
10:12: Tomas Holmstrom gets called for interference. There have been 769 of these types of plays in the Bruins-Canadiens playoff game. It doesn't matter, though, as Nashville's power play looks weak and indecisive. The power play was 13.5 percent entering this game. Last season, it was 17.4 percent. The Preds need to get back up to last season's number to make the playoffs. Another dicey Red Wings penalty, so the Preds' power play will get another shot. Redmond calls it a ridiculous penalty. Nashville is then called for a penalty that has Redmond chuckling. He played in the '70s, and these were everyday plays back then.
3:35: Daniels just said that because Datsyuk is shooting more, he is going through a stick a night. There have been no broken sticks in the 1979 game.
0:24: Martin Gelinas makes it 2-1 with a short-handed goal. Chris Osgood is ticked at his Red Wings teammates for actually allowing a shot on goal.
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Chris Osgood
John Russell/NHLI via Getty Images
Chris Osgood uses those big, bad pads to stop yet another opposing player.
Third period
Canadiens-Bruins
20:00: The period begins with a sense of urgency. The hooking and slashing have picked up, and the players are trying to draw penalties. Both Gainey and O'Reilly "dive," trying to sell a penalty that did take place. We've talked about how small the goalies' gloves were in this era (without the "cheater" above the wrist), but the small gloves did make it easy to dump the puck to defensemen to prevent a whistle and faceoff. Today's goalie gloves are so enormous that it's hard to get the puck out of the glove on the fly, much less control it. Dryden is very good at keeping the play alive and dropping the puck off to a swooping Montreal blueliner.
6:39: There have been at least 12 instances when a penalty would have been called in today's game. Wally Harris hasn't swallowed his whistle, he has mailed it back to Montreal. McNab scores with 3:42 left for a 3-2 lead. The entire Bruins bench leaves the ice to congratulate him. When did this start and when did this end? Engblom made a nice initial play to block McNab's shot, but McNab beat Dryden along the ice inside the post. If only Engblom had his 2007 hair in 1979, he might have gotten a piece of that shot with an undisciplined follicle. If Dryden were a butterfly goalie, it would have been an easy save; but, at this point, his pads probably weighed 137 pounds. Those old pads would get wet and feel like two fire hydrants.
2:06: Guy Lapointe scores the tying goal on a slap shot that goes right through Gilbert. Gilbert clearly has an issue with long slap shots. The entire Montreal bench leaves the bench to celebrate the goal. This game is going to overtime, but not before Montreal ices the puck with six seconds left. From the time the whistle blew to when the puck was dropped for the faceoff back in the Montreal end, it took a 1:20!
Red Wings-Predators
17:32: Back to the camera-angle discussion. I can't see the players' names on the back of their jerseys, and sometimes, I can't see their numbers. I have no such problem in the 1979 version, and it wasn't in HD like the Wings-Preds game. You can't really get a feel for each individual player. That fails to engage the viewers. I mentioned the intimacy of the camera angle in the Bruins game. If you are looking to improve the NHL on TV, that is it. I wrote last year that I see a time when there is an array of hovering cameras around the perimeter of the ice surface and above the glass (say 10 feet) to bring intimacy back. Short shifts and four lines don't help, either. Of course, all the advertisements littered along the boards and on the ice constantly reinforce that it is a business. In 1979, it looked more like a game these guys would be playing even if no one went to the game or watched it on TV.
6:03: This game is going well for the Red Wings, but I still wonder … When the game becomes a little more physical in the postseason and Detroit is trying to protect a one-goal lead late in the game, does it have the physical play to protect leads? The goaltending has been good, but I think the Wings' postseason goaltending is going to have to be better for Detroit to win a championship. I still think the team needs some more sandpaper and growl on the back end. In the meantime, the Wings hold on to win 2-1 as Osgood makes a sweet left-pad save late. Osgood's record is 14-1-1, and he has the lowest goals-against average in the NHL (1.75).
Overtime in Boston
3:36: Ratelle completes the hat trick, scoring the winner as he takes a beautiful backhand pass from Rick Middleton. The Bruins tie the series at 2. Ratelle's expression never changes. A different time. A different era. And, of course, the camera spots Cherry walking back up the tunnel to the dressing room. You're my boy, Blue.
Canadiens finally beat Devils, and in Newark! (new arena, but still empty)
Down 3-1, it's hard to beat Brodeur, but Habs did it.
But we're still 6 points behind Ottawa in the East
Kings on the Ducks.
That's a good rivalryKings on the Ducks.
The skills compe ion's newest event, the breakaway challenge, was super entertaining !
Seantors trade Joe Corvo and Patrick Eaves for Cory Stillman and Mike Commodore !!!
As a Montreal Canadiens fan, I'm really worried now; not only did the Sens pound us last Saturday, but this trade makes them even stronger.
Great job by the Senators GM.
Bob Gainey has to react now.
anyone else see that skate to the throat? damn that was painful looking glad hes ok though
good game...)))))))
My Blues had a good shot at making the playoffs.
Unfortunately it looks like they are not gonna make it.
Again.
I got tickets for Canadiens-Devils (March 11)
Flames pick collapses at home
WINDSOR, Ontario -- Mickey Renaud, a center with the junior league Windsor Spitfires, died Monday after collapsing at his home in Te seh, the team said. Renaud was 19.
Renaud, a fifth-round draft pick by the NHL's Calgary Flames, was taken to a hospital with no vital signs and attempts at resuscitation were unsuccessful, team physician Dr. Roy Diklich said.
Renaud was pronounced dead in the emergency room at Windsor Regional Hospital, the Ontario Hockey League team said on its Web site. An autopsy was scheduled later Tuesday, police said.
Renaud, the captain, was in his third year with the Spitfires and had 21 goals and 41 points in 56 games this season.
"This is the biggest tragedy in Spitfire history," Windsor general manager Warren Rychel said in a statement. "Words alone cannot describe our pain at this time."
Renaud was to have participated in the team's Family Day skate at Windsor Arena beginning at noon Monday. His teammates were called off the ice.
"The entire Ontario Hockey League family is mourning this tragic news," OHL commissioner David Branch said. "We extend our deepest condolences to Mickey's family, friends and teammates during this very difficult time."
The 6-foot-3, 220-pound center showed solid development last season, when he scored 22 goals and amassed 54 points in 68 OHL games.
Renaud excelled at penalty killing, finishing third in the league last season with six short-handed goals.
Mark Renaud, his father, played 142 NHL games with the Hartford Whalers from 1979-1980 through 1982-83, and 10 games with the Buffalo Sabres in 1983-84.
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press
7 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT …
… being an NHL referee.
by Kelly Sutherland, NHL referee (as told to Greg Segal)
Black/Toby
1. WE'VE BEEN ON THE OTHER SIDE … "We all played at one point, and some, like Wes McCauley and Scott Cherrey, reached the pros. Now our playing is mostly limited to training camp, when we break into teams and battle it out. We ref the games ourselves, but it's still some of the dirtiest hockey I've ever seen."
2. … AND WE TRAIN LIKE WE'RE STILL THERE. "There's a killer fitness test in camp, and if you don't pass, you don't work. The game is so fast, you need to be durable, so most guys focus on the core. But some linesmen lift for bulk, too, for when they have to break up fights."
3. HAZARDS ABOUND. "Don Van Massenhoven took a slap shot to the face one year and had to have it reconstructed with metal plates. The worst I've had is concussions and bruised ribs. You're not supposed to get hit, so when it happens, it's always unexpected."
4. WE KNOW WHAT YOU'RE UP TO. "Before each game, we study lineups and history to see if there was a fight or a big hit in the last meeting. And when a guy like Sidney Crosby is playing, the other team will do just about anything to stop him. He doesn't get preferential treatment, but it is something we have to be aware of."
5. Coaches talk the talk … "Coaches argue better than players. Some would make great lawyers. Steve Ludzik and Bob Hartley were the best. I know they were trying to get their teams fired up, but they didn't know when to stop. At some point, we have to agree to disagree. And if we can't, I call a penalty on them."
6. … BUT FANS TALK IT BETTER … "Refs are always the visiting team, and fans let you know how they feel. At my first game, in Buffalo, Scott Driscoll got hurt, and I replaced him. Kerry Fraser and I look similar, so when I got on the ice, a fan yelled, 'Fraser, you suck!' I hadn't started, and already I was being heckled!"
7. … AND SOMETIMES THEY'RE RIGHT. "A few years ago in Dallas, I lost sight of the puck during a scramble behind the net. I blew the whistle, which took away the Stars' game-winning goal. I saw later that I was completely wrong, but there was nothing I could do. I made the call I thought was right at the time."
Habs HISTORIC comeback !!!!
NY Rangers 5,
Montreal 6
Habs rally from five down, top Rangers in SO to cap biggest rally in team history
MONTREAL (AP) -- Michael Ryder and Alex Kovalev each scored twice and the Montreal Canadiens staged the biggest comeback in their storied history, rallying from five goals down to beat the New York Rangers 6-5 in a shootout Tuesday night.
Saku Koivu beat Henrik Lundqvist with a forehand deke on Montreal's second shootout attempt and Cristobal Huet stopped Brendan Shanahan, Chris Drury and Jaromir Jagr to the delight of the sold-out Bell Centre crowd of 21,273.
Montreal stormed back from a 5-0 deficit early in the second with five unanswered goals.
Ryder scored the first two of four straight even-strength goals by Montreal as the Canadiens pulled within one.
Kovalev, who scored Montreal's third goal 9 seconds before Mark Streit scored, rolled onto his back amid a wild ovation after he tied it with his team-leading 29th goal at 15:38.
Shanahan scored twice to reach 20 goals for the 19th straight season and Jagr had four assists to help stake the Rangers to their big lead.
Brandon Dubinsky and Sean Avery scored goals 14 seconds apart in the first, and Drury scored his 20th goal 28 seconds after Shanahan's second goal of the game to give New York a five-goal lead 5:03 into the second.
Shanahan scored New York's third goal of the first period and the first of two power-play goals 28 seconds apart by the Rangers early in the second to extend the streak that he began in 1988-89 with 22 goals in his second season with New Jersey.
Ryder drew Montreal within 5-1 with his 10th goal at 8:28 before cutting the lead to three with his second in a row at 12:52.
The Canadiens struck for two goals 9 seconds apart to cut the lead to 5-4 just 6:52 into the third.
Dubinsky opened the scoring with his 11th goal 8:50 into the first period on a rink-length give-and-go play with Jagr off a Montreal turnover in the Rangers' zone.
Jagr also had a hand on the Rangers' next goal as Avery put away a rebound of Carey Price's pad stop on Jagr shortly after the faceoff that followed Dubinsky's goal.
Shanahan chased Price, who allowed three goals on 11 shots, with his 19th goal at 13:56. He got his second of the game against Cristobal Huet 4:35 into the second with Chris Higgins serving a double minor for high-sticking.
Shanahan, who also played for St. Louis, Hartford and Detroit over the course of the streak, surpassed Marcel Dionne last season for sole possession of the second-longest streak in NHL history.
He trails only Gordie Howe, who scored at least 20 goals for 22 straight seasons with Detroit from 1949-50 to 1970-71.
The game was delayed for a few minutes with 2:36 remaining in the third when a few hundred "Go Habs Go" signs given away to the sold-out crowd of 21,273 by a hardware retailer rained down onto the ice after Canadiens defenseman Mike Komisarek was called for his second minor penalty in a row.
Game notes
Dubinsky fought with Komisarek late in the first period. ... Price had won three straight starts, including back-to-back wins over Philadelphia on the weekend.
Nice, that should be a killer game.I got tickets for Canadiens-Devils (March 11)
I was wanting to go to the recent Stars/Canucks match up (big fan of both teams) but the good seats were out.
Now, relevant topic of discussion: Wings have been slumping hard.
Wings have been underachievers for the last 3 seasons.Nice, that should be a killer game.
I was wanting to go to the recent Stars/Canucks match up (big fan of both teams) but the good seats were out.
Now, relevant topic of discussion: Wings have been slumping hard.
I love the Canucks; Luongo is just amazing.
At Dallas, Ribeiro is just another example of the talented French Canadian players the Habs gave away for nothing. (uh, Niinima???? WTF?).
However, Ribs wasn't very professional when he was in Montreal.
Habs-Devils should be a great game, but I wish I had tickets for that historic insane game vs Rangers.
Ribeiro has really come into his own in Dallas, he is just flat out amazing on the ice here.
SO:
Richards to Dallas; Dallas is winning the West !!
Huet to Caps for a 2nd round pick; well, I hope Gainey has a good plan
Gainey !!!!
Not a fan of the trade eh?
Not really
Well at least Spurs will win the le this year
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