NHL '10/'11 Thread.

[Bloodshot Scott]

Very much looking forward to the WJC coming up this week. I always think that olympic-style hockey (World Juniors and the like) are the best sport to watch, period. In fact, there should be a game on tonight.

http://www.tsn.ca/world_jrs/feature/?id=707

And can anyone believe the roster for USA? Nevada, Texas, California, Colorado? WTF? :dunno: Anyway, as always Minnesota players lead the pack in spots on the squad:

http://www.usahockey.com/world_junior_championship_2011/default.aspx?id=295910

 

[Bloodshot Scott]

Man, the Canada/Russia game is crazy intense. But I'm looking forward to Finland/America tonight. Watch out for big Nick Bjugstad; his uncle was in the NHL and he most definitely will be getting there in the future. ***'s a big 6'5" forward and former Mr. Hockey. Of course, however, every *** on the squad is going to the NHL anyway.

 

[Mauser98k]

Marty St. Louis is sick and may very well miss tonight's game vs. Atlanta.

if he misses this game, Lecavalier or Gagne or somebody (other than Stamkos) is going to have to have about a 3 point night...

Marty is in and has an assist. St. Louis has the heart of a lion

 

[GibbsGrad2002]

He and Stammer are my two favorite players

 

[Bloodshot Scott]

Canada really does have an amazing looking WJC team this year. Can't say I've been too impressed with USA so far. Canada could be a difficult team to defeat this year.

 

[Mauser98k]

we have to stop playing poorly in 3rd periods...

 

[Mauser98k]

we have to stop playing poorly in 3rd periods...

although if we keep winning in OT it doesn't really matter

Lightning 3, Thrashers 2

Lecavalier with his 2nd goal of the night wins it in OT for Tampa

Tampa remains in 1st in the South East Division

 

[PlasmaTwa2]

Three thousand people in attendance for the Islanders game tonight.

 

[Bloodshot Scott]

Three thousand people in attendance for the Islanders game tonight.

Really sad **** right there. Such a legendary team like the Isles. Those are fucking Panthers' numbers. :surprise: Or am I thinking Thrashers? Or the BJs?


(USA finally beat Finland in OT. 'Bout freakin time. They will need to play better than that though if they want to take home some hardware again. Bjugstad got the winner. Every Canadian in the crowd was rooting for Finland.)

 

[PlasmaTwa2]

Really sad **** right there. Such a legendary team like the Isles. Those are fucking Panthers' numbers. :surprise: Or am I thinking Thrashers? Or the BJs?

I think it had to do with the storm that's hitting the Eastern US right now more than the team because the Devils got around the same amount for their game. And it may surprise you, but the Panthers usually have a steady attendance every year. It's not great, but they get 13,000 or more to their games.

 

[Bloodshot Scott]

I think it had to do with the storm that's hitting the Eastern US right now more than the team because the Devils got around the same amount for their game. And it may surprise you, but the Panthers usually have a steady attendance every year. It's not great, but they get 13,000 or more to their games.

I'm watching NHL on the Fly right now and that is correct. The Leafs are stuck in Jersey tonight.

BTW, I thought the Panthers were getting hammered? I must have been mislead somewhere along the line.

And am I the only one on this board that is watching the World Junior Championships? Seems like no one's watching or something. It's been very good hockey.

 

[Jon S.]

Yeah, the Isles only drew a little over 3,000 because of the storm. I know they don't draw very good anyway, but we need to tip our hats to those 3,000 people who showed up....because they are DIE-HARD fans! I think they have 7-8 inches on Long Island right now. So, that would mean driving home through 6-7 inches of snow following the game in all likelihood......the blizzard is already upon them! Heck it was so bad, that the Philadelphia Eagles (vs. the Vikings) game in Philly was postponed and moved to Tuesday night!

On another note, the Penguins stumbled against the Senators tonight. Brian Elliott was SOLID in net for the Sens, and despite out shooting them 45-24, the Penguins lost 3-1, but the Sens lost Jason Spezza to injury in the 2nd. The Pens did have a little solace in the fact that Sidney Crosby managed to score a goal with a little more than 3 minutes left in the 3rd to extend his scoring streak to 24 games! Also, Jordan Staal skated with the team during their morning skate today, and in an interview, he stated that it was possible that he could be back in time for the Winter Classic against the Caps on the 1st! Despite the loss, the Penguins managed to maintain their 1 point lead over the Flyers for first place in the Division, Conference, and the entire league!

Now the Pens head back home for a Tuesday night match up with the Thrashers!

 

[Jon S.]

The Penguins really kicked ass tonight against the Thrashers, 6-3 for their 9th straight win against the Thrashers in the Burgh! The game looked like it might go the other way early on, but the Pens settled down, and never left off the gas! Sidney Crosby extended his scoring streak to 25 games with 2 goals and 2 assists! If not for technology, Sid has a hat trick....but upon review, he lost his 3rd goal to Matt Cooke late in the 3rd! Is there anyone in the same class as Sid right now? He basically leads in all offensive categories, including +/-! If not for Sid and key saves by Fleury, and their EXCELLENT penalty ******* (as usual) it would have been a totally different game! Pens are back on top!!! Now were off to the Island to play the Islanders tomorrow night.....the Isles should be able to gave a good gate for a change....ha ha ha!

In other hockey news, Darryl Sutter is out as GM of the struggling Flames! Guess that's what he get's for trading his ***! He was replaced by Harrisburg, PA native, and former Lightning GM Jay Feaster on an interim basis anyway! Hell, I know Jay Feaster from back in the day when he was an executive with HERCO (Hershey Entertainment and Resort Company), the name (unless the changed their name) of the parent company of the Hershey Bears of the AHL from back when I lived in the Harrisburg area! When I say I know him, I mean our paths crossed on more than one occasion....nice guy! Small world!

 

[Mauser98k]

i don't like blaming the refs, but jesus christ that was a bullshit call. that was a clean hit by Stamkos and of course the call cost us the game with 19 seconds left

 

[PlasmaTwa2]

Wait, wait WAIT!

Predators game - 17,113
Lightning game - 20,204
Coyotes game - 14,032

What in the world is going on in the south?

 

[Bloodshot Scott]

Wait, wait WAIT!

Predators game - 17,113
Lightning game - 20,204
Coyotes game - 14,032

What in the world is going on in the south?

On a Tuesday too...

Maybe it's all the cold weather they are having making their noggins malfunction.

BTW, that World Junior Championship has been great, and Canada simply looks unbeatable. US beat Slovak 6-1 and Canada annihilated Czech 7-2. Fuck they look good.

 

[Thunderbolt]

i don't like blaming the refs, but jesus christ that was a bullshit call. that was a clean hit by Stamkos and of course the call cost us the game with 19 seconds left

Ellis should have stopped that shot. As for the Stamkos hit , I think the ref is going to feel stupid once he sees the replay. Oh well , at least the bolts are going to beat montreal on thursday so I'm not too worried about them. It would be nice to see Cedrick Desjardins against his former club.

 

[rodfarva]

On a Tuesday too...

Maybe it's all the cold weather they are having making their noggins malfunction.

BTW, that World Junior Championship has been great, and Canada simply looks unbeatable. US beat Slovak 6-1 and Canada annihilated Czech 7-2. Fuck they look good.

The Swedes are going to be our only true test before elimination games begin. Our 6-3 victory over Russia was much closer than the score indicates. The Czechs have been very weak on the international stage for a while now, so beating them 7-2 should have been expected. We will roll over Norway tonight no problem, they're just lucky to be in the tournament at all. The Swedes are probably the third best team in the tourney after the Americans and Canadians. The Americans have to be looked at as the favourites this year, although they haven't gotten off to a great start, having to go to OT to beat Finland in their opener. They are in by far a weaker group to start the tournament, they have eight players returning from last year (Canada only has four), and they are the defending champs. The US hockey program has been making incredible strides in the past decade and is inching closer and closer to being on Canada's level, and in some ways (notably goaltending) has already surpassed Canada. (Although I feel it's worth mentioning that the main reason that the US has more returning players is because Canada has a plethora of players who would be eligible to play in this tournament, but are already good enough to be in the NHL, which is where they are now, such as Taylor Hall, Tyler Seguin, Matt Duchene, Ryan O'Reilly, etc.)

What I want to mention here is the ridiculous two-game suspension for Zack Kassian for his hit on Petr Senkerik of the Czechs. He was given a match penalty, which means he got an automatic one-game suspension, but it was decided that he should be given an additional game on top of that, which is incredibly unjustified. The hit was clean and it wasn't bad in any way. It was shoulder to chest. The match penalty wasn't even justified, let alone a suspension. If a player can't take a hit like that then he doesn't belong at this level of competition. I believe that the additional game was added in order to weaken our chances of beating Sweden on New Year's Eve, as he is a key part of our lethal powerplay. Call me a conspiracy theorist, but the world of international hockey has hated Canada and tried to sabotage us for as long as I can remember. This is no different.

Here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7v20LkN7z4

 

[PlasmaTwa2]

Call me a conspiracy theorist, but the world of international hockey has hated Canada and tried to sabotage us for as long as I can remember. This is no different.

Here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7v20LkN7z4

I wouldn't say it is because they **** us (after all, the World Juniors is a exercise in taking Canadians' money disgused as a terrible tournament), but it is because the tournament is so off-putting to everyone who isn't Canadian. Who the hell outside of Canada would want to pay money to see what is essentially (this year, anyway) a two team tournament between the US and Canada? There's a reason they always host the tournament in Canada or just across the border. The IIHF just wants to get some support for the European teams and even the playing field a bit, I reckon. Imagine if Sweden got behind their team the way we do ours, it would be a lot better for the game overall. But that won't happen if we continue to play this fake tournament where we win by a minimum of three goals every game. Seriously, only the US and maybe Russia are threats to Canada every year, and even though I am a patriot, I am getting sick of watching this tournament if all we do is dominate teams like Norway. There is something to be proud of in a tournament where each victory is hard-fought and you go in knowing that you might not come out the victor (like men's Olympic hockey. Any Canadian who claims they did not doubt we would make it past Slovakia is a damn liar). I don't see what there is to be proud of in a tournament like the World Juniors where our team is head-and-shoulders above nearly every other team in the tournament and we go in every year practically guarenteed a gold or silver because we are just so much better than the other three teams in our pool. Same with women's Olympic hockey. It is a ******** that is carefully painted as a national victory; that's why I don't watch the World Juniors anymore, and when they were here in Saskatoon last year, I went and watched a close, exciting game between Switzerland and Slovakia rather than another Canadian blowout.

:2 cents:

 

[Bloodshot Scott]

The Swedes are going to be our only true test before elimination games begin. Our 6-3 victory over Russia was much closer than the score indicates. The Czechs have been very weak on the international stage for a while now, so beating them 7-2 should have been expected. We will roll over Norway tonight no problem, they're just lucky to be in the tournament at all. The Swedes are probably the third best team in the tourney after the Americans and Canadians. The Americans have to be looked at as the favourites this year, although they haven't gotten off to a great start, having to go to OT to beat Finland in their opener. They are in by far a weaker group to start the tournament, they have eight players returning from last year (Canada only has four), and they are the defending champs. The US hockey program has been making incredible strides in the past decade and is inching closer and closer to being on Canada's level, and in some ways (notably goaltending) has already surpassed Canada. (Although I feel it's worth mentioning that the main reason that the US has more returning players is because Canada has a plethora of players who would be eligible to play in this tournament, but are already good enough to be in the NHL, which is where they are now, such as Taylor Hall, Tyler Seguin, Matt Duchene, Ryan O'Reilly, etc.)

What I want to mention here is the ridiculous two-game suspension for Zack Kassian for his hit on Petr Senkerik of the Czechs. He was given a match penalty, which means he got an automatic one-game suspension, but it was decided that he should be given an additional game on top of that, which is incredibly unjustified. The hit was clean and it wasn't bad in any way. It was shoulder to chest. The match penalty wasn't even justified, let alone a suspension. If a player can't take a hit like that then he doesn't belong at this level of competition. I believe that the additional game was added in order to weaken our chances of beating Sweden on New Year's Eve, as he is a key part of our lethal powerplay. Call me a conspiracy theorist, but the world of international hockey has hated Canada and tried to sabotage us for as long as I can remember. This is no different.

Here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7v20LkN7z4

I agree the Russia game was MUCH closer than the score. I actually almost said that a page back or so. But I think Canada just looks like the superior team above and beyond. Maybe the Yanks just haven't gelled yet, but aside from a few players that have stuck out (Palmieri, Faulk [from my area], Brown, Shore, Zucker, and a few others), I haven't seen the same team from last year. Again, it's early yet, so they may solidify. Also about US hockey: they have made signficant strides for sure, and will likely only continue to do so. I said back a page or two that I couldn't believe we had players from Texas, Nevada, Cali and Colorado on the team. This is a new trend, and telling.

Lastly, there have been several suspesions that I didn't agree with. For the remainder of the game? Okay. But for another game (or two)? No. This is not backgammon, it's hockey, and I like it ******. :elaugh:

I wouldn't say it is because they **** us (after all, the World Juniors is a exercise in taking Canadians' money disgused as a terrible tournament), but it is because the tournament is so off-putting to everyone who isn't Canadian. Who the hell outside of Canada would want to pay money to see what is essentially (this year, anyway) a two team tournament between the US and Canada? There's a reason they always host the tournament in Canada or just across the border. The IIHF just wants to get some support for the European teams and even the playing field a bit, I reckon. Imagine if Sweden got behind their team the way we do ours, it would be a lot better for the game overall. But that won't happen if we continue to play this fake tournament where we win by a minimum of three goals every game. Seriously, only the US and maybe Russia are threats to Canada every year, and even though I am a patriot, I am getting sick of watching this tournament if all we do is dominate teams like Norway. There is something to be proud of in a tournament where each victory is hard-fought and you go in knowing that you might not come out the victor (like men's Olympic hockey. Any Canadian who claims they did not doubt we would make it past Slovakia is a damn liar). I don't see what there is to be proud of in a tournament like the World Juniors where our team is head-and-shoulders above nearly every other team in the tournament and we go in every year practically guarenteed a gold or silver because we are just so much better than the other three teams in our pool. Same with women's Olympic hockey. It is a ******** that is carefully painted as a national victory; that's why I don't watch the World Juniors anymore, and when they were here in Saskatoon last year, I went and watched a close, exciting game between Switzerland and Slovakia rather than another Canadian blowout.

:2 cents:

This tournament is a relatively new concept (from a spectator standpoint) stateside. We've just almost never really been exposed to it. Now it's on the NHL Network and I am loving it. I also like to get to see a "all star" team of up-and-comers on the Canadian and particularly the American side, so it's nice.

I can imagine why you'd be unimpressed with the format, but I am not. Also, I thought the Defending champion got home field the next year, and that's why it is in Canada nearly every year and why it's in Buffalo this year? :dunno:

Last, give these European countries some time, because it's probably even a newer sport to take off even far more than it has been in America. :2 cents:

(BTW, Canada starts right now, so although it's going to likely be a route, I will be watching them and flipping between my Wild tonight as well.)