Blue Lines Revisited

In reviewing my blog entries from the past year, I decided to provide updates on the top stories of 2011 in "Behind Blue Lines". Well, that's too easy...I'll throw in a comedic twist ^_^ LOL

• Saying This Will Get Me Killed: Although Robin from HIMYM did rip up a Douglas fir and chase me with it, I am still very much alive.
• Mississauga, Relevancy, and the Memorial Cup: It's not only a trivia question, but it was also the second-last season for the Majors in Mississauga. The only thing that will prevent another departure of an OHL team from the Greater Toronto Area is a Memorial Cup win.
• Fun With NHL Realignment: My first realignment proposal before Gary Bettman and the Marx Brothers at NHL Marketing threw everyone for a loop, as well as a pie to my face (Yum, lemon meringue?)
• Forgotten Fire: A favourite column of mine, and one of my more recent good works (Surprising, I know! I mean, recent and good!)

To hockey fans around the world, and up my nose, I MEAN, up the street, have a wonderful New Year ^_^ See you in 2012!

WHAT THE MAGIC?

Islanders goaltender made two mistakes in this photo: The SECOND one is allowing that goal.

Dear New York Islanders,

I think I know why you lost 5-3 to the Toronto Maple Leafs in tonight's regular season contest, which saw you give up three goals to start the first period.

1. Collect jerseys + shorts from previous game
2. Put clothes in pile
3. Take pile into front parking lot
4. Ask players, coaches, management, and everyone affiliated with organization to form a circle, hold hands, and chant "Men of Snow" by Ingird Michaelson.
5. Ask Evgeni Nabokov to light a match, and set the pile on fire.
6. Continue chanting song until fire reduces pile of uniforms to ashes.
7. Never speak of those jerseys again.

Done and done ^_^

My NHL Christmas Wish List

With the NHL Christmas Break approaching, now would be an excellent time to go over my Wish List for the National Hockey League: What things I want, don't want, and no longer need.

Morley Safer: Don't worry, yo, I got this!

1. Three Points For a Regulation Win: I'm not a conspiracy buff, but when playoff teams drag contests into the wee hours of the morning to earn something from "three-point games" I throw up the red flag. Of the 517 regular season games played so far in the NHL, 110 went into the extra period, and of those 64 went to the shootout! So, in at least 20% of NHL games this season, 100% of kids attending the games with their parents were out way past their bedtimes! So that kids can tucked into bed, where sugar puck fairies (Ottawa Senators?) can dance in their heads, give a bonus to teams that finish the game in the least amount of time possible: 60 Minutes! In the time Morley Safer finishes his essay on the United States budget gap, the Toronto Maple Leafs can earn three points for winning a hockey game after three periods of play. Should a game require overtime and/or a shootout, the winner receives two points and the losing team earns one for putting the kids to sleep.



By the way, Joey Crabb (left) and the Leafs beat the Islanders (?) 5-3 tonight! ^_^

2. Goal Judges: What are they there for? We have cameras inside each hockey net, and above the net to review every puck which comes close to crossing the goal line! There is even technology available for when a player scores a goal, an alarm would sound the moment the puck crosses the line and enters the net. In an almost redundant exercise, a nameless, faceless, biased official chosen by the home team checks to see if he thinks the puck is inside the goal line and the net. Besides, those are prime seats! One could earn some serious coin selling tickets for that spot in the arena! ^_^
3. NHL Realignment Strategy: Alright, here is what I would do if the National Hockey League asked me to realign the league for the following season: Put Winnipeg in the NORTHWEST Division, place Minnesota in the CENTRAL, and replace the empty spot in the SOUTHEAST Division with Nashville! QUICK and SIMPLE, but no one listens to me! GRR!

Dear Behind Blue Lines readers,

I wanted to try out this thing called "Saturday Shootaround", which I'm not sure is a thing yet. I planned on doing it twice over the next couple of weeks, but since Christmas Eve and New Years' Eve fall on Saturdays this year I'm holding off until the new year. Don't worry, I intend on writing at least once on the subject of the great game of hockey each week ^_^ Maybe I'll try "Saturday Shootaround" in 2012; in the meantime, click this musical ode to old-time hockey starring the Philadelphia Flyers and the Los Angeles Kings!

Saturday Shootaround #9

A friend asked me why I number these "Saturday Shootaround" posts if "Saturday Shootaround" isn't a thing. Well, if they become a thing, then I will know how many I typed out before officially calling them a thing. I'm still not sure if "Saturday Shootaround" is a thing, so...

1. The news are preliminary, but NHL.com reports the Montreal Canadiens fired head coach Jacques Martin this morning o_O Considering their 13-12-7 record is good for propping up the other teams in the Northeast Division, I don't blame them for making the change. This is the sixth firing so far this season, and it's not even Christmas yet! One league is firing all of its head coaches, and another league is looking to hire big name coaches. I wonder how football coach Jon Gruden would handle the Montreal Canadiens? Anyone picture Brian Billick yelling about the 'lethargic' offense from behind the bench in Los Angeles? No...okay. When he lost his job in Ottawa, Martin went to the Siberian outpost of coaching spots in the National Hockey League, which is Florida (not so cold). No doubt, after bringing the Canadiens back from mediocrity, he will have another head coaching spot in a year or so. Randy Cunneyworth is the interim head coach for Montreal in the meantime.
2. Dave Semenko must be proud ^_^ Another hockey organization retired the #27 in his honour. I'm just kidding, they retired #27 in honour of former Devils defenseman Scott Niedermayer. The future Hall-of-Famer played on all three of the Devils' Cup-winning teams in 1995, 2000, and 2003 (Wow, spanning two decades ^_^). He also amassed 172 goals, and 740 points in just 1200 regular season games for the Devils (1991-2004) and Ducks (2006-2010), with whom he won his fourth Stanley Cup in 2006 over the lousy Ottawa Senators. Niedermayer's #27 is the third number retired by the New Jersey Devils organization, and joins fellow blueliners Ken Daneyko (#3) and Scott Stevens (#4) as the only men to be so honoured. Oh yeah, in his last year of professional hockey he played on Team Canada in the 2010 Winter Olympics, and won his second gold medal (Not that we care so much about hockey up here in Canada...). No Devils forwards received honours quite like this so far, which tells you something about the brand of hockey played in New Jersey, but they don't care: How many Cups did the Leafs win since I was alive? Yea, that's what they asked me, too -_-
3. Hey, look at that! Martin Brodeur and former Devils coach Larry Robinson are in the background of that picture I embedded in the previous point! Why it was only yesterday that I saw this on YouTube...(Dream sequence). Wow, they look...exactly the same o_O

To end this post, enjoy this video from the Scott Niedermayer retirement ceremony which took place yesterday ^_^ Where did I put it? Oh yeah, there it is.

The Forgotten Fire: The 2004 Calgary Flames

Flames captain Jarome Iginla (second from right) celebrates with teammates after Martin Gelinas' OT winner started team on incredible journey through the 2004 playoffs

Last Saturday, the Calgary Flames defeated their provincial rivals, the Edmonton Oilers, 3-0 at the Pengrowth Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta. Captain Jarome Iginla scored two of the Flames' three markers while goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff shut out the likes of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Ryan Smyth, and Jordan Eberle. Calgary takes their regular season best three-game win streak into Nashville to take on the Predators tonight at 8:00pm ET.
If names such as Iginla or Kiprusoff are familiar to you, then that may be since they are the last remaining players from the famous Calgary Flames team of 2004. While the Flames fell short of capturing hockey's ultimate prize, the 2004 version captured the hearts of a hockey-mad nation minus a few fans of the Oilers in Edmonton. However justly or unjustly, the expectations on the Flames to win it all still hang like Damocles' Dagger over the heads of management, coaches, and players. Seven teams in the NHL reside in Canada, but in some way there is a national expectation that Calgary return to those days in 2004, when previously unknown players became national icons: From Craig Conroy and his famous "Green Helmet", which passed through the ranks as a token of appreciation to each game's "unsung hero", to Mike Commodore's shiny red wig which became a marketing boon throughout southern Alberta. From Jarome Iginla's lone prime-time feature interview on CBC's The National with Peter Mansbridge, to the lucky yet aged Martin Gelinas, whose series-winning goals throughout the playoffs kicked off celebrations and impromptu road hockey games in the Calgary and along its "Red Mile". Of course, who could forget coach Darryl Sutter and his famous post-game interviews; appearing laid back and enjoying the ride, Sutter had the Canadian media in his pocket, and the American media waiting patiently outside the arena? The "C of Red", the "beaver-tailing", and the live feed from the "Red Mile" still exist in numerous tribute videos on YouTube today.

How did such a team garner so much admiration and praise from a nation without a Stanley Cup winner since 1993 (Montreal Canadiens; go ahead, rub it in)? Yes, that was one reason, yet there were many others. Calgary's road to the postseason was not easy, as it finished in sixth place in the Western Conference that year. Their first series against the division rival and leaders Vancouver Canucks was a spirited, seven-game affair featuring emergency backstops, desperate comebacks, and ultimate overtime success in the penultimate game. Perhaps it was thanks to the first of Gelinas' series winners, which announced the arrival of the team on the national stage? After all, no one believed such a plucky team led by an old-fashioned and defensive-minded coach (Sutter), the first black team captain (Iginla), a player gone twenty-four years since winning his first Cup in 1990 (Gelinas, Edmonton Oilers), and a collection of retreads and unknowns could become the first team to topple three successive division winners in one playoff year (Vancouver (NW), Detroit (CEN), and San Jose (PAC)). Then again, this was the classic Canadian story: A collection of hometown heroes and immigrants brought to one place in pursuit of the same dream, and along the way beat teams more advanced and talented in every position. This was not the story of the Calgary Flames, yet it was the story of the "Canada Flames" (That came from a Toronto Sun cartoon featuring the old Bell beavers Frank and George arguing over the latter's defection to the Calgary ranks).

We remember what was great about the Calgary Flames of 2004, but we also remember the controversy. If the words "Kerry Fraser" mean something to Maple Leafs' supporters, then it means something just as heinous and cruel in the minds of Flames' fans who remember that year. Fans perceived bias when Fraser helped to gift game four to the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning in the Stanley Cup Final, and to add further fuel to the fire the league dropped Fraser from his game six assignment, and put him back in for game seven. All was forgotten when young Oleg Saprykin notched the overtime winner in Game 5 in Tampa to give the Flames a 3-2 lead in the Cup final days later; with victory at home all but assured, CBC and ESPN Classic aired and re-aired select games from the Flames' first Stanley Cup-winning run in 1989. The series was over, the Cup was won, Iginla was MVP, all that remained was sixty minutes of skating around, two or three goals, and maybe a fight featuring Iginla and Bolts' star forward Vincent Lecavalier.

I was on a flight with my family from Toronto to London, England, when the Air-Transat pilot and captain announced to passenger sitting in the sardine can with wings that the Lightning won game six in overtime. He did not mention Gelinas' apparent Cup-winner, which my friend Megan saw cross the line as she was at the game just a few rows up behind then Tampa Bay netminder Nikolai Khabibulin. No one knows what discussion took place when the referees phoned the NHL offices in Toronto as they reviewed the goal. Future CGI interpretations of the event show a black cylindrical object stopping outside the goal, but no concrete footage of the Gelinas' game six overtime winner exists (Or can be found: DUH DUH DUH!). Back in Tampa Bay for game seven, the Lightning vanquished Calgary, who were still dismayed and disillusioned over the league taking their championship away. However, all the expectations Canada heaped on the Toronto Maple Leafs to win the Stanley Cup suddenly fell on the doorstep of the Calgary Flames organization.

The NHL lockout of 2005 distorted our perception of hockey forever in this country. The 2004 Calgary Flames became the paragon of a begone era, when fans did not see players as millionaires fighting multimillionaire owners for money belonging to normal folk. Canadian NHL teams did play in the Cup final in subsequent years since then, but never captured the hearts of Canadians across the country or across social strata: Memories and mistrust about the lockout persisted when the 8th seeded '06 Oilers lost to the Carolina Hurricanes in seven games, the low blow thuggery of the Ottawa Senators in '07 was never a hit with fans, or me for that matter, when they lost in five games to Anaheim, and the geographically detached and international squad from Vancouver played only two periods in the seventh game this past year in the 4-0 loss to the Bruins, which touched off disturbing images of destruction and riot in the streets of Vancouver. All the while, Calgary Flames players, coaches, and management came and went: Conroy, Commodore, Saprykin, Gelinas, Clark, Sutter, beaver-tailing, green helmets, and those red wigs are gone, and the unfortunate story of NHL draft bust Kris Chucko the next year furthered the demise of the Flames' momentum from 2004. Only Iginla and Kiprusoff remain as a paragon to those last days when hockey was more than a game, and not a business.

Today, there is a sense of 2004 and what it meant to the country. Maybe it was Sidney Crosby's gold medal winning goal in the 2010 Olympics that relegated those memories and expectations to the back of our minds, or perhaps it was a return to mediocrity as the Flames sit out the playoff picture in the Western conference? The now retired Craig Conroy sits in as an advisor to current GM Jay Feaster, who managed the Lightning to the Stanley Cup in 2004. Darryl Sutter's brother, Brent, now coaches the team, but for how much longer is anyone's guess given the current state of the team. Rumours persist about where Jarome Iginla will play hockey, and the aging Kiprusoff still holds down the starting goaltender job for the eighth straight year.

To this day, I never saw game six or seven of the 2004 Stanley Cup final. Sad but true, the few good memories I have of the 2004 Calgary Flames resonate in my mind. Had they won, everything I mentioned above would amount to only HALF of their accomplishments, but I would give it all back for Martin Gelinas to roof the puck over a laid out Khabibulin in overtime in Game 6 of the 2004 Cup final, because...

They deserved it.

Written in memory of Mrs. Anna Ficych, 1945-2011

Saturday Shootaround #8

TRIAL Version; I'm not too big on this being a thing yet. I will hold off until Commission Gary Bettman announces it is definitely a thing, then it will be a weekly Saturday comedic spin throughout the week's biggest headlines in hockey.

1. I know what you want me to talk about, and its true: DOWN GOES DION! DOWN GOES DION! (Cue Phil's pitiful Howard Cosell  impression) The Leafs captain taking the mandatory 8-count, and Ovechkin is POISED AS CAN BE!
2. If you searched for NHL VP of Player Safety Brendan Shanahan on the National Hockey League website, then you will find a plethora of videos of the former NHL player explaining in minute and thorough detail the meat behind many of the disciplinary rulings handed out so far this year. This is refreshing, given the history of closed door decisions that do not seem to go anywhere. Given his NHL experience and the success of his "Shanahan Summit" held during the lockout year, he also looks like someone who can kill me seven times before I hit the ground o_O Each video is as detailed as Grissom's explanation of the Zapruder film. Good work, Shanny! ^_^ (Please don't hurt me o_O)
3. What the MAGIC is this? Apparently, Phoenix Coyotes team captain and star forward Shane Doan is part of a host of memes throughout the world wide web. Perhaps, you saw a few littering this trial version of Saturday Shootaround. There are a bunch more out there, if you look hard enough (It's not that hard to find an internet hockey meme.
   

Realign Shuffle o_O

Give credit to the NHL marketing department for taking a simple realignment issue and turning it into a problem, or at least a anti-Canadian scheme to marginalize the participation of Canadian teams in the NHL playoffs. Commissioner Gary Bettman also a hand in this fiasco, which NHL governors approved for the upcoming 2012-13 season. It is a four-conference setup based on time zones, and while these conference do not have names, the league already decided who plays from where.

• Conference A (Smythe? Pacific?): VAN, CGY, EDM, SJ, LA, COL, PHX
• Conference B (Norris? Central?): CHI, DET, MIN, STL, DAL, WIN, NSH, CBJ
• Conference C (Adams? Northeast?): BOS, BUF, MTL, TOR, OTT, TB and FLA (Wait, what?)
• Conference D (Patrick? Atlantic?): NJ, NYI, NYR, PHI, PIT, WSH, CAR

1. What was the point? Since 1994, the best eight teams of each of the two conferences made the playoffs with the division leaders in each conference earning the top seeds in the playoffs. In the new system, the top four in each of the four conference makes the playoffs. So, if you finish fifth in conference A with a better record than a second or third ranked team in conference B you don't make the playoffs. The whole reason for the 1994 realignment was to insure the best teams made the playoffs, and now the NHL is forcing hockey back twenty years with other professional sports league laughed at the NHL's old 16/21 playoff system. This is worse, however, as Canada can only send at the maximum two NHL teams to the Stanley Cup semi-finals (Yes, I am aware Winnipeg is in Conference B, but how long before we see Winnipeg emerge as its champion in front of Chicago, Detroit, Minnesota, and so on? How long can Jets fans afford to wait?)
2. Can you say BIAS? It's obvious American television loves a good rivalry, so Crosby (Penguins) and Ovechkin (Capitals) in the same division was an obvious decision. No one dare separate Canada's westernmost teams, but the newly-formed Winnipeg Jets can be tucked away in the tough Norris-Central conference. Florida, for whatever reason, is too south to be a northeastern division team. Considering the number of hockey fans from outside in the state of Florida in the same division, who will visit the Lightning and Panthers' barns next season, far exceed the combined number of season ticket holders for both clubs, it will not be long under this alignment we may see the Panthers play hockey somewhere north (I may need to brush up on my French) o_O. Worse still, every team plays two home-and-home games against inter-conference opponents. That means Crosby visits Canada six times, down from season's 8+ visits. The Ovechkin steamroller also leaves the rubble that was the Southeast Division, and the Hurricanes, Lightning, and Panthers will not see him as much next year.
3. Admission of Guilt or Overreaction to a solvable problem? All the National Hockey League had to do next year was move Winnipeg to the Western Conference, and put Nashville in its place in the Southeast Division; it is simple and quick. However, NHL Marketing once again proved it could outdo its previous errors and make another ridiculous one. I don't know what it worse: This or the NHL Governors voting for this to go ahead? Sure, granting one of the first three seeds for division winners in each conference was a bad step; let the four best teams in each conference (3 division winners, 1 team with next best record) duke it out for the first four spots. The radical realignment plan proves the Southeast Division was doomed from the start, and did not generate anywhere near the amount of interest or fan base Bettman and Co. wanted us to believe was there (NHL Lockout and departure of Atlanta franchise to Winnipeg in spite of the tens of supporters dotting the arena parking in the "Save the Thrashers" campaign saw to that). This was all the NHL had to do...
1. Winnipeg Jets and Nashville Predators make a straight swap of their places in the SOUTHEAST and CENTRAL divisions respectively.
2. Winnipeg Jets move to the NORTHWEST division, Minnesota Wild moves to the CENTRAL division, and Nashville Predators move to the SOUTHEAST division.

As NHL teams leave the empty arenas of the southern United States, and head for colder climates and sellout stadiums in Canada, the marketing brass designed a realignment strategy that can promote expansion or movement of NHL franchises to the north, but also keep as many Canadian teams out of the Stanley Cup race as possible.

For once, I am not a fan of realignment.

There are supporters, so why not link to article just to be objective? (Ok...) Dan Rosen, senior writer for NHL.com, wrote something about the Wild and Stars meeting again in the new deal as well as realignment's high and low points.

Saturday Shootaround #7

Lucky number seven ^_^ Lucky for you Saturday Shootaround isn't a thing, otherwise we would need banners, balloons, streamers, confetti, and various dinosaurs...What? Oh yeah, that's right. It's a good idea to cancel the confetti, the stegosauri might choke on the paper; those are so small. The Christmas Family Dinner is tonight, so I can't go too bananas on the shootaround portion of this week's blog; Momzo asked me to hide all the sugar loaded snacks so the kids don't go crazy by the early evening O_O Just like last year -_-

Hey Mac, settle for a point?

1. There's nothing worse than gazing at the NHL.com front page and finding the Montreal Canadiens travelling to Los Angeles to play the Kings for a precious...wait for it...TWO points. Oh WOW! Already, one point is guaranteed if neither team does anything in the third period of a tie game, but to play for a HUGE two points? That's crazy talk! Of last night's six regular season matches, three went to overtime, and two ended via shootout. Neither of the division leaders, Detroit (CEN) and Minnesota (NRW) required more than sixty minutes to dispatch their opponents, yet middle of the pack or worse teams tonight needed the point to get their foot in the door. Do I spot a consistent trend over the last number of weeks that only "three points for a regulation win" system can eliminate. Three points equals increased goal scoring, incentive to find a result within sixty minutes, and everyone leaves the arena well before its time put the kids to bed.
2. Not only do the Calgary Flames stink this year, but they refuse to do away with the hideous and meaningless black piping on their home jerseys! Things are so bad now they even lost to Columbus on Thursday! o_O Full report of the game here; don't look too closely at them, however, those pointless points of pipes will put your eye out!
3. Hmm, "You'll shoot your eye out"? Where did I hear that one before?

"Speaking of PINK, the Ottawa Senators new uniform can be yours if you send $89,996 to the address on your screen!"

Gabby Gone & Captain, er, Coach Kirk

Apparently, four straight division titles and ownership of the record to the fastest to coach an NHL hockey team to 200 wins don't stand up anymore. Bruce Boudreau, who coached the Washington Capitals to consistency and heights they never ascended before, lost his job earlier this week after a less than steller start. Many attribute his departure to his frayed relationship with NHL superstar and team captain Alexander Ovechkin, who began with a career low in goals to this point in the regular season. The controversy came to a head during the late stages of the third period against the Anaheim Ducks on November 1st.

With the Capitals down 4-3 with 1:27 remaining in the third period, Boudreau called a timeout and put out a special power-play lineup to get the goal. Alexander Ovechkin, who expected to be on the ice for the play, stood up in the bench to go on, but coach Bruce Boudreau waved him off. Frustrated, Ovechkin fired off an expletive under his breath in response to the coach's decision.

With the Capitals mired in eighth place in the Eastern conference, it will be the job of Boudreau's replacement, former OHL London Knights' head coach and NHL enforcer Dale Hunter, to bring the Capitals back to their winning ways. Those familiar with the history of the National Hockey League will remember Dale Hunter as the guy that nearly put Islanders star Pierre Turgeon out of the playoffs after scoring an overtime winner against the Isles in 1993. Hunter has a history coaching talented offenses in the OHL, and offensive star players such as the Ducks' Corey Perry and the Islanders' John Tavares; both were first round selections in their respective NHL draft classes ^_^

With the return of Crosby and the Capitals lagging behind, management had to make a change. Washington media and hockey fans, in particular those of Ovechkin, demanded a change and a return to the freewheeling and fun-loving style of hockey that packed ESPN highlight reels with Ovechkin goals and pretty setups. Nevertheless, the Capitals brass charge Dale Hunter with the task of taking the Capitals back to the Stanley Cup final, but in the history of the franchise only one man did that so far, and he coaches the Maple Leafs ^_^

The upward climb of former NHL player Kirk Muller keeps on going, as the former 2nd overall pick in the 1985 draft moves from the assistant coach's spot in Montreal to the head coaching spot in Carolina (the Devils drafted him behind Mario Lemieux, which is pretty good company). My favourite memories of Kirk Muller will always be his locker room interviews before and after games, because he would ALWAYS look at the camera :D LOL You could bet, during a thorough, intelligent, and honest answer, Muller would look at the camera four or five times :)

You can't help but smile, and now he gets to do it again as coach of the struggling Hurricanes, who fired Paul Maurice to end his second stint with the club. The Carolina Hurricanes sit at the bottom of the Southeast Division; if it wasn't for the Hurricanes, however, Dale Hunter may have more work cut out for him o_O Kirk Muller takes over the vacant Carolina post after coaching the Admirals of the American Hockey League (that explains the previous video).

LOVE THAT SUIT: Nothing says "team unity" like a head coach dressed to kill in team colours, am I right, Carolina?

Here is hoping Dale Hunter and Kirk Muller get things going.

Saturday Shootaround #6

The bonus that comes with Saturday Shootaround not being a thing is you can spend the day taking care of business and getting over an annoying headache ^_^ Ouch o_O Hand me that aspirin >_<

Crosby + Ice Cream = Good deal ^_^

1. Did You Miss Me?: Fantasy team owners went bananas all over North America as Sidney Crosby returned to the ice for the Pittsburgh Penguins after missing most of the year with a concussion. He clicked to gears straight away scoring twice, and bagging four points in an epic 5-0 home rout of the New York Islanders. His moustache also claimed it would return as well, but no one could find the poor thing since team captain Sidney Crosby raised the Stanley Cup for the Penguins in 2009. My guess is Crosby is as pumped about being back as he is pumped about the Dairy Queen Blizzards he and his teammates will eat after the game. Good old Sid is still flying high about ice cream, I MEAN, hockey after picking up three more assists as his Penguins defeated the scumbag Senators 6-3 last night. Check out the stats of the game in the Halifax Chronicle-Herald link.

2. 

   Wellwood + Leads team in points (17) = Head scratch o_O

   Jets of Wrath: Don Cherry's favourite player, Kyle Wellwood, leads his Jets offense into Boston to take on the Bruins tonight, and I'm a little worried. The Bruins are on a tear; after their horrid start to this Cup-defending campaign they rolled off nine victories in their lat ten games this season! Bruins standout Tyler Seguin leads all players in that game with twenty-three points. I like Winnipeg, which served as the launchpad for the modern game from its WHA days, but I expected a little more from the Thrashers/Jets this season. New city, new uniforms, new expectations, and people actually in the stands for their games should put the Jets in the mix with the division leading Panthers (?), Capitals, and Lightning. Maybe when temperatures plummet, and Ovechkin and Green must push the team bus out of the snow after tough, cold weather game in Winnipeg the Jets will get it together o_O (Hi Carolina Hurricanes fans; I didn't forget you guys!)

3. 

   Columbus + Four goal lead to start + Fake Retro Jerseys = #WINNING

   Laugh Out Loud: I got to laugh at my friends, who support the Buffalo Sabres, this week ^_^ Not just because they lost 5-1 to the last place Columbus Blue Jackets in Ohio's capital city, but they also lost a step in the ranking of the best NHL jerseys! Professional hockey teams in the United States, or at least teams struggling to keep pace for playoff places, and fans in the seats before the first intermission and past the second intermission, wear third and fourth jerseys that add elements found on oldtimer hockey knit sweaters from days of yore. Columbus is probably among the best of the bunch of a teams that wear fake throwback, or fake retro jerseys: Navy primary, cream and ice blue accents, and the shoestring tie-on at the top of the jersey give it a nostalgic look ^_^ Until I discovered Buffalo threw in silver as well as an oddly placed number on the top right of their away jersey, I thought the Sabres were HIP recalling their historical look. Navy works with the Blue Jackets, as it is one of their main colours; not every team can pull it off though...right, Florida?

   

   You, Weiss guy, you can't fool me!

   Now, if you excuse me, I have to purchase more acetaminophen (Ooo, I stood up out my chair too quick o_O Owie owie owie ow! >_<)

Welcome Back SID

"Behind Blue Lines" welcomes back Sidney Crosby, the Pittsburgh Penguins captain and hockey star, to the ice as he returns to NHL action ^_^ Tonight's home game against the New York Islanders marks the first time in almost a year Crosby skated since being receiving a body check from Lightning defenseman Victor Hedman last season, and sustaining a second concussion.

So far in tonight's contest, Crosby scored twice, obtained four points, and helped the Penguins initiate and dictate play throughout the contest with his wins at the faceoff circle (67% as of the second period).

Crosby has a nose for goal, but his unselfish, humble, and well-rounded gameplay is a hit among Pittsburgh fans, and Canadian hockey fans (for obvious reasons LOL). Clicking to gears right away, the Penguins can feel at ease as a major piece to the Pittsburgh puzzle returns to the ice. This will serve notice to the Eastern Conference of the NHL, if not the League, the Penguins are a force to be reckoned with.

(A little while later...)

Oh, the Penguins defeated the Islanders 5-0, and its smiles all around for the city of Pittsburgh ^_^ Good to see Arron Asham give him a proper handshake at the end of the game, too: "This is a glove, and this is a handshake." I heard that while I was driving around the city for work last week.

All the best, Sid, and have a great season. Not as great as my Leafs and Phil Kessel, though, but still a great season. ^_^

P.S. INSERT OBLIGATORY SIDNEY CROSBY TEAM CANADA 2010 OLYMPICS HIGHLIGHT AS BROADCAST BY DIFFERENT COUNTRIES ALL OVER THE WORLD:

Saturday Shootaround #5

Hmm, @CheapLeafsTix is following me on Twitter. Is it possible Saturday Shootaround will help me score affordable tickets to NHL games? Perhaps Saturday Shootaround should become a weekly thing? Maybe not, if the other twenty nine NHL teams open up Twitter accounts, sell affordable hockey tickets online, and then follow me on Twitter I'll consider it. No pressure though; I'm glad @CheapLeafsTix is along for the ride, and I hope they score me some tickets so I can the UNDEFEATED Toronto Raptors! :D

Oh wait...

1. Burst the Bubble: My Toronto Maple Leafs lost to a pack of guys dressed like Juicy-Fruit gum packs! No, I'm not angry; I am just frustrated. The Nashville Predators defeated the Leafs 4-1 at home in the state of Tennessee, but the highlight everyone is talking about this week is a goal Predators rookie forward Craig Smith did not score. The only saving grace is the fact the Predators were already in a position to win the game, as they lead 3-1 at the time. For his sake, I'm glad the gaffe did not snowball into a "Patrik Stefan" type incident o_O Things like that only happen during soccer games, and before those soccer players receive the five thousand dollar handshake after the game for keeping the over/under down.
2. St. James Sighting: Speaking again of the Maple Leafs, starting goaltender James Reimer returned to practicing with the team after his coming out midway through the October contest away against Montreal. Toronto let out a collective sigh of relief, before realizing Reimer would not start against Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals tonight o_O According to NHL.com, Ron Wilson said it would be another week before Maple Leafs fans like me can wear their gear with pride, and avoid my Capitals loving friend Jessica online (Hi Jessica). By the way, the Maple Leafs games during the next week are against the following: Sunday at Carolina, Tuesday at Tampa Bay, Friday at Dallas o_O Panic much?



Hooray! Kessel (81) leaps into the waiting arms of Leafs Captain Dion Phaneuf!



Hug Don't Dive! Jamie Benn screams with delight with Mike Ribiero ^_^

3. Good Day Sunshine ^_^: I was so happy reading about hockey hugs over the week, that I decided to google "Hockey Hugs" online and find other good time pictures about hockey players celebrating, and being kids again. ^_^ I found lots of good times images, but be warned because there are a few not-so cool, "how did that get in there" pictures common in any Google search. I remember scoring my one and only goal in my hockey career, and when you score you immediately want to share that experience with as many people as you can, as shocking and ridiculous as the sight of you doing something productive at the rink in front of that girl from high school you liked, who was in the stands that night, and she thought I looked good ^_^ (Weren't you the slowest player on the team?) YNo! o_O (Didn't you trip on the end boards at the end of the game?) Maybe -_- (That google search of pictures of you as a short and fat player in roller hockey produced 300,000 hits, didn't it?) Oh look, another hockey hug picture! >_< (That's a baseball picture!) AHH!

NHL Newsmaker?

I thought about live blogging during the Leafs and Coyotes tilt tonight when Leafs captain Dion Phaneuf coughed up the puck at the Phoenix blueline, which opened the door to a two-on-one break going the other way culminating in an opening goal by Shane Doan, who scored his first point in seven games. So that idea, and the remote control, went out the window (the latter in a fit of frustration) -_-

I received some good news today: @NHLNewsFeed is following my tweets ^_^ This could be due to the success of Saturday Shootaround, which I'm not sure is a thing. It's still in its alpha testing mode, but I'm glad NHLNewsFeed is also pumped about the possibility of it becoming a weekly thing. This NHL tweeter joins @NHLFanChat as two prime NHL beatwriters following me on Twitter! I wonder what my name on Twitter would be if I became an authorized NHL beatwriter on the Tweetscape?

• NHLGoofball
• NHLHollywoodHockey
• NHoLlywood
• NHLPhilTweets
• NHLFanZone (I think that one is taken o_O)

I may need to prefix everything with NHL o_O Even medical records! O_O

Congratulations Blues!

Although that sounds like an oxymoron for a failed Prozac commercial, I do wish to congratulate the St. Louis Blues for blasting out of the gate for their new head coach, Ken Hitchcock. The Blues knocked off the defensive-minded Bolts from Tampa Bay with an impressive 3-0 win ^_^ to extend their win-streak to three games following the hire of the Cup-winning coach last week. Their next regular season game is tonight when they play the visiting Detroit Red Wings at 8:00pm. Their previous game against the Wings was in Detroit in March of the previous season, when they scored a 10-3 victory. A lot changed since then, in particular behind the bench for St. Louis, however the song remains the same in some respects, as the Blues are still rooted to the basement spots in the Western Conference. New head coach Ken Hitchcock is wants to change that, saying "To me, transition ... the whole game has to be played behind people...it's not so much chipping it in, it's just making people turn. That's the whole focus of the game. If everybody's on that page, then you play faster."

 The Detroit Red Wings also started the season on a slow pace, but they are sitting fifth in the Western Conference. Aside from the #1 seed in the West, the Chicago Blackhawks, a game against the Detroit Red Wings will be the litmus test for the Blues to see if they indeed have what it takes to be a threat in the Western conference, much less the Central Division.


(Information, photo and quotation from the St. Louis Blues' website)

Finally...

Again, my apologies to Admiral Ackbar for Saturday's blog posting, and divulging the secret base on the ice planet of Hoth. Fortunately, a couple of jedi knights and I stole the flux capacitor operating the scanner onboard from the lead Star Destroyer, thus giving our forces an opportunity to evacuate before the Empire knew of our plan to assault the moon base on Backes, I MEAN, Pietrangelo!

Phew, that was close o_O I hope I didn't give too much away.

Saturday Shootaround #4

Right now, Saturday Shootaround is in its ALPHA stage. I want to ensure there will not be any hiccups, in case I want this to be a thing.

1. The hockey world went crazy over the latest antics of Flyers coach Peter Laviolette in his team's match against the defensive minded Tampa Bay Lightning squad of coach Guy Boucher. If you don't know what antics transpired during the first period of their game, here are some...highlights? People hear the word "TRAP" and they immediately think of the Battle of Endor, I mean, boring hockey. It's true the lockout, variations of the "TRAP", and rule changes couldn't save the Thrashers in Atlanta, and even teams in the New York region are feeling the pinch. However, defensive hockey did give us creative players and inventive ways to wins game from different areas on the rink: Ovechkin in Washington, Crosby/Malkin/Fleury in Pittsburgh (?), and maybe Reimer in Toronto (when he returns from injury, because he stole games last year). Teams out there can beat the TRAP, even without the help of Admiral Ackbar and the rebel fleet...It depends on how patient fans will be with the 1-3-1 or with one player sliding in front of you to knock the puck off your stick (Andrew, yes I did just tell the Internet about your patented defensive method, and yes it did take me five minutes to type it in because I was laughing so much!
2. My man Sean Avery did something remarkable for the Rangers against the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday! When he needs to play, he CAN play; I knew he could do it! Go ahead, Sean Avery! :D
3. I'm not sure what will happen first: A Stanley Cup parade down Yonge Street here in Toronto, or one of my sisters losing money to the other when she discovers I have a girlfriend (I don't have a girlfriend, yet...?) The Maple Leafs defeated the St. Louis Blues via shootout in Sweet Missouri. Fresh from the press conference announcing their new head coach Ken Hitchcock, the 12th-seeded Blues rallied from 2-0 to send this Leafs fan to the hospital to claim one point from the contest in coach Hitchcock's debut. In the first fourteen games this year, whenever the Blues trailed to start the contest their record was 3-6, yet they only managed a 4-1 win-loss record when they score first. Coach Hitchcock will need to inspire his players to start games on the right foot, and that involves a change in the culture. Hopefully the Blues will buy into the new program, otherwise when the AT-ATs lumber toward the Scottrade Center the rebels will not have much of a chance to deploy their transports in time, I MEAN, the Blues will begin to suffer at the gate like so many other teams south of the Mason-Dixie line.

No Panic Mode

Southern Discomfort: Panthers defencemen Ellerby (4) and Jovanovski (55) celebrate another Florida goal with teammates

My Maple Leafs lost to the Florida Panthers 5-1 last night. While I am bummed about this latest development, I'm not too distressed about the Maple Leafs inevitable loss of the #2 seed in the Eastern Conference, and the lead spot in the Northeast Division. No, I'm not saying that because it is "early in the season", but because in the long and storied history of the franchise, not since the early 1960s had the Toronto Maple Leafs dominate the regular season to such an extent that they were perennial Cup favourites (Last Leafs team ranked 1st overall: 1963). Also, only once did the Maple Leafs have a regular season scoring champion (Gordie Drillon, 1938)!

To Die For: Well done, Florida! Your new jerseys are delicish!

The Maple Leafs are an underdog team, so when success occurs it is usually by surprise, or at least against the norm (See 1967, 1993 division semi-final against Detroit, James Reimer's rookie season). This team will begin to lose their fair share of games during these next few weeks and months, and make a strong push for the final two playoffs spots come trade deadline day to make things interesting. I'm not saying they stink, but it should make for some exciting hockey; plus, James Reimer will be back ^_^

I am slightly encouraged about the prospects for the Florida Panthers? Why am I excited for the Panthers? They listened to me, and dropped that idiot piping from their jerseys! ^_^ They are looking "FABulous!" (diva snap) Why is it whenever I read fabulous out loud my voice changes? o_O

Saturday Shootaround #3

1. Tim Thomas to unveil hockey mask in tonight's game: Boston Bruins' standout goaltender Tim Thomas will debut a new hockey mask for today's contest against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Thomas hopes the mask will bring awareness to cancer and early diagnosis. According to Kevin Woodley of NHL.com, "This mask features an image of Lord Horatio Kitchener made famous on a recruiting poster in England during World War I, as well as a new, moustachioed take on the "Beware the Bear" logo that Thomas usually features on the backplate of his everyday mask, altered now to "Beware of the Stache."" I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want Lord Kitchener coming after me! They called him "Kitchener of Khartoum" for a reason! A Google search for "Lord Kitchener" also brought up the jazz singer, "Lord Kitchner". No relation o_O
2. The online hockey world is all aflutter over Matt Duchene's recent Texas two-step in Dallas in the overtime loss to the Stars (I don't watch DWTS). With those Duchene would easily place first, according to the professional judges only to lose out to Bristol Palin (teen mom), Corey from that Nick show (arbitrary guy to keep numbers fair), and Jennifer Grey (because no one says Baby's gotta lose...NOBODY!) Next thing, Matt Duchene and Brandy are chilling at the losers' couch asking each other what they do for a living. Matt: I'm an Avalanche ^_^
3. If you happen to take a gander at the main page of NHL.com, then there is a good chance I was not the only person doing a double take, and then wondering what one must do to be put in positions like this: I want to steal the lunch money from the mascot on the left. He looks like a pushover, which I suppose is what appeals to kids nowadays: A giant plush dog/pig creature with blue eyes o_O The dragon in the middle looks like he is making a B-line to the rotisserie chicken rotating in the restaurant window at the three star, afternoon eatery on Wall Street that jams full of stockbrokers every Black Monday, which is a weekly occurrence. Yo, Dragon gotta eat! Did the photographer find that Louisville Cardinal mascot, after being kicked out of the last night club in town, to take that photo? Maybe he is a bouncer now? It goes along with the title, I suppose? Don't ask me what is happening at the bottom of the picture there: o_O Theft, falling down stairs, Money laundering, panhandling, loitering. "Mascot Madness" Yowza o_O

If "Saturday Shoot-around" becomes a weekly gimmick on this blog, the acronym should be S.A.S.H.. Anything I write for Tuesday will be T.I.A.R.A., and whatever I write for Thursday will be T.A.L.E.N.T.C.O.M.P.E.T.I.T.I.O.N.

In case this becomes a thing, which I'm not sure about...

Ovechkin: Larger Than Life! Bigger Than The Team?

Without question, as a natural talent and character in the National Hockey League, Alexander Ovechkin is regarded among many hockey observers and fantasy draft team owners as the best hockey player in the world. So it came as no surprise, when Washington Capitals head coach Bruce Boudreau benched his slumping Russian superstar player during the frantic final 90 seconds of regulation time in last night's regular season match-up against the visiting Anaheim Ducks. The incident came to a head as television cameras caught Ovechkin and Boudreau in a heated argument about that situation. Boudreau said about the decision, "At the time, you don't have that much time to think. Like I said last night, I was playing a hunch". In spite of the offensive genius of Ducks standout and veteran Teemu Selanne, who notched four points during the game (2G,2A), the Capitals did manage to score five goals to win the game in sudden-death overtime, thanks in large part to the breakout play of center Nicklas Backstrom to score both game-tying and game-winning goals for the Caps. Keep in mind, of the two assists accredited with the Backstrom winger, one belongs to Ovechkin, who was back on the ice for the goal.

The Best I Could Find? Ovechkin (8) upends Ducks defenseman Francois Beauchemin (23) during yesterday's regular season matchup

Since his breakout performance in the 2009 NHL playoffs, the eyes and defensive schemes of the hockey world looked to Ovechkin to be the league's sparkplug and drawing card. Although the Capitals lost last Saturday's match in Vancouver against the Canucks 7-4, "Ovie" scored twice in that game and whenever he steps on the ice anticipation builds for Caps supporters, and tension for those supporting the opposing goalie o_O This year, however, tension mounts in the DC area because the fans and beatwriters expect big things from Ovechkin, coach Boudreau, and the remodelled Capitals, who rebuilt their defense by signing free-agent goalie Tomas Vokoun, and veteran defenseman Roman Hamrlik (I almost typed Igor Hamrlik o_O)

That Patented Smile: Ovechkin celebrates one of the two goals he scored against Vancouver on Saturday Night

Alexander Ovechkin did not score once at home for the Capitals, and his five goals and ten points so far are pedestrian compared to the NHL's current scoring leaders. His ice-time is down as well; no longer will Ovechkin stay on the ice with minute-long shifts and freewheeling highlight reel moves. Boudreau's Capitals are determined, disciplined, and defensive; so far the operation is a success, but the patient just went "code blue" in the eyes of the media. As a good team captain would, however, Ovechkin spoke in an effort to deflect criticism off the head coach for making the decision: "Of course I want to be in this situation on the ice...it doesn't matter who I say it [to] or what I said. It looked funny on TV. Right now it is big story, but it was just frustrating because I am a leader on the team and I want that kind of responsibility. Bruce put [Brooks Laich's] line out and they scored."

DC Area Used to Tension: Coach Boudreau (top) and Alex Ovechkin

There is no I in "TEAM", but there is an I in "WIN". Hockey teams, which put the coach's credo ahead of individual glory and highlight reel goals on ESPN's Sportscenter, are expected to win as a team: Crosby's Pittsburgh Penguins of 2009, and Hall-of-Fame coach Scotty Bowman's Red Wings of the late 90s and Canadiens of the late 70s are perfect examples of the big TEAM and little ME concept. So far, Alexander Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals never played in a Conference Final, much less the Stanley Cup Final, since they drafted the superstar in 2004 as the vaunted number one pick. 2008 Coach of the Year Bruce Boudreau enters his fifth season as head coach of the Capitals looking to place first in the Southeast Division for the fifth consecutive year, and after the Tampa Bay Lightning swept his team from the playoffs in four games in last year's conference semi-final, prognosticators expect Washington to exceed all expectations and win it all in 2012 (Capitals 2nd in East, 16 points).

[Special thanks to NHL.com and staff writer Corey Masisak for quotations and insight]

Great Expectations?

Jonas Gustavsson makes the most of the limelight, or lack thereof. After losing that limelight to the surprising James Reimer midway through the 2010-11 regular season, Gustavsson journeyed between bench-warming duties for the Toronto Maple Leafs, and goaltending duties for the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League. At the start of the current campaign, fans and management entrenched the "Monster" as the backup goalie after Reimer received a big three-year contract. However, James Reimer went down to injury (whiplash) in the away contest against Montreal last Saturday (10/22/11), and coach Ron Wilson had no choice but to rely on Gustavsson, who had low expectations from most in Toronto. In that game against Montreal (OTW 5-4), away games against Philadelphia (L 4-2) and New York Rangers (W 4-2), and then at home against the Pittsburgh Penguins (W 4-3), it was time for Jonas Gustavsson to surprise his critics with impressive performances against perennial playoff talent. I am still apprehensive whenever the "Monster" skates between the pipes for my Maple Leafs :( Perhaps it is the memory of his 68 goals allowed in only twenty regular season games from last year that makes me nervous, but after living through great Leaf backstops like Allan Bester and Peter Ing...I'm willing to overlook those statistics...for now. So far so good for the Monster; here is hoping he makes the most of his opportunity :) The next two games for the Maple Leafs are away contests against the Scum, I mean, Senators on Sunday and New Jersey on Wednesday, November 2nd. Already, I'm nervous o_O

(Special thanks to NHL.com for source data and video)

Saturday Shootaround #2

This is still very touch and go. I'll see how many girls read this and make a decision later.

1. If I don't watch, they will win: Much to my surprise, the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the New York Rangers 4-2 at Madison Square Garden in New York. From what I gathered from the replays, the Leafs grabbed their win on goals scored against the flow of play, or at least on the counterattack. As expected the Rangers, who celebrated the opening of the 2011-12 campaign in their stadium, opened the scoring with a scramble of a goal by Dan Girardi. However, two disallowed goals by the Rangers soured what was to be a jubilant evening on Thursday. Forward Ryan Callahan engaged with streaky backup Leafs goaltender Jonas Gustavsson while Ryan Del Zotto blasted the puck home from the point, and then as teammate Derek Stepan stuffed home a goal mouth scramble. When the game ends in a 4-2 loss, while you know you should have two more goals on the scoreboard, defeat can be tough to swallow. It's like going to a community rink to watch your friend Bryan play city league hockey twice, and leaving the rink with a cold and two ties. He promises goals and a trendy new goal celebration in your honour, but you don't get to see what a winning team looks like (Yes, I did just tell that story, BRYAN, and I STILL WANT MY FOUR DOLLARS...WITH INTEREST)! I may still have some issues over that incident, but so does Rangers head coach John Tortorella in his postgame interview. Something else I noticed about the game: Not only did I not watch it, I also didn't know it was happening! Absolute obliviousness to the Maple Leafs = Improbable victory by the Buds? So far, the theory holds true, but as interest grows will they start losing. Well, without "St. James" between the pipes I don't know if the theory has any teeth. Unlike most of the leaves in autumn, these Leafs did not fall...yet.
2. Fantastic Fantasty Fit o_O I think: Earlier in the week, the Winnipeg Jets defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 9-8 after Flyers' goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov badmouthed the city of Winnipeg as a "boring" place. He proceeded to allow four goals on ten shots against the Jets in just over thirty-four minutes of gameplay, but something I couldn't find were highlights of the game or his press conference afterward on NHL.com o_O Instead, I received this: CONSPIRACY! How does that happen? I don't know! Bryzgalov did apologize through the media for the poor performance, but the former standout for the Phoenix Coyotes does not need to look far for support. His team is behind him, and he remains the starter for the team as he should: 36 wins last year, 2.48 GAA, and .921 save percentage are all good numbers from 2010-11. A kid in his hometown of Sweden went home to see his father after a game with tears in his eyes because his team lost 9-8; he scored all eight goals, but was sorry the team didn't win. His name was Peter Forsberg; I guess you must lose 9-8 before you can be great. My computer is going kooky, so now would be a good time to wrap things up; I'm a PC, what can you do about it?