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.