Hockey
 

I did a Search for NHL or hockey and I didn't see any threads dedicated to this topic yet, so...

Just wondering if there are any other hockey(NHL or any other League/International format) fans here?

I am a huge Toronto Maple Leaf fan(even though they suck horribly this year!) and have been since the Tom Watt era. I admit that it has been hard to watch them at times since it has been a long time since they've even been a real threat to win the Stanley Cup, but they are my team. I've gotta stick by them through thick and thin.

Anyone else surprised at how good the Colorado Avalance are doing this year?:eek:

I love the only hockey team the maters THE FLYERS
:yes: Jerseygirl Jen

Hello Jen.:) With your nickname being Jerseygirl Jen I would have figured you to be a Devils fan. LOL!

The Flyers are a rival in the East, so I cannot say that I root for them very much. However, I have Scott Hartnell in my Hockey Pool so I hope he does well.:D

I'm glad to see they gave Ray Emery another chance as I felt he got a raw deal in Ottawa(one of the teams I won't root for.;):p

It's hard to root for a team that is 1-8-1. Er...go Leafs go?:eek:

Jersey is an odd state with two differnt halves NORTH JERSEY and SOUTH JERSEY those who live in North Jersey are for the Giants and Devils and Mets while those who live in South Jersey are for the Eagles, Flyers and Phillies and as you can guess i live in South Jersey which is very close to Phillie
Oh did i forget to mention that the Flyers had the greatest center ever one Bobby Clark
:yes: Jerseygirl Jen

I never saw Bobby Clark as a player, but I have seen him as the GM of the Flyers. Quite a character.:D

A little off topic, but does that mean you are a Phillies fan as well? I am a Toronto Blue Jays fan(Ouch. Thank goodness J.P. Riccardi is GONE!), but I am rooting for the Phillies to beat the Evil Empire this year(plus Matt Stairs, a good Canuck, has been on the team for the past season and a half)!

As a further off topic, if that is you in your Avatar, you are a very lovely woman Jen.:)

It's not just this year.


Montreal - the best ever NHL team. They've been my favourite since forever.

He was a much better player then he is as a GM :eek:
Yeap i'm a Phillies fan and yes i rember 93 :frown: :frown:
And yes that's little old me
:yes:Jerseygirl Jen

Awwww, why did you have to go and insult my team?:( LOL! It's fine. Friendly rivalries are good for the game.:cool:

I will say that Montreal needs to treat their goalies a little better(the same can be said for the Leafs somewhat), as they put so much pressure on their young goalies that they crack. Look at Huet for example. He was touted as the next Patrick Roy(very tough shoes to fill, even though he is kind of a tool off the ice) and when he couldn't handle all the pressure he started to falter. They ended up dumping him for Carey Price, but I can't help but see the same things happening to him. Halak can be good, but I don't think he's a first string goalie(better than Toskala though, LOL, but even a cardboard cutout would be as well:lol:).

Besides the goalie problem, they don't have the size. They got some good talent in the offseason(Cammalleri mainly, as I don't see Gomez doing great things), but they don't have size. They will probably make the playoffs, but I don't think they'll make it to the finals due to the grueling nature of the playoffs. Myself, I just hope we don't end up giving Boston a #1 pick in the next draft!:eek:

As a Montreal fan, what do you think of the prospect of Quebec getting another team(which is what it sounds like will probably happen)? Another Canadian team would be a good thing, and I think that Quebec could handle another NHL team.

No snub was meant about 1993, honest. I didn't even have that in mind when I made the post.:):respect:

It's a shame that their offense can't do anything about Burnett tonight. Howard needs to get hits not strikeouts! If the score remains 2-1 Yankees and Rivera comes in....yikes!:(

Very nice picture, Jen. Princess Leia has nothing on you! LOL!:cool:

You're right, Montreal tends to eat their goalies as soon as they don't live up to expectations. I'm going to say something sacreligious; I was never a fan of Patrick Roy. I thought that he was too full of himself.

Now that gave me a good laugh too.

It's going to be either Quebec City or Winnipeg that gets a team. I think Quebec may have the edge as they have a bigger arena. I would really rather see Hamilton get a team before either of those cities. Hamilton will support a team at least as well as Toronto. I think it's a shame the way Jim Balsillie was treated by the league.

It's nice seeing other fans of hockey here.:cool: I hope that some other fans will decide to talk about their favourite(or most hated) teams besides yourself and Jen(I am enjoying both your posts here, though, so please keep them up!:cool:). So far the three of us root for Eastern teams. Are there any Western fans here?

Thanks for your honesty about Patrick Roy. I didn't want to say anything too bad about him just in case(bad first impression and all that:D). I don't like how he treated Montreal at the end(wahhhhhh! You left me in for all those goals. I want a trade...after a soother please:lol:). Good goalie but a true basket case at times.:confused:

I'm glad that I was able to give you a laugh, Ila. Normally, all Toskala does is give us fans heartburn when we have a 1-goal lead so it's a welcome change.:eek::D

I feel that Basillie would have gotten a team if he hadn't been so mercenary about it all. Continually trying to snatch teams and move them to Hamilton was probably not the best way to go about things(especially with Bettman's huge((and fragile)) ego), and I am sure he realized that near the end of Baum's decision process. Will he get a team someday? I hope so, as his passion would be good for the team. I think either Bettman has to go, or Basillie mends his fences with the other owners before that will happen.

I'm an outwester. It's amazing how many westerners are Montreal fans.

I'm still laughing over that comment. A lot of people I know were saying the same thing.

According to some reports that I read it was less than a year ago the other owners thought that Balsillie would be a good team owner. He's always been upfront about his intentions to move a team to Hamilton. I really think that the NHL has to change their thinking. They should be moving back to where their fan base is, not trying to expand into the sunbelt where hockey is a foreign sport.

What Province do you live in, Ila(if you don't mind me asking)? I live in SW Ontario myself. I do have some friends from another forum that live out West(Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia) so I know a little about the West.:)

It also looks like the apple hasn't fallen too far from the (rotten) Roy tree. His son was charged with assault when he went after the opposing team's goalie(and from the sounds of it the Coach(Roy himself) urged it on). Classy!:rolleyes: I'm not sure if the case has been resolved or if it is still in the courts.

I agree with you 100% about the mentality of the NHL. Bettman does not want to come across as a failure so he will do everything in his power to try and make the sunbelt teams work. Some teams just will not work no matter how hard you try to make it so. It is amazing how many "fans" were interviewed that knew nothing about the game, they were just going to a game because the tickets were free. I am not saying that all the people there are like that, as they do have hardcore fans like we do. They just don't have the history to fall back on that a lot of other teams do(not just the Original Six) as they are still relatively new. It also doesn't help that besides the Tampa Bay Lightning(how had a pretty powerful team that year) they haven't had a lot of playoff success either.

And to Jen: The Phillies lost 3-1. Dang.:(

Darn it, Ila! Montreal won last night.:(

The Leafs made a good effort to tie it up(and that, Montreal fans, is why you don't sing that annoying goodbye song with over 5 minutes left to play in the game. All it does is fire up the opposing team and they play that much harder.) but they could not finish it up.

Once it went to a shootout I knew we were doomed. They wanted to put in the cardboard cutout but he was unfortunately creased from the trip to Montreal and he could not perform. Alas, we were stuck with Toskala who, as we all know, is quite inferior to said cardboard cutout. I was talking with a Supervisor this morning about Toskala's craptitude in the shootout(he has always stunk in them) and that since he always gets beat top shelf, glove side, he should just leave his arm up and just wave it back and forth before they shoot. Heck, he has more of a chance making the save that way than just standing there picking his nose like he is wont to do.

Toskala stinks.:(

Congrats, Ila. The better team won last night.:)

I have to confess, shadows. I got busy last night and forgot to even check the score. Thankyou for the update. I'm not as dedicated a hockey fan as I used to be, but I usually checkout the game off and on when Montreal is playing.

You're quite welcome.:)

I also don't watch Leaf games as much as I used to due to work and the fact that they are very painful to watch sometimes.

After the Wotld series is over i'll start to follow the Flyers but i'm not in to it as much anymore as the strike a few years back kinda ruined hockey for me
:frown: Jerseygirl Jen

I scored tickets to the NHL Winter Classic on January 1, 2010. The Boston Bruins (my hometown team) playing the Philadelphia Flyers outdoors, in Fenway Park!

One positive that I took from the strike is that it brought about the salary cap. It makes for a more level playing field. That way the teams with the biggest pocketbooks aren't winning year after year.

With regards to the World Series, I have to say I am seriously questioning some of Charlie Manuel's managerial skills. He has made a few boneheaded decisions that have caused the Phillies to be down 3-1.

That looks like it will be a sweet game to attend! That game will have lots of action and I am predicting lots of big hits!:cool:

Your Bruins seem to be bitten by the injury bug big time! I am also a little surprised at how average Tim Thomas has been so far this year(for the most part). At least you'll get a couple of nice 1st round picks because of my Leafs.:(

Speaking of injuries, there sure have been a lot of them to big-name players this year, eh smc?:eek:

Add Ovechkin and Eric Stall to that list, as they both got injured last night.

I'm a casual hockey fan. I pull for teams on a casual basis, but I'm not so dedicated that I go to any length to watch games or follow particular teams. I enjoy "Hockey Night in Canada" on the CBC every Saturday.

Teams I like: Montreal, Boston (my current "home" town), and Atlanta (my former home town).

What do you think of the new 'Hockey Night In Canada' theme? Is it better than the old one or worse?

LOL, I haven't been watching long enough to know the difference. Also, Hockey Night competes with any NCAAF football programming that happens to be on.

We don't follow college football(and other college sports) in Canada as fervently as you do in the US. I've always wondered why that is. The teams could use the support(and the revenue gotten from television/seats sold/merchandise) sometimes! And the games can sometimes be even better than what can be had from a "professional" team(the Detroit Lions or Cleveland Browns for example).

Hey, shadows

I mentioned the comments in bold to one of my co-workers this morning and he almost pissed himself laughing. You made his day.

Glad to be of service Ila.:D

It looks like the Flyers are kicking Tampa Bay's butt tonight(Jen will be happy;)). Five goals on 18 shots. Not a very good night for the goalie. Stamkos got another goal though, which is good for my pool! It looks like he is going to have a very good year for Tampa, which I hope translates to a trip to the Olympics with Team Canada.:cool:

3 words

LETS GO BUFFALO!

Hey there xpinkx!:)

Buffalo is playing very well this year even though Vanek is not lighting up the scoresheet like he did last year. They have a lot of good players and a very good goalie in Miller. I think they will be one of the teams to beat in the playoffs this year.:)

And that is a nice picture too.;):)

shadows, I'm two days late posting this. What happened to Toronto this past Tuesday?

The same thing we always do Pinky, take over the....oh wait. Wrong topic.;):p

Ila, the wonderful Leafs did what they seem to have done all season. They tied up the game in the 3rd period and ended up losing in overtime. Grrrrrr! At least Toskala wasn't in net this time.;)

Kessel looked good, especially for being out as long as he was. He had 10 shots on net. He took a hard hit(he had his head down, which is a big NO-NO!) but he came back out after only a little time had passed.

The scary thing of it all is that they are ahead of Carolina now even though they only have 1 win.:eek::D

Montreal also lost to Atlanta, 5-4. Montreal kept coming back and tying it, but Atlanta kept getting the lead right back. Pavelec(the Atlanta goalie) wasn't as sharp as he was against Ottawa the other day(he made 50+ saves), but he was able to keep Montreal from tying that one last time. I didn't watch it, but it sounds like it might have been a fun one.

It looks like the Erie Otter player has been suspended for the entire season and the playoffs for his hit on the Kitchener Rangers player. the Rangers player was hit into the boards and suffered a broken orbital bone, skull fractures, and other facial injuries. He was in critical condition after the hit, but he has since been upgraded to serious. His career is probably finished. I did not see the hit to see if it was a dirty hit or not, but from what I have read(comment wise from various sports forums) it seems that people are split down the middle as to whether or not it was. Scary incident either way!:eek:

Toronto has tonight off, but Montreal is playing Boston. They are currently knotted at zero with about 5 1/2 minutes left to play in the first.

Ila, Montreal is now ahead 1-0 after one period of play. Boston has now been shut out for 7 straight periods.:eek:

On another note, Krejci has been quarantined due to having the H1N1 flu.

Thanks for the update. I can't get the game except on a French pay channel of which I don't subscribe to.

Just saw this thread - Huge hockey fan. I am watching the Red Wings and Sharks right now. Between first and second period. I used to be a big Wings fan when they had Stevie Y and before the Sharks. No team can break your heart like the Sharks. I like to watch any hockey game. Most other sports, I need to have a rooting interest.

Well the world series is over and the Phillies lost :( so i guess i'll start following the Flyers now
:yes: Jerseygirl Jen

Nice jersey Xpinky:yes: Hockey is the only sport that I will watch a game from start to finish. The Sabres are my favorite team, they are about 70 miles to the west of where i'm located. It doesn't hurt that the owner of the team use to live about 10 miles from me, he still has a home here and his business, but he now calls Florida his home. There are a lot of good teams, but it's not marketed very well nationally here in the States. I'm lucky being close to Canada Hockey does get more media coverage here than most parts of the country.

Ila being a Montreal fan I hope you like Brian Gionta, he grew up in my neck of the woods, I hope he does well for you up there.:yes:LOL I never thought I would be talking hockey here.

Sweet. Looks like there are a lot more hockey fans here than I first thought.:)

Ila, Montreal ended up winning in the shootout, 2-1. Cammalleri got the winner. Not taking anything away from the win, but Boston just doesn't seem to have any offense at all right now.

It sucks, eh Jen?:( I think a huge reason that Phillie lost was due to Manuel's head-scratchingly dumb Managerial decisions that he made in the World Series.

I really, really did NOT want A-Roid to win a ring. I cannot think of anyone less deserving than him(and not just for the steroid usage, as there are a lot of people in baseball that have used enhancing drugs).

At least you can take solace in the fact that they won the World Series last year and got to the World Series again this year.:) My Blue Jays haven't even gotten into the playoffs since 1993.:(

I wish I had known last night (also forgot to check the sports scores this morning). One of the guys I work with is a big Boston fan. Same thing with one of the women at work. I wouldn't have hesitated to let them know that Montreal won.

btw I don't like overtime in regular season games. I say if the game ends in a tie after three periods then so be it. There should only be overtime in the playoffs.

I've never liked the shootout to start with be it reg season or playoffs or the Stanley cup the whole shootout thing should be done away with
:yes: Jerseygirl Jen

Yeah, but at least the overtime during the regular season is only 5 minutes in duration.;) Some of the shootouts last longer than that!:eek:

I love overtime in the playoffs, but once it gets to the third or fourth overtime it gets a little boring as the players are so tired they are just waiting for a lucky bounce or a brain-fart from the opposing team.

The only thing I like about the shootout is...well, I don't like the shootout. The Leafs couldn't win a shootout if their life depended on it...especially with "Look Ma! Past the glove side again!" Toskala in net.:censored:

One thing you will never see(at least I freaking hope not!) is a shootout in the playoffs. I think if Bettman tried sometime that assinine they would find his body stuffed somewhere with a bag of hockey pucks stuffed down his throat. And I think Toskala would be the prime suspect. ;)

On a bright note, both our Flyers and Leafs won tonight, Jen!:)

That's about the only good news i had all day, I dread to see the repair bill for the TRANS-AM


:rolleyes: Jerseygirl Jen

Repair bill? I hope it isn't anything too serious, Jen.:(

Some bozo hit my car in the parking lot breaking the tail light and creasing the side panel by the tail light
:frown: Jerseygirl Jen

Did the jerk leave before you got there or did the person at least wait until you got to the car and exchanged insurance details?:(

At least you weren't hurt, which is the main thing.:)

I should have also added that I don't like shootouts either. The game should be 60 minutes and that's it. If it ends in a tie then it should be recorded as such with one point going to each team.

Nope when i came out of the supermarket SURPISE :eek: busted tail light and white paint smeer on the rear panel and a nice crease where someone backed in to my car ,If i turn it in to my insurence company i'll be stuck paying a $500 deductable plus my ins will go up 10 fold, I'm guessing it'll be around $800 to have fixed


:( Jerseygirl Jen

I hate when people do that. If you cause damage to something, don't be a coward and leave. Suck it up and offer to pay for the damages. I hope karma comes around and nails that jerk big time!:(

Thanks, you know how hard it will be to find a tail light section for a 91 Trans-Am


:eek: Jerseygirl Jen

Go Devils. But I only started watching in 2003. The Stanley Cup was live on free television in the UK and I couldn't bear seeing a Disney owned team called the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim winning so I supported the Devils. I hope to see a live NHL game soon, but that will probably be Nashville who are nearest to my relatives.

Theres a lot of baseball on this hockey thread, but no NFL or NBA. Are NFL/NBA taboo?

Everyone should getthe opportunity to see an NHL game live. I love watching on TV, but there is nothing like being there. The first game I saw was a exhibition game between the Kings and the Oilers. It was the first year after Gretzky was traded. I loved all the action. I thought hockey was great. The first regular season game I saw was between the penguins and the sabers. It was ten times more intense. Had second row seats directly behind the goal. Got to talk to the goal judge, real cool. Never been to a playoff game, I can only imagine.

Playoffs Live,,,
 

I totally agree,, Hockey is best seen live. I had 2nd row seats just outside the blueline, got to see Forsberg, Sakic, and Waugh (sorry bout the spelling lol) at their best in the Avs 96' playoff finals. The Mile High city rocked !!!

Since I do not have one of those available, I will instead give you a :hug: and some positive Reputation(you deserve both anyhow:)).

I will also give you some good news by saying that the Flyers won again(in the shootout).:)

Nope. I am just not a huge NFL or NBA fan(hockey is my favourite sport), that's all. I have no problem with anyone wanting to discuss football or basketball in this thread(just no flaming of teams/players unless the player is a total tool;):D).:)

Good news for ME: Toronto kicked Detroit's ass 5-1! Woohoo! It's only a 2 game winning streak now, but they are playing better lately and Kessel is a great influx of energy! They play Minnesota next(5wins 10 losses) so they could make it 3 in a row!:)

Good news for Jen: The Flyers won 2-1 in a shootout. They have now won 4 games in a row. Ray Emery looks to be a good signing for them!

Bad news for Ila: Montreal lost 3-1 to Tampa Bay. I didn't watch the game(as I was working, and I would have watched the Leaf game instead;)), but it doesn't sound like they played a horrible game.

Bad news for ME: Even though Washington scored 7 goals last night, Semin didn't get me one stinking point! He is supposed to get me a little closer to the leader in the pool while Ovechkin is out(I have Semin rather than Ovechkin), but he hasn't done anything except pick is nose the past couple of games! Boo Semin, BOOOO!

Good news for the Devil's fans: They won their game as well, a 3-2 come-from-behind win against Ottawa.

Why, oh, why did it have to be an Major League Soccer team Seattle got? Why not pro hockey? I'd have loved an NHL team in Seattle.

Yout just tell me this so i'll like the shootout rule :lol: Just kidding but i'm glad the Flyers won


:D Jerseygirl Jen

Darn. I cannot believe you saw through my deviousness!;):D:p:)

Light night of hockey last night, with only two games being played. Atlanta came back and won in Jen's favourite fashion(:p): the shootout. They won 3-2 over St. Louis(man, St. Louis is not playing well this year at all).

Also, Edmonton beat Colorado 5-3, which is kind of a shocker being as where the two teams are in the standings.

Tonight is an even slower night of hockey, with only one game being played(LA vs Chicago).

Looks like Cam Ward(Carolina goalie) will miss about a month after getting cut with a skate in his calf area in Saturday night's game. It could have been a scary injury indeed, but it looks like it missed anything major.

A tough time for Philadelphia fans.

First, the Phillies lose to the "Evil Empire" Bronx Bombers.

Then, the Eagles lose on national TV to "America's Team" and the annual winner of the NFL's "Most Popular" and "Most Hated" team-the Dallas Cowboys.

Wow!

I would not want to ever see the NFL in Canada. The NFL plays the most boring game in the world and the commentators are twice or even three times as boring. There is no other game in the world in which one hour of playing time results in 3-1/2 to 4 hours of actual time. The last five minutes of an NFL game can take up to a half hour to play. It especially pisses me off when I'm waiting to watch 60 minutes and the :censored: game isn't even close to being over.

Canadian football is a much better and more exciting game. The field is longer and wider, the ball is bigger, and there are fewer downs. Unfortunately there are too many coaches and players that have infiltrated the CFL and ruined our game.

It is interesting to note that although the NFL has never made it into Canada, the CFL did have teams in the US.

shadows, what do you think of Gretzky's decision not to go to the Hall of Fame dinner. As I write this I haven't heard of any change yet. Some sports writers are saying it is a slap to Bettman and a rebuke to the NHL.

I think Bettman has to go. The NHL should also move the head office to either Toronto or Montreal. It's time we took back our game.

Edmonton beating the Avs was not really that much of a shocker..I am an Avs fan and I saw this as a kind of"trap" game that you run into in all sports.. one team is really on the move and the other has been struggling a lot.. So the OPilers coming in and whipping up on the Avs is not to surprising.. The Avs have really turned a few heads early on so teams know going in that this is a team that will play to the very end!!..
Now..that said..I am a ockey purest.. I love hockey and I do watch as much of the "Original 6" as possible when they are on TV.. Yeah it's really awesome to have an NHL franchise here in Colorado, but I enjoy it more when one of the Original teams comes to play!!.. It has to do with all the history behind the teams and the names that played the game back in the day..
I think those fans, know hockey best and they stand behind their team through thick and thin.. With the Avs. We were basically handed a quality team at the start with a high powered roster, and the managment just put the final pieces in place and Looky Looky.. we win the cup in 96!!!!.. Then after a few years of not quite geting the job done.. Mr Lacroix ups and adds 2 more pieces to the puzzle and the Avs take another Cup in 2001!!.. So.. We here in Colorado have been spoiled early on just a bit and I don't think a lot of the fans have really stood solidly behind this teem the last few seasons.. Yes there have been thos fans that have stuck it out!!.. But there are always going to be the "band wagon jumpers" I just don't think we , eher in Colorado, have really built that looooong time tradition that storied teams like the Red Wings, Montreal, Boston, The Rangers and so on, have built for them selves over the decades!!..
I love hockey and the fast pace and excitement the game has. I agree that Bettman needs to go peddle his papers elsewhere and that league needs to get tougher in their poilcies towards the "nastier" and uncalled for crap that happens on the ice from time to time!!. The next commissioner needs to be a hard nosed, "enough of this goon crap" type of person that will hit those that stray to the "dark side" really hard in the pocket book!!.. no more of the namby pamby junk that Bettman seems to be stuck on doing!!!... Well.. That's my 2 cents worth!!.. As always it is JMO and subject to rebuttal, ridicule and what ever else you all want to say!!!.

I have to add basketball to this, Ila. The last five minutes of the fourth quarter can take almost a 1/2 hour!:eek:

I agree with you about basketball, i never liked it :no: To me watchibg basketball should be deemed as cruel and unusall punishment
:eek: Jerseygirl Jen

I think that Gretzky is showing what he thinks of Bettman, and deservedly so. Bettman only looks for ways to stroke his ego and makes decisions that will make him look like a genius(which fails more often than not as he always seems to fall flat on his face) no matter how little sense it really makes.

Bettman(and in turn, the NHL) screwed Gretzky royally over the whole Phoenix fiasco. Phoenix is NOT a hockey market, and having only 6000 fans show up for a game when the team is playing great is not a way to show everyone else around the US/Canada that it is a viable market. Bettman's "deal" does not give Gretzky one penny, and that smacks of getting "thrown under the bus" to me. Some can say "Oh, but Gretzky makes millions of dollars he shouldn't complain about money!", but they are totally wrong. How would they feel if a troll named Bettman said that a bid that would allow everyone to get their money was not going to be allowed and that only the ones that HE wanted would be accepted? They would be mighty pissed off, I would think. Hence, Gretzky's reaction. And good on him. I agree with him 100%.

I will say that I do not have a problem with hockey teams being in the US(as there are a lot of good teams with great fans...such as the Flyers and their fans;)), but I do have problems with teams being in a city with either a poor or non-existant fan base. If there is no market for a team in a city, then why not move it? Bettman had no problem moving Canadian teams to the US, so why does he have such a hard-on about moving a team back to Canada? We all know that Bettman is just biding his time and then will move the Coyotes to either Las Vegas or Kansas like he has always planned on doing(and mark my words, Jerry Reinsdorf will be the owner. Talk about shady dealings!). Bettman is a good example of "little man" syndrome. Ugh.

I hope I didn't forget to say anything.;):p:D

Jen, I will be sure to never force you to watch a basketball game, as I could never do anything cruel to you.;):)

Stargazer, you sound like a true fan.:cool:

One way to get rid of all the "gooning"(real word? LOL!:D) that is going on today is to get rid of the Instigator penalty. If someone is going after your fellow player's with cheap shots/dirty hits then if the Instigator was taken away, you could protect your teammates. One of the dumbest penalties that they have ever decided to enforce.:rolleyes:

I don't have any problem with NHL teams being in the US. There are some very good and viable markets, especially in the northern states. When I said that we should take our game back I was only referring to moving the head office back to Canada. The NHL should be run out of Canada not out of NYC.

No worries, Ila. I didn't think that is what you had meant.:)

Ila, it looks like Wayne did show up to the ceremony after all. Although I would not have blamed him if he did not show up, I think it just shows how classy Wayne is. He showed up for his friends that were being elected into the HHOF and not for Bettman or the NHL.:)

Hockey w/o Goons ??
 

Gee,,, I was surprised by the neg comments on goons having no place in Hockey. I grew up in NYC and loved going w/ my Dad to the old Garden. I guess we were a rowdy bunch,, but I'll never forget how we'd heat up dimes, and toss them on the ice to mess w/ the refs (not during play). The original teams have decades of heritage,,,given time teams like our Avs will too. To me there'll always be a place for the Hanson bros types in the NHL.......
GO AVS,,,,,,yea

I guess I should elaborate. By goons, I don't mean the players that play a particular role(every team has one or two players of that type) but I mean the players that try to hurt other players deliberately and take them out of the game for good. That is not sportsmanship at all. I like watching hard hits and I like watching fighting, but I do not like people trying to cripple other players every time they are on the ice. Thankfully, players like that are rare otherwise the teams would be shorthanded all the time.;)

Interesting discusssions at work today, shadows. It was generally agreed that Wayne Gretzky is just too classy to not show up for the HHOF induction ceremony. I think he showed true class in his interview when he told reporters that the game is bigger than one person (sorry had to paraphrase here). He was, of course, referring to himself.

There is nothing wrong with a good clean body check. You're right that hard clean hits are part of the game. If done right a good clean hit will not injure another player, but it does have the potential to change the game in favour of the team doing the hitting.

I don't like to see fights and I don't like to see one player deliberately injuring another. I agree with criminial charges being pursued in cases of deliberate injury. However, one must take into account intention and method when deciding on criminal charges resulting from a hockey injury.

I read quotes from that interview as well. I agree that he is the epitome of class, something a lot of players(not just in the NHL, but other sports as well) need to adopt. Look at him and someone like Allen Iverson for example. Two great players, but one that is a whiny, spoiled diva. AI is unhappy that he has been relegated to being a bench player for Memphis and now it sounds like he wants to retire because of it. Waaaaaaaah! You make millions of dollars so suck it up buttercup! I feel no sympathy to you at all. Perhaps if you would show up for practice then you might not have this problem.

"Practice? Practice? It's just practice, man! I don't need practice!"(almost an exact quote from AI from a year or two ago). And no wonder why people are disgusted by many athletes these days. Be a freaking role model, or at least be LESS of a jackass, especially to the fans. We DO pay your salary(for all intents and purposes) after all.

(Sorry for the mini-rant. LOL!)

One thing I disagree with you about is fighting, Ila. I enjoy watching a good fight in hockey, but it cannot be started by one person attacking the other from behind. They both have to be willing to "go at it" to be a good, clean fight(well, relatively clean anyhow;)). It's hard when the player is someone like Sean Avery, a player that will antagonize and then either turtle right away or scamper away onto the bench.

Some things that I think constitute assault would be:

1. Using your stick like a weapon(such as McSorley did on Brashear a few years ago).

2. Attacking an unsuspecting player or a player that is not involved in the play whatsoever(such as the gutless son of Patrick Roy when he attacked the opposing goalie for NO FREAKING reason at all). Sucker punches are not cool.

3. Attacking someone with your skate. As evidenced by the injury to Cam Ward, the skate blade can cause massive injuries. Players who stomp on other players should be charged as there is NO call for that BS. Look at what happened to the Detroit player last year(or was it the year before?), for example. He was accidentally nicked in the neck area with a skate and he bled everywhere. If he hadn't had the presence of mind to cover the cut with his hand and skate immediately to the bench, a lot of experts say he could have easily bled to death. That was a scary sight to see(there was a huge trail of blood leading from where he got cut to the bench), and it looked like something out of a slasher movie.

There may be a couple of other things that players could do that would warrart an assault charge, but it usually goes by a case-by-case scenario.

I will always argue that fighting is not a part of hockey. I can understand tempers flaring, but it doesn't have to result in a fight. I don't recall Wayne Gretzky ever getting in a fight and even though he never played for the right team I respect his ability and the fact that he never had a fight.

Watch some of the classic games from the 50s and 60s on the NHL channel. Sure there is the occasional fight, but nothing like what happens now.

Calgary at Montreal tonight. SportsNetWest is showing the game live. Six minutes into the second period and Calgary is winning 1 - 0. Does Montreal not realize that they are playing at home?

Later tonight the TorontoSportsNetwork is showing the Boston - Philly game. I won't be watching that one though.

While I do not necessarily agree with your opinion, I certainly respect it.:)(the above post)

Montreal lost 1-0! Argh! Kiprusoff got a shutout which really puts me in the hole in my hockey pool.

(And it's Boston vs Pittsburgh, Ila.;):D:p:lol:)

And to add insult to insult, Boston shut out Pittsburgh 3-0(second game in a row that Pittsburgh has gotten shut out. They NEED Malkin back.), and one person who has Kiprusoff also has Thomas as their second goalie choice(so, there is 14 points right there!).

Looking at the Toronto score tonight I thought for sure that "Glove Side" Toskala was in net, but he wasn't...:( They should have feasted on Minnesota, but they didn't. Show some consistency ALL the time guys, not just when it's losing games!:rolleyes:

St. Louis smoked Vancouver 6-1. Raycrap...er, I mean Raycroft showed the Vancouver fans why Toronto got rid of him.;)

Ottawa snuck by Edmonton 4-3 in Jen's favourite part of hockey...the shootout!:p

Nashville and San Jose are tied 1-1 after 1 period.

Congrats this thread broke a hundred :D
:yes: Jerseygirl Jen

Thank you.:) I couldn't have done it without my fellow fans(of all the sports mentioned in this thread). We're a team! *groan* Yep. That sounded cheesy.:eek::D:lol:

Maybe some congratulatory Reputation could be thrown my way?:innocent:

:D:lol::p

Looking ahead to the next games that our teams play, I will say:

For Jen: Philadelphia will beat Ottawa 4-2 and win their 5th in a row.

For Ila: Montreal is in tough against Phoenix. Montreal doesn't seem to be able to score a lot of goals and Bryzgalov is playing great this year. This one is a toss up, too close to call. I think it will be a 2-1 score either way.

For Me: We're playing Chicago. Man, I have no idea! They kicked Detroit's ass(a team they should have lost to) yet got humbled by Minnesota(a team they should have beat)! Chicago is a great team, but if Toronto can ratchet up their intensity they may pull off an upset. I predict, however, that Chicago will win 3-1.

I know that there are some Colorado fans that have posted in this thread. They don't play until Saturday against Vancouver. Colorado may suffer for having to sit for so long between games, but they will probably take it 3-2.

On a side note, I have now discovered that there is a 10 smilie limit per post.:lol:

Oops, it looks like I need to pay more attention to what I'm reading when I go throught the tv listings. :D

We all make those kinds of mistakes, Ila. Shows us that we're fallible.;):)

Six games on tap tonight.

Detroit beat Columbus 9-1. That was a butt-kicking if I've ever saw one!

New Jersey beat Anaheim 3-1. They are really clicking right now. If they win their next road game, they will either be 9-0 or 10-0 on the road!:eek:

Buffalo beat Edmonton 3-1(I know we've got a Buffalo fan or two here, so let us know what you thought of the game.;)).

Washington beat the Islanders 5-4 after 11 rounds of shootout action! Ila and Jen would have been climbing the walls if they had to go through watching that, right?:lol: At least Semin got me a couple of points(about time nose-picker!)

LA beat Carolina 5-2. Not much to say about this game except to say that Carolina is in a HUGE tailspin. I can't imagine Paul Maurice being around too much longer now(which is a shame as he's a nice guy and a decent coach).

Chicago beat Colorado 3-2 in the shootout. Close game.

Flyers play Thursday night, and Ray Emery will be facing his old team...Ottawa! That should be a good game! Let me know what you thought of the game, Jen, please.:)

I did think it's being televised here
:frown:Jerseygirl Jen

That sucks!:( Well, I can always post the score here for you if you would like.:)

(And did you read my second-from-the-top post on this page yet?;):p:D)

Oh! I almost forgot. How is the quest to find the part for you car going? I hope you were able to find the part at a reasonable price. Of course, if you are as nice offline as you are here(and I have a feeling you are ), then maybe they will feel badly for you and give you a discount?:)

I'm waiting for the body shop to call me and tell me when to bring in the car, They got a hold of a used one from a junkyard in SO CAL so when it arrives they call me to bring the car in


:yes: Jerseygirl Jen

You never fail to give a chuckle and sometimes a good laugh.:respect: And I would have rather liked the Islanders to win.

Sounds like it could be a fair price then. I'll keep my fingers crossed that it is.:)

And I am glad that they were at least able to find the part for you.:)

Thank you Ila. I appreciate the compliment.:)

I am torn as to whether or not I want the Islanders to win. On the one hand, they have been so bad for so long that it would be nice for them to do well for a change. On the other hand, the more teams that there are below the Leafs at the end of the season, the worse pick that Boston will get. Hence, the tornage.;)

I'm just glad that Semin finally woke up and got me a couple of points! He must have read my "nose-picking" comments here and felt like he had to prove me wrong!:lol:

I would be happy to not see Boston and Montreal playing each other early in the playoffs. Montreal has had too many problems, in the last few years, beating Boston in the playoff games.

I wanted the Islander to win because I dislike them less than I dislike Washington (the team captain is really irritating).

Toronto has got to start playing better if they even want to get into the playoffs. Of course it's still early in the season and a lot can happen between now and next March. And who knows, maybe that cardboard cutout of Toskala will come through for you guys.

Sharks!
Our year!
:-)

Or he can be traded for a bag of pucks. Preferably not ones that have gone past him already.;):lol:

Welcome to the forums!:)

They are playing very well this year(so far), but we should wait and see how they perform in the playoffs before we will know for sure. Even as a fan, you will probably agree that they have a habit of playing badly in the playoffs.

Okay. Here are the scores. I will place the Devils score at the very bottome of the post with ***DEVIL'S GAME SPOILERS*** above and below it so that dauls can watch the game unaware of the outcome. Allrighty, here we go!

1. Florida beat Boston in the shootout, 1-0. Boston lost, but Thomas still got the shutout(his second in a row!) unfortunately for me and my chances in the pool. Sounds like it was a boring game, at least if the score is any indication.

2. (For Jen) Philadelphia kicked Ottawa's ass, 5-1! I thought it was going to be a close game once Ottawa tied it up, but Philly just pulled away. I'll bet Emery had an extra large smile on his face when this one was completed.;)

3. Atlanta beat the Rangers 5-3. Darn it Lundqvist! Start playing better! You have yet to give me a point since I traded away Cam Ward to get you. Grumble, grumble.

4. Tampa Bay beat Minnesota 4-3 in the....wait for it....are you reading Ila and Jen....the SHOOTOUT! Yay! Or not.

5. Detroit beat Vancouver 3-1. Dang it! Another goalie that didn't give me points tonight! Play better Vancouver(or at least win please!).

6. Nashville beat St. Louis 3-1. I can't say I care about either of these teams, so...moving on......

7. (For Ila) Montreal beat Phoenix 4-2. While I am happy for you Ila, I wanted Phoenix to win(and get the shutout) just for the fact that I have Bryzgalov in my pool(and would have gotten 7 points for that!).;)

8. Dallas beat San Jose 3-2 in the shootout. Hmmmm. Another shootout tonight? Well, I am happy that Dallas won since too many other people in the pool have Nabokov and if he had gotten the shutout(like I thought he was going to during the third period) I would have been down even more points! The new member that posted their first post in this thread won't be too happy with that final score, I would imagine.

And finally, game number 9!


***DEVIL'S GAME SPOILER***












The Devil's won 4-1. They played well again. 9-0(or is it 10-0?) on the road now. Congratulations dauls.:cool:








***DEVIL'S GAME SPOILER ENDS***

9-0-0
 

A thorough game summary shadows. Thanks for the ***SPOILER***, but if I'd gotten that far before I'd seen the game I don't think I'd have had the self control to stop myself from scrolling any further down, especially trailing 1-0 at the end of the 1st period.

That's 9-0-0 on the road, and a win streak of 7.:cool: A good start to the season, but they've only played 17 games, a long way to go before worring about the Devils in the Stanley Cup ruining my sleep.

Probably be a month before the Devils appear on ESPN in the UK again.

Does that mean I should skip the spoiler warning next time?:innocent:;):D

They are clicking right now, big time! Zach Parise is proving that last season was not a fluke. He can challenge for the lead in scoring, and all of this with a Devil's team that is built to play low-scoring games due to a defense-first mindset.:cool:

And here we go with tonight's scores. I warn you, gentle readers, that with it being Friday the 13th there will be some frights in store for you(especially with Toskala in net! Remember! You have been warned!!!:eek:

1. Washington beat Minnesota 3-1. No big surprise there since the only team that hasn't beaten Minnesota lately are the Leafs. *grumble* Leafs! Ovechkin did not play, but it sounds like he will play on Saturday. Darn.

2. The Islanders beat Carolina 4-3 in overtime! All I can say is that one team was going to win. It was a crapshoot as to which one it would be(as they are both not very good teams this year, with Carolina taking the lead in the craptitude race).

3. Columbus beat Anaheim 3-2 in the SHOOTOUT! RUN ILA!!!! The shootout is gonna get'cha!:eek:

4. Buffalo beat Calgary 2-1 in the, dare I say it?..., shootout! See? I told you there were lots of frightful tales this dreary night(well, it wasn't really dreary as the weather was quite nice for November).

5. In a truly dreadful massacre, Atlanta totally moiderlized *nyuk* *nyuk* *nyuk* LA 7-0. Halloween came late for these two teams as Atlanta got lots of treats and LA got nothing but a big bag of flaming poo placed on their porch. Poor LA. Don't step on the....ooooh too late.

6. And last, and most certainly least, Chicago beat Toronto 3-2. Kessel got two goals(4 goals already!) for Toronto, but my taste for the game was sullied by the fact that "no glove" Toskala was in net. Well, I guess I can take solace in the fact that he didn't give up 7 goals like LA did.:frown:

And there you have it, boys and ghouls! Another edition of Hockey Horror is finished. Be safe and do not step on any flaming bags of poop on your porch.:p

P.S. I am neither drunk nor tippy. I just have a weird sense of humour(well, I hope that you find it humourous! ;) )