Hockey

[shadows]

Here are the scores from Feb 3rd's games:

1. Ottawa beat Buffalo 4-2. This is Ottawa's 10th win in a row. The only team that is hotter than Ottawa right now is Washington! Spezza had 2 goals and 1 assist. He has been on fire since coming back! I'm not sure how far Ottawa will go in the playoffs anymore, as they have certainly surprised me with their play of late.

2. St. Louis beat Chicago 3-2. Here is a team that is looking forward to the Olympic break. Chicago has been playing some ordinary hockey lately, and a break could do them well.

3. Calgary beat Carolina 4-1. This is the first game in quite a while(I am not counting the Edmonton game, because let's face it...it was the Edmonton Oilers!) that they have scored more than 2 goals. The key to this is whether they can keep doing this or not.

4. Speaking of Edmonton...Edmonton beat Philadelphia 1-0. This looked to be going into overtime tied at zero when Ryan Potulny scored a Power Play goal at 19:43 of the third period. Darroll Powe gets the goat horns in this one. Jen will not be a happy camper after seeing this!

5. Anaheim beat Detroit 3-1. Despite being outshot 47-30 Anaheim managed to secure the victory. Hiller was the reason Anaheim was able to claim the win.

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Here are the scores from Feb 4th's games:

1. Montreal beat Boston 3-2 in the shootout. As has happened for so many times recently, Boston outshot their opponent and blew a lead. Boston had 47 shots for Montreal's 26 yet still lost the game. They also blew another 2-0 lead at a time where they need to buckle down and play some sound hockey. Boston got a point from this game, but they could have gotten two. Ila will be happy but smc certainly won't.

2. Washington beat the Rangers 6-5. Not a very pretty game from a defensive or goaltending standpoint. Ovechkin had 2 goals and an assist and he now has 500 points for his career(already?!?). Backstrom also had 1 goal and 4 assists for Washington. This was their 12th win in a row.

3. Columbus beat Dallas 2-1. Kind of a boring game, which is the usual modus operundi for the Blue Jackets this season. Yawn.

4. Ottawa beat Vancouver 3-1. This is Ottawa's 11th win in a row. Spezza has now scored a goal in every game since he has come back. How long can he keep this up? This is Vancouver's second loss in a row. Andrew Raycrap was in net for them, and he played like he was playing for the Leafs again. Ah, how I miss Raycrap...not.

5. Tampa Bay beat the Islanders 5-2. Steve Stamkos had 2 goals and 1 assist in the victory. He now has 31 goals for the year. Not bad for his sophomore season!

6. San Jose beat St. Louis 4-2. Pretty much par for the course with the Sharks. They win again. Boyle missed yet another game for the Sharks and Nabokov got the night off.

7. Nashville beat Colorado 5-3. Jason Arnott had 1 goal and 3 assists for the evening.

8. Minnesota beat Edmonton 4-2. I guess the high for the 1-0 victory the night before has now worn off.

9. LA beat Anaheim 6-4. Anaheim had come back from down 4-1 and tied it up 4-4! However LA scored two more goals late in the third to take the win. Not a very good night for Hiller, but LA has a lot of firepower in their lineup. Quick gave up 4 goals off 22 shots so he wasn't particularly sharp either.

[transjen]

WOW 2 days without the Flyers loosing a game
Jerseygirl Jen

[shadows]

Originally Posted by transjen

WOW 2 days without the Flyers loosing a game
Jerseygirl Jen

When is their next game?

[transjen]

Originally Posted by shadows

When is their next game?

Either fri or sat
Jerseygirl Jen

[smc]

Originally Posted by shadows

When is their next game?

Man, that's harsh.

[ila]

Originally Posted by smc

So, I spend the evening watching the Bruins play the Habs (and "surfing" the Forum), only to have my heart broken in a goddam shootout! Montreal 3, Boston 2. But at least it's a point.......

Originally Posted by shadows

.....Here are the scores from Feb 4th's games:

1. Montreal beat Boston 3-2 in the shootout. As has happened for so many times recently, Boston outshot their opponent and blew a lead. Boston had 47 shots for Montreal's 26 yet still lost the game. They also blew another 2-0 lead at a time where they need to buckle down and play some sound hockey. Boston got a point from this game, but they could have gotten two. Ila will be happy but smc certainly won't.......

It's always an interesting game when Montreal and Boston play. It's an old rivalry and a matchup that seems to happen quite often when the playoffs start.

[Captn Sacto]

Originally Posted by shadows

Here are the scores from Feb 4th's games:

6. San Jose beat St. Louis 4-2. Pretty much par for the course with the Sharks. They win again. Boyle missed yet another game for the Sharks and Nabokov got the night off.

Does anyone have a tougher stretch before the Olympics than St Louis. They play 7 games in 11 days. Started with the Blackhawks on Wednesday and the Sharks Thursday. They play Chicago again this weekend and also play the Avalanche, Red Wings and Capitals. The only "weak" team is Toronto and I think they are much better after the trades this last week.

Not a fan of the Blues, but feel for them. They started the season so poorly and are finally getting within sniffing distance of the playoffs and now they have this string of games. If they don't play really well, could cost them their chance to make the playoffs.

[dauls]

Originally Posted by shadows

HUGE TRADE!!!!!!

(I'm surprised that dauls didn't mention this)

Article from tsn.ca.
THRASHERS SHIP KOVALCHUK TO DEVILS FOR PLAYERS, 1ST ROUNDER

The Atlanta Thrashers have parted ways with the most celebrated player in franchise history, trading star winger Ilya Kovalchuk to the New Jersey Devils.

The Thrashers acquired defenceman John Oduya, forwards Niclas Bergfors and Patrice Cormier and the Devils first round pick in 2010.

The 19-year-old Cormier had been playing for the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, but was suspended for the remainder of the regular season and playoffs by the QMJHL after delivering a hit to the head of Quebec Remparts' Mikael Tam. Cormier was Canada's captain at the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship and helped the team to a silver medal this past January. He was drafted by New Jersey in the 2nd round (54th overall) of the 2008 Entry Draft.

Missed the whole thing. If I don't check online at NHL.com there is nowhere else in the UK I'm going to catch NHL news. If I'm offline for a few days I miss everything.

Kovalchuk is a great bonus. Maybe we now won't have to rely on Brodeur and his shutouts so heavily for the rest of the season.

Originally Posted by shadows

Regarding the trade I just posted about. It looks like the Devils have washed their hands of the entire Patrice Cormier incident as he is one of the players to be traded to Atlanta. I wonder if they will honour the suspension(which is still under appeal as far as I know)? They better!

It's great to be shot of Cormier. It's now up to the NHL and the QMJHL to make sure his suspension in fully enforced.
I hope he gets seriously slammed against the boards and body checked like he's been hit by a freight-train in his first few NHL games, he has it coming.

[dauls]

Devils trailing 3-1 with 3 minutes and 4 seconds to go.

Still trailing 3-2 with 44 seconds to go.

We then score twice in 25 seconds.

shadows, I bet you wish the Kovalchuk (2 assists) trade had been delayed by a few days.

Sorry but that's got to be a hard defeat to take.

Undeserved gloating kept to an absolute minimum.

[shadows]

Originally Posted by dauls

Devils trailing 3-1 with 3 minutes and 4 seconds to go.

Still trailing 3-2 with 44 seconds to go.

We then score twice in 25 seconds.

shadows, I bet you wish the Kovalchuk (2 assists) trade had been delayed by a few days.

Sorry but that's got to be a hard defeat to take.

Undeserved gloating kept to an absolute minimum.

It's just par for the course, it seems. They win a game, and then lose three in a row. Damn that Toskala! He screamed out from the stands and make Ponikarovsky hook the Devil player in fright!

I am not sure how long Brian Burke will be away, as his youngest son was killed yesterday in a car accident. I will post an article from espn.com in my next post.

[shadows]

From espn.com.

Brendan Burke killed in car accident

TORONTO -- Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke's youngest son was killed in a car accident in snowy Indiana on Friday.

The team issued a brief statement confirming the death of 21-year-old Brendan Burke. Brian Burke also is the general manager of the U.S. Olympic team.

"The National Hockey League grieves tonight for the family and friends of Brendan Burke, a young man of courage and character," NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in a release. "Words simply cannot express our sorrow over his loss. We send our deepest, most heartfelt condolences to Brendan's father, Brian; his mother, Kerry; everyone in Brendan's family and all who were inspired by his love for hockey."

Police told the Toronto Star that Burke was driving a Jeep Grand Cherokee when the vehicle slid sideways into the path of a Ford truck. Burke's friend, 18-year-old Mark Reedy, also died in the accident.

U.S. Olympic Committee chairman Larry Probst said the USOC was "extremely saddened" by Burke's death.

"Our heart goes out to Brian and his family in this very difficult time," Dave Ogrean, executive director of USA Hockey, said. "We know the prayers of the entire hockey family, including our Olympic team, are with the Burke family."




Very sad story indeed. The next post is the original article which talks about how Brendan came out and how his father reacted.

[shadows]

'We love you, this won't change a thing'

"I hope the day comes, and soon, when this is not a story." -- Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke

Imagine this.

Well before you are born, your dad plays college hockey at Providence College and wears the "C" for Friars coach and Hockey Hall of Famer Lou Lamoriello. Your dad is then a member of the Calder Cup-winning Maine Mariners AHL team. He admits to having little skill, but contributes rough and tough qualities. You know, like pugnacity, testosterone, truculence and belligerence. He's a man, baby.

Dad is also driven. And smart. He quickly retires from pro hockey. He knows he will make the NHL only with his brain and mental brawn. He earns a law degree from Harvard in 1981, then practices law in Boston for the next six years, representing professional hockey players before joining the Vancouver Canucks in 1987 as vice president and director of hockey operations. He has made the NHL. You are born a year later in Vancouver, British Columbia, in December 1988.

Dad is GM of the Hartford Whalers for a season as a 37-year-old before joining the NHL front office as senior vice president and director of hockey operations under commissioner Gary Bettman in September 1993, staying until 1998. Dad and Mom divorce in 1995, and, as a 9-year old, you move to Boston with Mom in 1997.

Dad then begins a six-year stint on the other side of the continent as president and general manager of the Vancouver Canucks. Meanwhile, you play hockey while growing up in the Boston area, and you are a goalie. You love Dominik Hasek and still believe he is the best of all time. Dad tries to see you play whenever he can. Goalie is a comfortable position for you on the ice, looking out and hiding behind a mask.

You eventually attend Xaverian Brothers High School, a prep school in Westwood, Mass., and make the competitive varsity hockey team as a senior, but choose not to play. You say it is because you don't think you would get enough playing time and you are upset at the coach. But you actually don't play because you don't think you can go another season without someone finding out your secret.

Your hockey career is over.

"Middle school and early high school is the first time I remember thinking that I could be gay, but I definitely tried to ignore it and didn't want to seriously consider it. It's pretty easy to try and convince yourself that it's not true, but it won't work, ever." -- Brendan Burke

The Burke Family
Brendan Burke, standing by the Stanley Cup, after his father won it all with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007.

You go on to attend Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, after your guidance counselor recommends the school. Miami is well known for being academically challenging and having one of the more visually idyllic campuses in the country. It doesn't disappoint. The brick buildings and brand-new hockey rink make the small town feel like what college should feel like. Like an old Hollywood movie set. Ohio is a friendly place with warm people who smile a lot and like to get together in groups and laugh. You fit right in. You've made a great decision.

You especially enjoy the Miami hockey program constructed by coach Enrico Blasi. You are involved as a student manager. Blasi demands his program and its culture be grounded in family. He calls it the Miami hockey brotherhood. The mission is to be the best one can be every day with a vision to become a champion in everything one does, on and off the ice. Miami's focus is on three things: relationships, daily behaviors and accountability. You watch and break down the pre-scout videos. You also keep most of the goalie statistics and prepare all the best clips for highlight videos.

While you're at Miami, Dad is now in Southern California as executive vice president and general manager for Anaheim and the Ducks win it all in 2007. You drink out of the Stanley Cup with Pops in the Anaheim dressing room. You love your father, you're proud of him, but you are hiding something from him that you will soon hide no more.

In 2008, Dad is chosen as general manager of the 2010 U.S. Olympic hockey team and named a recipient of the 2008 Lester Patrick Trophy for outstanding service to hockey in the United States. His r?sum? is relentless. Today, Dad runs the most profitable NHL team, the Toronto Maple Leafs, and is, without question, one of hockey's more magnetic and interesting characters along with Don Cherry and Alex Ovechkin. Dad televises well.

So, imagine, this is your father. You? Probably destined to be "Burkie's boy" in Canada even if you resurrected George Harrison and John Lennon and reunited The Beatles. Imagine.

"Brendan is an incredible kid. He and I are incredibly close, even for brothers. In most families, the older brother overshadows the younger brother, but not ours. We went to the same high school and people there still refer to me as "Brendan's brother."

He's exceptionally smart, funny, motivated, successful and happy. He has an incredible way with people.

There's a genuine kindness about him that really resonates with people. It's a gift I'm very jealous of." -- Patrick Burke, Brendan's brother, now a scout with the Philadelphia Flyers

Your dad thinks through everything. Dad is big, confident and continuously radiates a persona that is rough, gruff, unrelenting and unapologetic. He has a cold, expressionless poker face straight out of a Clint Eastwood movie. Yet, he does this all with the most subtle of Irish smirks that says there is more behind this thick skin. And there is. He calls you "Moose" because you have always been a big kid. He cares very deeply about you and your happiness. You say he has always been there when you needed him. And he has a great sense of humor. Imagine that.

But on this night in 2007, you are petrified of your dad. Because you, Brendan Burke, at 19 years old, are about to tell your dad, Mr. Testosterone, that you are gay.

-Part 1-