Avs vs Alliteration

Overall, a good couple of days for me, and a couple of bad ones for the Avs

Post Pessimist Pretty Positive

I guess Post-Pessimist means you are supposed to be positive, but I have to say, Greg is a hell of a nice guy. Of course, he is an Avs fan, so of course he is. But beyond that, he was a lot of fun to hang out with. H?e couldn't stay at the bar for the game, but the pregame was a ton of fun. He knows his hockey, which is why he writes for Hockey Rants, but he's pretty funny to boot. A good time was had. I wish he would have been snowed in, as that night, I won tickets to the Blues / Avs game that was tonight.

Theodore Tanks Trying To Take Turco

When you at the hockey bar, and the crowd cheers when your high paid "number one" goaltender is pulled, you know something is wrong in the land. All I can say is, if four goals isn't enough to beat the Stars, then there are some serious problems.

Budaj Battles Bad Blues (But Battles Buddies)

So I had to use "battles" twice. It still fits.
If you look at the game sheet, you get the feeling that Budaj tanked. Budaj let in 3 goals on 19 shots, while Legace had 30 saves on 32 shot. Sadly, half the shots the Avs took were weak as hell, and could be seen all the way in. Budaj didn't face that many shots, and he got some help in that regard. The Avs still blocked some serious shots. But there was some bad play along the way
Wolski looked dead on his feet half the time, and tried to play way to pretty when he had the puck. Ian Laperriere gets the award for most obvious penalty of the night, putting the Avs on the wrong side of a 5 on 3 (one goal). Ossi Vaananen blows the 2 on 1 against, and lets the pass go past him, when the puck was practically at the goal line. (another goal). And what the hell Hejduk was doing taking a penalty 180 feet from his own end is beyond me. (that makes 3) So the Blues went 3-4 on the power play (including the empty netter), even though they are the worst power play club in the league. The Avs had problems all night with clearing the zone. Overall a bad night for everyone, but not so bad for Budaj as it may seem.

Jerseys and Hockey Love Comes Online

I have no alliteration on that one. It was just the leap that needed to be made, and I'm happy to have done it. I keep scratching my head about some parts, and marveling at others. This is really fun. I;m pretty happy with it.

Technorati : Avalanche, Avs, Blues, Hockey, NHL

The Move Is Complete

The new Jerseys and Hockey Love is now open. You can go see it at:

jerseysandhockeylove.com/blog/

There is also a home page at jerseysandhockeylove.com, but it looks horrible right now, and is nothing but pointing to the blog.

After 240 posts, over 6,400 visits, and plenty of hand wringing, I am ready to make the move. I will miss this place a little, but not much. Blogger was a really nice start, but I think this is going to be fun.

I will be sending out emails and the like about updating links and the like. I will continue to cross-post here for a few weeks, but that's all.

See you over there!

Jerseys and Hockey Love Manifesto

Best used between June 7th, 2006 and June 30th, 2007

Management reserves the right to have an opinion

Management has the right to spread it's opinion

Management has the right to change it's opinion

Management has the right to be wrong


Item One:
Hockey is not the NHL, hockey is a sport. More so, hockey is a game. The NHL is a league that plays the game of hockey for a lot of money. That simple fact is easy to forget. It is the same game played by 10 year old children, men in beer leagues, and the Women on the Olympic teams. It is played all over the world, and at all different levels. Female rabbis and amputees play it, kids ref it, and it is larger than all of us, or our nation of birth. Acting like the NHL is hockey will be subject to finger pointing and laughter.

Item Two:
Opinions about hockey are only opinions, and you are welcome to yours. No one else has to agree with them. Do not complain to management if you feel you are not being heard, you have as much of a voice as I do. No one has to listen to me, or you, or Jeremy Roenick.

Item Three:
Your team is not your team. You do not play for the Montreal Canadians, or the Anaheim Ducks, or the Colorado Avalanche. While the use of the term "We" in regards to the team you enjoy (follow/love/bow down to/ are a fan of ) is considered marginally acceptable, you, as a person, did nothing to help your team into the playoffs, lift the Stanley Cup, make a bad play, make a bad trade, or anything that happened on the ice or the back office. If you are a player or employee of a team, then you can send a resume to management for exemption on this item. Until then, get off the high horse.

Item Four:
Management is not responsible for your anger, hate, or general dislike of anything. If you do not like what you read anywhere, be it on the web, in print, or spray painted in the streets, you have the right to stop reading it. If you are offended by anything said here, please avert your eyes. I'm OK with that.

Item Five:
The professional players who we pick at, make fun of, and take to task are people. They have a completely different lifestyle, and had a completely different experience growing up than you or I. While they should be held accountable for their actions, they are not perfect, nor should they be expected to be. Money does not make them happy, daily struggles do not simply vanish, and life does not stop for them. They have feeling, problems, and issues. To act like they should walk on water is ridiculous. Look back on your life and see where you went wrong. Then apply that to a life well outside of the mainstream. Kids who want to play in the NHL do not think about how they are going to get ripped apart in the media, or how they are going to be public enemy number one in the eyes of millions. They aren't thinking about bankruptcy or divorces or hate mail or toiling in the minors. They want to score and skate and hold up a trophy. We are the ones who bring along their baggage. We make it harder on them. As much as they may own that for being in that light, we own it for slinging it.

Item Six:
The NHL is not a right, it is a privilege. The NHL is a business that sells you hockey. If it went out of business tomorrow, there would be jobs lost, feelings hurt, money that didn't change hands, and the earth would still spin. If you wanted to, you could find a hockey game to go to the very next day, for less money out of pocket, and with a better seat to watch from. You can find a game most nights of the week, be it minor pro, junior, or a bunch of mites. Tomorrow, there will be hockey.

Item Seven:
Calm down. Thank you.

Item Eight:
Management reserves the right to not like the same team, player, beer, or anything as you. Management does not have to agree with you. It's not a problem. It's not personal. I have chosen my path, and to me, it is the path of the righteous. If it is not yours, that is fine. I will not be knocking you down a peg for it. That isn't my place, and it isn't yours.

Item Nine:
You are responsible for what you write. Freedom of speech and personal responsibility go hand in hand. You can act like an adult, or not, but when you get the reign of fire thrown at you, don't come around here expecting your wounds to be cleaned up and get a pat on the head. Act like an ass, get treated like an ass.

Item Ten:
I am part of the problem. Deal with it. We are hockey fans. None of us are innocent.

Item Eleven:
Go watch a game.


Please Note:
This manifesto was inspired by the Old Bastard's Manifesto (from where I completely ripped off the format), written by Warren Ellis. Ellis is, to me, one of the best comic book writers (and soon to be novelist) in the world. He uses pictures and words for great stories, and occasionally to disgust and anger. Don't check him out if you are not prepared.

Also, while I believe everything I just wrote (and have written on this blog), the era of the personal manifesto is at it's end. I am happy for that. There was a time when it was hip to write a manifesto. I am writing mine way after it's cool to do so. I'm happy with that. I don't need to be cool. That can help when you are a hockey fan.

Technorati : Hockey, JAHL, NHL

Bad Day for Me, Good Day to Have Hockey

Well, I had a hell of a day. Actually, it was only a few things. It started with work, where we were loading out the Nutcracker. Your truly took a little tumble and fell backward onto a pile of stage weights. My back is pretty scrapped up, but it could have been worse. Then, when I tried to reset my stats counter for my new site, getting my own page views and visits removed, I accidentally reset the Blogger site. Oops. Well, I can maybe add a few numbers to that, or at least just an asterisk. But even though the Avs aren't playing, OLN is showing the Bruins at Columbus. During the lockout, I spent 8 months in Boston. There was no better place to be without hockey in the States. Northeastern University, Boston University, Boston College, the Beanpot tournament. There was still hockey everywhere. There was AHL nearby in the form of Providence, Lowell, Worcester, Springfield, Hartford, and even Bridgeport, CT. We got to see the AHL AllStar Game and UHL AllStar Game, and I even got to see the Denis Leary Celebrity Hat Trick charity game. They even opened up the Fleet Center (as it was called at the time) for some public skating. For someone who never cared for baseball, it was impossible not to get swept up in the Red Sox world series win. Less so for the New England Patriots superbowl win. There was good food and living on a house boat for a month, there was a serious blizzard and warm days in the Commons. There was days skating in Stoneham, and nights drinking at the Blue Man Group theater. It was the best time I have ever had in my life. It's nice to see the Bruins, but I have to agree with the Wicked Bruins Fan. It's too bad it;s on OLN. I would rather see it on NESN, the local feed. They do a superior job. If I were moving to the east coast, I would go to Boston in a heartbeat, and if I had to pick an Eastern Conference team, I guess I would have to choose the Bruins. Sorry to the rest of you. So the day, she is looking up.

Update: Man, what a game. Ups, downs, highs, lows, the only things missing were a fight and good announcing. Tim Thomas deserved better than what he got tonight. Overall, a good game. A good night for hockey.

Technorati : Boston, Bruins, Hockey, NHL

Mascots

Yes, this is hockey related.

Meet Snowie, from the World Championships in 2002. Snowie, meet boards.



This one is for all the kids



Just plain fun



This is what life is really like in Alberta



Finally, keep your head on a swivel. Chicks dig it.

The Move Happens This Week

Soon after Christmas, Jerseys and Hockey Love will be moving to it's new home. I'll be cross posting here and there for a little bit, and then just let this place trail off. I'll also send out some emails letting people know so they can update their links and all that.

Now I just have to work on the home page more, which looks boring and silly. This HTML think isn't as easy as it looks.

THN, STFU.

I swear (and I might a few times here), I see no reason to continue buying The Hockey News. They piss me off more than any Red Wings blogger has - ever. In what I assume is the latest article (I'm not even interested in going to their website to find out, Crosby and Malkin on the cover), they tell us how, since no one is going to games in America anymore, it's high time some of the teams should be moved to Canada. That's right, the Gary taketh, and the Gary should giveth back.

To make their point, The Hockey News selected November 30th as it's measuring stick. A Thursday. So, THN then goes on about the attendance figures for that night across the league. They talk about the total attendance percentage figures (72%), then the percentage without the Canadian home games included (61.4%). Now, here's some of the kickers:

• The night in question was chosen for a specific reason. Namely, in St. Louis, the Blues has an announced attendance of 5,410 (according to THN). So, that dramatically lowers the percentage. That night, there was also a nasty ice storm. THN reports it as "icy outside". Weather Underground reports that around 8:30 am, there was "light freezing rain," and soon following "ice pellets." Here in Denver, there is snow like a mother (or what I'm assuming THN would call a 'light dusting'), and the Nuggets game was canceled. Uh, oh. We better move the team to the sun belt. Now they have canceled the Avs / Flames game for tonight. On no, we better ship the team back to Quebec City. Our fans aren't good enough to make the game happen.

• There were three NHL games played in Canada. Ducks at Vancouver (it's the Ducks, with the best record in the league, and the dreaded Chris Pronger), Avalanche at Edmonton (an in division game in the tightest division in the league, also right after the Ryan Smyth / John-Micheal Liles knee-on-thigh incident), and Panthers at Senators (huh?). The Senators game was announced at 17,814, and have a reported capacity of 20,500. Not bad, but what is that 85% ish? Fine, not bad, but still... The games played in America: Flyers at Islander (two crap teams), Kings at Coyotes (crap and crap), Lightning at Bruins (can you say disenfranchised fans? I knew you could), Stars at Caps (out of Conference, but should sell, didn't but should), and Maple Leafs at Thrashers (sold decent considering that the fan base is getting back into the game after years of losing for no good reason). So, what do you stake your findings on? A piss poor night of hockey.

• This is a beef with THN specifically. If you are going to put a picture of a game in Montreal in your article about attendance on a specific day, pick one where the Habs play.

• St. Louis is the whipping boy. After coming in last with a bullet, and then the promise of serious rebuilding falling flat, and with an increase in ticket prices to boot, what the hell do you expect? I found this simple graphic from St. Louis Today. I can't attest to it's accuracy, but if this is what's happening in St. Louis, I think there are some real problems that can be solved easily and without a border crossing.

They claim that Winnipeg and Southern Ontario would be good markets. Fine. Great. If Winnipeg was so good, why did the Jets leave? Why take a chance on Arizona, a place that many people believe is a silly place for the NHL to be in. Or, if Quebec City is a possibility, why did the Nordiques leave for Colorado. Sure, the Flames left Atlanta for Calgary, and are wildly successful, but they were in Atlanta first for a reason, and a franchise was put back there for a reason.

Even if the teams moved to Canada, what would that give you? A few more percentage points of attendance bump? Whoopide doo. You also get a more diluted Canadian television package, and an even less interested American audience (we don't see many Canada vs Canada teams down here, you know). What you wind up doing is selling the game to the same people you are already selling the game to. This is not how you build a league beyond gate revenues. As important as that is, how much is television rights worth for individual teams, in their own markets?

My beef is not with Canada, or with the people who want or would support an NHL team in another Canadian city. In a way, I hope you get your wish. My beef is with THN. There is more punditry in THN than on the average hour of FOX News, and that is saying something.

Technorati : Hockey, NHL, THN

Still Life in the Snow Storm

Continuing the Still Life with Hockey Nerd series...

This was taken at Illegal Pete's, which was one of the few places open yesterday serving food. For those of you in Canada, that plate is full of what we call nachos. The tomato stuff and the green stuff is called salsa, which you may know as chutney. I didn't have a burrito, as that may have confused you (in my 6 months spent in Toronto, I never did see one). But, to the left is a Molson Canadian. I'm sure the phone (first look at the new one) was made overseas.

Technorati : hockey, hockey nerd, still life

Snow Day!!! (very photo heavy)

If you don't pay attention to the weather outside of your area, or just don't even care, it's snowing like a mother here (Dear Canada, I don't care how much it snows there. Thank you) up to two feet are expected by noon tomorrow. The Ballet was canceled, as was the Nuggets (basketball) game. And since I didn't have to work, I could go out and make snow angels (which I didn't, but I could have). Wish you were here:

View from my building


Ready to go out


Yeah...


Big blue bear attacks convention center, film at eleven.


the 16th Street Mall


It's a basketball thing, but I thought it was still funny


The train station

Dancing in the snow...


This post was designed to make Greg jealous. I'm not sure it worked, but it sure is worth trying.

Go Avs (nice legs, eh?)

Technorati : Avalanche, Avs, Denver, Snow

Thin Air: Bad Night For the Home Team

Just a quick hit or two, from my sleepy brain:

• There was only one win by a home team Tuesday night (Wild)
  
• There were three teams to score 7 goals
  
• There were 3 hat tricks in the night (Blake, Brunette, Sturm)
  
• The Nutcracker was Tchaikovsky's least favorite composition he wrote (look, I give you the hockey, and throw in the bonus of culture. Angry culture)
  

That's all I have for tonight. Tune in next time when I ask if there were any goalies in net for last night's Oilers / Avs game. Goodnight.

Technorati : Avalanche, Avs, Hockey, NHL

Doing the Work to Make the Move

I'm doing a bunch of work on the new site, which should be up and ready soon. There is a bit of a learning curve moving over from Blogger to Wordpress, but so far, I like the results. It seems like everything you want to do, there is a plugin for.

Last night, I was working the load out for Sweet Charity starring Molly Ringwald (yes, you read that right), so I was going to tape the game and watch it today, but about ten minutes into the loadout, one of my co-workers came by and said, "So, Blackhawks, huh?" So much for the surprise. I have become well versed on shutting out the internet when I have to tape delay my hockey enjoyment, but there is only so much a man can do.

Cleveland It Is

I will be at work all day today, and well into the night, so I won't be able to update if this is officially announced today, but this is from the Plain Dealer:

The American Hockey League team owned by Dan Gilbert will be the top affiliate of the Colorado Avalanche, Cavaliers officials confirmed Saturday.

Gilbert, owner of the Cavaliers, and a group of investors purchased a dormant AHL franchise, the Utah Grizzlies, earlier this year. The AHL approved the sale in May.

The Cavaliers and Avalanche agreed on a multiyear deal that is expected to be announced officially today

One good thing about Cleveland, they are right next to the best amusement park in the world. So there.

Oh, also, this is for Brushback of sidearm delivery...

The current franchise still needs a nickname and accompanying logo. Komoroski said broadcast reports that the team will be known as the Fighting Walleyes are premature.

Someone needs to photoshop up a Walleye jersey.

Analyzing the Ducks (with pictures) Part 2

Continuing the painstaking, time consuming analisys of the Anaheim Ducks. Be warned, it will blow your mind. If you are not up to reading this sort of in depth analysis, with pithy insights, perhaps you should look away, and maybe even turn on the CBC. Just warning you now.

Creating confusion and havoc with speed and hard work...



Lead to a bad line change for the opposing team, and too many men on the ice.



More work along the boards.



Now, watch this. Keep an eye on the defenseman on the outside..



He cuts off the top man, and gets in for a near perfect pinch down low. Just brilliant. You can't trade players to Edmonton for that kind of skill.



Staying tight to his man, the D doesn't let him get a pass off.



And don't forget, they have some serious talent in the system, lots of young prospects waiting in the wings (HA!!)



Well, that's all I have for now, but you can be assured that if the Ducks start changing systems or tactics, you can read about it here.

Technorati : Aneheim, Ducks, Hockey, NHL

Avs Looking to Cleveland for AHL Affiliate?

There is so much to read these days, I missed this from a few days ago. From The Denver Post:

The Avalanche organization is continuing negotiations that could lead to Colorado supplying talent for a new American Hockey League franchise in Cleveland.

Cleveland. Whoopie.

Quicken Loans chairman Dan Gilbert, who also owns downtown Cleveland's Quicken Loans Arena and the Cleveland Cavaliers, also will own the hockey AHL franchise.

As far as I can tell, that's pretty much the only way it's going to work in Cleveland. A major reason the San Jose Sharks moved the Cleveland Barons to Worcester was because they had an unfavorable lease deal (high rent). If the guy who owns the arena owns the team, there is no such thing. The question will be about attracting fans, which was the other problem for the Barons. They weren't doing so well in that regard of late. But there's nothing like taking hockey away to make fans come back, right lockout sufferers?

Still, Cleveland. I would rather see the Cincinnati Cyclones of the ECHL be moved to an AHL level team, but I have a soft spot in my heart for the Cyclones.

Technorati : AHL, Avalanche, Avs, Cleveland, NHL, hockey

JAHL Welcomes the Caps Fans and the Biggest Day Ever

I gotta say, those Dancing Hockey Cats are worth their weight in posts. Yesterday, someone who stumbled across the hockey cats posts put it up on the Official Washington Capitals Message Board. Well, the results were amazing. I know these are small beans numbers compared to places like the Battle of Alberta, or Kuklas, but for me, this is huge. I get more hits from google search pages than from people. I'm OK with that, but some days it sure is nice to get a big day out of the JAHL. They say write for yourself, and that's what I do, some days that seems like all I do. So, here was what I got at 11:59 PM:



By comparison, this is what the average day and week looks like around here:

Of course, I was just waiting to see if I got that nice round number of 250. And really, I'm fine with that, but then I refreshed the thing just after midnight. Guess what:



One person logged on right after midnight, and who would that fateful person who made it by JAHL at 12:00:12 AM? Earl Sleek from the Battle of California. Such is life.

Thanks to all the Caps fans, and the Habs fans who saw the forum post someone put up at the Official Montreal Canadiens Message Board. Thanks for stopping by, and making this the MOST VISITED DAY EVER.

Now, back to the stuff.

Analyzing the Ducks (with pictures) Part 1

The Ducks are first in the NHL right now, but they have the rare night off. Who couldn't use more Ducks? Maybe the LA Kings. Or the Coyotes. I haven't seen very many Ducks games this season, but I thought I would throw in my two cents as to why they are doing so well. This is the kind of hard hitting analysis you have come to expect around here from JAHL. This is the kind of work that would kill a weaker man. But I aim to please. This is classic Ducks. On this breakout, see how the duck at the bottom of the picture is driving hard to the blue line, making the defender give chase. Great speed, and a confidence his teammates along the boards will get the puck to him. Hard backchecking. These guys don't give up. Three Ducks lined up at the red line, but this is not the trap. Nope, not a trap. Really. We mean it. Good work along the boards.

There are five players covering four Ducks. Where is the fifth Duck?

There he is, on the breakaway. Such calm and poise. It can only be Teemu

Now that's serious puck support!

It's pretty obvious, from the photographic evidence, what the Ducks are doing right. They are the best team for a reason, and here at JAHL, we tell the tail. (HA!) But that's only part of the story. More Ducks analysis soon.

Technorati : Anaheim, Ducks, Hockey, NHL

Still Life From Last Night

Still Life From Last Night
Originally uploaded by Tapeleg.

I'll tell you right now, I was reading the book on the left a hell of a lot more than the one on the right. The puck is from Monday's game. It's the same one I gave to the Acidqueen at the game.

JAHL is Moving!!!!

Right on the heals of the Biggest Blogging Announcement Ever!!!! (yes, even bigger than The Battle of California actually being a battle), I took the plunge a week or so ago, dropped the spare change, and now,

JERSEYS AND HOCKEY LOVE IS MOVING!!!!

Yes, that's right, in a few weeks, I will take all the limited talent I have produced on blogger, and move to it's own separate site. I should be ready to take the plunge in a week or so, and I will be moving all of the content over to a Wordpress blog, so things will be interesting for me shortly.

I also have a few other projects in mind for the site, nothing to big or shocking, but stay with me on this, I think it's going to be fun.

As for Alanah at VCOE, I wish her well on the move of her site, even though I'm kind of sad she is shutting down the old dog. VCOE was one of the reasons I started blogging in the first place.

I will let you know when the date is near for the inevitable screwup I will make in transferring sites. Thanks for sticking around.

Technorati : Hockey, JAHL, Jerseys, VCOE

Still Life Before the Game

Still Life Before the Game
Originally uploaded by Tapeleg.

I wasn't around a network to send this earlier. Yes, that is a Stella. Yes, Stella is hockey beer.

LiveXish From the Game

First period Why is Hejduk a scratch? Or Svatos? Why is Grahame in goal for the Canes? Smells like a low importance game. GOOOOOAAALLL!!!!!! Arnason gets his own rebound. You can always tell Laperierre, not by his sze, but by his expressions. He gestures like a french canadian. Clark breaks up a pass, but puts it right on his own net. Nerve wracking. Skrastins for hooking. I hate when he takes a penalty, since he's one of our best PKers. Puck goes out of play, and the Avs catch a break. It looked cleanly out, but it's hard to tell from this angle. Leopold makes a few nice moves, which are promptly nuetralized by Vaanenen. You have all the vowels, Ossi. Isn't that enough? Turgeon for hooking: the Canes get in ckose to Budaj, but get nothing. Commodore gets the between the legs of an Av, but there is no call. The penalty is killed, but that's two against the Avs, and none against the Canes. That's living dangerously if it keeps going. Third penalty in a row for the Avs (Sakic for hooking). It's because the Avs aren't coming out of their zone well. The Canes are getting past them too much on the way to the goal.

2nd period Clark is in the penalty box for holding. I missed the call because I went to visit the Acidqueen. More on that later. Richardson for hooking makes for a long 5-3 (1:31) The 5-3 kill was working so well. A Canes fan will tell you it was tic-tac-goal, but it was a little more sloppy than that.Williams from Stillman and Staal. That ain't no way to live. 1-1 Finally, a hard check from the Avs. And a Canes penalty. Puck out of play for the Delay of game. The powerplay falls apart, and a couple chances get turned into a chase. Canes #25 gets stuck in the glass. Jersey pinched in the glass. That isn't in the rule book. Canes for holding the stick. Yeah, at home. Alone. Like he does. HELL of a shot sequence there. Avs take advantage of the broken stick. Commodore bodyslams an Av in the crease. I don't think Lappy will be tangling with him tonight. Turgeon is looking at is feet way too much. He isn't making quck plays, and it's leading to turnovers. Wolski with Brunette and Sakic. Good combo. Cotton-Eyed Joe. Hick meets techno. Perfect Colorado song. Period ends 1-1. I'm off to see the Acidqueen.

3rd period And just as I get back. Canes score. As I was waiting to get back to my seat, I wondered why Leopold would let the man he's checking make any lind of pass. I was thinking, "finish that check." And now it's 2-1. Crap.and right away, holding on Brisebois. The experiment is almost over. Budaj with the HUGE 2 on 1 save. Klee with the 2 on 1 save. But things are not clicking enough for the Avs. The quick passing and creativity we saw at the beginning of the season isn't happening like it was. Hejduk out, Svatos out, none of it is helping GOOOOOAAALLL Brunette putting in his own rebound. Is that the Sakic-Wolski-Brunette line? You freaking bet! Avs on the PP. And a... GOOOOOAAALLL!!!!!! Liles jumps up in the play and slaps it home. Brunette and Sakic with the assists. 3-2 Avs. Hope springs in turtles. I'm starting to think that if there was a stat for softest checks, the Avs would lead. Whitney for tripping' but the crowd didn't realize because it was called by the back official. GOOOOOAAALLL !!! Brunette feeds Sakic, who slaps it in. Next play, Sakic on the rush fires up the crowd. Nothing like having a late lead to get the crowd behind you. Is it REALLY fun to stay at the YMCA? I doubt it. With less than 5 minutes left, Canes take a hooking penalty. Not the way to get back into the game. Grahame makes the slidibg kick save. But then GOOOOOAAALLL!!!!!! No one sees it go in, and even Turgeon dost know what happened. Under review... I'm going to watch this one on tape. IT'S GOOOD!!!! 5-2 Avs. Budaj is seeing everything at this point. Clark goes in the box for a hook, but it doesn't help the Canes at all. Avs win it 5-3.

Postgame The fact that Rod Brind'amour was out with a groin injury helped the Avs, but the game looked like the Avs played 2 periods, the Canes played about 1 and a half, and Peter Budaj played all three. He is working hard for the top job in net.

Now, beer me. I'm off for a beer with the Acidqueen. Blogger beer summit!

Going To Game, Come Say Hi

If you are going to the game, BURN THIS JERSEY INTO YOUR BRAIN:


And if you see it, say hello. I go to games by myself, so it would be fun to talk hockey with someone. Or know that someone is seeing this thing. I will be hanging out at Brooklyn's (right outside the main entrance to the Pepsi Center) before the game, most likely in the upper bar, and probably for a little bit afterwords to catch whatever late hockey action they are showing (Coyotes vs Sharks final period?). I have no idea where I'm going to be sitting, as I will buy a ticket when I get there. And I will have a small preview of the game tomorrow.

Technorati : Avalanche, Avs, Canes, Carolina, Hockey, Hurricanes, NHL

Still Life With Hockey Nerd

Still Life With Hockey Nerd
Originally uploaded by Tapeleg.

I feel like I'm starting an art project here. I'm at the Wynkoop, so the beer is Railyard Ale. The hat is the DU Pioneers. The guide is so I can look at what the hell the Avs are doing, and where they can go from here. As far as I can tell, I'm the only one doing it. More on that later.



I'm going to the game tomorrow night. I'll let the jersey choice be known early, because I want to see the peeps. If you are going, put up a comment, let me know. I'm sure I'l go to Brooklyn's before the game, and maybe afterwards for a serious hockey and beer night.

Avs Act the Fool, Give Up the Game

When I left work, the last score I saw was 2-0 Avs over Kings after the first. The first thought I had was, "Plenty of time to give that up." When I got home, the replay was on in the 3rd, and the score was 3-3. One of the times I hate being right. But still, I pick up the live blog-ish there. At this point, I have no idea how this one ends.

Pierre Turgeon scores the go ahead goal. His first of the season, and something like the 512th of his career.

The Kings, like the Atlanta Thrashers, use that strange little jingle to indicate a penalty has been called. I kind of understand doing it, but I don't think I would like it in my rink. You have to wonder, what is the state of hockey like if a team Gretzky played for has to resort to that?

That is 4 - 4 now. It's one of those damn Thorntons. How can they "handle" one Thornton on one team, and not on another.

Kings are keeping the confusion high, and the puck in the attacking zone. They just are getting that job done at this point. Confusion and possession can win you a game.

Kings go up 5-4 with 6:12 left in the game. Can Theodore please have a hip flexor injury again?

As little as I like to rag on the Altitude announcers, but at 5:30 left, the PxP thinks there is a whistle, and there isn't. It was just a funny moment.

The Avs have the empty net, and Cloutier is acting like he is a starter for once. The Kings are working their asses off. Liles goes down with a puck to the head.

And that is it. The Kings come back to win it, and the Avs are looking like fools. They get a lead, they give it up to a team that doesn't deserve a comeback. I understand the come from behind victory, but how many do they need to give up in one season? This is getting ridiculous. They gave up 3 different leads tonight. In a way, I'm glad I didn't watch this one all the way through. It would have really pissed me off.

Technorati : Avalanche, Avs, Hockey, Kings, NHL

Avs @ LA, Tapeleg @ Work

I'm going to have to catch this one on the replay. Paying the bills, and for this new phone, is going to take presidence. But the new phone is going to let me do more of the posting we all love so much.

Anyone wonder if Roman Cechmanek is going to make a comeback? The Kings dropped Roenick, pick up Cloutier, and do nothing. Who thought Cloutier would be the guy? Suckers. Puck drops soon for the late game. Let's go, Avs. 

Avs Beat Sharks, Remain a Conundrum

1st Period
Theodore is in goal. When I went to the game the other night, a woman I was sitting near had the theory that Theodore wasn't really hurt, and was pulled after the first due to a lack of confidence in his play that night. I didn't buy it, but his being in net tonight doesn't help.

Brett Clark with the GOOOOAAAALLLLLL!!!!! Sakic with the pass on what looked like a 4 on 2 rush. Have I ever complained about Brett Clark? Have I? OK, yes I have. But, you know, he's alright for now. The lead is the Avs to lose.

Sharks tie it up on the power play, with a Cheechoo goal. But how far out of the net was Theodore? He left it wide open for anyone else, and took away his own chance of making a save.

OK, so much for the disciplined game the Avs had the other night. Two penalties against Columbus, and now, with only gone in the first period, they have doubled that. Am I really going to make it though this game?

I'm just not paying enough attention to the game so far. Let's see if I can do more in the second.

2nd Period

Avs start off on the power play, but again, I'm doing some other things tonight, so the game is on, but I'm only watching some. But I am working on the things in that picture down there. Mmmm... Beer....

Avs take their fifth penalty of the game, with less than 2 minutes gone in the second. Not good enough for a team playing the Sharks. Any team playing the Sharks. A few shorthanded shots don't hurt, but still.

Funky GOOOOAAAAALLLLLLLL!!!!!!!! They are going to take a look at this. Was the dislodged before it crossed the line? I looks like Sakic was shoved into the goal, but it doesn't matter. it's a GOOOAALLLL!!! 2-1 Avs

Thornton gets the goal on the Theodore rebound. The rebound was kind of inevitable, but Thornton breaking in alone was not. Who was supposed to be taking him, and why didn't they?

Neil Young is at the game tonight. Wow, what a game. Sorry, I'm just not excited about this one. But the shots are almost even, and so are the penalties (5 each).

GOOOOAAAALL!!!!! McLean shoots it past Toskala, on a 2 on 1 with Hejduk. Everyone was expecting the pass, but McLean takes the shot. 3-2 Avs.

Penalty shot for Mike Grier. You know I'm paying attention now. And he misses his first ever penalty shot. Theodore with the save? Hard to tell from the replay, but I'm sure I'll see it a few more times. That could be a real rallying point for the Avs.

GOOOOOAALL!!!! Clark with the goal, but Brunette looks like he's going for the tip in. That might have made Toskala split his attention. 4-2 Avs.

3rd Period

Have you seen the ads for the new movie "We Are Marshall?" Another football movie, but other than that, I have no idea what it is about.

Scramble in front of the net, and Theodore stays in there to keep it out. You could count 3 or 4 "shots" as they chipped away at it, but it stays out, and that's good enough for me tonight.

GOOOAAALLLLLLLLLLL!!! Sakic with the goal on the rebound. If they handed them out, he should get the second assist for winning the draw clean. Great work and a Power Play goal is the result.

And that is it. I was a bad blogger tonight, having massive distractions tonight, but it will all be for the best soon. You'll see.
At least we could shut down Joe Pavelski. What? But in the end, the big question is, why are the Avs winning games against really good teams (San Jose and Edmonton) while losing to the average and crappy ones (Columbus, Vancouver, and Calgary). What the hell are these people doing?

Next game is in LA, with the late game again. But not if I see you first.

Technorati : Avalanche, Avs, Hockey, NHL, Sharks

Tools of the Trade

Hey, guess what I'm doing tonight? That's right, drinking and posting. The late game tonight, with the Avs in San Jose. Last game against San Jose, the Avs lost 4-3, and tonight they are trying to kick it in the ass after being shut out by the Blue Jackets. Oh, and Turgeon is back (whoppie). Expect something after the game, but considering that picture, you can guess what it will be like (SCHORRE!!!!).

Hey, notice the lack of a phone in there. That's because mine decided it didn't like me anymore and tried to commit suicide. Which means I dropped it on it's antenna, and now I have to get a new one. It is forcing me to do something I was going to anyways, but that doesn't make it any easier.

You can go to the Sharkspage for the Sharks story. The desktop picture is from The Onion. Sorry, but you have to find it yourself. Let's Go, Avs (because I only have so much Bushmills).

Technorati : Avalanche, Avs, Hockey, NHL, Sharks

Beckford-Tseu One Step Away from Presidency

Manny Legace went on the injured reserve today, and with Curtis Sanford already out, that puts Marek Schwarz and Jason Bacashihua as the two goaltenders for the Blues. Which, by my reckoning, puts Chris Beckford-Tseu next in line for the job. Who, you may ask? CB-T won the ECHL Kelly Cup last year with the Alaska Aces. He is young, and needs some work, but has the makings of a fine goalie. I saw him in training camp a few years ago, and I liked his work ethic. So, good luck, Chris, and better luck to you, Blues. What a nightmare.

Technorati : Blues, Hockey, NHL

Well, That Sucked

I have notes, observations, tales, and photos to upload. But right now, I am so damn tired (see previous post), all I can say is that the Avs sucked ass tonight. The only upsides were that they took a lot of shots (but most of them were weak, and easy to stop), and they stayed out of the penalty box (mostly). But other than that, they just plain sucked. I think in the end, Budaj tried, but he got no help. The defense couldn't clear the puck, the offense couldn't create scoring opportunities, and the puck was bouncing like a dancing hockey cat. Yeah, that about sums it up for me tonight.

I'll take some time to post some pictures of the game tomorrow. For now, sleep is on deck.

Technorati : Avalanche, Avs, Blue Jackets, Hockey, NHL

Beer, Ticket, Hat, Set

Beer, Ticket, Hat, Set
Originally uploaded by Tapeleg.

Looks like I will be going to the game. I won't be posting from my seat (most likely), as I'm in the lower bowl, and since I have never sat there, I plan to just live the dream. I will update after the game, either from home, or from the bar. They love when I break out the keyboard at the bar. Full on hockey geek.



Let's go, Avalanche!!!!



--

Sent from my Treo, from Brooklyn's

Avs - Jackets: A Whole New Game

A few weeks ago, if you would have asked me about the excitement level of a game between the Blue Jackets and the Avs, I'd have told you that blowouts could be exciting. Now, my snarkiness would have to be checked. If you want that check to come from the play of the Avs, you would be disappointed. The Avs are coming off of two hard fought games, after learning a hard lesson from the Flames. They are coming off a blowout of Edmonton, and a solid game against the Canucks, where they just could not solve Roberto Luongo. Tonight, hosting the Blue Jackets, they should own the ice.

But these aren't your mamma's Blue Jackets. Not right now. With a new coach and a seemingly renewed sense of purpose, the Jackets are looking like an NHL team again. They shut out Edmonton right after the Avs had their victory, and are looking like they are using some of the talent we all knew they should have. They have good players, but have never played like it. It looks like they finally are.

In net tonight, there are more questions about the Blue Jackets than the Avs. It was Fredrik Norrena who got the shutout against the Oilers, rather than Pascal Leclair. Who do they give the start to? For the Avs, it should be Budaj, as Theodore was injured in the Canucks game (hip flexor?). My big question is weather or not the Avs called up Tyler Weiman from the Albany River Rats - whom I am big on, but is still young - or if Theo is going to be on the bench tonight. Smart money would say, make the call up, and keep Theo out as little as necessary. I am rarely correct on these things, though.

For the Jackets perspective, check out the evil yet respectable Army Of The Ohio.

I may be going to the game, but I can't be sure right now. A little insight into my life: It's 5 am as I write this, which is WAY early for me. Way. So why am I up so early, with only a few hours of sleep? In an hour, I start loading in the musical Sweet Charity starring Molly Ringwald into the theater, and they open tonight. Yes, you read that right. Tonight's game is at 7:00 pm, so I should be out and done before that (it can't be that big of a show), but will I be able to stay awake? Ah, the hard and rough life of a blogger. Feel my pain. If I go, and you are there, I'll be wearing my Abby jersey with the black stripe through his name. Come say hi.


Let's go, Avalanche!

Technorati : Avalanche, Avs, Blue Jacketts, Columbus, Hockey, NHL

Avs Lose to the Canucks, Still Own Series

I love doing these as the game goes "liveblogs." Even though the rest of the hockey world knows what happens, I don't, and it's kind of fun.

1st Period
The shots come quick, but so does the first fight of the game. Laperriere isn't going to take it from anyone tonight. I'm kind of surprised he didn't take an extra two for instigating, since he dropped his stick before the fight.

Yep, Brisebois as the defensive scratch.

Goal? Hell of a break for the Canucks if that counts. If it doesn't, the Canucks are going to feel robbed, and they should. No goal??? That was highway robbery, plain and simple. I'd be mad if that had happened to the Avs. Any Canucks fan who feels screwed by that call deserves to. Even though it was a distinct kicking motion, it wasn't kicked at. The motion looked like a kick, but come on. Even I don't buy that one.

Here's something I don't understand. The Canucks fans seem to love the vintage blue and green jerseys being worn tonight, but just use them for a few games. Like the Buffalo Sabres, fans love these jerseys, but the fans are ignored, and

The Avs have shown the kind of energy and relentless work the Flames showed against them a few games ago. If they can keep it up for sixty minutes, they have a good shot at a win. Give up against a hungry Vancouver team, and it spells doom. You have to wonder if this kind of play worries the Canucks. You have to think the Canucks are going to come out of the dressing room with some serious energy.

A little 4 on 4 play, with Sakic and Burroughs both in the box six seconds apart. 15 minutes in, and the Avs are outshooting the Canucks 11-2. Sakic comes out of the penalty box with the steal, but with a 1 on 3, there wasn't much chance of anything happening. But it sure was great to see.

The last few seconds get me worried. The Canucks pour on the pressure, and the Avs don't take their men. Theodore with a great save at the end of the period. I expect the 2nd period to be harder for the Avs, but the 1st belonged to the good guys.

2nd Period
OK, surprise time for me. What the hell is Budaj doing in net for the Avs? Theodore didn't look bad or injured. Maybe he's feeling sick? I hope he's just sick, otherwise it doesn't make sense.

Two penalties in a row for the Canucks, they can't feel good about that. A penalty kill can be a good rallying point, but you have to think this has to be a buzz kill to whatever was said in the locker room.

Theodore is out with a "hip injury," whatever that means. As athletic as the last save was, I can't think anything serious happened to hi,.

The "Keys to the Game" on Altitude (the Avs TV network) included discipline and staying out of the penalty box. That didn't happen. They almost killed off the two penalties (including a minute of 5 on 3), but a Sedin knocks one home with 3 seconds left on the PP, taking the rebound five hole on Budaj.

Period ends 1-0 Canucks, and I can't wait to see what the 3rd holds.

3rd Period

It's run and gun for the Avs coming out of the gate. The intensity is still up, and the game is still antibody's.

GOOOOOOAAAALLLL!!!!! Liles with a great read on the play, takes a chance on the pass and it pays off. That's a tie game, fans.

The work down low continues. The traffic the Q wanted in front of the net a while ago is happening with a fury. It's the kind of thing that Ryan Smyth has made a living at, so who can complain about success.

Another penalty for the Avs. That makes 3 in a row, not the way to build on the tying goal. And the Canucks make the Avs pay. Avs couldn't clear the zone, and that was that.

Sakic burst out of the box for the breakaway AGAIN, but with the room, Luongo is equal to the task. Still, it's sooooo much fun to watch. Twice in one game,

Hejduk is having as good of a game as you can without putting it in the net. Wherever this Hejduk was last season, they should take away his travel privileges.

McLean tries to put a pass through the skates of a Canuck, which results in a loss of possession. Small play, nothing special, right? Those kind of plays are the kind that can kill your comeback. Every second counts at this point, with 5:00 left, and one goal to make up.

Sakic takes his third penalty of the game, but this one is just one you had to take, with the empty net available for the Canucks to take a shot on and breaking in. Three for Sakic is a ton, though. So much for this year's Lady Bing Trophy.

See, hope springs in turtles (again, it's a John Bowman quote. He's a comedian, you should check him out). Canucks penalty with 5.7 seconds left. But to no avail.

Final Score: Canucks win 2-1

Overall, not such a bad loss with the win in Edmonton, but the frustrating things is that the Avs had such a good game, but the PK let them down. Luongo was great in net tonight, being the total difference maker, when the Avs getting 41 shots on goal. If the Avs can maintain this kind of game for the rest of the season, which is a tall order, they can look like a contender. I wish I could feel bad about this loss, but this is the kind of loss I don;t mind, one where the Avs work hard, do the right things, and have that one thing that needs a fix. Even Leopold looked pretty good for being out for so long. He looked calm and in control his whole game.

Blue Jackets are next here in Colorado. Taking this kind of game to them will be fun to watch.

Scoresheet

Technorati : Avalanche, Avs, Canucks, Hockey, NHL

Hey, Who's the New Guy?

After months and months of waiting, healing, skating, setbacks, and more of everything, after missing training camp, the preseason, and 25 regular season games, we finally get Jordan Leopold. Leopold, who has been recovering from hernia surgery, is finally healthy enough to join the team. They big question of the night is, how effective will he be? For all the hype Leopold will bring to the defense, I don't see how he can live up to expectations. We have all seen what happens when a player sits out just training camp with a contract dispute (Raycroft). Or even camp plus a few games (Kovalchuk). And even though this isn't that kind of scenario, it is that kind of time, and then some. While the rest of the league has been skating and bumping and grinding, getting the skates moving at game speed, Leopold has been doing the slow and tender stuff. He is joining the league not just a little late, but a step behind. That is my negativity for the day.

Who will sit from the defense? I say Brisebois. Give the guy a few days, let him sit by himself. You can't sit Klee after the night he had against Edmonton, and you can't sit Skrastins, because he's Skrastins. Maybe sit Vaananen. Two minutes for too many vowels on the ice.

If there were bad blood from the schedule alone, tonight would have it gushing and spurting like a Wes Craven movie. The Avs have OWNED the Canucks in Colorado this year, with Roberto Luongo looking like a dancing monkey in net (not as bad as Roloson the other night, but you get the drift). OK, that isn't true, but I loved typing it. Starter for the Avs should be Theodore, since he has won all three games so far against the Canucks. They have dropped three of their last four with a combined score of 12-3 against. There will be a little stepping up from them. Watch out for the Sedin twins. They should be grooving.


I get the late night feed, so I won't be blogging about it until late. I hate the late feed, or my work schedule making me tape delay the game myself. I don't get all the cool interweb scoresheets. So it's net-goes-dark at 8pm local time. Let's go, Avs.

Technorati : Avalanche, Avs, Canucks, Hockey, Leopold, NHL

Avs vs. Oilers, My Quick Recap

I got to be home for a live one tonight, so I took advantage. This was written as the game went on. Enjoy.

1st Period
Liles gets his 100th point. Tying things up quickly is just what the Avs needed. Even though he missed cutting off the pass on the first Oilers goal, it was more Brisebois getting schooled on the breakaway that let it in. Liles has the response.

Arnason GOOOOAAAALLLLL!!!!!! The juicy rebound gets picked up. I bet the Flames would have handled that one (HA!)

Haven't seen Roloson complain yet in 8 minutes of hockey. Something must be wrong with him.

Why the hell are the Avs allowing Ryan Smyth to break in alone? From the end camera angle, you can see the mistake the defense makes, trying to poke check the pass to Smyth, rather than retreating to cover him. A cautious play would have most likely saved a goal. Again, like the Flames game (and the first goal of this game), it wasn't the goaltender that was the problem, it was the defense.

Stastny has the beautiful tip in. Great goal from one of the Future-Looks-Bright crew.

Arnason again with the GOOOOAAAALLL!!!!!! For all the slacking Arnason did with the Blackhawks and Senators, he seams to be making up for it now.

2nd Period
Avalanche GOAL!!!! Hejduk with the power play blast, and you have to think that Roloson is getting nervous. Five goals on eleven shots, with no real excuses for him. Where is Ty Conklin when you need him? (Ohh, noo)

GOAAAALLLL!!!!! The clean faceoff win for Sakic was the decider, and Svatos just chips it in. Ty Markkanen takes the net for Roloson, which is what you expect. Yeah, I know it's Jussi, not Ty, but it's just fun to type.

Hey look at that. Forechecking. What a good idea, Avs. Should have tried that in Calgary.

3rd Period
My O and A keys are getting tired tonight, but here it is: GOOOOAAAALLLL!!!!! Svatos with the steal and the breakaway. That's two for him tonight, and two for Arnason. Arnason. Huh. Did the Senators just treat this guy like crap? He's been playing pretty well for the Avs from the get go. I'll have to ask Sherry.

Stoll gets the goal on the doorstep. If Ken Klee would have gotten a stick on the thing, rather than whiffing on it, that goal wouldn't have happened. But still, a good goal by Stoll for being heads up and paying attention.

Smyth takes out Richardson on a DIRTY PLAY. Don't give me that crap, he should be in the box for interference at the very least. Smyth could have avoided, skated right into Richardson for no good reason, and good the hit up on the head. Was that the Smyth payback for the Liles knee? Total headhunter. But it was from a Canadian team, so I'm sure he will be praised as a hero. Hell of a way to end the game. Rivalries aren't build on a schedule, they are build on this. I now have my bile up over the Oilers.

Forechecking, backchecking, good passing, pressure, even being aggressive on the penalty kill. The Avs took a few lessons from the Flames from Tuesday. Even if they can't sustain the pressure and intensity of tonight, sustaining the desire would go a long way in making this a realistic season, not just the season most people predicted. This was the complete game, which wasn't the case at the beginning of the season. Is this a glimmer of hope? I'm going to wait and see. At least the boys are pissing some people off. Canucks on Saturday, in Vancouver. Will the Avs own them again? Will Luongo be the starter? WWMCD?

Technorati : Avalanche, Avs, Hockey, NHL, Oilers

Avs Vs Canada Continues

The Avalanche take on the Edmonton Oilers tonight, in the second of a 3 game Canadian road swing. the Oilers sit 1st in the division, while the Avs are tied for last with Calgary. But, leads and positions are fleeting in this division, with only a point or two separating slots. Look at the Central division, and you see a lot more space between first and last. But hey, it's been that way for years.

I don't really consider this a must win, but I bet the Avs do. The see-saw season (up a few, down a few) can even out with a win, but if they have to wait until they get to Vancouver, so be it. Ales Hemsky is out for the Oilers, which is the only bit of good news there is for the Avs. Don't forget that last time the Oilers played the Avs, John-Micheal Liles got a knee out on Ryan Smith (since it was listed as a charlie horse, can we agree it wasn't knee on knee?), and while payback has become a non-existent thing (thanks for something, Bertuzzi), the Oilers will be gunning for the Avs hard tonight. Expect a fast game.

They question is, and always seems to be, who do you use in goal? I say Budaj tonight, so you have an excuse if he loses, then Theodore Saturday, but you could reverse that and say the same thing.

I will be at home watching it, as the Ballbuster (Nutcracker) is dark tonight. If it goes too poorly, I have a bit of housecleaning I need to get done.

Technorati : Avalanche, Avs, Edmonton, Hockey, NHL, Oilers

Calgary Wins, Avs Beat Selves

Well...

Actually, I do have a few things to say about tonights game:

Avs lose 5-2, but in a game with five goals against, Theodore didn't play his usual "five goal against" game. Thirty-two saves weren't near enough to win the game tonight, but Jose wasn't the story.

The Story was the Flames power play, which hasn't been all that good lately. That first tip in goal by Iginla from Phaneuf was just perfect, and the Avs going down five on three was a killer. With only six penalties, the Avs didn't exactly march to the penalty box, but with 3 goals against down a man, and nearly a fourth (Rycroft was barely out of the box for Hamrlik's goal), it's impossible to discount the Flames (usually poor) power play.

The Flames put the pressure on the Avs the full game. They were the definition of hard work, and never stopped moving. The entire game, and especially on the penalty kill, they were aggressive, forced the play, and made the Avs make a lot of fast decisions with the puck. The shots on goal were so lopsided in this game due to the speed of the Flames. They played an incredible game. Hats off.

For the Avs, the silver lining is the young players. Stastny and Wolski are the future of this team, at least until we trade them away.

I still have the Canucks-Avs game from the other day on tape, so like it's like comfort food.

(Not my best post, but it's one of those tired nights. Just not feeling it tonight. More soon)

Technorati : Avalanche, Avs, Calgary, Flames, Hockey, NHL

Denver and the Ice

In my years of living in Colorado, downtown Denver has changed a lot. It started really with the addition of Coors Field, where the Colorado Rockies (that's baseball, hockey fans, not the old NHL team of losers coached by Don Cherry) play. There were a lot of other changes before that, but the "renaissance" that downtown has had was marked by the arrival of the stadium. Frankly, I liked downtown Denver a lot more before the changes, when the corners were dark, and the paint was chipped, when the viaduct was still around, and the 2 am closing time crush of humanity of today was a mear trickle of people, most of whom you recognized. You had two competing art supply stores, and where P.F. Chang's is, there was a horribly wonderful pool hall, whose name I forget, probably due to the fact that you had to be drunk to enjoy yourself. When the dance club on 14th and Market served Mickey's (the malt liquor) ON TAP, and St. Mark's Coffee was where the comic book artists would meet up for jam sessions. There were burned out buildings of character on every block, in need of repair, but also having their place amongst the restaurants and shops, most of which were independent and small, just like you want them.

There also used to be an outdoor skating rink downtown. You heard right, directly on the 16th St. mall. When it was cold enough, which was most of the winter, it was up and running, and shaded by the tall buildings all around it. I never did get to skate there. It was gone before I moved to Denver proper (I grew up in a place called Longmont, CO, about 30 miles north of Denver). This year, that's probably a good thing.

As I write this, it's 69 degrees outside. In late November. In Colorado. If you live here, or you know much about Colorado, that isn't right. It should be cold, and it have snowed more than once or twice by now. If the skating rink were still around, my quality of life would be lowered right now, by virtue of it not being open. I would be angry, stomping my feet, yelling, and telling anyone I knew what I thought of that (hey, look at that, I am anyways).

Last week, I worked on a convention called "Greenbuild," which is about building environmentally friendly and sustainable buildings, houses, and infrastructure. There was certainly an undertone of how to make money (which I believe holds back the cause more than anything), but the vast majority of it was about how to save the world we are destroying. The keynote speaker for the first day, William McDonough, was incredible. He talked for an hour about how to make the world a better place through better design and architecture. He talked about some of what it would take, from the simple to the drastic, to change the way things are going. He brought up points we should know about, but rarely do (like the PH balance of the oceans changing, which will kill off the shellfish population VERY soon if nothing is done. That's the bottom of the food chain eliminated). Frankly, it was bleak, but at the same time uplifting, because steps can be taken. But what about hockey?

Last year, I attended a pond hockey tournament in Lake Placid, NY. Of course, it was to be held on Mirror Lake, which is what the downtown of Lake Placid surrounds. And the first day was. But the lake wasn't frozen enough, and the puck would get lost under a puddle of water. A slapshot had the comical effect of splashing your opponent in a wave of freezing water, and the conditions for skating were virtually non-existent. Day two and the championship was moved to the Olympic Oval (outdoor speedskating).

Then, Kukla's Korner (of course) pointed to an article about how global warming is killing the outdoor skating rinks of Canada. Of course, this is just small potatoes compared to the rest of the problems we are going to face, but it's still part of it. If you want to see, check out the Yahoo mailing group about backyard rinks. I don't have a rink, and I love to read it, as they enthusiasts get their rinks ready, and find the best bottom layers to keep the water in. It's a great read, and the author and sports writer Jack Falla is a member. But let's see how many get open this year.

So what is all this? This isn't hockey, is it? This isn't really what this blog is about, is it? You freaking bet it is, and here's why. Players like Bobby Orr and Wayne Gretzky came from the backyards and ponds of the neighborhoods they grew up in. They found passion on the ice that was under the stars, not with coaches and roofs, and machines that make the ice. They shoveled the ice themselves, and then froze their asses off for the privilege. There are too many kids (and adults) who are going to miss out on the backyard rink, where there are no drills, or scores, or sometimes, even pucks and sticks, just pure skating fun. It's going away, but it doesn't have to. If you have never looked at the environmental problem we face today, let this be the statement that makes you want to care:

Global warming is killing hockey.

Now go do something about it.

Delivered from the Face of Evil

You know, this shootout thing might not be so bad after all.

Last night was a test of character for me. My long hours of moving in The Nutcracker (which you will hear about as I get increasingly sick of it) finished up just in time for me to see Jose Theodore take a tripping penalty and two goals score in under two minutes. Three if you count the waived off goal. I bet Earl Sleek was pissed at that one. But after grueling hours and too much Tchaikovsky, exhaustion had settled in, and I didn't want to watch anymore. Talk about new and creative ways to lose, how about, as the goalie, you take the penalty that serves as the rallying point for the other team? And your teams first penalty of the game at that. Good times had by all (I am no stranger to sarcasm).

But sticking with it, I was rewarded. In his first shootout of the year, Theodore closed the door, while Super Joe Sakic had the game winner on a huge backhand he roofed. How do you roof it on a backhand like that? Freaking amazing. So, even with the classic Avs maneuver of giving up a lead, they managed to hold on to the tie, and take another point with the shootout (and as Sleek would say, a Shoutout, which is a shootout shutout) against one of the most dangerous teams in the league. The Ducks are nothing to sneeze at. And while thins should be a bit of a rallying point for the Avs, this should also serve as a reminder, of what the sweater used to mean, and what it can mean again.

Now, go eat some turkey, and wonder why we don't get to see the Canucks vs. Predators game, while having football shoved down our throats.

Technorati : Avalanche, Avs, Ducks, Hockey, NHL, Tchaikovsky

Budaj Rolls, Wild Folds

Peter Budaj got his second start in a row for the Avs last night against the Wild (Do you think it was planned that way?). From the parts I saw (opera), Budaj looked solid in net, staying pretty square to the shooter. The (Super) Joe Sakic goal in the first was a never-give-up, wait-for-the-rebound goal. I think it was the first time I have ever used 'doorstep' to describe a goal. Really. The Koivu's deflection goal was absolutely perfect. How do you take a low ice shot and deflect it a few inches shy of 4 feet high to roof it? How? I really want to know, so I can stop skating around like a fool when I play, and just stand there deflecting them in.

The shootout was exciting, and Super Joe finished the game off for the Avs in fine fashion. The only real downsides to the game are that the Wild came out with a point, and that one regulation goal is not enough to do the job, much less against the (admittedly fine prospect) backup goalie. What does it say that he played against the Avs? That Manny Fernandez is stumbling, or that the Avs, with two decent scoring lines, just aren't all that scary? One goal, that isn't enough. It's like Calgary last year, without the goaltending (Kipper). Will there be moves made, or are the Avs too close to the cap, and too afraid of getting worse.

Next game, Avs at Dallas on OLN. Check your times, see who is in goal. I totally blew who was going to be in goal last night. I'm not even guessing (Theodore). W.W.P.L.D?

Note: As much as I hate that I haven't been posting as much lately, and that the days I post 2 or more posts are more fun for one and all, tonight starts loadout of the opera, followed minutes later my the ballet loadin (literally, minutes). The next couple of days are going to be hell on wheels for me, with little sleep, and some seriously hard work. Don't expect anything much around here. But feel free to look around the archives. And for Avs updates, you can look to Avsfan and In The Cheap Seats. But come on back. Stagehands can spin a good yarn, and I'd hate to lose you. Maybe I can put a phone picture up from loadout. That's my world.

Technorati : Avalanche, Avs, Hockey, NHL, Wild

All Hail Peter Budaj, Winner of Hockey Games, Stopper of Pucks

Last night, the opera continued, so I didn't get to see the Avalanche shut out the Columbus Blue Jackets. But not too much of a surprise, look at who was in net. Peter Budaj is proving me wrong, so far being the winning goalie of the Avs. Not that I thought Theodore would be, but Budaj just has never really sat well with me (better than Philippe Sauve though). This was the goaltending schedule I would use, Budaj against the Blue Jackets, and Theodore against the Wild. But I would also be looking at Theodore with the critical eye, and stop looking at his paycheck. This is the biggest story of the Avs right now, bigger than who has left the team for greener (money) pastures.

Tonight, the Avs play the Wild. What more can be said? The Avs are in last place in the division, and startlingly high in both Goals For and Goals Against. It's time to stop playing like any other team. Now the focus has to be on scoring more pucks then Theodore lets in, not just playing the other team. Tonight is a good time to see what the Avs want to be.

Check out Army of the Ohio for the postgame rant from last night.

Pop over to Wild Puck Banter for the Minnesota side of things.

Technorati : Avalanche, Avs, Blue Jackets, Hockey, NHL

All the Ladies in the House

If you don't follow the minor leagues, you are missing out on a lot of fun. Cheap games, crazy fans, and of course, insane promotions. This is from Our Sports Central, my source for minor league news. If you live in California, and love hockey, you need to go to this game:

As part of the "Desperate Housewives" promotion, the first 1,000 ladies in attendance will receive an authentic Ice Dogs thong. These limited edition one size fits all thongs are sure to be a hit, so all ladies make sure to arrive early because they will be go fast!

What the hell is a one size fits all thong? Have you ever heard of one size fits all underwear? These people are crazy, They are crazy and want to see you ladies in a thong. They are insane. Don't upset them. And if someone goes, and the damn thing doesn't fit, because one size doesn't do it, send it to me. I don't look hot in a thong, but I should have one of these things. What more does a hockey fan need in life? (other than a team that can WIN A GAME EVERY SO OFTEN, ESPECIALLY BY NOT GIVING UP A LEAD!!!! but I'm not bitter)

Avs Finding New and Creative Ways to Lose

Tonight, the Avs showed the world what they are made of.

I decided that, before what is going to be a grueling work week, and what has already been a hard gig this week, I decided to go to the game. I am not going to call that a mistake, because a game is a hockey game. There is a score one way or the other, and you take your chances, on the game, on the score, and on your team. The Avs are "my team," and I am a fan. That is an admission, and a statement. I don't call the shots for them, but I am still a fan. Whatever punishment that means, I have to endure somewhat.

Tonight was a testament to that. From being ahead a few times, to what can only be called a complete meltdown, I had to suffer through it. At the game itself. I paid for the privilege of witnessing a too many men on the ice that was more obvious than one of the N'Sync coming out of the closet, and then an eventual 5 on 3 that lost the game. There were other parts to the game. The McLean goal that surprised Nabolov, the injury to Cheechoo, the shorty from Brown. But nothing defined the game more than those 17 seconds.

The Avs continue to lose games by one goal. They are losing games they lead. They are losing games by simple mistakes you don't see in rec league games. They are losing games, and that has to change soon.

This is a team who don't have an identity. This is a team who don't know who they are. This is a team who need to make a few changes.

First, Coach Q must go. We had better success under the Granato regime. He has "lost the room." He isn't the direction we need. He isn't the Avs.

Second, make a few trades. Not just the kind that gets us a little cap space.

Third, don't be held by Theodore's salary. He needs to earn his pay, and if he can't, bench him. We may be playing the goalie dance again this year.

Fourth, decide what you want from this season. Is this going to be a season of playing hockey games, or is this going to be a season of the big pause. Are the Avs going to make a run for it, or are they going to wait for cap relief for next year.

What do the Avs want to be? It can't be this.

Technorati : Avalanche, Avs, Hockey, NHL, Sharks

View from the cheap seats

View from the cheap seats
Originally uploaded by Tapeleg.

but it's frickin hockey!!!

--

Sent from my Treo

Going to the game

Tonight, I decided to do a last minute change of plans, and go to the tilt, Avs vs Sharks. I got the 20 dollar ticket on the street, but first, I must eat. So I'm at Brooklyn's bar right at the enterance of the Pepsi Center. 2 live periods beats none.

Nabokov in goal vs Theodore. Let's hope there's some Avs scoring tonight. Updates later. Let's go Avs.

-- Sent from my Treo

Hockey Cats, part 3

That's right, more... Mick (MaGoo) McGeouch (I spy, with my little eye, A PENALTY!!! or not...) Ray Emery Philippe Sauve (update) Not sooner do I post this than Sauve is traded from Pheonix to Boston, and sent down to the minors. Perhaps this comparison is too much to bear for the Gretz. Jeremy Roenick Don't believe me?

Don't miss the other ones. They make me laugh. Cats post 1 Cats post 2 The Dancing Cats are by hnldesign Dancing Cats and related ©2006 hnldesign (that's not me, all credit for the cats to hnldesign) Note: The Dancing Cats are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 License

Good Roy Interview

I know that most (American) cities don't have the kind of television support the Avalanche have. Of course, the Avs owner also owns the network the Avs are shown on (along with half the sporting town). Today, ad nausium, Roy was celebrated for his great career, and his Hall of Fame induction. Just now, on the Altitude television channel, Roy was interviewed by announcer Peter McNab. Roy was pretty humble (for Roy) about his accomplishments, and talked about how surprised he was that his career went the way it did. Lets hope someone posts it to youtube. It's worth a watch.