The Avs beat the Wild tonight, 4-1, but I only tuned in here and there. I just wasn't into watching a game tonight, which is a bit odd, but not that odd. Some days, you remember how long the season is. 82 games is a long season for everyone, players and fans. But still, I did tune in for parts of it. Here's what I saw:
The Avs played a 60 minute game. They didn't just stop in 2 periods, like they have. Plenty of shots on goal, spread out over the game. A trend I hope continues.
Ian Laperriere scored goal 100 tonight. He was so damn happy. He may just buy Brett McLean a pendant that says "Best Friends Forever"
The pace of the game seemed kind of slow when I tuned it. Maybe that's just a function of not paying attention to the whole thing.
If you need a recap, or want the Wild side of things, go to Wild Puck Banter.
Monday, October 30, 2006
Avs Beat Wild, But I Barely Watched
Saturday, October 28, 2006
Blue Man Group
Tonight was the Blue Man Group concert at the Pepsi Center. This was the third time I have seen their rock concert tours (twice from the previous tours), and have seen them in Las Vegas, Chicago, and Boston. If you haven't seen them live, I highly recommend them. They have a unique outlook that translates directly to their music and the stage. They may have done a ton of commercial stuff, but I don't think they have 'sold out.' If you enjoy a good stage show, beyond just a typical concert, check out the new tour, which is version 2.0. Their lyrics won't win any awards, but when they just turn off the vocals and perform, they rock the llama. The two times I saw them before was in theaters, which are better for their show than a big arena. Still, a great show.
Seeing BMG reminds me of how much I have been neglecting my more creative side. This hockey blog is a part of that neglect. I have been writing here so much, I feel like some of my creativity is being pushed to the back. That has to change, but I am not going to give up on this blog. I love writing about hockey, and not just the Avs. But I need something else, too. I don't know if that will lead to changes around here, but something has to give. There is so much to read, so much to pay attention to doing this blog, it's hard to do much else. Let's see what happens. I am not giving up, so don't even think about leaving.
If you need to hear some hockey related stuff, Minnesota is kicking Colorado College around like a little bitch. With the score 8-1 with half a period left, the end couldn't come soon enough for the Tigers.
Friday, October 27, 2006
Eagles, not Avs
The Colorado Avalanche were not playing tonight, but when I got home, there was still hockey on TV. Altitude had the Colorado Eagles vs. the Wichita Thunder (central Hockey League). A few too many penalties, but otherwise a fine game, in a league that doesn't shy away from a punch-in-the-face contest. Eagles won 5-1. The Thunder played one of the longest third periods I have ever seen last season, while I was taking a hockey road trip. The Avs may be playing on Sunday, but Blue Man Group will be here tomorrow night. I think I have to go.
JAHL Super Duper Stats
Hockey loves stats. Hockey fans love stats. If you go to the stats blogs, you can see how much they love to create stats. These usually come into being by painstaking translation by an amateur statistision. They punch numbers into spreadsheets, do complex math and learn something nobody else noticed. I enjoy stats, but don't feel I get enough of the right ones. These are some of the stats that I would like to see, to describe the game inside the game, and just for the sheer hell of it
SOC: Shots On Corner
CTR: Complaints to the Referee
CTL: Complaints to the Linesman
CTM: Crying to Mommy
SW: Whiffed shots
SIH: Scarlett Ice Hotness (How hot Sherry at Scarlett Ice thinks a player is)
PWM: Proving why a player should be in the minors.
BS: Broken Stick, but you can make it what you think it should be
PFT: Penalty Face Touch. Number of times a player touches his face after a penalty is committed on them, to see if they are bleeding. The first on is free for the Florida Panthers.
PPF: Punches thrown per fight
PLF: Punches that actually connected (landed). These two can be combined for a PPLF%
PSN: Push Shove Nothing. Number of times players congregate to air the bad feelings, and then just skate away.
FSP: Penalties where you feel shame, that is, you did it, it was stupid, and you know it.
HTTO: Had to think about that one. Moments when a player is given a choice and has to ponder the plays, before making the play. Usually ends in failure, but a % could be applied if necessary.
AYF: Are you Forgiven? Plays that ended in failure, but worked out in the end, or didn't have enough impact on the game to be worth mentioning at the end of the day.
MZD: Made Zanstorm Drink. Number of times a player makes Zanstorm of Waiting For Stanley take a pull of the Captain Morgans. This stat needs weighting for the Leafs players.
GAR: Get A Room, players coming together for a manly embrace, and it all goes wrong.
That's a start. More is better, right?
Thursday, October 26, 2006
A Better Tomorrow
Other than being a John Woo movie, that was the perfect description of this morning. The walk to work was absolutely gorgeous and snow filled, and the rest of the day (which was about loading in the opera) followed suit. Good hard work with people who aren't pains, a good beer and burger afterwords, and a simple night at home, reading some damn fine hockey blogging. So for all the crap that was last night, I had a great follow up.
And also, since the Avs don't have any games for two days, let me just give a quick boo-yaa to the hockey bloggers out there. All of you, from teams I like, teams I hate, and teams I don't really register much, are a wonderful bunch of writers. It's nice to be a part of it.
Now go see some hockey.
Caps -Avs :Short Recap and What I Missed
Getting some sleep may have tamed my fire a little, but only a little. Then I wake up and look a the scoresheet, and find out what I missed. I missed a penalty shot from Alex O. I missed him being stopped by Budaj. Other than that, I'm amazed that Sakic didn't get a star of the game from scoring career points 1500 and 1501. That makes him the 10th most point scorer of all time, and the current active leader.
Other hockey stuff:
Eddie Belfour is the 2nd oldest goalie to win in MSG. Huh...
The Ducks drummed the Oilers, with Pronger getting 3 assists.
Other than that, I have nothing this morning. I gotta go in to work. See you later.
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
What the Hell is Wrong with People???
Let's be honest here. For all the bashing back and forth between Canadians and Americans over who is better in hockey, or in anything, there is something seriously wrong with a lot of people on this side of the border. Take my night in the Czech hockey bar tonight for example: I had a nice two periods at the bar, watching hockey and blogging about it. 2nd intermission and the 3rd period took a turn for the ugly, and I don't mean the hockey. At that point, the hockey wasn't the main attraction. It was the drunk woman sitting next to me. During the 2nd period, she starts talking to me. And really, more like at me rather than to me. As ever, as I usually try to do, I tried to be nice, not just blow her off. She wasn't hitting on me, she was just being drunk and chatty, and a little weird. But things turned ugly quick. The 3rd period started, and while she was watching the game in the first two periods, I was now the focus (again, she wasn't hitting on me). Then she asked my country of origin, and my ethnic background. Look at that picture to the right. Or even look at the last picture here, or the last one here, or the one in this sequence. If you didn't just look, you will in a moment. Not that either of those questions were ANY of her business, the answers are I was born in Minnesota, and my grandmother came over to America from Armenia as a young woman. Why does this matter? The next words out of her mouth are that I look like those people we are fighting over there (very close to a quote, but not accurate enough to put in quotes). Then she says "even if you aren't a terrorist..." (that was a quote). At that point, I had heard enough. Ignoring her wasn't working, so I asked her to just stop right there. She asked if she had insulted me, and I told her just to leave me alone. (you would be forgiven for thinking that things are going to get violent, but they aren't, at least not really) She left me alone, for about 2 minutes. I tried to get back to the game, but that didn't work out so well, as she started in again. She was grabbing my are, and kept using the word terrorist. I had enough. I got my tab, and told the bartender what was going on. He agreed that it was ridiculous. Then she grabbed my jersey. Now I was mad. If you get me mad, this is what will happen. I told her to leave me alone, and that she should be ashamed of herself. That's it. I paid up, grabbed my stuff, and left. As I was leaving, I looked back inside, and I really do think she was ashamed. I just came home, and am now writing this. That is my side of the story, and I think it's pretty accurate. If I were to do anything different, I wouldn't have been ass polite to her when she started using strange hand gestures like a (frankly) crazy person. I had seen her there before, and the bartender knew her name, so she is most likely a regular. And even so, you try to be nice, you try to just go along with the drunk, and it will stop, but it got way out of hand. I tried. If you are basing the accusation purely on looks, there is no basis. I haven't shaved in several days, have a hairline that is obviously mad at me (it keeps wanting somewhere else), and my skin tone is slightly above pale. But basically, it's just ugly fear and racist crap. I'm not even part of the race she was talking about, so she is a true idiot. And who looks like a terrorist? If it were that easy, we would all be living a happier life. But come on, nothing is that simple. There isn't a race out there who is exactly like any of the bad things we think about them. Not one. I want to go back to the hockey bar. The big part of me makes me want to go back for the hockey crowd, and the good people that are there. The small part of me wants to go back to shame that woman. I won't do that, but I want to be around hockey fans. I want my hockey bar. I wish I was in Lake Placid, NY tonight, at Wiseguys. We all worry about bringing people to hockey, but what about just being decent in the first place. Comments are going to be closed for this post. I have no sense of humor about it. I'm just really sad for the state of things. Hockey is a great sport, not just for the game, but for the way it brings the world together. It can take you away from all the problems for the moment, and we can be something else, something simple. We can be just hockey fans.
I Really Was Liveblogging the Game
I really did liveblog the game tonight, but thanks to Blogger, it didn't go through. Now, I will repost what I sent in, with the blemishes and all. All the errors, all the drama. The end was interesting.
First Period
Who is Ref #40. He looks like a kid.
Caps get the first goal, Avs the first PP. I know which one I'd rather have.
George Parros is un the lineup tonight, and he brought his hair with him.
GOAL!!! Sakic's assist gives him 1,500 career points!!! The Crowd goes wild!!!!!
They just showed the shots on goal at 5:00 left in the first. 15 - 5 Avs. Nice.
5on 3 is nice and all, but Clark is pissing me off on the power play. He jsut shoots at anything. Dude is either nervous or not with the game plan. I can't wait until Leopold gets back in the game.
Great scramble at the end of the period. Kolzig is keeping the Caps in the game. He really is better than the Caps record shows, this year, last year, every year.
After one period, the Avs are pushing the play, but not in command. They are playing better than a 1-1 score so far. If they can show the Caps at the begining of the next two periods that there is nothing to fight for, this could decide itself soon. Hope springs in turtles. I didn't think I would be live blogging this. But here I am. A keyboard on the bar is always an eye catcher for the crowd. And now a guy just walked 20 into the bar with the ugliest sweater on. It's blue and white, and has some stupid whale logo on it. I've seen that logo before, but where? I know it wasn't at last years playoffs.
A tip of the hat to Czechvar beer. It is what I call a winner: hockey beer and great taste all in one.
Go Avs.
--
Sent from my Treo, and Go Avs
Second Period
Budaj's mask has Ned Flanders of the Simpsons on it, carring a Slovakian flag. Budaj iscoming out strong for the start of the period.
Avs have come out playing dump and chase this period. This has never worked well for the Avs. Ever. EVER.
Shannon should be here soon. I'm going to get a good picture of her for the blog. I wonder what penalties she took this weekend.
Parros looks like he should be the newest bass player for The Darkness. He is so metal.
POST!!! A good shot by Klee, just an inch off.
CRAP!!! Green makes a few beautiful moves, and it's 2 - 1 Caps. Plenty of time. But that was some fancy puck protection. The Avs have to start
taking away the opening period jump teams get against them. A little more hard work out of the gate, rather than waiting for the inspiration.
Goal, Alex O. A blast that was either tipped in, or Budaj just got a = little on it, just not enough. 3-1 Caps off an Arnason penalty. My mood
changes from Go Avs to Come on, Avs. Get the jump back.
I missed who took the fresh penalty, but this is no way to make a comeback. If there were stars of the periods,Budaj would get first star for the 2nd, even with the goal against.
Donald Brashear needs to punch someone. It would be entertaining, and help my hockey pool. 8 penalty minutes is pathetic.
The Avs have been looking down at the puck way too much this period. Way too much for shooing against a revived Caps defence and Olie the Goalie.
Sakic had a "Do I shoot or do I pass" moment. The Caps are making even Super Joe take pause and think before instinct. That is proof that the Caps are driving the second.
At the end of two, the Avs give up the ghost, and it's 4-1 Caps. If the Avs are a 2 period team, the third had better be one of them.
--
Sent from my Treo, via the world wide net, through my imail, on the interweb.
Third Period
At our intertmission, it's 1-1 in the Ducks Oilers game. I can't wait to see what Sleek has to say at Battle of California. He must be jumping = out of his seat.
3-1 Caps. Hope is waining.
Alex O just used Skrastins to break the glass. And there is a drunk woman making me really mad.
Goal. What the fuck. Joe Sakic jsut scored a goal, and instead of watching, I was being told I look like a T#rr0rist. What the fuck is wrong with people. I came to watch a hockey game, and I wind up trying to not be rude to a drunk off her ass woman, and get asked if I'm a t3rr0r9st. Fuck this, I'm barely watching the game now, I'm jsut sick of being pissed off at this bar.
Caps score. 4-2. I have left the bar, after being insulted over and over by some drunk woman. More later, but I am shaking mad. What is with people?
--
Sent from my Treo
(I edited formatting errors only. See the next post up for what the f*#k)
Firmly Planted
My seat at the bar is between the TV the Avs will be on, and the one showing the Sharks - Wings game. They are showing that because it just happens to be on, nothing more. I love a bar that shows the game before the game. I am one happy hockey fan.
-- Sent from my Treo, from SOBO 151, a hockey bar, damnit.
Avs Welcome Alex O
The Avalanche are hosting the Washington Capitals tonight, or I should say, the parent club to the Calder Cup winning Hershey Bears. For the Caps, it isn't about where they are, it's were they are going. Either I am paying way too much attention to the Avs, or the Alexander Ovechkin show is a little quieter this year (probably the first one there). Last season, I spent December in Norfolk, VA, where we got the local feed of Caps games. They aren't stupid over there. They have something they call an Alexander Ovechcam, a camera who's job is to just follow Ovechkin. He's paying a cameraman's salary, he's that good. His secret may be out, if there ever was one, but his skill won't run out any time soon. You can also read the blog of their owner, Ted Leonis. It's interesting reading. Overall, tonight I say, who knows? Coming off a road trip where Theo went split decisions, and 2 Budaj wins (one away, and one at home), Theo will probably get the start, but the real test will be the first D line, or, until Leopold gets back (who may have had a setback), whoever is acting like one. I'm still looking for that Mike Commodore type D-man, the one who is ALWAYS in good position. For Caps takes, check out Jasper's Rink, Off Wing Opinion, and DC Sports Chick. To see my take on Alex O, go here. Me? I'm going to the Czech hockey bar. Let's hope there aren't any foosball jerks tonight. Game on.
UPDATE: After sifting through the dirge of hockey news, I found out that Budaj is slated for tonight. I'm sure a lot will be said about that all day, and tomorrow. I will probably be no exception.Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Don Cherry Can Suck It
This is the only post about the details of tonights game. Hejduk takes a puck off the face and scores a goal. Off the face. That shit hurts. If you don't believe me, ask Jeremy Roenick, or Steve Yzerman, or Don VanMassenhoven. That shit hurts. Then Hejduk comes back and plays. Why Don Cherry? Cherry has banged on about Europeans wearing visors and not being tough. Not battling, not working, all skill, no drill. Well, Cherry should eat his gaudy, ugly, dumb hat, and the rest of his awful wardrobe on air tomorrow. An European, wearing a visor, 'scores' (deflects one in) off his face, and comes back for the third period. Don't give me shit over this. That was tough.
Monday, October 23, 2006
Jerk At Hockey Bar Can't Ruin Avs Win
After what was an excellent day of work, I made my way to the hockey bar. Sobo 151 was sparse, but the crowd was more into hockey than Monday Night Football. I am now watching the Avs replay, and will be talking about the game maybe tomorrow. Later, after all the games of the day had wrapped up, I was challenged by a seemingly friendly person to some football. I love to play football, even against people who are better than me (I'm not bad, but not great). In a spirited first game, I lost 5-4. But overall, the mouth on the guy smacked of the sales guy who's wife left him, and this is his only outlet for his ego. After the first game, he wanted another. I reneged, mostly due to the fact that I suffer fools poorly, and fools I don't know even worse. My mistake was being willing to play a bit later, where the chatter turned up. I was getting sick of it, and started talking back. I had enough. Then he called me a dickhead. At that point, I told him to either shut his mouth and play, or just give up (I think it was polite to offer him the option, which is more than most people I know would do). I'd REALLY had enough. At that point, what someone like this guy does, did. He shakes your hand. My favorite part was when he called a friend of mine, who is a hockey player, a hockey ref, and a lot tougher than me (this guy, or most people I know) a "little lady." No shit.
At this point, you might expect me to be violent, but that is not my way. But let's be clear. Nothing was going to ruin what started as a good time, and ended as a bit of typing. So I got something out of it. In the end, the lesson should be clear. What you take into the hockey bar, may not be what everyone takes in. Go have fun, enjoy some hockey (win or lose), and leave it at that. Nothing else matters. Now if you will excuse me, I am going to enjoy an Avs win.
Note for Reality Check: Your comments have inspired me. Expect a post shortly.
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Better Know A Rule: Interference
There has been some serious debate about the rules this past season, and even this season, about what the dumb ass refs are calling, and what they aren't. But even with a rulebook in hand (which the NHL hasn't put into bookstores yet for this year), it can be hard to tell what should be called and what shouldn't, by the rules laid out in the NHL. USA Hockey or Hockey Canada may have differences, just like the minors and juniors have their differences. But looking at the rulebook can be a little confusing, and that is where the Casebook comes in. It's a situation manual, describing what the rules really mean, how they are applied, and what should be called a penalty, and what shouldn't. Also, it has the breakdown of who stays in the box for how long when there are multiple penalties. It's a serious read, and worth it. Look for last years at the NHL Official Guide site. Heavy stuff. But today, I want to talk to you about the Interference rule (rule 56). It is a rule based entirely on one strange principle, and that is possession. Who has the puck, and who doesn't is the defining factor of an interference call, and it is not as simple as it may seem. Page 114 of the NHL rulebook (link in PDF) states:
The last player to touch the puck, other than the goaltender, shall be considered the player in possession. The player in possession of the puck may be checked legally, provided the check is rendered immediately following his loss of possession.
So, let's not just look at the rule, let's look at an example. Let's take a game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the L.A. Kings: Sidney Crosby has the puck in the neutral zone. He dumps the puck in the corner with ten seconds to go. Scrums erupt everywhere and the puck sits in the corner. Suddenly, Sean Avery slams into Crosby, making Crosby cry like a little girl. Interference? No. Crosby still has possession. Or, Crosby dumps the puck, scrums erupt, nobody touches the puck. Crosby goes to the bench, sits down, and imagines his jersey number hung in the rafters of wherever the new owner moves the team. Suddenly, Avery jumps over the boards and slams Crosby into the back wall. Interference? No. The horn blows, the players leave, and everyone files out of the building. Even the ice techs leave, knowing they only have more hockey ahead, and wondering if they will have a job next season. They don't Zamboni, and leave the game puck just sitting in the corner. Sid the Kid gets into his Honda Hybrid car and drives home. After popping open a Grape Nehi and a box of Teddy Grahams, he settles in to watch the repeat of the game, and see if his new commercial is on the air yet. Just then, there is a knock at the door. "I didn't order any pizza, and the circus animals don't get here until Wednesday. Who could that be?" he thinks to himself. He opens the door, and standing there, in his full playing gear, is Sean Avery. "Sid," he says, "I would have words with thee." Avery lowers the boom, slams the hammer, fizzles the shizzle, trips the light fantastic, and hits Sidney with a devastating body check. Crosby's waif like body flies through the air, and before he can get the word "Reebok" through his mind, he slams Hollywood style into his kitchen table, thinking to himself, "Why does the bad man hate me?" Interference? No. Now, had Evgeni Malkin come back to the Mellon Arena after everyone left and picked up the puck, taking it home and snuggling with it like a teddy bear as he dreams of the Calder trophy, then it would be interference. In fact, Mick MaGoo could come in, waiving his hands around like an aircraft controller to make the call, and it would be his first of three good call for the season. So, I hope that cleared things up. I would like to thank Sidney Crosby and Sean Avery for their help in our little demonstration. If you have any questions, the comments are open. Next week, Tripping with Ken Klee..
I Call Shenanigans
Before I even saw the final score, I knew things couldn't go well. But overall, the game was one of the most dramatic I have ever seen. I was into the game, more than... most.
I will be clear here. The penalty call and resulting powerplay goal that was the eventual game winner was bullshit (interference against Clark). I hate saying that about the refs, or about the calls, but it was bullshit (why? I'm going to go into that in the next few days). Theodore played bad, as did Abby, as did Skrastins, as did almost everyone. Stars of the game could have been defined as who didn't suck. Hats off to Paul Stastny who scored his first NHL goal tonight, and to Ian Laperriere, who let go of scoring his 100th goal to get the assists when it counted. But if anyone feels good in Montreal about this win, your storm is coming. This was not a win to feel good about, not a loss to feel too bad about.
I will say this: It's hard to remember that two points is only two points when you write about it. When you watch with this kind of... whatever it is that drives you to write about your team, it's hard to remember that there is another game around the corner. It's going to be OK.
Note to Reality Check from Eyes On The Prize: Gloat now. But... There is no shame in this loss. Tonight was beyond a game. It was unbridled emotion for everyone. Until I see the Habs in the Stanley Cup Finals, it's still a road trip in the east with 4 out of 6 points earned. Oh, yeah. One of us has played the Bell Centre. It wasn't you. (HA!!!)
Saturday, October 21, 2006
This Is Hard
It's 11 at night, and I havven't seen the score of the game yet. Everyone I have talked to has had a big reaction to the score. You know a lot more than I do right now, but you can't imagibe how hard it is not to look. Painful. I'm going to be watching shortly, and you can judge the tone of my post better than me right now. I hope there was a fight.
-- Sent from my Treo, fearing the Reaper
Abie vs. Theo... I Mean Avs vs. Habs
In the past, this would just be a two point game. Tonight, it's something different. As soon as the Aebischer for Theodore trade was announced, everyone wanted to know when this game was going to happen. We didn't have to wait long. With Abie going 2-1-0 and a save % of.944 (GAA 1.63), he's on fire and pushing Huet. Abie was used to riding pine behind Patrick Roy. If anything, he is proving that the only reason he was traded away was because the Q couldn't spell his last name. Theodore may be getting his shit together, and that is enough for now, especially since the Avs have proven they aren't just a one line team.
I'm an Avs fan, don't get me wrong, but I have a caveat tonight. My Avs jersey (one of them) is a David Aebischer. I felt that, when he took over, he was our goaltender. I'm sure I made an impassioned drunken speech about it at some time, how Roy was gone, and we needed to let Abie do the job. I wish I could have told the Avs that. I believe he is more solid than most, has great position and speed, and a fighting spirit in net. One of the most interesting notes about the trade came from the Habs GM saying how he was excited when he heard that Abie was available. That was telling to me. If the Avs had a few more points right now (not that there are that many available right now), if this was a few more games into the season (like 30), I would be whole heartedly cheering on AEBISCHER (no, not the Habs, just Abie). I would be happy with an Avs loss, but not tonight. Tonight, this will tug at my soul. My heart will be split in two. Tonight, I squirm.
Quick note to Ian Laperriere: Dude, your 100th goal will come. Quit trying to just put it in every time you get the puck. Just take a pill. You already have the market on the letter R cornered, be happy with what you have, what you want will come.
Quick Note to Paul Stastny: Go ahead and shoot, but don't worry about scoring the goal, you are doing a great job making plays. The creativity you are showing is great. Stay on it.
Friday, October 20, 2006
Who's Going To Stop the Sabres?
What I haven't beenpaying attention to is who has been in net for the Buffaslugs. Has Ryan Millar been winning them all, or has Martin Biron been doing some of the work? Regardless, I think they need top face the Wild, and get this over with.
Meanwhile, I only watched the first half of the Leafs- Avs game from Wednesday. I saw enough highlites during the Sens game. The real story is going to be tomorow night. Will David Aebischer be in net? Will Jose crumble under the pressure? Will Paris Hilton be in a luxury box? All will be answered.
Dust off the sombraro, it's going to be an exciting weekend for some hockey.
-- Sent from my Treo, up at my perch
Battle of Colorado Starts Tonight
The Battle of Colorado begins in Windsor, CO tonight, when the Rocky Mountain Rage take on the Colorado Eagles. Altitude is broadcasting the game tonight, and even though the quality of broadcasts from the Budweiser Events Center usually suck, I expect some serious fireworks tonight. This is going to be a real rivalry, hard nosed and ugly. Get the to the rink!
How Can You Live Without This Photo?
Really, I don't see how you could not. This was from the loadout of the Mariachi Festival. Someone left the hat behind. Their loss, your gain.
Avs beat Sens, but That Was Now
Well, I am totally outside of this Space Time Continuum thing. I watched the Avs beat the Senators tonight, but I still haven't watched the Avs beat the Leafs from last night. I figure I will tomorrow morning, while doing some laundry. Mid-day hockey. Yum.
I want to give a Boo-yaa to Sherry from Scarlett Ice. She is one of the few bloggers out there who is blogging after a loss. Not during, and not ignoring the team when they are down, but AFTER a loss. It shows guts, and I can respect it. Over all, it took one goal to energize the Sens, and they really poured it on after bringing the game within one. There is no good reason they couldn't have tied it up. And, if they had met the team they faced in the first period, they would have tied it, if not won. Simply put, the Sens were a good fight, and you can't get two points every night.
The goal against Theodore was just a tiny bit faster than the shot. Theo got a little on it, but not enough. If there is a goalie in the league who could use a shutout, it's Jose. He had to rely on position and reflexes to get the job done, and tonight he had both. Richardson with a shortie. Sakic with the garbage in front. Two points is two points.
Note: Tomorrow night is the start of the Battle of Colorado. The CHL season starts with the Rocky Mountain Rage visiting the Colorado Eagles. If you are in Colorado, tape this one. It's going to be on Altitude.
BTW: I am so happy I don't have to rely on just OLN for my games. I can live without Center Ice when I have a local channel that broadcasts all the games. I get every Avs game, with a pretty good call. OLN should take note. A balanced call, with the action being called, rather than drifting all over the place. OLN should watch the hunting shows they broadcast, and try to STAY ON TARGET!!! (hunter Versus deer, whatever).
And: From the I-hate-to-say-I-told-you-so-but-there-you-have-it dept: Peter Forsberg has been hurt for the 5.378th time. He sprained his wrist, and left the game in the first period. And people wonder why I never wept when he left. He is an amazing player, but this isn't touch football. The TFL, next on ESPN.
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Neil Little Moves to Front Office
It isn't quite the GM's position, but Neil Little, the most famous non-NHL goalie in Philadelphia (he may be the most famous goalie there period is moving to the front offices of the Wachovia Center and Spectrum. This is from Our Sports Central, which is where I go for my minor league hockey news:
Global Spectrum, operators of the Wachovia Center and Wachovia Spectrum for arena owner Comcast-Spectacor, today named former Philadelphia Phantoms goalie Neil Little as the facilities' new Event Manager, according to Global Spectrum's Tim Murphy, General Manager of the Wachovia Complex.
"Neil is the ultimate 'team player' and we're very fortunate that he is joining us in our event production department," said Murphy. "Neil helped us build the Phantoms franchise as one of our franchise players. Now, he is making the transition to the front office and we are certain he will represent our company well in his new role."
In his new role, Little will work directly with the touring shows, production companies and artists, the networks and teams in making all necessary arrangements to perform or play at either Wachovia Center or Wachovia Spectrum.
I have never wanted to go to Philly more than ever. I mean it. Neil Little, for those of you poor souls who don't know, was a career backup goalie for the Philadelphia Phantoms. He played 2 games, both of which were losses. I was at his second and last game with the Flyers, where Robert Esche got injured, and Neil had to step in. Against a Tampa Bay Lightning team who would soon win the Stanley Cup, he gave up two goals in under two minutes, and the Flyers lost the lead and the game 2-1. The man was thrown under the bus, coming off the bench cold, the Flyers laving him out to dry defensively. It was a team that night who could defend or score, but both was too much for them. Little was benched in favor of Antero Niittymaki, and the rest was history for Niitty. Little faced 8 shots in the 33 minutes he played that game, and that was his last NHL action ever. The Hockey News ran an interview and story about him on the last page a few years ago. I wish I knew where that was. He is LOVED by fans of the Phantoms, and was inducted in their hall of fame. Here is a little video about him made by the Phantoms:
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Tonight's game
I have not seen the Avs game, but my friend Shannon gave it away already, or at least the outcome. I will be watching later tonight or tomorrow. Right now, I am at the final dress rehearsal for the Colorado Ballet production of Dracula. A very cool show indeed.
Opening is at 6:30 pm tomorrow night, which means I will be taping the game for later. One of the bad things about the theatre schedule is that I don't get to read the blogs or see the scores until much later. Sherry from Scarlett Ice will have to wait for my response from tomorrow night's Senators - Avs game for a while. The good thing is that the theatre work makes me happy. A happy blogger is a good blogger. Except for a few out there. They are better being pissed. Bad for them, good for us.
-- Sent from my Treo, with my dancing shoes on.
Monday, October 16, 2006
Back Home, the Recap
The last thoughts on the game:
There are losses I can stomach, and losses I can't. Tonight is in the can't category. The prevailing attitude in the locker room HAD BETTER BE that they had to stay out of the penalty box, and then the response HAD BETTER BE that they stay out of the fucking penalty box. How do you take 7 penalties, get scored on 3 of them, all before the ND period is even three minutes old, and expect to win a game. The short answer is: you don't. I wish I could say the Blackhawks outplayed the Avs, but the Avs outplayed the Avs, is more like it. The Blackhawks waited for the Avs to destroy themselves, and didn't have to wait long.
There are two ways of looking at this game. Either the Avs didn't get any of the 4 points up for grabs, or had 2 games with no points. A simple way of looking at it, but this isn't game seventy. We have room to lose. But that room won't be here forever. Time to get on the horse.
Aside from that, I had a great time at the Czech hockey bar. Shannon is a great hockey buddy, and even the Blackhawks fan (there are BH fans?) entering the bar after the loss wasn't so bad. After all, 1961 was a long time ago.
Third Period
I feel like I don't wstch the game as much when I liveblog, but it sure is fun.
GOAL!! Brisebois gets his money shot, Hejduk with thte assist. That's a tie game!
LaPointy head puts the BH on top. I now hate him.
Arnason with a chance, and puts it wide. Let me say this, If it wasn't for the first period, I could deal with a loss here. Ever the pessimest.
At this point, I'm reduced to "Come on, Avs" Gotta get one. The Czech beer is tasty tonight.
Liles takes a penalty with 2:01 left.
Avs lose. I now will drown my sorrows, and will get back to you.
-- Sent from my Treo, with sorrow
Second Period
SOG are staggeringly lopsided. If the Q didn't address this in the locker room, then fire him (like I need an excuse to fire him.)
BH 2-6 on the PP on 7 shots. In only one period. Not good. And there is the next penalty. WTF? But that was a penalty?
2 minutes to Shannon for not being here yet.
Why does Theodore fall at the puck / shot so often? Does,'tlook like control to me.
Sorry, make that BH 3-7. BH goal by Vbrata. Youo can still buy his Avs jersey here, you know.
Someone needs to punch someone in the face. Just saying.
There are so many penalties, you would think MaGoo was reffng the game.
Goal! Sakic on the wrister. $1 Kamikazie.
Skrastins on his third penalty of the night. You'ld think Turgeon was playing.
GOAL!!!! Arnason get's it in. Suck it, BH!
Shannon finally showed up. I am drinking Czech ale, and the Avs have closed the gap to 3-2. Hockey Night in Denver. Back in a bit.
-- Sent from my Treo, having a great fucking time.
First Period
Could an announcer have a more boring name than Joe Brown? Just wondering.
You have to have some serious balls to wear an Indian headdress and war paint at an away game. Nice one, BH fan.
I can't mwait for Leopold to get on the ice.
Khabibulin has an .882 save % and is still 2-1-0. The BH have some scoring going onfor that to happen (GAA 4.04) I find myself watching Theodore a lot. Watching to see if he is showing his... Issues?
Almost tipped in. The bar crowd groans.
Skrastins in the box. Last time, things didn't go well for the Avs.
Post! Stastny with a freat block, and that's a kill.
SOG at 1212:05 left 11-1 Hawks. Notthe high flying Avs of old there, but half a period does not make a team.
Theodore hasn't been flailing like last season (here or in Montreal). Is he putting a bad season behind him finally?
As much as I like Laperriere being scrappy, I don't care for him being scrappy when it putts him in the penalty box.
Have I mentioned how much I hate the puck over the glass penalty? I do right now.
Great breakaway! What the hell is with Hanzues' hair? And why isn't there a BH blog I can poke fun of about it?
The disipline the Avs had last week is now past tense. And that leads to the BH PP goal. Theodore almost had it, but not quiite. Damn.
The Avs seem to have moved their bench to the penalty box. I can't say the BH are any good, they jsut have a lot of PP chances.
Another BH goal. That was a crap ass period. Not just the goals, but the way they were scored. See you next period.
-- Sent from my Treo
Pre-game
I am all set for the game. I have beer, food, and Shannon from work (who also refs) is hanging out. Mostly intermission reports of how the game goes in the Czech hockey bar. What could be finer? Expect several posts (with poor spelling) around intermission,with phone pictures when I feel like it.
Go Avs!
-- Sent from my Treo
Quick Game Preview
I'm running behind this morning, so just a quick game preview today. The Blackhawks are being scary good right now. Look at how they tore through the Preds, and the preseason they had. Someone is going to have to put them in their place, and that place will be put (huh?). I will be at the Czech hockey bar tonight, and updating on the game every so often. Stop in, as beer makes me more insightfull, or I like to think so at the time.
Also, if you have a TIVO, do you like it? I have a new job possibility where a TIVO may become necessary, or at least, more of a guarantee I get to see the games.
Go Avs, Tapeleg OUT!
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Tomorrow night
Tomorrow night, unless the fates are against me, I should be at SOBO 151 (151 South Broadway in Denver), enjoying beer and a hockey game. If you stop by, I will be in the Hinote jersey, and have a phone and keyboard in front of me. I will look like the pure hockey geek, minus hair. I plan to "live"blog the game from the bar, which means intermission updates more than live updates, as I have to post via email. Regardless, stop by JAHL for some poor spelling and reports on how the Czech crowd in Denver like to party on a Monday night.
Avs First Real Loss, Not So Bad
If there is one thing I want to say about the game tonight, it was one hell of a game to watch. If I were at the game itself, I would have exploded, and if I had gone to the Czech hockey bar, you would not be hearing from me until next week, as I would be hungover that long. That was one hell of a game. There was little to fault, but here is what I saw.
Theodore gave up one bad goal. One. That may have been enough, but really, it wasn't bad. If he had squeezed down the pads a little quicker, he wouldn't have let it through the 5 hole. It was eventually the game winner, and that should be telling, but really isn't. Two redirects, and one PP goal from Smyth doing what he does best does not a bad game make.
Credit to Roloson who played like a maniac tonight. Good on ya, mate. Also, Hemsky was a whirling dervish out there.
Hejduk was on fire. One goal does not do his game justice tonight. He was playing like he should, and could, and will. This will piss off some people, and I say good.
Is it just me, or is Paul Stastny playing better than anyone ever thought he could at this level? His first goal will be epic.
Other than that, the Avs did come out a little flat in the 3rd, but picked it up when the chips were down. But not a bad night. I may have still got the best of it with the Mariachi show, but probably not. It was not a highlight of my career, and had stories that will be told for years to come. But not tonight. Tonight is for bed.
NOTE: Tonight, and for only one night, I am first in a hockey pool. I don't mention this to shame my fellow competitors, but only because I don't expect it to ever happen again. Tomorrow I have one player active, but a pool is a marathon not a sprint. To also show y humble side, I am second to last in my other pool. I can win and suck at the same time. I am multi talented, and look great in a sombrero. I have pictures to prove it. You will see them soon.
Saturday, October 14, 2006
See, I Told You
See, I Told You
Originally uploaded by Tapeleg.
Mariachi's. And you areall stuck watching hockey. Suckers.
I won't be watching the game until I get home, with commentary on Sunday. Have fun, you know I am.
--
Sent from my Treo, because you know where I'm at.
Avs - Oilers: Early Morning Notes
Tonight, the Avs take on the defending Western Conference Champs. Where will I be? Loading out a Mariachi show. Is this justice? No, it isn't. I wouldn't even be posting this, if it weren't for Andy Grabia at the Battle of Alberta saying how quiet I've been. Of course, as far as smackdowns, which this really wasn't, it holds no comparison to this. I assume he just doesn't have the anger and bile toward the Avs that he does against the cute and cuddly Ducks, because we didn't receive Pronger in the mail. No worries, the NHL will try to create (manufacture) some with 8 games between the two clubs. Time to get on the horse.
Really, what there is to say is pretty obvious. But here is a quick breakdown:
The Avs have to have no excuses. If they play soft or slow at the start, they will lose quickly. If they think anyone will sit back for the excuse of not playing for a week, they have another thing coming. They have to be motivated to get two points without leaving a point in Edmonton. If they aren't, then they will have hell to pay.
Theodore looked better in net against the Canucks than he did against the Stars. Less slop, less flop. Time to solidify that. Make it an every game occurrence.
Hejduk: Get up off your ass. Nuff said.
This Edmonton team is still a very good team. They climbed the ladder last year in the playoffs, and for good reason. A few people left the team, but they still have the guns to break a game wide open. Not a team to underestimate. Then again, which ones are? Look at what the Blackhawks are doing.
Finally, I'm so happy this game isn't on OLN. I get the Altitude feed here tonight, so I don't have to listen to a crap ass call with every sentence ending with Pronger. Remember the regular season last year? Where was Pronger then.
Friday, October 13, 2006
Will Not Be There
Yesterday, I mentioned that I would be going to Sobo 151 to watch the game tomorrow night. That will not be the case, as I am going to be working a Mariachi show. Yes, this is what my life is like, and as much as I have to miss hockey games to live it, it can provide entertaining. Regardless, I will most likely go to Sobo for Mondays game against the Blackhawks. At least, so far anyways. Unless there happens to be a Godzilla convention to work. Then, it isn't really even a choice, is it?
Around the Minors: Friday the 13th (very scary)
For a Friday the Th, this is turning out to be a tame one, but I haven't really stepped out into the real world yet. But here is a few quick hits around the minor leagues:
The Youngstown Steelhounds (of the CHL) will be playing the Dayton Bombers (of the ECHL) in an exhibition game tonight. Neat idea. I still don't know why Youngstown is in the CHL, as they are quite a ways away from the rest of the league. I'm sure the facility has something to do with it (the CHL has active roles in building and running arenas around it's league)
Speaking of the Bombers, they were defeated in exhibition play by the Cincinnati Cyclones. Why do I bring this up? Because it has to do with the Cincinnati Cyclones. If you didn't know, I like them. Hockey is alive and well in Cincinnati. (ECHL regular season starts soon)
The UHL (United Hockey League) has a preview of it's upcoming season and teams. If you have never been to a UHL game, it's worth the price of admission, which is pretty low to begin with.
If you don't know where some of these teams are, most league websites have a league map online. You can see what the travel distances are, and see where hockey is being played, sometimes in surprising places, making it harder to argue where hockey doesn't belong.
If you want to follow the AHL game day scores on your mobile phone, point your phone's browser to wap.ahl.leaguestat.com. Very light page with current scores, but you should be keeping your eyes on the road anyways.
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Too long...
One week. That's how long I have to wait for an Avs game. Even the Rangers/Flyers game wasn't the thing I needed to curb the appetite. In fact, I didn't watch much of the game. It just held no real interest for me. Sure, Forsberg was playing, but it's early. Wait a few months, and that will become a rarity.
If I am a whore, I am a Western Conference whore. The east has some great teams, but it also has the Devils. Write another book, Marty. Whoo-hoo. I'll watch a Bruins game all day, but my team is in the west, and I am her bitch.
Saturday will be glorious. The late game of the day is Avs vs. Oilers. How many times will we hear about Pronger? I plan to watch the game at my favorite Czech hockey bar, Sobo 151. Stop by, say hi. I'll be wearing a Hinote jersey, and a shit eating grin.
-- Sent from my Treo, beause blogging from a phone is good for the soul.
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Too much work
I am at work right now, almost done for the day. It's been a long week here, with early mornings, followed by long days. If you didn't know, I don't care much for early. Too many years of a theatre schedule. Hencr, no blogging.
I haven't been able to think about hockey, except in spurts. But my job this week has given me a few thoughts about hockey I'm not sure I would have had otherwise. I will bring them to you soon, as soon as the grey matter has settled.
-- Sent from my Treo
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Avs Win, First of Season
Let's look at the game:
I loved the first Svatos goal more than the second one, but who can't love a game winner? It was the "going upstairs" that left me cold (ie: scared).
If Laperriere's goal had counted, it would have been his 100th goal (whistle was blown just a hair before the puck went in).
Both goalies looked great, and while Luongo looked good also, this was Theodore's night to shine. I would like to see the Avs help him a little more when the puck goes from side to side (from a shot, or from a pass through the crease), but that will come. Theodore showed little weakness in net. This was almost as necessary as the win itself.
Speaking of the win, the Avs snuck out of that one. In classic Avs fashion, they tried to give the game back by taking a late penalty, which looked like a weird play. Was Rycroft tripped up from behind? It was hard to tell what happened there. The 2 points are important, not just for the points, but because the Canucks didn't take any away. This is something that can be build on. The Avs have way too many days off, but with luck, this is a time to collect and get a little perspective.
Stastny is surprising me left and right. He is a passing machine, and got his first NHL point tonight. I didn't expect so much from him so fast. Good for him.
That's all for tonight. Off to celebrate with beer and pizza. Don't you wish you were me?
Scoresheet
Avs vs. Canucks
Tonight is where friendships get tested. I have become very fond of a few Canucks bloggers. The Boys and Beaner at Waiting for Stanley are excellent people, and Alanah at VancouverCanucksOpEd is a hell of a blogger. But the only game tonight is going to test that. (hey, guys, interested in a chat board tonight?)
The Avs need a win now in a bad way. Even though they have gotten a point out of each of the first two games this season, they now have something to prove, that the talent that has left hasn't hurt the team as bad off as it may appear. They have to prove that they are still contenders, even though the conventional wisdom is they are too devastated by change. And as they head into almost an entire week off, two points tonight (without giving any to the Canucks) could help keep them up with the league. Getting two points in two games may not be bad, it's the four points they gave up that do the damage, and ask the questions of this team.
One question I have is, how is the rivalry between these two teams now that Todd Bertuzzi is gone? Is it even worth mentioning? Who can get mad at those cute and fuzzy Sedin twins? Are they going to dazzle us with style, or make us want to buy them from the window? Is the fight still left between these teams?
The classic Quenneville is coming to the surface. The Q has started to change up lines already, trying different combination of youth and vets. Here were the top three lines at practice yesterday, according to the Denver Post:
Laperriere - Sakic- Brunette
Hejduk - Wolski - Stastny
Svatos - Arnason - Richardson
So, does the Kid line survive to fight another day? 2 games and do they get broken up? While it may be nice to pair the young guys with a veteran, watching Stastny, Wolski, and Svatos hand of the puck back and forth coming into the zone was a thing of beauty, and only getting better. I don't think Hejduk will be ready for Wolski and his quick passing, like his former lines mates. It seams the Q's answer to everything isn't to change a strategy, but to change who plays where. To just mess with things in strange ways. Everyone wants cords pulled, the parachute deployed in the league, lines changed, things shaken up a bit. But look at what we have. We aren't even through week one. Nobody is left behind yet. 6 points separate first place from last. Nobody panic yet.
But if the Avs lose, there may be a little panic in the air. It's going to depend on how they lose, whether by lack of scoring, or lack of goaltending, or lack of playing 60 minutes. I have started to pad myself for the loss already. Not a good sign. Come on, boys, help a brother out. I'll still like the other bloggers though, even if one side has to suffer.
Saturday, October 07, 2006
Hockey Cats Who Dance, Part 2
Today is a long work day, so this may be all I have for you today. If you haven't seen the original cats post, click here. Of course, this isn't hard hitting hockey, but it sure is fun.
Alexander Ovechkin (Ovechkat?)
Ted Saskin
Gary Bettman
Evgeni Malkin
Zan at Waiting For Stanley
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Around the NHL tonight
Tonight, since it was opening for a lot of teams, the hockey world is buzzing, and that buzz is one of the weird. Looking around:
Dan Hinote scores the first goal of the season for the St. Louis Blues. And, just :36 seconds into the first period. Nice one, Danny!!! Then he gets an assist 3 minutes later. Is he trying to tell us something?
The Predators lost big to the Blackhawks. 8-6? What the hell is that? Both goaltenders sucked.
Brendan Shanahan got his 600th goal tonight. Gerber lets in 5 goals in 24 shots. Forsberg got off 0 shots on goal tonight. First game. Go figure.
Rick Dipietro is pulled for Mike Dunham after 40 minutes, against the Coyotes. You can imagine what the the stories are going to be tomorrow.
The Leafs get revenge. In a big way. Raycroft gets the shutout. Is this what the Leafs season is going to be like?
Also, I shouldn't have to look at ESPN for a boxscore. The new NHL.com needs to have the bugs worked out.
There you have it. I'm too tired to stay up for the final of the Blues - Sharks tilt. See you tomorrow
Avs Wild postgame
I was really disappointed that Theodore wasn't playing, but I guess they are saving him for Vancouver. Yeah, I know they have their reasons, but I was hoping to do a study on him. Here are some thoughts: Budaj looks good. He hasn't been the rebound king of the past. He seams to have less obvious faults than our starter. I didn't expect much from the Wild offensively. I understand they have some new scoring talent, but I didn't think they were ready to use it. The first period and a half proved me wrong. Avs are showing that they have 2 good lines. That may be all they need up front, as there are few teams who have 2, much less one solid line. The Kid line is so fast and exciting. They are proof of what the future of the NHL is. Wild fans will be complaining about the Gaborik play where he fell. Here is what I saw: Gaborik was breaking, L made a move to knock the puck away, Gaborik got on his heels, which kicked his skates out from under him. That's what happens when you get on your heel, you take a fall. These aren't figure skates. Thank goodness for Brad Richardson. Wow, two goals, and two we needed. The first one was beautiful The game winning goal: Watch Brisebois. If you see the replay, watch him. #71. Basically, when the Wild gain the zone, Brisebois is out of position. Why is he covering the center, when the center was already covered by Wolski? Budaj almost had it, but Brisebois was out of place. Maybe even screening Budaj from the shot. Bad way to lose. Looking at the Superstats: Stastny is loosing too many faceoffs to keep him in the circle; he need to work on this. Even though there were very few penalties called, the Avs still only took three; much better discipline. SOG: 31 Avs - 33 Wild.
I shouldn't be too disappointed. The Avs got 2 points out of 4 in a tight schedule. The Kid line looked great. The first line looked pretty good. The third line even got in there. Overall, the Avs were much more defensively responsible than last season (having 2 guys back was a rarity). But... Good teams, and that means winning teams, capitalize on their chances. Brad Richardson did that tonight, but the Avs as a whole did not. They had the opportunity to win, and did not. Even though these are 2 points that will be needed badly, and they could have just lost, this was a very winnable game. There was no reason they couldn't. They didn't. I hope this isn't what the whole season is like. BTW: why didn't Richardson get a star tonight? Oh well, such is hockey.
Recap via ESPN.com, because the new NHL.com is having troubles, which is another reason the new design sucks.
NHL.com vs. AHL.com
Some people are so smart. This morning, I mentioned that the AHL had a new website, just like the new NHL site. What I was thinking about was how the AHL was doing the same thing as the NHL, changing a long standing design to something new. Sherry from Scarlett Ice looked at it differently. Here is what she said:
...Why is the AHL site about 10x better than the NHL one?
Yeah! What the hell was I thinking? This is why I need comments from people. I need to know what you smart people think.
I do have an opinion about that. The AHL, like most minor leagues, has a business that is run on butts in the seats. You have to sell seats to the fans, or you fail. There is nothing more important than butts in the seats. So, to get those butts, the minor leagues have to work hard at making the fans happy, and at promoting the game. The AHL knows their job. They develop players, and they sell the game. You can't get away with much in the minors. Every mistake is a missed opportunity. Some days, it is like the NHL doesn't even care to try. The ad campaigns, the handing of problems, the schedule, so many things. They just do something, and that equals progress. Take the change of logo design. What did that do for the league? What was it, other than change for the sake of change? Did it sell any tickets? Did it put any more butts in the seats? You know the answer.
The AHL can't afford to make big mistakes. They have to take chances, and take them well. They can't afford not to think about what they do, and especially the changes they make. AHL fans, and fans of any minor league team, are passionate. They may not know the NHL teams the way an NHL fan does, but they sure care about their team, and their league. They may even care more than the average NHL fan does. They know what they like, and don't mind telling you what they don't. Sometimes, because of the scale of the minor leagues, they may even have the attention of the teams and league. To the AHL, and the other minors, the fans are everything. They are worth more than anything.
You can breakdown the basics of web design (NHL.com is too busy), the available resources (AHL doesn't have much in the line of broadcast video), or even advertising (does the NHL really need google ads to make money?). But the fact is, the AHL does the job better. They have to work harder for what they get. And they don't screw up very often. The NHL should take note.
Avs vs. Wild
The Wild are about to take on the Avs in Minnesota. I am sure Roy from Wild Puck Banter is either glued to the TV, or at the rink. I wish him luck, but not that much luck. As much as the NHL is trying to manufacture inter division rivalries, I am not able to get any bile up for the Wild. It just isn't there yet. Of course, that could change quickly. As fun as last night was, I am looking forward to watching the game a little more closely tonight. I will be keeping an eye on the Kid line, what Hejduk does, and Jose Theodore. Or I would be, except Peter Budaj is slated to start. Still, I am ready for some serious hockey. GO AVS!!!!
Around the Minors 10/5
Avs loss? What Avs loss? We're talking minor league hockey. Some short notes:
The new rage right now is changing your website design before the season starts. While NHL.com did it, so did the AHL. Check out the new look of www.theahl.com
The AHL is cutting players and sending them down to the lower minors. The ECHL, CHL, and UHL will be heating up soon.
Locally, the players for the Colorado Eagles and the Rocky Mountain Rage will be showing up soon. Rage camp is going to be at the Ice Centre at the Promenade in Westminster starting October 9th. The Eagles will be playing an intra squad game in Greeley at the Ice Haus on Oct. 11th. They are also opening 2 practices to the public at the Budweiser Events Center, Oct 9th and 10th.
Sadly, an original member of the Cincinnati Cyclones passed away. Tom Neziol, who was 39, died of a heart attack, in Burlington, Ontario.
So we don't end on a sad note, last night was also the start of the AHL regular season. The league plays more weekend games than weekday, so if you are nearby a team, get out and see a game.
Avs vs Stars
Well, I am not going to be doing a bunch of game recaps, but it was a good night of hockey, so here is some of the fun:
Great first period for the Avs, and a good night for the kid line. First period shots on goal: 22 Avs to 7 Stars. Stars can't stay out of the box.
Turco is doing all the work for the Stars. He looks better than I thought he would.
Mick MaGoo (yeah, I know that isn't his real name) looks so dumb and mad in a helmet. If he doesn't like it, he could always quit (hint, hint)
Laperriere gets the first two penalty night, even though one was a fight (first of the season). First 2 minor penalty night to McLean.
Nice turnout for the live chat board. If you missed it, we'll do another one soon.
Avs are playing a solid 40 minutes. Why not the whole game?
Where did Sydor score? High glove side. Theodore is slow with the glove. I'm going to go on about this soon.
Overall, a good opening night, if not for the Avs, who squander the lead, for the NHL. Carolina slowly raises the banner, and the Leafs take forever to retire 3 jerseys, but hockey was back, and in fine form over all. Not a bad game out there tonight. It's good to have the NHL back.
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
Bullied Into A Prediction
Zan at Waiting For Stanley put up his Western Conference predictions, and told me that if I didn't do the same, he would invade Colorado (the state, not the city), and take away my Avalanche toque. Well, I can't part with that, so here we go, out together with haste and little fore thought:
1) Nashville: Vokoun stays healthy, the new guys rock, Kariya keeps getting better from 3 years ago's slump
2) Ducks: Can't put them first, but damn close. Goaltending will tell.
3) Flames: Only improved in the offseason, took care of the one problem (scoring), and know how to use it.
4) Sharks: Scary good, with things clicking well for them. Expect point totals very close to the Ducks. They are just missing a plan, which will come about soon.
5) Red Wings: Never count them out. Osgood can carry in net if/when Hasek gets hurt
6) Oilers: They aren't giving up. Pronger and Peca were non-factors in the regular season, and Lupul is going to explode.
(this is where things get tough)
7) Wild: People expect good things from them this year, but Jaques Lemaire is going to out-coach the new scoring players. It will be a tug of war, but they will make it.
8) Avalanche: Squeaking in, so long as Theodore is decent. He doesn't even have to be great, just good enough to deserve the job. He will stay no matter what, nobody will pull the plug until next season.
9) Stars: Turco is the question, but the rest of the team didn't get any better. They will challenge for 8th, but just miss.
10) Vancouver: One goalie doesn't make a team. I am waiting for Luongo to win something, so will the rest of the league
11) Columbus: If the Avs stumble bad, expect the Blue Jackets to slip into the 8th slot. Better team than everyone thinks right now. Will it last?
12) Coyotes: Building something good here, with a plan, but time will tell, and not this year.
13) Blues: Building, but not yet there.
14) Kings: Whatever.
15) Blackhawks: Frist round draft pick contender. Why? Who thinks signing Lalime is a plan? No one.
I hate doing predictions. I never have enough info, nor enough confidence in my choices.
Places 7 through 15 were hard. 11-15 are almost interchangeable. The West is going to be the really close race. It's going to be tighter than a wild card race. This is where the focus of the league will be at the end of the season. Sometimes, it's good to be in the West.
Opening Night Avs, Before the Tilt
Here are some quick Avs notes before the opening night tilt:
Brad May and Pierre Turgeon are both on the IR. How this is a bad thing is beyond me.
Keep an eye on the Kid line, of Svatos, Wolski, and Stastny. Speed and skill will be good. But if they get rushed hard, or banged up a lot, it may fizzle.
Watch the glove hand of Jose Theodore. Just watch. Tell me what you think.
Is Marty Turco losing his confidence? Let's find out.
Who will be getting the two minors first? Klee or Arnason? I'm guessing Klee, but Brisebois may be the surprise candidate.
The Avs claimed George Parros of waivers from the Kings. Will he play tonight?
Terry Frei is not the Fan Base
I have to get this down now, before it changes. In the Denver Post, by Terry Frei:
The Tampa Bay Lightning, the reigning Stanley Cup champion, will be watched closely because it decided to concentrate so much of its cap space on three forwards - Vinny Lecavalier, Martin St. Louis, and Brad Richards.
Reigning champs? This is stupid, and wrong, obviously. This should not have gone on the internet, because Terry Frei has editors who should catch this sort of thing. Also, Frei writes about hockey for ESPN.com, so this isn't his first barbecue. The bigger laughing stock is the state of our "two" (really two from one office) newspaper town. Laughable.
But, as luck would have it, it was brought to my attention by Pleasure Motors at Covered In Oil, who had this to say:
I've always assumed, due to the unfailing ability for Colorado to be a decently dominant team for the entirety of their existence, that the city of Colorado somehow deserved it, that it was a decent-sized American market that thoroughly supported its team, and not just a success-happy bandwagon city that had a Stanley Cup tossed into its lap and has been living in the afterglow.
City of Colorado? For those who don't know, Denver is a city, Colorado is a state. That would be like me calling Alberta a township after asking what current Prime Minister Paul Martin is doing these days (and for those of you in America, do some research on why that works). Don't get me wrong. I like Covered In Oil. Some of the posts about Markkanen during the Cup finals were hilarious, and was and is a daily read. It's a great blog, with excellent writing. And hey, all make mistakes. But that was perfect.
The thought for the day. You can rip me for being wrong. And that will happen, probably quite often. I don't have an editor. Hell, my spelling and grammar are often atrocious. You can rip the beat writers for being wrong, and you should. They have editors who should catch these things, and they have more tools at their disposal than the rest of us (but the internet sure helps to close that gap). Oh, yeah, and they get paid to do it. But we are the fans, the ones who read the Avs articles in the papers, not the ones who write them. Don't worry about us, we know the truth. Now, bring on the hockey.
(P.S.: If either of these errors are corrected by the time you read this, I guess you just have to trust me. I couldn't make this up. But I hope the errors stand. Life is better that way)
Opening Night Last Reminder
Last post about it. The big chat board, the hockey season, the beginning of the battles. Stop by JAHL, right here, for the opening night party. I'm putting up the big chat board. Come talk hockey and some trash with the rest of the world. Starting around 5pm on the East, 2 in the West. Life is going to be good. BYOB
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Hockey Season Starts, and I Want to Travel
Hockey season is starting tomorrow, and this is the first time in a while I will be in Denver for the opener. Last year, I was in Iowa City, and shortly after saw the opening night of the Iowa Stars (AHL for Dallas). During much of the lockout, I was in Boston, MA, which, even without the Bruins, is a great place to spend the NHL lockout. From the Beanpot, to college, to AHL everywhere, to the Dennis Leary Celebrity Hat Trick game, hockey was not lacking for me. The previous year, I was in St. Louis, and got to see some of training camp. I put pictures of that time up here.
To me, when I think about hockey, I think of Glens Falls, NY, my favorite place to see a game. I think about Lake Placid, NY, and getting to skate in the Herb Brooks Arena (where the Miracle on Ice happened, of course). I think about the AHL All Star game I got to see in Manchester, NH. Or the trip I took to see a game in every UHL city.
I love the experience of going to a game in a different place. It makes the game better. The Pepsi Center is nice and all, but it's not Wings Stadium, where the Kalamazoo Wings play. See, the 'glass' is on the outside edge of the boards there, leaving about 3-4 inches of board as a shelf. If you hard around the puck from outside the blue line, and the puck gets on that board, it may just come right back out of the zone on the other side. The K-Wings know this, so they watch that shelf closely. It adds a little quirk to the game. I found out when I skated on the ice after the game. The crowd is thick, so you aren't doing any hard skating, but the team usually skates with you, so why embarass yourself? I have to go back, just to try the sports bar under the seats. The UHL, where the K-Wings play, doesn't play in what you would call standardized buildings. Can you imagine the NHL playing on anything but regulation ice (200' X 85')? But the Quad City Mallards (of Moline, IL) and the Port Huron Flags (of Port Huron, MI) do. The UHL guidebook lists both rinks at 185' X 85'. If that's the case, that's 1,275 square feet less of ice surface. You know how crowded hockey can get. What zones do you take that ice away from? Rockford, IL, home of the Rockford IceHogs is the same way.
Speaking of Rockford, I can't wait to go back. I never would have said that if I were passing through on business, but for hockey, it's true. I'm sitting in the same section I did last time, where the size of your cowbell matter more than the size of you hockey knowledge. The people sitting next to me had little stuffed otters hanging on a noose, tied to hockey sticks. If you didn't guess, I sat in the roudy section. When they found out I was from out of town, they took me in. Great group of fans. Afterwords, I can hang out at the hockey bar, where the players go after the game. You heard it here first, Rockford, IL has a hockey bar.
You should have seen the punchup in Wichita, KS, when the Oklahoma City Blazers came to town. The first minute of the third period took longer than a regular period played. If you doubt, here is the gamesheet. 98 minutes in penalties handed out in the first minute of the 3rd. The Wichita Thunder would have gotten more power play, but as the Blazer who ran the goalie from behind was being ejected, the goalie squirted him in the face with his waterbottle. What made the game better was that I was going to see these two teams square off again two nights later in OKC. I had never seen anything like it.
When you go to places like Port Huron, MI, or Muskegon, MI, or even Norfolk, VA, you start to understand how people can lament the loss of the old rinks. So many buildings these days are just that, buildings. They do the job, hold the event. But they don't care like a rink does. An old rink, with wood seats, or even benches, where you can see a little bit of the old insulation, where the cracks in the walls are. You see the dust on the banners in the rafters. You have little merch shops that have needed to outgrow the tiny box they are squeezing in this years pucks and shirts, or last years and the year before. You can see the history of the place, and the team, everywhere you look. A team gives it's rink an identity, and the rink gives it right back.
My point. Hockey to me means seeing a game outside of the home rink. The rink itself is a part of the experience of going to the game. It can enhance the game, and make it so much more. When you sit in the same seat for 42 games a year, and are still just another blank face to the people at the rink, you just get to see a game. When you go somewhere else, you get something more back. I can't wait for hockey season, and I can't wait for the minor hockey season even more. I'm itching to get in the car and drive, and take in a good game, in a strange place.
