| |
|
|
« September 2007 |
Main
| November 2007 »
 It's that time of the year folks! Playoff Beard of the Month time!
So who is the first to land this coveted prize? Washington Capitals forward Alexander Ovechkin. His playoff beard while still in it's infancy, show's remarkable potential, and the recent facial hair accumulation has also been accompanied by some stellar play. Ovechkin in 11 games this season has collected 15 points (8 goals, 7 assists) and is a +3 rating. It has to be the beard. In any case, please join me in congratulating our Playoff Beard of the Month Winner for October, Alexander Ovechkin!
Quick Shave:
Boston Bruins center Patrice Bergeron will likely miss a month of action after sustaining a concussion from a hit Saturday afternoon. Bergeron went into the boards low, and was checked from behind by Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Randy Jones (who was subsequently suspended for 2 games, which I think was the right call by Campbell.... Jones was not trying to injure Bergeron, and is clearly not cut from the same cloth his teammates Downey and Boulerice are) and as a result bounced his face across the dasher, which knocked him unconcious.  The Detroit Red Wings are an amazing club. I don't think they know how to lose. Can anyone remember a time when you could honestly say "The Red Wings Suck!" and actually mean it (without secretly pining away wishing your franchise shared a fraction of their success)? The Detroit Red Wings managed to steal a game late in the third (under 30 seconds left in the game late) from the Edmonton Oilers on a goal by Valtteri Flippula and take the 2-1 win. The Atlanta Thrashers have turned the corner since starting the season with 6th straight losses. SInce GM Don Waddell took over the bench duties after firing head coach Bob Hartley, the Thrashers have won 4 of their last 6 games. The Thrashers defeated the Montreal Canadiens last night 3-2 by way of shootout. Jarome Iginla owns the Nashville Predators.... OWNS OWNS. Actually no one may own the Predators after today ( deadlines are looming today regarding the sale of the club).... anyway, the Predators ran into a flaming brick wall in the form of Calgary Flames goalie Miika Kiprusoff who stopped 39 shots to give his team the 5-1 win. Jarome Iginla scored two during the win.
Game of the Night:
Columbus at Los Angeles 10:30 PM Preview
A couple of perrenial bottom feeders who are on the cusp of changing how most feel about their clubs go head to head tonight. Pascal Leclaire and Jason LaBarbera will try to outduel each other in net. Both teams boast some explosive young forwards as well. Enjoy the games!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 The New York Rangers found their defense again (after a rough Saturday night bout with the Maple Leafs) and managed to keep the Tampa Bay Lightning's potent offence from taking over. Holding the Lightning to just 4 shots in the final frame of the game the Rangers powered to a 3-1 win.
Rangers captain Jaromir Jagr took a deflected puck to the mouth during the second period, and lost several teeth as a result. During the third, the Rangers captain capitalized on a power play opportunity and one timed the game winner past Tampa Bay keeper Johan Holmqvist (who was outstanding in the loss stopping 32 pucks on the night). Brendan Shanahan also scored and is now 1 point shy of the 1300 mark for his career. Rangers rookie Nigel Dawes potted his third goal in three games, and goaltender Henrik Lundqvist bounced back to make 21 saves for the victory.
Quick Shave:
The Toronto Maple Leafs returned home after a short and successful road trip and resurrected their no-defense style of play dropping a laugher to the Washington Capitals 7-1. Washington Capitals forward Alexander Ovechkin scored 2 goals in the win (among many others who potted their first's of the season) and helped chase Leafs starter Vesa Toskala from net after 4 tallies. Backup Andrew Raycroft fared not much better allowing three more goals. The Dallas Stars were looking to wrap up a 2-1 win over the San Jose Sharks before the Sharks scored three goals on three consecutive shots late in the third period (the game tying and game winning goals were scored by rookie Devin Setoguchi) to capture a 4-2 win. The Calgary Flames have locked up their star goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff to a long term contract. Last night the Flames announced they had agreed to terms with Kiprusoff on a 6 year deal worth $35 million.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
This is the video from last night's battle between Godzilla and Megalon! Enjoy!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 The New York Rangers finally found some offence to match the defence they've been playing over the past three games. That scoring was provided by Rangers rookie Nigel Dawes who potted his first goal of the year in the opening minute of the game.
Dawes followed with his second goal of the season to give the Rangers the 2-0 win over the New Jersey Devils. Henrik Lundgvist made 22 saves for the shut out win ( technically his second of the season, since they lost to the Bruins three games ago in the shootout 1-0) over the Devils who played their final road game and can now look forward to their home opener Saturday at the Rock in Newark.
 Really Quick Shave:
The Columbus Blue Jackets.... this team is looking good. Jackets goaltender Pascal Leclaire made 36 saves last night to help his club to the 3-0 win over the St. Louis Blues and to record his 4th shutout of the season. Fourth shutout of the season! If this guy is available in your fantasy leagues, jump all over him! Blue Jackets forward Rick Nash scored for the fifth straight game. This team is obviously buying into whatever Ken Hitchcock is selling. Anyone catch the Zdeno Chara and David Koci fight last night? WHOAH! I thought I was watching 70s wrestling for a minute. Chicago Blackhawks David Koci who went into the scrum with a broken nose from a previous engagement with the Toronto Maple Leafs Wade Belak a week ago accepted a little in game rhinoplasty from Chara, who rebroke and opened up his face. The Boston Bruins went to take the 3-1 win, thanks to a pair by young gun Phil Kessel (who I intelligently left on the bench last night... ARRRRRGH!!!).
 Game of the Night:
Montreal at Carolina 7:00 PM
San Jose at Detroit 7:30 PM
Colorado at Calgary 9:00 PM
Is this an evening worth chilling the Labatt Blue's for or what?! What a lineup! Habs and Canes always deliver. San Jose will get to test their mettle against the team that knocked them out of the post season in the Wings, and Calgary will look to get off to a better start than they did the other night when they throw down with the Avs. Enjoy the games!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 I just watched the best game of the season thus far last night!
The Minnesota Wild who have been dominant from the start of the year took a 3-0 lead into the second period against the Calgary Flames and looked to have the game well under control. The Flames sleeping giant of Jarome Iginla awoke midway through the period to finally put Calgary on the board. After that is was all Flames, I kid you not. Calgary tied the game in on two more goals within the next 5 minutes, then continued their stellar play and potted two more in the third to knock off the Wild 5-3.
Jarome Iginla is an incredible hockey player. When this guy is on, the Flames are, and they are unstoppable. As he goes they go, to quote one of the stunned Minnesota broadcasters last night. Iginla finished with a goal and two assists. Flames defenceman Adrian Aucoin finished with the game winning goal and an assist, and Alex Tanguay (Keenan's whipping boy... there's always one on a Keenan team) got his first of the season and an assist. Unbelievable win for the Flames, and an unbelievable game for Bosh!
 Quick Shave:
The Florida Panthers brought the Philadelphia Flyers back down to earth last night. Panthers forwards Gregory Campbell and Olli Jokinen each scored a pair to take the 4-3 win. The Buffalo Sabres are having some difficulty adjusting to life after Briere and Drury as they dropped another game, this time to the Carolina Hurricanes.... who are just plain hot right now. Everyone on the Cane's scored, and goaltender Cam Ward made 19 saves to record the 6-2 victory. The Washington Capitals defeated their division rivals the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-3 last night. Alexander Ovechkin scored a goal and added two helpers in the win. The Detroit Red Wings continue to win, and added another notch in the loss column for the stumbling Vancouver Canucks yesterday. Tomas Holstrom scored a pair, and goaltender Dominik Hasek only needed to make 13 save for the 3-2 win. Vancouver only took 15 shots in the game.... I know it's Detroit boys, but I can see why you aren't winning games. You aren't shooting the puck at the net. On the flip side, the Red Wings fired 39 shots at Canucks keeper Roberto Luongo. I can see where the problem is not.
Game of the Night:
New Jersey at NY Rangers 7:00 PM
The Rangers have to wake up at some point don't they? Seriously don't they? Scott Gomez faces his old 'mates for the first time this season as the Devils come to town. This is also New Jersey's final road game as they will welcome the Ottawa Senators to their new diggs in Newark for their home opener Saturday night. Enjoy the games!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 Not even for $50 million! Two games, 6 periods, 125 minutes, 2 hot goalies..... and tons of question marks. The New York Rangers are looking for answers, and they haven't found any so far this season.
The Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury stoned the Rangers last night (just a few days after Manny Fernandez of the Bruins did) by stopping all 36 shots he faced. Evgeni Malkin scored the lone goal for the Penguins, helping his club complete the 1-0 shutout victory.
On the positive side (which there are few), the Rangers have tightened up defensively, allowing only 1 goal in regulation over the past two games. Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist made 21 saves last night, and has been strong in net for the Rangers this season, but has recieved little to no offensive support..... and before the last two games, little defensive support either. It is probably two early to panic yet, but if things don't turn around dramatically for this club soon, changes will be made, especially for a club that is currently kissing the salary cap ceiling. I'd hate to see it, but with the way things are in professional sports, I find it hard to imagine Coach Tom Renney's job not already being on the clock at this point. Hopefully patience will win out.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 Ryan Smyth comes home this evening..... or to his former home. The once Edmonton Oiler who spent 12 years with the club will visit under a new banner. After being traded at the deadline last season to the New York Islanders as a playoff rental when a long-term deal could not be worked out, Ryan Smyth chose to sign as an unrestricted free agent with the Colorado Avalanche.
Tonight's game will be filled with mixed emotions for both the Oiler's fans, who have watched a parade of their home grown stars head for the exits upon reaching free agency, and for Smyth who presumably wanted to play his whole career in Edmonton. This is your game of the night: Colorado at Edmonton 9:30 PM
Enjoy the games.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 The Minnesota Wild are tearing it up early again. Remember last year when they exploded out of the gate while the rest of the league slept-walked through the first month of the season? Well they are doing it again.
While last years hot start was cooled by injuries to Gaborik and Demitra, the Wild are definitely looking forward this year. They have yet to lose a game in regulation, and have now won seven of their first 8 games this season.
Last night, just minutes before going to overtime with the Colorado Avalanche, Mikko Koivu broke free to score the game winner, and give the Wild the 3-2 victory. Goaltender Niklas Backstrom was solid once again making 29 saves on the evening. Backstrom continues to reward the Minnesota Wild for making him their number one netminder in favor of Manny Fernandez who was traded to the goaltending camp in Boston. The Wild currently sit atop the Western Conference and now boast the best record in the NHL.
Quick Shave:
The Vancouver Canucks stopped their losing ways last night due in large part to backup goaltender Curtis Sanford who made 35 saves to backstop his club to a 4-1 win over the surging Columbus Blue Jackets. Ryan Kesler potted two goals on the evening, and Markus Naslund and Kevin Bieksa rounded out the scoring to seal the win. Columbus Blue Jackets forward Rick Nash scored the lone goal for his team and now has a three game goal scoring streak.
Game of the Night:
San Jose at Calgary 9:00 PM
This looks to be a wholesome matchup between a couple of the big boys out West. Both teams are looking to establish themselves as powerhouses, and will have ample opportunity to do so this evening. Enjoy the games!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 Let the goaltending controversy in Ottawa officially commence!!
The Ottawa Senators goaltender Ray Emery returned to action for the first time this young NHL season since under going surgery on his wrist over the summer. Emery made 31 saves in his appearance and helped the Sens to a 4-1 win over the Florida Panthers.
In Emery's absence, goaltender Martin Gerber has led the Senators to the top of the NHL, only losing one game during that march. Gerber has been reborn hard (to steal a quote from Gunnery Seargent Hartman) and has definitely been a bright spot.... on a team loaded with bright spots. GM Bryan Murray has a problem, but one that most teams would relish. Two number one goaltenders, playing light's out hockey. Keeping both as insurance would be prudent, however, holding onto Gerber and his salary may make it difficult to retain both Jason Spezza and Wade Redden, and with Gerber's stock being as high as it is right now, trading him, even with a large contract would be much easier to do now. There are a few teams out there who would be interested (see Los Angeles.... if LaBarbera can't shoulder the load there). Keep an eye on the rumor mill this week, it will be very entertaining if nothing else.
Bottom line, the Ottawa Senators look unstoppable.
 Quick Shave:
The New York Rangers played their best defensive game of the season yesterday afternoon. Unfortunately for them, the Boston Bruins played theirs too, and just a bit better. Bruins forward Phil Kessel scored the only goal in the shootout and goaltender Manny Fernandez made 26 saves to record the 1-0 shutout win. Rangers forward Martin Straka broke his finger blocking a Zdeno Chara slapshot (after the first shot that hit his hand, he actually got down in front of Chara and blocked a second one.... that's just tough) and did not return to the game. I think it's safe to say that the Philadelphia Flyers are the real deal. Last night they defeated the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2 in OT. Flyers forward Simon Gagne scored twice including the game winner in the extra frame. Philadelphia 's Martin Biron continued his amazing play in net stopping 40 Hurricane's shots. If the Canadian media isn't talking about who's gonna be the number goalie in Ottawa it's because they will be writing about how bad the Toronto Maple Leafs are playing. The Leafs surrendered another 2 goal lead, this time to the Chicago Blackhawks, and ultimately fell 6-4. The Maple Leafs did hold a 3-1 lead in the third until the wheels came off, and just about everyone on the Hawks scored. Raycroft will be hearing it today. San Jose Sharks forward Jeremy Roenick scored the 498th goal of his career last night, and what proved to be the game winner as the Sharks shutdown the Nashville Predators 3-0. Sharks keeper Evgeni Nabokov made 22 saves to record his first shutout of the season. Bill Guerin started scoring late, but now he can't stop. The New York Islanders captain potted the game winner in OT to help his club beat the New Jersey Devils 4-3. Buzzkill of last night for me was Atlanta Thrashers keeper Johan Hedberg. After looking solid in net against the New York Rangers two nights earlier, Hedberg was bombarded and allowed 5 Tampa Bay Lightning goals before being yanked. The Lightning went on to win the game 6-2, and further destroy my fantasy league championship hopes. Can anyone say trade?
Game of the Night:
Vancouver at Columbus 5:00 PM
Colorado at Minnesota 7:00 PM
Only two games tonight, but both interesting ones. The Columbus Blue Jackets are off to a franchise best start, while the Canucks... they just haven't started yet. The Colorado Avalanche will visit the red hot Minnesota Wild who have once again begun their season on a good note. Enjoy the games!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 This is the Los Angeles Kings team I was talking about! The one I predicted would battle their way into the playoffs.
The Kings, in my opinion are one piece away from being that playoff team I predicted. That piece was there last night in net..... goaltender Jason LaBarbera. LaBarbera made 26 saves last night to shut down the Vancouver Canucks and help his Kings to a 4-2 win on the road. If LaBarbera can continue to play like he did last night, the Kings should be in great shape.
The Kings offense is explosive right now. Center Michael Cammalleri scored his league leading 8th goal during the second period which was part of a three goal outburst in little over 5 minutes. His goal was bookended by scores from Alexander Frolov, and defenseman Jack Johnson (the first of his career). Cammalleri's goal was setup by sophomore Anze Kopitar who is also poised to have a great season (at least my fantasy roster is banking on that).
Quick Shave:
Columbus Blue Jackets goaltender Pascal Leclaire recorded his third shutout of the season last night stopping all 21 shots the Buffalo Sabres fired at him. Leclaire's play in net, and goals from Rick Nash and Michael Peca helped the Jackets to the 3-0 shutout win. The Pittsburgh Penguins are starting to look like themselves again, after a slow start. The Pens defeated the new and improved Carolina Hurricanes 4-3 in the shootout last night on a winning goal by Sidney Crosby. The Chicago Blackhawks young guns are lighting it up. Rookie Patrick Kane recorded his first NHL goal and added two assists to help the Hawks defeat the Colorado Avalanche 5-3. Hawks rookie Jonathan Toews picked up his second of the season in the win.
Game of the Night:
Carolina at Philadelphia 7:00
I can't believe I'm gonna say this, but I'm really enjoying the Philadelphia Flyers play this season. They look sharp thus far, and tonight's game is another bench test to determine if they are for real, or just off to a lucky fast start, against a Carolina Hurricanes team which has a huge chip on it's shoulder after last season's dissapointment. Breath. Enjoy the games!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 What I find humorous about the New York media (first that they are even talking about hockey) is that they were actually riding Bill Guerin about not scoring a goal this season. While the New York Islanders newest captain and free agent signing had yet to register a goal, he had assisted on 6, leading the team in that category.
Such is the measure of their new captain, Guerin led his team to a 5-2 win over the Washington Capitals (showcasing their reds last night.... this team got it right when it came to new jerseys) by scoring his first three goals of the year and officially joining the NHL Hat Trick Club. The Islanders power play continue's to hum, as they converted 3 of their 5 odd man advantages. Newly signed defenceman Bryan Berard potted his second of the year on the power play once again. Goaltender Rick DiPietro made 27 saves to complete the victory.
Quick Shave:
I love being right, and at the same time, I hate being right. The Philadelphia Flyers continued their torrid start (and at the same time making me look like a genius for calling them playoff bound) by blanking the New Jersey Devils 4-0. Flyers keeper Martin Biron recorded his second straight shutout victory making 38 saves against the Devils. The Devils still have yet to get going, and goaltender Martin Brodeur looks uncharacteristically soft as of late. Be wary of this team however, the Devils have been on the road for the month of October, and could be weary of the travel. Once they begin playing at home, I expect them to regain their form. The New York Rangers helped the Altanta Thrashers into the win column last night, dropping a 5-3 decision in the first game of the Don Waddell era. When the Rangers went on the free agent spending spree this summer, I was cautiously optimistic.... or perhaps pessimistic. Letting Michael Nylander leave as a free agent right now looks like a huge mistake, as Ranger's captain Jaromir Jagr hasn't found any chemistry with his new linemates, which change on an almost period by period basis if they don't yield rapid results. The rotating centers could be an early sign of panic..... oh well. The Toronto Maple Leafs played a little defense last night and managed a 3-2 win over the Florida Panthers on a late goal by Nik Antropov (less than 30 seconds in the game late) and some solid play by goalie Vesa Toskala. The Boston Bruins have also quietly improved this season, and after a successful road trip out West, finished off the Tampa Bay Lightning 4-1 in their home opener. The Bruins are now sitting pretty in 4th overall in the Eastern Conference. It's probably too early for this, but have a look at the current standings. There are some major surprises up and down the board..... uggh.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 The Atlanta Thrashers fired their head coach Bob Hartley this afternoon, after the club dropped it's 6th straight loss (actually 10th if you include last years playoff sweep to the Rangers) to the Philadelphia Flyers last night 4-0.
The Thrashers have yet to register this season, and GM Don Waddell acted after the shutout loss last night. Waddell will assume the responsibilities behind the bench until an interim (or new) head coach can be found.
Atlanta boasts two of the NHL's most explosive forwards in Ilya Kovalchuk, and Marian Hossa, but beyond that are rather shallow offensively, and defensively..... especially defensively. Hossa will be an unrestricted free agent following this season, and will undoubtedly test the market, given recent circumstances. Look for the Thrashers to be mired in trade rumors up until the deadline, especially for Hossa as they will most likely turn towards rebuilding.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 The Dallas Stars are the latest team to announce their desire to acquire Peter Forsberg, joining a list that seems to grow by the day.
Dallas Stars General Manager Doug Armstrong, and front office staffer Brett Hull, met the superstar forward in his native Sweden last weekend, in an effort to persuade him to play for the Stars.
Forsberg and his agent have made it clear that he will not entertain the notion of playing unless he feels he is physically able to. December has been a target date for such a decision to be made; whether it be continuing his NHL career or retirement.
Essentially, Forsberg will have quite the lot of suitors come that time, should he decide to play. Aside from Dallas, the Philadelphia Flyers, Colorado Avalanche, Vancouver Canucks, Detroit Red Wings and Ottawa Senators have all expressed serious interest in making him a part of their rosters. While Forsberg obviously wants to make sure he can play without discomfort or causing further injury, I think the December mark is also a good time to determine which teams are contenders, and which are pretenders. I doubt Forsberg will want to play for a team that doesn't have a legitimate shot at the Stanley Cup. I guess time will tell.
Quick Shave:
While it has got to be stomach turning to be a Leafs fan, they really do put on a great show. Let's face it Leafs, your club has no defense. No goalie would be able to weather the storm of shots generated from lack of .... ability on the blue line. However, you guys can score. The Toronto Maple Leafs had a great back and forth match with the Buffalo Sabres last night, which unfortunately for the Leafs, saw them on the losing end last night. The Sabres won the game in OT thanks to a bad clear by Toronto defenseman Bryan McCabe, who inadvertantly shot the puck into his own net past Andrew Raycroft. By the way, how cool is the way announce Joe Beninati says KILLLLLGER!!!! I was losing it last night, hoping he would get the hat trick. As long as the Vancouver Canucks play the Edmonton Oilers all season they will look like the best team in the NHL. Sadly for them, last night they faced the San Jose Sharks and surrendered the game 4-2. The Sharks got two quick goals in the third from Joe Pavelski (one of my fantasy picks.... lets pick it up Jo-Pav!) and Joey T. Cheechoo closed out the scoring and the game for the Sharks with his first of the year. The Anaheim Ducks defeated the Detroit Red Wings 6-3 last night on a 32 save performance by by goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 The Minnesota Wild shut the doors on the Stanley Cup Champion Anaheim Ducks last night 2-0. Backup goaltender Josh Harding made 37 saves to record the shutout win, the third of his career.
Jean-Sebastien Giguere returned to the lineup from injury last night for the Ducks, but unfortunately he may have traded places with winger Todd Bertuzzi. Bertuzzi was checked after a crossing feed during the first period, and never returned to the game. TSN.ca is reporting it could be a concussion, but the hit (although difficult to see) was shoulder on shoulder and I'm speculating it could be his back (which kept him out for most of last season) which took the brunt of that hit.
The Ducks who are already starved for offense since the departure of Teemu Selanne and Scott Niedermayer, cannot afford the loss of another point getter (even though Bertuzzi hasn't gotten many points in the past two years).
Quick Shave:
The Detroit Red Wings downed the Los Angelse Kings last night 4-1 on a strong performance from forward Henrik Zetterberg. HZ had a goal and two helpers in the win. Kings goaltender Jonathan Bernier was in net again in favor of Jason LaBarberra. Neither goaltender has been stellar for Los Angeles this season which makes me wonder if they will make a move for a goalie soon, or perhaps look at Curtis Joseph, who I heard last night during one of the games is eager to continue playing and is still training in hopes of being signed. We'll see.
The new jersey award thus far has to go to the Washington Capitals. Of all the new looks in the NHL, I think they got it right. Clean, classy, and back to their old school look. Well done!
Game of the Night:
Toronto at Buffalo 7:00 PM
Detroit at Anaheim 10:00 PM
San Jose at Vancouver 10:00 PM
Three games tonight, and they all look pretty good. The Leafs and Sabres game should end up being defense free, so expect a 7-6 game. Out West later tonight are 4 teams that could end up being the final four in the Western Conference..... enjoy watching these giants tussle. Enjoy the games!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 Anyone stay up with the Bosher last night and catch the goal scoring explosion between the Los Angeles Kings and the Boston Bruins? No? Well then allow me to sum up.
Neither the Kings or the Bruins played defense, and I think the goaltenders opted out of playing as well as the Bruins took the win 8-6. At one point, I was close to switching the game off as the Bruins took a commanding 5-3 lead early in the third, but instead I chose to hang in for the duration (what was I gonna do watch baseball?). The Kings fought back to tie the game 5-5. Just over a minute later the Bruins scored again to regain the lead 6-5, and then potted two more to seal the victory.
Bruins forward Phil Kessel recorded a hat trick on the evening, and Marc Savard had a huge night scoring a goal and assisting on every other goal scored (I exaggerate slightly, but the man did have 4 helpers). Manny Fernandez had a rough night in net, but managed his first win of the season in Bruins jersey, while youngster Jonathan Bernier had a brutal evening allowing 7 goals on 30 shots for the Kings. Kings forward Anze Kopitar scored twice and Michael Cammalleri had a goal and an assist. The big loser on the night was Los Angeles Kings defenceman Lubomir Visnovsky with a -3 rating..... in fact I think I was a - rating after watching this one. Great game, lots of goals, a decent scrap.... but nothing on the defensive side of the puck.
Interesting note on the Bruins. I believe they have one more West Coast game on this season opening road trip (San Jose I believe but don't quote me) and after that they don't leave the Eastern Time Zone again for the remainder of the year. Talk about choice schedules?
 Quick Shave:
Philadelphia Flyers forward (and jackass) Jesse Boulerice was handed a 25 game suspension for his cross check to the jaw of Vancouver Canucks forward Ryan Kesler Wednesday evening. The penalty for his infraction is longer than his career in the NHL..... in any case, the Flyers have certainly got depth at moron. Scott Gomez finally potted one for the New York Rangers last night, helping his club to a 3-1 win over the Washington Capitals. The Rangers face off against the Ottawa Senators tonight. The Calgary Flames picked up their first win of the season thanks to some late game heroics by forward Matthew Lombardi. The Flames forward scored twice to lift his team over the Dallas Stars 3-2 last night.
Game of the Night:
Carolina at Montreal 7:00
Two seasons ago this was the hottest ticket in town. Hopefully both feel like rekindling that energy and delivering a solid performance! Enjoy the games!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 This Carolina Hurricanes squad really looks like Cup team from two years ago.
The Ottawa Senators fell for the first time this season (pre-season included, which you have to admit for a team coming off a Stanley Cup Final dissapointment, is very impressive) to the Carolina Hurricanes 5-3 last night. Now if I remember correctly (and that is a scary bridge to entertain) the Hurricanes delivered the Sens their first loss two seasons ago, and also continually dominated them that season, while the Senators themselves owned the rest of the league..... this season is mirroring their Championship campaign more and more each game.
The Hurricanes Erik and Eric line lit the Sens up for 3 goals, (Cole had two, Staal had one, and a pair of helpers), and Rod Brind'Amour and Matt Cullen (who since his return from New York has 4 points (2 goals, 2 assists) in 5 games played) rounded out the scoring. The Sens rallied from a 4-1 lead late in the game, but ultimately fell short.
Quick Shave:
Aside for the Sens / Canes game it was blow-out city last night. Every game was pretty much over halfway through. The Toronto Maple Leaf pantsed the New York Islanders 8-1, bouncing back from a 7-1 whooping they recieved Tuesday night from the Canes. Captain Mats Sundin scored his 390th goal in a Leafs uniform and passed Darryl Sittler on both the franchise points and goals record. The Buffalo Sabres picked up their first victory of the season hammering the Atlanta Thrashers for the 6-0 shutout win. The Phoenix Coyotes defeated the Nashville Predators 6-3 and the Florida Panthers shutout the New Jersey Devils 3-0.
The Philadelphia Flyers may be looking to get back to their old school days of physically intimidating hockey, but the tough guy players seem to have a knack for getting themselves suspended. Flyers forward Steve Downie who is enjoying a 20 game suspension in the AHL for bodychecking Ottawa Senators forward Dean McAmmond's skull is most likely going to be joined by Flyers tough guy Jesse Boulerice who brushed Vancouver Canucks forwards Ryan Kesler's teeth with the shaft of his stick.
Scott Niedermayer and Teemu Selanne were both on hand the other night for the Anahiem Ducks home opener. Neither seemed closer to returning, and both actually looked closer to retirement. Selanne has not skated since the last game of the Cup Finals, and Niedermayer has laced them up once for a hockey camp. It really looks like the Ducks will be on their own.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
Am I a Toronto Maple Leafs fan? No, definitely not. I do however have a vested interest in this club, as I have gambled much like the Leafs themselves, the fate of my fantasy roster on the stellar play of former San Jose Sharks goaltender Vesa Toskala. Needless to say, my goaltending stats are so bad, that I may as well bench the rest of my starters and surrender the netminding categories. In fairness to Toskala, he did face 39 shots.... so where is the defence in Toronto? Where indeed.
 On a plus note for Leafs fans, Mats Sundin setup defenceman Bryan McCabe's first period powerplay goal, and recorded his 916th point as a Maple Leaf tying him with Darryl Sittler for the franchise's scoring record. Sadly that goal, would be the only one for Toronto, and that footnote, the only bright spot last night.
The Carolina Hurricanes torched the Leafs for 7 goals, by just about everyone. Four of the goals came on special teams by Jeff Hamilton, Scott Walker, Cory Stillman (who I dropped today because I thought he was injured.... yeah fantasy guru here), and Matt Cullen. A pretty interesting conversation between the broadcasters during the game stated that GM Jim Rutherford has actually re-assembled 17 of the original players from the Stanley Cup Championship team two years ago in an effort to re-kindle some of that chemistry..... ummm I think it might be working.
The Hurricanes were a vision of their former selves last night, and the Leafs.... well they look like they did last season.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 "While in time I believe the San Jose Sharks will be most triumphant, ... they will never be a super team until they get Eddie Van Halen on the blue line."
-Bill S. Preston esq.
If the Sharks do want to march to the promised land, playing as they did last night will most assuredly keep them from said destination.
The Colorado Avalanche dropped the hammer on the Sharks last night, opening up a two goal lead in the first, and then burying San Jose with four more scores in the third. for the 6-2 win. Sharks forward Ryane Clowe made it interesting in the second by scoring the lone goal in the second period, and capping the scoring late in the third.
The show stopper once again was Avs forward Paul Stastny. The sophomore had his first career 5 point night (1 goal, 4 assists) just two game removed from his opening season hat trick. The Avalanche have themselves another star in the making.
Speaking of stars. Joe Sakic. The man continues to rise like Google's stock. Joe Sakic opened the scoring on a power play for the Avalanche, and set up Milan Hejduk for their second power play opportunity minutes later. The two points moved him into a tie, then surpassed NHL great Phil Esposito for 8th all time on the NHL Career points list. Congrats Joe!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 I think alot of writers may have been wrong with their initial assessments of the New York Islanders. Myself included.
The New York Islanders looked pretty sharp last night in a back and forth battle with the Buffalo Sabres that saw the Isles capture a 6-4 win on the road in Western New York. The Islanders newly acquired top line of Ruslan Fedotenko (1 goal, 2 asssists), Bill Guerin (2 assists), and Mike Comrie (2 goals, 2 assists) immediately clicked last night. The Islanders power play provided three of the goals.
Before the game the Islanders were asked what they would consider a successful season, and most provided the artificial canned answers, like making the playoffs, playing to the best of our abilities, etc.... but Isles goaltender nailed his point. "Winning the Stanley Cup. Anything else is a failure." You gotta love that guy.
The Buffalo Sabres looked pretty good last night on 5 on 5, but their penalty kill needs some work. They still pounce on turnovers and make their opponents pay for their mistakes (hence the 4 goals allowed by the Islanders) but they also provide many of their own. The Sabres should get big years from Thomas Vanek and Drew Stafford (who both scored last night) and I expect that many of their games this season will be high scoring affairs like last nights. The Sabres and Islanders will face off again tonight in Uniondale, Long Island to wrap up the home and home series.
 Quick Shave:
Remember in NHL 94 when Jeremy Roenick was unstoppable? You could do anything with him and you'd score.... especially that breakaway deke move that the goaltenders were never able to stop (personally I was a Theo Fluery man, but that's a story for another day). In any case, Roenick's signing by the San Jose Sharks was an afterthought over the summer, as an opportunity to acquire some affordable veteran leadership for their young team, and give Roenick the chance to eclipse the 500 goal mark that is within his reach. Before last night's game against the Vancouver Canucks, Roenick was five shy of the 500 club.... after the game however he found himself within 3. Yes, Jeremy Roenick led his San Jose Sharks to victory over the Canucks 3-1, providing two of the goals in the win. The Sharks did look pretty solid last night, and following the Anaheim Ducks template, are big, fast and very physical much to Vancouver's dismay. They will be a chore to beat this year. The Canucks didn't look bad, they just fell behind early and were never able to regain the lost ground. Rookie Ryan Shannon had 3 or 4 gift-wrapped opportunities but was unable to bury the chances.... this kid looked good, and was in the right place at the right time. Fantasy owners should watch list this kid, because once he learns how to finish he will start getting goals in bunches. The Canucks started slow last year, and didn't really find their offence till after Thanksgiving, so be patient... they will be there.
Game of the Night:
NY Rangers at Ottawa 7:00
If the Rangers want to win the Stanley Cup they are going to have to march through the Ottawa Senators to get there. Tonight is a great bench test for this club as well as the Sens. Enjoy the games!
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 The New York Rangers scored on their first shot of the season last night. Rangers defenceman Michal Rozsival scored just 37 seconds into the match against the Florida Panthers.
The Rangers followed that goal by allowing the Florida Panthers to dictate play for the next two periods, and eventually surrendering the lead in the second period on a pair of goals by Panther's Brett McLean, and Nathan Horton (who looked pretty sharp, and should be on your fantasy watch list is he's not already been scooped up).
Seven minutes into the third, the Rangers found their legs again thanks to a goal by forward Petr Prucha, which tied the game at 2 a piece, and minutes later Chris Drury collected a Jagr rebound to pot the eventual game winner. Sophomore Ryan Callahan (although he may still technically be a rookie since he only played a handful of games late last season) scored 12 seconds later, and forward Martin Straka capped the scoring to give the Rangers a 5-2 win.
New York Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist kept his team in the game by turning aside 27 shots in the game, many coming in the first two periods. The Rangers were actually being outshot 16-6 midway through the second.
Chris Drury had a great debut at the Garden. He scored the game winner and also setup two other scores. The youngsters looked pretty good last night, considering the stage they were on, but for first timers, I would say Brandon Dubinsky, and Marc Staal played well, and with good energy.
 Quick Shave:
If you have Daniel Alfredsson, Dany Heatley or Jason Spezza on your fantasy roster this season, you are going to have a great year. Alfredsson, and Heatley both scored (actually Alfie scored two including the game winner) to defeat the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-2 for the second night in a row. Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Vesa Toskala was just as successful as his predecessor from the evening before in Andrew Raycroft. Neither could find an answer to stop the Ottawa Senators high powered first line. Vincent Lecavalier started right were he left off last season by scoring two for the Tampa Bay Lightning to help his team defeat the New Jersey Devils 3-1 in their home opener last night. Jason Arnott was also a two goal scorer last night potting a pair in the Nashville Predators 4-0 romp over the Colorado Avalanche last night.
Game of the Night
San Jose at Vancouver 10:00 PM
A couple of Stanley Cup favorites square off tonight. Are the Sharks worth the press that's been written about them all pre-season? Is EA Games right?
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 The Montreal Canadiens power play is still humming, even without their quarterback Sheldon Souray manning the point. Habs defenceman Andrei Markov embraced that mantle and setup two power play goals.
Montreal Canadiens captain Saku Koivu scored two power play including the game winner (the second effort by Chris Higgins to get the puck over to Koivu and set up the final score was excellent.... check the highlight film) a little over a minute into the overtime period and helped the Habs defeat the Carolina Hurricanes 3-2.
While much of the talk this week was on rookie goaltender Carey Price making the Canadiens opening day roster it was veteran keeper Cristobal Huet who manned the pipes for Montreal last night. Huet turned aside 29 shots to help his club to the season opening win.
Quick Shave:
The Heat is on in Ottawa. Dany Heatley. Ok that was weak, but what's not is that the Ottawa Senators managed to lock up their star forward at the zero hour to a long term deal. The Sens will have Heatley in the fold for the next 6 years at a humbling $45 million (roughly $7.5 million per season). Heatley then went on to up-end the Toronto Maple Leafs by scoring two goals including the game winner in overtime to lift the Sens to a 4-3 win. Leafs coach Paul Maurice opted to start goaltender Andrew Raycroft in favor of newly acquired keeper Vesa Toskala.... a move that had Toronto media losing their minds (you should have heard Kypreos on the Rogers Sportsnet Radio show at noon yesterday... he made Pierre McGuire seem jolly). In any case, Maurice and the Leafs will be second guessed for the decision as Raycroft allowed 4 goals on 30 shots. Colorado Avalanche forward Paul Stastny put the finishing touches on his first ever career NHL Hat Trick midway through the second period last night. The Dallas Stars mounted a comeback but ultimately fell to the Avs 4-3. The Stars new jerseys.... what's up? Is it me or are they nothing more than practice sweaters? Solid white, with a small green star in the center of the chest? This is not the type of design that is going to have fans in Dallas or anywhere running out to get their new Reebok jersey. The Detroit Red Wings exacted some revenge from the Anaheim Ducks last night in their home opener as Jiri Hudler beat Bryzgalov for the only score in the shootout and help his club to the 3-2 win. Getzlaf, bro.... get a new shootout deke. Don't get me wrong it's cool, and sure it's worked a few times before, but I think keepers are getting an idea of what you are gonna do now pal.
Game of the Night:
Florida at NY Rangers 7:00 PM
Philadelphia at Calgary 10:00 PM
These games are all about discovery. I'm super curious to see how UFA additions Chris Drury and Scott Gomez fit in with the Blueshirts, and I'd like to see if my theory that the Philadelphia Flyers will make the playoffs this year holds any water as they face off against an always solid Calgary Flames team..... with a Keenan behind the bench..... fear the Keenan.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 The 2007-2008 NHL regular season begins (in North America) this evening with 4 pretty decent matchups.
Anaheim at Detroit 7:00 PM
This is myGame of the Night. A rematch of last season's Western Conference Finals between the Detroit Red Wings and the Anaheim Ducks. I'm sure there will still be some bad blood on both sides, and much animosity towards everyone's beloved defenceman Chris Pronger (for his first elbow to the head in the playoffs to Detroit's Tomas Holstrom), as well as the lingering bad taste in the Wings mouths after being dumped by the Ducks in 6 games.... en route to their Stanley Cup Championship.
Montreal at Carolina 7:00 PM
Will the Habs showcase their young superstar goaltender Carey Price tonight? Will the Carolina Hurricanes rebound from a dreadful post Stanley Cup season that they endured last year?
Ottawa at Toronto 7:30 PM
Good old fashion Canadian throwdown. If there was an octagon, the Leafs and Sens would be in it. The Toronto Maple Leafs will most likely go with their new goaltender Vesa Toskala (although Paul Maurice has been coy regarding who would be his starting netminder thus far) in net this evening, while the Senators will lean on Martin Gerber who lost the starting role to the now injured Ray Emery. All eyes will be on the Senators to see if they will have a hangover from losing in the Stanley Cup Finals last year.
Dallas at Colorado 9:30 PM
Kind of curious to see how the addition of Ryan Smyth will affect the Colorado Avalanche's lineup, and also very curious to see where Dallas will get their goal scoring from..... good thing the Stars have Turco in net.
Quick Shave:
Could this be the last season in Ottawa for Senators forward Dany Heatley? The Sens were trying to work out a last minute deal prior to the start of the season tonight, but talks broke down again last night. The Senators appear to be resigned to the fact that they will have to wait till after the playoffs next year to attempt re-signing their star forward. If Heatley has another season like his last two he will command some serious dollars on the open market.... some speculate he could recieve offers in excess of $10 million per season if he becomes a UFA.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 The Montreal Canadiens latest goaltending phenom will be on display this season afterall.
Within a team that was already stacked in the net, the 20 year old goaltending star Carey Price made the final cuts yesterday. Rather than joining the Habs AHL affiliate in Hamilton, Price will backup veteran goaltender Cristobal Huet. Price's promotion also means that backup netminder Jaroslav Halak was sent down to the AHL.
The rumor mill's will be overheating on this one, as the San Jose Sharks have been very interested in acquiring Halak from the Canadiens. If Price performs well in his backup role, and solidifies his position with the big club, I think Halak will be dealt sooner than later.
Congratulations to Price for making it to the NHL.... and how glad am I and every other GM who drafted him this pre-season!
Quick Shave:
The Philadelphia Flyers named newly acquired defenceman Jason Smith the team's captain for the upcoming season. Smith was part of a trade this summer that saw he and forward Joffrey Lupul sent from the Edmonton Oilers for Flyers blueliner Joni Pitkanen.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
 The NHL in Europe experiment ended yesterday with the Anaheim Ducks rebounding to take a 4-1 win (the identical score that the Kings defeated them by the previous evening) over the Los Angeles Kings and send both teams home with a split.
Corey Perry had a solid night scoring two goals for the Ducks, while teammate Andy McDonald assisted on a pair (including Perry’s first power play score). Kings forward Mike Cammalleri scored his third goal in 2 games for the Kings late in the third but it was too little too late.
Both teams seem to find their discipline and cut down on the specialty teams play in this match after a penalty filled affair on Saturday night.
The spotlight of the evening was when Ducks heavyweight and Playoff Beard.com favorite George Parros dropped the gloves to do a little man dance with Kings tough guy Scott Thornton. The European crowd responded with a standing ovation.
Overall I think the introduction of the NHL to European market was well done. From what the commentators were saying, there was little to no marketing (something the NHL still hasn’t mastered) for the event, and both nights were sold out. For us in the United States it was a shame the first game wasn’t televised (Stache said the game was bumped in favor of college football….. which much to my agreement, is as exciting as watching fishing), actually it was a travesty. Opening night in the NHL, and we can’t watch. Problem. For the players, the games appear to have been well received. While initially not thrilled with the aspect of the extra travel, the event and city seemed to have changed their minds on considerably.
For me, I’m just glad hockey is back.
Your friend on ice,
Captain Bosh
Guide to Grading the Playoff Beard | About the Beard | Beard of the Month
Fantasy Hockey | The Face Off Hockey Show | The Dragons | Contact | Home
Copyright © 2006 Playoff Beard .com. All rights reserved.
|
|
| |
