All-Purpose Hockey Thread II

Not surprised at all. Doesn't have a big rep, but continues to do the little things for the Hurricanes. The guy's a lot more than a nice hair and playoff beard story come postseason.

 

Leafs won 6-4 without Sundin. Raycroft has a groin injury.
Aubin made a highlight reel save. Look for it on Sportscenter/Sportscentre.

 

Rangers have two tough games back-to-back, at Atlanta and at Washington. If the Rangers' defensemen aren't better in their own end, Lundqvist and Weekes will have the backs of their necks sunburned.

 

I wish the Devils still had him.

 

William Houston's column on a few things, including a a new biopic on Gordie Howe that David Kelley (Boston Public, Mystery Alaska, Ally McBeal is producing.) Now here's something I didn't know: Kelley's father Jack was coach and GM of the Hartford Whalers.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20061110.TRUTH10/TPStory/Sports/columnists

And Houston has a pretty short review of Tie Dummy's appearances on the new segment, "Win, Lose & Tie:

His diction continues to be problematic. He speaks too quickly and seems unable to develop a thought and express it clearly in a series of sentences.

 

Vancouver got the shit kicked out of them last night by Anaheim ... off to Cowtown for the Ducks ... this could be a good one.

 

I'd say the over/under on the Ducks/Flames is about 8. Buy lots of beer. You'll need it.

 

Further proof that Toronto is the Centre of the Hockey Universe--not that we really need any.

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1163156598824&call_pageid=968867503640&col=970081593064&t=TS_Home

Forbes magazine has released its annual list of team valuations and the Leafs remain the NHL's richest franchise with a value of $332 million (all figures U.S.). That's up slightly on the $325 million figure the magazine attached to the team last season, when it also topped the list.

Toronto edges out the New York Rangers, valued at $306 million, and the Detroit Red Wings, third on the list at $258 million.

 

How about a pint of vodka?

 

Wahoo, 2-0 after the first period ... and I haven't even had a drink yet!

 

Whoo hoo, just like old times in the Dub ... Getzlaf skating with head down, Phaneuf nails him. Hee hee hee.

 

I think he still threw it in front when he came on his attempted wrap around, and got caught watching as the play unfolded. Just my view. May not have been an out right pass, but still.

Anyways, here's more on TSN's mission to rid head checking.

http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=183645&hubname=nhl

If Bobby Orr says so it must be infalible. Or something. These hits are not new to the game. In my view it is as much a responsibility of the player getting hit as the one doing the hitting.
I would like to point out the OHL comissioner, who was lauding how well the head checking rule has gone over this year, he was on the Fan 590 sports talk show that is on Sportsnet a week or so ago, as they were patting him on the back, he did mention that there had been three such calls to this point in the season, one warranting an extra suspension. So what does this tell me? while they may have made it illeagal it is still happening. THree calls since the start of the OHL season, three big incidences since the start of the NHL season. Now tell me what is the percent of the hits that are to the head? I would be surprised if it is any where near .5 per cent. I don't understand why TSN has suddenly decided to blow this up. Injuries in hockey are going to happen. As long as it is not a malicious attempt to injur the guy where elbows are being thrown or the hitter leaves his feet to make the hit or two hands him across the head or Bertuzzi's him, why can it not just be chalked up as an unfortunate incident? Maybe I'm out of my mind on this.