Running 2007 NHL regular season thread

Flyers up 6-2 in the second.

 

Richards makes it 7-2, Philly.

 

Richards with a breakaway goal. 8-2, Philly. Four point night for Richards (two goals, two assists).

 

Buck, great to see you're at a hockey game tonight and get to see the Cup and the whole ceremony. Did you get to see a Cup Finals game last year after all?

 

Did not get to see a Finals game, sadly, after being ninth in line when they ran out of SROs before Game 1 (and not a scalper in sight, except Cuba Gooding Jr.) There were plenty of entrepreneurs out tonight, believe it or not, but I wasn't in need of their services. Would have tried to see Games 2 or 5 if I could have gotten those nights off, but Game 1 was the only chicken in my basket in that regard. SOL for me then, but I walked over to King's Fish House and watched that game with a shitload of raucous Ducks fans so not an altogether unsuccessful night. ...

Tonight was much better.

Tickets in hand before the game, no worries there, and I treated the good woman to a good dinner at the aforementioned Fish House, then we walked over to the Pond just in time for the banner ceremony. After a 10-minute video recap of the season and postseason, they introduced the team, old and new, plus all the support staff, which was very classy.

Then the Cup dropped down from the center-ice scoreboard(!) to a standing ovation and the Samuelis showed off the rings. Way fucking cool. Then the three banners were unfurled, one each by the Samuelis, Pronger/Kunitz/R. Niedermayer and Selanne/S. Niedermayer, and raised to the ceiling.

Ducks win a sloppy one, 2-1. They passed out miniature replica Cup banners at the exits, and I bought a limited-edition (10K) Cup champion puck and Opening Night pin. The Cup was whisked away to Toronto immediately after the ceremony, so we didn't get to see it up-close-and-personal (I've seen it before, at an ECHL game during the lockout, but the good woman hasn't.) The camera man was brilliant in making up for it -- zeroing in on the Ducks' section of the Cup and scrolling through each name while Hayward was doing his P.A. thing.

All in all, awesome experience.

 

How about this.

Brian Elliott, back-up to Gerber wins his first NHL game in his first appearance.

Guy was the 291st round pick overall in the '03 draft.

291st?

Most guys in those rounds are playing beer league hockey at midnight on Tuesdays.

Congrats. Always nice to hear stories like that.

Saw the highlights. Guy made some great saves.

Played for U of Wisconsin.

 

More amazing? Elliott had a losing record both with Wisconsin last season (15-17) and Binghamton in the AHL last season (3-4).

 

If Steve Downie weren't enough we have Jesse Boulerice, another gutless puke playing for Phillie.

They should give this prick at least 25 games. Unbelievable.

http://mirtle.blogspot.com/2007/10/boulerice-facing-suspension.html

 

It's too bad for Boulerice that he has to pull this kind of crap. He spent most of last season in the AHL and, after he finally gets an NHL gig again, this happens.

 

I was at the game. He broke his stick cross checking him in the face.
Is Boulerice the one who was kicked out of the OHL about 7 years ago?
On a side note I would like a refund, money not well spent. Buyer beware.

 

It's been sad for Jesse Boulerice. After the Whalercanes made the run to the Cup finals in '02 before losing to a large group of Hall-of-Famers, he was the lone new addition the next season, taking the place of Martin Gelinas, the organization's lone free-agent loss.

He so badly wanted to be the enforcer in Raleigh, but I never saw him pull the stuff there that I've seen the last couple of seasons.

 

With the Canes, I think Jesse really wanted to show everybody that he had skills and wasn't just a goon. He had minor flashes but he wasn't successful for the most part. Considering his history, including a season-long suspension in juniors, he's going to be gone for a while. The question: When his suspension is over, will his NHL career be over?