Alright, admittedly, I did not see much of this game apart from the 3rd period. I apologize, but I think I used the Rangers west coast trip as a much needed break time. As much as we all love the game, we do all need a break from time to time, realize it or not at the time. It's been a busy start to the year on a work/personal level, and trying to keep up with two teams has been hard at times. So worth it, but difficult. So another fractured group of random thoughts...
* Some called this Rangers game one of the best efforts of the season. I sure hope so. Injuries to Dubinsky and Drury in addition to an already ailing Brashear, will cause more substitutions to be made. Here's hoping whoever is called up has as good of games as Parenteau and Byers had in their call up games.
* Former Ranger Nigel Dawes got 3 - count-em, 3 - assists against his former club. I haven't seen as much of Calgary as I'd have liked to, and usually do, but Nigel seems to be playing pretty well for them. Remember, even though Renney called him a playmaker, I still hold true to the fact that he's got a better shot. He can be a goal scorer if he doesn't forget how to shoot on the net.
* There's been talk of why someone didn't stick up for Drury after the hit by Glencross. That reminds me of when Zherdev got his nose broken in the "chew-toy" game in Dallas back in February, and pretty much everyone stood idly by, except for one (it may have been Dubinsky). If we thought there'd have been a lot of players on this team that would have played the role, perhaps we were mistaken. Although two of those that may have probably had good reason not to. Byers, coming off his one game suspension, and Avery, just probably treading very carefully so as to not breathe on anyone wrong given what happened last time he was Calgary.
* As much as we don't like to see Hank injured, it's nice to have Valiquette come in and play two strong games in back to backs. Even though the Rangers only got one win in three games, you'd have to say that minus the injuries, this Western swing looked miles better than last time they made the trip, no?
* Long break for the Rangers could be a good chance to rest some tired bodies. I'll be curious to see how they respond against a team in Atlanta that is better than I thought they'd be. I can just see that young goalie Ondrej Pavelec stopping 40 shots against us. If the Rangers were to get their season high and shoot 40 times, that is.
Fun Fact: If Pavelec's place of birth in Kladno, Czech Republic sounds familiar, it's because it's the same as Jaromir Jagr's.
Showing posts with label Calgary Flames. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Calgary Flames. Show all posts
Monday, November 9, 2009
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Why We Root For Theo Fleury and More. . .
Ever since the news of Theo's reinstatement to the NHL and subsequent invite to Flames training camp, I've been meaning to write a few words on the former Ranger.
I was too young to see Theo Fleury in his prime, winning the Cup in Calgary and pouncing by surprise on the league, a little man with an energy unmatched by many.
But I wasn't too young to see Theo Fleury in New York, the roller coaster of ups and downs. The ups very, very high, and the lows, very, very low.
If we're being completely honest here - I was a big Fleury fan. Probably, in part, because I may have not seen the whole picture. All that really mattered to me was that this guy - apart from any demons he may be fighting - was really good for our team for a period of time. Really good.
The numbers will tell you that in 2000-2001, Theo had 74 points in 63 games, and ranked 37 in the league. The following year, he'd score 63 points in 82 games, and come in ranking at 42.
But what the numbers won't tell you is how Theo was part of something special in New York, something that I, as a fan, wanted to root for.
The fabled FLY Line - (yes, fabled! For what line besides Jagr, Nylander, and Straka, and they had no name for them, came even as close to grabbing our attention, I ask you? ) - had a crazy stretch of time where they were all ranked within the top 5 in the NHL in scoring. Yes, all three.
Sure, the fable faded. Theo had a few "incidents." Lindros has another "injury." And York ended up in Edmonton.
But I choose to remember what was. And remember it fondly. Much like I hate when people choose to throw stones at the Czech Mates - the other fabled line of the Rangers during the similar time long playoff-less periods in New York - I hate when people say that it's silly to look back at something so fondly that didn't end well. Or just because it was the only "bright" spot on an otherwise lackluster team.
Quite simply, I think that's unfortunate. Unfortunate to be unable to love and appreciate what was, even if it wasn't perfect. That line and those players gave us something to cheer for - anything to cheer for - in what was a very disappointing series of seasons in the Big Apple.
And Theo Fleury was a BIG part of that.
I remember the Olympics in 2002 with such intensity, as we approach almost 8 years later. I was rooting for the USA, trying to be a good American. But surely I was keeping an eye on Team Canada, and on 2/3rds of the Rangers top line that were representing their home team. (THe other 1/3rd was playing for the red, white, and blue.)
After the tears stopped that day - 2/22/02 - they started again when I looked up to see Theo, bathed in the flag of his native country, and I realized just how much that must have meant to him. A man with such talent but whose demons were cutting into the focus he had for the game he loved.
As much as I had wanted the Americans to win, I had no regrets that a guy like Theo Fleury (and Eric Lindros for that matter) got to win that day.
The other thing I loved about Theo Fleury was how well he played against the rival New Jersey Devils. I laugh because even if a player is not in New York long, if they play well against the team's most hated rivals, there is a good chance they'll always be remembered.
I have never forgotten.
So when word came round that Theo was going to Flames camp, I smiled. I remembered the guy that I loved rooting for on my team, and I started rooting for him again. I probably never stopped.
And when he scored the shootout winning goal in his first pre-season game, I had to smile. When he added a goal and an assist in his next game, I smiled again.
The talent was there. The heart and determination was there. It just was a sad reality that at times the demons were there as well.
Whether Fleury's return is successful or not, he should be applauded in the attempt. Not many people are able to fight their demons and fight for another chance at their dreams.
He's lucky. And I have no doubt in his mind that he knows that.
If hope he gets the chance to continue to write his story. And I think if there's any place he belongs, it may just be in Calgary, wearing that familiar sweater he donned so many years ago.
Even though I'll always remember him in blue...
**And More. . .**
Listened to the Coyotes/Lightning game on radio last night =) with some other Prucha fans, and today Beyond the Blueshirts (who does such a FANTASTIC job with coverage on her blog ) posted this post-game interview with the little Pepperpot who scored the Yotes only goal, and even tangled, although not on purpose, with the Tampa goalie Mike Smith.
Petr Prucha post game interview 9/22/09 - Enjoy!
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Around the League: When You Need A Laugh, Watch These After Hours Clips. . .
Well no, I didn't watch the Flames/Wild game, as previously mentioned. (In former Ranger's land, Jamie Lundmark got a goal and an assist for the Flames, and #2 Star honors, in case you are curious.)
But...meanwhile that didn't stop me from staying up late and watching After Hours.
And I have to readily admit that I have not laughed that hard at After Hours in a while. (Well not including when they re-showed the clip of Alex Burrows doing his Marc Crawford impression during Ryan Kesler’s interview a few weeks back. That was classic!)
Eric Nystrom, son of Islanders great Bobby Nystrom, was their guest and he was hilarious to watch. In general just a good interview. Down to Earth, self-depreciating. Talked well of his father, and hopes he gets to see some of the success his father had back in the day.
The uncontested best part of last night, however, was when they made him watch a video clip of himself. Apparently when in Quad City Eric did an on-ice strip tease imitating the famous scene from Slap Shot. He said he's seen it hundreds of times and he hope's that was the last (and that his grandmother who was watching in BC was not too embarassed!!). But that won't stop us from showing it just one more time.
For your viewing pleasure here is Eric Nystrom:
Oh and in case you feel cheated, here is the whole Alex Burrows interview on After Hours from October. Move the time to 1:00 to hear the Marc Crawford impression. “Burrr, what you were thinking?”
Seriously, folks, when you need a laugh, I'd find it hard to believe these things won't make you smile.
:)
But...meanwhile that didn't stop me from staying up late and watching After Hours.
And I have to readily admit that I have not laughed that hard at After Hours in a while. (Well not including when they re-showed the clip of Alex Burrows doing his Marc Crawford impression during Ryan Kesler’s interview a few weeks back. That was classic!)
Eric Nystrom, son of Islanders great Bobby Nystrom, was their guest and he was hilarious to watch. In general just a good interview. Down to Earth, self-depreciating. Talked well of his father, and hopes he gets to see some of the success his father had back in the day.
The uncontested best part of last night, however, was when they made him watch a video clip of himself. Apparently when in Quad City Eric did an on-ice strip tease imitating the famous scene from Slap Shot. He said he's seen it hundreds of times and he hope's that was the last (and that his grandmother who was watching in BC was not too embarassed!!). But that won't stop us from showing it just one more time.
For your viewing pleasure here is Eric Nystrom:
Oh and in case you feel cheated, here is the whole Alex Burrows interview on After Hours from October. Move the time to 1:00 to hear the Marc Crawford impression. “Burrr, what you were thinking?”
Seriously, folks, when you need a laugh, I'd find it hard to believe these things won't make you smile.
:)
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Where Are They Now: Jamie Lundmark. . .
In his most recent call-up from Quad City, one former Ranger is making his mark. That was especially true again last night against the Stars.
Jamie Lundmark had a "beautiful goal" and teammate Michael Cammalleri said, "He set the tone for us early, showed what he's willing to do for this club and what kind of guy he is. And that's big for us."
"He came to play," said coach Mike Keenan.
Never known as a tough guy, Lundmark even dropped the gloves with Dallas agitator, Steve Ott, during the match.
As for the Gordie Howe Hat Trick that he just missed, Cammalleri added, ""I wish I'd have got him an assist somewhere along the line, because he deserved it."
I'm glad to hear Jamie has done well this year when he's been called up. Calgary is a stacked team right now, in good position, so to know that at these important moments he's helping chip in important goals, that's a fantastic way for him to get noticed and be remembered by the coaches and his teammates.
This morning on Hockey This Morning, Scott Laughlin said that he's always happy when players that were drafted high and might not get a good start early in the league, find their way and show some of the potential they once had.
I agree. Lundmark never really worked here in the disappointment of that final season pre-lockout. But...when the Rangers had to pick who to keep betweeen Pavel Brendl and Jamie Lundmark, it was mentioned they chose Lundmark because he had a better attitude and was more a team guy. (If anyone else wants to take the lead on doing a Where Are They Now: Pavel Brendl, please feel free).
But as for attitude, it goes to show that sometimes that really does matter. I hope he continues to do well.
Article in it's entirety here:
Jamie Lundmark had a "beautiful goal" and teammate Michael Cammalleri said, "He set the tone for us early, showed what he's willing to do for this club and what kind of guy he is. And that's big for us."
"He came to play," said coach Mike Keenan.
Never known as a tough guy, Lundmark even dropped the gloves with Dallas agitator, Steve Ott, during the match.
As for the Gordie Howe Hat Trick that he just missed, Cammalleri added, ""I wish I'd have got him an assist somewhere along the line, because he deserved it."
I'm glad to hear Jamie has done well this year when he's been called up. Calgary is a stacked team right now, in good position, so to know that at these important moments he's helping chip in important goals, that's a fantastic way for him to get noticed and be remembered by the coaches and his teammates.
This morning on Hockey This Morning, Scott Laughlin said that he's always happy when players that were drafted high and might not get a good start early in the league, find their way and show some of the potential they once had.
I agree. Lundmark never really worked here in the disappointment of that final season pre-lockout. But...when the Rangers had to pick who to keep betweeen Pavel Brendl and Jamie Lundmark, it was mentioned they chose Lundmark because he had a better attitude and was more a team guy. (If anyone else wants to take the lead on doing a Where Are They Now: Pavel Brendl, please feel free).
But as for attitude, it goes to show that sometimes that really does matter. I hope he continues to do well.
Article in it's entirety here:
Monday, December 8, 2008
"Skating at Rockefeller Center". . .
Yesterday night was not the best of games at Madison Square Garden.
It actually had the makings to be. Another Hank versus a good goalie from a Western-Canadian hockey team duel. Another chance for the Rangers to prove they can actually beat a Canadian team. The team came out fast (well fast-ish), and they were hitting, skating, and then....
"Boring!"
That was the text I received from my father at the game around the beginning of the 2nd period.
To which I wrote back something along the lines of, "yes, but they are leading 22 to 9 in shots!"
Which, in essence meant very little, if you didn't watch. The Flames failed to register a shot until with about five minutes to go in the 2nd period. Then on their second shot of the period, they scored their first goal. On one of their next two shots, they scored their second goal.
The Garden went flat. The energy was lost. The team that was skating for a few minutes, well, they didn't really do that anymore.
I talked to my grandmother after I got back from the game last night and she said to me:
"You know what the Rangers skaters look like. They look like the people who skate at Rockefeller Center. Just slowly skating about. Not really caring what's going on."
To which I said after catching my breath, "You know, Grandma, that's actually a really good analogy."
*sigh*
Credit Calgary. That's for one. They came to play, obviously.
The Rangers, however. Well watching the Rangers play has now become a game of trying to guess which team will show up on any given night.
The Rangers team that played the Pittsburgh Penguins last Wednesday night. The team that hit and skated and made two of the best players in the league (Malkin and Crosby) both ineffective and frustrated. The team that got the clutch tying goal. The game that dominated in the shootout.
Or the Rangers team that didn't hit. Didn't skate. Didn't look like they want to be there. Didn't commit to the fore-check. Didn't play with any sense of urgency. Didn't score any pretty goals, or any goals period!
Unfortunately, it was the latter that showed up last night.
I listened to Ice Cap on XM204 last night on the way home and those guys really nailed a few things. Hank Lundqvist has been good, but there is something wrong with the system they are playing under (or the lack thereof) when at this point last year, Hank had four shutouts - on way to a league leading 10. This year he has zero. He gets little help on most nights.
And what I didn't get to above, was that after the two goals at even strength, the Rangers let up another short handed goal. Yet another short handed goal!! That's 8 so far. And that was as of the 7th of December!!!! And there are four months left to the season! I cannot express enough how fundamentally inexcusable that is. That's something that you'd expect from a bad team. A very bad team. And the Rangers cannot be THAT bad. Or can they?
I'll tell you what - - If they aren't scoring on it and they are giving up that many shorthanded goals then. . . .their powerplay is!!Embarrassing. And it cost them any chance of gaining momentum and trying to come back to tie. Awful. I'm sorry. It's true. It's absolutely and utterly true.
And yet - yet - I still so often see the game irresponsible culprits climbing over the boards to start another powerplay. Pretty much every night. Why? If they were that good at it, I could say, sure, fine, keep it going. But they are horrible at it!! Or the system is so horrible it makes otherwise decent hockey players look like morons!
Seriously where's Prucha on the powerplay to pot the goals? I mean he has to have more powerplay goals in the last three years than anyone else out there. And as for the rest of them, where's the best defensemen on our team (I know, I know, a very difficult question right there) who can stand at the point. and NOT pinch at the wrong moments, and hopefully prevent some 2-0 rushes for the other team? Where's that guy?
What can be done? I honestly have no idea.
But to do nothing and to fail to admit there is a serious problem, is horrible.
I don't really know what else there is to say. I could get on some rant about how the line changes were flawed too (like how Prucha and Drury do not play well together. It's been tried. Unless there is some magical third piece that will make the above untrue, please stop putting them together!!!). Or how the only time in recent memory that I've actually seen Drury and Gomez play well together was on the penalty kill last night, or how even Ryan Callahan has looked so tired and ineffective lately, but I won't. I won't say anything else about it.
Important to note, that on a night where not much else went right, however, there was a bright spot. Corey Potter, making his NHL debut, looked very solid. A little hesitant at first, he actually grew as the game went on and made some nice think-first passes. And he was not a liability. I thought he did all he could in his position. And did you see him skate into the offensive zone, and towards the net at that one point. At it, applying pressure from the D. I quite honestly didn't know it was possible.
What Rangers team will show up in Atlanta on Wednesday night, I'm quite honestly scared to find out.
P.S.
Larry Brook's in today's NY Post. Oh so they don't think there is a problem? Ut-oh!
http://www.nypost.com/seven/12082008/sports/rangers/calgary_ices_not_so_hot_rangers_143149.htm
It actually had the makings to be. Another Hank versus a good goalie from a Western-Canadian hockey team duel. Another chance for the Rangers to prove they can actually beat a Canadian team. The team came out fast (well fast-ish), and they were hitting, skating, and then....
"Boring!"
That was the text I received from my father at the game around the beginning of the 2nd period.
To which I wrote back something along the lines of, "yes, but they are leading 22 to 9 in shots!"
Which, in essence meant very little, if you didn't watch. The Flames failed to register a shot until with about five minutes to go in the 2nd period. Then on their second shot of the period, they scored their first goal. On one of their next two shots, they scored their second goal.
The Garden went flat. The energy was lost. The team that was skating for a few minutes, well, they didn't really do that anymore.
I talked to my grandmother after I got back from the game last night and she said to me:
"You know what the Rangers skaters look like. They look like the people who skate at Rockefeller Center. Just slowly skating about. Not really caring what's going on."
To which I said after catching my breath, "You know, Grandma, that's actually a really good analogy."
*sigh*
Credit Calgary. That's for one. They came to play, obviously.
The Rangers, however. Well watching the Rangers play has now become a game of trying to guess which team will show up on any given night.
The Rangers team that played the Pittsburgh Penguins last Wednesday night. The team that hit and skated and made two of the best players in the league (Malkin and Crosby) both ineffective and frustrated. The team that got the clutch tying goal. The game that dominated in the shootout.
Or the Rangers team that didn't hit. Didn't skate. Didn't look like they want to be there. Didn't commit to the fore-check. Didn't play with any sense of urgency. Didn't score any pretty goals, or any goals period!
Unfortunately, it was the latter that showed up last night.
I listened to Ice Cap on XM204 last night on the way home and those guys really nailed a few things. Hank Lundqvist has been good, but there is something wrong with the system they are playing under (or the lack thereof) when at this point last year, Hank had four shutouts - on way to a league leading 10. This year he has zero. He gets little help on most nights.
And what I didn't get to above, was that after the two goals at even strength, the Rangers let up another short handed goal. Yet another short handed goal!! That's 8 so far. And that was as of the 7th of December!!!! And there are four months left to the season! I cannot express enough how fundamentally inexcusable that is. That's something that you'd expect from a bad team. A very bad team. And the Rangers cannot be THAT bad. Or can they?
I'll tell you what - - If they aren't scoring on it and they are giving up that many shorthanded goals then. . . .their powerplay is!!Embarrassing. And it cost them any chance of gaining momentum and trying to come back to tie. Awful. I'm sorry. It's true. It's absolutely and utterly true.
And yet - yet - I still so often see the game irresponsible culprits climbing over the boards to start another powerplay. Pretty much every night. Why? If they were that good at it, I could say, sure, fine, keep it going. But they are horrible at it!! Or the system is so horrible it makes otherwise decent hockey players look like morons!
Seriously where's Prucha on the powerplay to pot the goals? I mean he has to have more powerplay goals in the last three years than anyone else out there. And as for the rest of them, where's the best defensemen on our team (I know, I know, a very difficult question right there) who can stand at the point. and NOT pinch at the wrong moments, and hopefully prevent some 2-0 rushes for the other team? Where's that guy?
What can be done? I honestly have no idea.
But to do nothing and to fail to admit there is a serious problem, is horrible.
I don't really know what else there is to say. I could get on some rant about how the line changes were flawed too (like how Prucha and Drury do not play well together. It's been tried. Unless there is some magical third piece that will make the above untrue, please stop putting them together!!!). Or how the only time in recent memory that I've actually seen Drury and Gomez play well together was on the penalty kill last night, or how even Ryan Callahan has looked so tired and ineffective lately, but I won't. I won't say anything else about it.
Important to note, that on a night where not much else went right, however, there was a bright spot. Corey Potter, making his NHL debut, looked very solid. A little hesitant at first, he actually grew as the game went on and made some nice think-first passes. And he was not a liability. I thought he did all he could in his position. And did you see him skate into the offensive zone, and towards the net at that one point. At it, applying pressure from the D. I quite honestly didn't know it was possible.
What Rangers team will show up in Atlanta on Wednesday night, I'm quite honestly scared to find out.
P.S.
Larry Brook's in today's NY Post. Oh so they don't think there is a problem? Ut-oh!
http://www.nypost.com/seven/12082008/sports/rangers/calgary_ices_not_so_hot_rangers_143149.htm
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
The Avery Rule - Part Deux. . .?
Look. I may very well deserve an I-Told-You-So because I honestly thought Sean Avery would be an asset to Dallas. So far, I've been wrong. The team I actually thought would contend for the Pacific Division is in shambles. An embarassment right now. But how much of that is really Sean, I'm not completely sure.
Anyway, I'm not writing this blog entry to defend Sean. He knows that saying what he said this morning would stir up - - something. Should he have said it? Probably not. But was it suspension worthy? You decide:
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=258182&lid=headline&lpos=topStory_nhl
"I am really happy to be back in Calgary, I love Canada," Avery said on camera this morning in Calgary. "I just want to comment on how it's become like a common thing in the NHL for guys to fall in love with my sloppy seconds. I don't know what that's about. Enjoy the game tonight."
TSN on their website clip called it a vulgar sexual reference. I'm sorry, but I don't see how the above is really that vulgar. True, he could have said "ex-girlfriends" instead of the slang term and the point would still be the same. Crude - yes. Vulgar. . .I'm really not sure.
My overall response remains, however: Suspended? Really? For conduct defaming a fellow NHLer and the NHL itself? For exercising a freedom of speech that I'm pretty sure most people believe is a right of people living in North America? Or do those rules get checked at the Canadian border?
I know the NHL wants to - apparently feels they need to - make him the villian. But I just can't bring myself to agree with it. If the Stars didn't like what he said, they can suspend him. I actually would have less of a problem with that. Their team, their call. But the league stepping in like this just seems very unnecessary to me. How much is their right as a league and how much is them going out of their way to pull down a guy they've made it clear they hate?
Is Avery being a jack-ass for saying this? Sure. A great PR move for him? Certainly not. But it's not as if this guy is running around every night smashing guys heads into the boards trying to put guys in the hospital. To me, those are the "villians" the NHL should be concentrating on.
So seriously, I see it coming. "Avery Rule #2" - Any player who publicly makes questionably off-color remarks about his ex-girlfriend and their relationship in connection to any NHL player, current or former, will be suspended indefinitely."
And in small, block letters: "If they are from Canada and his name is Sean Avery."
Anyway, I'm not writing this blog entry to defend Sean. He knows that saying what he said this morning would stir up - - something. Should he have said it? Probably not. But was it suspension worthy? You decide:
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=258182&lid=headline&lpos=topStory_nhl
"I am really happy to be back in Calgary, I love Canada," Avery said on camera this morning in Calgary. "I just want to comment on how it's become like a common thing in the NHL for guys to fall in love with my sloppy seconds. I don't know what that's about. Enjoy the game tonight."
TSN on their website clip called it a vulgar sexual reference. I'm sorry, but I don't see how the above is really that vulgar. True, he could have said "ex-girlfriends" instead of the slang term and the point would still be the same. Crude - yes. Vulgar. . .I'm really not sure.
My overall response remains, however: Suspended? Really? For conduct defaming a fellow NHLer and the NHL itself? For exercising a freedom of speech that I'm pretty sure most people believe is a right of people living in North America? Or do those rules get checked at the Canadian border?
I know the NHL wants to - apparently feels they need to - make him the villian. But I just can't bring myself to agree with it. If the Stars didn't like what he said, they can suspend him. I actually would have less of a problem with that. Their team, their call. But the league stepping in like this just seems very unnecessary to me. How much is their right as a league and how much is them going out of their way to pull down a guy they've made it clear they hate?
Is Avery being a jack-ass for saying this? Sure. A great PR move for him? Certainly not. But it's not as if this guy is running around every night smashing guys heads into the boards trying to put guys in the hospital. To me, those are the "villians" the NHL should be concentrating on.
So seriously, I see it coming. "Avery Rule #2" - Any player who publicly makes questionably off-color remarks about his ex-girlfriend and their relationship in connection to any NHL player, current or former, will be suspended indefinitely."
And in small, block letters: "If they are from Canada and his name is Sean Avery."
Sunday, November 2, 2008
The Flames/Kings Finale and One Anze Kopitar. . .
Let me just say, the last 1 minute of the Kings/Flames game last night was the MOST exciting hockey I have seen this year. Period. And that might just be because I've been watching the bland (I refuse to say vanilla as an adjective because I, like Steven Stamkos very much like vanilla) play of the Rangers, but wow. Wow. And Wow.
Tim Preissing's guts on that play to literally dive, and keep the puck, snow plow style, in the zone was something. The pressure of the Kings to tie in that last minute was incredible. And it was just by some luck, perhaps, and some Miikka Kiprusoff, that the puck did not go in. Intense.
Earlier, Oscar Moller scored his first two NHL goals for the Kings. The second was to tie it late in the 3rd at 2-2.
Lucky Luc Robataille spoke with the CBC mid-game and said, it's not that their players are young - the Kings that is - it's that they are young and really, really good. And they will get good, hopefully stay good together, and be really something in a few years, and for years to come.
If that game was any indication, I agree.
Calgary, admittedly, did not play their best. Although they've now won 6 in a row. But LA stayed with them, and made it a very close, very interesting game. With an ending, we wish more games had. I know I do.
Credit all around.
And a bonus, because I was home and my Tivo was not left to it's own devices, I got to see all of After Hours. And they interviewed Anze Kopitar. :)
A kid who, growing up in a country that really had very little hockey and certainly not hockey that bread a consistent crop of NHL players (well, none, to be exact), knew what he wanted to do. Be that NHL player. And he did become the first ever from Slovenia. An All-Star last year. He was humble, he was funny, and he was, yes, well-spoken. Why you ask? Because frankly I was a little surprised a guy so young from such a foreign place was dropping "you knows" like kids I went to high school with.
The story goes that as a young teenager Anze told his Grandmother, who taught English, that he wanted to learn the language. He said, I don't expect to be in Slovenia for much longer. And when I get to the NHL I am going to want to know English.
Cocky? Not at all. Confident? You bet.
The league needs more. And I admire his attitude. The Kings have locked him up with a new seven year contract. And with all their young talent- O'Sullivan, Brown, Doughty, Frolov, etc - seem poised to really make a statement for LA in a few years and for a long, long time.
***
Nothing else really much to say on last night. I stand by my statement that there should be, if nothing else, a change in personnel and/or a change in attitude on Tuesday night for the Rangers. We will see.
Oh, but and in mentioning Drew Doughty above, let me just say, he appears to set up the powerplay for his Kings better than the guy the Rangers paid $6.5 million a year to do so. Sorry Wade. Truth hurts.
And as it gets mentioned from time to time, it makes you appreciate BrianLeetch. Brian Leetch was a thousand times more than just a guy who set up the Rangers on the point, but. . .he did that too. And he can never, ever be replaced, we know that. But it also makes me think of the (although most recently injury plagued) great Sergei Zubov who never did get the credit he deserved for being that guy. For well over a decade now.
A fan of the stay at home defenseman? At times. But give me a guy who can step up into the offensive play and make it - - I'll take them any day. Hands down.
Tim Preissing's guts on that play to literally dive, and keep the puck, snow plow style, in the zone was something. The pressure of the Kings to tie in that last minute was incredible. And it was just by some luck, perhaps, and some Miikka Kiprusoff, that the puck did not go in. Intense.
Earlier, Oscar Moller scored his first two NHL goals for the Kings. The second was to tie it late in the 3rd at 2-2.
Lucky Luc Robataille spoke with the CBC mid-game and said, it's not that their players are young - the Kings that is - it's that they are young and really, really good. And they will get good, hopefully stay good together, and be really something in a few years, and for years to come.
If that game was any indication, I agree.
Calgary, admittedly, did not play their best. Although they've now won 6 in a row. But LA stayed with them, and made it a very close, very interesting game. With an ending, we wish more games had. I know I do.
Credit all around.
And a bonus, because I was home and my Tivo was not left to it's own devices, I got to see all of After Hours. And they interviewed Anze Kopitar. :)
A kid who, growing up in a country that really had very little hockey and certainly not hockey that bread a consistent crop of NHL players (well, none, to be exact), knew what he wanted to do. Be that NHL player. And he did become the first ever from Slovenia. An All-Star last year. He was humble, he was funny, and he was, yes, well-spoken. Why you ask? Because frankly I was a little surprised a guy so young from such a foreign place was dropping "you knows" like kids I went to high school with.
The story goes that as a young teenager Anze told his Grandmother, who taught English, that he wanted to learn the language. He said, I don't expect to be in Slovenia for much longer. And when I get to the NHL I am going to want to know English.
Cocky? Not at all. Confident? You bet.
The league needs more. And I admire his attitude. The Kings have locked him up with a new seven year contract. And with all their young talent- O'Sullivan, Brown, Doughty, Frolov, etc - seem poised to really make a statement for LA in a few years and for a long, long time.
***
Nothing else really much to say on last night. I stand by my statement that there should be, if nothing else, a change in personnel and/or a change in attitude on Tuesday night for the Rangers. We will see.
Oh, but and in mentioning Drew Doughty above, let me just say, he appears to set up the powerplay for his Kings better than the guy the Rangers paid $6.5 million a year to do so. Sorry Wade. Truth hurts.
And as it gets mentioned from time to time, it makes you appreciate BrianLeetch. Brian Leetch was a thousand times more than just a guy who set up the Rangers on the point, but. . .he did that too. And he can never, ever be replaced, we know that. But it also makes me think of the (although most recently injury plagued) great Sergei Zubov who never did get the credit he deserved for being that guy. For well over a decade now.
A fan of the stay at home defenseman? At times. But give me a guy who can step up into the offensive play and make it - - I'll take them any day. Hands down.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
And Your 4-0 Rangers. . .
Okay, again, I'm not trying to rain on any parades. Seriously, I'm not. I'm glad - as a fan, all we can be is glad when our team does well - that the Rangers are undefeated to start the season. Or in first place. I mean, sure those things are nice. But the reality of the big picture is - some teams have only played one game! The Rangers have already played four, and will have played 8 by this time next week! Open the schedule in Europe on back to backs and add another back to back the following weekend, and it already feels like the season (for everyone) has been open a week. Not the case, though, not the case.
On the same note, I should be telling myself that predictions do not matter (which I mean honestly, they really don't) and that what looks like reality a few games in, is almost never the reality we'll see 6 months from now.
With that being said, the Rangers have looked good at points and should focus on that to a degree. The "Playstation" line of Aaron Voros, Nik Zherdev, and Brandon Dubinsky - - for non-fans, apparently Dubinsky and Voros put themselves on each other's line while playing video games and got great results, so, when it happened in a real game, . . .well you get the idea - - looked amazing Friday night at the Garden. Speed, a little toughness when needed, and chemistry, yes. I thought, please, please, coach Renney, keep them together. You don't fight with a group that looked that in-sync and that happy to be together. I'm all for young guys playing and playing well together.
Meanwhile the "$18 million" line - my nickname, not theirs - of Markus Naslund, Scott Gomez, and Chris Drury - has not impressed in my opinion. And it's early so you can slap me for that comment, but I just watch a combined $18 payroll skate together - the Rangers new captain, and two assistants, for the record - and seem to be missing a step. Gomez, who looked sharp in Europe, has been missing something since coming Stateside. Drury sure looks like he's going to score a ton of goals, but it hasn't happened yet. Naslund gets a little more of a pass because he's on a new team, with new teammates, in a new conference, and he's been shuttled around from three countries in just short of a week and a half. But I hope (hope!) this Drury/Gomez thing either is determined to work quickly, or torn apart quickly, so the team can try and establish a third line that is better than . . .
Whatever the heck was skating on Friday night. I think it was Lauri Korpikoski (who looked flat, but again, first real game at the Garden, young kid, I'll give him a break), Nigel Dawes (who has looked flat this entire 2008 pre-and actual season and if there was a way to send him to Hartford without losing him on waivers, I'd drive him up there myself) , and Ryan Callahan (who I felt bad for because it appeared quite obvious his linemates were dragging him down). It just isn't the right mix. Callahan's game suffered, and might continue to suffer if he's not given linemates he can work better with. Sure, it's only four games in, and I trust that is the point just now, but I feel for him, because he looked sharp in Europe and has been skating, sticking up for teammates, and looking in mid-season form.
Sorry to jump games on you, but the fourth line combo of Blair Betts, Colton Orr, and Fredrick Sjostrom looked good last night (in Philly), better than Betts and his linemates looked the night previous. Sjostrom has at least earned a little of his playing time. Orr has been convincing. And I'm not going to stop my "confusion" over the Blair Betts fascination, but. . .last night he was fine. And not because he got a goal and an assist, because the second he did, I shook my head and said, oh great, score one now, we'll see the next one in March. Which is a little mean. . .but. . .
Steve Valiquette looked solid in goal last night and kept the Rangers in a game they very well might have lost. They opened up a quick and impressive four goal lead, but I am not sure how much of that was easy goals - Sjostrom's open net sweep around was pretty, but it was into an empty net; Zherdev's was nice, but might very well have been stopped had Marty Biron been awake. Point is, thank goodness it was a four goal lead, because Philadelphia woke up and at least made me feel a little better about picking them to win the division. The Rangers got undisciplined, took some bad penalties, and should be happy their penalty kill is still perfect. Their PowerPlay has looked nothing but.
Off the Rangers for now. We'll see where this goes. Again, I'm happy, but for the sake of the blog, I'm trying to be realistic. It will take a while for this team and its players to come together; so we can see who is going to be every day players for this team, or instead, if this rotation of 3rd and 4th line players on a nightly basis continues. I hope the former.
Around the league: With a ton of Rangers games, it has been hard and will be harder this week to pay attention to the other games. In due time, hopefully that's not the case, but . . .
- When I saw Toronto beat Detroit to open the season, I thought . . .huh? The Maple Leafs came back to earth, however, with a 6-1 loss to rival Montreal. And Detroit won on a late goal over Ottawa. For a day, the world seemed to right itself a little.
- I didn't get to see the Calgary/Vancouver game from Vancouver, but I made a point to watch a healthy enough portion of the game last night from Calgary. Point to US teams - watch a Canadian pre-game presentation. Calgary's was incredibly nice. I mean I guess it's a newer building than some of the others in the league, but the way they display player images on the ice and names, and the whole affect of the red lights of the Sea of Red - it looked fantastic. As the Rangers very often are playing the early game, I most often get to watch the late games on HNIC, and I've never been disapointed with game presentation there, or for the most part, the games. The game itself was fiesty. Again as a person who just re-watched last year's final game between the two (essentially a throw-away game where Jarome Iginla was aiming to get his 50th goal and everyone was being overly touchy feely as Trevor Linden appeared poised for retirement). Not so last night. These teams do not like each other. Iginla, again the do-everything poster boy, pulled off his gloves (and jersey it would seem) to fight Willie Mitchell. Good fun all around, except perhaps for Miikka Kiprusoff who still looks a little unsteady in goal. And Calgary's scoring came from very unexpected players, whereas Vancouvers were from guys like the Sedins, and newly acquired Pavol Demitra. It's early boys, it's early.
-Hockey Night in Canada. . . Yeah. I wasn't impressed. I didn't love the song that won the contest. I don't know it it's impossible to watch because I still (like almost everyone I would assume) have the old song imprrinted into my brain, but it was so different. I mean, does it matter to me? Not as much as the fact that Mike Milbury has done nothing to enchant himself to me after day one. I couldn't even watch most of their panel, because he was making me ill. Did Kelly Hrudey think it was funny when he was congratulating his father-in-law on a birthday, just to have Milbury's first words be, you know he's borrowing someone elses's years!! I would have smacked him, but Kelly is too good for that. I just would pay to know what they all think of him, really. (I'm sure some people love him and love that type of stuff; but I think you can have good natured banter without seeming to come off as pompous).
-On a personal note - we need more PJ Stock (interesting hair-do or not)! You stick him in a bubble and don't let him banter with Ron for more than a second or two. Hope it falls into a better pattern at some point, but I won't know for a few weeks as I'll be out of NHL Centre Ice zone for at least the next two weekends.
- And bonus for having the CBC games on NHL Network so everyone could see them, but way to let people know! I was channel flipping and getting nervous. Finally found them. And of course, after the late game, people in Canada got to see After Hours, which is one of my favorite parts of the night, and I get the first of fourteen On the Flys. Hope it's not on there every week, for that reason alone.
Okay, with that, I'm going to join the "non-hockey" world for a bit. I'm more than a week behind in television shows. Til then. . .
On the same note, I should be telling myself that predictions do not matter (which I mean honestly, they really don't) and that what looks like reality a few games in, is almost never the reality we'll see 6 months from now.
With that being said, the Rangers have looked good at points and should focus on that to a degree. The "Playstation" line of Aaron Voros, Nik Zherdev, and Brandon Dubinsky - - for non-fans, apparently Dubinsky and Voros put themselves on each other's line while playing video games and got great results, so, when it happened in a real game, . . .well you get the idea - - looked amazing Friday night at the Garden. Speed, a little toughness when needed, and chemistry, yes. I thought, please, please, coach Renney, keep them together. You don't fight with a group that looked that in-sync and that happy to be together. I'm all for young guys playing and playing well together.
Meanwhile the "$18 million" line - my nickname, not theirs - of Markus Naslund, Scott Gomez, and Chris Drury - has not impressed in my opinion. And it's early so you can slap me for that comment, but I just watch a combined $18 payroll skate together - the Rangers new captain, and two assistants, for the record - and seem to be missing a step. Gomez, who looked sharp in Europe, has been missing something since coming Stateside. Drury sure looks like he's going to score a ton of goals, but it hasn't happened yet. Naslund gets a little more of a pass because he's on a new team, with new teammates, in a new conference, and he's been shuttled around from three countries in just short of a week and a half. But I hope (hope!) this Drury/Gomez thing either is determined to work quickly, or torn apart quickly, so the team can try and establish a third line that is better than . . .
Whatever the heck was skating on Friday night. I think it was Lauri Korpikoski (who looked flat, but again, first real game at the Garden, young kid, I'll give him a break), Nigel Dawes (who has looked flat this entire 2008 pre-and actual season and if there was a way to send him to Hartford without losing him on waivers, I'd drive him up there myself) , and Ryan Callahan (who I felt bad for because it appeared quite obvious his linemates were dragging him down). It just isn't the right mix. Callahan's game suffered, and might continue to suffer if he's not given linemates he can work better with. Sure, it's only four games in, and I trust that is the point just now, but I feel for him, because he looked sharp in Europe and has been skating, sticking up for teammates, and looking in mid-season form.
Sorry to jump games on you, but the fourth line combo of Blair Betts, Colton Orr, and Fredrick Sjostrom looked good last night (in Philly), better than Betts and his linemates looked the night previous. Sjostrom has at least earned a little of his playing time. Orr has been convincing. And I'm not going to stop my "confusion" over the Blair Betts fascination, but. . .last night he was fine. And not because he got a goal and an assist, because the second he did, I shook my head and said, oh great, score one now, we'll see the next one in March. Which is a little mean. . .but. . .
Steve Valiquette looked solid in goal last night and kept the Rangers in a game they very well might have lost. They opened up a quick and impressive four goal lead, but I am not sure how much of that was easy goals - Sjostrom's open net sweep around was pretty, but it was into an empty net; Zherdev's was nice, but might very well have been stopped had Marty Biron been awake. Point is, thank goodness it was a four goal lead, because Philadelphia woke up and at least made me feel a little better about picking them to win the division. The Rangers got undisciplined, took some bad penalties, and should be happy their penalty kill is still perfect. Their PowerPlay has looked nothing but.
Off the Rangers for now. We'll see where this goes. Again, I'm happy, but for the sake of the blog, I'm trying to be realistic. It will take a while for this team and its players to come together; so we can see who is going to be every day players for this team, or instead, if this rotation of 3rd and 4th line players on a nightly basis continues. I hope the former.
Around the league: With a ton of Rangers games, it has been hard and will be harder this week to pay attention to the other games. In due time, hopefully that's not the case, but . . .
- When I saw Toronto beat Detroit to open the season, I thought . . .huh? The Maple Leafs came back to earth, however, with a 6-1 loss to rival Montreal. And Detroit won on a late goal over Ottawa. For a day, the world seemed to right itself a little.
- I didn't get to see the Calgary/Vancouver game from Vancouver, but I made a point to watch a healthy enough portion of the game last night from Calgary. Point to US teams - watch a Canadian pre-game presentation. Calgary's was incredibly nice. I mean I guess it's a newer building than some of the others in the league, but the way they display player images on the ice and names, and the whole affect of the red lights of the Sea of Red - it looked fantastic. As the Rangers very often are playing the early game, I most often get to watch the late games on HNIC, and I've never been disapointed with game presentation there, or for the most part, the games. The game itself was fiesty. Again as a person who just re-watched last year's final game between the two (essentially a throw-away game where Jarome Iginla was aiming to get his 50th goal and everyone was being overly touchy feely as Trevor Linden appeared poised for retirement). Not so last night. These teams do not like each other. Iginla, again the do-everything poster boy, pulled off his gloves (and jersey it would seem) to fight Willie Mitchell. Good fun all around, except perhaps for Miikka Kiprusoff who still looks a little unsteady in goal. And Calgary's scoring came from very unexpected players, whereas Vancouvers were from guys like the Sedins, and newly acquired Pavol Demitra. It's early boys, it's early.
-Hockey Night in Canada. . . Yeah. I wasn't impressed. I didn't love the song that won the contest. I don't know it it's impossible to watch because I still (like almost everyone I would assume) have the old song imprrinted into my brain, but it was so different. I mean, does it matter to me? Not as much as the fact that Mike Milbury has done nothing to enchant himself to me after day one. I couldn't even watch most of their panel, because he was making me ill. Did Kelly Hrudey think it was funny when he was congratulating his father-in-law on a birthday, just to have Milbury's first words be, you know he's borrowing someone elses's years!! I would have smacked him, but Kelly is too good for that. I just would pay to know what they all think of him, really. (I'm sure some people love him and love that type of stuff; but I think you can have good natured banter without seeming to come off as pompous).
-On a personal note - we need more PJ Stock (interesting hair-do or not)! You stick him in a bubble and don't let him banter with Ron for more than a second or two. Hope it falls into a better pattern at some point, but I won't know for a few weeks as I'll be out of NHL Centre Ice zone for at least the next two weekends.
- And bonus for having the CBC games on NHL Network so everyone could see them, but way to let people know! I was channel flipping and getting nervous. Finally found them. And of course, after the late game, people in Canada got to see After Hours, which is one of my favorite parts of the night, and I get the first of fourteen On the Flys. Hope it's not on there every week, for that reason alone.
Okay, with that, I'm going to join the "non-hockey" world for a bit. I'm more than a week behind in television shows. Til then. . .
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