Hates the Infotainment
Join Date: May 2004
Location: NSA Archives
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Well the season hath begun, ice-monkies! One and all feel free to get the ball rolling. Personally I think some of the new unis suck bad. I'm surprised teams didn't seek more fan input ahead of time / tried to keep it all secretive, like everyone was going ot have an orgy on the day they were finally shown or something.
Meantime, the first several games have been played with more to come tonight and this weekend including the Uber-Pens playing the Ducks (that should be an interesting test - not holding my breath there but the loss of Niedermeyer will make it a little easier on us). No one to handle Bert in front of the net though. Even though he's an upgrade, Sydor certainly won't be able to do it. They'll probably throw Orpik on him. Also, I have to say, if Keenan doesn't do a mind job on everyone, the Flames should round into a good team this year. Couldn't stay awake for the end of the game last night with Philly but seemed pretty competitive. ...into the light of a dark black night. |
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Ice Arrow Sniper
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I hope the officiating in both Leafs-Sens games isn't a sign of things to come. I'm not sure the whistles ever stopped, and that includes terrible calls on both sides.
Chris Drury certainly made a statement with the Rangers, and Briere looked as good as ever with Philly last night. He, Gagne, and Knuble could have a field day this season. It'll be interesting to see how the Penguins start out tonight. Ward looked strong against Montreal for the Canes, but he didn't have much of a defense in front of him. I have to think he'll have a similar night against Sid and Co. tonight. As for unis...the only good ones have been those relatively unchanged (Rangers, Bruins, Flames, etc.), and the Sharks. Finally getting to see Toronto's, I have to say that without the stripes along the bottom, they look terrible. The white is much better than the blue, however. I hate the "continuous" look they get when wearing blue. Authentic Nova Scotia bagpipe innards |
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@kk@pennytucker.social
Join Date: Jan 2005
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I watched some of the Flyers' game last night.
They looked good. Biron looked pretty good, but he could play better. Briere was awesome. I have a feeling that they'll be much better this year than last. Theres nowhere for them to go but up after finishing last in the league last year. I see them making the playoffs this year though. Edit: Forgot to add, that was the first Flyers game I've watched in a while. At least 2 years. I just wasn't interested in them anymore. We'll see how long I stay watching them this year. No more Twitter. It's Mastodon now. |
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Not sayin', just sayin'
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I'm going to Canes-Pens tonight! I ponied up for my own tickets.
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Hates the Infotainment
Join Date: May 2004
Location: NSA Archives
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Lucky Bastard!!! Have a brew for me.
PS - the Flyers *will* be good this year. I am pissed I didn't get Gagne in the draft. You guys messed up my strategery in the first couple rounds with your goalie hoarding and general madness. *shakes fist* Slime-bags. ...into the light of a dark black night. |
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Environmental Bloodhound
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Word on the street is that Havlat is going to be out for 5-6 months. Nothing official yet, but damn that sucks for him and the young kids in Chicago. Looks like Kane is going to get a crack at the top line then. Formerly known as cynical_rock censeo tentatio victum There is no snooze button on a cat. |
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Ice Arrow Sniper
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Jackets open the season with a 4-0 rout of Anaheim. Wow.
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Not sayin', just sayin'
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Good game last night. Helps that we won. As always, there was a large contingent cheering for the away team, but I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of real Canes fans, and how a lot of people A. understood what was going on, and B. showed some legacy following. Every time Orpik touched the puck, the crowd booed, remembering that he was the guy who broke Eric Cole's neck a couple of years ago.
Boy, for all the hype and talent, Pittsburgh looked bad. I mean, it's mainly a chemistry and timing thing. Their passes were off the mark, they had their backs turned when being passed to, and they just didn't react well to the physical pressure the Canes put on them. There were sparks of great skill, but no way to finish. and God only knows what the problem was with Fleury. On one goal, the puck was sitting in front of him and he couldn't pull it in, like he couldn't handle his stick or was hesitating between using his stick to sweep it under him or drop it and use his glove Hasek-style. Anyway, those guys need some chemistry, some regular linemates and need to be a lot more physical. Sid banged his stick on the boards behind Carolina's goal out of frustration late in the third. The Canes were very sharp and, unlike last year, they had much better PK, offensive sets and back checking. They put pressure on Pittsburgh the whole time, and were a lot better about carrying the puck into the zone, creating room across the blue line instead of dumping and chasing. I have a feeling things may go very differently than we expected this year. |
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Hates the Infotainment
Join Date: May 2004
Location: NSA Archives
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Actually, I think a good ass-whipping is exactly what they needed. They didn't skate hard consistently, they didn't hit, they didn't compete until the last 10 minutes of the 3rd period. All these media retards jumping on the bandwagon picking the Pens to win the Cup is ridiculous. Even I don't pick the Pens to win the Cup. If they even make it to the EC Final, that would be a big accomplishment for such a young team IMO.
Anyway, I will say also the Canes announcer / color guy is an ass. After one goal in the 1st period he starts talking about how Fleury has "never recovered" from the bad junior tournament he had 4 years ago or whatever. WTF?! Talk about having your head up your ass. Also he had an ingenious comment about one of the other Pens' players that made absolutely no sense but I don't remember now what it was. The Canes OTOH looked great. I think the SE will be tougher this year as neither Florida or Washington will be a doormat the way they have been in years past, but I think Carolina will win the division if they stay healthy. They'll compete again. Especially if Ward plays like he did last night. ...into the light of a dark black night. |
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Ice Arrow Sniper
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It's only a couple of games into the season. Pittsburgh will clean up their act, as will others I'm sure.
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Hates the Infotainment
Join Date: May 2004
Location: NSA Archives
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Yah I'm not panicking by any means but I don't like how the media has heaped all this praise on the Penguins before the season even starts. It's not realistic or fair to the team, quite honestly. But they'll turn it around. Thing is about this year, there are A LOT of teams with 4 or 5 really talented forwards, 2 or 3 solid D and a good youth movement. Goalies will become the big factor I think, because they're all going to get shelled at different points, given how much talent and parity is out there. The ones that hold up over the course of the season may be the biggest difference makers, not the super-star forwards.
...into the light of a dark black night. |
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Ice Arrow Sniper
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I'm glad to see Toronto playing a bit smarter on the PK, but it looks like Maurice completely neglected backchecking and power play in practice. Poor backchecking and defensive positioning has cost the Leafs 4 of 6 goals against. Otherwise, they've looked much improved over last season. I think Ottawa will be one of the top 3 in points in the league this year, so what I've seen from Toronto thus far is encouraging (and besides, Toronto never beats Ottawa in the regular season...only in the playoffs!). A solid win over Montreal tonight would reinforce my enthusiasm. After his pitiful preseason, Toskala played great in net the other night. Raycroft played really well, too.
Authentic Nova Scotia bagpipe innards |
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Veteran Member
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While I have heard that the Canes are going to be better this year, they will have to do better than 2 shots on goal in a period!! (what they just posted against the Caps in the 1st)
Different Strokes, for Different Folks. And So On and So On, and Skoobie Doobie Doobie. |
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Ice Arrow Sniper
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CBC just blew up on my cable...I really hope it comes back before the third period of Leafs-Habs.
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Veteran Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Atlanta
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Not sayin', just sayin'
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Yes, he is a complete ass. I think the trend with booth and studio guys, particularly the analysts and commentators, is to get all Fox News on us, being stridently biased blowhards. This guy goes out of his way to complain about the refereeing, belittle other players and generally portray himself as the fans' point of view. I guess us fans are supposed to be blind ignorant jerks who take this stuff way too personally and can't give credit where credit's due. I do not want these fans to turn out like Philly fans, which I think is the assumption and model going in. I want equanimity and insight from these guys, not NY Post op eds.
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Environmental Bloodhound
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First shake-up of the season.
Thrashers fire Hartley Sure, starting the season 0-6-0 is bad, but considering Hossa didn't suit up for three of those games along with shoddy goaltending certainly doesn't help things. Now let's see how long Wadell remains at the helm. Formerly known as cynical_rock censeo tentatio victum There is no snooze button on a cat. |
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@kk@pennytucker.social
Join Date: Jan 2005
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The firing of Hartley is tied directly to my Flyers embarrassing them last night.
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Veteran Member
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something else must be going on there. why else would you fire a guy like Hartley after the first six games of the season?!
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Veteran Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Atlanta
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It's going to be a long season.
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Not sayin', just sayin'
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Sooooo.... another black eye on the NHL, by another Flyer too.
I haven't seen the hit. Did anyone else see it? Is this just a bad coincidence, or is there some seriously bad shit being spread around in the Philly locker room? |
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Ice Arrow Sniper
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The hit isn't up on YouTube yet from what I can see, but I caught a clip of it earlier on ESPN. It will get a suspension. I hope the league makes a statement to Philadelphia. This shit needs to stop. I don't think this is a coincidence at all. Broad Street Bullies? Try Broad Street Get The Fuck Out Of My NHL.
Authentic Nova Scotia bagpipe innards |
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Veteran Member
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Ottawa, ON
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Nasty.
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Hates the Infotainment
Join Date: May 2004
Location: NSA Archives
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I am starting to think this is a coaching problem / organizational problem, where their players are being encouraged to throw big hits, etc. After the first two suspensions I have a hard time seeing how this could happen without there being some encouragement from some part of the coaching staff. Two games is a soft suspension. 5-10 would be more appropriate, given the other two and what was involved. I don't buy the "I didn't mean it" BS. If you have that little control over your body in that situation that you can't help but ram someone's face into the boards, you don't belong on the ice.
Philly is a friggin disgrace this year. It's gone beyond the tough guys thing into irresponsible territory. One more infraction and I would fine the team BIG money or a 1st round draft pick or both. The coaches need to be punished for this crap too. ...into the light of a dark black night. |
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Not sayin', just sayin'
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It's clearly a message coming from at least the coaching if not higher up. They absolutely need to check into this and send appropriate fines AND suspensions to those who deserve it, not just the guys on the ice. What's terrible too about Philly is they do have some great talent around these buffoons. I guess a question in my mind is what do guys with actual skill think of this, and are they going to stand by idly while this goes on around them?
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Environmental Bloodhound
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With the shellacking of the Leafs tonight, the Sens have posted a 13-1-0 (26 pts) record for the first 14 games of the season, a NHL record.
It feels good to be on top. Formerly known as cynical_rock censeo tentatio victum There is no snooze button on a cat. |
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Veteran Member
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Ottawa, ON
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I keep waiting for them to cool off a bit, but they seem unstoppable so far. I hope that they are equally unstoppable at the other end of the season.
When there's an eel in the lake that's as long as a snake that's a moray. |
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Veteran Member
Join Date: May 2004
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Don't be silly, Chinney. Everyone knows the Sens will bomb in the playoffs. But at least your team will make the freaking playoffs. I really think the Leafs should trade Sundin to a contender at the trade deadline.
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Hates the Infotainment
Join Date: May 2004
Location: NSA Archives
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I think the Senators are the class of the NHL right now. They have gelled on almost every level now, even more than last season. They remind me of the Bulls in the 90s they way they are just dismantling teams with their speed and precision. And like the Bulls, who were able to win without a dominant center, I think the Sens can do it without a dominant defenseman.
If they get one more gritty defender or two-way forward in the spring, I think they can go all the way. Last year's team lacked only the size to deal with Anaheim. Barring a repeat matchup (which would require the return of Niedermeyer and Selanne IMO), I think the Senators would have the edge on any other team in the NHL, including Detroit. I think Detroit will slowly wear down as the season gets late, especially older guys not named Chelios, and the Sens will continue pretty much undaunted because of their younger legs and deeper team. Barring injury to a key player(s), I think they'll take teh Cup this year. I also think they'll continue to beat the hell out of Toronto most nights, which I love. PS - Alf is 100% class. The only star athlete I know who doesn't seek a raise every contract, so he can help keep the team together. And his play since the start of last year has been on another level for him consistency-wise and doing the little things. Leaf fans boo him but they'd squirt in their pants if they had him in a Leaf uniform. ...into the light of a dark black night. |
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