What looked like a runaway win for the Senators, turned into a complete nightmare by the end of the night. The Sens ran off to a 4-0 lead into the second period, indeed when Daniel Alfredsson scored after just thirteen seconds it looked like revenge for last Saturday night, was at hand for Ottawa. With all the hype on this one, you would have thought that tanks and missile's would be part of the arsenal tonight. The much anticipated brawling never really took place tonight, a few scraps but nothing like last Saturday night.
The Sens converted half of their power play opportunities, what should have been seen as an omen of good things to come tonight. But as the second period progressed the Leafs battled back, one goal at a time. The second was the roughest period by far, with a few scraps and lots of hard hits. And that seemed to awaken the Leafs, in the third the Leafs tied things up at the 15 minute point, tying the game on a Mats Sundin goal. Overtime had the Sens on the ropes, as Owen Nolan scored with thirty seconds to go for the 5-4 win.
Never mind the toughness aspect of the Sens, that wasn't the real culprit tonight. A bout of the flu stripped the Sens bench of players and coaches. As the game progressed Sens disappeared to the dressing room to deal with the effects of the flu. Missing from the game tonight were Zdeno Chara, Wade Redden and Jason Spezza, none of whom even made the opening line up. More players fell as the game went on, weakened to finish the game on the ice, or off of it completely.
Regardless they can't use the flu as an excuse, a four goal lead should not be blown. For whatever reason they let the Leafs back into the game and once they got a taste the Leafs wouldn't give up. Not much more the Sens can do about this one that got away, a short bench with sick players is hard to work with. Fortunately it's the all star break now, so the Sens can drink lots of fluid, get some rest and get ready for the playoff run.
Thursday, February 05, 2004
Let's get ready to rrrrumble
In this corner, wearing the white and blue trunks, the pride and joy of the Cabbagetown boxing club, the Toronto Maple Leafs. Well it won't be quite that bad tonight at the Corel Centre when those Bay Street Bullies pull into town, but with all the hype around this game it's pretty close.
Ottawa hockey fans have taken to wringing their hands of late, obsessing over the idea that their team just isn't tough enough. So much so that even John Muckler is making some unusual inquiries. Word is out that Muckler has contacted retired pugilist, Rob Ray, with an eye to having him work off the rust and be ready for the playoffs. The usual cast of tough guy suspects is also being bounced around as trade possibilities, Georges Laraque in Edmonton seemingly the flavour of the hour of late. In a bid to shore up the muscle for the short term, the Sens acquired Todd Simpson from Anaheim, giving up Peter Schastlivy in return. Simpson brings his 105 penalty minutes this year to the Sens uniform.
All of this stems from Saturday night's televised hard hitting and sometimes violent affair, where fists and sticks flew at a furious pace. It's a yearly call from Sens fans, are we tough enough, and after the hostilities of last Saturday many say no. The Sens for their part don't quite agree that they are a collection of shy, fancy skaters, afraid to get into the corners and hit or be hit. They claim all this noise over the physical aspect is just so much hype. They feel comfortable with their team and say that they won't be pushed around. As for Jacques Martin he makes a valid point about all this talk of a needed physical presence. Last Saturday, the tactics of the Leafs resulted in sixteen power play opportunities. Had the Sens power play been successful on only half, the Senators would have won the game by a large margin. No doubt the Leafs would have had to change their tactics as the goals kept increasing. Rather than loading up on bruisers, they need to work on the power play combinations, start scoring goals and the physical play will take care of itself.
Ottawa hockey fans have taken to wringing their hands of late, obsessing over the idea that their team just isn't tough enough. So much so that even John Muckler is making some unusual inquiries. Word is out that Muckler has contacted retired pugilist, Rob Ray, with an eye to having him work off the rust and be ready for the playoffs. The usual cast of tough guy suspects is also being bounced around as trade possibilities, Georges Laraque in Edmonton seemingly the flavour of the hour of late. In a bid to shore up the muscle for the short term, the Sens acquired Todd Simpson from Anaheim, giving up Peter Schastlivy in return. Simpson brings his 105 penalty minutes this year to the Sens uniform.
All of this stems from Saturday night's televised hard hitting and sometimes violent affair, where fists and sticks flew at a furious pace. It's a yearly call from Sens fans, are we tough enough, and after the hostilities of last Saturday many say no. The Sens for their part don't quite agree that they are a collection of shy, fancy skaters, afraid to get into the corners and hit or be hit. They claim all this noise over the physical aspect is just so much hype. They feel comfortable with their team and say that they won't be pushed around. As for Jacques Martin he makes a valid point about all this talk of a needed physical presence. Last Saturday, the tactics of the Leafs resulted in sixteen power play opportunities. Had the Sens power play been successful on only half, the Senators would have won the game by a large margin. No doubt the Leafs would have had to change their tactics as the goals kept increasing. Rather than loading up on bruisers, they need to work on the power play combinations, start scoring goals and the physical play will take care of itself.
Cherry in a corner
Well Don Cherry may finally have done it, his off the cuff style of tossing out words like Swedehearts, Europeans and Frenchmen have him once again under the microscope. And while it's an uneasy feeling in having a government agency investigating what someone says, you can't be terribly surprised at the news.
It's a fine line between freedom of speech and crossing the line to destructive verbiage, and Cherry may have stepped to far last Saturday.
Dyane Adam, the Commissioner of Official Languages is to review Cherry's comments on last weeks Coach's Corner show. During the show which featured a discussion on the wearing of visors, Cherry opined that "most of the guys wearing them are Europeans and the French guys". He previously had stated that only "sucks" would wear visors. His comments have quickly drawn fire, especially in Quebec, with commentators Jacques Demers and Michel Bergeron expressing weariness with Cherry's continual denigrating of Quebec players in the NHL.
Cherry stands alone in this battle, the CBC has said they will co-operate with the Language commissioner fully, stating that they do not agree with the opinions of Mr. Cherry. CBC sports head Nancy Lee, has apparently taken Cherry aside and informed him to stick to hockey issues from now on, a point which Cherry has reportedly agreed to do.
The controversy seems to have taken on a life of it's own, Canadian Parents for French have contacted the CBC president urging the replacement of Cherry. The CBC itself is under fire for editing e mails about Cherry received about the controversy. They even went so far as to delete all references to the topic on their posting board, not wishing to fan the fires.
This is not the first time he's come under fire, and he frequently says that the day will come when the CBC tell him they would like him to leave the building. It will be interesting to see if he has seen the future and possibly helped spur it on with his latest comments.
It's a fine line between freedom of speech and crossing the line to destructive verbiage, and Cherry may have stepped to far last Saturday.
Dyane Adam, the Commissioner of Official Languages is to review Cherry's comments on last weeks Coach's Corner show. During the show which featured a discussion on the wearing of visors, Cherry opined that "most of the guys wearing them are Europeans and the French guys". He previously had stated that only "sucks" would wear visors. His comments have quickly drawn fire, especially in Quebec, with commentators Jacques Demers and Michel Bergeron expressing weariness with Cherry's continual denigrating of Quebec players in the NHL.
Cherry stands alone in this battle, the CBC has said they will co-operate with the Language commissioner fully, stating that they do not agree with the opinions of Mr. Cherry. CBC sports head Nancy Lee, has apparently taken Cherry aside and informed him to stick to hockey issues from now on, a point which Cherry has reportedly agreed to do.
The controversy seems to have taken on a life of it's own, Canadian Parents for French have contacted the CBC president urging the replacement of Cherry. The CBC itself is under fire for editing e mails about Cherry received about the controversy. They even went so far as to delete all references to the topic on their posting board, not wishing to fan the fires.
This is not the first time he's come under fire, and he frequently says that the day will come when the CBC tell him they would like him to leave the building. It will be interesting to see if he has seen the future and possibly helped spur it on with his latest comments.
Wednesday, February 04, 2004
Mind not on the games
It could be that both Toronto and Ottawa were guilty of looking ahead Tuesday night, both teams lost their games as they ponder the Battle of Kanata this Thursday. Ottawa lost a close game to the Devils 2-1. More shocking of the two losses is the Leafs affair, losing to the lowly Chicago Black Hawks 4-1.
Outshooting the Hawks 44-15 did absolutely no good as goaltender Craig Anderson stood on his head to keep the Leafs off the board. former Leafs Steve Sullivan, Bryan Berard and Nathan Dempsey loaded up the space behind Trevor Kidd. The game marked the return of Darcy Tucker to the lineup wearing a visor to protect his injured eye, the game also heralded the return of the visorless look for Tie Domi, perhaps shamed of his manhood by bombastic Don Cherry.
Breakdowns in the Ottawa end of the rink were the story for the Devils/Sens game, as the Sens gave away pucks and left players unattended. Bonk opened the scoring for the Senators, then Elias and Friesen replied for the Devils. Patrick Lalime faced 24 shots in the Ottawa net. letting in two, Martin Brodeur handled 23 for the win.
With the losses Ottawa and Toronto can get back to sharpening their spears and painting their faces, with one night's rest they go back into battle on the Corel Centre Ice on Thursday.
Outshooting the Hawks 44-15 did absolutely no good as goaltender Craig Anderson stood on his head to keep the Leafs off the board. former Leafs Steve Sullivan, Bryan Berard and Nathan Dempsey loaded up the space behind Trevor Kidd. The game marked the return of Darcy Tucker to the lineup wearing a visor to protect his injured eye, the game also heralded the return of the visorless look for Tie Domi, perhaps shamed of his manhood by bombastic Don Cherry.
Breakdowns in the Ottawa end of the rink were the story for the Devils/Sens game, as the Sens gave away pucks and left players unattended. Bonk opened the scoring for the Senators, then Elias and Friesen replied for the Devils. Patrick Lalime faced 24 shots in the Ottawa net. letting in two, Martin Brodeur handled 23 for the win.
With the losses Ottawa and Toronto can get back to sharpening their spears and painting their faces, with one night's rest they go back into battle on the Corel Centre Ice on Thursday.
Tuesday, February 03, 2004
Add Hamilton to the list
No doubt worrying that Winnipeg might beat them to the puck, folks in Hamilton are starting to put together a plan to woo an NHL franchise to the Steel City. Reports from the TSN website have a Toronto lawyer, Richard Rodier approaching Hamilton City Council to take over the management of the Copps Coliseum.
The plan from there is to purchase an existing franchise relocate it to Hamilton and operate both it and the rink. Rodier refused to divulge who the money people might be behind the bid nor a time frame for any relocation.
Hamiltonians are no doubt hopeful this latest attempt will work out for them. They last attempted to bring the NHL back to Hamilton in 1990 losing out at the time to the Ottawa Senators, a loss that still rankles many of the people of Hamilton. They believe their bid was better financed and at the time they had a suitable rink, Ottawa did not. Many Hamilton hockey fans have never forgiven the NHL for what was perceived as a rigged competition. But the hope for a team is always there, many hope a Hamilton Tigers hockey club is soon in operation at Copps.
Hamilton officials are reported to be cautious about the latest bid. Which is to be expected when anyone from Toronto offers something to Hamilton.
The plan from there is to purchase an existing franchise relocate it to Hamilton and operate both it and the rink. Rodier refused to divulge who the money people might be behind the bid nor a time frame for any relocation.
Hamiltonians are no doubt hopeful this latest attempt will work out for them. They last attempted to bring the NHL back to Hamilton in 1990 losing out at the time to the Ottawa Senators, a loss that still rankles many of the people of Hamilton. They believe their bid was better financed and at the time they had a suitable rink, Ottawa did not. Many Hamilton hockey fans have never forgiven the NHL for what was perceived as a rigged competition. But the hope for a team is always there, many hope a Hamilton Tigers hockey club is soon in operation at Copps.
Hamilton officials are reported to be cautious about the latest bid. Which is to be expected when anyone from Toronto offers something to Hamilton.
Canucks stumble again in New York
The Big Apple road trip is beginning to become a trip to forget for the Canucks. For the second night in a row they found themselves losing by a goal to a team from New York. Last night the Islanders battled back and beat the Canucks 5-4 in OT. Former Canucks featured prominently throughout the game, with Adrian Aucoin putting the winner behind Johan Hedberg in the Overtime period.
For the Canucks it's a particularly hard loss to accept, they dominated the Islanders for 55 minutes of this game. Crashing them in the end boards, sweeping them aside in their own end and rushing up the ice at will. The game featured some highlight reel type goals from both the Sedins and goals from Wade Brookbank and Martin Grenier, players noted more for their physical play than a scoring touch.
Johan Hedberg made some excellent saves on the rare occasion that the Islanders made it into the Canuck end of the rink. For the first 17 minutes of the game Hedberg was the Maytag repairman, as the Islanders did not register a shot on goal. The Islanders benefited from a four minute double minor late in the game to Trevor Linden, for high sticking. Aucoin took advantage of the extra room at the 36 second mark of OT.
The Canucks took a point tonight for the OT, loss and now sit at 2 and 2 on this current road trip, which wraps up Thursday night in New Jersey. One of the positives that they can take into the Meadowlands is an increased confidence level of the Sedins, who are starting to reward Crawford and Burke's faith in them with more solid and dependable play. The thing they can worry about is the mental mistakes, a poorly played puck, a badly timed penalty, last minute miscues and missed opportunities. Both games in the city should have been in the win column for the Canucks, both slipped away. While it's not time to panic, it is time to start to eliminate the costly errors.
For the Canucks it's a particularly hard loss to accept, they dominated the Islanders for 55 minutes of this game. Crashing them in the end boards, sweeping them aside in their own end and rushing up the ice at will. The game featured some highlight reel type goals from both the Sedins and goals from Wade Brookbank and Martin Grenier, players noted more for their physical play than a scoring touch.
Johan Hedberg made some excellent saves on the rare occasion that the Islanders made it into the Canuck end of the rink. For the first 17 minutes of the game Hedberg was the Maytag repairman, as the Islanders did not register a shot on goal. The Islanders benefited from a four minute double minor late in the game to Trevor Linden, for high sticking. Aucoin took advantage of the extra room at the 36 second mark of OT.
The Canucks took a point tonight for the OT, loss and now sit at 2 and 2 on this current road trip, which wraps up Thursday night in New Jersey. One of the positives that they can take into the Meadowlands is an increased confidence level of the Sedins, who are starting to reward Crawford and Burke's faith in them with more solid and dependable play. The thing they can worry about is the mental mistakes, a poorly played puck, a badly timed penalty, last minute miscues and missed opportunities. Both games in the city should have been in the win column for the Canucks, both slipped away. While it's not time to panic, it is time to start to eliminate the costly errors.
Oilers happy to see Ducks
Edmonton bounced back from a disappointing loss on Saturday night, with a 2-1 Over time victory over the Anaheim Mighty Ducks on Monday night. Jarret Stoll parked himself in front of the Anaheim net and knocked in the winner after only 36 seconds of the extra frame.
It was the third one goal win over the Ducks this season for the Oilers, who haven't lost at home to Anaheim since 1999 a record of 10 and 0. If they could only just schedule in the Ducks for a two week homestand they might find themselves back in the playoff hunt.
As it stands right now the Oil are still 10 points back of Los Angeles, for the eighth and final playoff position in the West.
It was the third one goal win over the Ducks this season for the Oilers, who haven't lost at home to Anaheim since 1999 a record of 10 and 0. If they could only just schedule in the Ducks for a two week homestand they might find themselves back in the playoff hunt.
As it stands right now the Oil are still 10 points back of Los Angeles, for the eighth and final playoff position in the West.
Monday, February 02, 2004
Canucks drop game to desperate Rangers
The arrival of the Keenan express may have delayed last night, as the New York Rangers put together a pretty decent effort to defeat the Vancouver Canucks 4-3. The Rangers who had a 3-1 lead at one point had a mini collapse at the start of the third period, only to take advantage of a rare Markus Naslund giveaway to score the winner. The Canucks never really seemed to get involved in this game, coasting through the first two periods in a rather disinterested fashion. Crawford mixed up his lines in a bid to get some spark to his team, but didn't get any results until he re-united the top line in the third. Bobby Holik finally put it together, scoring two goals, while Jaromir Jagr got on the good side of the Gardens crowd with a goal in the first.
Naslund brought the Canucks back in the early third as he and Bertuzzi combined for one goal each to tie the game by the mid way period of the third. At that point the Rangers appeared to be on the ropes, the goaltending of Mike Dunham the only thing keeping them alive until the Holik winner. For Glen Sather it's a timely win, the word around the Gardens last night was, had the Rangers lost these two games before the All Star game, Sather would be removed as coach. The MSG security office is holding back on printing the Mike Keenan stadium pass, as it may not be needed after all.
The Canucks now move on to Long Island for a game against the Islanders on Tuesday and then they play the Devils to wrap up their New York area trek.
Naslund brought the Canucks back in the early third as he and Bertuzzi combined for one goal each to tie the game by the mid way period of the third. At that point the Rangers appeared to be on the ropes, the goaltending of Mike Dunham the only thing keeping them alive until the Holik winner. For Glen Sather it's a timely win, the word around the Gardens last night was, had the Rangers lost these two games before the All Star game, Sather would be removed as coach. The MSG security office is holding back on printing the Mike Keenan stadium pass, as it may not be needed after all.
The Canucks now move on to Long Island for a game against the Islanders on Tuesday and then they play the Devils to wrap up their New York area trek.
Is the market for Cujo closed?
Cujo, unpack those bags, cash in the bus ticket to Grand Rapids, you're going to stay in the Motor City for a while. GM Ken Holland says the starters' job is now Cujo's to lose. Holland who two months ago was making calls, testing the water for a Cujo trade, now realizes that as goes Cujo so go the Wings.
With Domenic Hasek still recovering from his ever present groin injury, the Wings have to start thinking of the near future. His return to the line up is not known, and Holland is now worried that Hasek may not be in game shape by the time the playoffs roll around. Not to mention the fear that Hasek may re-injure himself, throwing a wrench into the Red Wing playoff aspirations. Cujo now appears to be a very wise insurance to have held onto, a policy that is now needed,
He's a popular player with his team mates, handled himself well during the controversy and now has Holland back on his side. Popular with the fans as well, things seem to be working out well for him in Detroit all of a sudden. Can Holland carry three goaltenders? When Hasek comes back will there be a disruption to the relative harmony in the Red Wing dressing room? How does Manny Legace fit into the grand scheme of things now? All of these questions are being asked in Detroit these days, but having Cujo riding the hot streak instead of a bus seems to be the best move the Wings could have made.
With Domenic Hasek still recovering from his ever present groin injury, the Wings have to start thinking of the near future. His return to the line up is not known, and Holland is now worried that Hasek may not be in game shape by the time the playoffs roll around. Not to mention the fear that Hasek may re-injure himself, throwing a wrench into the Red Wing playoff aspirations. Cujo now appears to be a very wise insurance to have held onto, a policy that is now needed,
He's a popular player with his team mates, handled himself well during the controversy and now has Holland back on his side. Popular with the fans as well, things seem to be working out well for him in Detroit all of a sudden. Can Holland carry three goaltenders? When Hasek comes back will there be a disruption to the relative harmony in the Red Wing dressing room? How does Manny Legace fit into the grand scheme of things now? All of these questions are being asked in Detroit these days, but having Cujo riding the hot streak instead of a bus seems to be the best move the Wings could have made.
What goes around, comes around?
What an interesting bit of timing, the Canucks arrival in the Big Apple tonight. As the Rangers, their fans and the media all chew around the idea of Iron Mike Keenan returning to the throne. In come the Canucks, a team that did some time in Keenan purgatory, before finding success without Iron Mike. Perhaps a lesson is there for the taking for those that are clamoring for Mike.
Keenans' time in Vancouver was controversial, some good things did come from his era, hmm, well ok, one good thing I guess Todd Bertuzzi, but even that was steeped in negativity. The horrid treatment and exile of Trevor Linden was a Keenan decision, Linden the heart and soul of Vancouver was sent to the Islanders for Bertuzzi, he then wandered to the Capitals and the Habs, before finally returning home, to the team he never should have left. Many thought that Keenan tried to end Marcus Naslund's career, cutting his ice time and verbally questioning his skills and heart. He got rid of the crowd favourite Gino Odjick and traded the much regarded Kirk McLean. In short his stay shattered the confidences of many of his players, as he waged his reign of terror at GM Place.
He had his favourites though, Mark Messier could do no wrong. On a Keenan team Messier was the leader, there would be no others. With that message the Canucks eventually fell into a number of cliques, all for themselves, none for the team. Hey, you know they looked just like the Rangers do today. And with that came no playoff success, no sense of team, a pathetic output and a palpable aura of fear, both on the bench and in the dressing room.
Brian Burke was brought on board to try and right the listing ship, he co-existed with Keenan for a while, but eventually the long expected explosion happened. Keenan was gone. Burke rebuilt the team from those dark days, and now stands close to the goal of a Stanley Cup. Burke has made some master moves, he brought back Linden, acquired Ed Jovanovski and turned Marcus Naslund into a team leader. He's not there yet, the Canucks are still a bit away from a Stanley Cup. But the team is as entertaining on most nights as you'll find anywhere, a close knit group that seem to enjoy playing with each other and for their fans. The possibility of a Stanley Cup Parade for Robson street is not too far fetched, in fact it's now expected in Vancouver. The same can't be said for New York. Going the route of Keenan, probably won't have the city police and street cleaners making any plans in the near future.
The New York media currently calling for the rise of Iron Mike, should do their homework, he has left turmoil at every stop, and more turmoil is not something that the Rangers need right now. For a blueprint on how to do it right, they should look no further than the visiting team tonight, the post Keenan Canucks are on the cusp now, a spot the Rangers can only dream of.
Oh, here's one final note for the folks counting the dollars and watching that Ranger bottom line. Brian Burke has not signed a new contract yet with the Vancouver Canucks. While a Canuck fan hopes that is just a formality and that he's locked in soon, the Rangers should ponder that. The team they watch tonight as a visitor is the post Keenan product, not sure about them, but for me it's a far sight prettier than anything Iron Mike might have to offer.
Keenans' time in Vancouver was controversial, some good things did come from his era, hmm, well ok, one good thing I guess Todd Bertuzzi, but even that was steeped in negativity. The horrid treatment and exile of Trevor Linden was a Keenan decision, Linden the heart and soul of Vancouver was sent to the Islanders for Bertuzzi, he then wandered to the Capitals and the Habs, before finally returning home, to the team he never should have left. Many thought that Keenan tried to end Marcus Naslund's career, cutting his ice time and verbally questioning his skills and heart. He got rid of the crowd favourite Gino Odjick and traded the much regarded Kirk McLean. In short his stay shattered the confidences of many of his players, as he waged his reign of terror at GM Place.
He had his favourites though, Mark Messier could do no wrong. On a Keenan team Messier was the leader, there would be no others. With that message the Canucks eventually fell into a number of cliques, all for themselves, none for the team. Hey, you know they looked just like the Rangers do today. And with that came no playoff success, no sense of team, a pathetic output and a palpable aura of fear, both on the bench and in the dressing room.
Brian Burke was brought on board to try and right the listing ship, he co-existed with Keenan for a while, but eventually the long expected explosion happened. Keenan was gone. Burke rebuilt the team from those dark days, and now stands close to the goal of a Stanley Cup. Burke has made some master moves, he brought back Linden, acquired Ed Jovanovski and turned Marcus Naslund into a team leader. He's not there yet, the Canucks are still a bit away from a Stanley Cup. But the team is as entertaining on most nights as you'll find anywhere, a close knit group that seem to enjoy playing with each other and for their fans. The possibility of a Stanley Cup Parade for Robson street is not too far fetched, in fact it's now expected in Vancouver. The same can't be said for New York. Going the route of Keenan, probably won't have the city police and street cleaners making any plans in the near future.
The New York media currently calling for the rise of Iron Mike, should do their homework, he has left turmoil at every stop, and more turmoil is not something that the Rangers need right now. For a blueprint on how to do it right, they should look no further than the visiting team tonight, the post Keenan Canucks are on the cusp now, a spot the Rangers can only dream of.
Oh, here's one final note for the folks counting the dollars and watching that Ranger bottom line. Brian Burke has not signed a new contract yet with the Vancouver Canucks. While a Canuck fan hopes that is just a formality and that he's locked in soon, the Rangers should ponder that. The team they watch tonight as a visitor is the post Keenan product, not sure about them, but for me it's a far sight prettier than anything Iron Mike might have to offer.
Is it really this bad in New York?
Bad as the Rangers are, as underperforming as that multi million dollar line up is, could it possibly be so bad that Iron Mike is the only answer? That appears to be the decision that New Yorkers have come up with, as the sad sack squad dressed in Ranger blue stumbles through the season. What started out as a whisper campaign a few months ago is turning into a full fledged chant, We Want Mike, We Want Mike. In fact, Iron Mike himself apparently has offered up his services to the Ranger braintrust (if such a word dare be used in the same breath).
Would it work, would Mark Messier gladly cut back on his ice time. How would a Jaromir Jagr react to Iron Mike's headgames and histrionics. Would Eric Lindros even bother to try yet another comeback, or would he decide one headache is more than enough. How many goaltenders would the Rangers need to acquire to make Iron Mike happy, he's not a content man unless he can pull at least two of them a period. All questions that the Rangers must ponder from the executive skybox far above the Gallery Gods in the Garden.
Is there room in New York for two egos one Sather, the other Keenan. How would the team split with a Keenan addition, it would be an us against them environment who would be on the Keenan side, who would stay with Sather. Hell this crew would probably just do their own thing anyways, the rot in New York so deep no one can salvage this mess.
The media, always a caustic voice of concern in New York has turned on Sather, some calling for the return of Iron Mike. That vote of confidence that Sather received last week may not have a long shelf life, especially if the bottom line is at peril. This is New York, the actual box office take (as are the fans) is irrelevant considering the huge TV money coming in from MSG Network. So while the booing and chants of "Sather sucks" may bruise Sather's tender ego, it's when they stop watching TV that he'll have to worry. The question the New York owners have to work on is; will there be a larger audience with the Sather long march or will an Iron Mike return spike the numbers onwards and upwards.
For the players they have no one to blame for this but themselves. Underperforming and perceived as overpaid, they are the poster children for poor money and asset management. They go into games and show no passion and interest, just show up and go through the motions and off into the night they go. To the bars, the clubs, some even manage to go home. If this is all you can get for your millions and millions of dollars, then don't be surprised when the folks welcome the addition of a guy "that will kick em in the butt". Sather can't, or won't , Keenan hasn't been shy in the past, the Ranger faithful are ready to turn the season over to him and let the bodies fall where they will.
Sather is apparently cool to the idea, but the time may soon come when the decision won't be his to make. Keenan will be in the building Wednesday night, part of the ceremony to retire Mike Richter's sweater (never mind the retirement, have the guy put it back on and get in the nets!!). It should be interesting to see where the fans send their allegiance to that night, who they cheer and who they boo! If I'm Sather, my fashion accessory Wednesday night will be ear plugs.
Would it work, would Mark Messier gladly cut back on his ice time. How would a Jaromir Jagr react to Iron Mike's headgames and histrionics. Would Eric Lindros even bother to try yet another comeback, or would he decide one headache is more than enough. How many goaltenders would the Rangers need to acquire to make Iron Mike happy, he's not a content man unless he can pull at least two of them a period. All questions that the Rangers must ponder from the executive skybox far above the Gallery Gods in the Garden.
Is there room in New York for two egos one Sather, the other Keenan. How would the team split with a Keenan addition, it would be an us against them environment who would be on the Keenan side, who would stay with Sather. Hell this crew would probably just do their own thing anyways, the rot in New York so deep no one can salvage this mess.
The media, always a caustic voice of concern in New York has turned on Sather, some calling for the return of Iron Mike. That vote of confidence that Sather received last week may not have a long shelf life, especially if the bottom line is at peril. This is New York, the actual box office take (as are the fans) is irrelevant considering the huge TV money coming in from MSG Network. So while the booing and chants of "Sather sucks" may bruise Sather's tender ego, it's when they stop watching TV that he'll have to worry. The question the New York owners have to work on is; will there be a larger audience with the Sather long march or will an Iron Mike return spike the numbers onwards and upwards.
For the players they have no one to blame for this but themselves. Underperforming and perceived as overpaid, they are the poster children for poor money and asset management. They go into games and show no passion and interest, just show up and go through the motions and off into the night they go. To the bars, the clubs, some even manage to go home. If this is all you can get for your millions and millions of dollars, then don't be surprised when the folks welcome the addition of a guy "that will kick em in the butt". Sather can't, or won't , Keenan hasn't been shy in the past, the Ranger faithful are ready to turn the season over to him and let the bodies fall where they will.
Sather is apparently cool to the idea, but the time may soon come when the decision won't be his to make. Keenan will be in the building Wednesday night, part of the ceremony to retire Mike Richter's sweater (never mind the retirement, have the guy put it back on and get in the nets!!). It should be interesting to see where the fans send their allegiance to that night, who they cheer and who they boo! If I'm Sather, my fashion accessory Wednesday night will be ear plugs.
Sunday, February 01, 2004
Oil Leaks!
What can Craig MacTavish do, his goaltender is certainly suffering from a confidence problem, his offensive players are making terrible judgment plays and his defence has stopped defending. What can the Oiler fans expect from him, miracles? In a game that the Oilers not only needed to win, but should have won, he was disappointed again as his Oiler team found a way to throw away the game in less than two minutes, the final two minutes. That is not a coaching breakdown, but a player breakdown. While the whispers begin in Edmonton about how MacTavish has to go, the players should be taking stock in the dressing room, they're apparently just not up for the job at hand.
The Oilers who while dominating the play through the game, at least gave the indication that they had things in hand, fell apart as the third period wound down. Salo who only faced seventeen shots, was found wanting in the second period when the Kings scored their second goal with him looking the other way.
As the third period was coming to an end it looked like the Oil would hang on to a 3-2 victory, but a poorly played shot by Ryan Smyth gave the Kings a second chance, an icing call brought the puck into the Oilers end of the rink, and before they knew it another puck was behind Salo. Giving the Kings a 4-3 victory and putting them temporarily into eighth place in the NHL West, just ahead of Calgary. The stay would be short lived after today's 6-4 win by the Flames over the Ducks.
The loss for the Oilers was a disappointing thing to watch, one of the all important four point games, losing to a conference rival that they need to beat to get into the playoffs. Breakdowns like last night, will go a long way in ensuring that the Oilers have no more hockey to play by May.
The Oilers who while dominating the play through the game, at least gave the indication that they had things in hand, fell apart as the third period wound down. Salo who only faced seventeen shots, was found wanting in the second period when the Kings scored their second goal with him looking the other way.
As the third period was coming to an end it looked like the Oil would hang on to a 3-2 victory, but a poorly played shot by Ryan Smyth gave the Kings a second chance, an icing call brought the puck into the Oilers end of the rink, and before they knew it another puck was behind Salo. Giving the Kings a 4-3 victory and putting them temporarily into eighth place in the NHL West, just ahead of Calgary. The stay would be short lived after today's 6-4 win by the Flames over the Ducks.
The loss for the Oilers was a disappointing thing to watch, one of the all important four point games, losing to a conference rival that they need to beat to get into the playoffs. Breakdowns like last night, will go a long way in ensuring that the Oilers have no more hockey to play by May.
Arranging the dinner guests for Pat Quinn.
After Saturday Night's game between the Sens and the Leafs, one thing is certain. Don't expect Pat Quinn to be sending a Valentine's Day card to Daniel Alfredsson, let alone sitting down to dinner with him any time soon. In his post game press conference Quinn, spent a large portion of his time condemning the Senators captain. Quinn focused in on Alfredsson, after being advised that Alfredsson had commented that Tie Domi's actions in the game were an embarrassment, Alfredsson said that at the end of the game Domi had tried to gouge out Shaun Van Allens eye.
Quinn, never one to mince his words, basically accused Alfredsson of being one of the dirtiest players in the league, claiming he purposely tried to injure Mats Sundin in the game Saturday night and that Alfredsson was responsible for an injury to Darcy Tucker two year's ago in a playoff round. He also singled out Marian Hossa for his stick work as someone who is a dirty type of player. Quinn said he was tired at how the Sens are perceived as "squeaky clean", claiming the refs give them a free ride most nights. He also no doubt has links to the Sens and the Kennedy assasination, the Bay of Pigs Invasion and those arms for cash deals of the 80's, wasn't Ollie North an assistant GM of a Sens farm club a few years ago?
All the verbal jousting came about because of ahard hitting, sometimes violent affair between the two Ontario rivals, this one ending in a 5-1 victory for Toronto. The game got off to a crashing start when Owen Nolan mixed things up behind the Senators net in the first period, Nolan who was playing in his first game since his eye injury, certainly wasn't going to ease into things. He crashed the net, banged the opposition and was physical throughout the game. Penalties filled the affair with Ottawa getting 14 power plays through the night, able to convert only one of them. An unusual situation for a team that normally thrives on the power play. Toronto put four of their five goals into the Sens net while on power plays.
Some suspect goaltending by Patrick Lalime contributed to the Ottawa downfall on Saturday, he gave the puck up in his own end to Leaf attackers and was out of position on a couple of the Leaf goals. A lack of backchecking and occasional lapses in the defence rounded out the Ottawa effort for the night. On the Toronto side of the ice, a spectacular game by Ed Belfour pretty well won the night. Belfour stared down the Senator power play opportunities and took care of Senator forwards in front of the net with his well placed whacks to the ankes, keeping them off their game all night long.
Saturday nights win was the Leaf answer to the embarrassing loss to Ottawa three weeks ago, the game where Daniel Alfredsson became public enemy number one for his harmless pantomime of tossing a stick to the crowd. That gesture seems to have won him the eternal hatred of the fans, the coach and the Toronto media, and will stoke the hot fire of this rivalry for a while.
There were some key injuries during the game Saturday, Jason Spezza, Zdano Chara and Radek Bonk all left the game for Ottawa, with various maladies. Spezza's appeared to be potentially the most costly. On the Leaf's side Joe Nieuwendyk left the proceedings early with an undisclosed back injury.
With the barrage of verbal abuse after the game setting the tone, Leafs and Sens fans await eagerly the next installment of the Ontario Civil War. The battle is joined again Thursday night at the Corel Centre, there won't be an empty seat in the house!
Quinn, never one to mince his words, basically accused Alfredsson of being one of the dirtiest players in the league, claiming he purposely tried to injure Mats Sundin in the game Saturday night and that Alfredsson was responsible for an injury to Darcy Tucker two year's ago in a playoff round. He also singled out Marian Hossa for his stick work as someone who is a dirty type of player. Quinn said he was tired at how the Sens are perceived as "squeaky clean", claiming the refs give them a free ride most nights. He also no doubt has links to the Sens and the Kennedy assasination, the Bay of Pigs Invasion and those arms for cash deals of the 80's, wasn't Ollie North an assistant GM of a Sens farm club a few years ago?
All the verbal jousting came about because of ahard hitting, sometimes violent affair between the two Ontario rivals, this one ending in a 5-1 victory for Toronto. The game got off to a crashing start when Owen Nolan mixed things up behind the Senators net in the first period, Nolan who was playing in his first game since his eye injury, certainly wasn't going to ease into things. He crashed the net, banged the opposition and was physical throughout the game. Penalties filled the affair with Ottawa getting 14 power plays through the night, able to convert only one of them. An unusual situation for a team that normally thrives on the power play. Toronto put four of their five goals into the Sens net while on power plays.
Some suspect goaltending by Patrick Lalime contributed to the Ottawa downfall on Saturday, he gave the puck up in his own end to Leaf attackers and was out of position on a couple of the Leaf goals. A lack of backchecking and occasional lapses in the defence rounded out the Ottawa effort for the night. On the Toronto side of the ice, a spectacular game by Ed Belfour pretty well won the night. Belfour stared down the Senator power play opportunities and took care of Senator forwards in front of the net with his well placed whacks to the ankes, keeping them off their game all night long.
Saturday nights win was the Leaf answer to the embarrassing loss to Ottawa three weeks ago, the game where Daniel Alfredsson became public enemy number one for his harmless pantomime of tossing a stick to the crowd. That gesture seems to have won him the eternal hatred of the fans, the coach and the Toronto media, and will stoke the hot fire of this rivalry for a while.
There were some key injuries during the game Saturday, Jason Spezza, Zdano Chara and Radek Bonk all left the game for Ottawa, with various maladies. Spezza's appeared to be potentially the most costly. On the Leaf's side Joe Nieuwendyk left the proceedings early with an undisclosed back injury.
With the barrage of verbal abuse after the game setting the tone, Leafs and Sens fans await eagerly the next installment of the Ontario Civil War. The battle is joined again Thursday night at the Corel Centre, there won't be an empty seat in the house!
Thursday, January 29, 2004
Sens throw a win away and end a good run
The Senators gave up four unanswered goals tonight as they let the Dallas Stars back into the game and then handed over the 5-3 win to them. Ottawa who trailed early in the game fought back to tie and eventually take a 2 goal lead. By then you would think they were free and clear to another win and a shot at first overall in the East. But things have a way of unravelling at the wrong time.
For the Sens it was a substandard performance from Patrick Lalime, who let in a couple of questionable goals, was out of position too often and just plain had a lousy game. Pierre Turgeon and Mike Modano scored 1 minute and five seconds apart to bring the Stars to a tie, power play and shorthanded goals provided the bulk of the scoring in the hard hitting affair.
An "excessive" hit, was how Curtis Leschyshyn described the pasting he took at the hands of Dallas's Steve Ott. The hit which resulted in over 20 sticthes to the face of Leschyshy provided Ottawa with a five minute power play, as Ott received a major and game expulsion for his cheap shot. Ottawa took advantage of the power to play to add to their lead, and then added a short handed goal to seemingly pull away for good. Then for some reason they chose to hand the game back to the Stars without a complaint.
The loss will give a momentary pause for those Sens fans who feel that goaltending is still the fatal flaw in the Sens Stanley Cup hopes. The poor performance by Lalime tonight will not hush those critics who claim that Lalime is an untested goaltender who won't be able to get them deep into the playoff rounds.
Hopefully, this was just a brain cramp game. For Lalime and for the team, they let a win get away tonight and with it the chance to send a message; that they can dominate any team on any night. The team will regroup and work on the problem areas and get back to starting a new streak.
For the Sens it was a substandard performance from Patrick Lalime, who let in a couple of questionable goals, was out of position too often and just plain had a lousy game. Pierre Turgeon and Mike Modano scored 1 minute and five seconds apart to bring the Stars to a tie, power play and shorthanded goals provided the bulk of the scoring in the hard hitting affair.
An "excessive" hit, was how Curtis Leschyshyn described the pasting he took at the hands of Dallas's Steve Ott. The hit which resulted in over 20 sticthes to the face of Leschyshy provided Ottawa with a five minute power play, as Ott received a major and game expulsion for his cheap shot. Ottawa took advantage of the power to play to add to their lead, and then added a short handed goal to seemingly pull away for good. Then for some reason they chose to hand the game back to the Stars without a complaint.
The loss will give a momentary pause for those Sens fans who feel that goaltending is still the fatal flaw in the Sens Stanley Cup hopes. The poor performance by Lalime tonight will not hush those critics who claim that Lalime is an untested goaltender who won't be able to get them deep into the playoff rounds.
Hopefully, this was just a brain cramp game. For Lalime and for the team, they let a win get away tonight and with it the chance to send a message; that they can dominate any team on any night. The team will regroup and work on the problem areas and get back to starting a new streak.
Tuesday, January 27, 2004
Heatley Returns
Dany Heatley will make his season debut Wednesday night against St. Louis. Heatley missed the first 51 games of the season recovering from injuries suffered in a car accident in the pre season, the crash took the life of team mate Dan Snyder.
His return is ahead of schedule, as he seems to have been able to heal quicker than everyone expected. Most had not expected him back into the Thrashers lineup til the end of February or even the start of March. A broken jaw and torn knee ligaments have been repaired and he's anxious to get back on the ice and just concentrate on hockey.
Still up in the air is his legal status. Georgia officials are still trying to determine whether he should be charged in the death of Snyder. Tests showed that he had a small amount of alcohol in his system, but not enough to be considered impaired. Snyder's family have forgiven Heatley and are hoping the District Attorney chooses not to prosecute. It's not known when the authorities will make their final decision, they are still investigating evidence and aren't giving any indications one way or another.
For Heatley right now the best thing is to get back on the ice, that's where he feels he'll be able to get on with his life. Not forgetting, but learning how to deal with a bad choice made on a September night.
His return is ahead of schedule, as he seems to have been able to heal quicker than everyone expected. Most had not expected him back into the Thrashers lineup til the end of February or even the start of March. A broken jaw and torn knee ligaments have been repaired and he's anxious to get back on the ice and just concentrate on hockey.
Still up in the air is his legal status. Georgia officials are still trying to determine whether he should be charged in the death of Snyder. Tests showed that he had a small amount of alcohol in his system, but not enough to be considered impaired. Snyder's family have forgiven Heatley and are hoping the District Attorney chooses not to prosecute. It's not known when the authorities will make their final decision, they are still investigating evidence and aren't giving any indications one way or another.
For Heatley right now the best thing is to get back on the ice, that's where he feels he'll be able to get on with his life. Not forgetting, but learning how to deal with a bad choice made on a September night.
The Peg back in the NHL?
Interesting conversation heard today on the Fan 590, as Bob McCown and his guests discussed the increasing rumours of Winnipeg returning to the NHL. When last heard, the Penguins were being courted to come take up residence in the soon to be completed MTS Centre, an invitation that was rebuffed by Pens management within a couple of days. But, apparently that invitation intrigued at least one other franchise, which as the story was told contacted folks in Winnipeg to gauge the sincerity of it all.
Now which franchise might be looking for a new home? Carolina, maybe Nashville, Atlanta, Anaheim or Miami, all are having troubles keeping their buildings even resembling half full, Atlanta and Anaheim are up for sale that much is known. But how many of the other owners are willing to take year after year of losses before they throw up their hands and admit that some places just don't like hockey. Better to move to a market that at least will support the game.
The rumours are starting to build up a buzz in Winnipeg, with folks there thinking that maybe just maybe they'll be invited back to the big dance. Petitions are being formed and websites developed as the folks at Portage and Main start to dream a bit. And who can blame them, it's January, it's 40 below and there's snow. If you can't afford that Hawaiian vacation to get away, may as well make the best of it all, at least sitting in the rink for three hours watching some hockey is a close second.
Now which franchise might be looking for a new home? Carolina, maybe Nashville, Atlanta, Anaheim or Miami, all are having troubles keeping their buildings even resembling half full, Atlanta and Anaheim are up for sale that much is known. But how many of the other owners are willing to take year after year of losses before they throw up their hands and admit that some places just don't like hockey. Better to move to a market that at least will support the game.
The rumours are starting to build up a buzz in Winnipeg, with folks there thinking that maybe just maybe they'll be invited back to the big dance. Petitions are being formed and websites developed as the folks at Portage and Main start to dream a bit. And who can blame them, it's January, it's 40 below and there's snow. If you can't afford that Hawaiian vacation to get away, may as well make the best of it all, at least sitting in the rink for three hours watching some hockey is a close second.
Record breaking Black Hawks in Vancouver tonight
Seventeen straight, that's the number of games the Hawks have put under their belt without a win. A modern day record for Chi town, it dates back to the 1954-55 season, that's the year they lost sixteen in a row before finding the win column.
The travelling horror show known as the Chicago Black Hawks, arrive in Vancouver after losing to Columbus 4-3 on Saturday night. The road record is an underwhelming 3-19-3-1, the absolute worst in the league.
This will be the first game for the Canucks without Ed Jovanovski on the blue line, filling in for him will be Jaroslav Obsut, called up from
Winnipeg yesterday. This is the third time Obsut has mad the trip, but in his previous visits he was merely a spectator and practice pylon. Tonight he gets to skate on the GM Place ice in real NHL action.
The game tonight is good timing for the Canucks, who are hoping to keep their current winning streak at home alive. They have won the last two and tonight is the last home game before an up coming road trip, so it would be nice to send the crowd home happy.
The travelling horror show known as the Chicago Black Hawks, arrive in Vancouver after losing to Columbus 4-3 on Saturday night. The road record is an underwhelming 3-19-3-1, the absolute worst in the league.
This will be the first game for the Canucks without Ed Jovanovski on the blue line, filling in for him will be Jaroslav Obsut, called up from
Winnipeg yesterday. This is the third time Obsut has mad the trip, but in his previous visits he was merely a spectator and practice pylon. Tonight he gets to skate on the GM Place ice in real NHL action.
The game tonight is good timing for the Canucks, who are hoping to keep their current winning streak at home alive. They have won the last two and tonight is the last home game before an up coming road trip, so it would be nice to send the crowd home happy.
Season ticket renewals, the Ted Leonsis way
Ted Leonsis, owner of the Washington Capitals is taking a hands on approach around the rink these days. Days after the "trade" of Jaromir Jagr to the Rangers, Leonsis is getting some feedback from the fans, and it's not a glowing endorsement. The trade which actually has the Caps financing part of Jagr's stay in New York City, is not getting a warm reception from the folks that pay for the tickets.
After Sunday's loss to the Philadelphia Flyers, Leonsis reportedly grabbed a fan, Jason Hammer, 20 and threw him to the ground. Hammer, a season ticket holder had been taunting Leonsis with catcalls and waving a sign in front of his box for most of the game. After the game ended, Hammer and Leonsis ended up facing each other in a concourse, at this point the story changes a few times. Some say they yelled at each other, some say that Hammer waved the sign in Leonsis' face. Regardless, as they say push came to shove and the next thing anyone knew, Leonsis had to be restrained by the stadium security detail.
Leonsis has since phoned and apologized to Hammer, for his part Hammer says he has no plans to press charges and figures they'll just forget about the incident. Part of the problem could have been Hammers' name, it's awfully close to Jammer, which is close to Jaromir. One wonders how many times over the last couple years that Leonsis may have wanted to take his approach into the Caps dressing room! One thing is certain, the next meet the owner night could see a drop in attendance.
After Sunday's loss to the Philadelphia Flyers, Leonsis reportedly grabbed a fan, Jason Hammer, 20 and threw him to the ground. Hammer, a season ticket holder had been taunting Leonsis with catcalls and waving a sign in front of his box for most of the game. After the game ended, Hammer and Leonsis ended up facing each other in a concourse, at this point the story changes a few times. Some say they yelled at each other, some say that Hammer waved the sign in Leonsis' face. Regardless, as they say push came to shove and the next thing anyone knew, Leonsis had to be restrained by the stadium security detail.
Leonsis has since phoned and apologized to Hammer, for his part Hammer says he has no plans to press charges and figures they'll just forget about the incident. Part of the problem could have been Hammers' name, it's awfully close to Jammer, which is close to Jaromir. One wonders how many times over the last couple years that Leonsis may have wanted to take his approach into the Caps dressing room! One thing is certain, the next meet the owner night could see a drop in attendance.
Baby Leafs mark 1000 games
Hockey on the rock has been a fixture for Newfoundlanders for many, many years. The Newfoundland Senior League has provided countless seasons of hockey excitement, pitting townie against baymen. But the pro game has become a true love as well. The St. John's Maple Leafs celebrated 1000 games on Saturday night, as a sell out crowd watched them mark the occasion with a win over the Toronto Roadrunners.
The Baby Leafs are the last of the Atlantic province teams left in the AHL. Halifax, Sydney, Moncton, St. John, Fredricton and Charlottetown all tried and eventually called it quits. Only Newfoundland has consistently supported their Leafs year in and year out. Saturday night saw a Wall of Fame introduced to the Mile One Arena, where the key architects of the team were honoured with plaques.
While Saturday night was a night to celebrate, there is a dark cloud on the horizon. Relations between the owners and operators in St. John's and their counterparts in the big smoke of Toronto, are not particularly cordial these days. The bean counters at Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment don't like the cost of business in their present location, it is off the beaten path now of the AHL, the nearest rival for the Leafs is either in Maine or Syracuse. Travel to and from the Rock is by plane, in a league built on bus trips this is a pretty high expense. Perhaps Toronto wants their farm hands a little closer to the ranch, making call ups easier to move in and out.
Over the years they tried and failed in other locations close to Toronto, so where to move them could be a tough call. Hopefully, there can be some way to keep them in St. John's, it's a great hockey town, they support their Leafs and there is something truly Canadian about having a team at the farthest city in the East. It tells the world that Canada truly is a HockeyNation. Interest in the Leafs has always been high in Newfoundland, the two favourite teams, as was the case in most of pre expansion Canada were always Toronto and Montreal. With the arrival of the Baby Leafs, one would suspect that the ratio is weighted in favour of Toronto now. Be a shame to lose all that good will after all these years.
The Baby Leafs are the last of the Atlantic province teams left in the AHL. Halifax, Sydney, Moncton, St. John, Fredricton and Charlottetown all tried and eventually called it quits. Only Newfoundland has consistently supported their Leafs year in and year out. Saturday night saw a Wall of Fame introduced to the Mile One Arena, where the key architects of the team were honoured with plaques.
While Saturday night was a night to celebrate, there is a dark cloud on the horizon. Relations between the owners and operators in St. John's and their counterparts in the big smoke of Toronto, are not particularly cordial these days. The bean counters at Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment don't like the cost of business in their present location, it is off the beaten path now of the AHL, the nearest rival for the Leafs is either in Maine or Syracuse. Travel to and from the Rock is by plane, in a league built on bus trips this is a pretty high expense. Perhaps Toronto wants their farm hands a little closer to the ranch, making call ups easier to move in and out.
Over the years they tried and failed in other locations close to Toronto, so where to move them could be a tough call. Hopefully, there can be some way to keep them in St. John's, it's a great hockey town, they support their Leafs and there is something truly Canadian about having a team at the farthest city in the East. It tells the world that Canada truly is a HockeyNation. Interest in the Leafs has always been high in Newfoundland, the two favourite teams, as was the case in most of pre expansion Canada were always Toronto and Montreal. With the arrival of the Baby Leafs, one would suspect that the ratio is weighted in favour of Toronto now. Be a shame to lose all that good will after all these years.
Monday, January 26, 2004
Canucks win game, lose Jovo
The celebration of the solid team performance by the Canucks on Sunday night was short lived, tempered by the news that Ed Jovanovski will be out of the line up for two to three weeks. With a 4-1 victory over Nashville, the Canucks won back to back home games something they hadn't been able to do for a while. It also marked a welcome trend for the Canucks, winning a game in regulation time, normally a home game features an extra five minutes of action. Brent Sopel and Marcus Naslund had big nights for the Nucks with three points each, the game also featured some improved play from the entire roster. Jovanovski was injured in the first period while driving to the net, crashing into the boards he injured his right shoulder. Coach Marc Crawford was not releasing too many details, but it has since been learned that Jovo suffered a right shoulder sprain and will be out of the line up for two to three weeks. The call has been made to Manitoba for a farmhand to help out during Jovo's recovery time.
For Sopel the game presented a chance to step up and answer some of the more vocal GM Place critics, he turned the catcalls into curtain calls with a fine performance on the power play and solid work in his own end. With Jovo gone for the next three weeks, Sopel will have to keep that pace up for every game.
For Sopel the game presented a chance to step up and answer some of the more vocal GM Place critics, he turned the catcalls into curtain calls with a fine performance on the power play and solid work in his own end. With Jovo gone for the next three weeks, Sopel will have to keep that pace up for every game.
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