From the Annals of Hockey History: 1996 - The Year of the Rat

Currently drinking: Moosehead Lager

I am often asked some form of the question: “Why do you love hockey so much?” as if there is one absolute answer. I find myself only able to answer with, “everything.” Given that most people are unsatisfied with such a horribly vague answer (even if it is the absolute truth), they tend to follow up with some form of, “Well, what first got you so interested?”

This one I can answer.

That’s not to say that this question does not have multiple answers; by all means, it does. Different things got me into playing than got me into watching, and different things got me interested in different levels of watching. But the most vivid memory that I have of something that got me truly interested in NHL hockey as a whole, and caused me to follow the sport with what many call an unhealthy obsession, was definitely one of hockey history’s strangest chapters, which can only be remembered as “The Year of the Rat.”

The name is appropriate. The phenomenon lasted only one season, and according to the Chinese Zodiac, 1996 was indeed the year of the rat. 1996 was also a very exciting season for the NHL as a whole. The previous season had been shortened due to a lockout, and fans were hungry for a historic season. They got one. The Detroit Redwings set records that year for most wins (62) and points (131) in a single season, which have yet to be broken, even now that ties no longer exist (a true indication of how incredible this feat actually is). For the first time ever, Wayne Gretzky had an impending free agency coming up in the summer. The league was beginning its southern expansion. The Quebec Nordiques were playing their first season in Colorado as the Avalanche. The old incarnation of the Winnipeg Jets would play their final season before moving to Phoenix in the summer. The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim were in their third year of play, and were as popular as ever, thanks to the release of the final movie in the legendary trilogy of the same name that very year. Both Florida franchises would taste their first playoff action ever that spring, and the Devils would gain the dubious honor of becoming the first team in modern NHL history to miss the playoffs as the reigning Stanley Cup champions. All of this stood as a testament to the developing parity in league competition and growth of the NHL. It was a very exciting time to be a hockey fan, especially a new one that was only seven years old.

Let’s focus on one of those Florida teams, the Panthers. The Panthers joined the league for the 1993-94 season along with Anaheim. In only their third year of existence, the Panthers made the playoffs as the 4^th seed in a tremendously powerful Eastern Conference (seriously, the Devils had a better record as a ninth place team than the fourth seed in the West that year). I followed hockey very loosely during the regular season, and really began watching during the playoffs. My naïveté actually gave me an advantage over some of the TV analysts. I remember every single one of them writing off the Panthers because they were “outmatched” in a strong Eastern conference. I remember being very confused. The season was 82 games long, and they finished fourth place. That’s good enough for home ice. Why would a 5^th place team be favored over a 4^th place team? An 82 game season that spans 7 months doesn’t leave room for accidents.

Well, it wasn’t hard to pick my team. Everyone loves an underdog, especially when they are seven years old (even if that underdog has home ice advantage). And there it was, the professionals were counting on Boston to finish off Florida in either 4 or 5 games, and I had Florida winning, simply because they were a higher seed. Guess what? The seven year old was correct. I watched Florida come out on home ice against Boston in game one of that series, and then…this happened:

Florida scores 3 goals in less than 90 seconds

Now, 3 goals in under 90 seconds is always impressive. Being correct as a seven-year old was also quite satisfying. But what was with the rats? It had to be one of the most bizarre things I had ever seen. In fact, it still is. But why ask questions? All I needed to understand was that when Florida scored a goal on home ice, the rink would turn into a storm of plastic rats. I was hooked. I made sure not to miss any Florida playoff games that spring, especially not home games.

Sure enough, after watching multiple games, I eventually learned the back-story of the “rat attack.” Apparently at some point before their opener that season, a rat had gotten into the Panthers’ locker room. Scott Mellanby was having absolutely none of that, and reportedly picked up his stick and blasted the poor little rodent into the wall. He proceeded to score two goals in a Panthers' victory that night. Goaltender John Vanbiesbrouck quipped that it was a "rat-trick." This apparent non-story became a huge hit, and the “rat attack” was born. And wouldn’t you know it? The “underdog” Panthers easily disposed of the Bruins in five games, only to meet with the first seed Flyers in the second round.

Sure enough, no analyst gave Florida a chance. The East was supposed to be a three team duel between heavyweights Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and the New York Rangers. The Panthers were just that fourth team that was there because they needed a fourth team to fill the bracket. The Flyers were supposed to absolutely obliterate the young Panthers, and all the focus was on the New York/Pittsburgh series, supposedly for the right to play the Flyers. Well, that naïve seven-year old was too hypnotized by the rat attack to care, and so were the Panther faithful. More importantly, so was the team. The Panthers again stunned the hockey world, and toppled the East’s best team in a tough, but entertaining, six game series. Once again, the seven-year old was correct. This team of seemingly anonymous players was out-performing teams laden with superstar players. The Panthers’ blue-collar hockey (appropriately from the South) was being supported by the incredible play of John Vanbiesbrouck in goal (He also has one of the top 5 paintjobs on his mask of all time. It’s a classic.).

Next up was the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Penguins had scored a total of 362 goals that season, which was by far the most of any team that season. Pittsburgh’s star duo of Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr had finished 1^st and 2^nd overall in scoring. Once again, guess who the people on the TV picked to win this series? Once again, guess who the seven-year old picked, and once again, guess who was right? This video pretty much sums up the rat-attack in a nutshell (apologies for the AWFUL audio):

Lowry scores and the fans throw...rats?

The Panthers went into the igloo for game 7 against that Pittsburgh team, one of the best teams the league ever saw take the ice. They allowed just one goal, winning the game 3-1, and winning the series.

I really wish I could be using this paragraph to tell you about how Florida once again defied the predictions, and defeated Colorado to win the Stanley Cup in just their 3^rd season of existence. I wish I could say that the team was able to reward the loud, passionate, and still relatively naïve (but very tan) fans by bringing the Stanley Cup to Miami, but the truth of the story is that this team simply ran out of gas, and lost the finals in 4 straight games. That’s not to say that they didn’t go down without a fight. The 4^th and final game was decided in triple overtime. It ended 1-0 in favor of Colorado. Yes, both teams had played almost six periods without scoring. I stayed up and watched this game. It is still, to date, the second best game I have ever seen, and I will gladly sit through all 5+ periods of scoreless hockey again with anyone who claims that low-scoring games aren’t exciting before I sit through a sloppy 6-5 game of roller hockey on ice. This may sound crazy, but ugly 6-5 games are all too common, while a triple overtime, cup-clinching playoff game in which Patrick Roy stops 63 of 63 shots, and John Vanbiesbrouck stops 55 of 56 shots will likely never happen again.

Looking back, I realize that the 1996 Florida Panthers were everything that I like to see in a hockey team. They were not flashy, but they worked harder than any team in the league, and that’s what drew me to them. They are a standing testament to the old hockey lesson that hard work can trump talent, and that year, the rat-attack proved it.

Uwe Krupp winning the cup.

After Uwe Krupp ended the miracle run of the young Panthers in that amazing game, the fans appropriately showered the ice with rats for the last time, as closure (see the above video). That offseason, the NHL very quickly added a rule to prevent fans from littering the ice (with the exception of the hat-trick, of course). At the time, I was sad, but if you have been watching the videos, you can clearly understand why the league didn’t want to be dealing with rats all of the time.

And so, one of hockey’s most short-lived, but memorable traditions was dead. Appropriately enough, the Panthers have not won a playoff series (in fact, they have only won one playoff game) since that 1996 run. They have not been in the playoffs since 2000. Some would say that maybe the rat attack shouldn’t have been exterminated. As much as I loved it, and as important as it was to me, I would still have to disagree. The fact that it was only for one season made it seem like magic to a seven-year old, and while after 11 years of playoff drought, the Panthers could use a little magic, I feel it just as important to let the 1996 Florida Panthers keep their identity as it is for the 2012 Panthers to find their own. A team that possessed that kind of passion and tradition among its fan base in only three years of existence deserves better than 11 years without seeing the playoffs. The fact that I know enough about hockey to write this article, I owe significantly to the 1996 Panthers.

I’m going to go ahead and predict that the Panthers will win the 2020 Stanley Cup. While 8 years may seem like a long time for a team that hasn’t even seen playoffs since 2000, anyone familiar with the Chinese zodiac will know that it would only be appropriate.

John's Musings-Concussions

As a follow-up to my piece on fighting I've decided to elaborate more on headshots and concussions in the game.  I would like to first direct you to an article Ben showed me about the link between fighting and injuries to the fighters.

"New twist on Fighting, Concussions"

I'm sure we all actually clicked on the link.  If you did, skip this paragraph.  The point I want you to get from that article is fighting is not the at the heart of the problem.  1.12% chance for injury per player per fight is extremely low (data according to the study done in the article.) The best line, and the doctor's conclusion from the study: the risk of injury from a hockey fight is "pretty damn low."  Trust him, he's a doctor.  The article goes into details about power of punches, etc., but if you read it you would already know that.

We're all on the same page now.  Fighting is not the issue at hand when it comes to concussions and head trauma.  The NHL knows this and is focusing on the true issue: headshots and dangerous hits.  A prime example of the dangers of headshots is the Matt Cooke hit on Marc Savard.

Matt Cooke elbows Marc Savard

There is no quick fix for concussions or post-concussion symptoms.  Players can be out for a month or a year with no timetable for return.  Savard isn't the only player taken out of the game due to concussions.  Currently superstar Sidney Crosby and Rangers' shut-down defencemen Marc Staal are both out while experiencing post-concussion symptoms.  Crosby was hit during the Winter Classic against Washington (and then again a few days later) and Staal was hit by his own brother, Eric, during a game last season.  Numerous other players, both stars and grinders have been forced out of the game due to injuries from headshots (concussions) and other dangerous plays.

Mike Richter
Geoff Courtnall
Keith Primeau
Scott Stevens
Adam Deadmarsh
Pat LaFontaine
Eric Lindros
Steve Moore (see below for incident)

Bertuzzi hits Moore, ends Moore's career

Accidental and intentional headshots are equally dangerous and Brendan Shanahan has the duty of eliminating them from the game along with and other dangerous hits.  While this will never happen we all hope he can greatly diminish the number of headshots each game and season.  Currently, his official title is Vice President of Hockey and Business Operations, but he is in the spotlight for succeeding Colin Campbell as the NHL's chief player disciplinarian.  Shanahan is probably best know for his time spent with the Detroit Red Wings, where he won the Stanley Cup three times.  On that team, Shanahan witnessed first hand the dangers of the headshots and cheapshots he is preventing (see Lemieux-Draper).  He never wants that type of situation to happen again.

Shanahan wasted no time in trying to set a standard which was previously lacking under Campbell.  He's levied suspensions against players starting from the pre-season and continuing into the current season.  He and his team are closely looking at each dangerous hit to determine every suspension and fine.  During this process they must determine: if the hit was actually illegal and, if so, was it accidental or intentional; if the player being hit changed positions at the last moment causing a clean hit to become dangerous; if the player was injured during the hit; if the hitting player is a repeat offender.  Shanahan will have no tolerance for dangerous plays and hopes to prevent another Marc Savard situation in the future.  One of the most important things Shanahan is doing with the suspensions is releasing short video explanations of why the fine or suspension was or was not given.  This not only gives the media and the players in question an explanation, but allows other players around the league to learn what is being shut down and perhaps the next time a player is going in for a hit he'll spark the memory of that video and keep an elbow down, thereby preventing an injury.

Some Examples:

This occurred during the preseason, but is a great example of how Shanahan is looking at each and every factor in his evaluations. 

Until next time! 

~John 

A Naive Perspective: Ducks vs. Coyotes

Drinking Skim Milk and Eating Raisin Bran.
Following the popular trend, I am going to attempt following a game for this blog, Phoenix Coyotes vs. Anaheim Ducks. In my pre-game ramble, I am warning you all that I will be attempting this while watching a movie on ABCFamily and dealing with 6 animals vying for my attention. I am pretty good at multi-tasking, but I’m not sure if I’ll be able to keep up with the fast action, especially since I am pretty easily distracted… and in my defense, GameCenter can be iffy at times, but thanks to Chris for letting me use what feed it decides to give me.

Also, fun thoughts. While most people are probably focusing on the line-ups for this came and actually care about the outcome, I’m left thinking about Emilio Estevez. Most of you might know that he was equally roasted along with his brother Charlie last month, something about how he’s disappeared off the face of the Earth. I don’t think they found him to get his word on the matter.. Anyway, I think it would be wicked funny (I’m from Boston) if at the beginning of a Duck’s game, if he was just chilling on the bench with that silly duck calling whistle. There is a reason I’m watching ABCFamily while I write this.

Now, to the lines for those of you who care:
In my attempts to search for the lineups online, I found out the Ducks had a pretty good win streak going until “a poor start their last time out,” and the Coyotes are apparently on a losing streak. Based on that, I predict the Ducks winning, even though in the real world, the Coyotes would eat the Ducks no problem. I also discovered that if GameCenter doesn’t show me the lineups at the beginning, you guys aren’t going to get them because I will not be able to follow that stuff. I can give you lots of information about the making of “Corpse Bride” if you’re interested though…

And the game and movie start…
According to Cam, it is huge if the Ducks win tonight because their next game starts a 7 game stretch on the road. They showed some lines for Phoenix, but there is no way I can figure out what those names are, or spell them that fast when going back and forth between the blog document and the GameCenter feed. Sorry for all you kids who were really looking forward to those lineups.

The Desert Dogs, Ducks, and Zebras meet at Center Ice… apparently we are living in a twisted jungle? The announcers also paint us a picture, just in case we can’t see. Coyotes are wearing white with red numbers and Ducks are black with white numbers. The puck drops.

19:09: “A fortuitous bounce” for Coyotes, too bad nothing came from it except now I know the announcers have pretty intelligent diction.

18:21: Gordon has a close shot, first real strike of the game.

17:53: Ducks counter with their first stable shot of the night. Heads up, you won’t be getting a lot of names throughout this, unless I caught the players’ numbers and looked up the name to go along with it.
Fun side note: The announcer sounds like the dude from the Mighty Duck movies, makes my desire for Emilio Estevez even more valid.

16:37: Ducks almost caught with too many men on the ice, but they got away with it because no one touched the puck. Rules are made to be avoided.

16:32: Announcers call an in-field fly…. Is it just me or is that the wrong sport?
More fun facts: This is Kurtis Foster’s first game back after surgery during training camp. Apparently he previously had wires put in his leg and one of them broke free and started poking through his leg muscles. Gross.

15:54: Ducks set up behind their own net… looks like the “Flying V”
Also, if the Ducks get 5 goals? You get 5 wings from Hoooters. Here we go Ducks!

15:19: Hanzal score for Phoenix! Didn’t see exactly how the goal was scored, too busy wondering if I should actually go there and make a Gretel joke.... The jury is still out.

15:10: Smith-Pelly almost comes right back to score for the Ducks. Just missed.

14:44: “Sticks and gloves swinging at the puck” as the Ducks scramble to get on the board. I never really understood the rules for when you can and when you can’t use your hands in hockey. In gym class, it was never allowed.

13:30: A number of solid hits going on, and a demonstration of why the trapezoid is stupid. Coyote goalie almost got knocked over getting the puck from behind the net because he had to wait for it to cross into the trap.

~13: exciting 2 on 3 for the Ducks went nowhere, still 1-0.

12:46: Off-sides. The puck barely crossed the blue line, but then again, keeping it on-sides is one of your major jobs, you shouldn’t let it slip out so easily.
And a commercial break just in time for my favorite part of the movie! The piano that plays you $5 bucks to whoever can name the movie…

12:45: What are the rules about face-off violence? There doesn’t seem to be enough bruiting about to get at that puck.

12:37: Coyote easily wins this face-off, no fight at all.

12:05: Ducks have another major chance to tie the game up, but the 2 on 1 opportunity is shot wide. They clearly just need to slow down for a second and get their heads back on straight. They have the chances, they just aren’t taking them.

11:39: Visnovsky scores! A shot from the blue line takes a lucky bounce off the pipes and into the net. All tied up at 1.


OH… he fell. And the Ducks almost took the lead. Another botched opportunity. And apparently someone wanted a whistle that just didn’t happen. The Duck player fell and the announcers commented that they Coyote’s didn’t get a penalty. I don’t get it… shouldn’t the guy on the ice be more inclined to stay in the game?

10:04: The Ducks miss too many easy passes, and this was one of them. They need to look at those old Disney movies and learn a thing or two from Emilio…

9:33: The puck goes over the glass for about the 5th time already, It has been bouncing all over the place all night long.

9:14: Hiller makes a very impressive stick save for the Ducks. Those always seem trickier than the snatch with the glove. Well done.

8:59: First penalty of the night and it’s against the Ducks. Up until this point, the Ducks PowerPlay kill is 22 for 23. The Coyotes put up a good fight, but the Ducks stayed true to their reputation.

5:58: Selanne has some fancy footwork but just can’t find the net. Luckily, he finds Getzlaf who tips it in for his first goal of the season. 2-1.

5:16: Coyotes answer right back, as Hanzal gets another one the bounces in off the goalie. Still debating about the Gretel joke. It’ll come about if he makes the hat trick. 2-2.


4:59: Ducks turn it over right behind their own net. Thank their lucky stars for an amazing save by Hiller.
Ryan’s broken stick breaks up the play he can’t. The little miracles.

2:27: Ryan knocks one wide, right off the side of the net. The ‘ping’ echoes like crazy through the entire stadium.
And now the first kitten starts looking for my attention, let’s see if the blog suffers…

1:29: The Ducks get a big steal, probably stopping a great scoring chance, but not making any profit of it for themselves.

1:15: Ducks get their first PowerPlay of the night for a delay of game.

1:12: A Coyote defenseman takes the brunt of that slap shout.. OUCH!

The first ends, tied 2-2 with 45 seconds left in the Duck’s PP.

The boringness of GameCenter not showing the intermission report is reflected in the snoring dog and 3 sleeping kittens. Lucky for me, I’ve got ABCFamily.

The Second starts with the second kitten looking for my attention.
20:00: Coyote’s win the face-off, but Ducks come back strong on the PP

18:59: Poor Perry. Don’t remember why I took this note, but it was probably a bad hit.

18:38: First icing call of the night. I still don’t get why this matters. People go out of their way to break this rule, and sometimes Refs look the other and ignore it, so what’s the point really?

15:35: I didn’t actually see it, but based on the crowd’s reaction, that was a great save Smith!

15:13: Coyotes score! I missed this one too, but I have a better defense than the Ducks, I at least had a cat’s tail in my eye… Goal goes to Gordon. 3-2 Phoenix.
“Two teams that came into this game struggling to score are having no trouble now.” I love when commentators tell you the obvious..

14:01: Off-sides happens way more than it should. You are professional hockey players, know where the puck is and know how to control it so it doesn’t go back over the big blue line.

13:32: Korp scores! I know I probably shouldn’t be using a nickname when I don’t even know his real name, but I’m too lazy to look it up right now. I’m sure you all know him anyway. He had some pretty fancy stick work, barely saw it happen. Another bad turnover for the Ducks that the Coyotes take advantage of. 4-2.
13:11: Hiller makes an amazing save, keeping the Coyotes lead at two.

12:04: Somehow Hiller is flat on the ice and the puck is in the net. Hiller wants an icing call but isn’t getting one, that’s why you play until the whistle blows. 5-2.

At this point, the game is becoming a chore to watch. It is very one-sided and I have my distractions…
10:09: More off-sides for the Ducks. This really shouldn’t be such a huge problem for them. Professional hockey, come on.

10:05: First brawl of the night! Torres vs. whoever #5 is. The puck is dropped for the face-off and then play stops as the two were apparently verbally abusing each other across the ice and decided to immediately make it physical. At least the Ducks can take pride in winning this match when they have to look at the scoreboard later.
Announcer states that the Coyotes are outscoring the Ducks 10-1, something Emilio would never stand for.

8:33: After Ducks miss a rebound shot, Coyotes take a hooking penalty and give the Ducks a chance to redeem themselves. After the Coyotes open up with an attempt at a shorthanded goal, the Ducks come back strong, but overall do nothing except take a lot of bad angle shots. Near the end of the PP, the Ducks call for a penalty shot for a defender covering the puck in the crease, but they plead to no avail.

6:28: While the Ducks couldn’t do anything with the PP, Foster scores immediately after the teams are back to even strength. With a nice slap shot from mid-ice, it’s now 5-3.


4:52: The Ducks have “more pep in their step” as Selanne almost scores again.

3:23: Macenauer of the Ducks takes a puck to the face. He goes out for stitches but comes back to play in the third. Only in hockey, the toughest of the tough.
Dan Ellis takes over goal from Hiller.

Announcers are talking about other teams around the league. Apparently no one with an English last name plays in this sport. The second period ends with the thought of “it’s not over yet.”

The third starts with a cat in lap and one crying at my feet. Here we go.
19:44: After getting stitched up, Macenauer gets called for cross-checking, apparently something that’s hard to do with only one hand on the stick, but the ref decided he accomplished such a feat.

18:03: Coyotes called for hooking, mini 4 on 4. Turns out to be nothing exciting.

16:59: The first real move of the period, Hanzal has a great break away but can’t turn it into a goal.

~16:30: Ducks really fire on goal during their PP. There are a ridiculous amount of loose sticks all over the ice tonight, and right now is not an exception. With sticks on the ice, #8 bats the puck out of midair, but Smith makes an amazing glove save. I love the baseball references in tonight’s game.

14:57: Ryan gets called for off-sides. It was definitely a questionable call, but nevertheless, there it was.
At this point, I acknowledge that my attention has waned the further I get into this game. I have kittens, movies, facebook chat, and texting going on. I’m easily distracted.

13:22: During the commercial break, I learned that for pre-season, the Ducks learned Finnish. Fun fact.
Lots of backs and forths in the neutral zone over the next couple of minutes.

~12: Either the refs are blind or the announcers are making things up. They expected a too many men on the ice call, but the refs didn’t blink an eye.
Fun Fact: The are three players currently on the Jets that played in their original franchise.

10:49: Smith makes an amazing save! This goal would’ve really given the Ducks the fuel they needed to get back in this game. By some miracle, it is still 5-3.

10:33: Nice tackle, Selanne, haha! Too bad it give the Coyotes another PP. Coyotes do a great job riding the blue line to keep this puck on sides, but Ellis made a great save, with a buck 16 left on the PowerPlay? First time I’ve heard money as a term to measure time..

McMillan of the Ducks makes a great break away, but it ends quickly as the Coyotes take control of the PP back, with many fake slap shots in attempts to set up a real shot. I don’t see the point in wasting the energy in preparing a fake shot, just shoot or pass without the theatrics.

8:32: Ellis makes some awesome saves to help kill the PP for the Ducks.

7:52: Shouldn’t be missing these easy passes, Ducks. Didn’t Emilio teach you anything?

~6: Cogliano of the Ducks loses his edge and goes down, but still maintains impressive control of the puck. Maybe you can’t count them out just yet…

4:42: Ducks just missed a GREAT goal opportunity. Belesky had the shot set up by a great assist from Perry, it just wouldn’t go in. That’s what she said?
Everyone is falling all over the ice tonight, on both teams. I can almost skate as good as some of them right now.

3:32: Ducks get a huge PP opportunity. Getzlaf shoots just wide with “a buck 38” left (still stupid saying). Coyotes give a half-hearted attempt at a shorthanded shot, and Hiller continues to make great saves when the Ducks bring it back. The announcers are debating if the Ducks have been using the same guys for too long. The fact that I now know some of their names would hint towards a yes…

2:07: Ducks call their timeout to give those same guys a little rest.

1:57: Anaheim has an empty net and the end of the PP becomes a 6 on 4

1:32: 6 on 5 as PP ends and Coyotes almost get a huge empty net goal.

1:08: Ducks score! Getzlaf comes out of nowhere and takes a miracle shot to the top corner of the net, getting the Ducks just one behind. 5-4 with almost no time left.


0:54: Anaheim with an empty net again. Last ditch effort.

0:20: Ducks have been fighting hard the past 30 seconds, making a lot of hard shots. As the play gets intense, the ref manages to get caught in the way. I have been waiting for this to happen all night. Those zebras always break something up during the game.

0:00 While the Ducks fought hard through the end of the third, the Coyotes hang on to a 5-4 win. With all the minor mistakes, missed passes, and wide shots, the Ducks may have given the game to the Coyotes tonight. Guess that big win before a long road trip just wasn’t in the cards for the Ducks tonight. And I’m also glad I don’t actually bet on games because I definitely would have just lost.

Detroit @ Washington-The Undefeated Meet-Live Blog

This is it, after about two weeks of play there are only two teams left undefeated. Home team Washington (6-0-0) and visitors Detroit (5-0-0). The Red Wings are fresh off of a 5-2 defeat of the Blue Jackets at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit on Friday night while the Capitals had a day of practice after a thorough rout of the Flyers in Philadelphia. The Caps would love to extend their winning streak to a franchise record 7 games to open the season, especially by beating a team that is arguably one of the best franchises in the sport while Detroit would love to honor their captain's 1500th game with a win. The goal-tending is going to be the story of the night. After a dismal debut in what he referred to as his "worst game", Tomas Vokoun has been outstanding for Washington, stopping 137 of the last 142 shots that he has faced. Detroit is coming off of five great games where they have let in a total of four goals in a 5 on 5 situation.

Pregame Prediction: Washington wins 3-2 OT. Detroit is a powerhouse of a team, that is well matched with Washington. I think Washington has a slight edge simply because Detroit played last night, and the stats favor the home team in this one. Either way, I'm ready for one hell of a game.


In net tonight it looks like Washington will be sticking with Tomas Vokoun (5W, .939 SV%, 1.95GAA) with Sabourin backing up. Detroit will have Ty Conklin (1W, 1.000 SV%, 0 GAA). Conklin has played all of one game, but it was a shutout in Colorado. This will be the fifth backup netminder Washington has faced this season, the exceptions being Dwayne Roloson and Ilya Bryzgalaov.


Game-Time!

Lines for the evening:
Washington:
Ovi-Backstrom-Brouwer Hamrlik-Green Vokoun
Semin-Johansson-Knuble Alzner-Carlson
Chimera-Laich-Ward Schultz-Wideman
Hendricks-Perrault-Halpern

Detroit:
Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Cleary Lidstrom-White Conklin
Filppula-Franzen-Hudler Kronwall-Stuart
Abdelkader-Helm-Bertuzzi Ericsson-Kindl
Brunnstrom-Emmerton-Eaves


1st
20:00-Puck drop is taken back by washington, but washington fumbles it in the neutral zone.

19:49-White takes a shot that goes wide and the wings pick it up behind the net for another shot. Vokoun with a beautiful save.

19:06-Icing against Detroit

18:45-Caps are putting a good number of shots on goal, but they are all headed straight to Conklin, need better scoring chances if we hope to have any chance here.

18:10-An intense scrum, that looks like a good chance for Detroit, but it is covered by Vokoun and after some falling over the netminder play is whistled dead.

17:35-Semin knocks the puck away from the wings, but sort of stands there as it runs to the side of the net. Schultz moves in to take it, but I don't like the way he stood there. He's already come under fire for not "caring" enough. He is going to need to keep playing more like early season and less like this if he wants to re-sign.

16:00-Detroit has put several excellent shots on net. Washington needs to step up the pressure if they want to win this, especially on Defense.

15:00-Again, Caps have had some good chances, but Detroit is playing great defense. This game is looking good.

14:25-Datsyuk tries to deke out Vokoun, but Vokoun literally spins around to make an amazing save. So far, Vokoun is keeping the Caps in this game.

13:30-Knuble has a beautiful opportunity blocked by traffic in front of the net.

While we are on commercial here I just saw that the Canucks and Panthers made a trade. Canucks acquire David Booth, Steven Reinprecht and a 3rd rounder in 2013 from the Panthers for Samuelsson and Sturm.

12:20-Battle against the boards, brought away by the Wings. Skated in and a snapshot to Vokoun. he covers. Detroit is getting more opportunities off. Washington really needs to step it up here. That being said, the pace of this game is absolutely outstanding both teams are pushing quite hard, but Detroit really seems to have a much better defensive pressure.

11:29-Laich goes offsides. Faceoff is won by Washington and taken in by Chimera, who makes a weak pass to Ward that is intercepted.

10:42-Johansson skates in and makes a beautiful pass to Semin who shoots it wide. This pair is really clicking this year and it is great to see MJ90 score and score.

Carlson makes a great move to keep it in the zone, but the Wings knock it away and take it down to the Washington defensive end. Caps are having trouble both getting into the O-zone and staying there.

6:38-Offsides against Detroit

6:21-First penalty of the night. Bertuzzi takes a Contact after the icing penalty. Watching the replay I'm not sure he even heard the whistle. I think he thought it would be waved off. I guess that's a problem with playing in the loudest arena in the NHL.

6:00-Mike green makes a beautiful shot to the corner from the point! Washington scores! 0-1

5:45-Vokoun comes up big with a great save to keep Detroit from answering.

4:59-MJ90 has a beautiful close angle shot off a pass from Alexander Semin! Another Washington Goal! Score: 0-2

Caps are doing great getting multiple goals in short time periods.


Question from John-Was there a Screen on the goal?]
On the Mike Green goal, definitely. As for the Johansson goal, I really don't think Conklin expected Sasha to pass there. The Mike Green goal came off a beautiful backdoor pass from Backstrom and the MJ goal was a Knuble takeaway to Semin who tied everyone up as Marcus just came right in and dumped it in.

2:57-A dump in by Helm went high and took Green in the face. He is headed to the locker room.

2:01-Icing against Washington. Detroit is getting some beautiful chances here, but Vokoun is looking outstanding.

1:51-Wideman flattened by Hudler, a boarding call against Detroit.

38.3-Kronwall clears it after some beautiful chances by Washington.

9.5-Ty Conklin makes a beautiful diving save to cover up the puck. Passes it away.

2-Hamrlik fires wide and it rebounds of the backboards. Knuble picks up the rebound and takes a great shot that bounces off the post.

And that's the end of the first. After 20 minutes of play the score is 0-2 Washington. Detroit has dominated the play, but Washington has capitalized on several great chances.

While waiting for the second to start I wanted to look at the good and the bad so far.


The good-Washington is up 2-0 with some beautiful positioning. They are skating it in well, but just not quite getting the chances. Vokoun is looking stunning especially against datsyuk who has such a way with the puck.

The bad- Washington is being outshot 10-8, and the Red Wings seem to be out skating the younger Washington team. However, this game could still go either way.

We shall see.

On a related note, I still think that fact that Vokoun is making 1.5 mil this year was the biggest steal of the off-season. John also has no idea how Washington got him for so cheap.

Comment From John
I don't know how he went so cheaply. He was elite on a terrible Florida team. With a good team in front of him he has a great chance at the Vezina.

I actually think, based on his play so far (save for the Tampa game), that Vokoun has a great chance at the Vezina. It would be quite exciting if he got it as goal-tending has been a major problem for Washington in the past few years.

Comment From John
It'll be good for the younger goalies as well. Under his tutelage (spelling?) they could be full time starters in two years. I wouldn't be surprised to see Neuvy traded like Varly was, especially if they re-sign Vokoun. Holtby would make for a strong back up as he would take longer to develop.

I honestly don't know if that would happen. This fan base loves Neuvy. Though to be fair, they loved Varly and when they announced that he had earned a shutout while we were playing Tampa there were a lot of people booing in the stands.

Comment From John
It really all depends on the playoffs. Nuevy might get 30 games this season and Washington will do well no matter who is in goal. If Vokoun shines in the playoffs they'll want to win rather than keep fan favorites. But it's hard to hold onto goalies ready to be starters. Look at Vancouver... Schneider is clearly ready but he is stuck behind Luongo. With Washington having three goalies one will have to go.

And here we go! Second Period is under way!

18:35 Detroit is out-skating Washington, but I guess when it comes down to it the scoreboard is all that really matters. Schultz blows a beautiful one-timer. Datsyuk takes it and Vokoun makes another save on Datsyuk.

16:19 Dropback pass from Cleary to Datsyuk with a powerful wrister straight to the gut of Vokoun. You could hear the thwump on TV. And Beninati announced that Green is back on the bench looking good and ready to go.

15:51-High Sticking against Emmerton

15:01-Ovechkin has had several great opportunites this power play and he passes it to Green who puts it in top shelf! Washington Goal! Score: 0-3. Think Mike Green can get a hat trick? I mean he may need it to cover his new bruise from that puck.

13:00-Hamrlik with a great block.

12:35-The momentum of this game is so far in Washington's favor. Detroit is still playing great, but they need to pick it up again if they hope to come back.

12:00-Ovechkin vs Kronwall towards the goal. Ovi shoots wide.

Just a little factoid here, Wideman's assist on Green's second goal there ties his longest ever point streak. He has a point in every Washington game this season.

10:50-Hendricks takes a holding call and Detroit will go on their first power play of the night.

10:37-Less than 15 seconds into this PP and Vokoun has already come up huge twice.

10:00-Datsyuk pass was intercepted and cleared by Carlson. Much needed line changes for both teams.

9:21-31 Sec left in this power play and the net is knocked off the moorings. Hamrlik is called for delay of game. So we go to 31 seconds of 5-on-3 for Detroit.

8:55-Datsyuk to Kronwall, powers it right by Vokoun! Detroit Goal! Detroit is back on the Power Play. Score 1-3

8:15-Halpern with a breakaway chance. Caught glove side by Conklin.

7:18-Back to full strength, great work on the PK there by Washington.

6:45-Back to the power play for Detroit after Semin takes a dumb high-sticking penalty. Washington looks like they are getting sloppy.

6:40-5 Seconds into the power play and Ian White rips off a rocket. Vokoun makes the save.

5:58-Alzner makes a great clear to get the line change.

5:30-Capitals back to the 5-on-3. Not too sure on this one, MJ90 takes a tripping call.
After seeing the replay, it's a legit call, but still a sloppy play.

4:45-HUGE save by Vokoun! Followed up by another big save to end the 5-on-3. That was great work on the PK by Washington there

4:30-1 Min left on the power play and Detroit comes charging in. Halpern knocks it away and clears it out of the zone.

3:30-Another sizzler from the point and Vokoun knocks it away with a stick save. Caps kill another penalty. At commercial now, so I'll make a quick rant, The caps need to stop taking stupid penaltys, especially when on the penalty kill already. This Detroit squad is extremely powerful and the last thing they need is excuses to score.

2:20-Caps get tangled up and Wideman dives out to make a great block.

1:30-Zetterberg takes it the length and Vokoun makes a nice kick out save. Vokoun, with the way he is playing, should have a shutout. However, thanks to the penalties he will not be getting one.


Comment From john
If you need an example of how penalties hurt a team you can look at the Rangers. They lost their first four games mostly due to bad penalties.

0:37-Washington is just passing it around to kill some time.

7.6-Hendricks pumps one on net and Conklin closes his legs to block the 5-hole. It slides through and Perrault puts it in! Washington Goal! Score: 1-4

And that's the end of the Second. Detroit once again dominated the play, but the Caps keep finding the back of the net.

Some stats: Shots on Goal 26 v 14. Scoring Chances 16 v 11. Detroit is LEADING in both those Categories.

and we are underway here in the third

Ovechkin had a good pass attempt that was intercepted. He seems to have picked up some of his old speed. Good to see. Johansson tried to stuff it through the wraparound...again...conklin was beyond ready for it.

16:02-Scrum behind the detroit goal. recovered by detroit, knocked straight to carlson

15:52-Zetterberg spins and looks to stuff, goes right across the crease.

15:00-Ovechkin has a great shot blocked by Lidstrom and it goes out of play

13:00-Detroit skates it in and Zetterberg puts a weak wrister into Vokoun's glove

I would still love to see green get a hat trick tonight, but either way, Detroit is still playing a powerful game. Lidstrom lost his helment

11:43-Great intercept by laich, rushes in dekes conklin passes to Ward who dumps it in! Washington Goal! Score 1-5

11:20-White takes a tripping penalty should have been conflicting minors or, at the worst, a Washington pp. White was definitely tripped...

10:50-Washington, not really crusing in on the power play, but green passes to backstrom as ovi heads offsides...

8:41-Hendricks takes the draw, Perrault picks it up, takes a shot, and puts it pass Conklin for his second of the night! Washington Goal! Score 1-6

I think Detroit may be done, but stranger things have happened....
Every line of Washington has at least one point tonight. The only downside to going 7-0 is that only one team that has done that has ever won the cup....

3:00-Detroit has slowed the pace again, but they are still fighting hard. This is a great team that has just been floored by a great goaltender.

2:35-And a deflection from carlson goes right in the back of the net as backstrom pops it in! Washington goal! Score 1-7

Red wings total goals against in their 6 games has now been doubled. They had let in a total of 7 goals before this game. I still don't understand the "All Your Fault" cheer that washington does after a goal. Not to say I don't do it.

0:0-And that's all she wrote. Vokoun with an outstanding performance in net for a 7-1 win over a strong Detroit squad.

Postgame
Well my prediction was off...by just a little more than a bit. This game was decided by the end of the first. Of all the things, I never expected a blowout. Green was the first star of the night. with his personal record tying four points. I would have loved to have seen him get a hat trick, but oh well. There were enough scorers anyways. Second Star tonight was Vokoun. He faced 33 shots and had a .97 save percentage. This win makes the Caps the 10th team to win 7 straight to start the season. The record still stands as a tie between the 93-94 Maple Leafs and the 06-07 Sabres with 10 games a piece. The only team to win the cup after starting 7-0 was the 83-84 Oilers.

The Caps played well, finding the back of the net 7 times. They took some weak penalties, but they managed to pull out a great PK unit and recover. I felt that the defensive pressure was lacking at times, but the forecheck looked pretty good tonight. I still think that the shutdown grouping that is Washington's third line is going to be the big thing to help Washington win this season.

It's a testament to how deep Washington's lineup is this year when the ice time is so similar per line. This is also probably why every line and defensive pair recorded a point tonight. They play well together, and they are having a great run. Hopefully this carries over as we get into November and is still going well as we reach April.

The Caps now start hitting the road, playing four out of the next five games on the road. Starting with the game Thursday in Edmonton. followed by Saturday's game in Vancouver. The Caps have a great start to the season, but as Green said tonight, it's only October. April is a long way off.

Game of the Night:10/19 - Toronto vs. Winnipeg

Ah, the easiest of the entries, simply watching a game with some drinks, and writing down my thoughts as they occur. No more explanation is necessary to introduce my “Game of the Night” series of entries. I have selected the Winnipeg Jets’ first venture into the hockey Mecca that is Toronto for a very clear reason: it is tonight’s only game. A very brief background will mention that the Jets (1-3-0, 2 pts.) are coming fresh off their first ever win over the Penguins in Winnipeg, and convincing it was. Toronto (3-0-1, 7 pts.) is off to a flying start, but is trying not to replicate what happened after they opened last season just as well.

Lineups:

Winnipeg:

Burmistrov-Antropov-Wellwood

Wheeler-Little-Ladd

Scheifele-Kane-MacLean

Glass-Slater-Thorburn

Byfuglien-Enstrom

Bogosian-Stuart

Oduya-Meech

Pavelec (Starting)

Mason (Bench)

Toronto:

Kessel-Bozak-Lupul

MacArthur-Grabovski-Kulemin

Frattin-Lombardi-Armstrong

Brown-Steckel-Dupuis

Phaneuf-Gunnarsson

Liles-Gardiner

Komisarek-Schenn

Reimer (Starting)

Gustavsson (Bench)

1^st Period

Currently Drinking: Sam Adams Octoberfest

20:00 – I will assume that the opening faceoff went off without a hitch. Sure enough, GameCenter glitched right as the game started. I blame Zombie Steve Jobs. Why? Because it is too soon. How do you defeat Zombie Steve Jobs? There’s an app for that.

18:46 – The Jets are owning play right from the opening faceoff, not unlike their play against Pittsburgh in which Kyle Wellwood struck 8 seconds in, so I guess by that standard, it is actually a disappointing start?

17:54 – Colby Armstrong limps to the bench. That is not good considering the Leafs are already without off-season pickup Tim Connolly.

17:27 – The line of Kane-Scheifele-MacLean is an average age of 20. Too bad Chris Chelios didn’t move to Winnipeg with the Thrashers. This line could use someone to read them bedtime stories on the road (credit to Jordan Wahba for this joke).

16:40 – The MacArthur-Grabovski-Kulemin line needs to get going. The Leafs lack secondary scoring. As I am typing this sentence, Ray Ferraro brings up the very same point on TSN’s broadcast. I should have that job.

16:00 – How did Joffrey Lupul miss that? It must have something to do with his name being a palindrome.

14:22 – Finally, there is another stoppage in play. This is a good time to comment on the Jets’ sweaters. I love them. Not to take anything away from Toronto’s classic blue and white, but I’m glad these two teams have avoided vertical striping. The Reebok Edge jersey is still ugly. Also, the Jets’ sweaters are a nice tribute to the Royal Canadian Air Force both in design and colors. This is very classy, but I also can’t help but think of South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut.

14:13 – We have our first penalty of the night. Bryan Little of the Jets sits in the cubicle of shame for…throwing the stick? That’s a rare one. TSN missed this call so I didn’t actually see what happened (I only found out by checking the box score on TSN during the first intermission that this was, in fact, the call).

13:40 – Like a few other teams in this young season, Toronto’s power play has yet to get going. It stands at 9.5% and is 0 for the last 14. The early indications of this one aren’t much better. Also Carl Gunnarsson is mentioned. His name is involved in trade rumors. That situation could become interesting for teams looking to add a talented young defenseman.

12:11- That Toronto power play needs work, to say the least. At least Bruins fans can take solace that they have a division rival with a worse power play than they have. Also, this is the first commercial break. Unfortunately on GameCenter, I can’t see commercials anymore. This is depressing considering I am watching the TSN Toronto feed, and Canadian commercials are always fun to watch, to say the least. TSN play-by-play man Chris Cuthbert mentions that all of Canada’s second favorite team is the Jets. I’ve always found it curious to see that Canadian fans will cheer for Canadian teams, regardless of rivalry. All of Canada (including Edmonton and Calgary fans) were behind Vancouver’s run to the cup finals last year. You never see this in American sports. Could you imagine Sox fans cheering for the Yankees to win just because it represents the AL East? It just doesn’t happen (…and yes, I know that this is a particularly bad time to use that example).

11:36 – The Jets get their first power play. Luke Schenn gets caught too far up-ice and hooks Evander Kane. Let’s see if it’s better than Toronto’s. Winnipeg still doesn’t have a power play goal this season, so both Toronto AND Boston fans can take solace.

10:58 – The power play looks good so far, nice tip by Andrew Ladd, just over the bar. Bryan Little almost hits the short side post.

10:11 – Goal. Tobias Enstrom nets Winnipeg’s first ever PP goal. Toronto fans cheer for this (see above for difference between American and Canadian sports fans). The whole play was created by a great power play setup, notably the screen. Like I said in the previous comment, that PP looked good.

9:00 – Lupul and Kessel are both robbed in succession by Ondrej Pavelec. He had a great game against Pittsburgh, and seems to have picked up where he left off. Lupul is getting good chances tonight, and Kessel already has 6 goals this year. Shutting them down will greatly help Winnipeg’s chances tonight.

8:22 – Lupul hits the post, or not? They say it went in the net. The replay shows that it hit the lens of the in-goal camera. That’s a rare sight, and I am loving this replay. Also notice what I said in the previous comment about shutting down Lupul and Kessel. They failed. Oh well, tie game, 1-1. Apparently the lens of the camera shattered on the ice and requires cleanup, giving me a chance to type more. TSN’s Cuthbert and color commentator Ray Ferraro mourn the death of their camera and show the replay to at least get their money’s worth. It’s a pretty cool sight, particularly in HD.

8:09 – Apparently, Lupul has 9 goals in 11 games against the Atlanta/Winnipeg franchise, so his strong game is apparently no disturbance to the crystal ball.

6:35 – Should Mark Scheifele be returned to his junior team (Barrie Colts)? He had a very Strong preseason, but now that the games count, he only has 2 shots and no goals thus far. He has 9 games total to make his case to the Winnipeg brass.

5:22 – Kessel almost sets up another goal as Dion Phaneuf sneaks in from blue line, but is stopped by a great save from Pavelec.

4:50 – Johnny Oduya is the only remnant of the Kovalchuk trade currently on the roster (Patrice Cormier is still in the system, but not on the roster). Trying to picture Ilya in a Jets sweater is not working, but could you imagine him in that market?

0:00 – The end of that period saw both teams tighten up defensively, I guess they got tired of playing baseball. Regardless, the score is 1-1 at intermission.

2^nd Period

Currently drinking: Cavit Pinot Grigio

20:00 – TSN showed the corpse of their dead goal-cam. Apparently due to a safety plate on the lens, it is “only a $400 loss.” If only I had $400 to blow on fun gadgets.

19:07 – There are more than a few empty seats at ice level for a Toronto home game, especially considering it’s the first ever visit for the Jets. I’ll assume people are still finding their seats, and that Toronto fans aren’t being hypocrites when they sardonically comment on certain American teams’ attendance J.

18:22 – The Leafs are offside. It sums up how this period has opened. Both teams seem to be just slightly off, “slightly” being the key word.

17:33 – My last comment is now nullified. The eastern bloc has struck. Nikolai Antropov drags the line PERFECT, gets the pass from Alexander Burmistrov, and gives it back to the youngster to set up the goal. That was impressive. 2-1 Jets.

17:00 – That is a NICE hit by Evander Kane. I like to see that he doesn’t shy away from contact as a young skilled player.

16:47 – Evander Kane gets upended illegally by Mike Komisarek, but that doesn’t prevent a Mark Scheifele breakaway. He is still unable to find his first goal, but Komisarek is in the box, giving the Jets another power play. It is 1 for 1 tonight.

14:47 – This is an average power play, not a great one. No goal is scored. Little had the best chance but the puck hopped over his stick, preventing him from getting the shot off.

13:12 – The Ladd-Wheeler-Little line is buzzing, and has drawn another penalty against Komisarek. There is a humorous shot of Tanner Glass and Dustin Byfuglien interacting with fans in the pre-game warm-ups. Apparently Glass attempted to flip a puck to a Jets fan, and Byfuglien stuffed him. The Jets fan gave Byfuglien some grief, and Byfuglien stuck around to give him some grief back. I love to see that.

12:07 – There it is for Mark Scheifele! His first NHL goal at the age of 18. I was in the middle of commenting on Byfuglien’s shooting on this PP as that puck went in. It looked good. Sure enough as I type, Schiefele puts in the rebound of a Byfuglien shot. This strengthens his case to stay in the NHL. The Winnipeg PP is now 2 for 3. Maybe Komisarek will stay out of box now. 3-1 Jets.

10:48 – That was a good shift by the MacArthur-Grabovski-Kulemin line. Like I said, they need to get going. This is better late than never, and sure enough, Kessel follows up that shift with a GREAT chance that just missed.

10:00 – It is the halfway point of the game. Speaking of things halfway, I wish I was watching this game at a Canadian pub halfway in between both cities. I’d LOVE to be a fly on the wall and just listen to the drunken banter, eh?

8:52 – A TSN graphic shows that Armstrong is still not back. That can’t make Leaf fans happy.

7:38-Kessel just made a beautiful pass to set up David Steckel who just missed. It’s interesting to see Steckel-Brown-Kessel together, given the chemistry of Kessel-Bozak-Lupul. Maybe it was just a disrupted change?

6:40 – Ray Ferraro comments on the lack of anything from the Grabovski line. Shortly thereafter, a good rush into the zone by Grabovski draws a penalty from Oduya. Toronto gets a power play.

4:40 – That power play was absolutely awful. Toronto is now 0 for 2 in the game…and 0 for the last 16 overall. As Ray Ferraro mentioned on the broadcast, the main problem is the lack of patience in setting up a chance. The play is being forced too quickly, and never getting a chance to properly set up.

3:11 – 8 Toronto forwards don’t have a shot tonight. How about that secondary scoring? You need to shoot before thinking about scoring. I feel like a lot of the blame for that is going to fall on the MacArthur-Grabovski-Kulemin line, some of it unfairly.

2:39 – Since his goal, Scheifele is getting more ice time from Claude Noel…hopefully he can make something happen with it and stay in the NHL. 9 games is the point of no return. Ferraro is pro sending 18 year olds back to junior, emphasizing that it is not a step back, but more of a learning experience. I agree with that in most cases, but I think Scheifele can honestly go either way.

1:04 – The Grabovski line comes very close, maybe they can break through soon?

0:00 – End of the second period. That was a strong finish by the MacArthur-Grabovski-Kulemin and Kessel-Bozak-Lupul lines. Unfortunately for Toronto, the intermission will break their momentum, but oh well, that’s hockey. The Jets lead 3-1 after 2 periods.

3^rd Period

Still Currently Drinking: Cavit Pinot Grigio

20:00 – Here we go. The 3^rd period is underway.

18:52 – Both teams are off to a “sputtering start.” – Chris Cuthbert

17:34 – Kessel is on the ice with Lombardi and Frattin. The slow start for the period apparently results in an attempt to shuffle lines, and also compensate for Armstrong’s absence.

15:27- The line of Wheeler-Little-Ladd finally brings some game for the third period. A great chance is met with an equally great save by Reimer.

13:16 - Zach Bogosian picks up an interference penalty on Mike Brown. He protests to no avail. I’ve never understood this practice. Do people actually think that ref will actually change his mind after making the call? “Oh, I was just kidding. It’s not a penalty after all, now that this player has convinced me of his innocence.” Regardless, the Leafs are handed a chance to get back into this game, but they will have to resurrect their abysmal power play first.

12:42 – Early indications (aka Phil Kessel) are that this power play is much better, despite the confusion of David Steckel’s role. Is he on the ice, or not? As I finish this sentence. Lupul puts the Leafs within one. No surprise that this line is the one that comes through. Now if MacArthur-Grabovski-Kulemin could get it together, the Leafs might actually challenge for a playoff spot.

12:19 – Momentum is a funny thing. Matt Frattin drives into the zone and Kris Meech trips him, giving the Leafs another power play.

12:05 – Phil Kessel strikes. I eat my previous words. The Leafs “abysmal” power play is now 2 for 2 in the last 27 seconds alone. Again, is it any surprise that Kessel comes through? The game is tied, 3-3. Kessel now has 7 goals already this season.

11:25 – Now, the Jets wake up and decide to play the 3^rd period. This game is getting interesting, looks like I made a good choice for game of the night, because there were so many to choose from.

10:48 – The Antropov line is buzzing. As Antropov and Phaneuf jaw at each other, I realize this game has been very cordial, with very little trash talk and scrums. Maybe after the Leafs’ scoring outburst, that will change; the Jets certainly need to do something.

9:06 – Winnipeg now gets a power play to try and reclaim their lead. Kessel slashes Byfuglien’s stick, breaking it in half. Given his performance thus far in the game and season, it’s forgivable, even if Winnipeg takes the lead back. Let’s see.

7:48 – Steckel has a shorthanded chance. His pass across to the defenseman Liles JUST missed.

7:36 – Winnipeg takes advantage of Liles jumping up and gets a break the other way. Liles is bailed out by a great save from James Reimer.

7:06 – There was one shot on that power play, the aforementioned break. Other than that, it was a bad power play, and is now 2 for 4 on the night.

6:27 – Pavelec makes an amazing save on Kessel, set up by Lupul. It’s pretty clear what line is carrying Toronto tonight. Despite a 3-3 score, both goaltenders are playing very well, and can’t be blamed for any of the six goals.

3:58 – There is another play from Kessel to Lupul AGAIN, but Lupul fanned on the shot. At this point, the Jets should probably realize what these two are capable of and maybe be extra cautious with them, but this is much easier said than done.

2:46 – Schenn and/or Komisarek have not been on the ice in quite some time (Cuthbert claims Komisarek hasn’t seen the ice at all in the 3^rd period. As I think back in my short term memory, I find nothing to refute that claim). Both have had a less than stellar game, combining for 3 penalties. Both have also watched the Jets score from a cozy seat in the penalty box. I’m guessing this has something to do with their new cozy seats on the bench down next to Gustavsson. Hopefully the other 4 defensemen can pick up the slack.

1:54 – The Leafs almost score, and if you’ve been following, I don’t even have to mention which line it was. It’s no longer Tyler Bozak, but Dave Steckel centering them. This could be an accident, as Steckel is used for his faceoff prowess late in games and maybe couldn’t get off the ice due to the way the play developed?

0:00 – We have overtime. I picked a great game to begin my “Game of the Night” series. Is it time for another drink? The answer is yes.

Overtime

Currently drinking: Sam Adams Octoberfest

5:00 – I am not a fan of the 4 on 4 (see my previous column), but here we go. This is the Jets first OT ever, while the Leafs lost to Colorado on Monday in overtime, to go 0-1 in OT this season.

4:42 – The Leafs just missed the net. This scoring chance by Phil Kessel is brought to you by the broken record appreciation club.

3:33 – Scheifele gets an OT shift with Wheeler. They come oh-so-close, but a Reimer snow angel stops it. This is good news if Scheifele wants to stay in the NHL.

2:51 – Grabovski is stopped by Pavelec, as he tries to get his line started this season. What better way than with an OT winner? It just isn’t going to be right now.

1:06 – Kane and Antropov combine to give Winnipeg it’s best chance of overtime, but it falls into the pads of Reimer.

0:00 – As much as I hate the 4 on 4 and shootout crap, that overtime was such quality hockey from everyone involved, I’ll accept it.

Shootout

Still currently drinking: Sam Adams Octoberfest

This is the first shootout for either team this year, and of course, the first in Jets’ history.

Toronto shot 1 – Phil Kessel is stopped by the shoulder of Pavelec. Fortunately for the Jets, Kessel is done for the night.

Winnipeg shot 1 – Kyle Wellwod tries to back Reimer up and beat him over the glove, but James Reimer isn’t fooled and makes the save look easy.

Toronto shot 2 – Joffrey Lupul succeeds at exactly what Wellwood failed to do.

Winnipeg shot 2 – Alex Burmistrov goes low stick side, Reimer doesn’t see it, but was positioned perfectly, and made the save.

Toronto shot 3- Matt Frattin takes the simple approach. He doesn’t do any fancy dekes, or any regular dekes. He just skates in and shoots it by Pavelec’s glove. Toronto wins the game 4-3.

Thank you for joining my first installation in the “Game of the Night” series. Until next time, Cheers, beers, sake, and hockey.

Boston, you're my home.

Unlike the other bloggers that I’m sure you’re enjoying, I am a much newer fan to the sport of hockey, therefore, my posts will probably come off as a bit more naïve and uneducated with the finer details and the stronger historical precedence. Sorry, but it is always fun to get an awkward someone confused perspective, isn’t it?

So the Boston Bruins, defending Stanley Cup Champions, another picture perfect case of how Boston sports teams work. It’s no secret that every team across every sport goes through dry spells, and it is even less of a secret that Boston teams are notorious for rising to the occasion just to fall flat on their faces inches before the finish line. However, in recent history, every Boston sports team has, in some sports miracle, crossed the yellow tape and won the trophy. This past season, the Bruins’ win was no less of a shocker than Tom Brady taking the Super Bowl in 2002, the Red Sox breaking the “Curse” in 2004, and the Celtics coming out of nowhere in 2008.

Unfortunately, this past season appears to be somewhat of a fluke as the Bruins have fallen back into the traditional Boston sports team fashion of showing up big and going home broken. We started off our home season opener with a beautiful banner raising ceremony, filled with all the enthusiasm and excitement that comes with a championship. The game started off strong, as Brad Marchand managed to score a power play goal, a miracle in itself based on last year’s PP performances, and started the Bruins off on top. Of course, tragedy quickly ensued as our welcome back to hockey season concluded with a Bruins heart breaking 2-1 loss to the Flyers.

As the season slowly got going, there was a small glimmer of hope that the Bruins were starting their engines as well, with Marchand, Chara, and Seguin playing just as masterfully as last season, if not even better, and leading the Bruins to a 4-1 victory over the rival Tampa Bay Lightning. While Thomas still hasn’t had a shutout, he is looking pretty good between the pipes, especially in the second victory, a shoot out against Chicago. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for Rask and the rest of the Bruins, as he has lost both appearances he has made and the team on the whole is 2 and 4, and already having to fight their way back into the top of the division.

On the whole, the Bruins haven’t started off this season nearly as strong as they ended last season. The men aren’t moving as quickly and forcibly on the ice as they should be, passes are missed, hits not as hard, and discipline is simply lacking. That has never been clearer as it was last night in the embarrassing 4-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. While the Bruins were able to get in some serious punches during multiple brawls throughout the night, most notably the one with about 5 minutes left in the second period, they were not bringing that strength and energy to the actual game on the ice. With 70 minutes in penalties and numerous 5 on 3 PP given to the Canes, it is almost surprising that the Bruins weren’t beaten even more on the scoreboard. And the disgust by the fans did not go unnoticed. After back to back penalty calls in the middle of the third period, the ice was covered in trash, including an empty whiskey bottle, as the fans not only showed their impatience with the Refs’ calls, but with the lackluster effort of the Bruins as well.

The Bruins have the talent in every aspect of the game. We have a beast between the pipes with Timmy Thomas, a monster of a defender in Chara, young talent in Seguin, Marchand, and Horton, as well as experience in players like Peverley. There is a lot of other talent spread across the team, so we have the potential for a cup repeat, we just need to get back the passion and discipline of the sport, the true heart of the game that matters just as much as the ability to shoot a puck at 106 mph or to pass across the blue lines to set up a perfect shot on goal.

John's Musings- Fighting

Fighting in hockey has been around for nearly 90 years.  Hockey is the only major sport in North America that allows and accepts fighting as a part of the sport.  While it is still "illegal" it is only penalized during the game, in most cases. In most other sports fighting results in ejections, often accompanied by suspension.  Back in 1922 or so it was incorporated into the game's rules and has been around ever since.  With all the recent rule changes about head shots and the growing concern about concussions the anti-fighting movement is growing.  However, it seems to me that it is gaining support with the more casual fans - those who have never played hockey or who don't have a deep knowledge of the game.  Fighting is so important to the game and to a team's success, not just in the NHL but at all levels of the game.

Oh goalie fights. Brett Johnson 1 DiPetro's face-0

First and foremost, fighting is a defensive measure.  Hockey is a physical game, without a doubt.  Tensions run high during the game.  During hard-hitting, close games one undisciplined hit can injure an important member of the other team.  If a team's offense is being stifled or the other team takes an early lead and has a huge advantage, frustration can lead some players, even good-natured ones, to lash out.  When that happens it's not uncommon for players to start taking runs at the opposing team's stars.  In both cases, the solution and prevention is to have an enforcer.  He comes out and lets the other team know that dirty play will not be tolerated and players need to check themselves and stay in line.  You're not going to go after Bobby Ryan if you know George Parros is right there to take you out...

Secondly, fighting is an offensive measure.  Going back to the other team taking the early lead: your enforcer comes out and fights their enforcer and (hopefully) wins to boost your team's morale.  It gets you pumped up and gives you an extra spark which (hopefully) will ignite the whole team into playing better and change the momentum of the game.

Third, fighting is retaliation.  This one isn't all that much a good aspect of fighting but it is an aspect, nevertheless.  One of the most notable examples of retaliation created a rivalry.  Way back in the 90s, during a playoff game between the Avalanche and Red Wings, Claude Lemieux hit Kris Draper from behind smashing his face into the boards (see the video below).  Draper needed reconstructive surgery and was out for several weeks.  The next season, in the fourth meeting between Colorado and Detroit, and the first game with Lemieux in the lineup, Darren McCarty went after Lemieux as revenge for what he did to Draper.  Eventually everyone on the ice was fighting including the goalies.  This incident created a major rivalry between the Avs and Red Wings which was very exciting to watch.  (I'm not condoning what Lemieux did, but it did lead to a great rivalry...)

Lastly, and quickly mentioned, fighting is a rematch.  Two enforcers went at it a few games ago and Enforcer A won.  Enforcer B wants another shot to prove himself, etc., etc. which leads into... Fighting etiquette.

In most cases, a fight between two players, be they enforcers or not, is mutual and respectful.  The players agree to the fight beforehand and almost never fight to hurt the other player.  Players who don't want to fight are never attacked blindly (unless, of course, they asked for it by doing something stupid like swinging a stick at someone's head or being Claude Lemieux.)  Fights often come to an end before anyone is seriously injured, and semi-occasionally break up before the linesman need to be involved.  If one player sees that the other player is injured they will often stop the fight out of respect for the other player.  Players also tend to not fighty dirty.  There is a lot of respect between players and no one wants to have an empty win.

The folks who want fighting out of the game, as I said earlier, do not seem to truly understand the need for fighting.  They've been swayed by the media who focus on bad fights and dirty plays.  ESPN is probably the worst sports media outlet for hockey.  On SportsCenter, there isn't a single reporter who understands even the basics of hockey.  The last time I watched it (meaning the last time forever) the reporter admitted during the hockey clips that she didn't know a single thing and just remained silent.  This is where the casual hockey fans end up.  They watch for basketball and football, see the bad clips, and think to themselves that maybe fighting should be out of the game.

Truly, fighting is at the core of the game of hockey and it should be, always.  It has been around since nearly the beginning of the professional league and is integrated smoothly into the game.  It is popular with the fans and the players and forever immortalized in hockey's history.

       That all being said, Alexander Semin should never fight again.

Also, Slap Shot was a great movie.
~John D'Aprix (GO RANGERS!)