The NHL Discussion Thread

**rottersclub** · 01-17-2014

Originally Posted by Yves

Moulson will be available as a UFA? The guy was a Hab killer when he was with the Isles. Maybe we should look at signing him. The team is owned by MOLSON after all!

How To Steal Two Points:

STEP 1- Put Price in net....

I can't believe the Habs managed to get 2 points last night! They looked like they were playing a man short the entire game! I thought somebody had been given a red card in the first period!

Price played so well, even the Ottawa fans were giving him standing ovations. It was a very entertaining game and Habs came back very strong in the third period after being thoroughly outplayed in the first two.

If Price plays like that in Sochi, I like Canada's chance to win gold.

**Gladiator1634** · 01-17-2014

Originally Posted by Klonk

Last nights Ranger/Red Wing game was hockey at it's finest. End to end action, over 70 SOG, amazing goaltending and an edge. One of those games where both teams played so evenly it was going to be won by a lucky bounce. And that's exactly what happened...for the Rangers

Wow great game it was actually 86 SOG! What a pleasure to witness good clean hockey by both teams with incredible goaltending.

If Matt Zuccarello continues his high level of play he should be a top contender for the Stephen McDonald extra effort award.

**Yves** · 01-18-2014

So I'm in the shower this morning, soaping up Lil Yvie (TMI! TMI!) and I was thinking about how the NFL can really showcase their championship game because it's a one game winner-take-all affair. I started thinking why the NHL couldn't do the same. You play 4 out of 7 series until you win your conference then you play "The Stanley Cup Game", in an outdoor stadium , on a neutral site, in front of 100,000 fans. I know you purists will shoot this down, but if you think about it, it could be truly exciting! That one game alone could probably generate more revenue for the league and the teams involved then a 4 out 7 series could. Anything could happen too! Way more exciting than a final series that ends in 4 or 5 games, on a Tuesday night, with one team totally outplaying the other... This would be a Sunday afternoon contest with a date set based upon projextions of when the conference series would be finished, allowing a few days to rest up and hype the thing. A big US Network like NBC could broadcast the game and pay top dollar for it because it wouldn't interfere with their weekly programming schedule. People would book their flights and hotels well ahead of time, regardless of which terams are playing; just like the SB.

**Ken** · 01-18-2014

Blackhawks vs Anaheim, it's been a while since the Blackhawks were considered underdogs. They came through with solid all around play, avoided the penalty box, and held on to break the Ducks' streak. I did not realize the Ducks won 18 of their last 19, that feat only being done once before by the 1967 Canadiens.

**polmico** · 01-18-2014

image.jpg

The Sith Lord made an appearance at today's Charlotte Checkers game. Naturally,the Checkers won. The opponents choked ...

**Obscured** · 01-18-2014

Originally Posted by Ken

I did not realize the Ducks won 18 of their last 19, that feat only being done once before by the 1967 Canadiens.

Yep, found that out myself during today's Rangers win over the Sens.
NY is 10-3-1 in last 14. Not bad.

**oilersfan** · 01-18-2014

Two seconds into the Canucks-Flames game tonight, the refs had called 142 minutes in penalties.

**Obscured** · 01-19-2014

Originally Posted by oilersfan

Two seconds into the Canucks-Flames game tonight, the refs had called 142 minutes in penalties.

Straight outta "Slapshot".

**ForeverAutumn** · 01-19-2014

Originally Posted by Yves

So I'm in the shower this morning, soaping up Lil Yvie (TMI! TMI!) and I was thinking about how the NFL can really showcase their championship game because it's a one game winner-take-all affair. I started thinking why the NHL couldn't do the same. You play 4 out of 7 series until you win your conference then you play "The Stanley Cup Game", in an outdoor stadium , on a neutral site, in front of 100,000 fans. I know you purists will shoot this down, but if you think about it, it could be truly exciting! That one game alone could probably generate more revenue for the league and the teams involved then a 4 out 7 series could. Anything could happen too! Way more exciting than a final series that ends in 4 or 5 games, on a Tuesday night, with one team totally outplaying the other... This would be a Sunday afternoon contest with a date set based upon projextions of when the conference series would be finished, allowing a few days to rest up and hype the thing. A big US Network like NBC could broadcast the game and pay top dollar for it because it wouldn't interfere with their weekly programming schedule. People would book their flights and hotels well ahead of time, regardless of which terams are playing; just like the SB.

Lost revenue for dragging out several best of 7 series aside, I think this would only work on Canadian soil…or maybe in NY state or Detroit or Chicago areas. I don't think that most Americans give enough of a crap about hockey for it to work otherwise.

**Gladiator1634** · 01-19-2014

^^^
I'm not sure any city in the US would be capable of filling a stadium with two out of town teams even if it was the Stanley cup finals. Plus for the cup to be decided by one game is to risky IMHO considering what it takes to get there. The one game winner takes all works in the NFL as there only playing in the 20th or 21st game of the year depending on playoff byes as opposed to the almost grueling 100 in the NHL.

Rangers looking good again last night in knocking off The Sens after early domination they let up a little in the end but another strong performance by back up goalie Cam Talbot secured the victory!

**rottersclub** · 01-19-2014

The Rangers looked very solid, very balanced yesterday. It's nice to see Richards and Nash playing well these days. The adage "your best players have to be your best players" seems to be in effect for the Rangers. They're getting great support from guys like Stepan, Kreider, Brassard and Zuccarello.

Ottawa? Not so much. Spezza is not having a good year - either due to ongoing back problems or the burden of the captaincy. Karlsson continues to go brain-dead a couple of times a game. Bobby Ryan has looked out of sorts for the past 6 - 8 games.

And the Senators continue to take lots of hooking/holding/interference type penalties which to me is a sign that they are not moving their feet or more to the point, they are not as fast as their opposition.

Ottawa has a terrible record in games with 2pm start times - something 1-4-2. It's hard to explain why they can't show up and play in the afternoon.

**Gladiator1634** · 01-19-2014

Spezza had a terrible game Karlsson did have a brain dead moment on Stepans goal but he did have a few shots on goal. Not a great game though for the Sens as a team.

I noticed a few things about the Ottawa fans last night that I'm curious about. One is even when the Rangers were running circles around the Sens for a good while there was no booing at all. Also it didn't appear that any fans left the arena until the final Whistle even though it was 4-1 with not much of a chance of a comeback. If that was the garden many seats would have been vacated well before the end. Is it always like that or was it due to the all Canada hockey day festivities going on?

**Obscured** · 01-19-2014

Originally Posted by Gladiator1634

the Rangers were running circles around the Sens

They've been doing that quite a bit lately; 3-0 over the Caps after one. That powerplay of theirs is as good as it gets.

**Obscured** · 01-19-2014

And our penalty killing is impressive too; Capt. Cally gets a s-h'er, 4-1 early 2nd.

**rottersclub** · 01-19-2014

Originally Posted by Gladiator1634

I noticed a few things about the Ottawa fans last night that I'm curious about. One is even when the Rangers were running circles around the Sens for a good while there was no booing at all. Also it didn't appear that any fans left the arena until the final Whistle even though it was 4-1 with not much of a chance of a comeback. If that was the garden many seats would have been vacated well before the end. Is it always like that or was it due to the all Canada hockey day festivities going on?

Ottawa fans don't boo the Sens much. I've said it before, but it bears repeating - Ottawa is basically a one sport/one team town. We really love the Sens, warts and all. The trend for the most part is up (this season may be a small backwards step but overall the trend is up). I think when they were coming off their Cup Final appearance and things were unravelling, there was a lot more displeasure. But since things bottomed out, the fans are behind the team pretty solidly. Remember also, that the Sens are spending about $12M - $13M below the cap. So expectations are a little lower.

It was a sellout yesterday - a little under 20,000 fannies were in the seats. The rink is about 20 - 25 minutes west of downtown. People who live in the east end have a good 40 - 60 minute drive to get home. Traffic is brutal getting out of CTC as well, so it's been my experience that a certain percentage do leave early when the outcome is pretty well determined. But to your point, if there were a lot of children in attendance on account of it being Hockey Day in Canada, then it's very likely that they stayed to the end. It is a pretty big deal up here.

In honour of hockey day, I went over to the neighbourhood rink to play a little shinny. It was the first time that I held a hockey stick in about 15 years and the first time in 10 years that I was on skates. I was pleasantly surprised with my skating. I just bought new skates and they were very comfortable after a short time. My hand-eye coordination was a bit off as I was also wearing contact lenses for the first time in 15 years. All in all, it was a great success. Today, a few of the muscles that haven't been used in 10 years were in open rebellion though!