2006/2007 Hockey Season Thread

[gunnar hendershow]

A Buffalo-Nashville Stanley Cup Finals would, in my opinion, be just the best thing to watch.

[Hajjhowe]

It's not about who is most fun, it's about who wins.

That said, Nashville does have more points, but still. DUCKS FOR CUP.

[lari]

The Hawks win! Two games in a row - does that count as a streak?

Kukkonen plays after being benched for some time for god knows what reason, and immediately gets 1+1. Seriously, he's been the best Hawks d-man all season. Excellent defensive positioning and plays without mistakes. Can't understand why he's in the dog house, especially seeing who else we have on the blueline. Perhaps he slept with Savard's wife?

[gunnar hendershow]

The Hawks win! Two games in a row - does that count as a streak?

Haha, that counts as history dude.

Edited February 2, 2007 by damshow

[Toe]

I really thought that when the Hawks won some games when Savard just became coach, that they would make the playoffs. But now it seems like another year, and another season of selling of your best players for "prospects". Seabrook and Barker look like they could becom top defenders in the NHL, while Havlat seems like a smart signing despite some injury problems. I think goaltending is the problem. Khabibulin obviously is not the answer, and Lalime is pratically a joke after last year.

I hope that in 2007/08, the Hawks finally make the jump to a playoff team.

[The Sultan of Swank]

Montreal and Pittsburgh played a superbly entertaining game last night. Right from the opening draw we learned that Crosby is a bitch. Montreal went down 2-0, 3-1 and 4-2. But scored 2 shorthanded goals in the game as everyone put in a complete effort for the whole game. The only reason we lost that one was Carbo's shootout choices, Kovalev, Higgins and Pleckanec. Kovalev I would take, I would have chosen Ryder or Samsonov over Higgins as both have a great shot and some skill with the stick, and Pleck, while on a good streak as of late, isn't really a natural scorer, I'd have chosen our best shootout player in Koivu instead.

Regardless we still stole a point and 4th place in the process. What's scary is that there's 4 points seperating Ottawa and Montreal(62 points each) from Tampa, Carolina and Pittsburgh(6,7,8 all with 58 points)

I really think Montreal would have won the game if it wasn't for that ridiculous match penalty to Souray. I can understand the 2, 5 and 10. Fine, Souray instigated it, and fought, but Armstrong had his gloves off first, and I do believe that seeing and he got his gloves off first, that's an intention to fight, even if you got pounded so bad you could barely get up on your own. He should have gotten 2 minutes at the very least, and the Match penalty was just excessive. After that Pittsburgh had a 7 minute powerplay, and then Ryder strips Stall of the puck by lifting his stick then taking the puck and it was another ridiculous penalty for hooking. Pittsburgh had a conescutive powerplay of half of a period, 2 minutes of it as a 5-3. They scored twice and gave up a crazy short handed goal to Bonk. Still, losing a key motivator, and a key player was tough for Montreal to deal with. After we lost Souray it was a herculean effort to climb back into the game. It was 4-2 with less than 10 minutes to play and Montreal showed no quit and tons of heart in closing the deficit. Then in OT we had a beautiful chance to win it but Fleury was on his game tonight. Fleury and Abby made some huge saves tonight, most notably a post to post pad save by Abby on Malkin.

So Montreal steals 1 point, we get another try on Sunday, but losing Souray was tits, with him, I think the game was ours.

[Guest PotatoClassic]

The Hawks win! Two games in a row - does that count as a streak?

Haha, that counts as history dude.

[The Sultan of Swank]

I'm hoping Montreal's about to win a bunch of games in the next little while. With that monster effort last night without their star player it was huge. If we play with that sort of effort and grit for the remainder of the season I wouldn't be suprised if Montreal went 20-10. The only problem is putting in that sort of effort every night. I hope it'll carry over into Long Island tomorrow and then on Sunday in Montreal, against Pittsburgh again, it's gonna be huge!

Also, I read on hockeybuzz.com that the NHL set a record attendance for January.

NEW YORK (February 1, 2007) -- With dramatic playoff races continuing to build, National Hockey League clubs set an all-time record for January attendance -- attracting 3,193,093 fans to 187 total games and posting a per-game average of 17,075, the highest in the League’s 89-year history. The per-game figure, which represented 92.3% of capacity, was nearly two percent higher than the previous January high of 16,795, set during last season’s record-setting campaign.

League-wide average attendance has increased month by month: 16,537 in October, 16,538 in November, 16,850 in December and 17,075 in January.

Edited February 2, 2007 by Basha

[Toe]

I think it is probably more terrifying that the Leafs are only six points back of the Canadiens and Senators.

[The Sultan of Swank]

I think the most terrifying thing of all is Sundin actually being tossed around in trade talks. Is he retiring soon and wants to pull a Bourque?(that is ditch a weak team for a contending team). Also, has anyone else heard Huet saying that he's playing to the end of his contract(2 years) and then retiring? If that were the case, I'd ditch him in a trade. Abby's been the better of the two lately, he's younger than Huet and is cheaper.

And if you thought that I was just moaning about how shitty the reffing was in Pittsburgh. I got this of Ryan Henderson over at the Hockey Buzz.

Playoffs in February? It sure felt like it. One of the most entertaining games this year was last night's between the Habs and Pens. Unfortunately some horrid officiating may have robbed the Habs the extra point.

The officiating in this game was the worst I've seen all year. Maybe ever. The officials blew the game from the opening faceoff and never recovered.

Off the opening draw there was a "butt end" from Maxim Lapierre delivered to Sidney Crosby's mid section. Crosby like he normally does went down and did his best fish out of water impression.

You be the judge and determine how hard, if at all, the butt end of the stick penetrated Crosby. Either way if you take a shot at the league's best you'd expect a penalty call. 2 mins to Lapierre and the officiating fiasco may have been avoided.

Crosby replies with a trip off the faceoff moments later. No call. Even up officiating at it's best. 2 minutes there might have avoided the whole game being called in this manner but now it was already out of control.

At least it got the teams fired up and they played some exciting and fast paced hockey. Once again until the referees butchered the game.

The penalty call on Michael Ryder, probably the worst single call of the entire year. You be the judge. I'm not even sure what to say about that. The ref obviously had his mind set on calling something and basically invented a call.

Now it gets interesting.

The hit on Koivu was a completely clean hit. A hard hit, what hockey is about. Saku Koivu took it, got up and skated off. He did not roll around on the ice like Crosby after his phantom butt-end. Crosby could learn a thing or two from Koivu perhaps.

Clean hit or not, Souray did the right thing by going after Armstrong. Protecting his Captain. Clean or not, you do not run the Captain/Star player.

What is the result? 2, 5, 10 and a game for Souray. Are you kidding? A 7 minute call? When is there EVER a 7 minute powerplay? Armstrong shed the mits and threw at least 2 punches, is that not fighting? Roughing? Awful.

Then wait, 2 minutes to Bonk for interference? You look at the replay. Horrid call.

So the Pens get basically the entire second period with a man advantage and find the net that way. They also concede a shorty.

So expelling the Canadiens best player with a terrible call doesn't hurt their chances? Of course it did, the Canadiens pressed the Pens the entire game. Souray was missed most on the overtime 4-3 powerplay where his shot would have been lined up countless times with all the room on the ice.

The shootout: Fleury outplayed Abeischer. Bottom line.

The Habs battled hard and earned a point coming from behind several times. If they put that effort into every game this is a contending team.

One great thing to see was the enthusiasm and energy in Pittsburgh. The fans were hardcore and loving it and it was a fantastic atmosphere. They have a young and talented team and look to be playoff contenders for many more years to come.

The players were into it to, how about the jaw jacking between Ruutu and Murray right in front of Pierre MacGuire? He dropped at least 3 F bombs loud and clear across the Country.

Did anyone else notice Alex Kovalev wake up? He traditionally shows up in the playoffs and the game was a hard fought playoff-like game.

And about Crosby....Crosby with all his talent still lacks some maturity. How about the hot dog behind the back Denis Savard wannabe pass on a 2-1 late in the game that could have sealed it? Selfish, ugly, stupid play. The Habs nearly tied it up on the ensuing 2 on 1. They didn't, but they did soon after.

Sunday's game should be a dandy. Souray will be seeking revenge and Crosby will probably be confused with the famous Forum Hot Dogs once again.

*ducks*

Edited February 3, 2007 by Basha

[Toe]

To be honest, Sundin has been thrown around in trade talks for years now. Sundin honestly loves the city of Toronto and has bought whole heartedly into the Leafs slogan of "The Passion The Unites Us All". He still has two or three years left if he wants to anyways, so pulling the Bourque is not really what he wants. He wants to win a Cup, but he wants to win a Cup with the Maple Leafs more.

Anyways, the people who continue to say Toronto needs to send away Tucker and Sundin have already wrote off a team that is only 2 points back from the 8th playoff spot in a Conference that is extremely close right now. Trading away Sundin now is not the solution when you need to win games, as he is consistently our best player even when he does not score.

[The Sultan of Swank]

Oh man, the kids over at Canadiens.com nearly creamed themselves this morning. Ohmygodzords Forsberg is in Montreal. Yeah, he's in town to get a skate custom made at the Bauer Headquarters.

[SeanDMan]

They accidentally started a rumor on the local radio that Roberto Luongo is dating Michael Buble's grandmother.

[Clawson]

I'm suprised nobody has made mention Toronto finally beat Ottawa in a shootout. Wait....I'm even more shocked Toronto has managed to get two wins against Ottawa in one season not counting the playoffs.

Now that Dave Keon is on friendly terms with the franchise again, the curse must be lifted and Stanley should finally be coming home....but I'm probably dreaming. Still it was awesome seeing Mats make Emery look like a bitch by laughing in his face after a blocker shot to the back of the head. Just one more reason why Mats is the best (well I never saw Borje play) Swedish player in NHL history besides Peter Forsberg. Heart and soul all the way, heart and soul.

P.S. I've just heard some Sens fans say Pohl's shoot-out goal wasnt even in. Are they on crack or what?

Edited February 4, 2007 by Clawson

[Toe]

Saying Pohl's goal wasn't in is pretty dumb. If the referee WHO WAS RIGHT NEXT TO THE NET even had a small amount of doubt, we would have seen some replays.

Leafs are incredibly hot right now. It starts with Raycroft, but the team is playing like they did at the start of the season. Playing with a lot of energy, a lot of pressure on the puck and a strong, aggresive forecheck at times.

[The Sultan of Swank]

Sidney Crosby blows the game for Pittsburgh, he tries to hold onto the puck for far too long, Plekanec easily strips him of the puck, flys down the ice on a 2 on 1 with Souray and Pleks passes to Souray who unloaded on the shot putting it just over the head of a sprawling Fleury for the Overtime win.

That game, while great that we won, the officiating was boners for Crosby and his brigade for 2 full periods. Montreal got 2 powerplay opportunities in the whole game, both in the third period. There were so many blatant missed calls that when Montreal finally got a powerplay the crowd gave the refs a standing ovation. I counted 5 calls a 3 year old could have made, and another 3 that I would say would have been tough calls but penalites nonetheless. The only one Montreal got away with was Bouillon turned away from Crosby and high sticked him as he skated away. Crosby, again, did his fish out of water on the play.

But honestly, the League should focus on officiating for the next season. According to tonight's game, tripping or pushing over a goalie is fair game, especially when he's in his crease. 3 times that happened to Abby, no call. It was just so blatant some of the plays Pittsburgh was getting away with.

But I'm happy Montreal got the win, even without their best defenceman in Andre Markov. Plecks had 2 goals on the night. But on the winning goal, Fleury didn't even need to worry about Plekanec shooting, Souray was with him, you just knew that they were going to try to unload his shot.

Regardless, Montreal pulls ahead of Ottawa(until Ottawa plays again, and then only until Montreal plays again, repeat until seasons end) but the East is becomming real tight right now. 5 points seperate 4th from 8th. I like the teams who are in the playoff picture right now, would make for an exciting Eastern Conference playoff battle, plus an 8th place Carolina wouldn't give up half the free pass that Toronto would to Buffalo if they manage their way back into things.

The big problems for Montreal are getting the top lines scoring. There were some assists from Kovalev and Ryder today, but right now our biggest star is Tomas Plekanec who's got 15 points in his last 15 games including 3 today.

From NHL.com

Chants of "Faker! Faker!" rained down from the cheap seats amid the sellout Bell Centre crowd of 21,273 as Crosby slowly made his way back to the bench after he lingered on the ice while trying to draw a penalty call in the third period.

Edited February 4, 2007 by Basha

[Toe]

Toronto wouldn't be a free pass to Buffalo. I believe currently the season series is tied with 2 wins a piece.

[NobBe Nobbs]

Anybody know how to download the NHL videoes on Google Video? I know it's possible, because I'm watching a couple I downloaded now. Also, is it possible to burn .gvp files to CDs and have them work perfectly?

[CKN]

From NHL.com

Chants of "Faker! Faker!" rained down from the cheap seats amid the sellout Bell Centre crowd of 21,273 as Crosby slowly made his way back to the bench after he lingered on the ice while trying to draw a penalty call in the third period.

[Plubby]

May I ask what the Rangers were thinking? Was this covered elsewhere?