The Hockey Thread

[Plubby]

*gleeeeeeeeeeeee*

I was really excited for Jonas, too...pity the NHL.com real-time scoreboard didn't tell me that he wasn't there after the first period. Did he injure himself?

EDIT: His heart?!? Holy shit!

[Guest Mr. Grinch]

If there was one thing about the Monster I didn't question, it was his heart.

[Toe]

That was the least exciting Leafs/Habs game I've seen in a long while. Not only was the score one-sided, but the Canadiens didn't get chippy and decide to pick fights and take pot shots. If Toronto was the team losing, you can bet on them starting shit!

Gustavsson went out with an elevated heart rate. Wierd thing to see, but I am guessing it won't be anything too big. The Leafs just didn't want to take any chances. After what happened to Cherepanov in Russia, it just isn't worth taking the risk. And hey, Joey Mac had his best performance of the season. I kinda feel bad for him that Gustavsson gets the win.

[Clawson]

For all the talk about Montreal's speed being able to dominate Toronto's size in the off-season, it was nice to see us dominate them with speed and a hard forecheck.

That was the perfect truculent game.

[Toe]

I think Jamal Mayers and Colton Orr are both doing a fan-dabi-dozi job on the forecheck. Obviously, Ron Wilson rewarded both with some more playing time

and Orr was able to get his first goal as a Leaf.

[Clawson]

Yeah, Orr's goal is what other people on this team need to do.

Plus it's always good to see somebody who can grow such a mean moustache score a goal.

[Toe]

I want to see Grabo with a big beard and stache. That would be awesome.

[The Sultan of Swank]

It was a good game last night. I felt that Montreal was putting in a decent effort, but it seemed a little like going through the motions as we saw on the 2 breakaways and on the first goal. They seemed to work hard, but Toronto just worked harder. The Habs weren't really.... complacent... they just weren't working as hard as they needed to... maybe they took the game for granted as a win... I dunno. But I called this in an earlier post... the season series will never be a big win in the end for one team or the other.

[Guest Mr. Grinch]

So I found the Maple Leaf Gardens closing ceremonies in eight parts on Youtube. In

Ron Maclean introduces Leaf alumni one-by-one - unfortunately, it's not exactly the star alumni. It's the biggest salute to mediocrity I've ever seen.

[The Sultan of Swank]

I believe that because at the time, Sittler was still having nothing to do with the team, and it's a lot harder to get star players who are into their 70's and 80's to come out than it is for star players in their 50's. Watch on saturday, the 100th anniversary game, when they parade out the old stars, most will be from the 70's dynasty. A few from our 60's dynasty and maybe 1 from our 50's dynasty.

[Guest Mr. Grinch]

Sittler was working for the team at that point. I think they introduced the big stars later, but when one of the biggest reactions goes to Jiri Crha, you should rethink your guest list.

[Plubby]

This game looks like it's out the window, but at least it looks like Chris Stewart has gotten himself the ol' Geordie Howe Hat Trick.

Ding!

EDIT 1: I love it when I'm wrong like that. Even if we end up losing it, that's a bitch point i'll take ANY day of the week.

[The Sultan of Swank]

I was just watching the highlights from the 2002 Olympic Gold medal game, and I have to say that the Canadian goal where I believe it's Sakic passes it towards Lemieux, who lets it go between his skates but still fakes the shot and then it lands right on Kariya's stick like it was meant to go there the whole time and Kariya pots the goal.... I think that's the most amazing goal I've ever seen.

[Guest Mr. Grinch]

I think I might agree with you on that. (It was Sakic.) Amazing atmosphere around that tournament too...I don't think 2010's going to reach that level of public hysteria. I mean, I *still* remember things from 2002 like Belarus beating Sweden on that shot from halfway down the ice that got past Tommy Salo, radio sports jocks making fun of Belarus' "zero-five forecheck", my grade 8 teacher telling us we could watch the Canada/Belarus game after recess unless Belarus was up by two or more than faking us out by telling us it was 2-0 Belarus, Gretzky's "they're out to get us" speech, on the day of the gold medal game (a Sunday), my priest saying something like "after today's sermon I don't think any of you would even think about doing something like this, but if you want to rob a bank, today at 3 would probably be a pretty good time to do it"...everybody in Canada cared about that team. I'm really skeptical that we'll see the same this year, possibly in part because people who haven't followed the game for a few years won't recognize half our roster.

[The Sultan of Swank]

Tlusty traded for Paradis.

[Plubby]

I dunno. Either the Canes bungled when they picked Paradis, or Burke just got away with High Larceny. Either way, someone got robbed blind here.

[Clawson]

Phil Kessel: Scoring Goals and Punching Faces since December 3rd, 2009

[Toe]

I don't know who Paradis is, but I do know that Tlusty just never looked the same in the NHL as he did in the AHL. I do remember him scoring a goal off his butt though.

I loved seeing Blake finally score some goals tonight. Kessel has two, and I was nervous he would be hurt when he got into a fight. Good thing he survived unscathed.

[Toe]

Fuck.

I have a chance to get some Leafs tickets, but no one to go with me.

[Clawson]

If I had any money I would be there within seconds.