Winter Classic Moments | Satan offencive?

I have millions of photos of the Classic, and there's no way I have the time nor inclination to post all of them, so here's a few favourites. And huge props to the B's for being the first home team to win the Classic. Bruins, what!

Miro Satan signs with the Bruins
Well this was an interesting development. What has Satan been doing this season, other than not playing in the NHL, and "training" in Long Island? I can't quite figure out the theory behind this signing. I realise the B's need some offence, but last season, Satan only had 17 goals and 19 assists, playing with Crosby and Malkin. As a point of reference, Lucic had 17 goals and 25 points, and is on IR until, likely, Friday vs the Blackhawks.

Once Looch makes his return, Chiarelli is faced with the choice of who to either waive (Paille? A good addition to the team, and sure to be picked up on the wire before making it to the P-Bruins), or send back down Providence. The semi-obvious choice at this point is to send Sobotka back down as he doesn't have to clear waivers, but with how he's been playing, which doesn't necessarily reflect on the stat sheet (4 goals, 3 assists), it seems illogical. Especially to replace a 22 year old coming into his game, who hits like he's 80lbs heavier (why doesn't the NHL include hits, MS, A/B, TK and GV in their comprehensive stats anymore, when they're included on the game sheets?), with a 35 year old who hasn't played in about 6 months, and hasn't been a huge offencive threat since 2005, when he put up 35 goals and 31 assists.

So what will happen with Lucic comes off IR? Remains to be seen, but given the Bruins' performance at the Classic, while chippy and rattled at times, the addition of Satan confuses the shit out of me. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. And while I realise the Bruins are one of the lowest teams in the league with 2.5 GPG, I still don't see how adding Satan to the lineup will make much of an impact. Unless he's been added to the roster as trade bait for the upcoming trade deadline? So many ifs and so many questions. Expect to see Satan playing on Monday v the Rangers. I, of course, will not be seeing it, since it's on Versus, and I have DirecTV. Fuck you again, Comcast.

I just hope that before he retires, Satan signs with the Devils. Then my hockey fandom will be complete. Hopefully that will happen in March.

I'm vexed.

Happy New Year from the Bruins

"It just wasn't meant to be" - Lucic | BOS v ATL

Post game interview from 12/30/09, courtesy NESN:



I'll be the first to admit, I love Lucic. And this saddens me. Especially since the usually grinny Milan is not looking very happy at all during this interview. Is there still a possibility he could play tomorrow? Maybe. A very slim chance, probably <1%. Fourth line, limited minutes, who's to say? What makes me more sad is all the interviews he gave saying how he's never played an outdoor game before because it never gets cold enough in Vancouver. Keeping the streak alive, I guess? Here's to hoping the ankle is good to go tomorrow. If the Nor'easter heading towards New England turns to rain though, all bets are off. What happens if there's rain anyway? Is there a rain delay? Is the game postponed? Moved to the Garden? Has that possibility been prepared for? I'm curious. Snow? Awesome, make the players shovel. Rain? You can't stop play every 3 minutes to squeegie the ice off, and playing on wet ice creates way too many injury possibilities. But here's to hoping Looch is able to get into the game, if for no other reason than to put that smile back on his face, and break the "never played outdoors" streak.

In other news, the Bruins once again thrashed the Thrashers. Here's the interesting stat of the night. In 27:42 that Ondrej Pavelec played against the B's in the past 2 games, he allowed 6 goals on 18 shots, which averages to a SV% of .667, and GAA of 13.00. I'm thinking the Thrashers have his number, and he's hoping he never has to play them again.As it were, the B's have beaten the Thrash in 9 straight games. Shame they only play each other 4x a year. And like Jack Edwards says, 2 U's, 2 K's, 2 points, and another shutout.

David Krejci, Vladimir Sobotka and Patrice Bergeron were my personal players of the game. Krejci didn't put up too much in terms of the score sheet, but he made a lot of things happen, and I'm guessing he and Bergeron both put the excitement and sheer ecstasy of being named to their Olympic teams to good use in the game, especially after being embarrassed by Tampa the other night. Congrats to all the Bruins who've thusfar been named to their respective countries' Olympic teams: Zdeno Chara (Slovakia), David Krejci (Czech Republic), Marco Sturm (Germany) and Patrice Bergeron (Canada). Here's hoping Tim Thomas is named to Team USA.

Here's some photos from last night, courtesy Reuters, Getty, AP, etc.

Greatest photo sequence ever. Shame they weren't all shot from the same angle or I could've animated this. Or I could rip it off the DVD but I'm lazy and you got the Milan interview so be happy.

Winter Classic practice coverage on NHL Network right now if you're interested.

Figuring shit out

I haven't really known wtf to say about either the 'Hawks or Leafs games yet. I mean, Krejci was amazing in the Hawks game, and wow that building is quiet during play. It only really got loud if there was a good play, a hit, or a goal.  Then in the Leafs game, the B's came out hard, and the Leafs seemed pretty willing to keep giving them the puck. But yeah, I'm gonna blame the past two losses on Stuart, Wideman, Morris (HALF THE D-CORPS!) being out. I'm not going to finger point any particular player and say step it up... OK yes I am. Marc Savard, step it the fuck up already. This time last year you had 29 assists. Right now you have 8. You gonna let Big Joe outshine you like this? That's so not right.

There's also a little something that's been nagging at me. Three games Schenn sits out, the Leafs handily win two. His first return he plays 19:44, the Leafs lose. Second game, against the B's, he played 10:48, and they won. Stats don't tell all the tales, and his physical play was definitely up to par (I particularly liked watching he and Sobotka go at it (btw, it's Suh-boat-kuh, not Soh-bot-kah)), but it's little things like that that make me curious. Can one defenceman make that much of an impact on a team's W/L record? I know THREE can. Or the absence of three.

Also: RE Boychuk's hit on Stajan... first off, Happy Birthday, Matty! Keep your head up. Secondly, yeah I can see how people would say, it was a headshot, Johnny should be suspended, but he shouldn't. Stajan had his knees bent, he was in a defencive crouch stature, his head was down, and Johnny's kind of tall. He didn't leave his feet until the contact had been made and STAJAN NEEDS TO KEEP HIS HEAD UP. Especially in the neutral zone, c'mon. That's where the greatest open-ice hits happen! I will say I'm confused why Chara didn't get a penalty after the ensuing melee, and it's always nice to see Komisarek bleeding. But that was just a game lost due to inexperience on the blue line. Hunwick, Chara and Ference can't do it all alone. Tuukka needs his guys in front of him knowing what to do.

In other news, what's the word on who's going to be in net for the Classic? Here is what I think. Timmy, I love you, I really go - GO CATS GO! - and I get that you're the current Vezina winner. But right now, last night excepted, Tuukka has the hot glove. Unless that goes downhill significantly over the next week and some, I really think Rask should start. Now maybe they can switch off halfway through? But that makes it more of a ... "we're not so serious about the 2 points as we are the novelty of being in Fenway." It's a tough decision that'll have to be made. And we'll see over the next 5 games who plays their way into the spot. But man I'd hate to be either of those guys right now.

Pictures later. I have windows to cover with insulating film (YAY SNOW!).

Milan Lucic pulls a fast one

Go read this.

Now I bring you evidence of Looch's mischeviousness:


(Sorry about the quality. I'm still learning the different settings on my new video program.)

OK that was pretty slick. "I'll stay in Boston for the roadie, work out, maybe start skating soon. Oh hey look! Legends first skate at Fenway! I can get into that! I'm totally going." I admire him for going in his kicks and not on skates, just in case. This must be one of the greatest days of his life. I love this guy's moxie.

Stuff about the game later. Photos courtesy bruins.nhl.com and video courtesy NESN.

It's beginning to look a lot like hockey!

Ooooooooooooover at Fenwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay.

SO EXCITING!!!! 21 days to go!

Ice Bowl II - Chicago

Hockey game planned at Wrigley Field
Associated Press
4:34 AM CDT, July 7, 2008

CHICAGO - According to a published report, it looks like there will be hockey at Wrigley Field, the home of the Chicago Cubs.

The Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports that the Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings plan to participate in the National Hockey League's third outdoor game on New Year's Day, and want to use the North Side ballpark as the site.

An announcement is expected next week before the Blackhawks Convention at the Chicago Hilton.

According to the report, the game was finally approved last week when NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman met with the Hawks, Cubs and Chicago Mayor Richard Daley.

The Crosby Show - Instant Winter Classic: PENS WIN!

1 - 2
(S/O)
Sidney Crosby, so many people may be sick of you and hate you, but we here at FWH LOVE you, and think there could not be a better face of the NHL in our generation. Thanks for living up to the hype, thanks for helping make this such a great game, and as a Pens fan, thanks for pretty much every damned thing. Most of all, thank you to the NHL, NBC, and the fine people of Orchard Park and Buffalo NY for pulling this off. A better game could not have been scripted.

Author Maal showing Pens Pride on New Year's Eve Day

(All other photos courtesy Getty Images and ModSquad)

Talking Thrash

As the Thrashers cruise through pre-season, they're 2-0. Newcomer Eric Perrin led the charge against the Blues on Sunday night, scoring 2 goals to put the Thrash up 3-1 over the boys in blue. The newest sensation in goal, Ondrej Pavelec, made 24 saves while playing all 60 minutes.

Last night, Garnet Exelby was the most unlikely of heroes, as he put in the winning goal in OT to put the Thrash over the Isles, 4-3. Johan Hedberg was in net this time, putting up 29 stops. Judging by rotations Hartley's been using, we should see Freddie Brathwaite in net on Thursday in Nashville, and Kari Lehtonen backstopping for the first home game of the season, against the Blues.

Hartley still is yet to determine who the 4 players will be to make the squad coming out of camp. What this team needs desperately is a solid and dependable blueline - one that won't leave its young phenom goaltender out to dry the way they did in the playoffs last season. Lehtonen will be able to come back and rebuild his confidence, but only if he's got a strong and capable defence in front of him. The Thrash have Ken Klee, Exelby, and Niclas Havelid for experience and possible dependability. On the blueline, Klee is really the only known factor. Off-season signing Joel Kwiatkowski, while providing experience, also comes in with a question mark next to his name. He's streaky, and this team needs reliability. Other notable defencemen in camp are Alexei Zhitnik and Steve McCarthy. Youngsters Boris Valabik and Mark Popovic are looking to crack the lineup this season, rather than head back to Chicago to patrol the Wolves' blueline. If I were the coach, I would take one kid for the 3rd pairing and send the other north. To make the playoffs again, and get beyond the first round, the Thrashers need a solid blueline, and can't afford to spend time and games developing players.

This season's player to watch is Eric Perrin. All the talk for the Thrashers has been centred around Todd White, but look for Perrin to be the dark horse. His experience and hockey sense provided Tampa with key playmaking and goal scoring. Previously he led the Hershey Bears deep into the playoffs, and was not only the team MVP several times, but also voted Man of the Year for his off-ice work with charities. This is a key signing for the Thrashers, and one to make note of. Don't be surprised to see Perrin put up 20 goals this year.

On Monday, NHL commish Gary Bettman held a press conference to announce the January 1 outdoor game between the Pens and the Sabres, to be held at Buffalo's Ralph Wilson Stadium - home of the NFL's Bills. This is the first NHL game to be played outdoors in the US, and will likely surpass attendance at 2003's Heritage Classic between the Oilers and Canadiens. Held at Edmonton's Commonwealth Stadium in November of '03, 57,167 people witnessed history (and nearly froze to death). Ralph Wilson Stadium has a capacity of over 73,000. This is slated to be the largest outdoor game in the history of the league. Tickets are on sale today.


Did you get your tickets? We did! See you there!