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!).
20 December 2009
Figuring shit out
10 December 2009
It's the little things that bring me joy
With about 1:49 remaining in the 2nd, and :16 in Toronto's power play, the puck in their defencive zone, Phil Kessel has the puck against the boards. Marc Savard skates all the way across the sheet to throw himself at Kessel, then turns and skitters away to the bench for the change. Kessel turns around, ignoring the puck and the play, and starts chirping Savard. Hey listen, you little snot-nosed punk. You chose to leave. And the boys announced they were going to make your life hell every time you came back. You think because he centred you for 2 years, Savvy's gonna take it easy on you? Grow up. Count your stars that Looch is out right now or you'd be Van Ryn revisited.
Marc Savard, you are totally my hero. I hope you were chirping Kessel while throwing yourself at him. Also I love that Savard doesn't hit, he throws himself at people. Not unlike how he throws himself at the glass after a goal.
Big things make me happy too, and let me just say, that robohip David Krejci got during the off-season is really working out for him. Someone put him in an All-Star game. The kid is FAST. He spun Schenn around to leave him on his knees, outskated Kaberle without even trying, and gave every Bruins fan in the world a taste of the skill and talent that's bubbling just below his calm, shy surface. That goal was a thing of beauty and set my heart aflutter. Oh the dekes! Oh the fakes! Oh the wicked forehand he just snapped past Toskala. Was that 7-hole? I think it was!
And hey, listen, Jamal Mayers? Mark Stuart is going to hand you your ass every time. Just let it go. But thanks for the entertainment!
Phil Kessel is going to be chirped, booed, and serenaded every time he sets foot in the Garden for the rest of his life. And I could not be happier for that. KesselMania? I think not. KesselFail more like.
I can't wait til Looch is back on the ice and raring to go against Komisarek. Looks like Toronto is suddenly as big an rival as Montreal, if not moreso. When do these two teams play again?!
Also, for your pleasure and information, Don Cherry will be manning the NESN desk with Kathryn Tappen and Mike Milbury on 12/30, for the pre-game analysis, and for the 1st intermission, which will be a Bruins-centric Coaches Corner. I can't fucking WAIT. I hope Tappen does as she says she will and just sits back and shuts the fuck up because there is not a THING she can contribute while sitting next to those two great hockey minds. Set your Tivos. 12/30, BOS v ATL. There might be a shoe-beating, who's to say?
Note to self: Save cocky blog posts for after the game, because the opponent will sense said cockiness and set out to shove my foot into my mouth. But thanks to the B's for stepping it up and getting it done. Nice try, Leafs.
Lastly, with tonight's win, Tuukka Rask is 9-2-2 on the season, the best start for a B's goaltender since '73-'74. God I love Finn goalies.
PS: Yahoo!FAIL:
Um.... pretty sure the only thing Milan Lucic was playing tonight was Brickbreaker on his Blackberry during TV timeouts. Good job using the team's media darling to bring in more clicks, though. Sneaky bastards.
PPS: With Ray Emery on the shelf for 6 weeks with a bruised ego, am I the only one waiting to see how long it takes for Philly to trade for Ty Conklin? It's just not outdoor NHL hockey if Conklin's not playing, and hello - opportunity is knocking!
06 December 2009
Phil who?
(Prepare to die)
