On headshots, playoff push, fantasty hockey, and Letterman

The GMs are meeting in some warm secluded area right about now and all we hear about is "head shots: the top subject at the GMs meetings". Really? Like it's something now that needs to be addressed? There are two problems with discipline in the NHL. First off, the CBA only allows for a piddly player fine (I wanna say $2,500). To someone making millions of dollars, this is like cab fare (or a night in Calgary if you play in Edmonton). If fining is meant to be a deterrent, make it count. Don't just ask for a token remorse fee. Secondly, when on earth are we gonna get consistency? In international play, if you hit someone in the head, you are ejected. Granted in international play, it's generally a one game elimination situation so that has some heft. But if the NHL wants to get serious, make any shot to the head a ten game suspension. Period. No matter who you are or what line you play on. From Matt Cooke to Mike Richards to Alex Ovechkin. Make the hitter pay. While you are at it, fine the team. Maybe if teams stop playing headhunters, it will curb it. The players keep touting it's all about respect. Well until they start showing it, the league needs to come down hard. Why is this so hard to see?

Calgary one a huge game last night against the wings. Detroit just didn't seem like they wanted the two points. I still say this goes back to my Bertuzzi rule but I won't get into that here. Dare I say, Detroit needed this game and they let it slip away.

Atlanta didn't help their cause either (not to mention a Nashville win hurts Detroit that much more). For a team that was coasting along pretty well after trading their top start to the Devils, The Trash have taken a dive.

When I turned off my tv last night, Colorado was up 3-0 on the Canucks. This morning I read they blew two three goal leads en route to a 6-4 loss. I wonder if the Av just fell apart or did the Nucks realize there was a game to play.

Although it's meaningless for them, good showing of the Jackets against the Ducks. They didn't have Ricky or Juice and still puled it out. Play for pride boys.

Speaking of pride, mine is going down in flames. I've been stuck in second and third places in my fantasy teams for what seems like forever. I've pretty much given up on them but it would have been nice to finish with the top spot.

In closing, I wanna touch on the seemingly endless shit going Sidney Crosby's way for declining the top ten on Letterman. Sid owes nothing to the Letterman show. He was in town for a day game against the Rangers when they wanted him to tape it. They tape in the afternoon - was he supposed to ignore the job he's paid to do? I was talking to my hockey buddy here (who is a Pens fan) and when we talked about it, his comment was something along the lines of "The top ten is a joke. It just proves that Sid's not important enough to actually sit in the chair and have an interview. I'm glad he didn't go." Well said my friend. Well said.

We're off to see the Wizard....

First I would like to give a big shout out to the Columbus Blue Jackets for capturing their very first trip to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Jackets and quite a few of their players are on the list of favorites here at Chica Central; and no one more than the captain, Mr. Richard Nash, who tied the game to give them that last point that they needed to clinch.

This is a picture I took of Ricky at the Draft two years ago when it was in CBJ; and Lisa and I drove down from MI so I could watch two of my Tips boys get drafted. It was big fun and if you're ever there, eat at Schmidt's Sausage Haus. Okay so it was the only restaurant that we ate at besides Waffle House, but I love German food and it was good. Anyway... here is Ricky...



Also going on this week is the last week of games for the AHL; as well as the ECHL will be opening up their quest for the Kelly Cup this weekend. Why is this important you ask? Well, there are a handful of former Tips are playing in the A and the E and we still love our boys here in Hooterville long after they're gone... just ask Mitch Love. :)

So tomorrow starts the series of Moises Guiterrez and the Elmira Jackals vs. the Trenton Devils; though our pal Mo is on the 30 day IR as of last week. I'm still trying to find out what happened, and hopefully he will be able to return soon. Then on Saturday is the Victoria Salmon Kings with Dan Gendur vs. the Idaho Steelheads. Danny's had a pretty good rookie season up in Victoria, which I'm sure is no doubt due to it being his hometown, and he probably gets to live at home with his mom taking care of him.

Then over in the AHL, it's still not quite decided yet for our pal Mitch, John Lammers and the Houston Aeros; but they have a good shot of getting in tomorrow night. They'll join Riley Armstrong and the Worcester Sharks, Zach Hamill and the Providence Bruins; and the favorite team here in Hooterville, the Manitoba Moose with Shaun Heshka and our good pal Taylor Ellington. Tay hasn't played yet for the Moose and may not in the playoffs, but it's good for him to be up there. The only former Tip that I know of that is playing in the A that won't be in the playoffs is Leland Irving. His Quad City boys have had a good run as of late, but they are just going to run out of time.

I love playoffs time... it's always fun when the playoff races are actually races; and you are rooting for teams to win that you'd cut your tongue out than admit you were rooting for, other than the fact that the team they're playing is neck and neck with YOUR team.

So, to bookend today's post with the Blue Jackets, I'll give you a little bit of funny with a former BlueJacket turned Atlanta Thrasher Ron Hainsey. Just watch it... it's funny. :) Have a good day kids!

Meaningful games in April

In past years, April has been a time to fine tune their lineups for the playoffs: a tweak here, resting the key guys there, coasting until the second season starts. Boy that's been shot to hell this year. None of the standings are set and in both conferences there is wiggle room from top to bottom. Some divisions are secured, but other than that, nothing else is etched in stone just yet.

Buffalo: man, they lost a HUGE point last night to the Trashers (side note, I was watching a game on CBC or TSN and there was someone in the booth by his accent it was clear he was a Quebeccer and he kept pronouncing the Thrashers as the Trashers. I of course, loved it). They are not mathematically eliminated but the hill just got a few degrees steeper. Note to the Habs - stop frakin' winning.

Penguins: Very quietly they have tied for fourth place (as friend of Chuckers, Lisa, pointed out that Marty B was pulled for the Flyers last night - not a good night for goalies named Marty, eh?) with a shellacking of the Devils. Worlds Greatest Goaltender EVAR! ( /sarcasm) looked very human afterall. The devils owe their season to their third stringer goaltender AHL goalie, not Marty.

Again I can't remember where I heard this but it was said about the Wing: and their reward for finishing second is to play the Ducks. Yeah, no thank you. Once given up for dead, Les Canards are doing their best Phoenix (bird, not city) impression and making some noise. If things end up this way, I don't know if the Wings want that hot mess in round one. Come to think of it, no matter who the Wings get in the first round, they are going to face a scrapy team who are out to prove that they belong in the playoffs (the Blues, the Preds, heck, even the Oilers and Minny have a shot). This reminds me far too much of the year Edmonton went to the Final. Who did they beat? An over talented Wings team. Oh Jason Smith, how I miss you.

The Jackets decided to show up again. After having their collective asses handed to them by a charging St. Lou team, they bucked up and put down a Nashville team that's looking to do some damage. Turns out, the Preds are the ones who came out hurting. They lost yet another pretty key guy to their team. I don't think Stevie Sullivan can do it all boys. But this is the first time the BJs have had some purpose to play well in April (other than that usual response of "pride")

But you know, I've got one more thing. Watching the Guins game last night...it was 6-1 and Sid blocked a shot. He skated off in pain but didn't miss a shift. I gotta think had that been a lot of other 'super stars' that wouldn't be in that position but instead they would be trying to pad their stats.

That about sums up what's in my brain this morning. Until next time!

Another day, another dollar or two...

Good morning friends and neighbours out in the land of Puck. It's Monday, which means nothing other than there is a shitty game on Versus and I rolled into work at 9:30; but only because I have a standing 10:00 meeting. *sighs like Sid playing PSP*

And the party is over here in Tipsville as of about 10pm on Saturday night. The boys gave it a good ride, but just couldn't keep up with Tri-Cities; and so the season has come to an end. Considering a lot of experts picked the boys to finish 9th or 10th in the Western Conference, I think that coming in as 7th and making the playoffs is an achievement. It's just too bad that they had so many injuries and dropped some games that they looked like they had won; otherwise they might have finished higher and with a winning record.

I should have a season end post, but I think I might have to wait a few more days... I'm not sure I'm ready to say goodbye to them, especially the three 20 year olds: Taylor Ellington, Graham Potuer and Daniel Bartek. They're really great guys; and with Tay and Potsie, they've been here 5 years, along with I've gotten to know Taylor a little better than the other two.

I guess the upside is that they will be going on to bigger and better things with either school or professionally; and that is where Taylor will be. He will either be playing in Victoria with the Canucks' ECHL club, the Salmon Kings, which is where another of our good pals Dan Gendur has had a great rookie campaign; or if he has a good camp, he might start the season in Winnipeg with the AHL Manitoba Moose with another former Tip, Shaun Heshka.

So, we're going into the second to the last week of the NHL season, and there are still logjams in both conferences for the last few spots, and I think it's going to come down to that last weekend. Talk about nail biters! I have two teams that are pretty sure of a spot unless they somehow lose all of their remaining games; but the last, aka Les Canards, are playing well but they're dependent on a few teams in front of them losing as well. *sends bad juju to Nashville and St. Louis* I know Lisa is feeling the same way for the Buffaslugs and maybe even the Kitties too since they're 10th and 9th right now, but only by a few points behind. *sends more bad juju to Montreal and the dirty Rangers*

And I also have some video this morning for those of you who also have a case of the Mondays...

Courtesy of the girls from Puckhuffers is a super funny video of Cabbie on the Street from Score Network, that has a few of my favorite boys in it.



I also wanted to share the video from the fabulous line brawl that was surrounded by the Canucks-Blackhawks game last night. The only bad part about this? Ben Eager didn't finish the job and rip Kevin Bieksa's shirt completely off! ;9 And holy shit are the sin bins huge at the Hawks' barn. I know the one at Comcast will fit only three comfortably or maybe 4 if they're the skinnier boys. ;)




Anywho... that's about it from me today. Have a good one youse guys!

We're gonna rock this town, rock it inside out!

It's game day here in Hooterville and most Tips fans are pretty confident in our boys after winning game 2 to get a split of the first two on the road; especially with as hard as it was to win over in their barn this season. Last night two of the boys were at Sporty's, a local watering hole that is a huge sponsor of the Tips; and they were in good spirits and sounded ready, but were holding back a little on the enthusiasm. I think that's smart, because Tri-City is a very big and tough and talented team; and it's no fluke that they earned 101 points and won the division. So, I have my big fluffy sweatshirt and my bag of Hall's drops ready as I'm still in the last stages of La Grippe. :)

But, on the pro side, it's a half ways busy night in the NHL and I hope Les Canards can continue on their quest to get back into playoff contention. Last night, Jiggy had his shit together and was able to keep the Preds to one goal; as well shut them out in the shootout. They're now in eighth and hopefully they're gonna stay there.

Wish I had more to expound on other things, but my work calls and I should go see where Lisa has been the last few days. I think she's in Buffalo nursing Crunchy back to health. ;)

Theories blown to hell

I used to have this theory that teams played better in front of their back up goalie. Well either my theory doesn't count for the backup's backup or it's just flat out wrong. Thanks to the Sabres for proving me wrong in any event. What the frack was THAT last night? But you know what I won't do? I won't bail on them. That really irritates me. The "Oh woe is me my team sucks" stuff is for the birds (and Thrashers fans). I may not like them right now but I do love them. (but those two points they could have had last night might come back to bite them in a few weeks).

Pittsburgh did another happy dance last night - wow, that number 71 can play some pucks no? I only caught the middle to the end of the game (I have it dvr'd so I can watch this weekend) but his two goals were something else. There was an article about 'why people hate Sid' over at Kuklas Korner and one of the comments said something about Geno not playing defense and just looking for points. Ya know? Call me a fool, but I think I'm ok with that.

*points to Philly and laughs* Sorry, had to get that off my chest. The Wings won again and I'm pleased.

I'm not going to mention the goalie happenings from last night. I'm sure that will be covered to DEATH. But it's a very nice accomplishment. I wonder who will be next?

Florida, Colorado, and the Sharks....all losers last night. Not even the extra gimmie we made it to OT point. And because most every team played last night, it's a light schedule tonight. Which is good, because once again, I'm gonna be gone. And my dvr is filling up.

Ok, that's enough stalling on the day. Until next time!

Interesting playoff conversation

On NHL Live yesterday, Eddie O (who I enjoy there much more in studio than in a game setting) raised an interesting question about the playoffs: what if it were the top 16 teams (regardless of the conferences)? It could set up a situation where the final is two teams of the same conference and ya know, there have been times when it's been said that a conference final would be better than the actual final.

They broke it down if the playoffs were a top 16 and some are pretty damn interesting.

1. Detroit v 16. Buffalo
2. San Jose v 15. Florida
3. Boston v 14. Columbus
4. New Jersey v 13. Carolina
5. Washington v 12. NY Rangers
6. Calgary v 11. Montreal
7. Philadelphia v 10. Vancouver
8. Chicago v 9. Pittsburgh

Now, on the face of things, Philly would have the hardest travel (but hello, the West teams do that all year). I'd love to see Detroit v Buffalo...or how about Calgary v Montreal? The young guns of Chicago and Pittsburgh going at each other? I think it's fabulous.

Only two teams (Dallas and Nashville) wouldn't be in (who are currently in) and Buffalo and Florida make it in (who are currently on the outside looking in). I say go for it! It's been frustrating to me to see a team in one conference with fewer points make it in when a team in the other conference with a higher point total is out. Even up the schedule and lets roll with it.

They also talked about 2 points for a win and none for a loss. I still say this is how it should be.

It's St. Patrick's (sadly, not Roy) Day and if you are into this sort of thing, don't drink too much beer and remember to watch some hockey tonight - there are some pretty good games to be seen!

It's the most wonderful time of the yeaaaaaaar!

Since Mitten Chica is in a musical mood this morning, I thought I'd add mine in there too. :) For a girl like me who's not only addicted to pucks; but a certifiable sports junkie, March is a wonderful time on the sports year. It's the beginning of baseball season, March Madness has begun; and the hockey season is down to under 20 games left.

Yesterday was a really good day... one of those rare days that had wall to wall hockey and I barely left my chair other then to use the bathroom and get snacks. It started with the Pens and Bruins at noon and ended with my main men taking care of the Avs. The only speed bump in that day of bliss on ice was Les Canards losing to the Sharkies 1-0; and that one goal was scored by Travis Moen who until two weeks ago was a Duck. Isn't it ironic... doncha think? lol

There's only two games tonight with the the Craps and the Thrashers; then the Preds visit Staples Center to play Los Reyes. I don't really care who wins that second game, but it's something to watch this evening. Hopefully JMFJ will give it to Tootoo, the little bastard.

Anyway... I had in mind to talk about my baby boys, do a little end of the regular season wrap-up; but after the kind of pathetic third period at home Saturday night and the disgusting display last night in Kent, they're sleeping on the couch for a few days. Don't get me wrong, I love those guys with all my heart, but sometimes... I just want to throttle them. Maybe they'll get a couple of good bag skates in 'em and I'll feel like talking about them. I just hope they win at least one game out of the first 4 so I don't have to see them lose at home. Watching an 18 year old boy sobbing on the bench is not something I want to see for a second year in a row.

So to end today, I leave you with something that makes me laugh like a maniac every time I see it; and it doesn't hurt that JM Liles is cute as a button.

Wait.... what?

I really want to send a letter to the NHL and ask them what is the method of logic that they employ when they set up the schedule for each season. I mean, why is it that there are two games on one night, then the next two will have 11-12 games? I realize that there are folks that only root for one team, and I'm weird (shaddup!), but my thumb gets a cramp when I have to go back and forth between channels. Most Friday nights it's not an issue since I'm at the arena for games with my baby boys; but tonight I'm home and I'll need something to watch before I listen to them on the radio.

At least tonight there is a late game: and that is another thing that irritates me. What I mean by that is a lot of nights there are a bunch of games, which is great; but they all start before 6p Pacific, which is where I happen to reside. What this means is that being out here in Hooterville, if there are no late games, I have find something to watch on cable or something after 8pm. I mean, hello? There are 8 teams in the Pacific/Mountain time zones... can we not have ALL of them either off that night or all on the East coast at the same time??? Besides the fact, when they're on early, I miss at least the first period because I work for a living and don't even get home until 5; and that is not counting the days I have to go to the grocery store or have other errands to do.

Anyway... Tips are headed over the border for an evening at the PNE with the Giants, and hopefully they'll come back with some fuel in the tank for the last game at home tomorrow and the last one on Sunday down in Kent with the T-birds. Looks like we'll have everyone back tonight but one player, and he got to go back on the ice yesterday which is wonderful news. He's been off for about 3 weeks after getting an elbow to the head... fucking TriCities bitch! Grrrr!

I'm sure we'll have something good for the last few weeks of the season, especially with the emergence of a couple of teams that either have never made the playoffs or haven't since most of their roster has been alive. Stay tuned! Have a good one youse guys!

You're in Silvertips Country!

I got busy yesterday and didn't get a chance to update things from the WHL world, and so here it is today.

The WHL has 4 teams in the CHL Top 10 Rankings this week with the Calgary Hitmen at 2, Vancouver Giants at 3, Saskatoon Blades at 6 and the Brandon Wheat Kings bringing up the rear at 10.

Also, Drayson Bowman of the Spokane Chiefs was named the CHL player of the week. Drayson is a baby Cane who scored five goals and five assists for 10 points in three wins with a plus-minus rating of plus-6. He was also part of Team USA this last winter in the World Junior Tournament.

The Silvertips went 1-2 this last week, but those two losses were against teams much older and more experienced. However, since they have been fairly close to the .500 mark, they have sewn up a spot in the playoffs for the 6th straight year. Hopefully this will give the boys the support and positive mind space to get through some really tough games coming up, especially since they have 5 games in 7 nights this next week.

We still have four guys on the sidelines and they will probably be there for the weekend: Dale Hunt with a concussion, Paul Van de Velde and his separated shoulder, Daniel Bartek's broken hand and out for the rest of the season doing rehab on his hip flexor is Shayne Brown. The Everett Herald says that Paulie is skating in practice again, but his shoulder is still needs time before it's 100 percent and my good pal Dale is making slow progress with his concussion, but I'm sure they'll make sure his melon is all better. Best of all is our Czech pal Daniel... they might get him a skating cast, which means he's not sitting on the sidelines for the remaining weeks of his WHL career which would suck rocks big!

So, that's what's going on here in Tipsville. We're playing Vancouver tonight and hopefully we'll get out alive. :)

Random drug induced rambling

Good morning from the Left Coast... well, it's morning anyway and I'm buried under my desk in my cube sucking down OJ and popping Dayquil. :) And Lisa said pretty much what I would have if I were up that early; so insteat I want to give a big ole shoutout to my main men aka the Vancouver Canucks.

I have been a fan of the Canucks ever since I can remember, mostly because of locale as Vancouver is about a 2 hour car ride from here. They weren't that great since when if they did qualify for the playoffs they were promptly ousted by one or the other teams from Alberta; but I loved Steamer and Harold Snepts and even Tiger Williams. Then in the 1988 draft, they had the 2nd pick and they chose a tall skinny kid from Medicine Hat, Alberta; and I was hooked line and sinker.

When the 1988-1989 season started, I watched as many games as they showed in the days before Center Ice and all the cable channels, which weren't that many, even with the start of the double header of HNIC starting that season; but still I believed and finally in 1994 it seemed that the dream of that shiny cup was going to come true. Well, even with a super human effort by the Captain and Pasha Bure and Captain Kirk; it just wasn't in the cards for my boys. I didn't know it at the time, but two men on the other side of the Cup celebration would be responsible for so much unhappiness for me and other Canuck fans a few years later.

You know those days you will always remember no matter how long ago.... you know where you were and how you felt, etc. Well, February 6, 1998 and November 10, 2001 will always be those days since they were the days that Trevor got traded away then traded back. Those almost 4 years without Trevor were so hard for me to be a fan... I was angry at the front office, I elevated my intense dislike for Messier and Keenan to an all out hate; and if it wasn't for Markus Naslund and Todd Bertuzzi showing the signs of the beginnings of the West Coast Express, I would have had to cut a bitch.

But to make a long story even longer, through good times and bad, I have never not loved this team. There have been many times where I have not liked them and felt they needed a kick in the nards; but they will always be my boys and last night was one of those games where I was so proud of them. They were on the road and down late in the 3rd period to a division rival who also needed those two points; and they manned up and got it to OT then won it in the shootout. I guess I was just a little pleasant surprise after the long long slump they were in last month; and I admit that I was on the "Why did we sign Sundin?" list for a while. Obviously, I was very uniformed on how good he could be; but then I could give a rat's ass about the Leafs so I sort of have ignored him forever.

I'm not sure if there was a point to this post other than say to my beloved Canucks that I love you guys and good luck on your road trip this weekend!

Eastern-ish time zone recap

Lots of hockey happened last night and some of it was even pretty good.

Buffalo Buffalo Buffalo? What are we going to do with you? You are like my dog - faced with what he sees as a bully, he goes nuts, barking his wee brown head off. But then when he sees someone he deems weaker than he is, he rolls over and shows the dog his belly. After a huge emotional and much needed two points against the Sharks on Friday (side note, if you saw the game, have you ever heard a more quiet moment of silence?) and then they choke and give up two very very lazy goals early and make the game almost out of reach in the first period. I'm not being a homer here, but I can't blame Miller for either one - as much as I hate to admit it, Robby (the intermission dude for those not in the Buffalo area or who don't have center ice) was right - you can't stick check a Staal (The Staals are brothers?) and stop him. Lindy called this a distance game (or something like that) but they didn't get any distance on anyone last night. The only possible saving grace is that the Panthers didn't win.

Speaking of the Kitties. They may look on last night and miss those two points. If I'm reading things right, they could have moved into fourth place last night with a win. Sigh. Now they are tied with Buffalo in points (in 7th place with a game in hand)

The Penguins fired their coach yesterday. Color me not surprised. When you have a team that went to the cup final last year and have the top two scores in the league, you shouldn't be in 10th place. I know I know, but what of the injuries? There have been too many games that Gonch or Whit or Rusty would have helped. They very well could be on the outside looking in this year.

Their opponents in the final last year, Redwings for those following at home, started off slow against Colorado, made a push to tie it, then stepped on their collective members in the shootout. As much as it pains me to say it, I don't think they'll come out of the west this year. I don't think they have the goal tending. Then again, San Jose has looked pretty beatable in the last few games so maybe there is hope.

I can't be the only one who really enjoyed the Rangers having their asses handed to them, am I? Oh yeah, Sean Avery will help that club out.

Breakfast and cleaning await (bummer way to spend the day off), so that's it for now. Happy Monday!