Hockey Season is upon us

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ivyleager said:
19redwings said:
Hockey is a third tier sport. We all need to admit that. I have family in Raleigh and they had to go to 5 different places before they found one that would put the Canes game on. So, yes, there are more fans. But in reality, there are teams where they shouldn't be. I do not mean it to be snobbery, that would be elitist. How is one elitist for a third tier sport?

Glad to see you support your team!
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Seeing as I LIVE in Raleigh-Durham, I find that statement ludicrous and, more to the point, it stretches credulity! Every sports bar down here had the game on and used this as advertising to get people in the door. Even the little pizza place down the road had the game on Thursday night, and that's run by a Pittsburgh family. Everyone here in town is walking and talking hockey. Best thing about Southern hockey: tailgating in February in 60 degree weather, and our playoff airport ritual. Caniacs rock!
http://www.newsobserver.com/796/story/1529795.html

I absolutely abhor the elitism and contraction talk, and the original six teams are not without their problems. I'm from Chicagoland and grew up living and breathing Hawks hockey in the 60's - 70's. That once proud and original six franchise WAS Crud for years recently until Mr. Wirtz died. Now, his son has the turned this team around and it's been a joy to behold, especially seeing them beating up on Detroit last year (thank god for Center Ice). Toronto's management has been a joke for years. Montreal couldn't win against a pee-wee team, basket cases for goalies and ego's galore. Rangers can't seem to stay away from Avery. Boston, well, they're done for the year. The Jacobs family may make a mess out of that team over the summer, so stay tuned. The Red Wings have been the only constant through these past 2 decades, but even they had very lean years in the 70's - 80's.

There's been some abysmal failures and decision in some of the upstart franchises, like moving the Florida Panthers arena to the suburbs from downtown Miami. Killed their attendance immediately. Same with the Coyotes. I foresee the same happening to the Devils. Who the **** wants to go to Newark, let alone see a hockey game. I use to live in N. Jersey and it was a quick 45 minute drive to the Meadowlands. Even if I lived there now, I know to stay out of Newark at night. And then there's Edmonton. It seems players want to leave there as soon as they get there.

I'm no Bettman apologist and the NHLs TV contract with Versus leaves me scratching my head. However, I find it exciting that there are little kids down here, and further south, that talk with a twang (and not an "eh") and are growing up playing hockey. The league can't just depend on Canadians to fill the rosters. The game also needs more fans in order to gain in market share. Unless you want it to be a third tier, elitist sport where you stay the top dog?
___________________________

And Marillion Fan:
Yes, it'll be a Staal - Staal series. Have you heard of the Staal brothers drinking game? I hadn't until today. I may try it games 1 & 2, as I'll be at Games 3 & 4.
http://pghbloggers.org/node/281932

Thanks for taking care of Ovenchicken. I was smiling as Sidney stole the puck from him and scored on the breakaway. I look forward to ending YOUR season.

We have unfinished business with Detroit.
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I figured I owed you this much....

Just got a call from my sister at 4 pm today. I found out their neighbor has a box and that is how they have been going to all the games. They felt guilty accepting the invite (rationale is they should be taking customers) so they decided to tailgate and then go home and watch the game. On a hunch, they checked and all levels were available at 4 pm, so they bought tickets and are going in to watch.

The only reason Bertuzzi still gets paid is that there are too many teams and therefore someone is willing to pay him

This is just my opinion. Your results may vary.
 
19redwings said:
<snip>
The only reason Bertuzzi still gets paid is that there are too many teams and therefore someone is willing to pay him

This is just my opinion. Your results may vary.<snip>
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I don't know if you've been keeping up with the Phoenix Coyotes/Ballsillie fiasco, but your quote made me think of it. Balsillie is wanting to move the 'Yotes to southern Ontario and has started up a website "makeitseven.com", or something like that. Well, the 'Yotes fans are selling t-shirts that say "Keep it Six", and someone was going to make a t-shirt that said "Make it Five".. :lol: :lol: There'd be a civil uprising if Canada lost another franchise... :lol:
 
MikeInTN said:
I don't know if you've been keeping up with the Phoenix Coyotes/Ballsillie fiasco, but your quote made me think of it. Balsillie is wanting to move the 'Yotes to southern Ontario and has started up a website "makeitseven.com", or something like that. Well, the 'Yotes fans are selling t-shirts that say "Keep it Six", and someone was going to make a t-shirt that said "Make it Five".. :lol: :lol: There'd be a civil uprising if Canada lost another franchise... :lol:
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Now that's funny!! :lol:

I also have to throw in that I don't get along very well with my sister, so I have a slant against the Canes. Having watched both series, I would rather have the Canes win the series, because the Pens won't miss all the empty nets that Chicago has missed.
 
Marillion Fan said:
:shock:

I didn't expect that to happen..... Sorry Ivy.
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Well, that one was painful. Kind of like getting hit by an oncoming train and not being able to get out of its way. Ouch.

Don't know who to root for now. Don't really see the point of the Wings getting another cup. Would be nice for Osgood to silence his many critics because 'Yes, he is that good, it's not just the team in front of him.' Don't really want to see Orpik get his name on the cup. I like Sid, love Mario though. Maybe I'll just cheer for Mario, that all he's been through and done for this franchise, it is payback time for his dedication. (Orpik still sucks).

Anyhoo, 4 months til exhibition games! (Hey, I'm a Cubs fan so I'm used to this).
 
dravenone said:
Go Pens, I'm tired of the Red Wings. And Osgood is all right, but his defensemen make him better. I wouldn't go comparing him to Roy or Broduer.
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Well, the "trap, clutch and grab" defense the Devils perfected in the late 1990-2004 also help pad Brodeur stats tremendously. Great goalie, yes. But, he was the direct beneficiary to the Devils lockdown style of play. As the Canes players figured out, he is vulnerable high blocker side, and hates traffic in front of the net.

Roy has won more cups, and international competitions. IMO, he is the better goalie.

We'll see how Osgood weathers the offensive force that is the Penquin main weapon. I don't see how Crosby and Malkin can be stopped. Last year, nerves were their problem. This year, not so much. Not sure how the Wings can match up with that defensively alone. It will have to be a full ice/team effort defensive mind set. The Wings are probably the only team that can do that. We'll see today how it works out for all involved.

Go Cubbies!
 
All right. I have learned something else new from this site. I love sports but know nothing about hockey since I've lived in North Florida my whole life. I did go to a couple of minor league games in Tallahassee back in the early 90's and that was really fun and confusing, but it's really still hockey season? I thought that was a winter sport. Are hockey players the new boys of summer? To be honest, I think it would be great to be able to go to a hockey game when it's 90 degrees outside! That sounds refreshingly cool...
 

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numberonenole said:
All right. I have learned something else new from this site. I love sports but know nothing about hockey since I've lived in North Florida my whole life. I did go to a couple of minor league games in Tallahassee back in the early 90's and that was really fun and confusing, but it's really still hockey season? I thought that was a winter sport. Are hockey players the new boys of summer? To be honest, I think it would be great to be able to go to a hockey game when it's 90 degrees outside! That sounds refreshingly cool...
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Yep, it's at the tail end of hockey season. Detroit and Pittsburgh are playing in the Stanley Cup finals. The NHL has an 82 game schedule that goes through winter and into spring, and then the top eight teams from each conference square off in best of seven playoff series. After that, the last two standing (the conference champions) square off in a best of seven championship series. So, the playoffs can and do take a while to finish, especially if the series goes seven games.

It is refreshingly cool inside the arena, but unless the building has dehumidifiers and really good cooling, playing when it's that hot outside often causes problems with the ice.
 
ivyleager said:
Roy has won more cups, and international competitions. IMO, he is the better goalie.

We'll see how Osgood weathers the offensive force that is the Penquin main weapon. I don't see how Crosby and Malkin can be stopped. Last year, nerves were their problem. This year, not so much. Not sure how the Wings can match up with that defensively alone. It will have to be a full ice/team effort defensive mind set. The Wings are probably the only team that can do that. We'll see today how it works out for all involved.

Go Cubbies!
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Totally agree that Roy was the best goalie ever!

I cannot fathom how Detroit has kept both Malkin (his goal was by Stuart) and Crosby empty without Datsuyk and Draper out of the lineup. Zetterberg has been doing a bang up job on Crosby thus far.

Not happy with the officiating (Letting the boys play). Not a major sticking point as both teams tend to stay out of the box, but some of this is a little overboard. Specifically elbows by both sides. Guess they cannot suspend Malkin for what he hid after Walker broke a guys face.
If Anaheim had made it to the conf finals they would have been allowed to grab, tackle, you name it and get away with it.
 
19redwings said:
ivyleager said:
Roy has won more cups, and international competitions. IMO, he is the better goalie.

We'll see how Osgood weathers the offensive force that is the Penquin main weapon. I don't see how Crosby and Malkin can be stopped. Last year, nerves were their problem. This year, not so much. Not sure how the Wings can match up with that defensively alone. It will have to be a full ice/team effort defensive mind set. The Wings are probably the only team that can do that. We'll see today how it works out for all involved.

Go Cubbies!
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Totally agree that Roy was the best goalie ever!

I cannot fathom how Detroit has kept both Malkin (his goal was by Stuart) and Crosby empty without Datsuyk and Draper out of the lineup. Zetterberg has been doing a bang up job on Crosby thus far.

Not happy with the officiating (Letting the boys play). Not a major sticking point as both teams tend to stay out of the box, but some of this is a little overboard. Specifically elbows by both sides. Guess they cannot suspend Malkin for what he hid after Walker broke a guys face.
If Anaheim had made it to the conf finals they would have been allowed to grab, tackle, you name it and get away with it.
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I agree, I'm all for letting the players decide who wins and who loses, but there are rules that should be followed, and penalty's issued when they are not, yes calls will be missed, after all I think the refs are human after all, (could someone confirm this? :-D ) but the ones that are so blatant the average fan picks up on them, should be called regardless of period or player.
Should Malkin be suspended? I didn't watch the game, even as much as it pains me to say it, we are not going to win the cup this year either, but if his actions would warrant a lesser player a suspension, so be it to him I say.
 
Not as much 'should Malkin be suspended'. They came up with this 'instigating penalty in the last 5 minutes of a game where you cannot effect the outcome' is an automatic one game suspension.

Black and white, but not when read by Campbell. The NHL is losing whatever credibility it had. Not enforcing it's rules. Back-to-back games for the finals start to appease a television network that doesn't pay a rights fee (lifted from Buccigross @ ESPN)? 3 games in 4 days? 4 games in 6 days? 5 games in 8 days?

Life's a ***** when you support a third tier sport! :cheers:
 
19redwings said:
Not as much 'should Malkin be suspended'. They came up with this 'instigating penalty in the last 5 minutes of a game where you cannot effect the outcome' is an automatic one game suspension.

Black and white, but not when read by Campbell. The NHL is losing whatever credibility it had. Not enforcing it's rules. Back-to-back games for the finals start to appease a television network that doesn't pay a rights fee (lifted from Buccigross @ ESPN)? 3 games in 4 days? 4 games in 6 days? 5 games in 8 days?

Life's a **** when you support a third tier sport! :cheers:
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Soooooo true on all points.
 
Congratulations to the Pittsburgh Penguins. And a special thank you to Mario Lemieux for all his sacrifices to keep the team in Pittsburgh and steer it through bankruptcy. Super Mario he is!

And kudos to the Detroit fans for cheering and honoring the hockey tradition of hoisting The Cup. Wow, they just gave Mario a resounding round of applause. Class all the way. (But, sorry Hossa.)

Finally, proud of my ex-Cane Craig Adams #27 on the Pens. He gets his name on the big shiny thing. And another Staal has his name on it.

I love Game 7's!
 
Marillion Fan said:
Congratulations to Gary Bettman and the refs for handing the most prized trophy in all of sports to a sub par team, a team that shouldn't of even made the playoffs let alone win the whole thing.
Sorry to be such a downer, but even as a Pens fan, they should not have won this cup.
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ABD, MF...ABD.. :goodjob: I thought it was a heck of a series, and a heck of a game 7. The refs blew calls throughout the playoffs.

Congrats to the Pens and their fans.
 

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