If anyone forgot, The puck drops tonight!

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 1:50 pm

mobiggins wrote:
Sully wrote:
mobiggins wrote:How about Luongo? That guy's making a mockery of the 'new NHL' with two straight shutouts to start the season! Amazing.

And speaking of comebacks, don't forget the Stars scoring 5 unanswered goals to beat the Kings 5-4. I think that's the biggest opening night comeback ever. Or it might be in franchise history. Damn, my memory sucks.
Roberto Luongo is the best goaltender in the NHL, and I thought that 2 years ago.
He really was robbed of the Vezina two years ago. He put up mad numbers for a sorry-ass team. But "the club" went with Brodeur, as usual.
Watch out if Hasek manages to even finish out the season, he'll get the Vezina for sure, no matter his GAA or SV%.
Man, I can't stand that d*****bag.

He's trying to prove the mediators and management that he was indeed worth the 3-4 the millions he was looking for but got stiffed by them before the season started. Scary thing is that he's still young and top Goalies are at their peak around 28-33 years old.

Feanor · Post by **Feanor** » Mon Oct 10, 2005 3:32 pm

pk500 wrote:Just finished watching Habs-Leafs on the DVR. What an early-season classic, 5-4, Habs, with all goals coming in the second and third periods.

I agree wholeheartedly with Scoop: The "new" NHL is entertaining as hell. Every rule change is working really, really well to open up the game. There are so many stretches of 90 to 120 seconds without a single whistle. So refreshing.

F*ck, I almost have to get NHL Center Ice now. I'll be heartbroken this Thursday night, the first night after the free trial ends, if I can't get all of this great pucks action!

Take care,
PK

I've been enjoying the free trial on Comcast too.

The price for Center Ice is quite reasonable, but I don't have the patience to watch many full games of hockey except for Flyers games when there's so many video games to be played. Still haven't gotten Ninja Gaiden Black because I can't stop playing WE8I.

HipE · Post by **HipE** » Fri Oct 14, 2005 9:51 pm

That Pens-Flyers game tonight was absolutely nuts! Philly just dominated the first period and a half, going up 5-1. The Pens then come all the way back and tie the game 5-5 on a shot from center ice by Maxime Talbot, his first NHL goal. Philly then looks like they've scored the game winner with a minute left, the goal light comes on and everything, only to find out on replay that Pens goalie Sebastien Caron made possibly the greatest save I have ever seen in my life. In OT, the Flyers get a 2 man advantage, the Pens kill the first penalty, only to lose their 4th straight OT game just before the second penalty expires.

Unbelievable!

Sully · Post by **Sully** » Fri Oct 14, 2005 10:06 pm

HipE wrote:That Pens-Flyers game tonight was absolutely nuts! Philly just dominated the first period and a half, going up 5-1. The Pens then come all the way back and tie the game 5-5 on a shot from center ice by Maxime Talbot, his first NHL goal. Philly then looks like they've scored the game winner with a minute left, the goal light comes on and everything, only to find out on replay that Pens goalie Sebastien Caron made possibly the greatest save I have ever seen in my life. In OT, the Flyers get a 2 man advantage, the Pens kill the first penalty, only to lose their 4th straight OT game just before the second penalty expires.

Unbelievable!

It was frustrating to watch as a Flyers fan. Nittymaki was absolutely horrible. Forsberg didn't notch 4 helpers, while Gagne scored 2 goals. Crosby scored his 2nd of the season. My hat's off to Caron. He came in and played phenomenal, and that save was amazing. I'm happy to get the 2 points, but it should have been much easier after going up 5-1.

tjung0831 · Post by **tjung0831** » Fri Oct 14, 2005 10:44 pm

HipE wrote:That Pens-Flyers game tonight was absolutely nuts! Philly just dominated the first period and a half, going up 5-1. The Pens then come all the way back and tie the game 5-5 on a shot from center ice by Maxime Talbot, his first NHL goal. Philly then looks like they've scored the game winner with a minute left, the goal light comes on and everything, only to find out on replay that Pens goalie Sebastien Caron made possibly the greatest save I have ever seen in my life. In OT, the Flyers get a 2 man advantage, the Pens kill the first penalty, only to lose their 4th straight OT game just before the second penalty expires.

Unbelievable!

That save by Caron was friggin legendary! I have never seen a better save in my life either.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Fri Oct 14, 2005 11:31 pm

Hockey is being played the way it should be played, end to end action without the grabbing crap. Tough game for the Pens that remain winless and the surprise team after a week and half is my choice for the cinderella this year: Nashville.
Check the news update on the ATL-TOR game as A. Sutton apparently just blew D. Tucker in the head and it could be a big suspension. After the 9-1 blow out, I hear it turned into a goon festival.

Post by **ScoopBrady** » Fri Oct 14, 2005 11:53 pm

Khabibulin had his best game as a Hawk tonight. The Hawks finally played their first shootout and notched the win.

Naples39 · Post by **Naples39** » Sat Oct 15, 2005 12:11 am

I must see this save by Caron that everyone is raving about. I've already seen all the goal clips from the Flyers website and nhl.com, but for some reason it was not included in the nhl.com highlighs package. Someone please post a link if you find one.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Sat Oct 15, 2005 12:12 am

tjung0831 wrote:
[That save by Caron was friggin legendary! I have never seen a better save in my life either.

Huge save! But as big as this one was, I've seen P. Roy and the dominator Hasek having equaled saves in the past.

HipE · Post by **HipE** » Sat Oct 15, 2005 12:36 am

Naples39 wrote:I must see this save by Caron that everyone is raving about. I've already seen all the goal clips from the Flyers website and nhl.com, but for some reason it was not included in the nhl.com highlighs package. Someone please post a link if you find one.

There is a link to it in this thread at OS:

http://forums.operationsports.com/vBull ... p?t=145852

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Sat Oct 15, 2005 12:48 am

Uhh...that was ridiculous. What a save.

HipE · Post by **HipE** » Sat Oct 15, 2005 12:50 am

Forgot you have to be signed in to view threads at OS, so here's the link to the vid for anybody who isn't registered at OS (if there is anybody):

http://rapidshare.de/files/6296235/caron.wmv.html

The file is pretty large, but well worth the download if you want to see an amazing save. You get about two minutes of the game broadcast, Mike Lange and Bob Errey with the commentary.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Sat Oct 15, 2005 6:19 am

Thanks for the link, Hip. That save was ridiculous. Hard to even fathom.

Wow. Seeing something like that takes a little edge off the sting of the Oilers' loss to Dallas.

Take care,
PK

Naples39 · Post by **Naples39** » Sat Oct 15, 2005 12:23 pm

So we've all seen the save now, but that apparently was no match for the entertainment taking place after the game in the Flyers locker room. Here's a string of quotes I've cut and pasted from the papers today talking about the Flyers win, and mainly the save that wasn't from Antero Nittymaki...

"I'm at a loss for words. I don't know what
transpired," Primeau said.....

It's a good thing [Forsberg] helped out at that end,
because another of his moves cost the Flyers a goal.
Antero Niittymaki was staring at the video replay of a
ridiculous Forsberg move when Maxime Talbot of
Pittsburgh won a face-off beyond center ice and lofted
the puck his way. Niittymaki saw the replay, but he
never saw the puck coming, and that was merely the
goal that tied the game at 5-5 midway through the
third period.

The home fans were not amused by the goal, although
most of them were also watching the replay of Forsberg
passing the puck to himself... through his own legs...
from behind... and couldn't quite understand how the
10th goal of the night was scored....

With wide-open hockey created by new rules and the
power plays created by the number of penalties the
referees are blowing, the days of 2-1 games are
history.

"That's the new NHL, get used to it," Flyers coach Ken
Hitchcock said in a 1-minute, 15-second news
conference that was as entertaining as any stand-up
comedy act. "What are you going to do, you know? It's
embarrassing when those two guys fell down," he said,
referring to the two alleged dives.

"That's embarrassing, but that's the way it is. So
keep going. We're going to get our calls, too, and
that's exactly what we did. We got our calls in the
other end. You just keep going. It's a track meet and
I'm too fat to run."....

Asked during his news conference what he saw of the
goal, Hitchcock said, "More than Niitty," with a
straight face. Asked if the goal upset him, Hitchcock
answered that question with a blank stare and a "next
question."

Following that, a reporter noted that it looked as if
Niittymaki hadn't been paying attention, to which
Hitchcock turned and said:

"No s***. He wasn't ready. Those things happen. He was
sweeping the snow. What are you going to do?"....

"Thank God we won," goalie Antero Niittymaki said.....

"It's great for the game. It's a great game to watch,"
Forsberg said, speaking like a true forward.

Then he lowered his voice to a conspiratorial level.

"Coach doesn't like it very much," he said.

Leebo33 · Post by **Leebo33** » Sat Oct 15, 2005 12:59 pm

Naples39 wrote:"That's the new NHL, get used to it," Flyers coach Ken
Hitchcock said in a 1-minute, 15-second news
conference that was as entertaining as any stand-up
comedy act. "What are you going to do, you know? It's
embarrassing when those two guys fell down," he said,
referring to the two alleged dives.

Apparently, he was eating a donut and missed the slash on Crosby that wasn't called. The calls seemed pretty even to me.

Naples39 · Post by **Naples39** » Sat Oct 15, 2005 1:03 pm

Leebo33 wrote:Apparently, he was eating a donut and missed the slash on Crosby that wasn't called. The calls seemed pretty even to me.

I was mainly posting those for comedic values because I didn't even see the 2nd and 3rd periods, but it if you just read that next quote it seems Hitch agrees with you.

"That's embarrassing, but that's the way it is. So keep going. We're going to get our calls, too, and that's exactly what we did. We got our calls in the other end. You just keep going."

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Sat Oct 15, 2005 1:20 pm

Knowing the caliber of coaching that Hitchcock is, be assured that poor Niittymaki was ripped in the dressing room and he'll be watching the replays from the bench the next game.
That Crosby Kid has a point on every single game so far, he just needs a win for a change.

Feanor · Post by **Feanor** » Sat Oct 15, 2005 1:44 pm

Brian Boucher (then of the Flyers) made a save almost as good as Caron's save in the 2000 playoffs against New Jersey.

Sully · Post by **Sully** » Sat Oct 15, 2005 1:56 pm

Feanor wrote:Brian Boucher (then of the Flyers) made a save almost as good as Caron's save in the 2000 playoffs against New Jersey.

I believe it was on Patrick Elias.

Post by **ScoopBrady** » Sat Oct 15, 2005 5:00 pm

Saves like that might not be a dime a dozen but they're not exactly rare in the NHL. Maybe the year away made people forget the caliber of goalies that are in the NHL. It was a hell of a save but I've seen plenty of saves like that in the past 30 years.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 1:20 am

Big night in Oil town as #99 returned as a coach to see his team beat the Oilers in OT and also witness the retirement of Paul Coffey's Jersey #7.

I've seen some great saves by goalies lately, last week we talked about Caron's save, how about Cujo's against Stahl during the game. He just robbed him, Joseph has been playing great for Phoenix.

Sully · Post by **Sully** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 8:06 am

10spro wrote:Big night in Oil town as #99 returned as a coach to see his team beat the Oilers in OT and also witness the retirement of Paul Coffey's Jersey #7.

I've seen some great saves by goalies lately, last week we talked about Caron's save, how about Cujo's against Stahl during the game. He just robbed him, Joseph has been playing great for Phoenix.

There is no Stahl on Edmonton. Did you mean Jarret Stoll?

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 9:46 am

Yeah, he meant Stoll, who never met a shot he didn't like. He's the Allen Iverson of the Oilers: He'll keep shooting until one goes in.

Did anyone see Peca's hit in the corner midway through the second period in the Oilers' game? He simply LEVELED that Phoenix guy against the boards. A spatula was needed to peel that guy from the ice.

Amazing thing is, Peca MIGHT weigh 180, and he's one of the best hitters in the NHL.

Outstanding ceremony in honor of Coffey. Wow, what memories of the "glory years." Nearly brought a tear to my eyes.

And you think back to the season in which Coffey scored 138 points on 48 goals and 90 assists. Amazing numbers for any player, especially in this day and age. But by a defenseman? That's simply ridiculous.

Take care,
PK

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Wed Oct 19, 2005 12:56 pm

Peca got my divine attention the day that he levelled T. Selanne who was still playing for the then Winnipeg Jets right in the middle of the rink. He's a great 2 way player, a good PK and even though he's not a big guy, he's always in position to make those hits. I was sad the Canucks traded him for A. Mogilny then.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Thu Oct 20, 2005 11:19 am

Not a bad speech from Bettman. Pretty much sums up all of the good things happening now in the NHL:

http://www.nhl.com/news/2005/10/239352.html

Take care,
PK