It ain't over till the fat lady sings....Not with today's NHL.HipE wrote:And going for their 10th loss in a row, the Penguins fall down 4-0 ten minutes into the first period.
If anyone forgot, The puck drops tonight!
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Ah, the new rules take you back to the third periods of the 70's and 80's. No more protecting leads. Instead, you see teams with a lead still attacking. No lead is safe.Diablo25 wrote:Pitkanen!!! 5-4 win!! What a game. 3rd period is one of the best I've seen in a long time.
It's exciting, to say the least.
Woohoo, Pens win, Pens win!!!!
Down 4-0 in the first, Lemieux scores two (on his way to a 5 point night) to get them back in the game. Gonchar gets the next two to tie it, then LeClair nets a couple to give them the lead and put the game away.
The Pens tied a team record with six power play goals, maybe that will get the power play going for them finally. As great as it is to get a win though, they can't keep falling behind every single game. They've only scored first once in ten games, that has to change.
Down 4-0 in the first, Lemieux scores two (on his way to a 5 point night) to get them back in the game. Gonchar gets the next two to tie it, then LeClair nets a couple to give them the lead and put the game away.
The Pens tied a team record with six power play goals, maybe that will get the power play going for them finally. As great as it is to get a win though, they can't keep falling behind every single game. They've only scored first once in ten games, that has to change.
More importantly Ric Jackman has turned into an offensive force in the new NHL! I'm happy for him, saw him drafted live in St. Louis in 96. Glad to see he's finally doing it after having some personal issues the last few years. Looks like he's got his alcohol issues under control.HipE wrote:Woohoo, Pens win, Pens win!!!!
Down 4-0 in the first, Lemieux scores two (on his way to a 5 point night) to get them back in the game. Gonchar gets the next two to tie it, then LeClair nets a couple to give them the lead and put the game away.
The Pens tied a team record with six power play goals, maybe that will get the power play going for them finally. As great as it is to get a win though, they can't keep falling behind every single game. They've only scored first once in ten games, that has to change.
Tim
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laurenskye
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pk500
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Fellow pucks freaks:
I think it's time to step back after three weeks of this season and take in all we have seen.
Think about it: We puckheads are posting nearly every night about this great game or that great game, about incredible goals, great comebacks, big hits, etc. That simply NEVER would have happened with this kind of frequency from 1995-2004.
Would we have seen Pittsburgh score seven consecutive goals to beat Atlanta 7-5 in the 2003-04 season? No way. Atlanta would have started to clutch and grab once it got a 3-0 lead in the first period, and the final score may have been 3-1, with 45 to 50 minutes of tedium following the Thrashers' early offensive burst.
The game is absolutely superb right now. As Jackdog and I agreed last night on the phone, I can't recall another sport that has made this many significant rules changes before the start of a season, and every one has worked just as designed.
High, high marks to the NHL. It has the most exciting regular-season games right now of any pro or college sports league -- every night will provide something fantastic. Again, we never could have said that two years ago, when the NHL regular season was about as exciting as doing a tax return.
Every single regular-season game has the flow of an end-to-end playoff game. If the regular season is this good now, the playoffs could cause me to plaster tapioca pudding all over my boxers on a nightly basis.
Game on, boys!
Take care,
PK
I think it's time to step back after three weeks of this season and take in all we have seen.
Think about it: We puckheads are posting nearly every night about this great game or that great game, about incredible goals, great comebacks, big hits, etc. That simply NEVER would have happened with this kind of frequency from 1995-2004.
Would we have seen Pittsburgh score seven consecutive goals to beat Atlanta 7-5 in the 2003-04 season? No way. Atlanta would have started to clutch and grab once it got a 3-0 lead in the first period, and the final score may have been 3-1, with 45 to 50 minutes of tedium following the Thrashers' early offensive burst.
The game is absolutely superb right now. As Jackdog and I agreed last night on the phone, I can't recall another sport that has made this many significant rules changes before the start of a season, and every one has worked just as designed.
High, high marks to the NHL. It has the most exciting regular-season games right now of any pro or college sports league -- every night will provide something fantastic. Again, we never could have said that two years ago, when the NHL regular season was about as exciting as doing a tax return.
Every single regular-season game has the flow of an end-to-end playoff game. If the regular season is this good now, the playoffs could cause me to plaster tapioca pudding all over my boxers on a nightly basis.
Game on, boys!
Take care,
PK
"You know why I love boxers? I love them because they face fear. And they face it alone." - Nick Charles
"First on the throttle, last on the brakes." - @MotoGP Twitter signature
XBL Gamertag: pk4425
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laurenskye
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Last night Mickey Redmond kept saying "haven't seen that in 10 years". It made me realize how "unhockey" hockey has been.
I've seen a few players complain like John LeCler saying it's "unmanly" now. This is bunk. I've seen huge hits, just less two handers that were not getting called and now are.
I guess he has to have some excuse for his paltry numbers.
I've seen a few players complain like John LeCler saying it's "unmanly" now. This is bunk. I've seen huge hits, just less two handers that were not getting called and now are.
I guess he has to have some excuse for his paltry numbers.
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pk500
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Yeah, I hope the NHL brass doesn't kow-tow to reactionary Canadian codgers like Don Cherry and Harry Neale, who b*tch and moan endlessly about the "new NHL."
They both claim there's no hitting. That is such bullsh*t that it's unbelievable. There's less bumping and clutching and grabbing, but I have seen a TON of guys get stapled into the boards in the first three weeks of the season.
It's simple physics: Greater speed equals greater force when hitting. And that's exactly what we're seeing, and that's what the fans like.
Right now, the NHL has an ideal combination of speed, skill, finesse and contact. Bettman better not bend in his commitment to the "new NHL."
Take care,
PK
They both claim there's no hitting. That is such bullsh*t that it's unbelievable. There's less bumping and clutching and grabbing, but I have seen a TON of guys get stapled into the boards in the first three weeks of the season.
It's simple physics: Greater speed equals greater force when hitting. And that's exactly what we're seeing, and that's what the fans like.
Right now, the NHL has an ideal combination of speed, skill, finesse and contact. Bettman better not bend in his commitment to the "new NHL."
Take care,
PK
"You know why I love boxers? I love them because they face fear. And they face it alone." - Nick Charles
"First on the throttle, last on the brakes." - @MotoGP Twitter signature
XBL Gamertag: pk4425
"First on the throttle, last on the brakes." - @MotoGP Twitter signature
XBL Gamertag: pk4425
My only complaint: Let them play the Old Way in front of the net. Used to be you camped out 6 inches in front of the crease and you took a beating only Dave Carlson could endure with a smile. I never heard anyone complaining during the Old Days "there's just too many physical battles in front of the net." Bring it back.
That's it. Everything else is great.
Oh yeah: Pk, I'm pretty sure I can get Niiinnnaaammmaaa back to the Oilers if you can find some old hockey tape, or a used Indy 500 mouse pad laying around.
He Sucks.
He doesn't look nice, and he doesn't sell hockey. Just plain sucks.
B
That's it. Everything else is great.
Oh yeah: Pk, I'm pretty sure I can get Niiinnnaaammmaaa back to the Oilers if you can find some old hockey tape, or a used Indy 500 mouse pad laying around.
He Sucks.
He doesn't look nice, and he doesn't sell hockey. Just plain sucks.
B
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pk500
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B:
I still think physical battles can be fought in front of the net without the style of the past.
Think about it, what were the three biggest tactics for clearing a guy out of the crease in the past?
1. Cross-checking
2. Holding
3. Goalie slashing the skater's ankles
All three of those tactics always have been illegal, yet those rules never were enforced in the crease.
If anything, I like how guys can camp in front of goalies because it makes the goalie's job that much tougher. Goalies are physically bigger than 30 years ago, and I still think goalie's pads are too big, as another inch could be removed to make them look like the goalies from the 70s.
If hooking, grabbing, holding and cross-checking were overlooked again in the crease, then where is the line drawn? At what point in the ref's mind would the crease end? Would that kind of play then extend out into the slot or behind the net?
I think you need strict enforcement in all areas of the ice. It's the only consistent way.
The only negative to the easier camping near the crease is that goalies are getting run more often, usually by skaters who are being shoved into them by a defenseman. But it's good that the refs are calling goalie interference a lot more, and I saw a Montreal player called for diving in the crease last night after just being grazed by an Ottawa defenseman.
Again, another good sign.
Take care,
PK
I still think physical battles can be fought in front of the net without the style of the past.
Think about it, what were the three biggest tactics for clearing a guy out of the crease in the past?
1. Cross-checking
2. Holding
3. Goalie slashing the skater's ankles
All three of those tactics always have been illegal, yet those rules never were enforced in the crease.
If anything, I like how guys can camp in front of goalies because it makes the goalie's job that much tougher. Goalies are physically bigger than 30 years ago, and I still think goalie's pads are too big, as another inch could be removed to make them look like the goalies from the 70s.
If hooking, grabbing, holding and cross-checking were overlooked again in the crease, then where is the line drawn? At what point in the ref's mind would the crease end? Would that kind of play then extend out into the slot or behind the net?
I think you need strict enforcement in all areas of the ice. It's the only consistent way.
The only negative to the easier camping near the crease is that goalies are getting run more often, usually by skaters who are being shoved into them by a defenseman. But it's good that the refs are calling goalie interference a lot more, and I saw a Montreal player called for diving in the crease last night after just being grazed by an Ottawa defenseman.
Again, another good sign.
Take care,
PK
"You know why I love boxers? I love them because they face fear. And they face it alone." - Nick Charles
"First on the throttle, last on the brakes." - @MotoGP Twitter signature
XBL Gamertag: pk4425
"First on the throttle, last on the brakes." - @MotoGP Twitter signature
XBL Gamertag: pk4425
Good points & observations PK. I was going to make a list of what works what not, what's + and not after the first 25 games but since you jumped ahead, I am going to say I must agree with you. The new NHL works, it opens a new whole dimension to the skilfull player, all of the sudden he can show his assets & freeplay and I wouldn't be surprised if we see the 50 goals snipers again.
I mean it's much easier to teach defense than to be creative & skilfull with the puck. It's easier to teach someone how to grab and hold but you can't teach a J. Spezza how to score that type of a goal last night. I mean we should start a separate thread for "Goal of the Night" or simply "Save of the Night". You're right by saying based on the ATL-PITS game last night that on the old NHL, a team would start trapping & clogging the neutral zone no plumber could fix, (especially after a 4-0) but I couldn't help but to write and tell those Pens' fans last night to hang on, because anything could happen in the new NHL while they were still down 4-0.
How many comebacks have we seen this season? A high skilled team like the Avs had 3-4 goals over the opponent only to lose those games early in the season. On the subject of camping in the crease, I like what's happening too. That's why a player like C. Pronger lost his effectiveness because he just can't "crosscheck" anymore like he used to. Having said that, many Goalies are complaining that there's way more illegal contact with them, but I also have seen in the last week more Goalie interference calls, so it goes both ways.
People like D. Cherry, P. Quinn are very old fashion Hockey guys and they can say what they want but I do believe today's game is more fun. I mean D. Cherry got like 9 DVD's (I lost count) entitled, "Rock them, Hit them, Sock them" (help me on this title guys), what's he's going to do this year?
The only rule I would change ,it's the penalty shootout. I think 3 shots per team doens't do anything, bring it up to 5 like soccer and you have the whole stadium on their feet. I also like to congratulate the Zebras for a job well done so far, and for those doubters, "YES" they are calling the book for the infractioners. Now, hopefully in the USA there's more coverage of this great game, teach & inform fans how the new rules work. That's the media's job.
If only I could find the perfect slide settings fro 2K6.....
I mean it's much easier to teach defense than to be creative & skilfull with the puck. It's easier to teach someone how to grab and hold but you can't teach a J. Spezza how to score that type of a goal last night. I mean we should start a separate thread for "Goal of the Night" or simply "Save of the Night". You're right by saying based on the ATL-PITS game last night that on the old NHL, a team would start trapping & clogging the neutral zone no plumber could fix, (especially after a 4-0) but I couldn't help but to write and tell those Pens' fans last night to hang on, because anything could happen in the new NHL while they were still down 4-0.
How many comebacks have we seen this season? A high skilled team like the Avs had 3-4 goals over the opponent only to lose those games early in the season. On the subject of camping in the crease, I like what's happening too. That's why a player like C. Pronger lost his effectiveness because he just can't "crosscheck" anymore like he used to. Having said that, many Goalies are complaining that there's way more illegal contact with them, but I also have seen in the last week more Goalie interference calls, so it goes both ways.
People like D. Cherry, P. Quinn are very old fashion Hockey guys and they can say what they want but I do believe today's game is more fun. I mean D. Cherry got like 9 DVD's (I lost count) entitled, "Rock them, Hit them, Sock them" (help me on this title guys), what's he's going to do this year?
The only rule I would change ,it's the penalty shootout. I think 3 shots per team doens't do anything, bring it up to 5 like soccer and you have the whole stadium on their feet. I also like to congratulate the Zebras for a job well done so far, and for those doubters, "YES" they are calling the book for the infractioners. Now, hopefully in the USA there's more coverage of this great game, teach & inform fans how the new rules work. That's the media's job.
If only I could find the perfect slide settings fro 2K6.....
"1. Cross-checking
2. Holding
3. Goalie slashing the skater's ankles"
As a former defenseman, I find these tactics to be perfectly reasonable responses to the presence of some lard-ass forward in the crease.
But, I do see your point. I think once the refs get completely accustomed to calling the new rules (and there can be no more difficult officiating position in sports at the present), we'll see some of the old edge return to some of the games. For now, I see many, many calls that wouldn't have been made the Old Way, and most of them bring a smile to my face. I think the only time it gets very frustrating is when officials are making calls they don't necessarily "see." Someone goes down and they assume the penalty. But, it is getting considerably better. And, like you said, when they start really cracking down on diving it will likely improve even moreso.
And on an unrelated, related note: It seemed OLN must have smashed the cameras they bought at Sportschannel's going-out-of-business auction in 1989 and bought something manufactured in the decade, because the Wings-Jackets game this week was, at the very least, in focus. I still got sick from the issues with hyper zoom, but at least this week my wife didn't ask (as she had during the Bruins-Habs game), "are you watching an old game on tape or something?"
B
2. Holding
3. Goalie slashing the skater's ankles"
As a former defenseman, I find these tactics to be perfectly reasonable responses to the presence of some lard-ass forward in the crease.
But, I do see your point. I think once the refs get completely accustomed to calling the new rules (and there can be no more difficult officiating position in sports at the present), we'll see some of the old edge return to some of the games. For now, I see many, many calls that wouldn't have been made the Old Way, and most of them bring a smile to my face. I think the only time it gets very frustrating is when officials are making calls they don't necessarily "see." Someone goes down and they assume the penalty. But, it is getting considerably better. And, like you said, when they start really cracking down on diving it will likely improve even moreso.
And on an unrelated, related note: It seemed OLN must have smashed the cameras they bought at Sportschannel's going-out-of-business auction in 1989 and bought something manufactured in the decade, because the Wings-Jackets game this week was, at the very least, in focus. I still got sick from the issues with hyper zoom, but at least this week my wife didn't ask (as she had during the Bruins-Habs game), "are you watching an old game on tape or something?"
B
Before you Wings fans get too excited, consider this; the Red Wings have only played 2 games against teams with records above 500, and are 1-1 in those games. Points are points, but they are only tearing up an easy schedule for a moment. Stiffer tests will lie ahead.JackDog wrote:YES INDEED!!!!laurenskye wrote:Red Wings keep rolling. 10 wins in October for a new record.
EDIT: Looking again though, things will get only marginally tougher for the Wings, as probably the 3 worst teams in the conference all play in the central (Hawks, Blues and Blue Jackets). The Predators and Wings will benefit from the unbalanaced schedule against those guys all year which could be a huge plus come playoffs time in terms of getting a higher seed.
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pk500
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Just watched the last period and OT of the Sens-Habs game from last night over a late lunch, as I feel asleep after the second last night. No indictment of the game -- I was dog-tired and getting over a sinus infection!
Anyways, all I can say is HOLY F*CK after seeing Spezza's game-winner. Easily the goal of the year so far. That move, with Spezza alone on three Canadiens' defenders, and then the dipsy-doodle to fake Theodore, was ridiculous.
Spezza deked Sheldon Souray, a veteran defensive defensemen, out of his jock with the first move and then made former Vezina Trophy winner Theodore look silly.
WOW.
Take care,
PK
Anyways, all I can say is HOLY F*CK after seeing Spezza's game-winner. Easily the goal of the year so far. That move, with Spezza alone on three Canadiens' defenders, and then the dipsy-doodle to fake Theodore, was ridiculous.
Spezza deked Sheldon Souray, a veteran defensive defensemen, out of his jock with the first move and then made former Vezina Trophy winner Theodore look silly.
WOW.
Take care,
PK
"You know why I love boxers? I love them because they face fear. And they face it alone." - Nick Charles
"First on the throttle, last on the brakes." - @MotoGP Twitter signature
XBL Gamertag: pk4425
"First on the throttle, last on the brakes." - @MotoGP Twitter signature
XBL Gamertag: pk4425
I saw the highlight this morning...that was flat out filthy.pk500 wrote:Just watched the last period and OT of the Sens-Habs game from last night over a late lunch, as I feel asleep after the second last night. No indictment of the game -- I was dog-tired and getting over a sinus infection!
Anyways, all I can say is HOLY F*CK after seeing Spezza's game-winner. Easily the goal of the year so far. That move, with Spezza alone on three Canadiens' defenders, and then the dipsy-doodle to fake Theodore, was ridiculous.
Spezza deked Sheldon Souray, a veteran defensive defensemen, out of his jock with the first move and then made former Vezina Trophy winner Theodore look silly.
WOW.
Take care,
PK
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