NHL 2008/2009 Season

[Archon]

I was at the game tonight MoO. Good game, not really that unhappy with a 2-1 loss like that. Both goalies were solid and made some excellent saves. Oddly enough it was Nabokov who let in the soft goal of the game but to be fair it was a screened Iginla shot through the legs of Brad Lukowich and Nabby otherwise shut the door.

[CmdrWilkens]

Now if we could get the team healthy instead of having half the guys down with the flu I'd like that as well.

At least your guys only have the flu.

Marleau, Blake, Clowe, Goc, Grier, Mitchell, Plihal, Huskins, Lemieux. Those are the Sharks that missed the latest game (2-1 win with Nabby stopping about 153 Calgary shots) with injuries. Over the last month or so, we've also seen Roenick (who's now on the first line!), Cheechoo, Boyle, and Pavelski miss games due to injuries for at least two games, and Michalek played through a broken foot. And that doesn't even count the time Cheechoo got a ridiculously soft game misconduct for "boarding" (still the least consistently called penalty in all of sports).

It's gotten so bad that Moen is the ONLY NHL player on our third and fourth lines, and we've had to switch the first two all around just to field enough skaters.

True we only have the flu now but Osala and Aucoin are 2 of 12...freakin 12!!! AHL players who have seen action at the NHL level for the Caps this year. At one point during midseason we had 9 or 10 guys up from Hershey at a time, essentialy half the lines and D pairs were from the AHL at that point not even counting the fact we've had 2 goalie's make their NHL debut this year (Varlamov looks like the real fucking deal and Neuvirth could have it as well). I know its kinda overlooked but I'm damn happy to be competing for 2nd place in the East when we've basically been rotating our #2 goalie back and forth with Hershey.

So yeah sucks for ya'll right now but hopefully everyone gets healed up in time to make a fun race to the cup.

[Darth Fanboy]

Anaheim recovers from a 5-3 loss at home to Edmonton and turn things around to return the favor with the same score at Rexall.

Ducks are up 4-1 with 3:00 to play but Edmonton scores a pair of quick goals to make things scary interesting, MAcTavish, in one of the the WTF moments of the year decides Teemu Selanne has an illegal stick and calls for a measurement. (Speculation has the inside information coming from Penner)

Measurement shows that Selanne has a valid stick and its a 2 minute minor for delay of game on Edmonton, the Ducks score an empty net PPG to win 5-3. Niedermania struck for four of the 5 goals, Scott had the second and third while Rob had the game winner and the empty netter insurance goal at the end.

Playoffs? Maybe yet still? My fingers are crossed.

[Master of Ossus]

Well, this is it. Last week of the regular season. Archon, you guys have a great race with Vancouver going on. It's a pretty important one, too, since the winner will likely get home-ice against a team like the Blues, Blue Jackets, or Ducks while the loser of the race will likely have to go to Chicago (a real team) in the first round.

The Sharks need three wins to clinch the President's trophy, unless the Bruins cooperate. Fortunately, we get Grier back, today, although Clowe, Marleau, and Mitchell (our three most significant injuries) are still out. Mitchell doesn't look good even for a second round match-up, either. He's "skating," but really just rocking back and forth while standing on skates.

[Straha]

Ottawa has signed Cory Clouston as permanent head coach which is a very good thing for them, I think. And I think Clouston will do a great job in the majors from here on out.

[Phantasee]

FFFFFFffffffffffffuuuuuuck. Edmonton is totally out now. We don't have a chance

At least the Edmonton Calgary games are worth a watch, usually. Unless we manage to lose both, of course. I won't be able to show my face in Cowtown for weeks after, what with my cousin and all his friends ready to rub it in my face.

[CmdrWilkens]

Well all we need is to grab a point tomorrow and the Caps can garuntee 2nd place (with the much more desireable matchup againt New York/Montreal/Florida). I'd really like to see Florida get in if only to have 3 SE Division teams in the playoffs when most folks spend the first half of just about every year writing the division off. Anyway the 7 and 8 seed race in the East isn't quite as exciting as St Louis/Nashville/Minnesota going after a spot but its fun to watch nonetheless.

[Darth Fanboy]

Anaheim fans can rest easy after a series of heart attacks that compromised the 4-3 shootout win over Dallas, Teemu Selanne's shootout winner was disgustingly effectiv. The finnish Flash skated as fast as he could , then just stopped and waited for Turco to just all over before flicking the puck casually over him.

St. Louis fans cna rest as well having clinched the other remaining spot making losers out of NAshville and Minnesota for the evening.

[CmdrWilkens]

Yup, its all over except for some little bits of positional jockeying tonight and tomorrow. In the east it will be interesting to see if the Flyers can cling to that 4 seed and how the NYR/Habs will shake out at the bottom of the rung for the chance to lose to either DC or Boston.

[Burak Gazan]

The East looks locked in, except for home ice in the Pitt/Phily series, which Pitt will be hoping the Rangers win tomorrow for that. Matchups are:

Boston vs Montreal
Washington vs NY Rangers
NJ Devils vs Carolina
Pittsburgh vs Philadelphia (*Sunday edit, Pitt has home ice now)

The West will have to wait until tomorrow to see how the deck ends up. From highlights tonight so far, Anaheim got screwed on a shootout double tap in , that they managed to blow on review twice no less
Eh boy, officials always try to make a muck of things...

Nice to see Boyd Devereaux get a hat trick tonight as the Leafs dumped Ottawa 5-2, even though that takes them out of even the remotest shot at the number one pick It was also nice to jam a stick in Heatley's eye , what with all the commentary from the CBC crew praying for his 40th goal, I thought they would have needed kneepads if it had kept up much longer -- get a room girls, geezus

West matchups:

San Jose vs Anaheim
Detroit vs Columbus
Vancouver vs St Louis
Chicago vs Calgary


Alrighty, here we go

[Darth Fanboy]

So far so good for the Ducks.

Got my tickets wrapped up for the whole postseason, here's hoping it's a long one this year.

[Burak Gazan]

Back on boat now, and missed everything but last part of Canucks game last night; been interesting so far with a surprising amount of cheap shots all around. San Jose/Anaheim game was probably one of the best games got a chance to watch before flying out, that was end to end most of the time, and at least it wasnt some off-the-forehead goal that won it

Boston looked so-so against Montreal, but Montreal didnt exactly fill you with excitement either.

And will someone on the Caps please decapitate that asshole Avery? 2 Zebras and no one calls a fucking pick play (oooo no, he just trying to stay on side......fucking please ) that ends up being the winning goal? Utter bullshit

[CmdrWilkens]

And will someone on the Caps please decapitate that asshole Avery? 2 Zebras and no one calls a fucking pick play (oooo no, he just trying to stay on side......fucking please ) that ends up being the winning goal? Utter bullshit

They actually did get a couple really good hits on him (and the rest of the team) but the Caps suspect defense came back to hurt them. Shultz tripping himself up, Green losing his edge, Federov hoisting the delay of game just as we were trying to get momentum back. JT60 was just weak on this game so the question is who shows up today: If Theo gets his head back on straight then we're gonna see a half dozen 10 bell saves a game through the rest of the month and if not then its probably time to see what Varly can do.

[Burak Gazan]

Trying to follow shipboard, but so far looks like the Caps have got their mojo back tonight

And, San Jose, what the hell? Talk about the presidents trophy curse, yikes. Game 3 is serious do-or-die for them

[starslayer]

And, San Jose, what the hell? Talk about the presidents trophy curse, yikes. Game 3 is serious do-or-die for them

Oh, trust me, if the Sharks lose the series to the Ducks, being a Sharks fan in the playoffs will go from "disheartening" to "absolutely maddening." I still have no idea why they haven't been able to mount a serious playoff push since '03-'04 (lost conference finals to Flames in six). They've gotta win four games in a row at this point for me to have any faith in them this year.

[Master of Ossus]

Oh, man. I get back from a trip and find my team doing terribly. Anaheim was a really bad draw for the Sharks, IMO. They're a much better team than an eighth seed, and they also match up really well against us, unfortunately. Hopefully we'll pull it around, but I think we need two wins at Honda Center to have a chance.

[Archon]

What a horseshit penalty against Pavelski that lead to the 1-1 goal in Game 3. The guy did an effing prat fall.

EDIT: spelling

[Darth Fanboy]

Just one more........i'd do just about anything for a win Saturday

[thejester]

Just watched the first period of the Rangers and Caps...that second goal was the arsiest of arse.

[Archon]

I know how you feel Sharks fans. Choke after choke after choke. At least your team makes it out of the second round on occasion.

[CmdrWilkens]

Just watched the first period of the Rangers and Caps...that second goal was the arsiest of arse.

Lundqvist tends to go to shit after giving up a bad goal and the first one to Bradley definately qualifies, less so than the second but it qualifies. I mean here is a fourth line grinder who had 5 goals in the regular season poke checking the puck away from the Rangers, skating clean on a breakaway and backhanding the puck over the stick side...that shit isn't suppossed to happen so I'm not suprised Lundqvist let in the second (and third and fouth). What will be real interesting is how he plays today because right now he is the one thing keeping the Rangers on top. They have something like a 1.33 GAA with Varly in net so giving up even 2 is a death knell. Today should be real interesting.

[CmdrWilkens]

So anyway aside from 2 goals in trash time there goes another domination game by the Caps over the Rangers. It likely would have been 6-1 or 7-1 if the refs hadn't deicded to level a 4-0 advantage in PPs during the 3rd period including some really awful no-calls on the high-sticking and roughing that got Ovechkin beat up.

Now that said the Brashear hit looks legal but cheap. Not sure if he will get yanked from Game 7 but the league might do it since a) It might pacify the Rangers who are pissed all to hell abotu everything under the sun after their coach lost his cool in Game 5 and b) It did injure Betts and did get called for the 2 min soa fine or suspension is not out of the question.

On the Dubinsky 14min he deserved 2min for the cross check and 10min for bitching at the refs but Callahan deserved at least 2min for horse-collaring Morrisone. I know the Rangers are now whining that he "needed a tenatus shot because he got bit" but that might just happen if you jam your fucking hand in the other guy's mouth and fishook him. If anything calling too much attention to that incident is more likely to get Callahan yanked.

Still Game 7 no matter what else is going to come down to whether Lunqvist can put his head back together. I don't care who you are its fucking tough to go on the road after having been yanked twice in a row after 40min. Valquette is okay for a backup but he can't make the half dozen 10 bells saves they need per game to stop the Caps. Varly still looked good though he was helped by the inability of the Rangers to score on wide open nets until they got in to trash time and 5 on 3 bullshit time. So I almost hope that NY tries to "beat" him the same way in quality time because it ain't happening.

[Archon]

Stoned by the Bulin Wall again. Oh well, the Western Hockey League Calgary Hitmen are 12-0 in the playoffs so far. GO HITMEN!

[starslayer]

Son of a BITCH. I knew this was almost certainly going to happen, but still. What the fuck. I suppose the Sharks've downgraded to first round exits now, hmmm? They lost, 4-1, in Game 6. Jesus fucking Christ, what an embarrassment.

[Master of Ossus]

Son of a BITCH. I knew this was almost certainly going to happen, but still. What the fuck. I suppose the Sharks've downgraded to first round exits now, hmmm? They lost, 4-1, in Game 6. Jesus fucking Christ, what an embarrassment.

Bummer. I'm still blaming a ridiculous schedule that somehow had Anaheim as the 8th seed. I think I'll root for the Caps, from here on--they're by far the most exciting team left.