It's Hockey Day in Canada. Really. I know. Snuck up on me, too. Show is live from Winkler, Manitoba, home of Dustin Penner. Expect a story. BoA game is the middle game (5 PM MST, CBC), which is a nice switch. Albertans can actually watch a game in prime-time, without being forced to suffer through the Leafs as opponent.
• Somehow the Oilers have won two straight without Shawn Horcoff, while the Flames have lost three of four with Jarome Iginla. It's a mad world, folks. The last time these teams met, the outcome was...pleasant.
• If I remember correctly--and I do--Zack Stortini was a big factor in last Tuesday's game. The Hall of Famer says the Flames want a piece of him tonight, too, without quoting a single Calgary player. I hope he's right, but I doubt it. The Flames played stupid hockey on Tuesday. I'd be shocked if they let Stortini bug them this time around. Shocked, I say! Not shocking: Dion Phaneuf chasing Sam Gagner around the rink, then hiding from Ethan Moreau.
• I just assumed Sheldon Souray was done for the year, but apparently he might be back in March. I suppose this could be true. More likely, though, is that the player and the team are fooling themselves, both in terms of his injury and their chances at making the playoffs. A real cynic--like, for example, me--might suggest that everyone's trying to save face here, in light of, cough, Mr. Souray's hefty paycheque. Bonus news in that story: Shawn Horcoff is bored already, and looking for something to occupy his time. Shawn...let's talk.
• Glengarry Glencross has to draw in tonight, right? Right? Does Nilsson get the short end of the stick, then? Gotta be.
• Game within the game: both teams running the opposing team's starting netminder. Or...not. Like. Whoa.
Prediction: 4-3 Oilers, in a heated tilt. Penner, Moreau, Cogliano, and San Pisani with the goals. GOILERS!!!
Check this out:
ReplyDeletehttp://nhllogos.blogspot.com/2008/02/just-to-freak-you-out-xxvi.html
Saw it. Staples did a whole fake story on it. I think he was jealous of Matt's beauty. Shh. Don't tell him I said that, though.
ReplyDeleteIf Edmonton wins tonight I might just become an Oilers fan. Or, alternatively, fling myself off a very tall building.
ReplyDeleteIt all depends on Moreau and Stortini. If they're on, the team's on. ;)
ReplyDeleteThis will be a banger of a game.
5-4 Edm in overtime. Gagner with 3 points.
Perhaps the first Glengarry Glen Ross reference every in a hockey blog?
ReplyDeleteAlways Be Closing!
Perhaps the first Glengarry Glen Ross reference every in a hockey blog?
ReplyDeleteNope. Matt and I have each referenced the movie a couple times. And Vic actually came up with the Glencross reference over at LT's site. It's a beauty.
First star is a Cadillac Eldorado.
Second star is a set of steak knives.
Third star is you're fired.
If Edmonton wins tonight I might just become an Oilers fan.
ReplyDeleteI'll gladly be your sponsor.
Glengarry Glen Ross will throw some puches, Huggy Bear will take note and take a turn.
ReplyDeleteFalmes are going down tonight.
Go Oilers.
I vote for flinging yourself off a tall building. We don't want former Lames fans! :)
ReplyDeleteHow the fuck is that not a major on Regehr? Holding? You've got to be fucking kidding me. He should be gone. That was an intent to injure. Jesus fucking Christ.
ReplyDeleteMore of the same from Regehr...
ReplyDeleteI guess this is what you might call a "spirited" start.
It's a good thing Regehr was just finishing his check on that play. Holding, my ass...how the fuck is that not a misconduct?
ReplyDeleteBoys are chuckin' a lot of soupbones out there tonight. Somebody got a stockpot?
ReplyDeleteI get the holding call. Hemsky had beaten Regehr...and Regehr grabbed him with his left arm. That was a penalty, on its own.
ReplyDeleteThe mind boggling part is that Regehr got nothing for launching Hemsky headlong into the boards. The hold already happened...and while he was still in the grasp, Regehr launched him into the boards. Clearly a boarding penalty was called for. A major and game misconduct in my book.
Somehow the ref saw nothing after the initial hold. The refs and the league are turning a blind eye to Hemsky getting mugged. It shouldn't take a serious injury for them to wake up...but that seems to be track we're on. Ridiculous.
I love Tom Gilbert as much as anybody, but all he was accomplishing on that goal was screening Garon. If you're going to try and cover an Owen Nolan-type in front of the net, you have to fight with him or you're going to allow goals.
ReplyDeleteCan I ask what the point of trading for Glencross was if he's not playing in a game like this?
ReplyDelete"Nolan gets back up...takes a run at Hemsky!"
ReplyDeleteColour me unsurprised.
Somehow the ref saw nothing after the initial hold. The refs and the league are turning a blind eye to Hemsky getting mugged. It shouldn't take a serious injury for them to wake up...but that seems to be track we're on. Ridiculous
ReplyDeleteWhen was the last time somebody was suspended for attacking an Oiler (or a Flame, for that matter)? I can't remember exactly, but I think the Oiler in question might have been Jim Harrison.
oh Penner...hit the net on that one buds; the Network has been singing your praises all day.
ReplyDelete2-0, and we look awful. I can't believe Nilsson was dressed for this game. Complete non-factor. Then again, he's not alone.
ReplyDeleteDid the Oilers make another trade? I keep hearing about some guy named Grezbekov...
ReplyDeleteHockey Day in Canada isn't all positive, that's for sure. We get stuck with Mark Lee. One of two All-Canadian match-ups today, and CBC can't see fit to provide a guy that actually knows the players names.
You have got to be kidding me Garon.
ReplyDeletedo-do-do-do-dodo-do-do-do-do...
You know, I give up. I'm sick, I'm going to bed. Wake me when pitchers and catchers report.
ReplyDeleteOh sure, I post that, Garon trips, Calgary scores, and Lee finally figures out it's Grebeshkov.
ReplyDeleteLee is awful. Apparently Geoff Anderson and A Less Hemsky are playing for the Oilers. He keeps screwing up Smid and Gagner's names, too.
ReplyDeleteThen again, MacT is playing 12-16-89 or 51-8-46 against Iginla.
And the team is playing as poorly as they did against San Jose.
So who's worse?
Rooster Cogliano has been skating very well tonight, so I understand why MacT bumped him up to the #1 line the last few shifts. That said, they need to get Gagner West off the wall. To me, Gagner is a better fit as the pivot between Hemsky and Penner...and just might generate some shots on net...or some finish on 2-on-1s.
ReplyDeleteHey, at least we have six shots. If this was footie then we would be...thoroughly average? Crap.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone really think Ethan Moreau cares about 'the Journey' (TM) right now?
Steve Armitage, the creepy old man: "Keep the dream alive"
Moreau: "uh...ok"
At this point is Dick Irvin just a conduit for the ghost of his father?
ReplyDeleteBetween him, Armitage, and Cherry I hope that CBC have excellent microwave cookery classes.
I actually love Irvin. Normally I'd be going nuts, but for some reason I can't get enough of him. I think it's the voice. I just love it.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know that Dustin Boyd was also the N'Sync version of Justin Timberlake. Huh.
ReplyDeleteWho is the colourman on this game? That was phenomenal, the way he just Mark Lee out to dry on the Flames/Wings comparison.
ReplyDeleteholy crap Grabia, you're right about Boyd. That's Timberlake circa 2001 to a tee. Not that I know my JT...but I know my JT.
ReplyDeleteI hope CBC sent Vic a cheque for that Corsi number graphic that they just threw up there.
ReplyDeleteJesus. CBC just put up the Fenwick and Corsi numbers for this game.
ReplyDeleteThat was Greg Millen, Tyler. It was awesome.
Hah. Pantera just totally seems like Flames music. I associate with guys in high school who never really went on to accomplish anything but thought that they were big men at the time. Seems appropriate for the Flames.
ReplyDeleteGagner's killing penalties? I was going to use a condom but I figured "Hey, when I am going to be in Haiti again?"
ReplyDeleteMark Lee has used the word "rim" about 50 times tonight. That worries me.
ReplyDelete2-0, and we look awful. I can't believe Nilsson was dressed for this game. Complete non-factor. Then again, he's not alone.
ReplyDeleteIn the end, Nilsson was -- amusingly -- the only Edmonton factor in this game. ;)
Le sigh.
ReplyDeletele brutal. uninspiring effort all around. nilsson's goal was nice but god the play died with him more often than not this evening. that regehr hit was bs. i can't believe i spent part of my saturday watching that. glencross better be in the lineup on tuesday and the oilers better show up.
ReplyDelete"Mark Lee has used the word "rim" about 50 times tonight."
ReplyDeleteI heard "D-to-D" at least as many times.
Well the Flames showed up and we certainly didn't have the horsepower. This game surprises me a whole lot less than the last one here in Edmonton though.
Anybody watching the Oilers this past while would really think the game is fixed. Kick ass on the Flames one night and a completely different team shows up tonight. I know I can't figure it out.
Yeah, the Flames were better, but I can't believe that Gresh-be-kov didn't get a star.
ReplyDeleteMillen and Lee seemed vaguely surprised when Stortini and Godard didn't fight, I don't think they've been paying attention. At any rate: As soon as Stortini fights Godard, I'll address the commenting jackasses who see fit to note that Phaneuf "skates away" from Stortini.
Also, my biggest laugh of the night was being in the next room after Dion/Ethan and hearing, "Moreau seems to be favouring his...". Didn't hear what it was, cause I was belly laughing already.
At any rate: As soon as Stortini fights Godard, I'll address the commenting jackasses who see fit to note that Phaneuf "skates away" from Stortini.
ReplyDeleteGood point Matt. Despite having fought Andrew Peters, Derek Boogaard, George Parros, Colton Orr, Darcy Hordichuk and Raitis Ivanans, Stortini is clearly scared to fight Eric Godard and runs away from fights.
Not to mention, Phaneuf has a pretty long list of fights against Swedes and the French to fall back on to as proof of his own lack of cowardice.
Cheapshots aside, I don't understand your point. Stortini is a lousy fighter but he goes with anyone and (fortunately) can take a punch. Phaneuf runs all over the ice cheapshotting people and never wants to answer the bell. Completely different situations.
I think Stortini pays real close attention to what MactT says. Its why he's still on the team. He's told when to mix things up and when to just agitate. Its not like we needed yet another Calgary 5 on 4 tonight. Besides, a little more payback wasn't going to sway this game anyways.
ReplyDeleteCheapshots aside, I don't understand your point. Stortini is a lousy fighter but he goes with anyone and (fortunately) can take a punch. Phaneuf runs all over the ice cheapshotting people and never wants to answer the bell. Completely different situations.
ReplyDeletePhaneuf never wants to answer the bell? Do you even watch Flames games?
Phaneuf has fought six times this season alone.
All of this Oiler fan venom for Phaneuf is just endlessly amusing. He's not a fighting goon like Godard, when he does fight it's with someone of equal importance (or close to) on the other team. It makes no sense at all for Phaneuf to fight a nobody like Stortini, that gives the Oilers the edge regardless of the result.
But Stortini, that guy just can't fight. He's an agitator, but get him in a fight and he turns into a latently homosexual drunken friend after a party. Tonight it was pretty clear he didn't want to fight Godard, which is the better matchup in terms of players.
Phaneuf's not afraid to fight, he's just not dumb enough to fight a nobody on a bottom-feeding team.
There's one, and only one, reason for Stortini to fight Godard, and that's that Godard thinks they should. In this sense I'd say there's zero difference between the two situations.
ReplyDeleteBut more practically: what would Phaneuf be proving by fighting Stortini? Stortini is not a good fighter and does *not fucking punch*. I don't see what Dion would be proving, besides that he's willing to sit for 5 along with the worst player on the other team.
Question: if Phaneuf finally fights Stortini and all they do is clutch for 2 minutes... is it over?
I will not defend Stortini. Sorry.
ReplyDeleteActually Stortini is becoming a useful player. Tonight the best team won but the other night that wasn't the case and Stortini was a part of the reason for it.
ReplyDeleteLow event at both ends, can be an agitator and not get killed against the NW heavyweights.
Folks, that's a useful hockey player.
Phaneuf never wants to answer the bell? Do you even watch Flames games?
ReplyDeletePhaneuf has fought six times this season alone.
With well-known heavyweights like Mattias Ohlund, Andreas Lilja, Stephane Veilleux, and Ethan Moreau!
Look for his next road trip to include a no-holds-barred scrap with Jacques Lemaire.
With well-known heavyweights like Mattias Ohlund, Andreas Lilja, Stephane Veilleux, and Ethan Moreau!
ReplyDeleteIt's good to read the whole post before you begin type your sarcasm. It's a lot more effective when it makes sense.
He's not a fighting goon like Godard, when he does fight it's with someone of equal importance (or close to) on the other team.
Honestly, think about it for 2 seconds. If you had someone who could play (key word being *if*), would you really want them wasting 5 minutes in the box for fighting a player whose OWN FANS have nicknamed "L" because of how terrible he is?
Honestly, think about it for 2 seconds. If you had someone who could play (key word being *if*), would you really want them wasting 5 minutes in the box for fighting a player whose OWN FANS have nicknamed "L" because of how terrible he is?
ReplyDeleteflames fans seem to miss the point entirely. this has nothing to do with how phaneuf plays. this has to do with his incredible habit of trying to push around the smallest guy on the ice after the whistle is blown. the funny thing is when anyone even remotely his own size approaches him, he skates directly behind a referee or linesman. i've seen this guy try to shove around sam gagner for god's sake. i don't want to see phaneuf fight, i just want to see him be a man.
Phaneuf has fought in his career:
ReplyDeleteBill Guerin
Mark Bell
Barrett Jackman
Ryan Getzlaf
Dustin Penner
Ian Laperriere (2)
Brent Seabrook
Todd Bertuzzi
Troy Bodie
Matthias Ohlund
Stephan Veilleux
Andreas Lilja
Keith Tkachuk
Travis Moen
Ethan Moreau (2)
Some of those guys are smaller. Some are bigger. Some are scrappers. Some aren't. The reason Phaneuf pushes people around and acts like a prick after the whistle? He wants to piss them off or draw a penalty. If we wanted to fight Huggy Bear, he would.
The reason Phaneuf pushes people around and acts like a prick after the whistle? He wants to piss them off or draw a penalty.
ReplyDeleteHe must be pretty dumb then. It'd be a lot easier to draw a penalty if he would stay there and let guys retaliate instead of cowering behind the nearest authority figure.
I am not sure I am going to add anything to this discussion, well, 'cause I didn't actually read the comments. Sorry.
ReplyDeleteAnyways, just a few random thoughts while watching hockey last night.
-Is it me or does both Rexall Place, and the Saddledome's ice stink?
-If Regehr played every game like he does against Hemsky, he'd be comparable to Scott Stevens (yes him not Phaneuf. I don't get the MSM comparison with Stevens/Phaneuf really). Regehr's eyes turn red when he sees Hemsky.
-If Huselius—who is incredibly talented— had Hemsky's balls he'd have a lot more points. Say what you will about Hemksy, he goes places many don't expect him to. Namely Regehr's corner.
-The Flames deserved to win, but I think the real challenge comes in the next few games. It should've been easy for them to "show up" against the hated Oilers (who just soundly beat them earlier), while having their GM and coach questioning them. The test will be how they show up the next several games. If they play like they did last night they will challenge for the division.
-Vancouver better hope their defenceman come back sooner rather than later. They need them.
-Lidstrom, Alfredsson, Iginla, Ovechkin...Malkin? I think we can add his name to the list of Hart candidates. Since Crosby went down, Malkin has really stepped it up. I still like Lidstrom, but he won't win it I think.
-Ben Guite has impressed me the last several weeks. I haven't had a chance to look at his BTN numbers, but he seems to be taking on some of the heavy lifting/hard opposition, and playing quite well. He only makes something like $500k or something. what a steal.
-I liked that Gagner and Cogliano hung in there during a very physical game.
-Dustin Boyd is a keeper for the Flames.