2013/2014 Official NHL Thread
- Thread starter lgna69xxx
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I agree completely - fabulous player, great skill, durable as hell, and the heart of a lion. Makes you proud to be a hockey fan whichever team you root for. If this guy's not a first-ballot Hall of Famer something will be very, very wrong.
Ok, the Oilers 3 game winning streak ( against poor teams ) was brought to a halt by Chicago last night, parade has been canceled.
I STILL don't expect it to continue, but I'm STILL enjoying the moment. Henk is now tied for 2nd in the NHL scoring race.
Excellent research. Just to add another data point. What franchise has the lowly distinction of being the only team in the entire 30 team league to fail to make the playoffs in every year of the previous CBA? That teams playoff record is as follows:
2005–06 Did not qualify
2006–07 Did not qualify
2007–08 Did not qualify
2008–09 Did not qualify
2009–10 Did not qualify
2010–11 Did not qualify
2011–12 Did not qualify
Which team could hold this embarrassing and futile record? Here's another clue: it's one of the 7 teams that have failed to win the Cup OR EVEN make the finals in the post-expansion era. It's the only original 6 team on that list - THE LEAFS !!!
I'm sure Toronto supporters will have some sort of explanation, like:
The eastern conference is tough and hard to make the playoffs: clearly false, the east is weaker and wide open
The Leafs were operating under a budget and would have made the playoffs if more money was spent: again, false, Toronto was spending up to the cap limit
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Hey BOYZ,
Nice bounce back win after the Red Wings debacle.
http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/gametr...ns-score-twice-in-third-to-rally-past-rangers
BOSTON -- Boston Bruins captain Zdeno Chara gave his team a spark with a rare fight. Then he won the game with his usual blistering slap shot.
Chara and Patrice Bergeron scored third-period goals to lift the Bruins to a 3-2 comeback win over the New York Rangers on Friday.
With just under 9 minutes left, Chara unloaded a low slap shot from straight away about 10 feet inside the blue line that beat Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist between his pads.
After he fired his shot, Chara was knocked to the ice. When the puck went into the net, while still on his knees, he pumped his fists in the air in celebration.
"I saw an opening. I put a puck on net as quick and as hard as I could," said the 6-foor-9 Chara, still in uniform standing at his locker. "It was a good job by everybody."
In the second period, Chara squared off with the Rangers' Brian Boyle, knocking him to the ice and bringing a loud roar from the sellout TD Garden crowd. It was Chara's first fighting major of the season.
"I feel it's been a while since the last time we've had a fight like that," Boston goalie Tuukka Rask said. "It usually happens in the blink of an eye. It gives a team a boost and really wakes up a crowd, a crowd gets really loud. I think as a team -- I can't say we woke up -- but it definitely gave us an extra boost and we never looked back after that."
Brad Marchand also scored for the Eastern Conference-leading Bruins, who improved to 9-2-2 in their past 13 games.
[video=youtube;zkFucQ-MbAI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkFucQ-MbAI[/video]
LESSON FOR KESSEL: Give Brian Boyle credit for having courage and HONOR. This is what you do when you are outclassed in a fight. You face it fairly, without a stick, then go down with honor if that is what's necessary. DON'T CHEAT or CHICKEN OUT.
It's a good thing Chara is nothing like the brutal thug some Montreal fans made him out to be or Boyle's teeth would be embedded in the ice.
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=437827
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Buffalo ended its five-game losing streak at home at a First Niagara Center filled with plenty of vocal Toronto fans.
And that made it all the sweeter for the Sabres.
Christian Ehrhoff scored 38 seconds into overtime and the Buffalo Sabres picked up a 3-2 win on Friday.
"It is always really fun to play," Ehrhoff said. "The fans that come down sometimes outnumber the Sabres fans and it brings out the best in our fans, too. They are up for the challenge and they were really loud again tonight."
Ehrhoff carried the puck from the right point to the centre of the ice before sending a soft wrist shot on goal that went through James Reimer's legs.
"I didn't have the time to do a big wind-up there or get it hard," Ehrhoff said. "I saw the opening between the legs and just put one through there."
OMG, the Leafs are now tied with the Canadiens after getting beat by one of the worst teams in the NHL. Embarrassingly, it wasn't even a a challenging shot that beat them, but one that went right through Reimer's legs.
Isn't it a little early for the Leafs to begin their usual crash dive. I guess if they have a full season to face they might as well QUIT early. It looks like the golf clubs will see a surge in early practice profits.
Happy putting,
Merlot
Nice bounce back win after the Red Wings debacle.
http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/gametr...ns-score-twice-in-third-to-rally-past-rangers
BOSTON -- Boston Bruins captain Zdeno Chara gave his team a spark with a rare fight. Then he won the game with his usual blistering slap shot.
Chara and Patrice Bergeron scored third-period goals to lift the Bruins to a 3-2 comeback win over the New York Rangers on Friday.
With just under 9 minutes left, Chara unloaded a low slap shot from straight away about 10 feet inside the blue line that beat Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist between his pads.
After he fired his shot, Chara was knocked to the ice. When the puck went into the net, while still on his knees, he pumped his fists in the air in celebration.
"I saw an opening. I put a puck on net as quick and as hard as I could," said the 6-foor-9 Chara, still in uniform standing at his locker. "It was a good job by everybody."
In the second period, Chara squared off with the Rangers' Brian Boyle, knocking him to the ice and bringing a loud roar from the sellout TD Garden crowd. It was Chara's first fighting major of the season.
"I feel it's been a while since the last time we've had a fight like that," Boston goalie Tuukka Rask said. "It usually happens in the blink of an eye. It gives a team a boost and really wakes up a crowd, a crowd gets really loud. I think as a team -- I can't say we woke up -- but it definitely gave us an extra boost and we never looked back after that."
Brad Marchand also scored for the Eastern Conference-leading Bruins, who improved to 9-2-2 in their past 13 games.
[video=youtube;zkFucQ-MbAI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkFucQ-MbAI[/video]
LESSON FOR KESSEL: Give Brian Boyle credit for having courage and HONOR. This is what you do when you are outclassed in a fight. You face it fairly, without a stick, then go down with honor if that is what's necessary. DON'T CHEAT or CHICKEN OUT.
It's a good thing Chara is nothing like the brutal thug some Montreal fans made him out to be or Boyle's teeth would be embedded in the ice.
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=437827
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Buffalo ended its five-game losing streak at home at a First Niagara Center filled with plenty of vocal Toronto fans.
And that made it all the sweeter for the Sabres.
Christian Ehrhoff scored 38 seconds into overtime and the Buffalo Sabres picked up a 3-2 win on Friday.
"It is always really fun to play," Ehrhoff said. "The fans that come down sometimes outnumber the Sabres fans and it brings out the best in our fans, too. They are up for the challenge and they were really loud again tonight."
Ehrhoff carried the puck from the right point to the centre of the ice before sending a soft wrist shot on goal that went through James Reimer's legs.
"I didn't have the time to do a big wind-up there or get it hard," Ehrhoff said. "I saw the opening between the legs and just put one through there."
OMG, the Leafs are now tied with the Canadiens after getting beat by one of the worst teams in the NHL. Embarrassingly, it wasn't even a a challenging shot that beat them, but one that went right through Reimer's legs.
Isn't it a little early for the Leafs to begin their usual crash dive. I guess if they have a full season to face they might as well QUIT early. It looks like the golf clubs will see a surge in early practice profits.
Happy putting,
Merlot
One minor correction: If we are to judge by the points standings thus far, the Sabres are not just "one of the worst teams in the NHL", but statistically by far the worst. Even after picking up two points in their latest victory over the Leafs, the Sabres are STILL several points out of second-last.
The Buffalo Sabres have actually played much better since former Jack Adams winner Ted Nolan took over as coach. I think very highly of Nolan's coaching abilities.
Ryan Miller has also had a very good year between the pipes. I'm also impressed with Steve Ott, whom i'd take on my team any time.
Tyler Myers needs a good kick in the ass to get his game going again, and Nolan may just be the guy to do it.
p.s. Without looking at stats, i'd say that the worst team in the league right now are the N.Y. Islanders. The Calgary Flames & the Florida Panthers aren't much better.
Ryan Miller has also had a very good year between the pipes. I'm also impressed with Steve Ott, whom i'd take on my team any time.
Tyler Myers needs a good kick in the ass to get his game going again, and Nolan may just be the guy to do it.
p.s. Without looking at stats, i'd say that the worst team in the league right now are the N.Y. Islanders. The Calgary Flames & the Florida Panthers aren't much better.
As is usually the case with your posts, Rev, this is an honest, objective and very accurate assessment. Well done!
I very respectfully beg to differ.
For the amount of money he is being paid and for the number of years on his contract, Mr. Clarkson needs to produce better results than the following:
The Leafs have played 27 games (= one third of the season). Through a lack of self-discipline, Mr. Clarkson broke a strict NHL rule and was duly suspended for the first 10 of those 27 games, thereby obviously handicapping his team for those 10 games.
In the 17 games he has played since his return from suspension, Mr. Clarkson has only 2 goals and 3 assists and is a minus 3. These facts indicate that Mr. Clarkson, his grandiose contract notwithstanding, is not a great help to his team.
My apologies, i've been busy. So here's the most recent update:
NHL standings as of November 17
Maple Leafs are tied for 2nd place in the conference with the Bruins. Surprising to see Detroit losing 6 in a row, currently the worse losing streak in hockey!
Doc, your updates on the NHL standings are always very much appreciated and are a great service to MERB.
Sadly, we have not seen one since November 17, basically two weeks ago. I'm sure that many of us are curious to see the current standings and equally sure that we would once again greatly appreciate the valuable service you provide in posting them.
Thanks in advance, and best regards.
lgna69xxx said:
Excuse me, Mr. C, but unless you can define the word "tride," how can you possibly dispute his statement?
Well, gang, it's been a long time since I attended a hockey game. In fact, the last game I attended personally, it was at Madison Square Garden, the old one, er, the second one, not the current one, the third one, and Gump Worsley was in goal for the Rangers. But tonight I went down and joined the happy throng (except for the many Leaf fans in attendance) at the Centre Bell. I was looking for some excitement and some drama, but got neither. An enjoyable game, but utterly devoid of dramatic tension as the Habs easily handled the Hapless. While the score was 4-2, the game was not nearly as close as the score. A bit of a yawner, but at least the home folks went home happy.
I think next game I attend, I'll wait until the Habs have a tougher opponent.
Right you are! Luckily, Samuelsson's days are numbered and, clearly Bertuzzi's also are. The big difference is Clarkson's basically brand new multi-year multimillion dollar contract.
Interesting, reverdy. I was not aware that the world of advanced statistical analysis had come to hockey. Do you know if hockey has an organization similar to SABR? (Of which I've been a member foe some 25 years.)
The Bruins are in town on Thursday, Rumples. You might want to try to grab a ticket to that game.
Hey BOYZ,
Ohhhhhhhhhhhh Myyyyyyyyyyyyy GOD!!! Did you really say that??? You just your lost lifetime kiss Iggy's butt privileges. Certainly Leafs fans were looking for some kind of pickup after recent games. Temporary bragging rights over the Canadiens would have been just the thing. Alas, it was not to be mon cher. To add insult to injury, he loss put the Leafs behind the Canadiens in the standings.
Honestly, I thought the Leafs were becoming a good, spirited, tough team. But something about their game beyond injuries seems to have collapsed suddenly. It's probably temporary, but losing badly to poor teams and then to their biggest rival is a bad sign.
http://www.torontosun.com/2013/11/30/leafs-in-montreal-to-take-on-the-canadiens
MONTREAL - When Randy Carlyle goes back to the drawing board Monday, he can start by wiping off the past week — five games in eight nights in which their lone victory came in a shootout.
After coughing up a 4-1 lead in Pittsburgh, then losing in overtime to the woeful Buffalo Sabres earlier in the week, the Maple Leafs had little esprit de corps remaining to take on the Habitants here on Saturday night.
The Canadiens jumped out to a big lead, then stayed composed for a 4-2 win before the usual large contingent of travelling Toronto fans at the Bell Centre.
For Jonathan Bernier, who kept his thoughts to himself when he didn’t start the season opener here, it was a major letdown in front of his friends and family. He made enough good saves — including an early breakaway by Max Pacioretty that ended up in anyway — and big stops in the third to keep it close.
But he and James Reimer have been on the wrong end of some lopsided scores during this current four-game losing streak as the Leafs have sprung leaks on defence and special teams. Toronto managed almost 40 shots against the Canadiens, but the league-leading shot-blockers were at their best.
At least the Leafs can stay home most of next week, with days off between tough games against San Jose and Dallas. They had to get by on Saturday without defenceman Cody Franson, shaken up from a lower body injury in the overtime loss at Buffalo the night before. This glut of games, however, will give general manager Dave Nonis plenty of data should he try and make a deal before the holiday roster freeze kicks in Dec. 19.
continued...
http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2...lue-jackets/zPsSiKvDhr4mbdsOSkWOXM/story.html
There were so many chances for the Bruins to extend their lead. There were shots off posts, blocked shots, and near misses. There were so many missed opportunities, it seemed as if they might come back to haunt the Bruins.
Instead, after taking a two-goal lead into the final period, the Bruins extended their advantage on Milan Lucic’s slap shot at 2:15 of the third, his second goal of the game. And though the Blue Jackets would get one back to ruin backup Chad Johnson’s shutout, Boston went on to a 3-1 win at TD Garden.
That result capped the team’s near-perfect home record in November, with the Bruins going 8-0-2, earning at least a point in each game. The Bruins are 9-0-2 since their last loss at home, Oct. 26 to the Devils.
They were led by Lucic, who added a fight with Dalton Prout to his two-goal evening, finishing the night with a face covered in cuts and 11 goals on the season. It was all part of the resurgence of the first line, with David Krejci adding two assists to his team-leading total of 21 points.
There were also more points for the second line, which is playing better of late, especially Brad Marchand. One day after Patrice Bergeron ended a six-game streak without a goal, the Bruins center nabbed his second in as many days. With Loui Eriksson screening Curtis McElhinney, Bergeron snapped a shot from the right boards that the Columbus goaltender didn’t seem to see at 9:02 of the first period. McElhinney was left looking around for a puck that was in the net.
The Bruins got another just 22 seconds into their first power play of the evening, with Ryan Johansen going off for hooking. Lucic redirected a Torey Krug shot from the point and the Bruins were up by two goals at 14:58 of the first.
The Blue Jackets finally got one past Johnson at 6:16 of the third period, with Ryan Johansen getting the tally.
...and the Bruins just keep rolling along.
Cheers real hockey fans,
Merlot
Ohhhhhhhhhhhh Myyyyyyyyyyyyy GOD!!! Did you really say that??? You just your lost lifetime kiss Iggy's butt privileges. Certainly Leafs fans were looking for some kind of pickup after recent games. Temporary bragging rights over the Canadiens would have been just the thing. Alas, it was not to be mon cher.
To add insult to injury, he loss put the Leafs behind the Canadiens in the standings.Honestly, I thought the Leafs were becoming a good, spirited, tough team. But something about their game beyond injuries seems to have collapsed suddenly. It's probably temporary, but losing badly to poor teams and then to their biggest rival is a bad sign.
http://www.torontosun.com/2013/11/30/leafs-in-montreal-to-take-on-the-canadiens
MONTREAL - When Randy Carlyle goes back to the drawing board Monday, he can start by wiping off the past week — five games in eight nights in which their lone victory came in a shootout.
After coughing up a 4-1 lead in Pittsburgh, then losing in overtime to the woeful Buffalo Sabres earlier in the week, the Maple Leafs had little esprit de corps remaining to take on the Habitants here on Saturday night.
The Canadiens jumped out to a big lead, then stayed composed for a 4-2 win before the usual large contingent of travelling Toronto fans at the Bell Centre.
For Jonathan Bernier, who kept his thoughts to himself when he didn’t start the season opener here, it was a major letdown in front of his friends and family. He made enough good saves — including an early breakaway by Max Pacioretty that ended up in anyway — and big stops in the third to keep it close.
But he and James Reimer have been on the wrong end of some lopsided scores during this current four-game losing streak as the Leafs have sprung leaks on defence and special teams. Toronto managed almost 40 shots against the Canadiens, but the league-leading shot-blockers were at their best.
At least the Leafs can stay home most of next week, with days off between tough games against San Jose and Dallas. They had to get by on Saturday without defenceman Cody Franson, shaken up from a lower body injury in the overtime loss at Buffalo the night before. This glut of games, however, will give general manager Dave Nonis plenty of data should he try and make a deal before the holiday roster freeze kicks in Dec. 19.
continued...
http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2...lue-jackets/zPsSiKvDhr4mbdsOSkWOXM/story.html
There were so many chances for the Bruins to extend their lead. There were shots off posts, blocked shots, and near misses. There were so many missed opportunities, it seemed as if they might come back to haunt the Bruins.
Instead, after taking a two-goal lead into the final period, the Bruins extended their advantage on Milan Lucic’s slap shot at 2:15 of the third, his second goal of the game. And though the Blue Jackets would get one back to ruin backup Chad Johnson’s shutout, Boston went on to a 3-1 win at TD Garden.
That result capped the team’s near-perfect home record in November, with the Bruins going 8-0-2, earning at least a point in each game. The Bruins are 9-0-2 since their last loss at home, Oct. 26 to the Devils.
They were led by Lucic, who added a fight with Dalton Prout to his two-goal evening, finishing the night with a face covered in cuts and 11 goals on the season. It was all part of the resurgence of the first line, with David Krejci adding two assists to his team-leading total of 21 points.
There were also more points for the second line, which is playing better of late, especially Brad Marchand. One day after Patrice Bergeron ended a six-game streak without a goal, the Bruins center nabbed his second in as many days. With Loui Eriksson screening Curtis McElhinney, Bergeron snapped a shot from the right boards that the Columbus goaltender didn’t seem to see at 9:02 of the first period. McElhinney was left looking around for a puck that was in the net.
The Bruins got another just 22 seconds into their first power play of the evening, with Ryan Johansen going off for hooking. Lucic redirected a Torey Krug shot from the point and the Bruins were up by two goals at 14:58 of the first.
The Blue Jackets finally got one past Johnson at 6:16 of the third period, with Ryan Johansen getting the tally.
...and the Bruins just keep rolling along.
Cheers real hockey fans,
Merlot
If winning twice against the leafs and losing 4 games in-between those two wins, is playing well to you, so be it.
To this day, I don't know why it took so long for Ted Nolan to coach in the NHL after winning the award.
Wish him the best in Buffalo.
P.S. Buffalo IS the worst team in the NHL. Do check the stats. NY Islanders have 5 more wins (could have been 7 if the leafs beat the Sabres ) and a game in hand.
The Islanders have an astonishing 26 goals more goals than the Sabres. The difference is the goals against ( 8 goals ) and this is where Ryan Miller comes into play.
As far as the Flames and the Panthers, you check.
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