The Official 2018-19 NHL hockey thread

[EagerBeaver]

Gaby what is the over/under on total goals in the Leafs-Caps game tonight? I was thinking something like 6-5 Caps so maybe 11?

Who will win the Rangers-Oilers battle of teams off to terrible starts?

Will Pittsburgh gain revenge in Montreal tonight for last week’s thrashing by the Habs?

Can Vegas right the ship in Philly after starting 1-4?

 

[EagerBeaver]

Gritty Controversy

Gaby,

Where do you weigh in on the controversy over the Flyers mascot Gritty? Is he cute, or terrifying? I had heard an unconfirmed rumor that our MERB poster Halloween Mike had moved to Philly, applied for and gotten the job of being Gritty. However this video in which Gritty is unmasked proves that the rumor that it’s HM is not true:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpfRzQO-pnU

 

[gaby]

Hi EB.....tonight Leafs-Caps.....like you...would go also for Caps 5-4 in OT.....another busy night for Andersen....BUT an interesting game to watch

Oilers and Vegas did well this afternoon......a bagel for Fleury.

Yep Pens will gain revenge vs Montréal.....5-2......enjoy.

 

[gaby]

GRITTY....not really my taste....i much prefer YOUPPI....lol........but he fits well with the team and their fans who already booed Santa Claus......lol.......and a good news for HM......lol......

 

[Sol Tee Nutz]

The GEO won.... If it was not for 3 players they would be dead last at the end of the season, still hoping for them.

 

[EagerBeaver]

Who would have thought that on a night when both Boston and TB exploded for 8 goals, the Caps would only muster a relatively meager 27 shots and 2 goals on Freddie Anderson?

Meanwhile, Austin Matthews now has 10 goals in 6 games and has scored goals in all 6 games. Does anyone know what NHL record is for scoring goals in consecutive games? Does Gretzky or Lemieux hold this record?

Has Montreal stumbled into a good acquisition with Tommy Tatar? I always thought he was a pretty good player, don’t know what happened to him in Detroit?

Are the Rangers as bad as they have looked? Is their rookie coach from the US college ranks in over his head and is this gonna be a lesson not to hire college coaches with no NHL baby teeth?

 

[Doc Holliday]

GRITTY....not really my taste....

I was looking at that ugly mascot yesterday & i concluded that it must have been based on Donald Trump.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Who would have thought that on a night when both Boston and TB exploded for 8 goals, the Caps would only muster a relatively meager 27 shots and 2 goals on Freddie Anderson?

Not that surprising actually. Boston has one of the top first lines in hockey & Detroit is one of the worse teams in hockey. Tampa Bay has two of the top offensive players in hockey and it is among the league's top teams. Columbus is without its top defenceman Seth Jones.

As for the Caps they were literally robbed all evening long by Freddie "The Goalie" Andersen. Many of the shots which came Andersen's way were great scoring chances. The Caps dominated the Leafs for two periods yet the Leafs ended up getting two goals in the second period. The Leafs totally dominated the Caps in the third period. It was like pros playing a midget team. But the Caps did get great scoring chances (especially TJ Oshie) in the third on the few chances they ended up getting. But Freddie the Goalie turned them away.

As for streaks the longest goal-scoring streak is 16 games by the very well-known Punch Broadbent back in the 1921-22 season.

Tomas Tatar was a good addition by the habs. However it did cost them top-scorer and former captain Max Paccioretty. Vegas won that trade but surprisingly the habs managed to get something decent in return in Tatar & Suzuki. Plus the habs have barely played 4 games so we'll know for sure 80 games from now how Tatar sauce will pan out.

As for the Rangers it'll be as expected a very long season. They did announce to the fans last season that they'd be undergoing a rebuild and to get ready for a whole lot of hurting for the next few years. David Quinn coached in the AHL and was an assistant in Colorado. But he doesn't have that much talent on the team at the current time. Even Emile Francis & Mike Keenan would have trouble winning with that team. The coach is definitely not to be blamed for the team's current woes. But i guarantee you that things will be much better a few years from now if the team's management sticks to the current rebuilding plan.

 

[gaby]

The surprising Bruins are 4-1 with only one punch line PASTRNAK-BERGERON-MARCHAND .....incredible. Happy to see Hawks looking better this year with their Captain--Toews......i knew qu'il rebondirait après une année décevante.....i like this player...sa fougue et détermination.....un vrai Capitaine.

 

[gaby]

EB.....in the NHL history HARRY BROADBENT, SEASON 20-21, had 27 goals in 16 consecutive games.

Modern area.......CHARLIE SIMMER-----79-80 with LA---had 13 and LEMIEUX---92-93--had 12.

 

[EagerBeaver]

In the modern era since 1943-44 there are only 5 players with 10 goals in the first 6 games, besides Matthews, they are Bobby Hull, Dino Ciccerelli, Mike Bossy and Mario Lemieux:

Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews in elite company with 10 goals through six games https://es.pn/2OoX8i7

Those are some great players!

 

[EagerBeaver]

McDavid v. Matthews Debate

This is sort of like Crosby v. Ovechkin when they both came into the league a year apart:

McDavid vs. Matthews is the rivalry the NHL deserves https://es.pn/2OVK0kb

 

[gaby]

I agree BUT for me the rivalry would be much better and intense if McDavid was playing for a winning team.......my 2 cents.

 

[EagerBeaver]

It’s up to McDavid to lead the team and turn them into winners. He may need to grow into that role but Crosby and Ovechkin did it, and he must do it, in time.

 

[Sol Tee Nutz]

I agree BUT for me the rivalry would be much better and intense if McDavid was playing for a winning team.

Hey..... I can read, I have feelings.
Rivalry? He won the point race with a team who did not make the playoffs, that should kind of stoke the fire.
If they do not make the playoffs this year I may have to have my Oiler tattoo removed from my testicles, but the writing tattoo will stay on my dick.

 

[EagerBeaver]

Another good game last night by the Habs, albeit at the expense of the hapless Red Wings. After Tatar's goal he looked at the Detroit bench and said, "hey, remember me?"

BTW do any of you guys realize Niemi's career W-L record in the NHL is 235 wins and 134 losses? That is 100 games over .500. You can do a lot worse, MUCH worse, than having this dude as your backup goalie. Although given how fragile Price has been, like an expensive piece of China, it is a good idea to have a backup set of dishes!

Nashville is very quietly taking care of business! Subban now has 5 points in 6 games.

 

[gaby]

So so sad to see Detroit going down the road that way....would not be surprise if Jeff Blashill is the first coach to be fired this year.....certainement que Dan Bylsma---assistant coach----pourrait prendre la relève et terminer la saison. Bylsma was with Pens from 2008 to 2014 and with Sabres 2015-2017.

 

[Sol Tee Nutz]

^^^^^^^^ The GEO could have the first coach casualty.

 

[gaby]

Yep true..i forgot about them....so he would be the second....lol.....who do you see taking charge?

 

[gaby]

Stastny out for 2 months....not a good news for Vegas