Weekend Wrap Up OR What I missed because the power went out

There were a ton of good fights this weekend. Here they are in no particular order:



Owen Nolan - Love that he's still playing and fighting



Rick Rypien is fearless!



Not a great fight, but I love when the players take off their buckets



This counts a "loss" for Boogaard, right?


I'll briefly talk about the Ovechkin hit: You can't hit a guy in the numbers. If you see numbers it means that the player has beat you. Let it go. The only reason that the call (5 min and a game) is up for discussion is because the refs don't call it consistently enough. You want players to let up on those dangerous hits - then the refs need to make consistent calls. I don't know if Ovy should get suspended, but the right call on the ice was made. Shut up, Mike Milbury.

Heres a great pass from Ovy, from Friday versus the Lightning:



Pat Eaves has dangerous speed and Ryan Miller should really stop even thinking about using a poke check:



Formula for a great save = highway robbery + late in game x team has lead... as done by Halak



It was Ottawa's only goal, but boy was it pretty. Vintage Jason Spezza:



Steve Mason has a slow glove hand, apparently:





Heres a nice passing play from the Isles, to put away the Leafs last night:




What did I miss?

-Bress

What you missed because of your internet connection, working late and a reasonable bedtime

U.S. beats Switzerland 3-1

Let me just say for every person at my office that stopped to watch the 3PM game vs. the Swiss at the TV near my desk there were 3 guys at the other end of the floor watching a soccer match. I hate my office.

I can't find any clips of the goals so I'll try to describe them.

1) Some Swiss defenseman turns the puck over and Bobby Ryan rips a shot from the slot past Hiller's glove. The puck was just sitting there and Ryan without hesitation ripped it upstairs. I imagine Hiller sees that shot everyday in practice.

2) Miller kicks away a pretty decent Swiss scoring attempt and Blackes scoops up the puck at the circle and carries it the length of the left side of the ice. He beats some Swiss D wide, cuts across the crease and pots the puck by Hiller. Jonas might have been afraid to poke because Blackes would have severed his arm. Total power move.

3) Ryan Malone (who was wearing shoulder pads so loose that you could see his upper body ink) knocks home a rebound through the legs of Hiller. Thankfully no one around the TV makes a "Swiss cheese" joke.

Thoughts:
- Blackes, Malone, and Brown were punishing people. Malone scored after a frothy forecheck and the Swiss couldn't control him in front of the net.

- Parise, Stastny and Kane is a ridiculous line. They weren't completely in sync but could really get it going when they cycled.

- All in all the US team looked sloppy. Part of me thinks they were trying to do too much with the puck. Instead of getting everything deep, banging away and causing turnovers they settled for forcing passes. Part of me (and I hope this isn't the case) thinks that they were freaking the fuck out.

- Drury and Callahan were awesome in the little ice time they got. I think Cally hit the pipe on a shot?

- Miller is a rock.

- Hnat Domenichelli has not dropped off the face of the planet. He played big minutes for the Swiss.

Canada beats Norway 8-0
They took a little while to get going but Canada opened up for 8 goals. Norway didn't skate any current NHLers but they were a little bit of a tougher matchup than the score showed.

- Iginla (had a hat trick) opened up the scoring with a one-timer from Sid. It was the prototypical Jarome goal and it helps to have Rich Nash screening for him.

- Crosby (3 helpers) and Weber were the most impressive Canadian skaters.

- Heatley had 2 goals but Marleau and Thornton were pretty unnoticeable.

- Getzlaf didn't look like he was missing a step from that ankle issue.

- During one of the breaks Milbury and JR were discussing Ovy in comparison to Sid. It is such a tired subject but they went for it and it gummed up the entire broadcast.

- Mike Richards scored off of his own rebound. If he and Patty Bergeron are killing penalties together it will be a huge problem for the rest of the world.

- The Canadian team is that good.

Russia beats Latvia 8-2
I didn't watch this. I don't want to ruin the mystique that has built up around the Russian team. I want Ovy and Semin to kill Carl Weathers on the ice and have Talia Shire scream at Joe Pavelski that he can't win. Plus this game was on too late and I fell asleep before the CAN/NOR game was over.

- Nemmy


- Nemmy

What you missed last night while kicking short or line drives

Canucks shut-out Coyotes, 4-0:
Alex Burrows will
be the first star of the week
You heard it here first.

Canadiens shut-out the Panthers, 2-0:
Who is the number
one tender in Montreal?
Trade the other one.

Capitals beat the Senators, 5-2:
Ovechkin scored his
first goal as captain. It was
a sweet backhand play.

BJs beat the Oilers, 4-2:
When 2 slumping teams
play, one gets out of said slump.
Steve Mason still sucks.

Blackhawks beat the Bruins, 5-2:
Of all the fire
power on the hawks, it was
Keith who scored nice. twice.

Flyers beat the Penguins, 7-4:
The Flyers should
have had 8, but 7 was
enough for the win.

Wings beat the Kings, 2-1:
Howard's shut-out was
lost on a fluky bounce,
but Helm won it late

Predators beat the Hurricanes, 4-2:
The Canes should blow up
their team like the Flyers
did a few years back.

Thrashers beat the Rangers in the shoot-out, 2-1:
Rich Peverly got
robbed twice during the game
by not Lunqvist. Who?

Ducks beat the Blues, 4-2:
Nemmy texted me,
"Backes is ready." I love
him fighting Northers.

Weekend Wrap Up OR The Best of 2010, so far

2010 started off nicely enough with a good game and better fight at Fenway.



Then team USA was announced. At least those boys won't have the pressure of Canada.

Even if we don't beat Canada at the Olympics, at least we can beat them up.



Kovalev had 4 goals last night. His 4th was probably his nicest, mostly because his head is down most of the way.



The Penguins suck in 2010, but Crosby scored this nice wrister:


And then MAF gave up 5 goals. He's playing himself right to 3rd on the Canada goalie depth chart.

This goal by Toews is my favorite of the weekend. Because everyone on the Ducks forgets about him and he sneaks back door and also Kane, who makes the pass, is chewing on his mouth guard the whole time.


What did I miss?

-Bress

Save of the Century

Thank God Doan had the gwg last night because I was really starting to wonder.

How about David Blackes!!!!

Buy the dips people. Don't dump Rinne before the best run of his career to Vin Bruce.

- Idiot

Weekend Wrap Up OR If you have to wake up in the middle of the night to poop, that can't be good

On Friday night, Tim Thomas broke his stick after a shoot-out loss. All is good in the world.

On Saturday night this hit happened:


Its a clean hit. A really really good, clean hit.

Ovechkin had 2 goals saturday night. This one is silly.



He had zero angle on that rebound and took a freaking slap shot!

This is a power move. Its from last nights Blues/Canucks game




What did I miss?

-Bress

Value?

You wanna talk about value? David Backes. Big Backes! He had 4 goals last night? LOL!!!!

30 goals, 21 assists with a man size 163 pim factor. Those numbers are respective of late 80s Joel Otto on the Flames with the helmut and the action. Laith work.

Even Willem Dafoe as a Vampire is even perplexed at those Backes Boards!

- Scott

What you missed last night while you were incorrectly identifying Julianne Moore while getting banana pudding

Its Friday. Its hockey haikus. You know the drill

Flames beat the Stars, 2-1:
I want Calgary
to face Columbus in the
first round of play-offs.

Ducks win over the Canucks in the shoot-out, 6-5:
This was one crazy
game of hockey. Comeback by
the ducks and the win.

Canadiens beat the Islanders, 5-1:
This loss will help both
teams. Isles get closer to top
pick and Tavares (?)

Sharks beat the Oilers, 2-1:
Oilers are closer
to "vortex of death."MacT
is closer to fired.

Bruins beat the Senators, 2-1:
Who will overpay
for Tim Thomas in July?
My bet is Toronto.

Blues win over the Red Wings, 5-4:
David Backes is
a fantasy playoff stud.
4 goals equals yes

Hurricanes beat the Rangers, 4-2:
Paul Maurice, coach
of the year? How did this team
get to fourth in East.

Coyotes beat the Kings, 2-1:
Al Montoya has
given up only one goal
in 2 games. Nice start!