Jimmy Howard Howard has been kicking around since 2005 but only now is he ripping it up between the pipes for the Wings. Howard is 16-9-2 on the season, 5-1-1 since Christmas with a 2.14 GAA and strong .928 save %. He was mentioned as a snub by some for Quick's spot on the US Olympic Team but still not enough people are singing his praises for keep Detroit in the conversation this season. Sneaky
Alex Burrows Is his 37 points in 46 games because he plays with the Sedin twins or is he the reason Henrik Sedin is atop the scoring league tables?
Tomas Plekanec Your boy has 36 assists so far with 17 on the PP. Not only is he dishing to his teammates but he's setting himself up for a nice payday this summer in a thin free agent class.
Dwayne Roloson Scotty and I got so fired up about how sick of a job Roloson has been doing down range for the Isles that we had to put in a second order of brewery mozzy sticks. It hasn't been easy for the 41 year old but Lord only knows where the Isles are without him.
Girls with their hands in their pockets
Can we talk about how girl girls look when they have their hands in their pockets?
There were a lot of games, its already the afternoon, and since I want to mention Marty Brodeur, and because the Giants rolled the RedSkins last night, I'll name the "giant" of each game. Devils shut-out the Penguins, 4-0: Martin Brodeur - I only turned on this game after it was already 4-0 and I just wanted to see if he would get the record. The last 2 minutes were interesting, with Pittsburgh really turning up the pressure. However, when it was finally over, the Pens crowd was classy, so were some pens players. whatever. Marty Brodeur owns most if not every important goalie record. He's played in 2 eras really, but been great in both. Nemmy still starts a team with Roy, but I think its no question Brodeur. Panthers beat the Flyers, 4-1: Ian Laperriere - The guy fought three times and picked up 20 pims in the 3rd period alone. The Flyers are sicking and seem to think they can fight their way out of it. Bruins shut-out the Senators, 2-0: Tim Thomas - This was a prototypical Tim Thomas shut-out. I don't think the guy made one save that didn't have a rebound, but in true Timmy fashion he just fought the puck all night and won.
Avalanche beat the Wild, 4-3: Niklas Backstrom - I think he's still getting used to his new/old equipment. There are some plays where he is completeley out of position. He looks like Tim Thomas before he knew to scrape up the crease. Thank god Finlad has Kipper. Canadiens beat the Thrashers in OT, 4-3: Anyone who speaks english - This game was only in French on the center ice package. I guess it makes sense that the Atlanta station doesn't show it, but there has to an English speaking feed from Canada, right? Do they Canadiens sometimes broadcast only in French?
Sabres beat the Maple Leafs in OT, 3-2: Instant Replay - This game and the Canadiens game had the OT winners scored pretty much simultaneously. Of course I missed both of them live, but instant replay - old fashioned kind, not dvr - helped me out, so I could see Roy's backhand move.
Coyotes beat the BJs, 5-2: Mathieu Garon - Hitch made it public that there is no number 1 keeper and Garon makes sure that he lets everyone know that he's a back up. Sharks beat the Stars, 4-2: Patrick Marleau - Guy just gets it done. 2 goals last night.
Rangers beat the Hurricanes, 3-1: Gabby or Henrik - I didn't watch the game and skimmed the highlights, but when the Rangers win its only because of either one of those 2. Blues beat the Oilers, 7-2: The great city of Edmonton - Every time I come here it gets hard to leave. I bet they put something to the water.
Lightning beat the Islanders, 4-2: Dwayne Rolosson -
Sooo, I'm going to change this week's Mid-Week Monster to today, just because there were so many damn games on last night.
Islanders beat the Rangers (in regulation!), 3-1: Dwayne Roloson - the guy made the necessary saves to be the first star of the game and then did a post-game interview with his mask on. He must be a Ricky Williams fan.
Avalanche beat the Flames, 3-2: Craig Anderson - maybe he was supposed to get a day off, but the swine flu got to Peter Budaj, so once again Anderson won. The first goal he let in was a bit of a softie, but he made the difference from there as Wolski scored a sweet game winner.
Penguins beat the Canadiens, 6-1: Sidney Crosby - he had a hat trick. His first goal is what will eventually be termed, "vintage Crosby." He sits on right post and even when the keeper anticipates, Crosby sneaks that one-timer inside the post. His second goal was a spin around back hand that he ROOFED. He might have kicked the third one in.
Sabres win over the Devils, 4-1: Ryan Miller - I didn't watch this game, but since he only gave up one (Scotty hates him for never getting shut-out), I'll assume he deserves it.
Stars beat the Maple Leafs in OT, 4-3: James Neal - He got the game winner, but he's also the guy that when you say, "howd the stars win the puck in the corner?" it was him. Sharks beat the Kings i n the shoot-out, 2-1: Patrick Marleau - his slap shot goal, literally put a hole in Jon Quick. Seriously. Also, does the HP Center have the worst camera angles in the league? Its an arena that only has hockey and they couldn't do a better job setting up the cameras? For shame, sharks. For shame.
Blues beat the Hurricanes, 5-2: Andy MacDonald/Scott Walker - these 2 guys had the bests goals of the game. Scott Walker batted his own rebound out of mid-air. MacDonald took a sweet pass from Big Walt and cut in on Ward and scored.
Coyotes beat the BJs, 4-1: Robert Lang/Keith Yandl - its duo because of the sick goal. Yandle on the point on the PP, walks in and does a fake-slap-shot-pass. This is different from a slap-pass because in the slap-pass its all in one motion. In the fake-slap-shot-pass, Yandle turned his body, because he found Lang away from the goal and some how Lang on no angle, tucked the puck in the top of the net. Senators beat the Panthers, 4-3: Pascal Leclaire - even though he got hurt. he has sweet pads. Predators beat the Wild, 4-3: Jerred Smithson - game winner and short handed, you sir are a Mid-Week Monster (to be said in booming voice).
So even though I should have been able to see highlights from the 20 or so games this weekend, I only caught 2 full games instead. I watched the Hawks embarrass the Panthers in front of a less than capacity crowd of Finlanders. And The 2 Man went to the Islanders home opener and chatted with Brent Johnson (not on film), while the Islanders lost in the shoot-out.
For the Islander game, we lucked out with the weather. It was pouring as we crawled along in traffic on the LIE, but just as pulled into the parking lot, it cleared up (relatively) and we got some great footage.
Some thoughts from the game:
Sidney Crosby is great and again just wants to put his team on his back. He scored twice on Rolosson (once in the shoot out), by going five-hole.
Tim Jackman knows when to fight. This happened shortly after Crosby put the Pens up 1-0.
Tavares got is first goal. I'm sure he'll have many more from that about area. Watch Trent Hunter get the puck for him.
So thats all I really got for this first weekend wrap-up. Yea I saw Khabibulin's fuck up. And I learned you never, ever fight Milan Lucic.
Can someone please tell me what is happening with the Islanders. Is Dipietro not playing anymore in the league. Is he seriously anticipated to miss an entire season again? Is that for real that they are hedging with Biron and Roloson. Why do we need both? They are both middle of the pack decent goaltenders...they won't be decent on the Isles as the Isles will contnue to struggle for another few years until the rebuilding is done but why would they need both? Is Biron really going to possibly play THAT much better than Rolly or vice-versa? Really? Cmon now...there is something seriously messed up going on over there. We needed two more Serious forwards this year like a Tanguay and a Gaborik. Roloson..yea ah ok we could use him because of the insecurity of DP but Biron too. I just don't understand. I'm confused and a little frustrated now.
Well the 2man is meeting with friend/former producer of ours in a way with the Islanders out in Long Island later to discuss the future. I'm sure the goalie conversation will come up and I will simply order another Margarita. Jeff Wechsler has his own squad in our men's league now and our team managed to lose to a joke team this week as me Nemy and Mike Martin sat out. Artem still believes the team is spicy but they still lost. I'm so confused in general.
