What you missed last night while you waiting for the Afghanistan elections to settle

Islanders beat the Oilers, 3-1: Brendan Witt had 2 goals in this game. Brendan Witt! While Witt was tearing it up offensively, Andy Sutton was laying down the law in the neutral and d-zone. Even after he had to fight after hitting Gagner or Cogliano he didn't shy away from hits later in the game. I'd mention that Khabibulin wasn't sharp, but if Brendan Witt scores, you know thats the case.

Kings beat the Coyotes, 5-3: Both the Coyotes and the Islanders were at home last night. I'd say the Vegas line on combined attendance was 12,498. I would have taken the under. Anyway, Jason LaBarbara got the start against his old team and let up the kind of goals that probably led to the Kings trading him away. Kopitar scored from a bad angle, however Doughty's game winner was the result of a super screen. Why isn't SLG (screens that lead to goals) a stat yet?

Flyers win over the Lightning, 6-2: This game was a 5 o'clock start because of the World Series. I watched the third when I got home from work and the crowd looked solid. I wonder if Mr. W made that double header. The Flyers dominated. No surprise. Stamkos is on a sneaky scoring streak. He sniped far post last night.

What you missed last night while you were coming up with bad top 10 lists

Penguins beat the Hurricanes in the shoot-out 3-2: 2 best young goalies in the NHL + 2 fast, skilled teams = GREAT hockey game. This highlight sums it up:


Rangers beat the Kings, 4-2: Are these really the 2 hottest teams in the NHL right now? I smell a conspiracy - NY and LA, come on! It was an entertaining game. Gabby scored with his patented no-release snipe. Lundqvist is the Ranger's D.

Blackhawks beat the Oilers, 4-3: Khabibulin played well against his old teammates, but just couldn't get it done. Chicago's offense is a well-oiled machine. When they aren't scoring pretty goals, they get gritty a la Jack Skille's goal.

Stars shut-out the Predators, 6-0: Marty Turco uses the 2 pad slide very liberally.

Ducks beat the Wild, 3-2: Corey Perry scored 2 really really nice goals. The backhand, reachback move on his first was great invention. The snipe for goal 2 is just really really good skill.

What you missed last night while you were angrily watching Jim and Pam's wedding

Its Friday, so its back to Hockey Haikus. There were a ton of games last night.


Flames beat the Oilers in the shoot-out, 4-3:
Khabibulin has
problems late in the third. He
is probably drunk.

Sharks beat the BJs, 6-3:
Heatley got the trick.
Joe had four assists. The Sharks
need the same in May.

Senators beat the Islanders in OT, 3-2:
Okposo had a
sweet goal. Pascal Leclaire's pads are sweet.
Does anyone care?

Penguins beat the Flyers, 5-4:
Would you really be
surprised if Hartnell does like
the taste of humans?

Rangers beat the Capitals, 4-3:
After Henrik's brain
fart, Gabby scores. When will his
groin finally break?

Thrashers win over the Blues, 4-2:
The commentator
call Tkachuk, "Big Walt." That's the
Best. Nickname. Ever.

Red Wings beat the Hawks, 3-2:
This game wasn't close
to being sold out. Detroit
has mad problems, yo.

Devils beat the Lightning in the shoot-out, 4-3:
Stamkos will not have
a sophmore slump. His release
is "lightning" fast. HA!

Predators beat the Avalanche, 3-2:
Nashville has a real
sneaky home-ice advantage.
Duchene is mad fast.

Sabres win over the Coyotes, 2-1:
Is there anyone
outside of Buffalo that
cared about this game?

Ducks beat the Bruins, 7-1:
"Perry scored off his
head. Boston sucks,"says Nemmy
in text from last night.

Kings win over the Wild, 6-3:
So far this season,
the Kings get big leads, then lose
them, but win the game.

What you missed last night while you were watching the Twins win

For this season, Wednesday recaps will be known as Mid-week Monsters. I'll pick the best player from each game and tell you why.

Senators beat the Maple Leafs, 2-1: Alfie - he got the game winner with a nice move in during a penalty shot. He didn't draw it, but finished it nicely, with a move that froze the new bad Leafs goalie and then roofed the backhand.

Flyers win over the Capitals in OT, 6-5: Capt. Mike - Richards had a 2nd period hat-trick. Enough said. His first goals was a bad angle snipe off a great slap-pass. The second was a little luck on a wrister and the third was him going hard to the net and roofing Varlemov's goof.

Flames beat the Canadiens, 4-3: Eric Nystrom - 2 goals and a fight. None of it was pretty, but it all looks the same on a scoresheet.

Oilers beat the Stars in the shoot-out, 5-4: This wasn't a pretty game. I guess I'll say Khabibulin, because he got the win.

Kings win over the Sharks, 6-4: Jack Johnson - His goal was special. Handzus gave me an awful waist high saucer pass and some how JJ batted it in. But when you're up 4-0 and give away the lead, its tough to give the MwM award to a d-man, but that goal was sneaky special.

Wild beat the Ducks in OT, 4-3: John Scott - How does Minnesota have another huge fighter besides Boogard. Anyway, Scott dominated his fight agains t2MA! favorite George Parros

Weekend Wrap Up OR What I missed because my DVR failed to record any NHL: On the Fly

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.





Tell me what I missed.

-Bress

Weekend Wrap Up OR Seriously, watch the Memorial Cup

If you have the NHL Network, watch the Memorial Cup. You might catch your teams' young prospects, or future draft picks. You will definitely see some great, inspired hockey.

Anyway,

there was only one NHL game on this weekend and the Red Wings kind of, sort of, dominated the Blackhawks. Instead of the Hawks exploding for offense in the third, it was the Wings who had 3 goals in the final period. Pat Kane was invisible. The game was somewhere between ugly and fast paced. There were a lot of good back checks. And Khabibulan had that string of sick saves in the second period when the Wings were on the power play. Both Cleary goals were nice, the snipe on the rush and then the great tip.

That what I saw. What did I miss?

What you missed last night while you were getting clearance to write "what you missed last night"

Blackhawks beat the Canucks, 7-5 (CHI wins series 4-2): Even if you missed the first 2 periods of this game (like I did), you still caught a hell of a game. Tied 3-3 going in to the third, there were lead changes, great saves, and young stars showing off. My favorite goal was Kane's third. And Edzo actually said something that added value to the replay. Kane subtly faked a wrist shot to open up the D-man and then stick handle and the sweet back hand and you know the rest - bar and in. Khabibulin played great, and not just great for a goalie who gave up 5 goals. Seriously. some of his saves were game-saving. I hope Chicago plays Detroit in the conference finals, just for some good old fashioned hate. However, I hope that Ducks/Wings series goes to 7 first.

Capitals beat the Penguins in OT, 5-4 (series tied 3-3): I was texting Nemmy updates of this game while he was at the new Shea, and it got out of control. Just like the third period of above, this game had the lead changes, great saves, young studs, etc. There is no way I could talk about all the goodness that this game was before my Percocet wears off. Is there anyone who watched this series and was a Crosby-hater beforehand and still has no respect for Sid? I can't believe that there would be. Kozlov's first goal was on of those snipes, where it takes a me a while to figure out how the puck physically got from the ice to the back of the net, so high so quickly - it boggles my mind. Hal Gill, really? I don't really care who wins game 7, but I'd rather that team face the Bruins then the Hurricanes.

What you missed last night while were getting checked out for swine flu

Blackhawks beat the Flames, 4-1 (CHI wins series 4-2): The best Flame on the ice last night was Todd Bertuzzi. That was the problem for the Flames. Jarome, really didn't show up for the last 2 games of the series. Patrick Kane showed up. Khabibulin definitely showed up. And Dustin whose last name I can't spell, really showed up last night. The Flames could be the new Sharks (if the Sharks weren't still the Sharks) if they don't win a first round series again. The matchup against Vancouver should be another exciting series. Both the Canucks and the Blackhawks are fast, young, and gritty.

Ducks beat the Sharks, 4-1 (ANH wins series 4-2): Great fight Thornton, how about scoring a point? Getlaf lost that battle, but won the war. The fake shot on the point during the powerplay, opened up the lane to get the puck on net, where Corey Perry got a goal. Later, Getzlaf got his passport to Snipe City stamped again when he ripped a goal to comple the Gordy Hat Trick and put the nail in the coffin. Up next is the Red Wings for the Ducks. I'll have to really think about who I want to take in that one.

What you missed last night while you were trying to figure out the NHL "Portal" commercial (why is there a rusty sink at the end?)

Sabres beat the Maple Leafs, 3-1: So the Sabres are still alive until tonight when Florida should get 2 points from Atlanta. The Maple Leafs missed a lot of good chances and at times Curtis Joseph looked like he was doing an impression of me playing roller hockey goalie. In short, there's a reason both of these teams are on the outside looking in.

Blue Jackets beat the Blackhawks in the shoot-out, 4-3: This was a great game from 2 play-off bound teams in the west. In short, the complete opposite of the other game. Here's really why it was such a good game -the best players on each team were the best players on the ice. Khabibulan made some spectacular saves. Nash scored, got a penalty shot opportunity and put one in his own net. Havlat and Kane teamed up for one of the go ahead goals. It was kind of weird to see the BJs bench after regulation. They didn't know if it was alright to be happy or not. They got the one point to clinch there first ever play-off spot. I think they are a dangerous team in the first round.

So last night...

You knew the Capitals were going to come back last night versus the Islanders but you didn't know how and in what time span. I tuned in and out, but the last time I tuned in before the Mike Green overhaul was when the Isles had a 3-2 lead. The powerplay started and you knew a good team which the Capitals are, would probably be able with 10 minutes to go, to find a way to at least tie this up versus the last place team. The powerplay started and it was over before it began. I tuned back in about 5 minutes later to find that the Isles were down again and before I could even let out a Bressler groan which many of his friends know all too well, Mike Green's hands were in the air with another PPG. The man has 30 goals and over 40 assists and he missed 10 games. What!!!!! This is ridiculous. Howie Rose was saying how he couldn't imagine how any one else would win the Norris. Billy Jaffe than said Chara and Boyle would get high mention....yes they would but are you serious this year Mike Green? If he doesn't win the Norris, than the 2man Advantage ceases to exist...my goodness!

Of course Nikolai Khabibulin lost the shut-out bid for my fantasy squad with 2 seconds left on the clock. Are you joking dude? They took a penalty and the freakin wheels fell off. I would have rather he lost the game at this point. Go home!

On to other news. Last night, I created a new NHL 09 squad. Wow! The name of the created team is the St. Paul Spartans. The jerseys...well lets just say that they resemble the team colors of the Miami Dolphins from the first tecmo bowl nintendo game.

Obviously the team on the right.

Like a metallic sky blue with greens and dark blues throughout. So Sexy! Ridiculous but sexy! The squad is 5 men and a goalie like the King and his court. Matty Weindel centers the unit with Brad Mcgan on the left side and John Giardino on the right. What's really great is that they make you choose a name that the announcers call you by. Obviously they don't have Weindel but they have many other W's. I chose Winchester as the nickname for Matty, Maclean for Brad because I loved John Maclean from the Devils and more from Die Hard and Gianolla for Gio which is utterly ridiculous. The D-unit is comprised of Nemy and Scotty. Last night there was a great moment between the two D-men. The following video is Scott Stevens top 10 hits and # 3 when Niedermayer is tracking the opponent and curling up to hip him when Stevens comes freighting in to haul the trash out resembles best what happened last night.


Scotty Barbonus has Iginla in his sights and just as I was about to take him out, I switched over to Dance and Nemy laid him out.

Our netminder is none other than avid 2man blogger Mikey Heals playing with one hell of a color coordination. Undefeated in his first 5 starts with 2 shutouts and is looking strong. Mcgan is slightly in the points lead out of the gate with 17 in 5 games with Wendel 1 behind. It's a strong unit.

Man I hope Kovalchuk has 100 points. What a game winner last night. So good at hockey. Has everyone seen this because damn!




- Barbonus

Finals Preview in the 2man Head to Head League

Well now that Mike Sung has officially dragged me down this morning from consistent staring at my P+L and making me lose my focus, we can talk about the finals match-up.

Please put this song on in the back-ground for the following post.


Trefo (a.k.a.) "Schmitty" takes the Spin-O-Rama squad, which has consistently outperformed the S&P 500 all year long. He brings the likes of players such as a dominant Rick Nash, street-savy Marc Savard, the big cat Marty Brodeur between the pipes with Yann Danis and Nikolai maybe he'll save it Khabibobby backing him up. He also yields the ever-impressive Jeff Carter and his sexual campaign this year with decent under-belly support in players like Patty Berglund, Joey Pavelski, Alexei Kovalev and the MTL PP domination, Michael Ryder and Mikey Kanubull.

For the next preview, place this song on please.

When I hear this song for NHL '95, I get watery a little as I remember my mom buying this for me and I just wasn't ever more excited for any other version as a kid, I don't know why. It makes me wanna play roller hockey on Mildred Drive. We would order Domino's and try to get the Seagulls to eat an alka-seltzer tab, to see if it would actually explode.

On the back-end Brad Mac brings his iron clad Omar DevOne Little squad that also has outperformed the S&P 500 all year in good form with well oiled axles from front to back. In goal he throws Niklas Backstrom alongside Dwayne Roloson, two goalies back-stopping two teams in the playoff hunt which is always good down a fantasy stretch with Bryzgalov there to support the save category. Mrs. Phelps (a.k.a. Brad Mac) yields the power I Mike Richards which is something you need in a finals matchup this year. He holds a strong D-pairing in Gonchar and Streit with Dany Heat, interesting Lucic over the last few, Stevey Sulls who will only continue his match play when and if Arnott returns, Marty Aggrippa Havlat who has crushed the street's expectations this year and is surviving and thriving in this recession. I like this team to win it for the goaltenders who will be in TOP form, and most of all for his lower line scrape. Sam Gagner, Okposo, Antropov, Stamkos, T.J. Oshie and some Jared Boll PIMs. Many of these guys have been very strong over the last month.

Should be interesting to watch. My team just didn't have it this year. A poor draft, alongside a few injuries and some missed pick-ups and you have a bottom story forming.

- Nascency in the pull-back