What you missed last night while watching the underwhelming CHL Prospects game

Devils shut-out the Panthers, 2-0: Marty Brodeur is a machine. Another shut-out, just making that record impossible to break. Also, has Dean McAmmond ever skated so hard in life to get an empty netter with no time remaing?

Blues beat the Canadiens in OT, 4-3: Darren Pang is the most homer color guy, ever. I kind of like it. After Cam Janssen ran over/jumped on Price, Pang, a former tender, of course defended Janssen. I loved Price trying pull his own man off Janssen so he could fight him. Anyway, Andy MacDonald had sweet wrister, high blocker, for the game-winner.

Canucks beat the Oilers in OT, 3-2: The call on Grebeshkov that gave the Canucks an overtime powerplay was terrible. The Canucks dominated the face-off dot during power plays all night and that led, surprise surprise, to the game winning goal.

What you missed last night while you had the Versus game on mute because you can't listen to Joe Beninati or you will light yourself on fire

Instead of awful play-by-play is listened to the new Black Keys album, "Blakroc" Its solid.

Anyway, I've been away for a while. First I was here:
That the Perrito Moreno glacier in Argentina. I know, I took a early winter vacation to see more ice. After my South American jaunt, I flew back for my cousin's wedding. So it was pretty much 2 weeks without hockey. It was weird.

Anyway, onto last nights games:

Leafs shut-out the Canadiens, 3-0: Joey MacDonald and The Monster combined for the shut-out. Gustavsson had to leave after the first because of an elevated hear-rate. Ok. The Canadiens stink and to shake up their line up they traded Kyle Chipchura to the Ducks for a 4th round pick. Here's what you need to do Gainey, trade Price.

Sharks beat the Senators, 5-2: Its not the same when you face your old team at your new team's barn. This game should have been about the return of Milan Milchalek - he was studdly last night. 2 goals to Heatley's zero. Did Cheechoo even play?

Hawks beat the BJs in the shoot-out, 4-3: The thousand round shoot-out was boring. The best move/goal of the night went to Versteeg. On the first goal he had not one, but two toe drags to beat Jackets' d-men and then slid the puck past Mason.

Kings win over the Ducks, 4-3: Correy Perry had a sick tip-in goal and now has a 19 game point streak. The first goal of the Kings featured the sickest backhand sauce pass and subsequent knock down I have ever seen

What you missed last night while you were learning the official rock of Alberta

(answer at the bottom)

Coyotes shut-out the Penguins, 3-0: I don't think anyone saw this coming. When it was 2-0 late in the 3rd, Scotty texted me, "Do they make it a game?" I replied, "they should get at least 1." I'm glad I left and didn't watch the rest. Someone on NHL on the Fly: Final said it best, "the coyotes played a text book away game." They got the first goal, took the crowd out of it and played some good D. Brent Johnson must have still been thinking about Nemmy's super questions, but he did make some nice saves.

Canucks wallop the Canadiens, 7-1: Yes, I used the word "wallop." There's no other way to describe it. Everybody in Vancouver can relax now. The first 2 goals from Raymond and Kessler were just awesome speed demon goals. Kessler with a sweet move on the breakaway and Kessler cutting in on the D-man for the eventual game winner. Price didn't even finish the game.


oh, and the official rock of Alberta is petrified wood.

Crib Notes - Montreal Canadiens

Montreal Canadiens
Last season - Finished 2nd in the Northeast, Swept in round 1 of the playoffs by Boston
Lost hard-nosed D Mike Komisarek to Toronto via free agency
Lost sick W Alex Kovalev to Ottawa via free agency
Lost captain Saku Koivu to Anaheim via free agency
Lost Tom Kostopoulos to Carolina vie free agency
Lost grizzled D Matt Schneider to Vancouver via free agency
Lost W Alex Tanguay to Tampa Bay via free agency
Signed Diarrhea as a free agent
Signed D Jaroslav Spacek and Paul Mara as free agents
Signed Mike Cammalleri Brian Gionta and Travis Moen.
Signed 3rd string G Curtis Sanford
Traded Chris Higgins and change for Scott Gomez in a multi player deal
Resigned Kyle Chipchura, Guillaume Latendresse, Tom Plekanec and Gregory Stewart

Questions going into 2009-2010:
Does Gionta, Cammalleri, Moen and Gomez = Kovalev, Koivu, Lang and Tanguay?
Does Mara, Spacek and Diarrhea = Komisarek and Schneider?
Can Carey Price stay focused for a full season?
Is it a concern that the top talent is relatively undersized?
How can Matt Dandenault, Patrice Brisebois and Francis Bouillon NOT be on the roster this season?
Isn't it written in Patrice Brisebois's birth certificate that he has to be a Montreal Canadien?
Will this team regret not landing Vinny Lecavalier?
How will all the moving parts affect team chemistry?

Poised for a breakout season:
Matt D'Agostini. I don't know why but I feel like this kid could start playing big dog hockey this season.

If you had to buy one Canadiens sweater:
I think a Kirk Muller jersey would fit. Might be too early to get your P.K. Subban sweater.

Player whose game you sneaky like:
No one.

Most annoying thing about the team:
Other than the disproportionate amount of Cups and the way the home crowd boos our national anthem? How about the ridiculous media in Montreal that wants the team to have more French Canadians on the roster and flies off the handle when Shane Doan does anything.

Old guys:
Roman Hamrlik is 35
Glen Metropolit is 35
Jaro Spacek is 35
Diarrhea is 34

Young guys:
Latendresse, Price, Sergei Kostitsyn and Matt D'Agostini are 22

Tough guys:
Is Laraque is still on the roster? Scariest fighter in the league.

Something that you already know but need to read again to confirm:
Scott Gomez makes $8MM this season. More than David Wright and all but 9 NHLers.

Goaltending coach:
Pierre Groulx replaces Rollie Melanson this season.


Nostalgia:
Last season was the big 100-year anniversary. It was still no excuse for this garbage:

Interesting?:
Patrice Brisebois is now racing cars in NASCAR Canada.

NHL 94 players:
Kirk Muller, Brian Bellows and Vincent Damphousse up front.
Eric Desjardins and Mathieu Schneider on D. Pat Roy in net.
Rob Ramage was rated a 52 - close to his blood alcohol level when he killed Keith Magnuson.

YouTube:
A compilation of the greatest Pat Roy moments in French. We've been through this argument 1,000 times but I still say that right now he was the greatest goalie to play the game.


- Nemmy

What you missed last night because you were watching the Sounders debut

Canucks shut out the Blues, 3-0:
Lou stopped all the pucks
His team didn't play great D.
Luckily, they played Blues

Senators beat the Canadiens, 5-4:
Carey Price is so
inconsistent. Sens play great
with no Cup pressure.

Oilers win big over the Avalanche, 8-1:
Are the Avalanche
tanking for Tavares?
When is Sakic back?

Capitals beat the Lightning, 5-2:
I wonder if the
stupid celebration caused
Cherry to have stroke.

Panther beat the Maple Leafs, 3-1:
Stephen Weiss's goal
had the hardly seen move, the
self-saucer-backhand.

Ducks beat the Coyotes, in the shoot-out, 3-2:
I have nothing to
say about this game, except
Bobby Ryan - great!

Kings beat the Bruins in OT, 3-2:
The first Bruins goal
was great hockey, but the rest killed
Nemmy. He threw couch.

Sharks beat the Predators in the shoot-out, 3-2:
When west coast games
go to the shoot-out, bress goes
to bed. Recaps suffer

What you missed last night while you were getting ready for the trade deadline

Canucks beat the Senators, 5-2:
So Henrik is the
passer and Daniel is the
scorer. What about Alex?

Flames beat the Wild in OT, 3-2:
Gaborik would help,
at least, score in the third. He
can rest the first 2.

Stars win over the Oilers, 4-2:
The Stars ascent to
play-off position, is a
remarkable feat.

Blue Jackets beat the Maple Leafs in the shoot-out, 4-3:
Justin Pogge just is
not that good. He's no Carey
Price. That once made sense

Sharks win over the Kings, 4-2:
The underrated
players on the Sharks are studs.
Pavelski and more.

Coyotes beat the Thrashers in the shoot-out, 4-3:
So does Carcillo's
winning shoot-out goal complete
the Gordie hat trick?

Flyers beat the Sabres, 6-2:
Mike Richards equals
fantasy stud with PIMs, goals
and assists. Nice night!

Blackhawks shut-out the Panthers, 4-0:
The only upside
for the Panthers is that a
West team took the points.

Blues beat the Predators in OT, 2-1:
Tkachuk is a huge
fat rock in front of the net
that wont move, but scores

Devils beat the Lightning in the shoot-out, 3-2:
Parise is an
American beauty.
The new Modano?

Hurricanes beat the Islanders, 6-2:
The score says it all
You didn't want to watch this
one. No energy.

Penguins win over the Canadiens, 5-4:
This game had it all
High scoring third and called by
video game guy.

Weekend Wrap Up OR Pepsuber!

Scotty already wrapped up our Friday night (see below), so lets take some time to talk about Mr. Ovechkin's weekend:

2 goal versus the Red Wings Friday night. The first was a nice little handle of a pass between his legs and then a far side wrister..



And a hat trick on Sunday afternoon. He probably then hit all the numbers in his boxes and got a BJ while watching the Office.

Although, the Red Wings got beat, it appears that they have another very skilled European on their hands. This isn't the most graceful spin-o-rama I've ever seen, but it will work.


It wasn't just Ovechkin for the Caps. Obviously, other people have to score the other 6 goals. But lets talk about how Mike Green gave new meaning to saucer pass ( I can't find the highlight).


ANYWAY,

The Islanders won again! And before the Panthers pulled their goalie with 5 minutes left (it didn't work), Bill Guerin showed a little razzle:



Nemmy, finally the Bruins beat the Rangers.

This happened in Toronto:



There's nothing not to love about this whole play. Great hit by Schenn. Penguins have to protect their star. Kennedy (really?) takes off the shield and Schenn obliges.

The only good thing about those disgusting jerseys that the Canadiens wore on Sunday is that Carey Price wears the sweet throwback pads.

Nothing else really of note happened on Sunday, but I feel like this one-timer be Hemsky is an underrated super play


So, what did I miss?

-Bress