Who among us didn't enjoy seeing the mighty Wings get clipped?
Oh yeah. . .
Be sure to offer your condolences to Michigander Wil Dobson, poor guy.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Detroit Denied
The Penguins play a near flawless game seven to win the cup. Sid takes his place as the youngest captain to lift the cup. The dumbest looking winner of the Conne Smythe is named. Fleury has a flair for the dramatic with two great saves, the last against Lidstrom. And, the Redwings rest their chins on the knob's of their sticks- the stadium booing to no effect.
Who among us didn't enjoy seeing the mighty Wings get clipped?
Oh yeah. . .
Be sure to offer your condolences to Michigander Wil Dobson, poor guy.
Who among us didn't enjoy seeing the mighty Wings get clipped?
Oh yeah. . .
Be sure to offer your condolences to Michigander Wil Dobson, poor guy.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
It's Hard Out There For a Tip
If you haven't already heard, the word on the street is that Dave Tippett has been sent packing. I wouldn't call it surprising, when Nieuwendyk signed his contract as the new General Manager there was no doubt a line delegating the job of firing the mustache-less coach. If the Stars had not overachieved in last year's post season he would have surely been looking for a new gig a year ago, but this season's performance demanded action.
What's that you say? Yes, they did overachieve and this season is probably more indicative of what this team really is, talent wise. The injuries to Morrow, Zubov, Richards, and Lehtinen are beyond his control. You certainly can't blame him for the Avery fiasco. So why does Tippett have to pay with his job when the deck was so stacked against him anyway?
The '08-'09 season stumbled out of the gates but made a push after their Sean-ectomy. Turco was playing like he had in the play-offs a few months prior and the offense looked like a trampled fire ant bed. Then Tippett lost the team. The fight for a play-off spot that at one time appeared a given slipped away with the uninspired play on the ice. After five consecutive years of driving his team to the post season, the players just stopped listening. I don't know if all that is true.
Newy needs a clean slate. What man would want to go into a new job saddled with a stalwart coach with more tenure and limited play-off success? He would have to argue points with a coach he had no history with (after all Tippett was a general manager/coach with the Aeros in their Turner cup winning season) when he could easily bring in his own man and maintain a clear pecking order. In fact there will likely be many more changes on the Stars' staff of varying significance before camp starts. If Nieuwendyk wants to take accountability for this team, it's the only way. The sources are saying we are returning to the Kings' well for our new head coach.
Tip's record was stellar, according to the Stars' own website, in his first 300 games he has the seventh best record all time in the National league, has two fifty win seasons, and the third best record since '02-'03. His rookie season ended with the fourth highest point total in league history (this one slightly skewed because of the overtime loss points). But the real reason that he can't steer this ship anymore. . .
The Mustache.
At least he has his "Mr. Hustle" award from the Hartford Whalers to fall back on.
What's that you say? Yes, they did overachieve and this season is probably more indicative of what this team really is, talent wise. The injuries to Morrow, Zubov, Richards, and Lehtinen are beyond his control. You certainly can't blame him for the Avery fiasco. So why does Tippett have to pay with his job when the deck was so stacked against him anyway?
The '08-'09 season stumbled out of the gates but made a push after their Sean-ectomy. Turco was playing like he had in the play-offs a few months prior and the offense looked like a trampled fire ant bed. Then Tippett lost the team. The fight for a play-off spot that at one time appeared a given slipped away with the uninspired play on the ice. After five consecutive years of driving his team to the post season, the players just stopped listening. I don't know if all that is true.
Newy needs a clean slate. What man would want to go into a new job saddled with a stalwart coach with more tenure and limited play-off success? He would have to argue points with a coach he had no history with (after all Tippett was a general manager/coach with the Aeros in their Turner cup winning season) when he could easily bring in his own man and maintain a clear pecking order. In fact there will likely be many more changes on the Stars' staff of varying significance before camp starts. If Nieuwendyk wants to take accountability for this team, it's the only way. The sources are saying we are returning to the Kings' well for our new head coach.
Tip's record was stellar, according to the Stars' own website, in his first 300 games he has the seventh best record all time in the National league, has two fifty win seasons, and the third best record since '02-'03. His rookie season ended with the fourth highest point total in league history (this one slightly skewed because of the overtime loss points). But the real reason that he can't steer this ship anymore. . .
The Mustache.
At least he has his "Mr. Hustle" award from the Hartford Whalers to fall back on.
Monday, June 08, 2009
A Trend
Yes I missed my deadline, again. But you would not believe the severity of the sunburn on my back. All Saturday night their was this glaring, bright goal lamp shining down on me. I am in earnest pain, it may have worked its way through all the layers of my skin right into my spine.
I-league
Silverwings (2-5-0) 1
Soul Patch (4-2-0) 5
The Patches are in their element tonight they only get ten shots on net but make the most of every scoring opportunity. The fireworks started in the first with a Soul goal from Kenneth Watkins and another two minutes later from Josh Jones. The Wings threw everything they had at the net for two periods but in the final minute of the second it wasn't a Silverwing raising his arms, it was Brad Aho securing the three goal lead. Brian Lochkos makes it four and Jones, with his second of the night, makes it five nothing. In the closing minutes of the game the Silverwings finally spoil the shut-out when Ryan Kelley cleans-up Castillo's rebound. The Patch goalie, Jason Hollaway, has only the one blemish for twenty-six shots.
Warriors (3-3-1) 2
Stickmen (5-1-1) 3
The two heavyweights circled each other taking jabs, looking for openings, weaknesses- and in the second the Warriors landed one early when Carl Moser pops McCollister in the kisser. The Warriors go on the power play, looking for blood but end-up calling for for Mick to cut them open when the Sticks score shorthanded, Jeff Thomas gets the goal. Thomas gets in another for the lead late in the third, Steven Frye diagnoses McCollister's weakness and ties the game up again sending it to overtime. The fight proves too long for the Warriors and a minute in the Sticks win with Larry Wade's shot.
Puckers (6-1-0) 5
Whalers (5-2-0) 1
The Whales are in a whirlpool, sinking fast. Steven Niekamp scores the only goal of the first period and the Puckers take the lead. The Whalers take it back with a Paul Thurston goal, but before the second can end, Matt Roberts claims the game winner for the Puckers. The final period of play was a Pucker-fest, with little or no resistance from the Whalers they score with Rob Constantine, Jimmy Studer, and Jason Arias- Studer's in a man down situation. A new powerhouse has emerged.
Blue Devils I (5-1-1) 3
Spiders (4-3-0) 2
The Beady Eyes face-off with a Spiders team back-stopped by myself, a preview of an SND goalie match-up. The Arachnids take the lead with a goal from Evan Callahan, but a minute later they give-up the man advantage and the ensuing goal to Jay Peters of the Blue Devils. Peters is the next to score after a twenty-seven minute stalemate, taking the lead in the third. Conrad Ratliff ties the game on the resulting face-off shifting the momentum. The Blue Devils get a friendly deflection on a pedestrian shot from Martin Berryman but the Spiders refuse to accept defeat, with a flurry of activity all around Blubaugh in the Devil's net eventually he succumbs to the pressure. The arm of the ref on the goal line shoots-out indicating the goal, but Olsen from center ice waves it off. The confused Spiders go comatose and the Devils claim the victory.
Grave Diggers (0-4-2) 2
Brewzers (1-6-0) 3
Bob Barr gift wraps the Brewzers' first goal as he heads to the box for tripping, Steven Collyard receives the gift on behalf of the Brewzers. Jimmy "Stone Cold" Welch proves that it is better to give than receive and scores for the first time in his I-league career to tie the game. The Diggers are given a power play but they fall flat and watch Jamil Jabri score a shorty for the lead. The Digger's power play finds its rhythm in the third tying the game on a Randy Chappel shot. The game leads into a shoot-out and the second Brewzer shooter, John Parker, puts the puck in the net leaving all the pressure on two men: Mike Moore in the Brewzer net, and Raul Gilbreath the final Digger shooter. Raul tries to deke right then left but Moore doesn't bite and the bluff ends in a convulsive flip of the puck into Moore's belly. The Mike Moore goaltending clinic is back in session with a Brewzers' clutch win.
LSI (3-3-0) 4
Mutineers (2-5-0) 2
We were warned that Patrick Haley in the Mutineer net would be too much of an advantage for the team. . . The Mute's open scoring with a goal from John Swartzbaugh. Haley finds himself sprawling all over the crease for the next twenty-one minutes as he faces chance after chance from LSI. The first Import to score is Cody Woodard. John Meher leads the LSI charge in the second and Woodard claims his second of the contest padding the lead. Meher collects the garbage and his second of the night hoping to put the game out of the Mutineers' reach. Woodard tests his teammates by putting the Imports on the kill with just under two minutes left in the game and Jeremy Boyd cuts the lead to two, but returning to even strength the Lonestar Imports run out the clock for the win.
Shockers (4-2-1) 2
Snipers (3-2-1) 1
Wil Dobson scores a power play goal on his first shift for the early Shocking lead. It takes thirteen minutes before anyone else can find the net- Big Joe Tomme ties the game. It's the Shockers' special teams that carry the weight and Nick McMacken takes the game winner for the Shockers leaving no time for the impotent Snipers to mount a comeback.
SND
Blue Devils (3-3-1) 9
Patriots (1-6-0) 1
My confidence bolstered by my previous meeting with the Devils' farm team and an early Patriot lead with a Jeff Eagle goal, things were looking promising. Looks can be deceiving. The first was competitive, the Pat lead was erased by a Scott Zahner goal and the Devils escape the first with the lead on Ben Stillwagon's surgical precision. But in the secomd the Patriots could only stare at their skates as BD opportunities rarely ended anywhere but in the net- Martin Berryman beats my blocker, Rich Wojcio patiently circles the net until my stick is out of his path, and Charlie Heine goes blocker also. The third was a blur, Stillwagon finds the net again, Michael Redmon shoots over my diving corpus, Charlie Heine gets his second when a puck bounces off his skate, and Clint Tippet drives the stake into my heart. Just to make the Patriot bench feel even worse I make an amazing meaningless save with no rebound- reminding all of the presence I used to be. Where is this water coming from? Is my laptop leaking?
Privateers (6-0-1) 4
Komets (5-1-1) 3
The hired gun John Thompson makes his presence felt, this time for the Komets, as he redeems his teammate Ram Lavani's high sticking call with a shorthanded goal. Graham Dunlap adds to the lead at even strength. The 'Teers strike back on the power play with a Matt "Tugboat" Taylor goal. Taylor makes the equalizer in the final minutes of the second. Dunlap gets on the scoresheet again vaulting the Komets back into the lead, but on the power play Gus Mask carries the Privateers to the extra period. My brain cannot process the Pointstreak notation of the shoot-out, but the Privateers apparently win with two scores to the Komets one.
Canadiens (2-4-1) 0
Ice Bats (4-2-1) 4
Joey Otsuka makes his SND debut in the Bats' net and gets the best seat in the house as the Bats dominate all aspects of the game: shots, penalties, and goals. The first Bat scorer is Mark Smith and Bruce Davis joins his teammate off the next face-off. Hong Young Kim makes the next Bat goal. Chris Dolbee closes the second, making it look like Redwings/Penguins game five. But the Bats don't have the killer instinct in the third and are content with the four goal lead. What happened to Gallagher? Did Joey baffle the "Canadien Counter Punch"?
Malkin has always looked dumb, but lately he has started to play that way, how can the Pens possibly bounce back from this?
I-league
Silverwings (2-5-0) 1
Soul Patch (4-2-0) 5
The Patches are in their element tonight they only get ten shots on net but make the most of every scoring opportunity. The fireworks started in the first with a Soul goal from Kenneth Watkins and another two minutes later from Josh Jones. The Wings threw everything they had at the net for two periods but in the final minute of the second it wasn't a Silverwing raising his arms, it was Brad Aho securing the three goal lead. Brian Lochkos makes it four and Jones, with his second of the night, makes it five nothing. In the closing minutes of the game the Silverwings finally spoil the shut-out when Ryan Kelley cleans-up Castillo's rebound. The Patch goalie, Jason Hollaway, has only the one blemish for twenty-six shots.
Warriors (3-3-1) 2
Stickmen (5-1-1) 3
The two heavyweights circled each other taking jabs, looking for openings, weaknesses- and in the second the Warriors landed one early when Carl Moser pops McCollister in the kisser. The Warriors go on the power play, looking for blood but end-up calling for for Mick to cut them open when the Sticks score shorthanded, Jeff Thomas gets the goal. Thomas gets in another for the lead late in the third, Steven Frye diagnoses McCollister's weakness and ties the game up again sending it to overtime. The fight proves too long for the Warriors and a minute in the Sticks win with Larry Wade's shot.
Puckers (6-1-0) 5
Whalers (5-2-0) 1
The Whales are in a whirlpool, sinking fast. Steven Niekamp scores the only goal of the first period and the Puckers take the lead. The Whalers take it back with a Paul Thurston goal, but before the second can end, Matt Roberts claims the game winner for the Puckers. The final period of play was a Pucker-fest, with little or no resistance from the Whalers they score with Rob Constantine, Jimmy Studer, and Jason Arias- Studer's in a man down situation. A new powerhouse has emerged.
Blue Devils I (5-1-1) 3
Spiders (4-3-0) 2
The Beady Eyes face-off with a Spiders team back-stopped by myself, a preview of an SND goalie match-up. The Arachnids take the lead with a goal from Evan Callahan, but a minute later they give-up the man advantage and the ensuing goal to Jay Peters of the Blue Devils. Peters is the next to score after a twenty-seven minute stalemate, taking the lead in the third. Conrad Ratliff ties the game on the resulting face-off shifting the momentum. The Blue Devils get a friendly deflection on a pedestrian shot from Martin Berryman but the Spiders refuse to accept defeat, with a flurry of activity all around Blubaugh in the Devil's net eventually he succumbs to the pressure. The arm of the ref on the goal line shoots-out indicating the goal, but Olsen from center ice waves it off. The confused Spiders go comatose and the Devils claim the victory.
Grave Diggers (0-4-2) 2
Brewzers (1-6-0) 3
Bob Barr gift wraps the Brewzers' first goal as he heads to the box for tripping, Steven Collyard receives the gift on behalf of the Brewzers. Jimmy "Stone Cold" Welch proves that it is better to give than receive and scores for the first time in his I-league career to tie the game. The Diggers are given a power play but they fall flat and watch Jamil Jabri score a shorty for the lead. The Digger's power play finds its rhythm in the third tying the game on a Randy Chappel shot. The game leads into a shoot-out and the second Brewzer shooter, John Parker, puts the puck in the net leaving all the pressure on two men: Mike Moore in the Brewzer net, and Raul Gilbreath the final Digger shooter. Raul tries to deke right then left but Moore doesn't bite and the bluff ends in a convulsive flip of the puck into Moore's belly. The Mike Moore goaltending clinic is back in session with a Brewzers' clutch win.
LSI (3-3-0) 4
Mutineers (2-5-0) 2
We were warned that Patrick Haley in the Mutineer net would be too much of an advantage for the team. . . The Mute's open scoring with a goal from John Swartzbaugh. Haley finds himself sprawling all over the crease for the next twenty-one minutes as he faces chance after chance from LSI. The first Import to score is Cody Woodard. John Meher leads the LSI charge in the second and Woodard claims his second of the contest padding the lead. Meher collects the garbage and his second of the night hoping to put the game out of the Mutineers' reach. Woodard tests his teammates by putting the Imports on the kill with just under two minutes left in the game and Jeremy Boyd cuts the lead to two, but returning to even strength the Lonestar Imports run out the clock for the win.
Shockers (4-2-1) 2
Snipers (3-2-1) 1
Wil Dobson scores a power play goal on his first shift for the early Shocking lead. It takes thirteen minutes before anyone else can find the net- Big Joe Tomme ties the game. It's the Shockers' special teams that carry the weight and Nick McMacken takes the game winner for the Shockers leaving no time for the impotent Snipers to mount a comeback.
SND
Blue Devils (3-3-1) 9
Patriots (1-6-0) 1
My confidence bolstered by my previous meeting with the Devils' farm team and an early Patriot lead with a Jeff Eagle goal, things were looking promising. Looks can be deceiving. The first was competitive, the Pat lead was erased by a Scott Zahner goal and the Devils escape the first with the lead on Ben Stillwagon's surgical precision. But in the secomd the Patriots could only stare at their skates as BD opportunities rarely ended anywhere but in the net- Martin Berryman beats my blocker, Rich Wojcio patiently circles the net until my stick is out of his path, and Charlie Heine goes blocker also. The third was a blur, Stillwagon finds the net again, Michael Redmon shoots over my diving corpus, Charlie Heine gets his second when a puck bounces off his skate, and Clint Tippet drives the stake into my heart. Just to make the Patriot bench feel even worse I make an amazing meaningless save with no rebound- reminding all of the presence I used to be. Where is this water coming from? Is my laptop leaking?
Privateers (6-0-1) 4
Komets (5-1-1) 3
The hired gun John Thompson makes his presence felt, this time for the Komets, as he redeems his teammate Ram Lavani's high sticking call with a shorthanded goal. Graham Dunlap adds to the lead at even strength. The 'Teers strike back on the power play with a Matt "Tugboat" Taylor goal. Taylor makes the equalizer in the final minutes of the second. Dunlap gets on the scoresheet again vaulting the Komets back into the lead, but on the power play Gus Mask carries the Privateers to the extra period. My brain cannot process the Pointstreak notation of the shoot-out, but the Privateers apparently win with two scores to the Komets one.
Canadiens (2-4-1) 0
Ice Bats (4-2-1) 4
Joey Otsuka makes his SND debut in the Bats' net and gets the best seat in the house as the Bats dominate all aspects of the game: shots, penalties, and goals. The first Bat scorer is Mark Smith and Bruce Davis joins his teammate off the next face-off. Hong Young Kim makes the next Bat goal. Chris Dolbee closes the second, making it look like Redwings/Penguins game five. But the Bats don't have the killer instinct in the third and are content with the four goal lead. What happened to Gallagher? Did Joey baffle the "Canadien Counter Punch"?
Malkin has always looked dumb, but lately he has started to play that way, how can the Pens possibly bounce back from this?
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