Martin Brodeur shuts out the Pittsburgh Penguins and achieves all time shut-out record.

Brodeur stopped all 35 shots faced on Monday night to become the NHL’s all-time shutout leader as he passed Terry Sawchuk with the 104th of his career in a 4-0 victory against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Mellon Arena.

Source:
http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2009020537

Good Morning Sports Fans!

After weeks of speculation, rumors of Mike Holmgren coming to Cleveland officially came true on Monday as the former Seahawks coach accepted the Browns offer to become their next team president. Details of the agreement are still being worked out but Cleveland Browns fans got an early Christmas present as Holmgren has officially accepted the Browns offer to work for them.

As reported by ESPN’s Chris Mortensen, Holmgren will not be coaching the Browns but there is still no word on whether or not he will keep current Head Coach Eric Mangini at the helm. Since he has taken over as Browns Head Coach, Mangini has only managed a 3-11 record, has fined his players for bizarre instances, has been criticized for practices that are too long and hard and has been considered one of the worst hires in Browns history. Mangini has received some praise for being the first Browns Head Coach since Butch Davis to beat the Pittsburgh Steelers but that may not be enough to save his job. Some believe Mangini at least deserves another year as head coach but with how poorly the team played earlier this year, he may not get that opportunity.

The Browns have struggled on the field this season and Holmgren will have to make some tough decisions. The team seems to be playing better over the past couple weeks but Brady Quinn has not had impressive passing numbers. The team has had to rely on running the ball and to be one of the best in the NFL, the Browns will need to attack by ground and by air. Quinn has helped the Browns pull off the last couple of victories but has not played well on a consistent basis. The team needs work in the secondary and will need another defensive tackle. Holmgren has a penchant for picking good talent in the draft and will help bring key free agents to the Browns. Holmgren has helped build teams before and has the talent to rebuild the Browns franchise as he will have to make some decisions.

In addition to helping the team on the field, Holmgren’s hiring should help the team off the field with ticket sales. The Browns will still lose season ticket holders after this rough season but may be able to get some more to think twice about not renewing for next season. Holmgren would not have come to Cleveland if he felt like he could not make a difference. Holmgren is determined to win and will help make this franchise better.

Moving on to NHL action from Monday evening, New Jersey Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur recorded his record setting 104th career shutout by blanking the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-0. The Penguins had been on a roll coming into this game but with Brodeur as hot as ever, the Devils are a tough team to beat in the NHL. With goals by Bryce Salvador, Niclas Bergfors, Patrik Elias and Mike Fraser, the Devils were able to provide the help needed to shut down the Penguins.

When looking at the Atlantic Division standings, the Devils are in first place and the Penguins are in a close second. With the Rangers, Flyers and Islanders playing inconsistently this season, we should see a battle to win the division coming out of the All-Star Break. The Devils have been magnificent due to fabulous goaltending by Brodeur but don’t count the Penguins out. The Penguins play well within their own division and can catch up on any team easily. If netminder Marc-Andre Fleury stays healthy, this Penguins team could be a challenge for the Devils down the stretch.

The Columbus Blue Jacket’s on ice troubles continued last night as the team lost again 5-2 to the Phoenix Coyotes. Phoenix took an early 2-0 lead in the first period with goals by Scottie Upshall and and Matthew Lombardi. It wasn’t quite the onslaught the Jackets faced in the first period Saturday night against the Avalanche but it was enough to give the Coyotes momentum.

The Coyotes would go up 3-0 with a Shane Doan goal in the second period and it wasn’t until Derick Brassard put one in the net at 6:27 in the second to get Columbus on the board. It still wasn’t enough as another goal by Upshaw and a Radim Vrbata score sealed the deal for the Coyotes for a 5-2 victory. Antoine Vermette had the other Blue Jackets goal late in the third period.

The Jackets have struggled this season and this road trip so far has been horrendous for the team. The game against the Avalanche was a nightmare for the team and giving up two early goals to Phoenix in this game did not make things any better. The Jackets have to start scoring first and take the lead instead of having to always play catch up. The goaltending has been a bit inconsistent this season, however, neither Steve Mason or Mathieu Garon have gotten much help in front of the net. The Jackets need to make some trades and possibly bring in a new coach to turn things around.

That’s it for now. Keep it real.

Jeff

Stay tuned for our musings during tonight’s game:

PREGAME

– We might be totally off-base here, but we’re thinking we might have gotten a sign about winningness being in the air — mere moments ago we received notice that we won a big fabric giveaway from our favorite online quilting store! We won some very spicy, foxy fabrics, and that can only mean the Devils are going to win a very spicy, foxy game tonight. Right?

– The MSG+ intro includes this fun factoid: the Devils and Penguins are the winningest teams in hockey. We literally had no idea about that.

– The game can start now that we’re all caught up on Carol Browne’s fantastic “XMAS Bandit” blog series. If you combined the charm of V.E. Mats, the fun of Christmas spirit, and the genius stylings of Carol, you’d get the XMAS Bandit.

FIRST PERIOD

– Look who’s back! It’s ol’ butterfingers Oduya! How charming was that when Doc had to call during some frantic Devils backchecking, “Someone has lost their stick… It’s Oduya…”? It felt like the good old days.

– WOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! Just when we’re saying to the TV, “Give it to Travis — he’s a beast in this building,” the Devils give it to the Iron Boar and he scores from the point. Well, it’s not Travis, but we’ll take it. And meanwhile, they are loading kindling into cars to set fire to them all across IronBoarsylvania.

– Our Geico Quotebook is something about Marty talking about how much more pressure is on Sid in Canada than on the rest of their Olympic team right now. In it, Marty says, “We’re all superstars.” We hope when he said that he turned to teammates like Egg and Hambone and Pando and said, “I mean, you guys know how it is to be a superstar, right?”

– Doc tells us the Penguins PP is 30th overall. We’re very suspicious of these numbers — winningest teams, 30th-best power play, etc, etc, etc. During the commercial, we determine the only possible explanation for this is that Pookie, who is notoriously bad at math (let’s just say she may or may not have shown up to a house closing with a check that was significantly short due to a little problem with decimal points), was the one reading the stats sheet. As if on cue, Doc says, “The Penguins are 4 for 20 on the PP, which is easy enough math that even I can tell you is 20%”. Pookie, “Wait, lemme carry the two… minus four… divide by… uh… sure, Doc, sure. 20%. *shifty eyes*”

– We are discussing how much Hambone might possibly be transcending just being pleasantly surprising. After he attempts a power move to the Pens net, Pookie suggests that Hambone County is pleased with its emperor-god. Schnookie then suggests Hambone Township, or the Incorporated Village of Hambone. Pookie then floats that the District of Hambonia is growing so rapidly in population that it might be getting its own train station soon. Boomer: “A train station isn’t that big of a deal. It would be more impressive if it was getting its own cellular tower.”

SECOND PERIOD

– BoogerforsNation doesn’t even bother rioting anymore when its emperor-god scores, because it’s just such old hat. And Sid is obviously not a citizen of BoogerforsNation, because after Boogerfors scores to give the Devils a 2-0 lead, Sid lashes out by petulantly flicking Niedermayer (the Lesser)’s stick out of his hands and getting called for interference on the play. Pookie: “Sid has such a short fuse when it comes to the Devils.”

– Good grief! We’ve managed to go 34 games this season before the word (“word”?) “rabbydoo” gets pulled out on a Devils broadcast. And it’s Doc who brings it up. Chico sounds surprised by it, almost as if this time around it’s his mind being blown.

– One of our favorite gauges of how shitty the Flyers are on their broadcasts is their power play contest for the fans. Each power play chance will net a lucky selected fan $25 if the Flyers score, and with each PP on which they don’t score, the $25 accumulates. So if they fail on a PP, the next lucky fan will win $50 if they score on the next one, and if they don’t score then, the next lucky fan will win $75, and so on. At one point this season, the kitty was up to almost $700. Anyway, the point of this is that when the Devils take a too many men penalty early in the period here, Pookie remarks that the Devils could have had their own similar sweepstakes, but where a lucky fan wins the kitty every time the Devils take a too many men penalty.

– Gronk gets a faceful of puck when he decides to lean into Whitey’s clearing attempt behind the goal line with his head about a foot off the ice. He explodes, with blood everywhere. The fans figuratively shower the ice with beer-soaked mousepads, and we wonder why Gronk doesn’t wear a shield (not that it would have helped there, but maybe we should be wondering why Gronk was trying to stop that clear with his head at knee height).

– During the absolutely kick-ass shift by the newly-minted Z.E. Hambone line that yields the Devils’ third goal, Schnookie mercilessly derides Oduya for passing when he should have taken a chance at an open net down low. Then she mercilessly derides him for having a history of dropping his stick. After the goal, Chico exults, “That was a great shift by Oduya!” Schnookie, shiftily: “Yeeeaaah. That’s exactly what I was saying at the time.”

– And Z.E. Hambone does it again with its sheer, unmitigated awesomeness, Fraser makes it 4-0 Devils, and Doc says, “Perhaps it’s time for a change.” Chico then gets the line of the night by saying, “Yeah, but how many guys can you change?” What a rabby-doo!

THIRD PERIOD

– The period starts a little quiet and tense. Finally we realize the problem: things just aren’t the same since Hambone got that 10-minute misconduct.

– With 7:12 left in the game, we’re all officially well past the point where we are so tense we feel like we’re going to puke.

– That. Was. Awesome. It was dead silent in the arena for the entire third period, as well as dead silent at stately IPB Manor, and even Chico marveled at how nobody wanted to do anything other than just shut up and watch to see if it would happen. AND IT DID. WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!! 104th career shutout for Marty!!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!! What else is there to say? It just Marty, and it just WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by Kaitlynn Ford

December 11, 2009.

Pascal Dupuis of the Pittsburgh Penguins, ranked 30^th in the NHL for game winning goals, scored another Friday night with 6:39 left in the third period to lead the Penguins to a tight 3-2 victory on the road over the Montreal Canadiens.

The win gives the Pittsburgh Penguins a total of 43 points this season, with a record of 21-10-1, keeping them tied for second place overall with division mates the New Jersey Devils. The Washington Capitals and the San Jose Sharks are tied for first, with a close 44 points, both having lost their last game.

Including last night, the Penguins have won four of their last five games in Montreal. The Penguins dominated the play for the majority of the first period, against a sluggish Montreal Canadien lineup. Defenceman Sergei Gonchar of Pittsburgh got the first goal of the game, and the only goal in the first period, just over six minutes in. The Canadiens have the worst first period goal differential in the league with minus 18.

The second period started off fast and furious with a string of penalties. The first of the game went to Montreal’s Max Pacioretty for holding, 3:30 into the second. The Penguins had a flurry of shots against Montreal goaltender Carey Price, with the Sydney Crosby line to start the power play, but failed to capitalize. The penalty kill average for the Canadiens on home ice is 83% this season.

Five more penalties would be called before either of the two teams took advantage of the extra man. Pittsburgh has the lowest percentage of goals on the power play in the NHL this season. Matt D’Agostini put Montreal on the scoreboard with the team’s first shot in the period, just over 10 minutes in. Roman Hamrlik riffled a snap shot from the top of the circle past a rattled Marc-Andre Fleury, for his fifth of the season, to give Montreal a 2-1 lead two minutes later with Ruslan Fedotenko of the Penguins in the box.

The lead was short lived, when Gonchar took a heavily screened point shot that Matt Cooke deflects past Price, for his second goal of the season, and to tie the game. When tied after two goals, the Penguins are 5-0-0 this season, and the Canadians are 5-3-1.

And although they may have been rattled on a couple of occasions in the third, they did manage to stick to the plan with Dupuis scoring a lucky deflection off of Price’s glove for his eighth goal of the season. Jay McKee got his 100^th assist on the play.

Dupuis and Gonchar both had a two point night. The victorious Pittsburgh Penguins have a record of six comeback wins in the third period this season. Pittsburgh outshot Montreal 41 to 21.

-30-

I had a bad dream… no a nightmare last night where our beloved beloved Capitals were no longer the Washington Capitals but the Philadelphia Captials! It was awful but it inspired me to do something very very bad with Photoshop:

Imagine if you will your Philly Capitals

And Imagine your Washington Flyers

The worst part is both logos look pretty sharp in those colors!

But, I did something EVEN WORSE! Worse you say? Meghan how could you have done anything worse?! But, I did!

Imagine your Pittsburgh Capitals:

And imagine your… Oh lord I can barely do it… your Washington Penguins

Am I going to hell?

Watch New Jersey Devils vs Pittsburgh Penguins Live Streaming December 21, NHL Regular Season 2009 – The game start time 7:30 PM ET at Stadium: Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh. While the New Jersey Devils are among the league’s best defensive teams, the Pittsburgh Penguins have one of the NHL’s most potent offenses.

Watch New Jersey Devils vs Pittsburgh Penguins Live Streaming December 21

With sole possession of first place in the Atlantic Division at stake, the Devils look to win their fifth straight overall and third in a row in Pittsburgh on Monday when the Penguins try to win their sixth consecutive game.

Watch Live New Jersey Devils vs Pittsburgh Penguins at NHL Betting

This is a NHL Regular Season game 2009 on 12/21 at Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh between New Jersey Devils vs Pittsburgh Penguins. If you don’t know how you can watch New Jersey Devils vs Pittsburgh Penguins live stream for free of NHL Regular Season game 2009.

For More NHL Betting tips,Betting Tips Hockey,NHL Betting

No Idea.

TheFifthStaal was supposed to take care of the game on Thursday, but we were too distracted by taking both games from the Flyers this week, so we forgot about this. Just go re-read the last post and pretend it was about Thursday. It’s good enough for us.

So on to tonight…the Pens took on the Buffalo Sabres for the first time this season.

Also– Talbot in, Godard out.

1st Period:

Kaleta gets things going by interfering on Fleury about 2 minutes into the game. The Pens did go 3-for-9 on the powerplay in the last two games against the Flyers, but this powerplay was dirt because the Sabres defense isn’t as terrible as the Flyers.

Orpik takes a penalty for interference, but the Pens penalty kill is reliable and can always create some shorthanded opportunities. Before the Pens can kill this, Letang gets out on our PK and takes a hooking penalty. But the Pens survive the Sabres 5-0n-3.

The Sabres pummel Fleury with some shots and get the rebound to Pominville who puts a wrist shot past Fleury.  1-0 Sabres

Just as we have come to expect, the Pens go crazy in the last minute of the period. Billy gets the puck to Sid who almost dekes around Lalime. Sid goes to the boards to get the puck out to Kunitz, who’s waiting to score from around the left faceoff circle. 1-1

2nd Period:

Nothing really happens until Kunitz gets a quick shot off at Lalime. And even that wasn’t really anything.

Mike Rupp and some Sabre run into Lalime and almost decapitate him, so we have to wait to make sure he’s okay.

The Pens twitter alerts always have something to say about every play: “Fleury with a great save on MacArthur! Remember that one in the 3rd period.” So, remember that save in the 3rd period, guys.

Cooke comes up the left wing, and passes over to Letang who loves being a forward. Letang almost goes five-hole on Lalime.

Rivet runs into Malkin (maybe? i dont remember) and takes a tripping penalty. And even though the Pens look much better on this powerplay than last period, they still don’t come out with anything.

Staal comes into the Sabres’ zone with Talbot and waits until the last minute to make a play with him. They get THIS CLOSE to scoring, ahhh.

McKee takes a penalty for roughing and then Tim Kennedy takes a penalty for tripping. Nothing happens on either.

Kunitz comes up the left wing with Staal on a 2-on-1. Staal takes a pass from Kunitz and hits the post. Pens are getting great chances this period.

I don’t remember at which point, but Eaton went into the boards behind Fleury and was out for the remainder of the 2nd period.

3rd Period:

I don’t know in what order most of this stuff happened because I was making food so…

The Pens and Sabres swap chances for the entire 3rd. Malkin takes a penalty for _____, and as soon as the Pens kill it, Malkin gets called again for 2 minutes for touching the puck before his feet were out of the penalty box. As expected, Staal gets 54 shorthanded chances.

Rupp draws a holding penalty (furthering the theory that he’s our franchise center), but the Pens can’t get anything.

Sid checks Grier into the boards. Grier almost died or something.

Orpik with a penalty for holding, MacArthur with a penalty for high-sticking, and Cooke with a penalty for interference. Pens and Sabres kill their penalties and Coach Dan even tries to argue Cooke’s hit on C____ (whats his name? no idea)…

OT:

Not a lot happens until 3:17 when Go-Go takes a penalty for high-sticking. Am I the only one that always envisions out-of-the-box breakaways whenever we get a penalty? Even if it’s someone like Brooks Orpik? Example: Hal Gill.

Staal, Adams, and Gonchar on this 4-on-3 is insane. Period. The Pens kill this and Sid almost redirects a Malkin slapshot past Lalime. T reminded me of that Sabres game last season when Go-Go scored twice in the 3rd to tie the game and Sid redirected the OT winner from Malkin. Anyways…

Shootout:

Letang gets the lone shootout winner, and Fleury stops all three shooters (including an incredible poke-check) for the Sabres. WIN. 6-0 in shootouts. Wooooh.

]]> http://jeffrsabo.wordpress.com/2009/12/20/browns-vs-chiefs-preview-holgren-turns-down-seattle-seahwaks-offer-lake-erie-monsters-defeat-manitoba-moose-nhl-notes/ Sun, 20 Dec 2009 14:23:11 +0000 jeffrsabo http://jeffrsabo.wordpress.com/2009/12/20/browns-vs-chiefs-preview-holgren-turns-down-seattle-seahwaks-offer-lake-erie-monsters-defeat-manitoba-moose-nhl-notes/

Good Morning Sports Fans!

In a battle of two teams that are still looking for a direction, the Cleveland Browns will travel to Arrowhead Stadium to play the Kansas City Chiefs at 1pm today. The Browns are coming into the 2-11 and are riding off an emotional high from their win against the Steelers ten days ago. The Chiefs are currently 3-10 on the year and are coming off a loss last week to the Buffalo Bills. Both teams had different results last week but have had similar struggles this season.

The Browns have had to battle through injuries this season but the players they have picked up off waivers and off the practice squad have made the most of the opportunity. Browns receivers Brian Robiske, Evan Moore and Mike Furrey have come up with big catches in the last couple of games and Jerome Harrison and Chris Jennings have filled in greatly for the injured Jamal Lewis. On defense Matt Roth (who was picked up from the Miami Dolphins), Jason Trusnick, Kenyon Coleman and Ahtyba Rubin have stepped up to help this Cleveland Browns defense. All of these players have been able to make key stops when needed and are proving to the Browns they belong in the NFL. The Browns may have some of their regular starters on injured reserve but with lots of players looking for an opportunity next year, they can be a dangerous team.

Despite the occasional bad throw or missed route, Browns quarterback Brady Quinn seems to be getting a hang of the offense and has been able to communicate and connect better with his receivers. During the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Quinn did not necessarily have the numbers his counterpart Ben Roethlisberger had but still was able to connect downfield when needed. Teammate Josh Cribbs proved how powerful he could be running the ball out of the Wild Cat formation in that game and was a key factor in that victory. If Quinn is able to connect with his receivers today and Cribbs plays like he did against the Steelers, the Browns offense will be able to put the Chiefs defense on their heels.

On defense, the Browns will have to put pressure on Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassell. Cassell, who was acquired in a trade before the season began, is not having the success he had last season in New England but can still motivate an offense. With wide receiver Chris Chambers becoming a friendly target, the Browns will need to put pressure on Cassell early on in the ball game and have the secondary ready to cover deep. Cassell is not afraid to go long early on in the ball game and the Browns defense will have to be ready. Like the Browns, the Chiefs are a team still looking for a direction, have nothing else to lose and will be ready to take on anyone who stands in their way.

In other NFL news, it has been reported that Mike Holmgren turned an offer…..from the Seattle Seahawks. It was reported Holmgren was offered a similar position that Browns are looking to bring him in for with the Seahwaks and he turned it down. Holmgren still has not said whether or not he is officially coming to Cleveland as more rumors about his possible role with the Browns have begun to surface.

Earlier this weeek, there were some reports that Holmgren might serve as the Browns Vice President of Football Operations and be the team’s head coach. Holmgren would serve well in both capacities and the former Seahawks and Packers head coach is looking at around $10 million per year. The Browns would still have to figure out what to do with current head coach Eric Mangini’s contract (Mangini still has two years left) if Holmgren was brought in to serve as the head coach of the Browns.

Moving from the NFL gridiron to center ice, the Lake Erie Monsters rebounded from their loss on Friday with a come from behind win Saturday night against the Manitoba Moose. Down 2-0 going into the second period, goals by Monsters forwards Brian Willsie and Ryan Stoa tied the game up 2-2. In the third period, Monsters forward Phillipe Dupuis would become the hero as Dupuis put one past Moose netminder Cory Schnieder to take a 3-2 Lake Erie lead. The Moose failed to tie the game up with less then five minutes to go and the Monsters pulled away with the victory. Monsters goaltender Tyler Weiman finished the night with 29 saves.

Despite losing on Friday night, the Monsters have not played badly on this road trip. The team has been keeping the games closer then some other contests this season and seem to rebound better after a loss. If netminder Tyler Weiman has a good night, the Monsters tend to play with a bit more energy and the lines become a bit more cohesive. With Billy Sauer in goal at times, the Monsters offense seems to gel a bit better and creates more scoring opportunities.

The Monsters record might be lousy but there is still plenty of season left for their players to make an impact. Many of the players on the Monsters roster want to get a taste of the NHL and playing well will provide them that opportunity. Brandon Yip took advantage of the opportunity given and was rewarded recently with a call up to the Colorado Avalanche. Justin Mercier was awarded a similar opportunity and if the Monsters players are hungry enough, the thought of going to the NHL will motivate them.

Moving on to the NHL, in a game in which they were outplayed early on, the Columbus Blue Jackets woes continue as the team was stomped on 5-2 last night on the road against the Colorado Avalanche. The Jackets were sluggish on defense early on as Avs forward (and former Lake Erie Monsters player) Chris Stewart scored on an easy breakaway goal just :21 seconds into the game. Minutes later, the Avalanche would score two more goals with the help of Wojtek Wolski and the Jackets were forced to pull starting goaltender Steve Mason after Colorado went up 4-0 with a goal by John-Michael Liles. Mason did not have a lot of defensive help in front of him as the Jackets were constantly out of position in their own defensive zone and allowed the Avalanche to get wide open shots.

The Jackets would get on the board in the second period with goals by Jason Chimera and RJ Umberger but the damage was done and another Avalanche goal by Milan Hejduk in the third period sealed the 5-2 win for Colorado. Avalanche starting netminder Craig Anderson finished the game with 28 saves.

Blue Jackets goaltender Steve Mason has not been as impressive this season but last night’s game was not entirely his fault. Mason has not been the goaltender fans saw last year but the Blue Jackets have been downright sluggish on defense at times this season. During last night’s game, the Jackets constantly were out of position in front of their own net and would not challenge the Avalanche at all. The goals the Avalanche scored in the first period were goals that came from wide open shots from the Blue Jackets being out of position. Like many games this season, the Avalanche took advantage of an early lead and took the Jackets out of the game as a result.

The Blue Jackets have a talented roster but changes are going to have to be made. Head Coach Ken Hitchcock helped develop a lot of players on this team but his effectiveness seems to be wearing off. Many teams such as the Washington Capitals, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Colorado Avalanche have benefited in previous years by making a coaching change in the middle of the season. A few seasons ago, the Capitals promoted Bruce Boudreau from their Hershey Bears AHL affiliate and the team has become of the NHL’s best ever since. After the Pittsburgh Penguins were not winning under then head coach Michel Therrien, promoting Dan Bylesma up from the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins paid off not only during the regular season but in the Stanley Cup Finals as well. By promoting former Lake Erie Monsters head coach Joe Sacco, the Coloardo Avalanche are starting to play like the Avalanche of old and have become one of the biggest threats in the NHL.  The Jackets have benefited under Ken Hitchcock but there are certain situations in which a team needs to make a change.

Taking a look at other NHL action, the Pittsburgh Penguins took down the Buffalo Sabres 2-1 last night in a shootout victory. The Sabres got on the board early on with a goal by Jason Pominville but the Penguins answered a few minutes later with a goal by Chris Kunitz. Both teams were locked in a stalemate until the shootout when Penguins forward Kris Letang became the hero by scoring the only goal in that session. Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury finished the game with 31 saves as Sabres netminder (and former Cleveland Lumberjacks and Penguins goaltender) Patrick Lalime finished with 23 saves.

That’s it for now. Keep it real.

Jeff

Aside from that crapfest on the power play, the Sabres were not half bad tonight. 97% of that was Patrick Lalime. For the second start in a row, he was insanely good. Some of those saves were Miller-esque, which is high praise these days. It’s the rest of the stupid effing team that couldn’t pull off a win. It would have been huge to beat Pittsburgh on the second night of a back to back, but that didn’t happen.

Derek Roy, I’m looking at you.

I’m angry.  You’re angry.  The Flyers?  Their not angry, nor do they play with any anger.  Don’t believe their “We aren’t happy with how we’ve been playing and we’re going to do something about it” garbage, because it is just that.  According to our great friends at Dictionary.com, to “have heart” in playing sports means that you compete with “vigorous and efficient activity, while possessing courage throughout.”  It’s fair to say that the Philadelphia Flyers – losers of 12 of their last 15 contests – lack this so-called “heart.”  In fact, it’s appearing more and more that this group never even  had it in the first place.

Boosh and the Flyers STINK

Like most Flyers fans, I love my team.  I support the guys they throw out on the ice through and through, regardless if it’s John LeClair or Jiri Dopita.  One of the reasons that the Flyers have consistently had the wave of ongoing support from the Philly faithful is because this team, whether first in their division or last in the conference, would never be at a loss when it came to effort and having every player give his all on the ice.  Suddenly, however, that Flyer persona is gone.  As it vanishes, so too do some fans, as well as individuals who once believed the Orange and Black could do no wrong, regardless of the fact that the Flyers certainly have done far more wrong than right over the course of their history.

I write this post to you in the assumed minority.  I am going to stick it out with this team till the (bitter) end, because it’s never crossed my mind once to give up.  In my last statement, by no means do I mean that Flyer fans are going to start giving up on the Orange and Black.  Instead, it’s a matter of gradually losing more and more interest as the season progresses.  I – although it admittedly may be a poor life choice, as well as do severe damage to my ego, psyche, as well as my heart – will not fall into that category.  I have the great disadvantage of spending 3/4 of the year out of the Philadelphia area, as I attend school in Ithaca, New York.  As a result, I can’t go to Flyers games often, but that doesn’t stop me from following the team.  I watch every single game, regardless of day and time, and become very involved in each contest.  Believe me, my roomates’ ears and the dents in my room’s walls can attest to that.  So, imagine my excitement yesterday, as I drove home from school knowing that I’d get to see two teams in the tank of the Eastern Conference battle in South Philadelphia?  No, really, I was excited.  Now, I want you to imagine even more how upset I am at this team as I type these words.  Enough of this – the rant begins now.

Why can’t the Flyers consistently play good hockey?  It seems like it’s an impossible task, and something that shouldn’t be hard to deal with given their group of skaters.  However, for some reason, the feat is near-impossible.  The Flyers have won 3 times in their last fifteen games.  That’s embarrassing.  They were swept during a potential momentum shifting home-and-home series with their cross state rivals.  They were spanked in Pittsburgh in the first game, and got sent home packing courtesy of Sid the Kid in a shootout in the second leg.  The Flyers probably won’t want to see those Penguins any time soon, but it would behoove this squad to watch the Pens play.  Remember that whole “playing with heart” thing?  You better believe the Penguins have it.  Don’t want to believe me?  Trust me, I didn’t want to believe myself.  However, it’s hard to argue with the results: two straight playoff knock-out punches delivered to the Orange and Black (one on home ice), two straight Eastern Conference Championships, and, oh, that Stanley Cup they won last year against the then defending champion Detroit Red Wings.  Believe me I loathe the Penguins, and it’s hard for me to admit it, but their just better than the Flyers right now.  In fact, the Rangers were better than the Flyers this afternoon, and believe it or not, the Bruins were better than the Flyers in the one game the Orange and Black won this week.  For the first time in my life, I’m starting to come to the stark and harsh reality that yes,  the Flyers have good players, but the team as a whole isn’t good.  And as the Penguins show the Broad Street Bullies time and time again, it’s a team effort that wins you hockey games.

I could get more angry here, and believe me I planned on it.  But I’m not.  To be honest, the Flyers haven’t played with enough will and power on the ice to warrant any time wasted on their behalf.  The bottom line is this: win.  This week the Flyers have the Panthers, Lightning, and Hurricanes.  For their sake, they better win all three.  Lose?  Then the anger comes full force.

This may just be one of the best days to bet on sports all year long! This afternoon is full of great college basketball. This afternoon officially kicks off the bowl season and the tonight the Saints try to stay undefeated when they take on the Dallas Cowboys in Prime Time!

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College Football Free Sports Betting Picks

Wyoming vs. Fresno St.

Fresno St Takes on Wyoming in the first bowl game of the Year!

The first game of the bowl schedule will put Fresno St up against the Cowboys from Wyoming. Fresno St will be making its second trip to the New Mexico bowl in as many years and the first game should be a good one.

Fresno St finished the season with a last minute thrilling win against Illinois and now has to try and get excited for a bowl game that they played in last year against a team that just finished .500 on the regular season.
Wyoming just finished 6-6 on the season but don’t them that they don’t belong in a bowl game. This is the first bowl game they have had since 2004 and they feel they deserve this game. This team did not only expect to be in this game they expect to win it! “It’s a complete 180,” senior linebacker Weston Johnson said on how far this team has come. “The mentality this team has now is coming out and expecting to win games like this. Not just hoping to win.” Wyoming has been a great bet all year long as they have taken in the cash at an 8-3 clip on the season. Fresno has been a great ATS team too but if defense wins ballgames than Fresno backers are in big trouble. They have given up an average of 44 points per game in the last three games and almost 500 passing yards per game. The Wyoming offense is not that great but they will look like they are against the Bulldog defense. The Bulldogs are 3-12-1 ATS in their last 16 games after allowing more than 40 points in their previous game and 9-26 ATS in their last 35 games on grass. The Cowboys are 14-6 ATS in their last 20 non-conference games and 27-13 ATS in their last 40 games following an ATS win. This is just too many points to give to Wyoming with a Fresno team that does not play defense and does not care to play in this game again.

Wyoming +10

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Saturday Night NFL: Cowboys @ Saints

As if the Bowl games were not good enough the NFL is also rewarding us with a great gam as the Dallas Cowboys try to avoid the December collapse and the New orleans Saints try to remain unbeaten on the season.

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Injured on a submarine?  Need a lawyer?

Can’t get the Flyers game in your area?  We’ve got you covered.  Check into our Twitter as I’ll be doing up to the minute updates for the HUGE game tonight against Sid the Kid and the Penguins.  LET’S GO FLYERS!

click here to keep an eye on the Flyers (and follow us if you will):   www.twitter.com/thephillyphour

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Colts Vs Jaguars (FREE)

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Free Sports Betting Pick in the NBA

The Heat beat the raptors badly coming off their worst loss of the season and that could spark a run for this team. This is a series that the Magic usually own but right now they are playing some bad basketball when it comes to covering the number. The Magic are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games overall and 1-4 ATS in their last 5 games vs. a team with a winning straight up record. Look for the Heat to get that Magic monkey off their back and win at home on TNT!

Heat +4 (NBA)

Tuesday night marked the first time this season that the Flyers would enter the Mellon Arena. This was a game that no one needed to say anything to get excited about it. They already were. Playing Philadelphia, you always no you’re going to get a rough, hard-hitting, dirty game. But then sometimes they forget to score goals and you’re ahead by five in the end.

Jordan Staal was once again unreal for the Pens tonight. In conversation with someone recently, they mentioned how we need to trade Staal. Obviously I punched them in the face, but before that, I explained that Staal is such an asset to our team that it’s actually unreal. To have Crosby, Malkin, Staal centering your top three lines is frightening for me, let alone all opposing teams. Not only is he an outstanding two-way player, he has a ferocious yell in his goal celebrations that, if standing too close, would probably attack you and steal your soul. Scary, but true.

Max Talbot was scratched for tonight’s game. This was controversial to some, but really what do you do? Everyone is playing great. And scratching Eric Godard in a game verse barbaric animals is pretty much out of the question. Whatevs. Max got to rest and the Pens owned.

First Period

The Penguins quickly got their first Power Play chance a few minutes into the game. The unit they sent out was without Matt Cooke which is what they have been practicing. Didn’t matter. Gonchar got a shot off that was blocked by a body and rebounded right to Sid. Sidney Crosby capitalizes on everything and makes the score 1-0.

Listening to Mike Emrick literally makes me want to kill myself. I’m sorry. I just can’t stand him.

Then, as we all expected, our first fight of the night happens. Mike Rupp drops the gloves with Arron Asham.

Not to be out done, literally eight seconds later Godard drops the gloves with stupid Riley Cote.

The only problem I had with this fight was that I wasn’t the one punching Riley Cote in the face. That’s what I want for Christmas.

Next play, Adams decides to join in on the fun and drops the gloves with Daniel Carcillo. Props to Adsies for this one. Carcillo is disgusting. I wouldn’t have wanted to touch him. He should probably get tested for STDs.

Okay.

Back in our zone, Richards’  shot is turned away by Fleury. Orpik gets the puck and passes it up to Crosby, Sid gets the shot off, Boucher can’t keep it under his pads as Billy pokes it through. 2-0.

The Igloo is pretty much crazy at this point.

Later, Carter hits the goal post. Haha, Carter. Haha.

At some point, the Flyers had numerous chances in a row. Hartnell gets a shot off that’s blocked by Fleury. Then Gonchar makes a great defensive play and pokes the puck away from Briere. Take note, Mike Green. OFFENSIVE DEFENSEMAN.

Carcillo scores on a while Malkin was in the box for the Pens and then continues to jump onto the glass like an idiot. 2-1. A crew of people came out to scrub that sheet of glass with bleach before any play continued.

Then, soon after, Malkin goes off once again. Orpik gets the puck to Cooke who then hands it off to Staal. Staal skates through the neutral zone into the Flyers end and rips it past the glove side of Boucher. 3-1.

This is Jordan Staal’s 2nd SH goal of the season, 10th of his career.

Second Period

Second period starts and the Penguins had quite a few chances.

Danny Briere had a chance somewhere in there. But Danny Briere sucks.

Later, Goligoski has a nice chance, but nothing. Then Staal makes Hartnell look like a joke, gets the puck and passes it up to Sid. Sid gets it in front of the net to Tanger. Letang shoots, rebound Staal. 4-1.

Fedotenko goes off for boarding Carcillo. Hate hate hate.

Carcillo then forgets that he’s playing hockey and kicks the puck into the goal. No big celebration after that? Idiot.

Third Period

Stuff happens that isn’t worth writing about. Rupp and Dupuis each had a chance. Story of their lives. Always creatin’ chances.

Then Godsies flips the puck up to the neutral zone, Malkin grabs it and drop passes to Feds. Slapper. 5-1.

Find your own picture.

Then with little time left, Godard went to the box for roughing. A shot was deflected wide and rimmed around the boards to Malkin. Malkin decides Staal wasn’t the only one scoring a SHG tonight and gets it past Boucher.

6-1 Game.

Random Crap

> Orpik killed Giroux sometime after the Malkin goal. He was also the 3rd star(2A). USA.

> Billy Guerin went off after blocking a shot off his skate. He said he’s fine. Good.

> The Capitals scored six goals in their game against the Avalanche. Alexander Semin, you worthless human being. You couldn’t even get ONE POINT!? Your one shot on goal and two penalty minutes did BARELY ANYTHING for my fantasy team. Stupid.

> The Penguins play tomorrow night in Philly. I’m disgusted even thinking about it. Go Pens.

]]> http://whosmydaddy.wordpress.com/2009/12/16/head-desk/ Wed, 16 Dec 2009 18:07:16 +0000 Cassie or Carly http://whosmydaddy.wordpress.com/2009/12/16/head-desk/

Matt calls me up Monday afternoon and says, “I have a chance to get some great seats to tomorrow night’s game.”

Me: “Seriously?”

Matt: “I know, I’m awesome, right?”

Me: “So the kids, they’re just going to watch themselves, I assume.”

Matt: *sigh*

Tuesday afternoon:

Matt: “So what are the odds that your Mom will keep Claire over night and we bring Luca to the game?”

Me: “Um, pretty unlikely since I didn’t bring anything for her and it’s TUESDAY AFTERNOON. Not to mention, what will Luca do when it comes time for him to sleep?”

Matt: “I’ll take that as a no?”

Me: “That’s a hell no.”

The tickets then ended up going to someone else in the office. *HUGE SIGH*

7:15 p.m. last evening:

(phone rings) Me: “Hello?”

Matt: “There have been 3 fights all in under 10 seconds!”

Me: “Matt?”

Matt: “Do you understand this? And we’re already up 1-0!”

Me: “Do me a favor and turn off the radio…”

This morning, 1:45 a.m.

Matt: “Two short handed goals…”

This morning, 6:45 a.m.

Matt: “Two short handed goals and three fights in ten seconds….”

Me: “I GET IT, I GET IT!”

Matt: “Promise me we’ll have tickets to the next Pens/Flyers game. PROMISE ME.”

Me: “I promise, I promise!!!”

Matt: “Three fights in 10 seconds……”

Last June 12, as the Pittsburgh Penguins reveled in their first Stanley Cup win since 1992 on the Joe Louis Arena ice surface, the state of the team in mid-December, 2008 must have seemed to them like ancient history—something written in hieroglyphics on a cave wall somewhere.

I caught team president Mario Lemieux before he made his way into the locker room. The Pens had made a coaching change after the new year. And I wanted to know how the Penguins were able to go from also-rans around Christmas to Stanley Cup champions six months later.

“They bought in,” Lemieux said about new coach Dan Bylsma. “And we got our special teams in order.”

Same question, posed to Bylsma moments later.

“I thought that we had the talent to make this happen,” Bylsma told me just after donning his champions baseball cap, about his feelings when he took the team over from Michel Therrien. “I didn’t want to say it too loud, but I knew we had the talent.”

The Penguins were 16-10-4 one year ago today, on the fringe of playoff contention. A few weeks later, they sank to 20-19-4. No one was talking Penguins when they were handicapping Cup contenders. They appeared to be another of those Eastern Conference champs who were destined to sink back into anonymity.

Under Bylsma, the Pens caught fire. They finished the regular season on a 16-2-3 tear. And they kept that momentum rolling in the playoffs.

The NHL, more than any other league, operates on its own space-time continuum. It’s like dog years. Six months ago in the NHL might as well be years in the past.

Six months ago, the Red Wings were 60 minutes away from a Stanley Cup championship. Today, they’re scrambling to stay in the playoff picture. Their roster has been depleted by free agency losses and injury.

Maybe they have their competition right where they want them.

I’m not filing a motion to have coach Mike Babcock replaced, like the Penguins did with Therrien. But I also know that no team in its right mind would want to play the Red Wings in the playoffs, no matter their seeding.

The Red Wings haven’t played the role of the snake in the grass in years. They’ve been among the top five teams in contention for the Cup since the mid-1990s. You don’t sneak up on teams with 120-point seasons.

But no one is talking Red Wings right now, just like no one was talking Penguins a year ago. Yet the injured players the Wings have won’t stay out of the lineup forever. When the team returns to full health—assuming that’s possible—it will likely be just in time for the last third of the season.

Just enough time for the hurt forwards to find their timing and their hands.

I hope the Red Wings seize this moment and enjoy NOT being mentioned as the “team to beat” throughout the winter. I hope they find contentment in playing in relative obscurity until their key people get back.

But I also hope they know how to deal with it, for it ain’t the norm around “Hockeytown,” today’s Montreal.

Still, if you’re a Western Conference playoff team, and you want a piece of the Red Wings come spring, then you’ve been sniffing the goal post paint.