vangvace

Congrats to Lidstrom for getting his 900th point tonight. Favorite quote from the AP article: "I'm going back to Hockeytown," Draper said with a smile.

M Richards gt a gordie tonight. He went up against Paetsch of the Sabres. Cote/Peters happened minutes earlier. Couldn't tell you the details. but noted the Gordie so...

No way, Hasek will lure him in by falling to the ice. Then when Osgood is celebrating, Hasek will pull out a steel chair, wait I mean rollerblade and it's lights out Osgood WWE style. Almost more seriously though it's a draw with slight edge to Osgood for age

Prob. To give you a good reference the H2H leader has a record of 85-16-9 and 50th has a record of 80-21-9. also someone using Lets Go Wings is in the top 50. Congrats to whomever you are (since you are prob here)

The Browns and TB could cause some first round damage, but they don't have enough on both sides of the ball to go much farther. I'm not huge on the Jags, but to be honest I only can name two players on thier roster and have a meh feel about them. Well, should be interesting to see how everything plays out for the rest of the season... oh wait, I can't because I'm in Puerto Rico until wildcard sunday I think it would be in New Englands best interest to lose one of their last two games to get the extra pressure off.

Actually, I said that the ice surface is smaller by 72.5 square feet from goal ine to blue line. That's because the goal line is farther away from the boards and the two blue lines are farther apart from one another. Don't believe me? Go over to wiki and do the math yourself. International ice size is bigger in the neutral zone and behind the goal line. I guess thermal blades and bringing Gretzky out of retirement and we'll be all set. I have personally seen the following play box +1 for at least a period this season Min Anh LA NJ Phi Edm Pho Buf TB Fla Col BJs Stl Tor Mon NYI NYR Composite sticks snap in half. Wood splits along the shaft. That's why breaks are more noticable now thenback then. However, with that said, I am extremely annoyed with how often composites break and think that the league should look into fixing that as well. In addition, I would have liked to see in the CBA that the players had to pay for thier sticks if they wanted composites.

I think you are right about the night game. Which makes sense to have the game during the colder part of the day. So that's strike two against the big house in this case. Not that I want to pick on my favorite school, but if you want to make 100,000+ sound like 20,000. Then you should put it in the big house. It so needs some sort of ceiling in it. Wether it be an upper level or small overhang (like I think the Vet had but not sure) to help focus the sound onto the field. Having a game at Ford field would be an excellent tune-up for the frozen four to work out the kinks, plus should return more attendance records back to michigan.

Hmmm....using the largest pads available and being considered elite because of it... hmmm I don't know how those goalies on the west coast can get away with it Yup Drydens pads are taller for a taller guy... too bad that they're still at least an inch narrower so fine I'll give. Luongo's pads are only at least taking up 2 square feet more than Drydens. Happy? Compaired to the marshmellow twins Jiggy and Luongo, or less sizeable butterfly goalies Brodeur, a hybrid, has tons of personality. So aot of shots are taken to roduce rebounds... stop the presses I thought it was so that they could score a goal! You mean it's about the rebound all along. What in the world was I thinking!?! How could I have been so blind to the fact that players might want to score from somewhere besides the goalies lap. The saying 'I was just trying to put it on net' is as old as time... just ask Chelios. Too bad it used to mean that the puck went in on the shot instead of going in on the rebound. Your right I should have looked up how to spell michelin man instead of making a movie reference with Stay Puff. Guess you missed it. So tell me oh great wise one. How often are you seeing players get chased by the Keystone cops (or other team)around during a cycle this season? It doesn't happen like it used to now does it. Larger work area? The zone is SMALLER BY 72.5 SQUARE FEET where it matters most, goal ine to blue line. Oh wait I forgot, now rebounds are now worth their weight in goals these days. The AO scenario you describe happens nightly to him as it is BTW. Wide open yup. passing lanes might be tough to find. but chances are that they are there. Downside is that the puck will more than likely move back to the perimeter like, now wait for it you're going to like it.... today's NHL! Euro NHL players have already stated that the trap is more effective on the larger ice surface and is one of the things they don't like about playing at home. Opie - We're not going to protest.

don't forget that that was also during a grass period for Michigan. know that was a big holdup for having a game there. but then again they might have similar resevations with thier new turf as well.

Umm goalies wearing too large of equipment often are know for "playing the percentages" or "positional game" over being know for quick reactions. If all we has to do is sit there in the butterfly towards the shooter because his equipment is so large that it blocks the net and absorbs most of the energy from the puck so no juicy rebound then he's än excellent goalie". Except for thier sticks and helmets (I think on the helmets) there is not a single peice of equipment that hasn't become larger. You mention that leg pads haven't changed much, however if worn to the max size it's 3 square feet of coverage per leg pad over 1993ish time frame. The butterfly style killed only on hole, the five. Even that is debatable depending on the shooter/goalie. As for where goals are scored from... besides screens, how many goals can you count from farther out than 7 feet from the goal? Wow AO can use his speed to gain the zone faster... and when he doesn't score on stay puff? What good is his speed going to do along the boards farther away from the goal where the D doesn't have to chase him around. More teams are pushing play to these zones of dead ice and fewer are chasing a cycle. Olympic ice does nothing to bring back scoring from the slot. Too base your auguement on AOs speed is like changing the game for Gretzky. Worked great for him, not so much for 95% of the other players. Hell even if AO comes off the corner and blows by the first guy, by the time he's in scoring position guy number two (and maybe three )is callapsing on him leaving him with dwindling options. Lemaire hockey at it's finest. For my curiousity? Have you watched much hockey on international ice besides olympic or international competition? Many of the Euros have said that the trap is worse in the leagues (you know the ones with the "big"ice) of their home countries. Edit: sorry for spelling errors, crankiness and to add... In addition, you lose 72.5 square feet of scorable ice in the attacking zone. The two areas where international ice is larger is in the neutral zone and behind the goalline. International ice is bigger, but the extra ice is, imo, mainly dead ice.

Because it's more exciting than 95% of what the NHL has become sadly.

What's wrong with going to SO? that's the most exciting part of the game

But that was an accident to the calf, not a stomp to the boot (Which would be more like a bone breaking slash than a cut to the tendon). For that matter is is nowhere near the level of the Cli$nt Malarchuk accident either. Now with that said... I was expecting another 5-10 games. If he does seek help and does well there (as is the plan) then after 30 games ok. I'm assuming that the Isles will be kept abreast of how his treatment is going though and not bring him back until he's right in the head, or prozac'd.

So we have jersey's that make players 8% faster. Skates in the works to make them quicker on the start and use 15% less enegy. So are the new lines supposed to increase whistles by 10% by my interpretation? What's next? Get rid of the ice and turn it into handball?

Could it happen? yes I believe in the end he could be in the running and possibly win the Norris. However I don't think it's likely with as many dmen are playing well this season

Alas my 70-30-10 record is only good enough for 1300th place in yahoo h2h. I still leading my league though. My roster is: C Langkow -cgy Nylander -was Ribeiro -dal C/LW Ruutu, T -chi C/RW Horton -fla LW Whitney -car Stillman -car RW Gaborik -min Hossa -atl D Gonchar -pit Timonen -phi Meszaros -ott Niedermayer -anh G Nabokov -sj Kolzig -was Roloson -Edm Bryzgalov- pho (just added 5 min ago I hope he helps) +/- and goaltending is killing me

Fire millen is becoming th new John 3:16

Yes Crosby, AO and maybe Z and Malkin would cause a more severe punishment and possible ban. But then again every league protects it's stars like that.

See it's tough for me because, even though he used his skates with ill intent, he went for Ruutu's skate. Is it an excuse for the act? Not by any means, but because of the where we stomped I equate this more towards a violent slash than trying to cut him.

25 for the whole act, the kick and the stomp. Then add on another 10-25 for his history.

It'd be fun to watch, but the Flyers should be able to out-muscle the Sens as both teams stand now. It sucks for me that they are doing well. I was hoping for cheap tickets later this season. Oh well, at least my "home" team is fun to watch most nights.

I know what you meant, but less tiring = less stamina It seems just a little gimmicky to me, alright alot

Euros... maybe a little but for all of the talent on the roster the players have the personality of earwax. Drake, Downey, and Cleary might be exceptions, but how long are the Ds going to be here?

I wonder if Downey is Hudler's bodyguard... What's to stop Chelios from making people think that Maltby's the smelly one?

I could be wrong, but I think that that is due to the separation of playoffs and reg season.