puckloo39

you're exactly right.

"We didn't play well at all," Gaborik said of he and Demitra. what else can they say?

now you're being ridiculous and your bias is showing. If the play was illegal or deemed intent to injure, Hasek would be suspended. It wasn't even a penalty, IMO (and Mickey's and most other people's). Did he need to take the risk late in a game that was clearly over? No. Would he be Dom if he didn't. No. And that has been the problem thus far this season -- Hasek hasn't looked like Hasek, and everyone whined about that. Now he does what Hasek always does, and ya'll whine about that, too. Whatever. Dom has been doing what he did last night for a living for more than 15 years (he played hockey before he came to North America). The first time I saw that move was when he was a back up in Chicago. It was almost a carbon copy, in fact. Legal then, but not now, I suppose. Move on. He didn't mean to hurt anyone, glad nothing bad happened to anybody. Tell Cole to keep his head up Sunday. And go, Ozzie, own the Preds like you always do.

The refs said it was a trip. My uncle, who has watched hockey for 50 years, said he's never seen a goalie get a penalty on a play like that, until last night. New league rules, or what? I thought defensemen could play the puck in a situation like that, even goalies. The hit reminded me of the one Vladdy put on Lemieux. Just the attitude toward the players involved is different.

Not much more to say about it. Classic Hasek. May we have some more, please? Thank goodness that tentative, worried goaltender is gone, and Dom is back. The hit wasn't dirty, it wasn't stupid - it was brilliant. And happily, nothing bad happened to Gaborik or Dom. As many have said, if Marion was unaware that Hasek was likely to come out and do that slide save on a rush, he was the only one in the NHL who didn't know it. Anyway, you guys have made all the points I was thinking - it was a hit, a legal save, and the kind of play that might make hockey a fan draw again. People would be buzzing with excitement (and most are) if any other player had pulled off a similar move, but because it's Dom, it's suspect? Enjoy him while you can, he won't be around forever and there's no one else who brings it like Dom.. Of course, I've said it before, but he's still here. 'Nuf said, bring on Carolina. Oh, and someone be sure to tell Eric Cole to keep his head up, since Hasek is in goal.

not everyone, just a small, very vocal contingent of posters, most of whom are conspicuously absent tonight. PS - Dallas, I absolutely don't mean you... you're seriously concerned about the dangerousness of the play, and I can understand that. Done is done, friend. Can we let this one go now. please? I will tell Dom not to do it again but he might not listen.

I can't picture Ozzie ever attempting it, but he did do a pretty good Hasek-like snow angel the other night and everybody loved it. There was no intent to injure in Hasek's actions. No one was hurt. Time to move on! hooray!

He had the win, true. SwedeLundin is right. Dom wanted that damned shutout! He will tell you it didn't matter and all he wanted was the W, but that milestone mattered to him, I bet. He's tired of watching from the bench and he's tired of arm-chair coaches and fans deciding he's done -- when he's clearly not. He's worked his butt off to get back on the ice. It shows. I wish he would be more careful, too, Dallas. But Dom is Dom. He's going to play his game, his way, for as long as his body will let him.

I agree, and am sure Dom would agree with you, as well. I think defining the hit as dirty (in some peoples' opinions) in certain cases may be colored by a person's dislike of Hasek in general. Hasek was doing his job, just like Vladdy was when he smoked somebody, and everyone thought it was great. If Dom has stayed back and let Gaborik race in on him and score, then those same fans could hoot and point and say, why didn't he stop that, see, I told you he sucks. //sarcasm, kids// I worry that he's getting too old to do this kind of stuff anymore, but he won't listen to me.

no, you're not dumb for stating your opinion, Dallas. But Dom is Dom. He's not dumb either, but he's unconventional, and I doubt that's going to change. Gaborik is a smart guy, and he of all people should know Hasek's propensities. I saw Dom do that exact move in the 2002 Olympics, and many other times with not quite so spectacular results. He isn't going to change his game (at least I hope not). Hudler should keep his head up, and so should Gaborik. Maybe he was just so excited to finally get the puck away from the Wings, he wasn't paying attention to anything else.

I've seen dozens if not hundreds of hits worse than what Dom did. Maybe because other goalies don't come out and play the puck (which is what he was doing) the way he does, it seemed over the top, but it's something he's always done, the sliding speed bump thing. I am just glad no one got hurt. As for justifying it, there's no need. Ken and Mick were even surprised that he even got a penalty. They had on their Wings homer glasses, perhaps? If Dom had stayed in the crease, Gaborik would have scored, and then everyone could point out that Hasek should have saved the goal, I expect. OK, he did.

yahoo game recap "I believe I can continue to play like this," Hasek said. "I can feel it more in my heart and my stomach. I am talking more, you can hear me on the ice. I bang my stick more on the ice and that's what I need to be doing to keep myself in the game and play on the best level." Any player who ever played with Hasek will tell you: that's a sign Hasek is on his game when he's loud and hollering and out of his crease. This game doesn't foretell that Hasek will be unbeatable the rest of the season (nor will Ozzie, recent evidence to the contrary). But he's back in ways that matter. Dom plays the Canes because he could use one more game to face a few more consistent shots (third period tonight was a good start). Ozzie plays the Preds... because he freakin' OWNS them. What's the problem?

"so, should we take pity on them and only one of us scores the hat trick tonight, Pav?"

you guys are going without me? j/k, have a blast, and report in when you get home. I will be watching on tv, if Bettman and his evil henchmen don't steal my game for their network again.

highlights of the game, including the spectacular save, are up at tsn.ca site. I can never figure out how to link from that site, but just go to www.tsn.ca and the link is in the game write up.

PM me, I will tell you where to go, and how to host pics, OK? looo looks like a conga line... not sure what Dom's doing, though. I need to snork all of these off this thread, they're great, and a bunch I've not seen before.

perfect laid-out back flip! If he was a figure skater, that would have gotten him straight tens! I am glad he landed on him butt and not his head. Dom said after the game (post-game interview) about three or four times how glad he was that Gaborik wasn't hurt. Thanks Z40. I forgot you're so good at video clips... can you post Hank's hattie? Please?

you're faster than me, Reem, thanks! Gabby knows better than to watch the puck and not the man, but he wasn't expecting...that. Well, perhaps he should have been, considering it's not the first time Dom's done that move. And won't be the last. Like it or not (I do), that is Hasek into the game. Good news for the Wings. When he's tentative and backed into the crease, then we can worry again.

yet again...

Gaborik should have been watching where he was going. I wish I could have seen this one, but a good friend just called and said she is putting the game on a DVD for me. Yay!! I'm happy now. Who wants a copy?

I think maybe we should just enjoy having both of them playing so well that the rest of the league trembles in fear.

19 shots is respectable, especially when half of them are in the third when the other team was challenging. As someone else said, he isn't back, he was never gone. I think what people who are Hasek fans know is that this is the exact type of effort that fuels Hasek's competitive nature. He was in it to win it. It will only get better from here. I know him well enough to know this is the way he looks on the way up, the bad stretch is over and forgotten in his mind. That's where you want him to be, mentally and emotionally. These two games were the perfect medicine, and I believe the next game he gets, they can throw the kitchen sink at him and it won't matter. You're being perfectly rational, nothing wrong in my opinion with any of your comments.

you like to live dangerously, don't you, Packer? People were dying today bec. Dom got two games in a row. God forbid he get another. Zata, Dats and Dom, 1-2-3 stars? Dom talking to the media, 77 th career shutout (but I am sure he's just glad to get some action and the win), 8th all time in the NHL now in shut outs. EDIT: Zata, Dom and Mule = 1st, 2nd, 3rd stars

who wants boring, when you can have Dom, eh? I wish someone would, I would definitely cherish it.. ** runs off to try and find highlights now **