Heroes of Hockeytown

Please, it's not a "totally different" game. Tighter checking, more physical, higher intensity and pressure, yeah, but hockey's hockey. Do you really think that his getting better from year to year has been a result of his playoff struggles? It simply takes time to mature into a complete hockey player; as he does that, we hope that playoff success follows. All that shows (besides very little, a big three years) is that he has gotten better every year he's been in the league. That's pretty normal. He could just as easily have never made it to the playoffs and grown at the same rate.

No, you're absolutely correct. Here's the point I've been driving home: what do playoff struggles have to do with it? People have been telling this guy to shoot more for years. I'm sure coaches have tried to impress upon him the importance of two-way play since he entered the league. Those things take time, and now that he's maturing he's realizing them. A half a dozen games each spring don't make you a better player; they can expose your weaknesses. That's why I don't view his playoff "experience" as a positive. All it says is "teams know how to get rid of me." He's been getting better every year in the league (something that exists independent of his playoff successes or failures) and that's why he's got a shot to do something great this postseason.

Meh, he still leads the league in minor penalties. Pass.

They didn't bother going back over it, but I guess Rex tipped it en route. It was straight in.

Mick would chew these guys up and s*** real hockey commentary. These guys were fun to listen gabbing with each other, but they've got nothing on Mickey.

Slow start, strong finish. Where have we heard this before? Detroit tops C-bus, ho hum. Bring on the playoffs already.

I enjoyed Pierre and Brett's rivalry. Edge Pierre, for today.

I blame Mike Emrick.

He looks alright.

It caused me to wonder aloud, "Are you some kinda ******* 'tard [Mike]?" God I hate that guy.

Have no fear. We will bury them.

It's true. He does.

Hahaha, Brett's friggin' awesome today. And can't nobody stop Pavel. I also intake deep pleasure from watching players come over to try and hit Bert and end up on their backsides. So far so good. Carry on, Wings.

Damn son, I like what I'm seeing from Lebda today.

Brett is everywhere in the second... scoring goals, taking penalties, drawing penalties... keep it comin', young man!

What mistakes, in particular, is he supposed to be learning from? We're not talking about filling out a spread sheet. There are big huge men beating people up, there's only so much you can "learn" from that. I don't think he's gonna have a bad playoffs, but it won't be because he did before. He didn't need three years of shutdown hockey to figure out he needed to shoot more. He's maturing as a player, and that's great, but it doesn't have anything to do with the futility of years past.

I called Bob just to make sure. Actually, I just remembered that particular moment in time. He picked up a loose puck coming in on his wing and had the goalie down and out right away, tossed it just inside the far post.

Ugh. Another non-period. It's Dan Cleary, beating Norenna (or maybe Leclaire) on a short handed breakaway.

They controlled the puck well, but basically had no one in front of the net the whole shift. Not that I expected otherwise with Flip and Rex, we all know about Sammy.

A shocker right there.

It's just crazy enough to work!

A RETURN TO GREATNESS

You could try talking to your doctor about birth control.

Those Flames are a dangerous bunch... they struggled early, that's how they got in the 8th spot, but now it looks like they're playing Flames hockey from two seasons ago: get a lead and hold it.

Oh, they do, don't they? Hm. Huge save by Kipper.