Tuesday, December 11, 2007
So, there has been some blogging silence around here lately, and this is due to the following:
1) I was busy.
Busy at work in the last week-ish (amazing!) and busy over the weekend, I could not devote the kind of time I prefer to devote to writing. I could have blogged quickie posts saying “YAY FLYERS!” and “BOO FLYERS!” and “BOO PHANTOMS!” but I like to do more than that, if I can. I figure you deserve the most out of me, or at least as much of the most out of me as I can manage to provide at any given time.
That said, I have only a few games that I want to chat briefly about, starting with the Flyers game last Wednesday that I failed to blog live. I had the computer out, but it was cold in my living room, I was tired, and instead watched the game in a generally supine position, trapped in a cocoon of blankets. For the most part, I enjoyed the scene, because the Flyers took Minnesota’s game and showed them how it was done. They won in spite of the parade to the penalty box on questionable and marginal calls. It seemed that the referees were extremely whistle-happy, but on replays I would grudgingly accept that an infraction had occurred. What got me upset about the constant man-down situation was that the Wild were getting away with the same crap the Flyers were being called on. The referees were doing everything they could to give the game to the Wild, including inventing a phantom goal. Niittymaki made a save and had the puck under his legs the whole time. It was nowhere near the goal line. It never even had a sniff of crossing it. Yet the referee’s arm went out, pointing, indicating a goal. The Wild celebrated, the Flyers protested vehemently (as did I), and naturally it was reviewed. I’m sure the NHL wanted badly to stiff the Flyers and call it a goal, but there was no way it could stand, even in the biased and unfair atmosphere under which the Flyers now play. It was underneath Niittymaki, at least a foot away from the goal line, he had it perfectly trapped, and there was no question whatsoever that it was not a goal. The referee who called it a goal is a moron and should be openly ridiculed.
I suppose all the crap was only to be expected during the first game after the Flyers had been put on “triple secret probation” (as Keith Jones referred to it) by the league. The Flyers even called up Steve Downie to take Riley Cote’s place, and this was viewed by and large as an enormous middle finger to the league. How could it not be? The Flyers have their fifth player suspended (four in the regular season, plus the one in the pre-season), are chastised publicly and put on notice, and the Flyers’ response is to call up the dude who started it all, NHL Enemy #1, Steve Downie, who had only recently finished his 20-game suspension and had only a few days before been dismissed as a possibility for call-up (something about how he hadn’t been playing as great for the Phantoms as he would need to be in order to be considered for call-up). All of a sudden, he’s playing great for the Phantoms and would fill in nicely. In my head, I was thinking about other Phantoms who have had more of an impact lately, but I liked the idea of thumbing a nose at the NHL, and had next to no qualms about Downie being lifted to the NHL for a couple games. Certainly would do no worse than Cote. He did not get much chance to play, since the Flyers played so much of the game short-handed, and when he was out there, he did not cause any trouble but did not do anything spectacular, either. He was a non-factor, but that is not necessarily bad. They did show a little bumping and jawing with him, but it never escalated (thankfully).
Not only was I ticked off about the refereeing (even the usually fair announcer made a comment about how the Flyers were the only ones going to the box), but there was an incident that still has me borderline enraged. Before the game, Todd Fedoruk was yapping about how the Flyers would need eyes in the backs of their heads, not the Wild – basically saying they’d better watch out, because he had their names in his little book. During the game, he put Lupul into the boards from behind, classic boarding, classic headhunting, and all he got was a 2-minute minor and nary a whisper of a review from the league. I don’t understand this at all – well, that’s not true, I totally understand it, Fridge wasn’t wearing his O&B anymore – but seriously, let’s line this up:
1) He as good as said he was going to hit someone from behind.
2) He hit someone from behind …
3) …fiercely into the boards from a few feet out.
4) Which led to Lupul bleeding.
Fortunately, Lupul was not seriously injured, and even went right back out to play despite it all. But that should not signal the end of it. Lupul should not have to lie unconscious on the ice in order for the league to choose to review the situation. There was clear intent in this case, and Fedoruk went right for the numbers as soon as the opportunity presented itself. Why has he received no punishment outside of a measly 2-minute minor?
[BLEEP]ing NHL discipline conductors.
I was deeply satisfied with the way the Flyers played, killing 7 of 8 penalties which included two very extended 5-on-3s. (Ridiculous!!!) Antero Niittymaki was awesome, looking a great deal more like the goalie I remember him to be than the goalie he was last year – he was strong in the net, he challenged shooters, he trapped pucks rather than giving up ugly rebounds, his glove hand did not whiff. He only allowed one goal, and I can’t blame him for it. It was a devious play. The Wild shooter was out front of the goal, maybe mid-way to the blue line, and instead of firing on net, he fired it slightly wide, where another Wild player stalked and redirected it in. The Flyers were busy handling the dude they thought was going to shoot, not the guy waiting for what ended up being a pass, not a shot, and Niitty was pretty much just out of position and couldn’t snag the goal. I was impressed, while also disappointed. But it was the only goal the Wild managed. The Flyers scored three. The first was a toss-up, being awarded to Scottie Upshall, but all three forwards on that line contributed. Tolpeko, Carter, Upshall – they all took a shot and jammed at it, and it was Upshall that had last touched it but it looked before close examination like Tolpeko had gotten it in. While I’m sure the guys like to know who it was, for their personal records, it was mostly all the same to me – what mattered was that it slid in after bouncing gently off the sliding goalie. The same line was responsible for the Flyers’ second goal, too, but less of a garbage situation. Carter was in front of the net and got the puck with Backstrom down at one side. Showing a great deal of patience, Carter hooked it around Backstrom until he had a much clearer shot, and put it in. Had he just blindly shot as soon as the puck came to his stick, it is likely it would have been blocked. I was impressed at the patience Carter showed in moving the puck to a position of higher probability. I was also impressed that he managed to be all alone in a place to score a goal – what in the heck were the Wild doing?
The Flyers’ third goal was a laugher. I actually sat up and giggled. Braydon Coburn was at the blue line – I think he was in the neutral side of the blue line, even? And fired the puck on net. It was not even that much of a rocket, but it sailed on past the Wild defense and right up over Backstrom’s shoulder. Backstrom had his glove hand up, but he just ended up looking foolish, standing there frozen with his arm in the air and the puck in the net behind him. That is never a shot that should have made it into the goal. It did, in fact, take everyone half a second to realize that it had made it into the goal. And, as I said, I sat up in amazement and giggled.
Flyers won, 3-1. Two big middle fingers up to the NHL. Suspend our players. Put us under watch. Throw your worst refereeing at us. We will still find a way to win.
At least, they did on Wednesday. I did not watch all of Friday’s game. I was out at a Phantoms game, the first home game in two weeks, watching the kids outplay Norfolk in just about every way possible yet still lose 2-1. Admirals goalie Karri Ramo just played outstandingly. Way too many times I was scratching my head wondering how in the world the puck didn’t get into the net. The Phantoms had in the neighborhood of 40 shots on goal, but only got one in (Potulny!). The Admirals had a much lower number – in the 20s, I think – and got two. One of them was a bit of a softie and I don’t give Boucher a pass on it, but the other I don’t think he had a chance on. The closing minutes were a flurry of action, but Ramo just didn’t collapse, and it ended with disappointment. It was not as bad as when they lost to Hershey the day after Thanksgiving. At least the Phantoms played good hockey. The Admirals are not that good. They capitalized on small mistakes and their goalie kept them alive. Then I was in the car and listened to the Flyers/Avalanche game. It was tied at 1 until the last seconds of the second period, when the Avs scored to make it 2-1. I cursed at the Flyers. I got home to watch the last part of the third period, where the game started to look almost exactly like the one I had left. And it ended exactly the same, too. A 2-1 loss. However, it sounded like the Flyers played much better than they had been in the losses that followed a strong win. Too bad the cycle of win-lose-win-lose wasn’t broken.
I hope it doesn’t break tonight, either. The Flyers will play the Penguins, at home, and I really, really, really do not want the Pens to win. The only cycle that I hope is broken is the one of poor at-home play. The Flyers need to come out ferociously, slice through the Pens and score, harangue Crosby and keep his pucks out of the net. The usual story. The Flyers must get every point possible, especially against division foes. Only five points separate the top from the bottom in the Atlantic! Unfortunately, the game is on Vs. which means I will have to choke on the constant Sidney adulation, which is beyond tolerable.
Other scores: after losing at home to the Admirals, the Phantoms went to Hershey on Saturday and won 3-2. (Taking a page out of the Flyers’ book, apparently. Lose at home, win away!) On Saturday, in overtime, Iowa beat San Antonio 3-2, only to undo the goodness by losing to San Antonio Sunday night 1-2. The Iowa Stars play tonight in Milwaukee, who are coming off a 2-1 win over Toronto. The Milwaukee Admirals are one point ahead of the Stars in the standings. I had looked at the standings Sunday morning, and saw that the Stars were fourth in the West, but now are fifth again, with those stupid Admirals just ahead. Standings-wise, this game tonight is BIG. Go Stars!
Yesterday, the Flyers organization traded Jussi Timonen to Dallas for a conditional draft pick in 2009. I was looking at the Dallas message board and saw the thread about it, and so was not thrown into a tizzy when I later saw headlines that read:
FLYERS TRADE TIMONEN TO DALLAS
Flyers fans the world over had a collective heart attack, thinking it meant Kimmo.
With Bartulis and Jonsson coming back from injury, the Phantoms defense is once again fully stacked, and Timonen was hovering around the lower pairings. There just isn’t much room for him. He’s not a terrible defenseman. The fact is that the Flyers organization at this time has so much depth at that position that he’s just not going to get to play much. Perhaps with the Stars, he will get better ice-time. I don’t know too much about the Stars’ defense corps, but I have a feeling that Jussi Timonen will be playing for Iowa. I hope he likes Des Moines.
Now the Stars have two Jussis.
My next hockey, outside of watching the Flyers on TV tonight, Thursday night (Canadiens), and Saturday night (Carolina), will be the Phantoms on Friday (vs. Marlies) and Sunday (vs. Wilkes-Barre). After having had to go two weeks with no Phantoms games, I’m really looking forward to these two games this weekend. I will be missing the Phantoms/Bears game on the 21st, as I will be going home to Iowa on that day, and will be in Iowa when the Phantoms play the baby Sens on the 28th. In fact, I will be in Des Moines watching the Stars play the Rivermen. I am glad that I will only be missing one hockey game, in effect, but it will make it another two weeks until I see a game. I will (presumably) be back in Delaware long before the Phantoms next home game, the 4th of January, vs. Lowell.
P.S. Downie down, Potulny up. I think this is a great move. Potulny has been playing outstandingly for the Phantoms, time to give him a shot in the NHL.
P.P.S. I watched the Bruins/Sabres game last night as I did some sewing, and was pleased when Buffalo lost 4-1. I enjoyed looking at Lindy Ruff's pouting, displeased mug. However, I was displeased that the Bruins won. I don't like them at all this year. I didn't much like them ever, but this year? They've taken the place of the Sabres as a team I despise in large part because of their fan base. I still despise the Sabres because of their fans, but since the Sabres are sucking this year (ha ha!), their fans are not nearly so obnoxious. But Lindy Ruff still irritates me. I think one of the most amusing moments of the game was near the end, when the referee was throwing out a penalty and you could hear f-bombs going between him and the player he was penalizing. Nice broadcast! Hahaha.
1) I was busy.
Busy at work in the last week-ish (amazing!) and busy over the weekend, I could not devote the kind of time I prefer to devote to writing. I could have blogged quickie posts saying “YAY FLYERS!” and “BOO FLYERS!” and “BOO PHANTOMS!” but I like to do more than that, if I can. I figure you deserve the most out of me, or at least as much of the most out of me as I can manage to provide at any given time.
That said, I have only a few games that I want to chat briefly about, starting with the Flyers game last Wednesday that I failed to blog live. I had the computer out, but it was cold in my living room, I was tired, and instead watched the game in a generally supine position, trapped in a cocoon of blankets. For the most part, I enjoyed the scene, because the Flyers took Minnesota’s game and showed them how it was done. They won in spite of the parade to the penalty box on questionable and marginal calls. It seemed that the referees were extremely whistle-happy, but on replays I would grudgingly accept that an infraction had occurred. What got me upset about the constant man-down situation was that the Wild were getting away with the same crap the Flyers were being called on. The referees were doing everything they could to give the game to the Wild, including inventing a phantom goal. Niittymaki made a save and had the puck under his legs the whole time. It was nowhere near the goal line. It never even had a sniff of crossing it. Yet the referee’s arm went out, pointing, indicating a goal. The Wild celebrated, the Flyers protested vehemently (as did I), and naturally it was reviewed. I’m sure the NHL wanted badly to stiff the Flyers and call it a goal, but there was no way it could stand, even in the biased and unfair atmosphere under which the Flyers now play. It was underneath Niittymaki, at least a foot away from the goal line, he had it perfectly trapped, and there was no question whatsoever that it was not a goal. The referee who called it a goal is a moron and should be openly ridiculed.
I suppose all the crap was only to be expected during the first game after the Flyers had been put on “triple secret probation” (as Keith Jones referred to it) by the league. The Flyers even called up Steve Downie to take Riley Cote’s place, and this was viewed by and large as an enormous middle finger to the league. How could it not be? The Flyers have their fifth player suspended (four in the regular season, plus the one in the pre-season), are chastised publicly and put on notice, and the Flyers’ response is to call up the dude who started it all, NHL Enemy #1, Steve Downie, who had only recently finished his 20-game suspension and had only a few days before been dismissed as a possibility for call-up (something about how he hadn’t been playing as great for the Phantoms as he would need to be in order to be considered for call-up). All of a sudden, he’s playing great for the Phantoms and would fill in nicely. In my head, I was thinking about other Phantoms who have had more of an impact lately, but I liked the idea of thumbing a nose at the NHL, and had next to no qualms about Downie being lifted to the NHL for a couple games. Certainly would do no worse than Cote. He did not get much chance to play, since the Flyers played so much of the game short-handed, and when he was out there, he did not cause any trouble but did not do anything spectacular, either. He was a non-factor, but that is not necessarily bad. They did show a little bumping and jawing with him, but it never escalated (thankfully).
Not only was I ticked off about the refereeing (even the usually fair announcer made a comment about how the Flyers were the only ones going to the box), but there was an incident that still has me borderline enraged. Before the game, Todd Fedoruk was yapping about how the Flyers would need eyes in the backs of their heads, not the Wild – basically saying they’d better watch out, because he had their names in his little book. During the game, he put Lupul into the boards from behind, classic boarding, classic headhunting, and all he got was a 2-minute minor and nary a whisper of a review from the league. I don’t understand this at all – well, that’s not true, I totally understand it, Fridge wasn’t wearing his O&B anymore – but seriously, let’s line this up:
1) He as good as said he was going to hit someone from behind.
2) He hit someone from behind …
3) …fiercely into the boards from a few feet out.
4) Which led to Lupul bleeding.
Fortunately, Lupul was not seriously injured, and even went right back out to play despite it all. But that should not signal the end of it. Lupul should not have to lie unconscious on the ice in order for the league to choose to review the situation. There was clear intent in this case, and Fedoruk went right for the numbers as soon as the opportunity presented itself. Why has he received no punishment outside of a measly 2-minute minor?
[BLEEP]ing NHL discipline conductors.
I was deeply satisfied with the way the Flyers played, killing 7 of 8 penalties which included two very extended 5-on-3s. (Ridiculous!!!) Antero Niittymaki was awesome, looking a great deal more like the goalie I remember him to be than the goalie he was last year – he was strong in the net, he challenged shooters, he trapped pucks rather than giving up ugly rebounds, his glove hand did not whiff. He only allowed one goal, and I can’t blame him for it. It was a devious play. The Wild shooter was out front of the goal, maybe mid-way to the blue line, and instead of firing on net, he fired it slightly wide, where another Wild player stalked and redirected it in. The Flyers were busy handling the dude they thought was going to shoot, not the guy waiting for what ended up being a pass, not a shot, and Niitty was pretty much just out of position and couldn’t snag the goal. I was impressed, while also disappointed. But it was the only goal the Wild managed. The Flyers scored three. The first was a toss-up, being awarded to Scottie Upshall, but all three forwards on that line contributed. Tolpeko, Carter, Upshall – they all took a shot and jammed at it, and it was Upshall that had last touched it but it looked before close examination like Tolpeko had gotten it in. While I’m sure the guys like to know who it was, for their personal records, it was mostly all the same to me – what mattered was that it slid in after bouncing gently off the sliding goalie. The same line was responsible for the Flyers’ second goal, too, but less of a garbage situation. Carter was in front of the net and got the puck with Backstrom down at one side. Showing a great deal of patience, Carter hooked it around Backstrom until he had a much clearer shot, and put it in. Had he just blindly shot as soon as the puck came to his stick, it is likely it would have been blocked. I was impressed at the patience Carter showed in moving the puck to a position of higher probability. I was also impressed that he managed to be all alone in a place to score a goal – what in the heck were the Wild doing?
The Flyers’ third goal was a laugher. I actually sat up and giggled. Braydon Coburn was at the blue line – I think he was in the neutral side of the blue line, even? And fired the puck on net. It was not even that much of a rocket, but it sailed on past the Wild defense and right up over Backstrom’s shoulder. Backstrom had his glove hand up, but he just ended up looking foolish, standing there frozen with his arm in the air and the puck in the net behind him. That is never a shot that should have made it into the goal. It did, in fact, take everyone half a second to realize that it had made it into the goal. And, as I said, I sat up in amazement and giggled.
Flyers won, 3-1. Two big middle fingers up to the NHL. Suspend our players. Put us under watch. Throw your worst refereeing at us. We will still find a way to win.
At least, they did on Wednesday. I did not watch all of Friday’s game. I was out at a Phantoms game, the first home game in two weeks, watching the kids outplay Norfolk in just about every way possible yet still lose 2-1. Admirals goalie Karri Ramo just played outstandingly. Way too many times I was scratching my head wondering how in the world the puck didn’t get into the net. The Phantoms had in the neighborhood of 40 shots on goal, but only got one in (Potulny!). The Admirals had a much lower number – in the 20s, I think – and got two. One of them was a bit of a softie and I don’t give Boucher a pass on it, but the other I don’t think he had a chance on. The closing minutes were a flurry of action, but Ramo just didn’t collapse, and it ended with disappointment. It was not as bad as when they lost to Hershey the day after Thanksgiving. At least the Phantoms played good hockey. The Admirals are not that good. They capitalized on small mistakes and their goalie kept them alive. Then I was in the car and listened to the Flyers/Avalanche game. It was tied at 1 until the last seconds of the second period, when the Avs scored to make it 2-1. I cursed at the Flyers. I got home to watch the last part of the third period, where the game started to look almost exactly like the one I had left. And it ended exactly the same, too. A 2-1 loss. However, it sounded like the Flyers played much better than they had been in the losses that followed a strong win. Too bad the cycle of win-lose-win-lose wasn’t broken.
I hope it doesn’t break tonight, either. The Flyers will play the Penguins, at home, and I really, really, really do not want the Pens to win. The only cycle that I hope is broken is the one of poor at-home play. The Flyers need to come out ferociously, slice through the Pens and score, harangue Crosby and keep his pucks out of the net. The usual story. The Flyers must get every point possible, especially against division foes. Only five points separate the top from the bottom in the Atlantic! Unfortunately, the game is on Vs. which means I will have to choke on the constant Sidney adulation, which is beyond tolerable.
Other scores: after losing at home to the Admirals, the Phantoms went to Hershey on Saturday and won 3-2. (Taking a page out of the Flyers’ book, apparently. Lose at home, win away!) On Saturday, in overtime, Iowa beat San Antonio 3-2, only to undo the goodness by losing to San Antonio Sunday night 1-2. The Iowa Stars play tonight in Milwaukee, who are coming off a 2-1 win over Toronto. The Milwaukee Admirals are one point ahead of the Stars in the standings. I had looked at the standings Sunday morning, and saw that the Stars were fourth in the West, but now are fifth again, with those stupid Admirals just ahead. Standings-wise, this game tonight is BIG. Go Stars!
Yesterday, the Flyers organization traded Jussi Timonen to Dallas for a conditional draft pick in 2009. I was looking at the Dallas message board and saw the thread about it, and so was not thrown into a tizzy when I later saw headlines that read:
FLYERS TRADE TIMONEN TO DALLAS
Flyers fans the world over had a collective heart attack, thinking it meant Kimmo.
With Bartulis and Jonsson coming back from injury, the Phantoms defense is once again fully stacked, and Timonen was hovering around the lower pairings. There just isn’t much room for him. He’s not a terrible defenseman. The fact is that the Flyers organization at this time has so much depth at that position that he’s just not going to get to play much. Perhaps with the Stars, he will get better ice-time. I don’t know too much about the Stars’ defense corps, but I have a feeling that Jussi Timonen will be playing for Iowa. I hope he likes Des Moines.
Now the Stars have two Jussis.
My next hockey, outside of watching the Flyers on TV tonight, Thursday night (Canadiens), and Saturday night (Carolina), will be the Phantoms on Friday (vs. Marlies) and Sunday (vs. Wilkes-Barre). After having had to go two weeks with no Phantoms games, I’m really looking forward to these two games this weekend. I will be missing the Phantoms/Bears game on the 21st, as I will be going home to Iowa on that day, and will be in Iowa when the Phantoms play the baby Sens on the 28th. In fact, I will be in Des Moines watching the Stars play the Rivermen. I am glad that I will only be missing one hockey game, in effect, but it will make it another two weeks until I see a game. I will (presumably) be back in Delaware long before the Phantoms next home game, the 4th of January, vs. Lowell.
P.S. Downie down, Potulny up. I think this is a great move. Potulny has been playing outstandingly for the Phantoms, time to give him a shot in the NHL.
P.P.S. I watched the Bruins/Sabres game last night as I did some sewing, and was pleased when Buffalo lost 4-1. I enjoyed looking at Lindy Ruff's pouting, displeased mug. However, I was displeased that the Bruins won. I don't like them at all this year. I didn't much like them ever, but this year? They've taken the place of the Sabres as a team I despise in large part because of their fan base. I still despise the Sabres because of their fans, but since the Sabres are sucking this year (ha ha!), their fans are not nearly so obnoxious. But Lindy Ruff still irritates me. I think one of the most amusing moments of the game was near the end, when the referee was throwing out a penalty and you could hear f-bombs going between him and the player he was penalizing. Nice broadcast! Hahaha.
# posted by crusher @ 9:43 AM 
