It's Hockey Season!!

“Your two points are safe, NG. Not even an issue. Consistency is our greatest strength in Philly these days.”

“Martin Brodeur and the New Jersey Devils had a record-setting night against the worst team in the NHL.

Brodeur surpassed Bernie Parent, Philadelphia's stalwart Stanley Cup-winning goalie, for wins in a season with 48 and the Devils clinched the Atlantic Division title with a 3-2 win over the Flyers on Thursday night.

"I think with him being an icon as far as goalies for the Flyers, to go into Philly and do it here, I couldn't write it a lot better than that," Brodeur said.

AND

The Penguins know they'll be playing the Ottawa Senators in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

In order for the Eastern Conference quarterfinals series to open in Pittsburgh, the Penguins (46-24-11,103 points) will have to beat the New York Rangers on Saturday at home and the Senators (47-25-9, 103 points) will have to lose to the Bruins in Boston.

Otherwise, the series will open in Ottawa, most likely on Wednesday.
last edited: 4/06/07 11:41:34 AM”

“Amen. My hat's off to him and shame to the Flutter for letting him do it in our house. It takes nothing off the luster of Bernie's career. Wherever Bernie goes in the Delaware Valley, fans still love him. Only Jesus saves more than Bernie Parent.”

“The Sabres have defeated the Washington Capitals and secured the President's Trophy!!

But even more important:

Tim Connoly played in his first game since he was knocked silly in a playoff game last May and . . . HE SCOOOOORRRRRRED!!!

Maxim Affinigenov is also back in the lineup.

So the Sabres are healthy going into the playoffs, with two ADDTIONAL goal scorers on the roster. They have 4 other players that have scored 30+ goals this season. They're going to be hard to stop.

*INSERT PLAYOFF DANCE HERE*”

“In that case, I hope the Flutters win tomorrow.”

“The Aisle Enders took their two points today.”

“You were hoping the Flutters would win anyway”

“The Penguins ended the regular season the way they wanted, beating the New York Rangers, 2-1, Saturday night at Mellon Arena.

The Penguins will open the Eastern Conference quarterfinals series in Ottawa, most likely on Wednesday”

“The winniest team of ALL major team sports....the Montreal Canadiens were fighting for their lives against the Toronto Maple Leafs....both wanted a berth in the 8th and last position of the Eastern Conference. How the great have fallen.....

Montreal lost 5 to 6, so they'll be playing golf now.....if it weren't for their goalie Huet....the score could've been even higher for the Leafs.

Leafs will need to win against the N.Y. Islanders Sunday to get into the playoffs.”

“The Leafs are done for the reguilar season. They need the Devils, in a game that means nothing to them, to beat the Isles.

Meanwhile I'll be watching another meaningless game. The Best v the Worst (Sabres v Flyers) will air this afternoon on NBC. I bet the folks who figured out the TV schedule back in September expected this to be a meaningful game . . .”

“If the Islanders win tonight they will take the 8th seed in the playoffs. When was the last time all of the NY teams made it into the playoffs?”

“The Flutters head off to the golf courses, but not before beating the Slobbers.”

“Good luck in the playoffs to all you who have teams in the playoffs. We'll be back!”

“Looks like Maple leaf fans have another reason to hate the Devils. With the Devs losing Sunday, the Isles took the 8th seat in the playoffs.”

“"Seat" in the playoffs? Are you crazy Zac? Only fans sit in the Stanley Cup Playoffs!”

“Well the players have to sit on the bench between shifts.
8p”

“They're just catching their breath before their next shift.

BTW, in the Slobbers-Flutters game yesterday I was impressed with the way the Slobbers played. They went at it with both a will and a plan. They seemed to have good puck control, and I thought they looked like the better team. Biron just managed to stop more shots.”

“I caught part of that game and from what I saw the Flutters actually looked like a hockey team. Good luck next year.”

“It was a power play goal that decided the game, which otherwise seemed pretty evenly matched. The Slobbers had four penalties, the Flutters two (and one of those was for too many men on the ice).

One of the facts of modern day life is that you don't do your team any good sitting in the penalty box. Disciplined hockey is very important these days. If you're going to take a lot of penalties, you'd better have a great penalty killing team. And the Flutters had a pretty good penalty killing team, but obviously not good enough, if the standings are any indication.

Interestingly that the Slobbers took the only penalty I've seen for the goalie being out of the trapezoid when he handled the puck. Oops! He'll learn from that one.”

“Disciplined hockey is a big part of the Devils success. Their system of hockey wouldn't work if they took a lot of penalties.”

“So, after the season we had, we only get the number 2 pick. Figures!”

“Got the Simon Gagne autographed puck for the opening bid of $30 in a silent auction Saturday night. Apparently thespians do now know a lot about hockey.”

“You paid $30 for a puck signed by a guy from a team that sucks?”

“Sidney Crosby skated away with the Hart Trophy on Thursday night, becoming the NHL's youngest MVP since Wayne Gretzky.

The vote wasn't even close. The 19-year-old Pittsburgh captain -- who received his trophy from six-time winner Gordie Howe -- got 91 first-place votes and 1,225 points in a poll of Professional Hockey Writers' Association members.

"To get that from him was obviously a huge honor. Everyone knows the history and what he's done for the game," said Crosby, who led the Penguins to a 105-point season, second best in team history, before they were eliminated in the first round by Ottawa.

Gretzky won his first Hart with Edmonton in 1980, and followed it with seven more in a row at the start of an unparalleled 20-year career during which he won the Hart a record nine times. When Gretzky won for the first time, he was five months younger than Crosby, who turns 20 in August.

Two weeks ago to the day, Crosby was made the youngest captain in NHL history. So has this been the best two weeks of his young life?

"I haven't won the Stanley Cup yet so ask me after that," he said. "But this has been a couple of memorable weeks."

Crosby began the evening with a trophy, too. Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper gave the Pearson Award, an MVP prize voted on by the players' union, to the teenager from Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia.”

“2 Americans drafted #1 and #2, first time that's ever happened!

I have to wait till 20th pick for the Penguins pick.”

“We took Angelo Esposito!!!

Another center but who knew he'd fall to the 20th pick! (Brady Quinn anyone??)
last edited: 6/22/07 8:21:05 PM”

“Geo are you happy dancin' now?? You guys just signed Daniel Briere to a 8 year 52 million $$$ contract!”

“Ahhh, yes, and that along with several other deals that have gone down.

The Joni Pitkanen experiment is officially over here. Joni never quite measured up to expectations. Too many senior moments, and for a 23-year-old guy that's not good.

So this season we might actually see some hockey. Wouldn't that be nice?

'Course, I hope Briere doesn't become another Philly free agent who spends his time here on the DL.”

“(Waves to Geo!!)

West Virginia was real pretty this weekend, Big Daddy.”

“NEW YORK - The New York Rangers solved their problems at center in a big way Sunday, signing Scott Gomez and Chris Drury away from Eastern Conference rivals on the first day of free agency.
Just hours after the summer shopping season opened, the Rangers landed the two biggest available centers — plucking Gomez from Atlantic Division-foe New Jersey and Drury from the Buffalo Sabres, the team that knocked New York out in the second round of this year’s playoffs.

Gomez signed a seven-year deal with the Rangers worth $51.5 million — including $10 million next season. Drury inked a five-year contract for $35.25 million. He will earn $7.1 million each of the next two seasons.”

“The Penguins, not resting after their turnaround season, signed two former Stanley Cup winners Monday in right wing Petr Sykora and defenseman Darryl Sydor. The signings add another proven scorer and some more protection for young stars Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal -- and some playoff experience to one of the NHL's youngest teams.

Shero cited the Stanley Cup experience they will bring to a team that previously had only three players who have taken more than a few shifts in the postseason.

Sydor won the Cup with Dallas in 1999 and Tampa Bay in 2004 and Sykora starred on New Jersey's Cup-winning team in 2000.”

“...because, you know, we've never seen the Rangers do that before...

The Rangers added both Chris Drury from Buffalo and Scott Gomez from New Jersey. Looks like they really are trying to reach the third round of the playoffs this year ;)

I guess well have to see -- they still need to sign Avery, Shanahan, Lundqvist, and Prucha -- all FAs this summer -- otherwise it may just go moot again.

Either way, here's looking up to you kids...”

“What always remains to be seen with all these free agent signings is now it works when they're together on the ice with the people already on the team. Sometimes the most brilliant free agent signings turn into the biggest busts because they just don't gel. We Philadelphia fans are very familiar with that scenario, going back to the early days of free agency. Only one that worked for us was Charlie Hustle. Charlie Hustle=1980 World Series Title!

Peter Forsberg looked like a no brainer when he signed, but it never worked out. Foot problems. For crying out loud, we knew more about Forsberg's g'damn foot than we ever wanted to know. Meanwhile, back on the ice ...

When they hoist the cup we'll know for certain, whoever hoists the cup. Then free agent signings look like sheer genius. Otherwise, (yawn), another bad day at the free agent market.”

“I scooped you PS! I was all over that signing! Buffalo is totally going to suck!!!What about when the Rangers went out and got all the exPenguins? Is the GM still the coach?

BUT Sykora and Sydor. Sykora really wanted to play with the Penguins; we were his first choice! I've seen Sydor play verrrrry nice! We've got a DEE-FENCE now!!!

Good point Geo.
last edited: 7/03/07 7:20:10 PM”

“The Pittsburgh Penguins will hold a prospects camp from September 5-11 in Kitchener, Ontario. The young Penguins will have several days of practices before competing in a series of games against teams of prospects from the Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators, and Florida Panthers.

AND THEN:

Pittsburgh Penguins veterans will report to training camp in Pittsburgh on September 13th. ”

“I echo what Geobeet said. If you live in Philly, you know about trade deadline and free agent busts.

Roenick, Amonte, Forsberg, etc.

Our only hope for the Flyers is that maybe, just maybe, there are enough new faces, that next season (08-09) we can contend.”

“The Flyers need to stop mortgaging their future and develop some of their young talent instead of trading it away.”

“Yeah I would have loved to see Pitkanen given a few more seasons. I'm glad that someone finally realized that bullying other teams only works if you can catch them”

“Waddles and Slobbers to play outdoor game:

http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/story/7221840?FSO2&ATT=MA”

“Sweet! I'd like to see them do more games like this.
last edited: 9/13/07 11:56:51 AM”

“Has to be somewhere that they can count on sub-freezing temps I suppose.”

“Well lets hope January 1, 2008 is colder than January 1, 2007. Hell mid January we were out on my cousin's bass boat fishing instead of ice fishing. It was in the mid 50's in the Adirondacks!
last edited: 9/13/07 12:16:15 PM”

“2 more days till training camp opens!”

“Hmmm, I wonder if 3/4 of the Devils games are going to be blocked this year.”

“I wonder how the Devils are going to do this year. Didn't they lose a couple of really good guys? Scott Gomez and I forget who else.

PENGUINS are going to ROCK this year!!!”

“The loss of Gomez hurt, but was expected, what's really going to hurt is losing Brian Rafalski. I was impressed with Andy Green's play in last season's playoffs.”

“BTW Tango, I saw the Mellon Arena when I was in Pit a few weeks ago.”

“Rafalski, yeah that's who it was.

Soon the Igloo (I refuse to advertise) will be no more.

Did you look on in awe because that's Mario's House? Did you go up and touch it?”

“No, I saw it from one of the lookouts.



It's somewhere in this picture. I could see it in the full res. copy I have at home anyway.

I didn't end up having time to check the place out up close.
last edited: 9/14/07 8:54:15 AM”

“Great pic! The new arena is going to be near the football stadium.

Did you have fun in the Burgh? Did you see the Cathedral of Learning? Phipps Conservatory? The Museum?
last edited: 9/14/07 9:17:25 AM”