Sunday’s fiery practice; Wild to catch break against Caps
Posted on November 23rd, 2008 – 2:07 PMBy Michael Russo
I’ll be on Rosen’s Sports Sunday tonight on Channel 4.
Wild may catch a break tomorrow. I just got an email from Tarik El-Bashir from the Washington Post. The Capitals will be without Mike Green and Sergei Fedorov tomorrow, and Alexander Semin is doubtful.
Everybody but Marian Gaborik practiced today for the Wild, meaning Brent Burns is fine from his hit last night from David Backes.
Just got back from practice at Parade, which is always cool on weekends because the kids flock to the rink and the players are more than accomodating at signing autographs and taking pictures.
Jacques Lemaire ran a up-tempo, intense practice this morning. Every drill was aimed at getting players to shoot the puck and drive the net as the Wild tries to break out of this offensive slump.
The Mikko Koivu-Andrew Brunette-Antti Miettinen line from yesteryear was reunited, but Lemaire said that meant nothing.
“Rammer (Mike Ramsey) made the lines today, not me,” Lemaire said.
Rookie Colton Gillies was a practice star today. He scored an incredible top shelf goal after wheeling around a defenseman. The players were all going nuts, as were the coaches, so maybe that’ll get him back in the lineup tomorrow.
I’m sorta writing an Ovechkin-focused story for tomorrow, so I’m going to throw up some Lemaire quotes in case I can’t squeeze them into the newspaper. He was pretty fiery today, in a humorous sorta way. Some of his quotes were gold:
“We’ve got to wake up in the second period, first of all. OK? Our second periods have been bad, so we have to wake up there. We’ve got to stop to think that we’re home and we’ve got to play. OK? You know, we can’t have guys loose. Loose is OK when everything goes well, but you don’t play loose when they’re tight games. You’ve got to be ready. Loose meaning, if this pass is good, it’ll be good. If it’s not, it’s no big deal. Make it happen!”
Unhappy with the effort? “Because I see certain things coming. You know when you get flurry of snow, you might get a [expletive] storm! They’ve got to find a way. You’ve got to be mentally sharp. We made two mistakes on the two goals. You see this rarely, rarely, in a hockey game. Christ, we gave them two goals there.”
Referring to Zidlicky going to the wall? “The guy with the puck goes at the net. He’s got to be a little patient. The thing is, he did good things in the game. [The defense] has been good.”
On the quality of shots, the fact forwards skate behind the net instead of stopping in front, etc: “Look at Owen as an example. He must have missed three goals last night. Just little things. Bruno’s, he’s got the puck [on the goal line, he reaches] and goes over the puck as it’s laying on the goal line. Burns, the crossbar. The thing is the goals are not coming easy. We’re getting chances that we should score and we don’t score. Now there’s one thing to do, is work harder. When this happens, it’s work harder. It’s not my grandma, it’s not my girlfriend, it’s me working harder! Period! It’s nothing else.”
By the way, I laughed out loud at that. Couldn’t help myself, which at least brought some levity to the situation because Lemaire broke down laughing, too. But he continued.
“Now we want to have the nice goals. We get the puck, we want to move outside to get the puck back, to make another play. And if he gets it, the other guy moves outside to get the puck to make another play. How many times we’ll try to move outside to get the puck and make another play? If goals are tough to get, we don’t want to make fancy plays. Go at the net. If we get those plays, you don’t say a word. But now, if we get a chance to shoot, … shoot.”
That’s what showing today in the drills? “Yes. Get them to think that they have to go at the net, not behind the net. You know, there’s a shot, the guy goes behind the net! Every team goes through this. It’s not something that only happens to us. Every team goes through this.”
OK, talk to you after tomorrow’s morning skate.
145 Responses to "Sunday’s fiery practice; Wild to catch break against Caps"
I can apprciate’s JL’s lamenting his team to go to the net, but the last Wild player who consistently went to the net was, uh, er,….exactly when has the Wild had a player who went to the net consistently?
[…] Russo’s Rants – […]
Voros and he is with the Rangers now.
In the last two games, the Wild has not taken the advantage of the breaks that have come their way: backup goalies, second game of a back-to-back, and an injured riddled Blues.
I don’t know if they can take advantage of the Caps.
Referring to Zidlicky going to the wall? “The guy with the puck goes at the net. He’s got to be a little patient. The thing is, he did good things in the game. [The defense] has been good.”
Looks like I was right. Are you still sure that goal was Backstrom’s fault Dan?
I just wish JL would say what he says to the TEAM the same way he says it to the media. A little levity might just go a l-o-n-g way right now.
The Caps are at the end of the longest trip from Washington since Harry Truman’s whistlestop tour of 1948. Now watch tomorrow night, as the Wild will look like the team that has travelled 7,500 miles…
God, I hope not.
Voros didn’t go to the net. He stood in the slot and waited for things to happen. We need players that will drive the net, while carrying the puck, instead of peeling off along the sidewall waiting for a trailer. Our forwards don’t go to the net, they will skate past the net and then wonder why they weren’t able to poke in a loose rebound as it sits quietly in the slot.
Right now at how the Wild are playing, the Caps could pull AO out of the lineup and we’d still struggle. We can make the worst teams look like studs.
yeah NOLAN cant score! what is he doing out there, he cant beat a goalie if his life depended on it. Hes had a million chances too. He could be leading this team in goals by now.
If we lose to the caps, who are a very injured team…ill give up on this team
If we lose to the caps, who are a very injured team…ill give up on this team
why wait???
I don’t think we’re making other teams look unbeatable. The Nux looked as ordinary as ever when they beat the Wild 3-2 and the Blues looked just as average when they won the game 2-1. It’s not as though the Wild are being skated off the ice or the entire game is being played in their defensive zone. The Wild simply is gawd-awful offensively. They have had opportunities, but this team has no finishers whatsoever, at least none healthy and in the lineup. What they need is the same thing they have needed for the better part of the 2000s’ offensively skilled players that know what to do with the puck when it is on their stick.
Jottings for Sunday morning with Mister Know it all
Mister Know it all does not agree with Russos article on Tampa Bay and the firing of Melrose. The managemnt of the Lightning has allot to do with the results that ended in Melrose firing
See know it alls blog
Mike Modano- How about a trade with Dallas and let Mike come back home to retire. Its just a matter of time before the Wild dump Pouliot, maybe he could be used in a trade somehow for Modano. Would not that Revive Modanos game to what it was in years past ? Hey maybe Gaby would apreciate the Wild a little more if they got him a center with offensive aptitude. I think Modano would fit in nicely and JL likes him
I have to eat dinner, I will add more jottings soon
Not sure if anybody posted this video. They had it up on Puckdaddy. It’s a song parody to Ryan Malone.
There has been some bad puck luck lately.
And if you are talking about “giving up on the team if they lose to the Caps”, you have already basically given up on them. And you know what? They don’t care. And I bet you will still watch the team play. So what is “giving up on them”?
Entourage season finale tonight. Looks like HBO is going to be canceled soon. It would be nice if I didn’t have to call Comcast to do it. Like talking to a lamp shade.
Losing to the Caps is not going to hurt as much but if they lose to the Stars?!Forget about it.
Make the deal Doug!
I don’t see why losing to the Stars would be worse. A loss is a loss. Who cares if you lose to a team that played here 20 years ago?
Serious question here - Does it bother anyone else that this roster is the result of Doug Risebrough spending to the cap? I know our most lethal offensive threat is once again out due to injury but shouldn’t we expect more then one legit forward? Some days I just scratch my head and say where the hell is our money going…
Jottings continued
Brent Burns- Tom Powers wrote Burns should go back to defense. Its best for the team that Burns play forward. It may be best for Burns next contract that he play defense. The goals will come for Burns at forward and I would not be surprised to see him score 25 goals this year. If Zidlicky is healthy and playing good Burns will play forward.
Craig Weller- Not sure why he was not in the line up at home against Vancouver and St Louis. It looked to me like he played a good game in Vancouver.
I knew that St Louis would play salty with the Wild and I thought it would be obvious to play him. I know Weller will be in the line up the next time the Wild play St Louis in 10 days.
I think it would be obvious for Lemaire to insert Weller and let Reitz sit a game. With Burns you can dress 13 forwards because he can play D
KIA…why would we trade our best young players for old man modano? He can come here, just not for our young guys.
Benny is top talent. Sorry Lemaire hates gaborik and since Benny is gaborik 2 with the crazy dekes he does, lemaire hates him too.
Benny is not Gabby 2. That’s just plain crazy talk. What are you smoking these days in CA?
Jottings continued
Brent Burns- Tom Powers wrote Burns should go back to defense. Its best for the team that Burns play forward. It may be best for Burns next contract that he play defense. The goals will come for Burns at forward and I would not be surprised to see him score 25 goals this year. If Zidlicky is healthy and playing good Burns will play forward.
Craig Weller- Not sure why he was not in the line up at home against Vancouver and St Louis. It looked to me like he played a good game in Vancouver.
I knew that St Louis would play salty with the Wild and I thought it would be obvious to play him. I know Weller will be in the line up the next time the Wild play St Louis in 10 days.
I think it would be obvious for Lemaire to insert Weller and let Reitz sit a game. With Burns you can dress 13 forwards because he can play D
Gabby has already been traded, its on the dl
Trolls….. Don’t feed em. Especially the exceptionally dumb ones.
i didnt mean he was anywhere near as good as him Dickie, because obviously no way. I meant hes got moves like gabby, and tends to try to use his moves to get around defenders instead of dumping it in or passing like lemaire wants, thats why lemaire wont move him from the 4th line because hes hates him. Look how many goals benny has, he is one of our top performers, he should be up top 2 lines.
“Do not feed the trolls” and its abbreviation DNFTT redirect here. For the Wikipedia essay, see “What is a troll?”. For other uses see Troll (disambiguation).
An Internet troll, or simply troll in Internet slang, is someone who posts controversial, inflammatory, irrelevant or off-topic messages in an online community, such as an online discussion forum or chat room, with the intention of provoking other users into an emotional response[1] or to generally disrupt normal on-topic discussion.[
Mister Know it all is a genius !
Shirley is a wuss.
You are a troll Dickie Dunn
I did not write that.
What the hell? Site is possessed again…
Stupid trolls. Wikipedia got it right though. Dickie Dunn would NEVER call Mister Know it All a genius. I would call him many other things.
And who is Shirley?
Jesus H… what a miserable night at the Toyota Center. Fugly new unis that tell me the Wild should NEVER do a wheat colored uni. It just looks dirty.
I don’t think its a Strib IT glitch. I don’t want to believe at that time but MKIA did post that he had everyone’s name and email address. So he could be entering said name and posting as said poster.
New Uni’s Ms. C? They still have the Bomber on them? I don’t want to read about no bomber for the nest six weeks…
Sunshine… some people just have too muc time on their hands
Do you have pictures of the uniforms?
Just saw the pictures on the Aeros’ page. No bombers just the word AEROS diagonally from the upper right.
Here’s the webpage
No bomber…. BOOOOO!
The Don on Channel 4 in two minutes…
OH… Panthers reference in less than a minute! EVERYBODY DRINK!
Hi Buddha.
Hey man. How’s the 191 points treatin ya?
Summary…
Wild not scoring. PMB not earning his keep. Pressure on the kids is a bit too high. PMB looking for huggy too much. UM still hurt, both sides need him back on the ice.
Nothing new, but the Don without a tie did good. Good work Russo.
I just saw where Russo hedged the question about Koivu being a 30 goal scorer. Anything I missed before that?
The what? Oh! You mean the roto league? Wow, 191 huh? Wasn’t even aware of that. That’s a lot, right? I was actually just wanting to thank you for beating Kirsten as badly as you did in the other league. I had to forfeit the goalie stats since all my guys are hurt so my win turned into a tie I think. So I appreciate it.
(Actually it’s only 190.)
Sunshine… you didn’t miss anything.
You’re welcome KiPA. Glad one of my teams can serve a purpose. My team in your league fell apart, and Ms. C schooled me yet again.
Yeah… 190… brutal. I can’t seem to pull out of 4th place to save my skin.
I have no goons on my team. Dead last by far in PIMs and bottom half in hits. Sigh.
I hate my fantasy football teams and my fantasy hockey team this week. Ugh!
It is Strib IT. When I logged on right now I was Lucky, and I see his email address. I am brilliant Sunshine, but you are giving me too much credit. I think Mister Know it all is being set up, or it is a Strib IT problem.
Many folks are out to get Mister Know it all on the Russo Nation. I dont feel much Love. Even Dickie Dunn is giving Mister Know it all Daegers
Nobody loves Mister Know it all !
Get this sunshine: in three leagues, a win today would’ve clinched me a playoff spot. In one, I played a team that had 34 points from his defense and 23 from his kicker. Might win but might not. In another, I played a guy who broke 100 just three times all season but exploded for 127 against me this week. The third, I played the guy who had the most points this week.
Dreadful day for me.
I’m thinking anyone wearing teal is a good pick up
MKIA:
Well I am glad that you are not deliberately doing it. You are annoying and amusing but I didn’t want to think you would do something like that.
Aye Buddha.
In FH I mean…
Yikes, KiPA! Well at least you can say that you can clinch a playoff spot.
Good luck on the first league where you might have a chance.
That was me and not MKIA. The Strib IT is at it again. It was working fine for me before.
Thanks. Root for Lance Moore tomorrow!
If plays for the Packers, that might be a little hard.
Nope, he’s a Saint.
Though I need two Packers to score about 25 points each if I want to win one of the other leagues.
Okay, I can cheer him on then.
Last year when we went on a scoring drought, did Lemaire beg for more goals? I don’t remember him doing that. I know he wanted the guys to work harder but not specifically asking for more goals. Working harder could be JL’s code for more goals, too, even though he didn’t come out and say it.
I dont feel much Love.
Understatement of the century MKIA 
However troll-ish it may be, I would like to state for the record that Dickie Dunn can stick it.
Just wrote a blog post on Nick’s blog about the All-Star game.
Here are the voting leaders:
West:
Hossa, Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Lidstrom, Phaneuf, Luongo.
(Brian Rafalski is third among defense and Chris Osgood, he of the 3.00+ GAA and sub-.900 save pct., is second for goalies.)
East:
The Canadiens still, by far.
Might be a Detroit-Montreal starting lineup in the All-Star game.
Backstrom, by the way, is fifth among Western goalies in voting.
From the story on the Wings/Flames: “Pavel Datsyuk added the insurance marker with 1:31 left, undressing Calgary defenceman Dion Phaneuf and sending a wrist shot between the legs of Kiprusoff.”
And the more embarrassing the better. Both those guys are taking some heat on the Flames boards.
Not saying the Flames’ fans aren’t roasting Dion and Kipper, but I hardly think it’s reason to hold one’s head low if you get undressed by Datsyuk, who may be one of the top-5 puck-handling forwards in the League.
Can the Wild get to 2 goals tonight?
Probably not.
Deep…it really doesn’t matter if they get to two goals or not.
Ovie is in St. Paul! And I’ll be there!
If nothing else, it will be entertaining just watching him play.
Although, I think JL might have ‘challenged’ the team a bit yesterday. There will be no questioning their effort tonight…I have forseen it.
What do you guys think about playing MAB on wing opposite PMB? Just an idea I had as PMB’s used to playing with a guy with the big slapper. Worth an experiment? I know MAB is not Rolston.
Burns would need to move back to D which I think we’d all be OK with.
Oh, BTW that would probably make the PMB-Center-MAB line the smallest line in the NHL.
Oh good lord. When you foresee things kj it does not bode well for any of us. 
I’m just glad I have hockey to watch tonight. I can clean and watch tv at the same time.
kj: I’ll be there as well, but it would be nice to see the locals get to 2 if not 3 goals tonight. Also, I don’t think it is a question about the team’s “effort”. We, including JL, need to come to the realization that this is a roster of fowards that simply cannot do a whole lot in the offensive zone. Lines continue to be shuffled, but when you have less-than mediocre offensive talent and shuffle it around, it is still mediocre offensive talent, just in different combinations. It’s like we’re all waiting for players like Shepp, Gillies, Poo-Bah, Burns, Mittens, Nolan, etc to turn into prolific offensive players. Aside from PMB, who has struggled mightily since getting the high dollars, there should be no surprise as to what we’re getting from our forwards.
I don’t like KiPA having a new name. It’s throwing my universe off its axis a bit.
Yeah, no bomber on the new unis. They do about 3 “extra” unis a year and auction them off at ridiculous prices. It’s not a permanent change, though usually they’ll wear them more than once. That may not be the case with this one. I certainly don’t ever want to see it again after that abomination last night.
Buddha, I really needed that win for my fantasy psyche. I got beat in my WMB league by a) a jerk who b) didn’t even have ANY goalie stats. He beat me on all the other stats alone. Dammit all to hell. And I’m gonna get friggin killed in football. If only I’d switched to Houston’s defense for the week. *grumpy*
Ms. C. - TS+G4AO is just too much for you or what?
The all-star game: The whole thing is a joke. Die hard hockey fans hate it because it isn’t real hockey, the voting is a joke, and players that should be on the ballot never are.
Casual fans don’t like it because it is boring, generally slow moving hockey with no hits, no fights, and to them it’s, well, hockey.
If Gaby ends up in a Slovakian Shower in Vancouver, I will recall this howler from The Vancouver Province:
But, with the injury to Roberto Luongo, Vigneault now faces the first crisis of this season. At this point, it’s uncertain how long Luongo will be out. If this was Marian Gaborik, we’d be talking months. With Luongo, you’d like to think it will be sooner rather than later.
The feeling here is Vigneault will be able to get by in the short term without his franchise goalie. But if Luongo is out for any length of time — say, four weeks — well, we’ll find out just how good Vigneault is as a coach
http://www.faceoff.com/hockey/columnists/bios/story.html?id=52667be2-be29-4e22-89d0-39d1d1c368e8&k=10804&add_feed_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.faceoff.com%2Fscripts%2Fcolumns.aspx%3Fpublication%3DThe%2BProvince%26byline%3Ded%2Bwilles
Well written on the blog post KiPA.
If nothing else, it will be entertaining just watching him play.
if it is anything like last year when he was in town, prepare to be disappointed.
It is too much. I think because of the trolls and inadvertent identity switching and some intentional identity switching, I’m a little more paranoid than I realized.
*sheepish* I like the ASG. I even kinda like the parts that I hate, if that makes sense. Kinda like watching Miss America and waiting for someone to trip. But then the idea of all that talent (even if it isn’t genuinely the best talent in the league) on one sheet of ice is exciting to me. Though the game is boring, the mic’d up goalies is a friggin’ stroke of genius to keep it interesting. Plus, I’m kinda used to boring hockey.
I love the skills competition and see what these guys can do outside the confines of a game. The judges they had last season were utterly stoopid and that needs to go away, but other than that, I love the whole spectacle.
I should say, I’m used to finding boring hockey interesting…
I will like the ASG as long as they continue playing hockey in it. I just like hockey.
That said, I’m perfectly happy to NOT shell out a couple hundo to watch it when I can watch it on TV, in the comforts of my own home, drinking about $15 worth of the same volume of beer.
You HAVE to love the totally awkward convo between Legace and Bettman last year, right? And DiPi dropping the f-bomb while mic’d up after getting injured on Gaby’s shot. Stuff like that… you just can’t get in regular hockey. It’s awesome.
What is the team that mic’s up their back-up goalie in the third period? Nashville? Somebody does that. Clearly I’ve got a thing for mic’d up goalies. I need to hunt that down.
MsC, I agree, the mic’d goalies are awesome. I think it was Turco a few years ago told off some guys celebrating a goal right in front of him. I believe he said something like,” go celebrate somewhere else, jeeze how rude”
I don’t know how entertaining Ovie is going to be guys. I thought I’d read he was having a bad beginning of the season. I just hope if thats true he doesn’t get his game back against us.
Do the Leafs not currently have a GM? Reports are that Burke will sign on to be the GM in the next day or so… What ahppened to the Leafs current GM? Is Burke just going to eat him?
Oh you know he will, BG. We are the creators of hot goalies and season turnarounds.
BG- His season started slow… it isn’t anymore.
yeah, that Legace/Bettman repartee was gold.
The whole thing about needing to shrink the size of the pads…LOL
“But I’m a little guy!” LOL I wanted to marry Manny have his little goalie babies after that exchange. That was awesome.
his season started slow, then he had to go to Russia for his grandfather (? I believe?) and then he came back and had gotten his game back on track before this long trip plus the injuries started to take their toll.
Pre-Russia: 8 GP, 2-3-5 (.625 pts/gm)
Post-Russia: 10 GP, 6-13-19 (1.9 pts/gm).
Last 2 games: 0-2-2
Damn Buddha, I was hoping he was still slumping. Oh well, can’t help but like Ovie Wan, no matter who he plays for.
I suppose I should go get some house work done… yuck.
Ok, first game of the year tonight.
Any good suggestions on where to take the wife to dinner and drinks pre-game?
At Ms. C’s request…the sentiment remains though.
Toronto GM: Fletcher’s just been interim this whole time, hasn’t he?
Having goalies mic’d up is nice, yes. One of the few reasons to watch.
And thanks Buddha.
can’t help but like Ovie Wan, no matter who he plays for.
Just hope he doesn’t suddenly dislike Koivu for some reason; he’ll become a headhunter.
Green*…my life is a disappointment…especially for those around me 
As NiNY has noted, Ovie has turned it around since going to Russia.
Even if he doesn’t score, he’ll still be fun to watch. Too bad we don’t have a ‘Geno’ on the roster for him to be hating on.
JEFFS468…you cannot go wrong with Reid’s, McGoverns or Great Waters. All have a great pre-game atmosphere.
The wife and I will be doing the usual pre-gamer at Reid’s. She’s got some food allergies and they do a good job accommodating her.
After staying up late to watch the Caps get their a@@es kicked the last two games, all I can say is I’m glad that this is an 8:30 start. With Green, Semin and Fedorov out I’m not overly hopeful about a win, but at least I won’t be as tired tomorrow morning….
You guys want Mo or Jurcina? All we ask is a bag of pucks in return.
Go Caps!
Where is Reid’s?
is it close?
JEFFS- I was going to say McGoverns. Good people, good beer, good food…
Steve R: I have it as a 8pm ET start. Wouldn’t want you to miss a minute of the action….
Steve - That’s funny, because that’s all we’re asking for Uncle Moneybags (Gaborik).
I think I sprained my lower arm typing his name.
JeffS: Yes. Reid’s is 2 blocks away. McGoverns is 1.5 blocks away.
8PM it is, good catch NY, that would have sucked much to miss the Wild scoring on their first shot of the game (a problem that won’t go away for us).
Buddha, he carries too much of a cap hit for us (and he’s awfully fragile), but thanks for the offer. We’re trying to send Nylander Chicago’s way to free up $. Be nice to bring up Alzner to help on D, but we’re against the cap.
DD- Shirley is Gabby, of course. He’s a wuss. He should wear a skirt and sit up in the press box. Does he get his millions while he continues to sit out and play Shirley? If so, I can’t stand him even more now..
Steve R says:
November 24th, 2008 at 11:40 am
but we’re against the cap.
Anyone else find humor here? The Caps are against the cap? Maybe I’m just easily amused.
Anyway, if Steve (welcome BTW) is an adequate spokesperson for Caps fans, this could be interesting. Sounds as if they are about as optomistic going into this as we are.
that would have sucked much to miss the Wild scoring on their first shot of the game
Steve R: you may be the most optimistic fan here - and you’re not even a fan of the Wild (presumably)!!
Knight63 - the next sane comment you make will be the first. Other posters do a great job of providing anti-Gaby comments without trying to be a third grade version of Jim Rome.
Always nice to see a hockey fan from another land come in strong with hockey knowledge.
Keep it coming Steve!
Oh, and the final tonight can be 2-1 Wild. AO with the only goal, unassisted, short handed.
Don’t get yourself thrown out of the press box tonight NiNY… no live blogs from the box…
Six- Boy that really stings. He is a wuss- bottom line.
The way you guys play D, and with Backstrom in net….
A wide open game favors us, but I’m not seeing that happening tonight.
It’s a real shame that you’re not going to see Semin today. In terms of pure stick handling & power he generates with his wrister, down right unreal. He’s fun to watch.
Just so there is no confusion about the start time tonight, it is 8 EASTERN, and 7 locally, per usual.
Correct DB
Steve R: while our defense and goaltending has been as good as advertised, our offense is putrid with a capital P and that rhymes with T and stands for trouble.
If your guys can hang a deuce on us it could very well be lights out.
Steve–
Semin may be the sh!t, but we have PMB. The way he can carry the puck into the offensive zone, peel off towards the wall and flip a blind, backhanded pass to nobody in particular is a thing of beauty.
Nice DB… nice.
note to Steve R: Deep Breath was being sarcastic.
Nick, a 2 spot we can do. 4 or 5 is dooable too. We’ll just give up 5-6. Our D and goaltending is just what your putrid O needs.
Having said that, we’re due to have a good game on D. Law of averages and what not.
I wouldn’t call the Caps injuries a break. Look at St. Louis’ injury report it’s crazy yet they still came in and beat the wild. We have plenty of guys with scoring ability, we need a coach that will let them go out and do it. Burns is better on D and creates more offense from back there, just think if that boarding hit he took was worse, then what?
DB, yea, we have a couple of guys like that too. Every pass by Jurcina and Erskine is an adventure.
Law of averages and what not.
I wish I could be that optimistic about our offense breaking out…
who else, maybe that we don’t read about as much, should we keep an eye on tonight, and why, Steve?
Deep…I couldn’t have described it better other than to add that it usually deflects off of a defender’s shin pad first.
Steve R. - here is a fine trade: Gho$t (Gaborik, Uncle Moneybags, Shirley, Groinorik) and Good, Colorado Marty (Skoula) for Semin.
Since you sound like you’re an intelligent hockey fan, I will expect you to summarily reject my less than fair trade offer…
note to Steve R: so was kj.
Oh thank you, Kevin. That feels better. I’m having very girly impulses today. I think missing hockey last night messed with my head. Maybe I’ll go sniff my gloves for a while and get my tom girl mojo back.
James–
All these players the Wild have with “plenty of scoring ability”. Please point those out to me so I know whom to watch when I’m at the “X” tonight.
Excellent fight last night:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSHKj6DsDAc
Note though that neither of the heavyweights dropped their lids… curious.
Hey, Nick, I didn’t get an email…
At least the game is not on 45 tonight-we can watch it in HD!
That is very curious Buddha. Why would they want to bust up their knuckles like that?
Good news: WAS didn’t play last night. We have a way of losing when the opposing team is on the second game of a back to back.
Bad news: WAS has lost their last 2 games and 3 of their last 4. We have a way of ending other team’s losing streaks.
And making back-up goalies look like Brodeur/Roy…
Wow, now Otter is out with a broken hand. Dude, Dallas is in deep.
Knight63 says:
November 24th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
At least the game is not on 45 tonight-we can watch it in HD!
Which means I can’t watch it!
ms.c…’girly’ impulses?
Dancing around the house singing:
I feel pretty
Oh so pretty
I feel pretty and gritty and bright
And I pity
Any goalie who isn’t me tonight…
Buddha, that was a long fight! Not much wrestling either.
Hey Steve, some friendly advice, well more of a warning, from across the border:
I know the Caps have struggled lately, but the worst is yet to come. Russo wrote a story about AO. You guys are doomed.
He wrote about Crosby and Malkin last week, now they suck, and the Penguins are one of the worst teams in the league. Maybe the Caps will be immune to his curse. For your sake, I hope so. But beware.
(Also: you guys will win a Cup before the Penguins do. Might as well get that in the open.)
Prediction for tonight, Wild D focuses on Ovenchicken and holds him to one shot in 65 minutes and the Wild win 1-0 in a shootout (the only time we generate offence).
Wow. Blues traded Stempniak to Toronto for Colaiacovo and Steen.
Ha! That was hilarious, kj.
Girly impulses… I’m feeling needy and whiny and fragile. How very unfeminist of me…
Oh, Steen is in one of my leagues.
I don’t know Ms. C. Looks like they had plenty of time to pull them off before they grappled too. Don’t know though.
Eh, how often do guys actually take off their helmets before fighting? I’d say it’s the exception, not the norm.
I dunno. It feels like when the fight happens quickly and organically, it doesn’t feel weird to me that they’re still on. But when they’re dancing for a bit first and it’s clearly a couple of guys who probably were gonna go (as in kinda premeditated, game situation allowing), you gotta ditch the lid.
I don’t really object to them not doing it, but I would think they’d both just want them off anyway so they don’t break their hands.
I wonder if some guys who would take off the lid think “well I’m not going to reach up to unsnap it and take it off if I think the other guy will pop me in the nose while I’m preoccupied.”
While I would share that sentiment if I thought there was a legit chance of it happening, the PA ought to send a brute squad of former tough guys around to every team in the league saying “okay punks, part of the code in the half-shield era is now that both players take off the pot before the fight starts. Anyone who takes advantage of a guy while he’s taking his off will get his butt kicked by everyone in the league for the rest of his career.”
you know, or something like that…
I’m with you KiPA, but usually when its two heavyweights, they show the respect, no?
I’m not complaining they didn’t, just curious to me that they didn’t.
For all of you who haven’t eaten lunch yet, or have waited the mandatory 30 minutes before watching a video to make you gag for the ages, there is this find by puck daddy…
Lunch
test
test
