Official NHL thread?

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Originally Posted by Spank_Me_Hard

Almost lost his testicle apparently...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_KhtIlLMg0

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Thoreson deserves the medal of honor in my opinion. Well not really, but that was true display of sacrifice to dive in front of a 90 mph slapper like that. Some NHL'ers do this regularly:eek: but most don't block the shot with their gonads. I'm just relieved that he is okay.

My series goes to Philly now, time to put the Caps away. I like Washington's fire and grit, but I don't think they are quite ready for the next level just yet. The whole Caps team was totally frustrated in game 2 and their collective inexperience was shining through.

I tuned into the SJ/CGY game last night just in time to see Nolan pot the GWG. I couldn't believe it, after the first period the Sharks had. See a pattern?

--A big early lead for SJ goes to hell
--The Wings drop a game tonight after a lead
--Philly loses their game 1 after 40 minutes of domination


Like Recon said, it just drives me crazy when teams sit on a lead and hope for the best. It's infuriating. GO FOR THE THROAT, the best way to secure a win when you're already ahead is to SCORE MORE GOALS.

I'm sitting here hoping for the best out of game 4 in Calgary tonight. I want the Sharks to win but I have my doubts. I know for a fact the coaches got a Shelley's *** about not starting a fight or something in Game 3. He better either pop Iginla hard or start a fight with someone.

Iginla may not be in Shelley's league... but he's no slouch with the fistacuffs himself...

He fought Derian Hatcher a few years ago who is an absolute grizzly bear (6'5", 235lbs... and a good fighter) in comparison... and Iginla did pretty well. I have no idea who the Flames enforcer is though.

That would be Godard, who is probably a top-5 heavyweight in this league. He may be a scratch though, many teams do not dress guys like Godard in the playoffs. He can barely skate.

so what do you guys think about the new rule in response the the Avery/Brodeur incident?

I like it.

While not against the rules (when done then), it is pretty "bush league".

While screening, and distracting the goalie is part of the game... what Avery did went beyond all reason.

1. He was not watching the play and presenting himself as an option to pass too.

2. He wasn't ready to jump on a rebound and score a garbage goal.

Avery could have done what he did any number of ways... none of which I think belong in hockey. He could have, for example... taken a hand off his stick and held it immediately in front of Brodeur's face without actuaklly touching him.

I agree with no penalty being called, and I also agree with the NHL moving quickly to keep that BS out of hockey.

On a side note, somebody is going to crush Avery someday for his antics. He is bush league. He is beyond a simple pest. His rap sheet is long and impressive.

Someone is either:

a) going to grab him in a melee, and if it's a goon... is going to smash his face into a puddle of goo.

b) do a clean Scott Stevens on him and knock him into next Tuesday.

c) going to do a cheapshot on him when nobody's looking because they've had it with his antics.

The guy has zero class (see the Laraque incident where Avery allegedly called Laraque a racially charged name).

Avery looked ridiculous, but I don't have a problem with it. He was just doing his thing, and besides Brodeur should have blocker'ed him right in the chops. Biron would have.;)

Avery is a strange bird. Every fan in the league absolutely hates his guts, excluding those fans of the team he plays for. He's just so good at what he does. I can't stand him and look forward to watching him get wrecked, but nobody ever really puts him off his game, even when he takes a beating. I'd be jealous, but Steve Downie is going to be even better at it.:D

I dont give a crap about Avery's antics. If we want to talk about anyone, then F*****g Todd Bertuzzi is your man.

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Originally Posted by r'aggro

Avery looked ridiculous, but I don't have a problem with it. He was just doing his thing, and besides Brodeur should have blocker'ed him right in the chops. Biron would have.;)

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For what it's worth, the league did... making that antic illegal.

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He's just so good at what he does.

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The league has had "pests" in it's entire history. Within the rules of the game, I don't have an issue with that. Outside the rules of the game, he gets penalized. And heavily penalized Avery does get.

There was much talk here in LA when he plkayed here as to whether or not his antics were a benefit or a cost to the team overall. He seemed to draw special attention from the coach telling him to stay out of the penalty box.

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but nobody ever really puts him off his game, even when he takes a beating.

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I'm not so sure about that.

A good number of the penalties that Avery takes are ones that he initiates. But he takes dumb retaliatory penalties as well. And the nature of his game is such that other teams can instigate him into retaliating... and getting caught.

A few years ago, he led the league in penalty minutes. He is not known as a fighter, and that didn't happen on accident.

Apparently Sarich has a reputation for hitting...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIA5PDMb3WI

I liked the second hit... and the commentary.

Anytime a guys body does a helicopter perpendicular to the ice... gruesome!

How about them Sharks? Series is now 2-2.. About time Cheech and Joe showed up in this series. If we can get these two guys fired up then the Flames are in big trouble.

Edit: I think the Sharks showed some real character in this game. We'll see how game 5 goes in San Jose.

This is why I was looking most forward to the SJ-Cal series... because I knew that it'd be good.

On paper... one would think that the Sharks would stomp the Flames. But I have thought for a while that the Flames are much more than the sum of their parts. I actually don't think that they have that talented of a team. They rely on intensity, physical toughness, and hard work a lot. And that often makes for good, spirited hockey.

I didn't see the game, but I saw that SJ outshot Calgary something like 32 to 10. I was stunned that the Flames only lost 3-2... and in the very last seconds of the game. With a stat like that... they had no rights to even be in that game.

I saw that Keenan was saying that they got outhustled.

There is a saying in sports that I think holds true... you are never as good as your best game, and are never as bad as your worst game.

With only ten shots on net... I think that Calgary may have had about their worst game. They were embarassed. I think that they'll bounce back the next game in a BIG way (which isn't saying that they'll win). I think that a team like Calgary has too much pride and work ethic to have a showing like last game.

I agree that the Sharks did show real character last game. After the previous game, I was wondering if they were going to fold in the series. They seem to have historically the past few years. Maybe they are getting "over the hump" here... we'll see... I can't wait for game #5 (though I won't be able to see it). I am DEFINITELY not going to miss game #6 in Calgary! The fans will be RABID.

And down go the Sens, swept by Pittsburgh. Thanks a lot Ottawa, as if the Pens fans at hfboards aren't insufferably arrogant as it is.

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Originally Posted by r'aggro

And down go the Sens, swept by Pittsburgh. Thanks a lot Ottawa, as if the Pens fans at hfboards aren't insufferably arrogant as it is.

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I don't know what surprised me the most. The fact that the sens were swept or the fact that they didn't even bother dropping Emery between the pipes. I have nothing against Gerber but Emery, in my opinion, is overall a better goalie.

The wings dropped Osgood in net hoping for something but yet again the goaltending bug has hit them. It seems that every year the mantra in Detriot is "please let our goaltending me decent." Hasek is good but past his prime and Osgood has been on a bit of a downward spiral since the all-star game.

I'm anxious to watch the Sharks play tonight. I'm fully expecting a hard hitting game; Calgary going after Joe/Patty/Cheechoo off the get go of course. We need a good fight in this series.

Did anyone catch Cheechoo's goal with less then 5 Minutes left? That was crazy, almost down by the goal line. Like Ron Wilson said "That's a goal scorers goal."

As for the Anahiem/Dallas series. I'm enjoying it so far, This bounce back by Anahiem had to be expected. You don't become Stanley Cup champs and then fold over in 4 games in the first round. Especially when you bring back Teemu Selanne and Scott Niedermayer, and you have Pronger already on that Blueline. Pronger being one of the best Defensemen in the league.

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Originally Posted by r'aggro

And down go the Sens, swept by Pittsburgh. Thanks a lot Ottawa, as if the Pens fans at hfboards aren't insufferably arrogant as it is.

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I took the Pens to win that series, but had no idea that they'd go down so easily. I was actually looking forward to that series the most in the East.