Quick shout out to my little sister, Tori Carey, for turning 21 yesterday. God help us all. Let's get started.
It was a pretty slow night around the league with only 3 games rolling, and all of which were pretty contained, scoring wise. Combined, all 6 teams only managed to score 9 goals. Which tells me, the sizing of the nets is fine.
TORONTO vs. MINNESOTA:
The Wild rally late in the third period, to take this to a shootout and edge the Leaf's 2-1. Zach Parise was the unsung hero of this tilt, not only for the Wild but for fantasy owners. Parise netted the lone goal during regulation, a +1 rating, 2 PIMS, and fired 6 SOG. Not good enough still? Also potted one of the shootout goals. It was his 9th goal of the season and came with just 6 minutes left to play in the third, with the assists coming from Charlie Coyle, and Miko Koivu.
Mason Raymond struck first on the PP to get things started for Toronto, with the assists from Morgan Rielly, and Nazem Kadri. Speaking of Kadri, he's now probably going to have a bounty on his head next time these two teams meet. Kadri was given 2 minutes for goalie interference when he rick rolled into Nicklas Backstrom with his elbow causing him to leave the game with a head injury. It's a concussion, and looks like Backstrom just can't catch a break to stay healthy at all for a year.
Kadri has a "disciplinary hearing" scheduled for Thursday, and he will miss games, but in my opinion, it won't be the amount I think he deserves. It will be his first offense but look at this, he didn't even try to avoid it. In the words of Ryan Miller: "Gutless."
It was a pretty slow night around the league with only 3 games rolling, and all of which were pretty contained, scoring wise. Combined, all 6 teams only managed to score 9 goals. Which tells me, the sizing of the nets is fine.
TORONTO vs. MINNESOTA:
The Wild rally late in the third period, to take this to a shootout and edge the Leaf's 2-1. Zach Parise was the unsung hero of this tilt, not only for the Wild but for fantasy owners. Parise netted the lone goal during regulation, a +1 rating, 2 PIMS, and fired 6 SOG. Not good enough still? Also potted one of the shootout goals. It was his 9th goal of the season and came with just 6 minutes left to play in the third, with the assists coming from Charlie Coyle, and Miko Koivu.
Mason Raymond struck first on the PP to get things started for Toronto, with the assists from Morgan Rielly, and Nazem Kadri. Speaking of Kadri, he's now probably going to have a bounty on his head next time these two teams meet. Kadri was given 2 minutes for goalie interference when he rick rolled into Nicklas Backstrom with his elbow causing him to leave the game with a head injury. It's a concussion, and looks like Backstrom just can't catch a break to stay healthy at all for a year.
Kadri has a "disciplinary hearing" scheduled for Thursday, and he will miss games, but in my opinion, it won't be the amount I think he deserves. It will be his first offense but look at this, he didn't even try to avoid it. In the words of Ryan Miller: "Gutless."
PHILADELPHIA vs. PITTSBURGH:
Flyers best the Penguins, 2-1, to earn their third straight victory. Are they finally turning it around, and becoming the team they should look like on paper?
Brayden Schenn had a big night for the Flyers, as he scored 2 goals to help earn the 2 points Philly desperately needed. Wayne Simmonds, Steve Downie, and Jakub Voracek all recorded 1 assist a piece. Even though none of their big name players generated anything, keep in mind they were playing a Stanley Cup team and their depth is what sealed this for them.
Sidney Crosby had the only goal for the Penguins, it was a PP marker with the assists from Malkin and Jokinen. That seems to be working well for now, but I think James Neal is about to turn it up. Still needs a few games to get back into the full swing of things.
Ray Emery dominated in the crease for Philly, stopping 30 of 31 shots. It's interesting to see the goalie tandems battle this year, the Flyers have 2 solid goalies and are finding stellar play from both, so you can expect them to keep splitting starts. Some pretty creative form to stop the puck, and the initial saves were unreal.
Flyers best the Penguins, 2-1, to earn their third straight victory. Are they finally turning it around, and becoming the team they should look like on paper?
Brayden Schenn had a big night for the Flyers, as he scored 2 goals to help earn the 2 points Philly desperately needed. Wayne Simmonds, Steve Downie, and Jakub Voracek all recorded 1 assist a piece. Even though none of their big name players generated anything, keep in mind they were playing a Stanley Cup team and their depth is what sealed this for them.
Sidney Crosby had the only goal for the Penguins, it was a PP marker with the assists from Malkin and Jokinen. That seems to be working well for now, but I think James Neal is about to turn it up. Still needs a few games to get back into the full swing of things.
Ray Emery dominated in the crease for Philly, stopping 30 of 31 shots. It's interesting to see the goalie tandems battle this year, the Flyers have 2 solid goalies and are finding stellar play from both, so you can expect them to keep splitting starts. Some pretty creative form to stop the puck, and the initial saves were unreal.
DALLAS vs. EDMONTON:
Oilers keep struggling at home, with 3-0 loss to the Dallas Stars. It was the third game in a row the Oilers have been shutout at home, and this does shock me. I'll get into that after I highlight the game. The last time the Oilers scored at home was at 17:56 of the third period in a 4-1 loss to the Washington Capitals on Oct. 24. (NHL.com)
Antoine Roussel had 1 goal and 1 assist for the Stars, and the other lone goals came from Rich Peverley and Tyler Sequin (who scored from his knees, it was an empty netter but still impressive as hell). Just an accurate saucer. If hockey doesn't work out, just think of how much free shit he could win from running show at local games during intermission?
Oilers keep struggling at home, with 3-0 loss to the Dallas Stars. It was the third game in a row the Oilers have been shutout at home, and this does shock me. I'll get into that after I highlight the game. The last time the Oilers scored at home was at 17:56 of the third period in a 4-1 loss to the Washington Capitals on Oct. 24. (NHL.com)
Antoine Roussel had 1 goal and 1 assist for the Stars, and the other lone goals came from Rich Peverley and Tyler Sequin (who scored from his knees, it was an empty netter but still impressive as hell). Just an accurate saucer. If hockey doesn't work out, just think of how much free shit he could win from running show at local games during intermission?
Kari Lehtonen was a monster in net for Dallas, recording his 23rd SO of his career, stopping all 22 shots. Including this beauty glove save.
Now getting back to how much the Oilers suck, because they do. You would think after having multiple first round draft picks, they would be successful a few years down the road? What is your wrong, and may god have mercy on your soul if you thought other wise. Even if their just "rumors," their not. Edmonton needs to make a move and fast, Buffalo has already started moving guys and know their about to go through a rebuild. Edmonton isn't quite there yet and can be a good team if they dealt a forward, say Ales Hemsky, or Nail "I want to play here" Yakupov? My money is on Nail to be shipped and this is what Edmonton is going to be looking for. A) Goaltending, something reliable and consistent. They just signed Ilya Bryzgalov but by NO means, do I think he is the answer to their problem. Jason LaBarbera and Devan Dubnyk have proven this season,their not equipped to carry a team.
B) A veteran blueliner, and one who isn't going to go a -14 on the year so far, like Justin Schultz. They just dealt their only seasoned defenseman to Calgary, to free up cap space to sign Bryzgalov.
C) Finally, they need some grit on their offense, and the type of guy who isn't afraid to lay the body, grind it out in the corners and win the puck, and someone who can take a smart shot to cause a deflection or a scrum to cause that secondary scoring. They have one of the best PP unit's I've seen: Center, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, LW, Taylor Hall, RW, Jordan Eberle, back on the points I saw David Perron and for the life of me I can't remember the last, but I'll assume Jeff Petry.
That PP unit should be deadly with the amount of talent that's on it, not sucking ass. I think Edmonton starts trading pretty soon if they go another game at home and being shutout. Their season is slipping away, and look come March for some serious changes about to occur.
QUICK HITS:
The Buffalo Sabres cleaned house even more yesterday, with the firing of head coach, Ron Rolston and GM, Darcy Regier. They hired Ted Nolan to take over as interim head coach, and hired Pat LaFontaine to serve as the new president of hockey operations.
B) A veteran blueliner, and one who isn't going to go a -14 on the year so far, like Justin Schultz. They just dealt their only seasoned defenseman to Calgary, to free up cap space to sign Bryzgalov.
C) Finally, they need some grit on their offense, and the type of guy who isn't afraid to lay the body, grind it out in the corners and win the puck, and someone who can take a smart shot to cause a deflection or a scrum to cause that secondary scoring. They have one of the best PP unit's I've seen: Center, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, LW, Taylor Hall, RW, Jordan Eberle, back on the points I saw David Perron and for the life of me I can't remember the last, but I'll assume Jeff Petry.
That PP unit should be deadly with the amount of talent that's on it, not sucking ass. I think Edmonton starts trading pretty soon if they go another game at home and being shutout. Their season is slipping away, and look come March for some serious changes about to occur.
QUICK HITS:
The Buffalo Sabres cleaned house even more yesterday, with the firing of head coach, Ron Rolston and GM, Darcy Regier. They hired Ted Nolan to take over as interim head coach, and hired Pat LaFontaine to serve as the new president of hockey operations.