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Hockey Talk: The Official NHL 2008-2009 Thread - Page 2

post #31 of 646
12/19/08 at 11:33am

Re: Hockey Talk: The Official NHL 2008-2009 Thread

Pens win in Atlanta with Fluery returning to his spot in between the pipes - he made some nice saves and prevented Altanta from getting back into the game...nice 4 point night for Malkin - 2G, 2A - as well.

Next Game - Leafs visit the Igloo on 12/20.
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post #32 of 646
12/19/08 at 12:22pm

Re: Hockey Talk: The Official NHL 2008-2009 Thread

Quote:
Originally Posted by Scott Merryfield
I had a rare treat, being able to watch this game last night thanks to a special edition of "Hockey Night in Canada" on CBC. The game was closer than the score indicated, with lots of offensive action at both ends. It was nice to see the Habs win a game after struggling over the past week.

I always forget that I can get HNIC on NHLHD now. Back in the day, I used to watch on Channel 9 in Windsor, but the Dish doesn't go there.

Hey Scott, I see you live in Michigan. How is it you're not a Wings fan? There's been a lot to cheer about the last 11 years, 4 cups that is. Nice pummeling we put on the wannabe Sharks last night. Up until then, they'd been going through the motions. The real concern is in goal, Ozzie seems to have lost something since last year and won't be able to give up the kinds of goals in the playoffs that he is now.

Looking forward to Jan 1 at Wrigley. Any Chicago or Wings fans on the board going to that one? Should be a hoot.
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post #33 of 646
12/19/08 at 12:26pm

Re: Hockey Talk: The Official NHL 2008-2009 Thread

Stupid Versus. ESPN doesn't even cover NHL games on SportsCenter anymore! (They will show goals on Plays of the Day though.)

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post #34 of 646
12/19/08 at 1:00pm
Thread Starter 

Re: Hockey Talk: The Official NHL 2008-2009 Thread

I'm psyched for the Winter Classic at Wrigley Field this year on New Year's Day. Nice midwest battle with Blackhawks vs. Red Wings. I hope it snows again like last year, but not so hard that they cancel it. Between that game and the Rose Bowl, I'm gonna be sitting in front of the screen all day!
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post #35 of 646
12/22/08 at 9:37am

Re: Hockey Talk: The Official NHL 2008-2009 Thread

And the Winter Classic is an Original Six matchup, with the Blackhawks being a respectable franchise again. I look forward to watching the game, even though I'm not a fan of either team.

I caught a clip of the Penguins game on NHL Network, and man, those blue jerseys are ugly.
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post #36 of 646
12/22/08 at 11:26am

Re: Hockey Talk: The Official NHL 2008-2009 Thread

Quote:
Originally Posted by Walter C
... with the Blackhawks being a respectable franchise again.
The Blackhawks are looking good these days. [Ockeghem looks around to see if Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita, Keith Magnuson, and Tony Esposito are still playing for the Hawks. ]

I just learned that the Bruins are now #1 in the Power Rankings. I think they owe a bit of this to the Red Wings victory over the Sharks.

ESPN - NHL Hockey Power Rankings - National Hockey League

Although the Bruins have scored the most goals at this point, I'm more impressed with them having given up the second fewest goals thus far.
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post #37 of 646
12/22/08 at 12:34pm

Re: Hockey Talk: The Official NHL 2008-2009 Thread

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark Klaus
I always forget that I can get HNIC on NHLHD now. Back in the day, I used to watch on Channel 9 in Windsor, but the Dish doesn't go there.

Hey Scott, I see you live in Michigan. How is it you're not a Wings fan? There's been a lot to cheer about the last 11 years, 4 cups that is. Nice pummeling we put on the wannabe Sharks last night. Up until then, they'd been going through the motions. The real concern is in goal, Ozzie seems to have lost something since last year and won't be able to give up the kinds of goals in the playoffs that he is now.

Mark,

I started watching hockey as a kid around 1970. My grandfather used to repair TV's as a hobby, and he would give me ones he had fixed for free for my room. However, these TV's would be VHF (Channels 2-13) only, so I grew up on Hockey Night in Canada on Channel 9 out of Windsor. I fell in love with the Habs due to their playing style ("The Flying Frenchmen"), and they were the first team I ever rooted for in any sport that won a title (in '71 over the Blackhawks). I was hooked for life after that.

Meanwhile, the Wings were on one of the local UHF stations (either Channel 20 or 50, cannot remember), and were being run by a disinterested owner. So, I didn't watch them much, and didn't become a bandwagon jumper when the team finally turned it around under new ownership many years later. My dad and uncle were hard core Wings fans, but they grew up with the Howe, Abel, Lindsey, etc. teams of the 1950's.
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post #38 of 646
12/22/08 at 8:36pm

Re: Hockey Talk: The Official NHL 2008-2009 Thread

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark Klaus
Hey Scott, I see you live in Michigan. How is it you're not a Wings fan? There's been a lot to cheer about the last 11 years, 4 cups that is. Nice pummeling we put on the wannabe Sharks last night. Up until then, they'd been going through the motions. The real concern is in goal, Ozzie seems to have lost something since last year and won't be able to give up the kinds of goals in the playoffs that he is now.
Mark,

First, the Red Wings are awesome. I just wanted to mention that.

I moved to Michigan in 1993 (for my current job, which I love); but I'm a Boston fan (all sports) through and through. I like the Red Wings, and was happy to see them win their Cups. I also like the Lions, Pistons, and Tigers. But my heart belongs to the Boston teams. I've been a Bruins fan since 1969, back in the days when it was very common (and a heck of a lot of fun) to play street hockey. Esposito, Orr, MacKenzie, Hodge, Stanfield--they really put hockey on the map for us Boston kids back in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
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post #39 of 646
12/23/08 at 5:29am

Re: Hockey Talk: The Official NHL 2008-2009 Thread

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ockeghem
Mark,

First, the Red Wings are awesome. I just wanted to mention that.

I moved to Michigan in 1993 (for my current job, which I love); but I'm a Boston fan (all sports) through and through. I like the Red Wings, and was happy to see them win their Cups. I also like the Lions, Pistons, and Tigers. But my heart belongs to the Boston teams. I've been a Bruins fan since 1969, back in the days when it was very common (and a heck of a lot of fun) to play street hockey. Esposito, Orr, MacKenzie, Hodge, Stanfield--they really put hockey on the map for us Boston kids back in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Street hockey in the Boston area in the 70's? Now, you are talking my childhood. Two movies come to mind when I think of that: Mystic River, which had a street hockey net (homemade of course) right in the middle of the street in Southie, and Wayne's World; Wayne and Garth were playing street hockey and someone yelled "Car!!!", which meant they had to move the net out of the road. Classic memories.
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post #40 of 646
12/23/08 at 10:16am

Re: Hockey Talk: The Official NHL 2008-2009 Thread

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeff Gatie
Street hockey in the Boston area in the 70's? Now, you are talking my childhood. Two movies come to mind when I think of that: Mystic River, which had a street hockey net (homemade of course) right in the middle of the street in Southie, and Wayne's World; Wayne and Garth were playing street hockey and someone yelled "Car!!!", which meant they had to move the net out of the road. Classic memories.
Jeff,

It's nice to meet a kindred spirit. Those were awesome memories. Heck, I can recall taking the plastic puck down into our basement, and playing hockey on the cement floor. The puck really glided nicely along that smooth, cement surface. I use to do this whether my friends came over to play or not. Just shooting the puck toward the goal from all different angles (and using the walls as ricochets) was a ton of fun.

BTW, I should qualify that I am not from Boston proper; I usually just say that because people then have a reference point. I lived in Foxborough, Mass., and then Mansfield, then Attleboro, and then Cape Cod. But hockey was all over Massachusetts at that time.
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post #41 of 646
12/23/08 at 11:17am

Re: Hockey Talk: The Official NHL 2008-2009 Thread

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ockeghem
Jeff,

It's nice to meet a kindred spirit. Those were awesome memories. Heck, I can recall taking the plastic puck down into our basement, and playing hockey on the cement floor. The puck really glided nicely along that smooth, cement surface. I use to do this whether my friends came over to play or not. Just shooting the puck toward the goal from all different angles (and using the walls as ricochets) was a ton of fun.

BTW, I should qualify that I am not from Boston proper; I usually just say that because people then have a reference point. I lived in Foxborough, Mass., and then Mansfield, then Attleboro, and then Cape Cod. But hockey was all over Massachusetts at that time.

Born in Dorchester, raised in Weymouth. Spent more time at a rink than I did at home in those days, and the time at home was spent sleeping or playing street hockey. I'll never forget the time my dad fixed every broken window on our garage doors. It was like a second Christmas was given to me and my brothers! Top shelf wristshots became the thing we practiced for the entire next week, until all the "targets" were gone, that is. Dad put up plywood after that.
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post #42 of 646
12/23/08 at 11:44am

Re: Hockey Talk: The Official NHL 2008-2009 Thread

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeff Gatie
Born in Dorchester, raised in Weymouth. Spent more time at a rink than I did at home in those days, and the time at home was spent sleeping or playing street hockey. I'll never forget the time my dad fixed every broken window on our garage doors. It was like a second Christmas was given to me and my brothers! Top shelf wristshots became the thing we practiced for the entire next week, until all the "targets" were gone, that is. Dad put up plywood after that.
I've been to Dorchester a couple of times. And Braintree and Quincy.

I too played a lot of hockey (both street and ice) in those days. I suppose it's not too much of a stretch to say that between 1969 and 1974, you would have been hard pressed to tell the difference between Robert Gordon Orr and me. I was that good.

I didn't hit too many windows with pucks, but I do remember taking my baseball outside -- the rubber kind, which wasn't an 'official' baseball, but held up nicely in bad weather -- and pitching it against the foundation of our very old home. The foundation consisted of bricks, and it wasn't long before my 95 m.p.h. changeup [] started to dislodge the bricks from their mortar.... My father wasn't as forgiving as yours.
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post #43 of 646
12/23/08 at 12:00pm
Thread Starter 

Re: Hockey Talk: The Official NHL 2008-2009 Thread

Quote:
Originally Posted by Walter C
I caught a clip of the Penguins game on NHL Network, and man, those blue jerseys are ugly.
What, you don't like the throwback jerseys?

I'm not a big fan of that color scheme either, I got the trusty black 'n gold jersey (#87, of course). I think among Pens fans though, there is a certain amount of "cred" you get when you wear the blue and white jersey. It's kind of like saying you knew the team back in the day before they were any good. Still, doesn't look any less ugly though...
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post #44 of 646
12/23/08 at 1:09pm

Re: Hockey Talk: The Official NHL 2008-2009 Thread

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ockeghem
I've been to Dorchester a couple of times. And Braintree and Quincy.

I too played a lot of hockey (both street and ice) in those days. I suppose it's not too much of a stretch to say that between 1969 and 1974, you would have been hard pressed to tell the difference between Robert Gordon Orr and me. I was that good.


Speaking of Mr. Robert Gordon . . . (I think I've told this story before) . . . My older brother (a much better player than I) went to Orr's hockey camp in Ontario in the summers of '70 & '71. My dad, a commercial artist, had painted a watercolor of the classic "Orr swings the net with the puck" pose. At the camp, my dad sent me (5 yrs.) and my little sister (4 yrs.) over to Bobby to have him sign it.

Being only 5 and 4, you'd think we would not realize the enormity of the task, but I can distinctly remember the feeling I had approaching a person who was larger than life itself. He could not have been more gracious and accomodating and bent down to talk to both of us as he signed.

When my mom, dad, and rest of the family caught up, he picked my infant brother up over his head and asked him if he was going to play hockey some day. My brother had just been baptised the month before in order to make the trip; but to this day we all claim his true baptism took place that day in the arms of the only "god" I ever met.

To this day, I've never asked for another autograph from anyone, anywhere.

I mean, what is the point?
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post #45 of 646
12/23/08 at 1:49pm

Re: Hockey Talk: The Official NHL 2008-2009 Thread

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeff
...Being only 5 and 4, you'd think we would not realize the enormity of the task, but I can distinctly remember the feeling I had approaching a person who was larger than life itself. He could not have been more gracious and accomodating and bent down to talk to both of us as he signed...

I have a total of three autographs; George Best, Joe Namath and Eddie Westfall. The Westfall is my favorite for the same reasons you mention; I was a wee kid, I got it myself and '18' was an incredibly nice guy about it.
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post #46 of 646
12/23/08 at 9:03pm

Re: Hockey Talk: The Official NHL 2008-2009 Thread

Jeff,

What a great story! If you've told the story before, I've not heard it before today. It's great hearing too how awesome a person Orr was on that day.

Pete,

Eddie Westfall, eh? You guys both have me beat in the autograph department. My most prized autographs are non-sports related (Van Cliburn and Pete Best). I also have some Trek characters' (TOS and TNG) autographs that I received at a couple of conventions.
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post #47 of 646
12/24/08 at 8:52am

Re: Hockey Talk: The Official NHL 2008-2009 Thread

I think the only athlete autographs I have are an M. L. Carr basketball card from back when he was waving the green towel and a poster of images from each game of the Patriots' 21-game winning streak that has Rodney Harrison's signature on a photo of him.

My dad did give me a biography of #4 last year, though. I haven't read much of it yet, but it's interesting.

Actually, just the other day, my wife dug a framed poster out of the back of my home office and put it up on the wall in the guest bedroom -- it's a series of images of every jersey that Orr ever wore, plus you-know-what action shot.

I have a good wife. (I should probably explain to her who Bobby Orr is. . .)
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post #48 of 646
12/24/08 at 12:29pm

Re: Hockey Talk: The Official NHL 2008-2009 Thread

Quote:
Originally Posted by Aaron Silverman
I think the only athlete autographs I have are an M. L. Carr basketball card from back when he was waving the green towel and a poster of images from each game of the Patriots' 21-game winning streak that has Rodney Harrison's signature on a photo of him.
I don't have M. L. Carr's autograph, but back in the early 1980s, while I was in the lobby at the Boston Garden awaiting to attend a Celtics game, M. L. Carr walked by. I shouted out his name (both in surprise and admiration), and he heard me, and came over and shook my hand. I thought that was really nice!

Speaking of M. L. Carr, I was looking at our library today, and had forgotten that I own Don't Be Denied. I've been reading a few basketball books lately (just finished Gutman's A Pictorial History of Basketball), and might want to read that one, which is near Drive (Larry Bird) and Rebound (the autobiography of K. C. Jones) on our shelves.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Aaron Silverman
My dad did give me a biography of #4 last year, though. I haven't read much of it yet, but it's interesting.

Actually, just the other day, my wife dug a framed poster out of the back of my home office and put it up on the wall in the guest bedroom -- it's a series of images of every jersey that Orr ever wore, plus you-know-what action shot.

I have a good wife. (I should probably explain to her who Bobby Orr is. . .)
In my opinion, Bobby Orr is the greatest hockey player who ever played the game.
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post #49 of 646
12/27/08 at 7:11pm
Thread Starter 

Re: Hockey Talk: The Official NHL 2008-2009 Thread

Scott, I gotta admit your Habs looked great tonight (unfortunately for the Pens). Heck of a team you have there! I hope we get another shot at them down the road...
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post #50 of 646
12/29/08 at 9:32am

Re: Hockey Talk: The Official NHL 2008-2009 Thread

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ockeghem
In my opinion, Bobby Orr is the greatest hockey player who ever played the game.

That's not an opinion.
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post #51 of 646
12/29/08 at 10:00am

Re: Hockey Talk: The Official NHL 2008-2009 Thread

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob McLaughlin
Scott, I gotta admit your Habs looked great tonight (unfortunately for the Pens). Heck of a team you have there! I hope we get another shot at them down the road...
They do look very good at times. Carey Price played a great game in net against the Pens, and was the difference in the game. I don't know if they will be able to catch the Bruins, though. Boston has been on fire all season.
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post #52 of 646
12/30/08 at 7:04pm
Thread Starter 

Re: Hockey Talk: The Official NHL 2008-2009 Thread

Ugh, the Bruins really took it to the Penguins. The Pens were able to keep it close for the first couple periods but things just fell apart in the 3rd. Two power play goals and a short-handed goal--that is a team that knows how to use special teams!
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post #53 of 646
12/30/08 at 9:52pm

Re: Hockey Talk: The Official NHL 2008-2009 Thread

As a Blackhawk fan, tonight was also a bit of a let down. The way they had been playing it seemed like a good 'measuring stick' game. They failed AND weren't particularly composed while losing (the Kaner 'injury' put a fright into everyone presumably). Chalk it up (hopefully) to a young team looking ahead to their big showcase game tomorrow.
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post #54 of 646
12/31/08 at 6:21am

Re: Hockey Talk: The Official NHL 2008-2009 Thread

Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob McLaughlin
Ugh, the Bruins really took it to the Penguins. The Pens were able to keep it close for the first couple periods but things just fell apart in the 3rd. Two power play goals and a short-handed goal--that is a team that knows how to use special teams!
Yeah, Boston looked very good last night. Keep the Canadiens out from under their noses, especially come playoff time, and they'll do fairly well.
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post #55 of 646
12/31/08 at 6:32am

Re: Hockey Talk: The Official NHL 2008-2009 Thread

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ockeghem
Yeah, Boston looked very good last night. Keep the Canadiens out from under their noses, especially come playoff time, and they'll do fairly well.

That's with a #3-4 defenseman (Ferrence), a top 6 forward (Sturm) and the #2 center (Bergeron) out. Actually, up until he broke his leg, Ferrence was playing like a #2 (not that he is a #2, but he was playing like one).

That's what surprises me the most about Boston this year. They have really had some big injuries to key players, and they haven't skipped a beat. The depth of the team is strong and the system from the minors up that Julien has crafted really gets the youngsters into the game, without them being too far over their heads.

Julien basically throws them out there, and like playing pinball, if they perform, they get to play again. To see what I mean; the second PP unit consists of a 3rd year player (Kessel), a mid-season callup from last year (Krecji), a rookie (Wheeler) and/or a 2nd year player (Lucic), a mid-season callup from this year (Hunwick) . . . and Shane Hnidy.
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post #56 of 646
12/31/08 at 7:35am

Re: Hockey Talk: The Official NHL 2008-2009 Thread

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeff Gatie
That's what surprises me the most about Boston this year. They have really had some big injuries to key players, and they haven't skipped a beat. The depth of the team is strong and the system from the minors up that Julien has crafted really gets the youngsters into the game, without them being too far over their heads.

Gee, it took an ex-Habs coach to turn the Bruins around.

jk
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post #57 of 646
12/31/08 at 7:39am

Re: Hockey Talk: The Official NHL 2008-2009 Thread

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeff Gatie
That's with a #3-4 defenseman (Ferrence), a top 6 forward (Sturm) and the #2 center (Bergeron) out. Actually, up until he broke his leg, Ferrence was playing like a #2 (not that he is a #2, but he was playing like one).

That's what surprises me the most about Boston this year. They have really had some big injuries to key players, and they haven't skipped a beat. The depth of the team is strong and the system from the minors up that Julien has crafted really gets the youngsters into the game, without them being too far over their heads.

Julien basically throws them out there, and like playing pinball, if they perform, they get to play again. To see what I mean; the second PP unit consists of a 3rd year player (Kessel), a mid-season callup from last year (Krecji), a rookie (Wheeler) and/or a 2nd year player (Lucic), a mid-season callup from this year (Hunwick) . . . and Shane Hnidy.
Jeff,

Those are all excellent points. They've got 28 wins at this point, against only 5 losses (an identical record with the Celtics, at least in wins and losses -- for what it's worth).

How I would love for them to meet -- and defeat -- Montreal in the playoffs. Even during their 1970 and 1972 Cup years, they didn't have to get by the Habs. And the year between the two Cup years, they lost in seven games to the Canadiens. I will never forget that 7-5 game that they should have won, giving up a 5-1 lead in the second game of the series. Then again, who knew at the time that Ken Dryden was not from planet earth?
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post #58 of 646
12/31/08 at 7:56am

Re: Hockey Talk: The Official NHL 2008-2009 Thread

Quote:
Originally Posted by Scott Merryfield
Gee, it took an ex-Habs coach to turn the Bruins around.

jk

Don't give him too much credit. Afterall, he couldn't turn the Habs around.
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post #59 of 646
1/2/09 at 3:12pm

Re: Hockey Talk: The Official NHL 2008-2009 Thread

He's moving up in the world!
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post #60 of 646
1/2/09 at 4:04pm

Re: Hockey Talk: The Official NHL 2008-2009 Thread

It was fun watching the outdoor game at Wrigley Field, making me wish I was there. The Blackhawks showed that they are still not in the elite class, yet.

I don't know if they will have a Winter Classic nest season, because of the Winter Olympics.
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