Freudian slip? ;)

Another terrible game by Boston so far.These fuckin guys don't show up often.

All this talk about the Coyotes moving back to Winnipeg has got me thinking whether Bettman might use expansion as a way of keeping his franchise in Phoenix (and Atlanta in a couple of years when that gets to be an issue)

Honestly I think of all the major sports hockey is the most conducive. For a start, a team is 25-30 guys with at least 22 or 23 of those guys contributing on a regular night. The average skill level of a third.fourth liner in the NHL isn't that much higher than the skill level of the average AHL first liner and many teams have exciting young players in the AHL who they bring up as soon as the rosters expand. And hockey is by far the cheapest game in terms of owning a franchise and paying the players. Compare that to football where the cost of just building a stadium is enormous and injuries are on the rise every year, or baseball where there seem to be very few replacement level guys in AAA, or basketball where it's all about the stars and even 9th or 10th guys on the bench of an average team are pretty much scrubs. Call me crazy but I don't think expanding by another two teams would dilute the league that much. I bet I could build a team of guys in the AHL at the roster expansion this year that wouldn't finish last in the entire NHL.

Just to make it clear I'm not arguing for it - I'd pull those teams out of Phoenix and Atlanta and move them back to a traditional market in a heartbeat. I'm stoked about the possibility of a team in Winnipeg next year. But just trying to think if Bettman is as stubborn as we think he is, and uses future expansion as a way to stave this off - is it really the worst thing ever?

Hard to know. Winnipeg is the NHL equivalent of the NFL's Los Angeles. As long as it's open, it's a weapon in the NHL arsenal against cities reluctant to meet their wishes (granted, the same could be said about Quebec, but the arena's already built in Winnipeg).

Another emotional, physical game (with the end-of-the game "scrum") last night in Buffalo.

I like how the Philly players are whining about the refs today. Hey Richards, don't elbow the guy in face that you clearly saw coming at you.

I'm blaming you.

Dola

In the regular season thread I applauded Ference for being a stand-up guy.

After his salute to the fans after scoring his first playoff goal in something like 3 seasons, I take it back.

Anyone else need me to fire up their teams?

How about the Canucks?

More like the equivalent of Toledo, but that might be considered quibbling.

No kidding eh?

10 GA in 1 1/2 games??

Maybe Ryan Miller should have kicked Carcillo a few more times. Or how about Kaleta opening the bench door so one of your Sabers can knock Zherdev into the bench. Please don't whine (like another Sabers fan) about the end of the game scrum when this BS happened during the game.

I will not argue that Richards deserved a penalty for his actions, but not 5 minutes. Say all you want about the win last night, and you guys won...but you held on for dear life in that third period.

What?

:)

(I do agree with you on that it should of been 2, not 5. But that didn't matter in the end. It just a great performance by Miller.)

Miller played a great game in both Game 1 and Game 4. Sabers did a good job packing it in and blocking shots.

How about the Blackhawks...won last game 7-2 and now up 4-0 on Vancouver in the 2nd.

:)

Lessee, that's 12-2 just for one game and not even half of another? It's still an unlikely proposition for Chicago to come all the way back, but the Canuck fans are probably starting to get a little twitchy at this point.

All I can hear in GM Place is the music of Chelsea Dagger getting louder and louder. I think it's coming out of Luongo's head. I think Vancouver's going to have to win a 6-5 game to close this out.

The Sabres-Flyers game series has been a weird series to me. Each game has a different flavor it, but still with the emotional and physical aspects to it. And Hartnell, Carricollo, and Richards, Timonen (sticking Gerbe in the nuts after the game) certainly have had their moments like our guys. So don't whine about our guys when your guys are just as cheap and dirty.

Wasn't whining. I was laughing at the Flyers' players whining. Both teams have had their share of crappy refs in the series, but Philly certainly had their chances yesterday (Briere 1-on-1).

I do agree that the bandwagon Sabres' fans annoy the crap out of me. You should of heard the local sports radio show the day after Game 3. They were complaining about Miller and how Enroth should start.

Dola...

Vancouver seems lost. What the heck is going on.

Luongo is what's going on. He is a proven playoff failure, doesn't have the mental attributes needed to succeed at that level. He is the classic "great regular season but flops in the playoffs goalie." You can see that the rest of the team has lost confidence in him right now, and something isn't done quickly, they may end up blowing that 3-0 series lead in a big way.

Nice of the Bruins to finally look like they give a damn. Leave it to Michael Ryder and Chris Kelly, two non traditional sources of offense this season, to pick up the slack late in the game. We got ourselves a series now.

Oh shut the fuck up with this bullshit. He's performed at big stages.

I love hockey and the passionate fans. :)

If you're really going to play the "He won a Gold Medal" card, I have two words for you.

Antero Niittymaki.

He didn't need literal home ice to do it, either.

Video: Patrick Kaleta’s open door policy vs. Flyers is dastardly - Puck Daddy - NHL*Blog - Yahoo! Sports

Off-topic, but did I hear today that former MLB pitcher Tom Glavine is in an ownership group to buy the Thrashers?

How long before this becomes a 'History will be made?'




http://youtu.be/1xvNzX_WYgY

I was just merely pointing out that the Flyers players just didn't do this out of the blue...there were cheap shots by Buffalo too.

You are right, Flyers had tons of chances and didn't convert.

The best thing about this is that Ference's excuse was that his glove got stuck like that. He said that with a straight face. So, his middle finger got stuck because of his glove and he was just lifting it up to the Montreal faithful in an effort to... fix it? Show them it was stuck?

Oh, Andrew Ference... I have heard more creative and believable lies from 3 year olds. Just man up and accept it like that kid from Michigan did a few weeks ago.

I imagine you did hear something like that, but it doesn't seem to be quite that intense.

Glavine could invest to keep Thrashers in Atlanta *| ajc.com
“I am not buying the Thrashers,” the Braves pitching great said Thursday.

Glavine said his main interest is in keeping the Thrashers in Atlanta. And he is willing to do whatever he can — perhaps even becoming a partial investor — to help ensure the city does not lose an NHL franchise for a second time.

“I have a huge interest in hockey and the Thrashers,” Glavine said. “I would hate to see them leave. My kids play hockey. It’s a big part of our lives. We want to be able to keep going to games.

“I’m trying to do whatever I can do to keep the team here. Whether that is putting together a group locally or finding someone from outside the area. Any way my involvement will help, I am willing to do it.”
...
“To be perfectly honest, I don’t have the money to buy the team,” Glavine said. “I could be an investor. I could go down that road. I’m not saying I will or I will not.”

Oh okay, I agree that both sides are taking their jabs. Looking forward to tonight.

Is Pronger really coming back tonight? Is he 100%?

He probably thought they'd call 9-1-1 and have him arrested. ;)

Pronger is not 100% and is not playing tonight. Carter is out, there are reports he sprained his MCL and will be out 10-14 days.

This is all part of Bettman's...er I mean Pittsburgh's grand plan. Piece by piece, let the other teams in the East fall apart, then bring Crosby back at 100% health.

Ryan Malone is a wreck in the PIT-TB series. He's been nursing a shoulder injury. He got knocked down in front of the net during game 3, and he was like a turtle on his back, he laid there for what seemed like forever.

Oddly, Pittsburgh has had no inury issues, outside of what they came into the series with. Allow Staal and Talbot each sat out parts of the 3rd period and first OT the other night. Talbot got smacked looking for the puck. Head shot, but legal. Staal went for a hit and ended up head first into the boards.

Gotta agree with Lindy, where was the Flyers' whining when they got 5000 powerplays in earlier games? oh right...

3-0 Sabres after the 1st. Two weak goals that Boucher let in (who got relieved by Leighton), though good effort by the Sabres in working in their end, and a PP goal that Briere took for goalie inference.

Dear Sabres' players,

Quit standing around. Thanks.

Paraphrasing the old football axiom …

If you've got 3 goaltenders, you really don't have 1.

Bobby Ryan just scored a ridiculous goal.

Yeah, Legwand loses his stick, but still :eek:

What the hell, a week ago using the YT embed code was working...

http://youtu.be/btFBv2u8Nfc

DOLA

So, yeah, Pens-Bolts game 6 will be Monday night.

Awful effort.

Just turn on the game (then turning it back off). Yikes.

Wow.

7-0 Tampa? Who does Pittsburgh have in net? Luongo?

Fleury always follows up a terrible game with a good game...Luongo not so much. Although, only 4 of those are Fleury's, 3 more on Johnson.

Pens actually carried the play the first 10 minutes, at least offensively. Couldn't beat Roloson, and the floodgates opened.

DOLA

Comeback is on!

The Buccs went for two. I'm surprised. I wonder if the chart says go for two when you're up 6-2. ..

Clearly this was Rays-Pirates

Caps come out on fire. It would be nice to end this today and not hear about the Habs series anymore.