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• Some Thoughts For Today Some Thoughts For Today

  • From: UCSBHockey97
  • Description:

    I've said it many times this entire year that the NHL and hockey everywhere just isn't making sense. Well now it's starting to. And I'm beginning to be satisfied with it. So here are some thoughts for today on some of the recent happenings in the NHL.

    • IT'S ABOUT DARN TIME THE DUCKS BEAT THE KINGS. Seriously. They should have won last Thursday. When your offense gives you that much of a chance to win it, as a defense you need to step up and they didn't do that, but instead let Anze Kopitar walk in and jam the puck in the net untouched en route to a 6-4 loss which pissed me off for days. That same Ducks team was not at Honda Center last night. The Ducks looked sharp, crisp, and together on both ends of the Ice. Jonas Hiller definitely redeemed his poor performance from the last meeting, and the defense gave him some help. Even when Getzlaf went down Anaheim looked sharp. I know I may be jinxing them by saying this but at this point I think if you rule the Ducks out of the playoffs, I think you're insane. This team is playing well. Which leads me to my second thought:
    • I think this may be the first year in which we see ALL THREE Californian teams in the playoffs, and 4 out of the 5 Pacific division teams for that matter. If that doesn't say something about the strength of the West this year, then I really don't know what does. Particularly when you add in teams like Chicago, Nashville, and Colorado to the mix, who have proven they're anything but the pushovers they used to be, the Pacific really throws its name into the debate for toughest division in the NHL.
    • The Game of the Week last week... surprise surprise look who's on TV for the third time in 4 weeks on NBC... Crosby and the Penguins. Does NBC not know there's another 29 teams in the NHL? Oh that's right. There's the Red Wings too.
    • But that being said the game on Sunday was without question possibly the best game of the year. This game had EVERYTHING. Speed, skill, some absolutely beautiful stickhandling and teamwork, the superstars showed their talent in many ways, and the Goaltenders just about stood on their heads for some saves (my fantasy team is certainly liking that Jose Theodore has found his game again).
    • This NBC Game also really in my opinion settled it once and for all: anything Crosby can do, Ovechkin can do better. Crosby... 2 goals. Ovie.... 3 goals. When he took the ice in that third period you could just see it in him: he took complete command of the game and look what happened. 3 goals, and almost a 4th in overtime to seal it (being denied only by the goalpost). Crosby's talented, but Ovechkin is the only player I've ever seen who can absolutely command a game in the way he does, and seeing the two of them out there on the ice together really made it apparent to me: Alex the Great is by far the more dominant of the two players.
    • Nice to see Giguere playing well in his new starting role in Toronto. When combined with the defensive talents of Dion Phaneuf, the Leafs may actually have found a starting point with which to start this rebuild (finally). 
    • Oh man, I cannot imagine being an Oiler fan right now. But I'm a Duck fan so I show no sympathy. In fact, it thrills me to see Edmonton bottom feeding like they are. (Though I do have a small amount of empathy for Dustin Penner.)
    • And last but not least: What has two thumbs and is stoked out of his mind for some Olympic Hockey... THIS GUY! Who's probably going to be eating his words when the USA goes 0-2-1, losing to Switzerland and tying Latvia... probably this guy too.
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• PhoenixCoyotesFan

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• Nazem Kadri . . . Nazem Kadri . . .

  • From: darthcobain17
  • Description:

    makes his NHL debut!

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• LEAFS VS. SHARKS: FEBRUARY 08, LEAFS VS. SHARKS: FEBRUARY 08, 2010

  • From: darthcobain17
  • Description:

    I was really hoping the Leafs would win this one for Wilson! There’s nothing like beating your old team. But unfortunately the Leafs just fell short in a very entertaining game. Toronto actually deserved a better fate than the 3-2 loss as for the most part they were the faster, harder working team. But when you’re playing the elite teams of the league like San Jose sometimes shit happens. I missed the first period because it was out son’s night at the Little Gym, but I got to listen to the last couple of minutes on the radio in the car. It sounded like the Leafs were playing well and they finished the period with a 1-0 lead. Bozak got the Leafs the early lead about halfway through the frame on a nice little passing play by Kessel. The Leafs were controlling down low when Kessel would walk in off the right side. He delayed until the last moment and made a nice little move to pass Bozak the puck through the crease. An easy tap in and the Leafs were ahead. A half minute before the goal Orr and Shelley had a go but I didn’t manage to see it so I’m not sure how it went. The Leafs scored right after so I guessed something went right!

    I was able to watch the rest of the game from the start of the second period onwards. Two things I should mention. First, either the flu or food poisoning they’re saying hit a couple of the Leafs. Both Hanson and Sjostrom were out of the lineup with illness, and Rosehill had been sent back to the Marlies earlier. The Leafs had called up Stalberg to fill in for Rosehill, and they also managed to get Deveaux from the Marlies, and Kadri from the Knights on emergency recall. Kadri was playing in his first NHL regular season game, and against the Sharks no less! That’s quite a welcome. The other thing I wanted to mention was the atmosphere at the ACC that I noticed over the last couple of games. On Saturday night against Ottawa it seemed almost like a playoff game or something. There was a constant buzz about the crowd and at one point in the third period they even started the wave! Normally the wave dies out after a couple times around the building, but they kept it going around for like two or three minutes! It was amazing. That’s what I noticed about the rest of this game against San Jose. There seemed to be a constant buzz in the stands and it was nowhere near the lackadaisical level the ACC crowd is normally at. It seems as though the trades have sparked not only the players but then fans. This is great to see, I wonder if they’ve started kicking all the suits out and letting the real fans in too. That would certainly help! Anyways, the second period was a really good one. The tempo of this period was really high. Both teams were attacking effectively and the goalies had to be sharp. Overall Toronto again had the edge in play like they did in the first period, but unfortunately they were outscored. San Jose drew even just over 3 minutes in. Off of a faceoff in the Leafs’ zone the puck was drawn right back to Boyle at the point. He loosed a wrister through a big crowd in front and it found it’s way through Giguere. Two and a half minutes later the Sharks would strike again to take a 2-1 lead. San Jose was working the puck down low in the Toronto zone before the puck came to Ponikarovsky along the left wall. It looked like he was going to clear it, but some miscommunication between him and Kessel led to a turnover to Pavelski. He walked across the slot and threw a wrist shot towards the net that eluded Giguere. This goal was a funny one. I think it may have hit the Toronto defenseman’s stick or it was a rolling puck or something, because it looked like a knuckler on the way in. The sudden deficit only strengthened Toronto’s resolve though and they quickly re-took control of the game. On the ensuing faceoff after the Pavelski goal Exelby would have a go with Staubitz in a good little tilt. The Leafs weren’t able to answer back right away on the scoreboard but they would even things up before the period was out. Kessel would score with 51 seconds left to tie things at 2. Off a faceoff in the Sharks’ end Phaneuf would get a couple cracks at Nabokov from the point. When he did manage to get a shot through Nabokov made the save but the rebound was sitting pretty for Kessel to rip in and all of a sudden we had a tie hockey game going in to the third period.

    As has been the trend with the Leafs over the last week, week and a half, they played two really strong periods to start the game only to give a bit of ground in the third period. San Jose mounted their biggest push back in the third period. Things were still pretty even overall but unfortunately San Jose was the only team to score. And it was a heartbreaker too as it would come with only six and a half minutes left. The goal was scored by Clowe and was a really bad break for the Leafs. Off of a dump in the Sharks would maintain control of the puck behind the Leafs’ net. Setoguchi would walk out from the side of the net and center the puck which apparently wasn’t going to one of his teammates as there was no one in the area. But the puck took a bad bounce off some skates and went right to Clowe at the other side of the net. He shoveled it in and mad it 3-2 San Jose. The Leafs would try valiantly to tie this thing up and pulled Giguere with a minute and a half left. They had quite a few good chances to score but nothing went in. A great game to watch but unfortunately an unjust result for the Leafs. They played really well and were the better team once again, but some bad breaks were the difference. What I really liked about this game was that the refs let things go. There were lots of little infractions they could have called on both sides, but they didn’t and the pace of the game flourished because of it. This was a really well officiated game in my opinion.

    As for the Leafs, the guy that looked the best out there to me was Kessel. After such a hot start when he first got back in the lineup he seemed to hit a wall and really cooled off there for a while. This came as no surprise as they guy had been out for 6 months with a major shoulder injury! He would have been playing off adrenaline for the first while there, but eventually he was going to come down. But now it appears as though he’s found his legs and seems to be in mid-season form and you can definitely tell. He gets the puck lately and he’s gone. His speed is remarkable! And Bozak along with him seems to be flourishing and adjusting to NHL life really well. Giguere had another really solid game but just had those bad bounces tonight that cost the Leafs a couple of goals. Nothing much you can do about it. As for the two newcomers, Stalberg played a pretty solid game, nothing spectacular though. As soon as he figured things out and starts using his speed to his advantage like Kessel does, he could be pretty scary. Kadri also had a pretty solid night too, considering it was his first regular season game against a power house like San Jose. He did some good things with the puck in the offensive zone, but he also did some poor things with the puck in the defensive and neutral zones. He had a couple of turnovers and wasn’t hard on the puck here and there, but those mistakes will be fixed naturally with time and experience at the NHL level. All in all it was another really good game by the Leafs. Their new attitude was on display yet again. They were fast, they were tenacious, and they really do seem to be a lot more organized now. One more game to go before the Olympic break, against the Blues. Let’s go out on a high note!

    Box score: Toronto vs. San Jose

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• Premiere Weekend 2010: 6 Teams Premiere Weekend 2010: 6 Teams, 6 Games, 3 Cities, 4 Days

  • From: toewszone0809
  • Description:

    When the NHL announced that the 2010-11 Season would start in Prague, Helsinki, and Stockholm, I thought, "Why not?" Since the inaugural Premiere in London between the Kings and Ducks back in 2007, thoughts on where the next Premiere location were flying just like where the next Winter Classic will be held. In 2008, the Penguins and the Sens played at the Ericsson Globen in Stockholm and the Rangers and the Lightning played at the O2 Arena in Prague. Last year, the Blues and the Swede-ful Red Wings played at the Globen and the Panthers and the Blackhawks played at the home ice of Jokerit: Hartwall Areena in Helsinki. I went to roadwatches for the Hawks-Panthers Pemiere weekend and the energy was similar to a game at the United Center. And Fins were heroes during that Premiere weekend. Ville Koistinen scored the shootout winner in the first game and Antti Niemi posted his first NHL shutout in front of friends and family. This October, the 'Canes and the Wild play in Helsinki, the Sharks and Jackets play in the Globen, and the Bruins and the Coyotes play in Prague. And the good part is, this is the hockey fan's ultimate 4-day weekend. So my advice to you if you're a fan of one of these 6 teams, plan ahead and save some cash, because besides watching the game on TV, the best thing to do is to just be there. Like the Winter Classic, this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience you don't wanna miss.

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• ESPN Power Rankings: Week 20 ESPN Power Rankings: Week 20

  • From: Beatleman2971
  • Description:

    	RK (LW)	TEAM	REC	COMMENT
    	1 (2)	Capitals	41-12-6	For the first time since the second week of the NHL season, the Caps sit atop the Power Rankings. All they had to do was win 14 straight games, including Sunday's thrilling 5-4 overtime win over Pittsburgh, a game in which they trailed 4-1 and Alex Ovechkin scored a hat trick and set up the OT winner.
    	2 (1)	Sharks	38-11-9	It's not like the Sharks really slipped -- they still collected points in 12 of 13 games, and beat both Nashville and St. Louis to close out the week. But here they are at No. 2. Live with it. The addition of defenseman Niclas Wallin from Carolina adds yet another Stanley Cup ring to the Sharks' roster.
    	3 (3)	Blackhawks	38-15-5	The Hawks have fallen off the pace a bit in the West and now are four points back of San Jose (although they are tied in wins). Still, a 2-1 win over St. Louis on Saturday halted a three-game winless streak, their longest of the season.
    	4 (5)	Kings	36-19-3	The Kings spotted Detroit a three-goal lead in the first and then roared back to win 4-3 for their franchise-best ninth straight victory Saturday. They now are in position to have home-ice advantage in a playoff series for the first time since 1992.
    	5 (6)	Coyotes	35-19-5	Yes, coach Dave Tippett's squad did see a six-game winning streak come to an end against his old team, the Dallas Stars, on Saturday night. Still, the Coyotes have to be feeling pretty darn good about themselves, as they are tied with the Kings for fourth in the conference.
    	6 (4)	Canucks	35-20-2	Roberto Luongo helped the Canucks steal two points from Boston on Saturday (OK, so that's a little like taking candy from a baby) and even their marathon road trip at 2-2-0. They are 8-2-0 in their past 10.
    	7 (8)	Devils	36-19-2	The Devils were stoned by Henrik Lundqvist on Saturday but still look to have more offensive jump with Ilya Kovalchuk in the lineup (duh). They have a home-and-home with Philadelphia to start the week, which should prove interesting as they try to keep the Pens at bay at the top of the Atlantic Division standings.
    	8 (9)	Senators	33-22-4	Yes, the Sens had their franchise-record 11-game winning streak broken in spectacular fashion by Toronto on Saturday, but coach Cory Clouston has them humming. And with Buffalo fading, the Sens have a shot at taking over the Northeast Division lead, as they start the week one point back (the Sabres have two games in hand).
    	9 (10)	Penguins	35-22-2	The Penguins had an ordeal getting to Washington for Sunday's game and then had an ordeal closing out the Caps, who stormed back to win 5-4 in overtime after the Pens led 4-1 at one point.
    	10 (7)	Sabres	32-18-7	The Sabres have lost four straight in regulation and won just twice in their past 10 games. Ryan Miller is enduring an uncharacteristic rough patch between the pipes. Wonder whether that's making coach Ron Wilson and the rest of the Team USA brain trust nervous, not to mention Sabres coach Lindy Ruff.
    	11 (11)	Avalanche	32-19-6	Yes, the Avs did beat up on the Edmonton Oilers (what better tonic for a losing skid than a date with the Oil?), but it doesn't mask the fact that Colorado has lost four of six. Still, the Avs are only two back of Vancouver for the Northwest Division lead.
    	12 (15)	Flames	29-21-9	The Flames gave up a weak goal in overtime against Tampa on Saturday but have crawled back into the West playoff picture. Offense is still an issue, but the Flames are showing signs of climbing out of the hole that saw them fall out of the playoff picture a couple of weeks ago.
    	13 (16)	Predators	31-22-4	The Preds hold down the last playoff spot in the West, but they'll have to play better if they want to hang on. They finish the pre-Olympic schedule with four straight road games, starting Tuesday in Long Island.
    	14 (22)	Lightning	25-21-11	The Bolts are getting great goaltending from Antero Niittymaki (again) and just enough scoring to pile up the points. They have won three in a row and six of eight to reassert themselves as a playoff team in the East.
    	15 (23)	Canadiens	28-26-6	The Habs begin the week sixth in the Eastern Conference, although they saw a three-game winning streak broken Sunday when they were shut out 3-0 by the Bruins.
    	16 (12)	Red Wings	27-21-10	The assumption is the Red Wings will somehow be a playoff team as long as they get healthy, but blowing a 3-0 lead against the Kings on Saturday was a reminder the Wings have a long way to go to be the team they've been the past couple of seasons.
    	17 (18)	Wild	29-25-4	The Wild continue to rock at home (20-6-2) and close out the pre-Olympic schedule with three straight on their own ice, which could vault them back into the playoff bracket in the West. Could.
    	18 (17)	Stars	26-21-11	Love the consistency of the Stars' inconsistency. They still have yet to win more than two games in a row this season, although they did produce a great effort in beating Phoenix 4-0 on Saturday.
    	19 (20)	Ducks	27-24-7	Every time you want to count the Ducks out, they win a few games; every time you want to anoint them a playoff team, they drop a few games. Right now, they've won three of four, but they need to close out the pre-Olympic schedule strongly.
    	20 (19)	Blues	25-24-9	The Blues' charge back into the playoff hunt has hit a bit of a speed bump with two straight losses.
    	21 (13)	Flyers	28-25-3	The Flyers have lost four of six in regulation and have seen the offense go dry, scoring just 10 times in those six games -- maybe GM Paul Holmgren should have pushed harder for Ilya Kovalchuk. Still, they start the week in a playoff spot, which is something.
    	22 (21)	Thrashers	25-24-8	Big win Saturday for the Kovalchuk-less Thrashers, as they erased a 2-0 deficit against Florida and won 4-2. They need to prove to themselves they can win without the big Russian but are just one point out of a playoff spot.
    	23 (28)	Rangers	26-26-7	Sterling effort by Lundqvist in an important win Saturday against New Jersey, but the Rangers seem to be a team adrift and in need of a string of quality starts from their top players if they're going to claw back into the playoff mix.
    	24 (24)	Hurricanes	21-30-7	Once again, we give the Canes props for their work ethic even though GM Jim Rutherford is trying his best to acquire assets for players like Niclas Wallin (dealt to San Jose on Sunday), Ray Whitney and likely Matt Cullen. Regardless of the off-ice machinations, the Canes have won six of eight.
    	25 (26)	Bruins	24-22-11	Monster win by the Bruins on Sunday against Montreal, their first victory in 11 outings. Strangely enough, Boston starts the week tied in points for the final playoff spot in the East. Go figure.
    	26 (25)	Blue Jackets	24-27-9	The Blue Jackets seem to have been given new life with the firing of coach Ken Hitchcock and have won two straight.
    	27 (14)	Panthers	24-25-9	GM Randy Sexton can start thinking "sell" as opposed to "buy," as the Panthers have lost three in a row and four of five. Their offense has gone dry; they have just six goals in their past five games.
    	28 (29)	Maple Leafs	19-29-11	Have to wonder what Jonas Gustavsson was doing in net Friday night when the Leafs imploded in the last three minutes, but Jean-Sebastien Giguere has recorded two shutouts since coming over from Anaheim. The Leafs have, for the most part, looked pretty impressive since GM Brian Burke started wheeling and dealing a week ago.
    	29 (27)	Islanders	23-27-8	Yes, the Isles have more points than Carolina and Toronto, but just wait. The bottom has fallen out on the Isles, who have lost seven straight in regulation and not scored more than twice in any of those contests.
    	30 (30)	Oilers	18-33-6	This is the easiest part of the rankings. Go to 30 and write down "Oilers." The sad reality is last week's two-game winning streak (which ended Saturday against Colorado) might well have been a high point for their season.

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• Inside The NHL #73 Inside The NHL #73

  • From: timjim
  • Description:

    Time once again for Inside The NHL.

    Last night's scores were SJS (3) - TOR (2), COL (5) - STL (2), PHX (6) - EDM (1), ANA (4) - LAK (2), and the score from last night's Game Of The Night was PHI (3) - NJD (2).

    Today in the NHL, With a week before the Olympic Break and three weeks untill the Trade Deadline, the Montreal Canadiens are experiencing a major shift in the front office.  Bob Gainey announced on Monday during a press conference that he was leaving his position as General Manager effective immediately.  He is saying that he is not prepared to give the Habs a long-term commitment.  Pierre Gauthier, who was Gainey's assistant, will take over as Excutive V.P and GM.  Gauthier is the 16th General Manager in franchise history.  New Jersey Devils defensemen Anssi Samela is saying he's OK after taking a scary hit to the head from Jeff Carter during last night's Devils-Flyers game.  Samela suffered the scary hit after scoring a shorthanded goal (his 1st Goal of the season) 62 seconds into the 2nd Period when Carter knoched him in the head with his shoulder.  Ryan Getzlaf of the Anaheim Ducks left the Honda Center on crutches Monday night after spraining his left ankle.  There are reports that Getzlaf will undergo an MRI today.  Team Canada Excutive Director Steve Yzerman told NHL.com via text message that he is "waiting for test results" before making a determination of Getzlaf's availability for Team Canada in the Olympics.  Yzerman has until February 15th to replace the injuried Anaheim Duck on the roster.   There are 7 games scheduled for today and they are Predators-Islanders, Panthers-Hurricanes, Flames-Senators, Canucks-Islanders, Red Wings-Blues, Stars-Blackhawks, and my pick for tonight's Game Of The Night is Bruins-Sabres.

    Time for the Quote Of The Day presented by Geico.  Today's quote comes from Washington Capitals coach Bruce Boudreau.  "I am pretty excited and I am really excited for hockey that the game was put on [national] TV today. This is what people pay to see. The superstars shined and there is tension and excitement and physical play. You could see the passion on both sides. This is what hockey is all about."

    Time for last week's 3 Stars.  The 3rd Star was Washington Capitals centermen Nicklas Backstrom.  Backstrom scored 2 goals and 8 assists for 10 points last week and he is projected to score 100 poiunts this season.  The 2nd Star was Jean-Sebastien Giguere of the Toronto Maple Leafs.  The new Toronto goaltender began his Maple Leafs campaign like no other goaltender in franchise history, by posting back-to-back shutouts and ending Ottawa's 11-game winning streak.  And last week's 1st Star and Player Of The Week was Alexander Oveckhin of the Washington Capitals.  The Washington left winger and captain posted 16 points during a 7-game point streak and 36 points in his last 17 games, capping off the week with a hat trick in the Capitals' 14th consective win over the defending Stanley Cup Champions Penguins on Sunday.

    Time for last night's Compuware 3 Stars.  The 3rd Star was Colorado Avalanche rookie right winger Brandon Yip.  Yip had 2 goals in the Avs 5-2 win over the Blues.  The 2nd Star was Corey Perry of the Anaheim Ducks.  The Anaheim right winger had 1 goal and 2 assists for 3 points in the Ducks 4-2 win over the Kings.  And last night's 1st Star and Player Of The Day was Phoenix Coyotes centermen Matthew Lombardi.  Lombardi had 2 goals and 3 assists for 5 points in the Coyotes 6-1 win over the Oilers.

    That's it for this edition of Inside The NHL

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• Inside the Shark Cage, Vol. 61 Inside the Shark Cage, Vol. 61

  • From: SubZero15
  • Description:

    Quite the Whac-A-Mole game for the Sharks has they pounded the Toronto Maple Leafs back into the the NHL cellar with a 3-2 win. It wasn’t pretty, but the Sharks did enough to withstand the newly energized Leafs.

    The game felt like a Western Conference game. It’s always nice to watch the Sharks play Eastern Conference teams since we never see those players. But with the Leafs’ additions of Dion Phaneuf and Jean-Sebastien Giguere, along with Francois Beauchemin, it was like facing the Ducks or Flames.

    Astonishingly, Giguere recorded two shutouts in his first two games as a Maple Leaf. After the first period, the streak was still in tact. Toronto led 1-0 at the first break after completely controlling most of the period. Phanuef was throwing his weight around on Patrick Marleau and Dany Heatley. The Leafs were skating and made the Sharks look very lethargic.

    Jody Shelley tried his best to get some emotions going. He dropped the gloves with Toronto tough guy Colton Orr, and Shelley KO’d him with a right. You don’t see that too often — Orr getting dropped or Shelley KO’ing someone. So you might want to favorite that video on YouTube.

    Right after was when Toronto notched their first goal. Rob Blake turned the puck over behind the net, and a cross-crease pass found Tyler Bozak’s stick.

    The Leafs continued the pressure briefly in the second before the Sharks whacked their first mole. Dan Boyle shot a wrist shot change-up to beat Giguere. Yep, Boyle’s back.

    Two minutes later Joe Pavelski wristed one past Giggy, and yet another mole was whacked to oblivion.

    

    All right, Colton. This is going to be a one-shot KO. Jersey Shore Ronnie style. (From SJSHARKS.com)

    Brad Staubitz sought redemption against Garnet Exelby for a knee-to-knee hit earlier in the game. The two danced, and it was a close fight. Both fighters landed some punches, and Staubitz claimed the takedown.

    The Leafs would score in the last minute of the second to tie the game back up. Curse those relentless moles for popping up.

    Remember last game when I gave you the statistic which read the Sharks are 10-0 in games with multiple fights. Well, make that 11-0. Ryane Clowe buried the puck with seven minutes left to give the good guys the win.

    Nab-credible

    Once again, Mr. Evgeni Nabokov did his best brick wall impersonation, making key save after key save. You just can’t say enough about how great he’s been this year. We’ll have to wait until April to see if he gives the Sharks the real bang for their buck, but if this season is any indication, the Sharks will be living well come postseason.

    Welcome Wallin and Helminen!

    Newly acquired Niclas Wallin made his debut in the #7 sweater tonight and played as advertised. He didn’t make any mistakes and finished with a +1 rating in 17:03 of ice time. He also recorded one shot, one blocked shot and one hit.

    Dwight Helminen was called up for the first time as a Shark. I didn’t hear his name called much, though. He put in nine minutes of work and struggled in the faceoff circle going 1-4.

    Other Notes

    Hit-O-Meter: SJ 26  TOR 34; Scott Nichol led with four.

    The Sharks visit the reeling Blue Jackets on Wednesday. It’s the front end of a back-to-back — Columbus and Detroit.

    From: afanofthegame.wordpress.com

    –Ray

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• The Hockey Show's Carrie Milba The Hockey Show's Carrie Milbank and Talia and Ashley Lobo of the Chicago Blackhawks Ice Crew

  • From: toewszone0809
  • Description:

    This photo was taken inside the Blackhawks dugout during the 2009 NHL Winter Classic at Wrigley Field.

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• LEAFS VS. SENATORS: FEBRUARY 0 LEAFS VS. SENATORS: FEBRUARY 06, 2010

  • From: darthcobain17
  • Description:

    Well, it’s too bad this blog has to start off this way, but the Leafs got bad news this past weekend when it was announced Brian Burke’s son, Brendan, passed away from injuries sustained in a car accident on Friday night. I can’t imagine the feeling of losing a child and I hope I never have to experience what the Burke family is going through right now. I know there is no such thing as a bright side to an unfortunate circumstance like this one, but the Leafs went out and won a big one for Burkie this past Saturday. And I’m talking big time! This game much mirrored the game against New Jersey last Tuesday, the first game after the Leafs pulled the trigger on those two trades. Although Ottawa appeared to be in the game based on the shots, it was all superficial. The Leafs beat the crap out of the Sens right from the get go and never looked back. The Leafs got off to a really quick start in the first period. Kessel would get the Leafs on the board not long before the 5 minute mark while on the powerplay. Kessel would gain the zone off a Leaf rush and drop the puck for Kaberle at the point. Kaberle slid the puck across the point to Phaneuf who one-timed the puck on net. Elliott made the save but a big rebound came to Kessel on the opposite side of the net. His first shot was blocked but the second try went in for a 1-0 Toronto lead. About four minutes after this goal Orr and Carkner got in what is I think their third fight of the season, if I’m remembering correctly. And what a victory by Orr! He got a couple of good ones in at the start and then just crumpled Carkner with a shot that put him to the ice and got the crowd even more raucous than they had been up to this point! Just past the 16 minute mark Schenn would put the Leafs up by two when he broke in down the right wing and just blasted a slapper past Elliott. He got a piece of it but it snuck in between his pad and his glove. Not even 30 seconds later Bozak would put the Leafs up by three on a bit of a bounce. Schenn made a good play to gain the Ottawa zone and get the puck down low in the right corner to Kessel. Kessel threw the puck through the slot to Bozak on the left side who delayed a bit and then made a nice little pass to Ponikarovsky who was right at the top of the crease. Poky didn’t get his stick on it but the puck hit Campoli’s skate and bounced in. Nice the see the Leafs get a bounce for a change! Ottawa took a lot of penalties and were just outplayed really badly in the first period.

    And the second period was even worse! Toronto would raise their game even further believe it or not, but Ottawa would somehow weather the storm and only surrender one goal in the period. The goal came late, from Kessel, and would ultimately be the goal that chased Elliott from the game. And Kessel would do it all himself! After an Ottawa turnover in the neutral zone Kessel grabbed the puck and circled around for a rush. He gained the zone with little trouble and then did his patented cut across the top of the slot move and fired the puck quickly on net. This little trick worked yet again and the Leafs had a commanding 4-0 lead heading in to the third period. Needless to say Giguere had played really well up to this point and was as solid as ever.

    Any resistance the Sens would mount in this game came in the third period but was quickly snuffed out by the Leafs. Although a much closer period than the previous two, it was too late for Ottawa at this point and the end result was never in doubt. The Leafs would tack one more goal on to make the final score 5-0. And guess who? Schenner with the first two goal game of his NHL career! And it was pretty much a carbon copy of his first goal. Schenn pounced on a Spezza turnover at the Leafs blueline and was off to the races. He roared down the right side and blasted another slapper on net. This shot was even better than the first one and beat Leclaire high. Leafs win 5-0 in an absolute trouncing of the Ottawa Senators. There’s nobody more fun to beat than Ottawa!

    As for the Leafs players, obviously Kessel and Schenn were the two best Leafs on this night. Kessel seems back to his normal self and is getting more room now for some reason. And Schenn, geez. After such a disappointing start to the year in the last couple of months he’s been getting stronger and stronger, and it all culminated in this performance. In addition to playing his normal suffocating physical style of defense he was also in big time on the offense. There were two encouraging things about this. First, he looked really fast on the two goals he scored. Foot speed is one of the weaker areas of his game but obviously he’s been working on it. The other weaker area of his game is his shot, and I know he’s been working on it since he started with the Leafs at the start of last season. And that’s quite a lot of progress he’s made too, because those two shots he scored on were absolute bullets. The other guy who deserves a big mention is Giguere. Again he didn’t have to stand on his head but he needed to be good, and good he was. In his first two games since coming over from the Ducks he’s posted two shutouts (see blog thumbnail). If he does this for the rest of the season the Leafs will make the playoffs way easily! Before you get upset with me and say this is unrealistic to expect of Giguere, calm down, I’m joking. There were many other Leafs that had good games. The Sjostrom line looked really good again and Sjostrom himself played a great game. He is going to be living in Phaneuf’s shadow from that trade, but his contributions so far have been just an important. I really like his game. Stempniak looked good again, as did Bozak. Phaneuf was good, Kaberle was good. Hell, the whole team was good! What I liked about the Leafs’ team game on this night was a few things. First, once again their defensive coverage was really good. And having Giguere as the safety button certainly helps when a good scoring chances does get through. The Leafs forecheck was really good, and also what helped a lot was Toronto’s transition game. They would create a turnover and then bang, the puck was already up ice and on it’s way in to enemy territory. Their special teams as I mentioned in my last blog continue to improve and overall this team looks 100% different than they did a week ago. Granted they did blow a big lead to New Jersey on Friday night, but they played a really good game for 99% of it and hey, shit happens. The Leafs right now are playing big, playing with confidence, and it really seems to be rubbing off on every single player in the lineup. Hopefully that keeps up because the Sharks are in town tonight. Grab your harpoons Leafs, we’re going hunting . . .

    Box score: Toronto vs. Ottawa

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• Is there such thing as peaking Is there such thing as peaking too early.

  • From: burgh4life
  • Description:

    The last couple of games that I have seen the caps play were not executed well. I was shocked to see their lack of forcheck and defense in the opening minutes. The teams that they played were no slacks but they also have not been playing their best hockey of the season. Case in point sundays NBC game of the week. The Penguins came out flying and pinned the caps down to a 4-1 score. The caps came back off of a couple of good goals by captain Ovechkin. These goals were not set plays or anything, they were right time right place, great skill goals. These types of goals dont happen all the time. So with all of this I think there is alot of room for the caps to advance the game, but can a streak like the one their on limit their playoff chances.

    Recently in the NHL it has been very tough for teams who streak before march to come into the playoffs hot. The last few seasons the east witnessed Boston, Montreal, and Buffalo come into march as hot as anyone in the league, then they went down without making a cup appearance. All of these teams were great solid teams that knew how to win.  They were teams that had great streaks from january to march, then cooled off. It is tough to say how the caps will fair but maybe it is possible to map out what a possible outcome may be.

    The thing that Boston, Montreal, and Buffalo all lack is Alex Ovechkin. This guy is a game changer that is one of a kind. The fact that he is on the ice for this team makes peaking to early a small issue. The capitals are able to play through alot of this, yet there are some very good teams that could take advantage of the caps if they slip up ever so slightly. Which is what happened to the forementioned teams. The break will also serve as a great way for the caps to rest and work on their defense. I do feel that the caps will be able to have more success than the past eastern champs, but its tough to say that they will be able to win a cup.

    Some of the other teams that are playing great right now are Ottawa and LA. LA is still very young so if they start to slip up it might be very hard for them to continue their consistent play. LA would have to bring in some veteran players if they want to keep that young locker room stable. I dont think the young guns of LA are ready for the big time just yet but they will learn alot this season. Opposite situation in Ottawa. This team is mostly veterans that know how to win, which is great, except when they go to play a younger team that has just as much experience. The young legs might be able to outlast the Ottawa club. I think that Ottawa is going to slow down before april and will be walking into the playoffs instead of kicking down the door and punching everyone in the face.

    If you want to tell me how wrong I am let me know, I love the feedback.

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• Streakbusters! Streakbusters!

  • From: toewszone0809
  • Description:

    This past weekend was all about ending streaks, whether it be winning or losing. Four teams had their streaks ended this weekend; the Ottawa Senators, the Phoenix Coyotes, and the Boston Bruins. The Sens came in with an 11-game win streak headed into T.O. Saturday, but ehen Phil Kessel and Luke Schenn each scored two goals, and J-S Giguere stopped 30 shots en route to a back-to-back shutouts; the first Leaf netminder to do that feat in his first two starts, ended that string of wins for the Sens as the Leafs won 5-0...Oh, yeah; and they were playing for Brendan Burke, who was tragically killed in a car crash in Indiana Friday night at the age of 21. The Coyotes were running a 6-game win streak headed into the Big D, but whoever said that Marty Turco was a over-the-hill goalie was proven wrong Saturday night. Two goals by Jamie Benn and a 34-save shoutout by Turco gave the stars a 4-0 win and snapped the 'Yotes 6-game string. Meanwhile, the Boston Bruins were in the midst of a 10-game losing streak. Once a playoff contender, the B's dropped from playoff contender to bubble team just like that. But that all came to an end on Super Bowl Sunday when two goals by Marco Sturm and a 36-save shutout by Tuukka Rask ended the Bruins' misery at the expense of their biggest rival, the Montreal Canadiens.

    There more to come of this, but it may involve the LA Kings and the Washington Capitals, who may tie the NHL record of longest winning streak of 17 set by the 1992-93 Pittsburgh Penguins when they went 17-0-1 to end their regular season, if they beat the Habs, the Sens and the St. Louis Blues this week. So stay tuned...

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• PRE TRADE DEADLINE UPDATE #2: PRE TRADE DEADLINE UPDATE #2: FEBRUARY 08, 2010

  • From: darthcobain17
  • Description:

    The trade market is starting to heat up before the pre-Olympic freeze! In the next week we’ll see if anything else happens, but for now I am going to comment on the two trades that happened at the end of last week and over the weekend. First, last Thursday Atlanta finally traded superstar forward Ilya Kovalchuk, along with defenseman Anssi Salmela to the New Jersey Devils. In return Atlanta acquired defenseman Johnny Oduya, rookie (and Calder contender) forward Niclas Bergfors, prospect Patrice Cormier and New Jersey’s 2010 first round draft pick. The teams also traded their second round picks in 2010. As for Kovalchuk, my thoughts on him echo that of the Sportsnet panel . . . I wouldn’t have touched him with a 10 foot pole! Heck, even a 12 foot pole for that matter. He is a game breaker type of player, but his commitment to any one team is negligible. There has been lots of talk about his want to test the dollar figure he could cash in on via the free agency market, along with his willingness to sign on in the KHL if the price is right. For this deal to pay off for the Devils one of both of two things has to happen. Either a) New Jersey wins the Cup this year with Kovalchuk; and/or b) the Devils are able to re-sign Kovalchuk this summer to a somewhat longer term type of deal. Granted none of the players New Jersey gave up are of the caliber Kovalchuk is, but they are all young and will probably be at least good and reliable NHL players (plus the first rounder). Off the bat I’d say Atlanta won this trade battle, but it all hinges on what happens this spring in the playoffs and in the summer with the contract. Only time will tell.

    The other trade that took place, on Sunday night, involved I’m sure the first of many changes that may be taking place in Carolina in the coming weeks. The Hurricanes traded defenseman Niclas Wallin and their fifth round pick in 2010 to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for San Jose’s second round pick in 2010. For Carolina it’s a little something for the future, and for San Jose they gain a veteran defenseman who has been to the dance before. He’s no Bobby Orr but he’s a solid veteran presence on the blueline that should only help solidify the Sharks’ defense on a potential Stanley Cup run.

    I can’t wait for trade deadline day!

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• The Caps Fan in Me VS. The Fly The Caps Fan in Me VS. The Flyers Fan in Me

  • From: Alicia44
  • Description:

    As many of you already know, the Washington Capitals are my second favorite team. They come after the Flyers of course. I guess you can call me a bandwagon fan if you want because I wasn’t a fan until Ovechkin came into the NHL but I’m not ashamed of that. Superstars help to grow a fan base and Ovechkin has helped make the Verizon Center one of the best arenas in the NHL to play in. Having more than one favorite team has its perks but it probably has more negatives than positives.

    Right now I’m feeling one of the negatives. The Caps are on a 14 game winning streak. They are looking downright unbeatable. It’s not even like they are flying out of the gate at the start of every game and scoring the first goal. They are coming from behind. Just when you think they have finally fallen back to earth and are going to see their winning streak come to an end, they come back from a 2 goal deficit or a 3 goal deficit. They are never done until the final horn sounds. They are absolutely running away with the Eastern Conference title right now. They are the hottest team in the league and the best team in the league without a doubt. Ovechkin is having another dominant season and showing the haters that he can do more than score. Brooks Laich is playing fantastic and is still remarkably under the radar. Mike Knuble is doing what is expected of him every night. And Semin and Backstrom keep flying under the radar with Laich but playing some outstanding hockey. Things are pretty much perfect for the Caps right now so you might ask: “What could be so negative about any of this?” Well the problem is that I cannot enjoy this right now because the team that I love the most and the only team I support more than the Capitals is struggling and is 29 points behind the guys in the red.

    That’s right; the Flyers are back to struggling again after finally getting things back together and back on track again. They are in that tight race with the bubble teams. They are the 8^th seed but the 9^th and 10^th seeded teams also have 59 points. They had their chances to break away from the pack. They were in 6^th in the East and looked like they could actually catch the Senators. The Senators going on that long winning streak didn’t help their cause, but the Flyers didn’t do their part that they could control. Last week the Flyers should have gotten 6 points; they got 2. They were shut out by the Edmonton Oilers who played as bad as the standings show they are (no offense meant there). But the Flyers couldn’t score a single goal against them. Then they lost to the Minnesota Wild in a game where they could only manage one goal on 39 shots. Their special teams have looked pathetic and I could write a long list of players that aren’t showing up. It’s pretty sad when your 4^th line looks like your best line.

    Clearly I am feeling conflicted. My one team is absolutely dominating and looks poised for a run at the Stanley Cup and my other team looks like it is going to be a struggle just to make the playoffs despite being picked by many to win the Stanley Cup. Thankfully there is a cure-all for this. The Olympic break is just about here. The Flyers have 4 more games to go and the Caps have 3 more games. The Caps could be heading into the break with a 17 game winning streak. The best the Flyers could do is 4 in a row. All season I have been very concerned with what the Olympic break could do to teams. It’s a long break but right now I think it’s just what the Flyers need. The players that aren’t playing in the Olympics are going to get some much needed rest and the players that are in the Olympics might get some motivation from playing in games that are so important to them. Many people think that Mike Richards specifically is going to benefit from these Olympics.

    So all I can really ask for is that the Flyers try and roll or at least glide into the Olympic break instead of down falling like they are doing now. And from the Caps I honestly can’t ask for anything else because they have been nothing short of spectacular. I know that the NHL season is a long season and a tough and winding road but the Flyers are making it harder than it should be. Losses are fine but when you lose games like the one they threw away against Atlanta or when they lost in the final seconds in Edmonton, that’s just flat out bad. Those are games you aren’t supposed to lose. This isn’t the NBA, so any team can be the best team any given night, but the Flyers aren’t just losing to teams like Pittsburgh, Washington, and Ottawa. They are losing to teams that they CAN play better than, but they have not been taking advantage of those matchups. Losing to elite teams is one thing and it frustrates fans because those are supposed to be games that we can use as the Flyers’ measuring stick, but losing to the teams that clearly are not great is unacceptable.

    Here’s to hoping that the post Olympic break Flyers show something much more convincing and actually look like a playoff win capable of going for a long run and that the Capitals just keep bringing more of the same.

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• Gamby

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• Inside The NHL #72 Inside The NHL #72

  • From: timjim
  • Description:

    Time once again for Inside The NHL.

    Last night's scores were BOS (3) - MTL (0) and the score from last night's Game Of The Night was WSH (5) - PIT (4) OT.

    Today in the NHL, On Satuday, the Detroit Red Wings traded left winger Ville Leino to the Philadelphia Flyers for defensemen Ole-Kristian Tollefsen and a fifth-round draft pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.  On Sunday, the San Jose Sharks acquired Niclas Wallin from the Carolina Hurricanes.  The Canes also sent their own fifth-round draft pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft to San Jose for Buffalo's second-round pick.  Last night, the Atlanta Thrasher recalled goaltender Kari Lehtonen from the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League.  Lehtonen went 1-1-2 recod with a 2.67 Goals Against Average and a .899 save percentage.  His last game of action was April 11, 2009, when he made 33 saves in a win against the Lighting.  He was suffering from a back injury.  There are 5 games scheduled for tonight and they are Sharks-Maple Leafs, and my pick for tonight's Game Of The Night is Devils-Flyers.

    There is no Quote Of The Day today.

    Time for last night's Compuware 3 Stars.  The 3rd Star was Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins.  The Pittsburgh centermen had 2 goals in the Pens 5-4 Overtime loss to the Capitals.  The 2nd Star was Boston Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask.  Rask stopped all 36 shots he faced in the Bruins 3-0 win over the Canadiens.  And last night's 1st Star and Player Of The Day was Alexander Oveckhin of the Washington Capitals.  The Washington left winger had a hat trick plus 1 assist for 4 points in the Caps' 14th consective victory over the Penguins last night.

    That's it for this edition of Inside The NHL.

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• NHL and the Olympics NHL and the Olympics

  • From: carrickcraig
  • Description:

    The NHL (and all professional athletes) need to get out of the Olympics.  I think it is embarassing and ridiculous that the NHL players go the Olympics.  The Olympics were never intended for millionares.  They were intended for athletes who play for the love of the sport alone, live in the Olympic village, eat in the Olympic cafeteria, and who actually live in the country for which they are playing.  Can you imagine if the Olympics were a U-21 extravaganza?  The World Juniors were amazing.  Imaging the Word Juniors on steriods (so to speak).  If the gold medal game turns into a Stanley Caup final it kind of screws the whole thing up. 

    I don't fault the NHL for trying, but the time has come to end this insanity.  It makes the NHL seem like a common, slefish, money grubbing Olympic sport like, say, basketball.  (Think, 1988 US Olympic team throwing TV's out of windows . . . basket ball without the tatoos and guns.)

     

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• Inside the Shark Cage, Vol. 60 Inside the Shark Cage, Vol. 60

  • From: SubZero15
  • Description:

    Quite the Nab-tacular performance for the Sharks as they beat the Nashville Predators 4-3. There was no doubt goalie Evgeni Nabokov was the most spectacular player on the ice. He made 35 saves in the victory.

    The Sharks were sloppy all night with their puck management, continuing to struggle with giveaways. These weren’t just harmless neutral zone giveaways — these were giveaways right in front of Nabokov. I don’t know how Nabby made some of the saves he did, but all the guys should treat him out to a week of meals and the finest Russian vodka you can find.

    Dan Boyle made his return and showed no signs of rust. Coach Todd McLellan kept Derek Joslin up as a seventh defenseman just in case Boyle struggled. He didn’t and Boyle played nearly 20 minutes (19:10).

    Despite the turnovers, Nashville couldn’t put the Sharks away. The Preds took the lead three times, and each time the Sharks came back to tie it.

    Dany Heatley scored two power play goals and now leads the NHL in goals on the man advantage with 14. That means almost half of Heater’s goals come on the power play. I don’t know what to say about that. Should it be a concern he needs opponents to be shorthanded to score? I don’t think so now that I think about it. That’s actually pretty good. Keep him on the ice for the full two minutes now. Ha.

    

    I'm picturing myself giving the 21 gun salute. (From SJSHARKS.com)

    Brad Staubitz and Rob Blake were the other goal-scorers. Blake’s marker put him ahead of Doug Wilson on the all-time goals for defenseman list.

    Sharks commentator Randy Hahn threw out an interesting statistic last night. Prior to the game, Nashville was 10-0 when Joel Ward scored a goal, and the Sharks were 9-0 when they have multiple fights in a game. Guess what? Both happened and the Sharks improve to 10-0 with more than one boxing match.

    Unfortunately, both fights were Jody Shelley getting railed on by Wade Belak. It was ugly. Shelley wasn’t throwing — just hanging on. Oh well. It worked in the bigger picture.

    Airheads

    Nashville fans talk a lot of smack for no apparent reason. They use the “you suck” chants more than any other team. Why? Your team is the face of perennial mediocrity. Instead of insulting opponents, maybe you should insult your own team for blowing leads.

    Other Notes

    Hit-O-Meter: SJ 17  NSH 20; Scott Nichol led with four.

    The Sharks travel to Toronto to face the Maple Leafs, Monday. It won’t be entirely different from playing the Western Conference now that Jean-Sebastien Giguere and Dion Phaneuf are there.

    From: afanofthegame.wordpress.com

    –Ray

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• hockeynmusic

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• The power of 'Zus compels King The power of 'Zus compels Kings over Wings

  • From: life_in_hockeywood
  • Description:
    

    Game 58: Kings 4, Red Wings 3
    
    When Wayne Gretzky broke Gordie Howe's goal record in 1994, I bought a t-shirt to commemorate the event. When Luc Robitaille broke Marcel Dionne's club scoring record in 2006, I bought a t-shirt to commemorate the event.
    
    I doubt they'll sell a t-shirt to commemorate a winning streak. But if they did, I'd be tempted to buy one. Because the game itself was one for the ages.
    
    After a good friend (thanks, Glenn) offered me his tickets for the game, I made the wet trek to Staples to watch the Kings try to continue winning. The Red Wing Contingent was strong as always, with Yzerman jerseys, Zetterberg t-shirts and Stanley Cup hats seemingly the uniform of choice.
    
    For the past eight games, the Kings have won in a variety of ways: two were never in question (Columbus and Toronto), four wins came in the third period (Detroit, New Jersey, New York and Anaheim), and two came way of shootouts (Buffalo and Boston).
    
    But never had the Kings been down as many as three goals, as they found themselves Saturday. Staples was rocking, but mostly by Detroit fans, who were hooting and hollering like they just clinched a playoff berth.
    
    Which is funny, because the Wings have been struggling all season, running the risk of missing the playoffs for the first time in 19 seasons. Injuries have been the biggest factor of Detroit's swoon, and it was hoped the two days off they had prior to Saturday's contest would allow them to lick their wounds and get healthy. Well it worked, albiet for one period.
    
    The Red Wings got two goals from Henrik Zetterberg and another from Valtteri Filppula to give Detroit a seemingly insurmountable lead. Kings fans were grumbling during the first intermission, bemoaning the team's lackluster showing in the first. The grumbling continued as the teams played for nine minutes non-stop to start off the second period.
    
    The grumbling stopped at 9:16 in the second, when Alexander Frolov scored to put the Kings on the board. Then the mood changed from "Aww, man..." to "Oh man!" The Kings had been in this position before, and fans knew more goals were coming.
    
    Michal Handzus scored an unassisted goal when Jimmy Howard bumbled the puck, allowing the Slovakian Scrapper to pop it past the rookie goalie to make it 3-2. Wings fans were conspicuously quiet, as Kings fans started giving them grief.
    
    Then Ryan Smyth accidentially intercepted a Wayne Simmonds pass to a wide-open Jarret Stoll, only to backhand it through traffic and into the back of the net to tie the game. Staples was ecstatic, as it was anyone's game heading into the third, and the Kings hadd all the momentum.
    
    Detroit did their best to try and shift it back, but Handzus comes through once again. When Howard can't control a Frolov rebound, the wily veteran slid across the crease and scored to put the Kings up with less than three minutes to go. I decided to head downstairs and beat the crowd, since I had to jet out to West Covina for work.
    
    But with 30 seconds left in the period, I found myself drawn back into the arena to experience something that I haven't heard since 2001: the roar. The sheer excitement of 18,000+ fans going nuts (minus the 3,000 or so Wings fans) washed over me as I cracked a smile.
    
    I doubt you could make a t-shirt to capture that feeling. I'm just glad I was there. Now it's on to Anaheim, where I'll be invading The Ponda with a hundred of so rabid Kings fans for the Kings/Ducks game Monday.
    
    For more Kings news, blogs and video...

    
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