Archive for March 29th, 2009
NHL GAMES & PICKS
For in depth look into the NHL teams records and preview of tonight’s games please go back to the “Home Page” on Hockey God, at the bottom lower left hand side:
Click on “Scoreboard” and review every game by clicking in the individual games being played on Sunday.
Tonight’s Picks
NSH @ DET: Take RED WINGS
STL @ CLB: Take BLUE JACKETS
OTT @ TBL: Take SENATORS
VAN @ CHI: Take BLACKHAWKS
BOS @ PHI: Take FLYERS
COL @ ANA: Take DUCKS
MIN @ EDM: Take OILERS
HOCKEY HITS FOR SUNDAY
ABOVE FIGHT BETWEEN TOOTOO VS. STAUBITZ
It couldn’t have happened to a guy in hockey that deserves it more that plays a certain role since coming into the league he continuously cheap shots opposing players.
Yes, the fight that saw Nashville’s Jordon Tootoo get pummeled by the Sharks Brad Staubitz could only say one thing about it in hockey …. It’s about time!
Tootoo runs guys from behind, throws punches after the linesman come into the altercation and at times head hunts with his hits. He plays a game that I respect because he backs up his actions on the ice and doesn’t turn away from fights, but he has always gone overboard with the other stuff.
GM David Poile shockingly reportedly called the league office after this fight because he felt that Staubitz used tools learned by ultimate fighting and he felt that was improper. Doug Wilson Sharks GM was irate that Poile would call the league and not himself to discuss the incident further between them first.
Tootoo had it coming that much is known around hockey among the tougher players and there is definitely elbows thrown in the fight that you can clearly see when the video slows down above. The NHL reportedly has said a fight is a fight and they can do nothing about the odd elbow landing with punches.
REFS TARGET AVERY?
It seems that every time Sean Avery is on the ice in the games that I myself have watched with the Rangers the refs are watching him very closely almost at times way overboard. Most refs won’t always call it but some are and that is wrong and John Tortorella wants the league to know.
According to the New York papers the players are noticing this trend as well and think it’s not fair.
“I’m the first one to say that Sean makes his own bed with some of the things that happened, but I think he’s done his penance here,” Tortorella said. “All I want is, I hope he’s given a fair shake. He does something stupid on the ice, give him a penalty. If it warrants him getting kicked out the game, kick him out. The way he’s trying to concentrate on the game, and the way he’s trying to play, I hope he gets treated fairly.”
Referring to Avery, Henrik Lundqvist said, “It comes to a point where we’ll probably have to have a discussion with some guys about this. He gets hit from behind , he gets slashed, there’s no calls. I expected it the first couple of games, but . . . ”
The low-key captian Chris Drury was outspoken as well. “I do think that Sean is a marked guy,” Drury said. “He’s played extremely hard and clean since he’s been back.”
Typical of the league to over play this and shame on any ref that allows anything from the outside creep into the game itself and this is from me I hate the kid. Let the game dictate the calls not the boardroom or bias people have for Avery.
PANTHERS HAVE DALLAS SEEING STARS
Saturday’s huge playoff implication game between the Dallas Stars and Florida Panthers put the final knock out punch to the cocky stars.
Even the Stars own announcers while I was watching the game sounded cocky only to have them eat their own words when the Panthers stormed back for the critical win.
The Stars loss a 6-3 beat down at the hands of the Panthers pretty much ends any playoff hopes for the Stars. As for the Panthers they are still in the mix in the East with the victory giving them 85 points one point out of 8th and the final playoff spot.
So that leaves a log jam in the 7th-8th and 9th spots that currently belong to the Rangers, Habs and the Panthers. Both the Panthers & Rangers have 6 games left and the Habs 7 there by bringing this right down to the wire. I know as a Canadian I should want the Canadian team to get in but I have a soft spot for what coach Pete DeBoer has done with the young Panthers roster.
TWO DEFENCE AWARDS
The NHL needs to bring in a second award for defenceman to go with the Norris Trophy winner.
This season has made it more prevalent than other years but this is a trophy that must be tweaked for the end of the season awards that moves to Las Vegas this year.
A trophy for the best defenceman as is the Norris and then another for the best offensive defenceman. I don’t care what you call it but it needs to change to reward both good solid defensive play and then the offensive D that still keeps his defensive responsibilities in tact.
This season the offensive defenceman would go to Washington’s Mike Green who is well on his way to a 30 goal 70 point season to lead the NHL.
Defensive award would go to Zdeno Chara who not only takes great care of his own end for the Eastern Conference leading Boston Bruins but he himself has 16 goals and is good for 43 points.
TORONTO CALL UP FIGHTING HIS WAY
Defenceman Phil Oreskovic has been listening to General Manager Brian Burke talk the last few months about how he wants his Leafs players to play the game.
For whatever the former OHLer lacks in terms of the defensive zone he makes up for in toughness. Oreskovis fought Calgary tough guy Andre Roy a few weeks back but then last night taking on and starting the fight with the Bruins tough youngster Milan Lucic.
Burke has said that there are at least a half dozen NCAA players that could be ready for NHL action next season. Matt Gilroy is a kid that Burke has watched very closely this season and is among the teams interested in landing the college kid.
KOHO TO RETIRE
Long time NHL referee Don Koharski is set to retire from the NHL April 9th.
Koharski is a solid ref that has a rep for letting the players play and is among one of the refs that players respect in the game.
Best known to the public years ago for the ” have another donut” incident/remark with then Devils coach Jim Shoenfeld causing the refs to walk out on the job in support of Koharski.
For Hockey God I’m Dave Frost
