Yes, it's that time again friends. The first day of free agency. A day so exciting Canada made it a national holiday.
Where will Kovy end up?
Will Rick Dudley do anything brilliant/insane/none of the above?
If you're too lazy to range all over the 'Tubes to find out what is going on then stick with us here at TBC as we consolidate all the info on the big moves.
9:30 am- Keven Allen says Atlanta will be making another effort to sign Moose and will be looking for a forward this afternoon.
Gonchar is officially going to the open market.
Dan Ellis is NOT going to sign with Montreal before noon today. Time to start a campaign: "IF NOT MOOSE, THEN ELLIS!"
10:25 am- Apparently the Flames are expecting something to happen today. They have their press conference podium up and ready to go already. But it's not a stretch for any team to expect to have SOMETHING to address the media about today.
What do we still have we can give up to get Jarome Iginla?
10:35- Custance: "Hedberg and Thrashers still talking, but no agreement yet. Other options for the Moose include NYR, MTL, NJD..."
REALLY don't want to see Moose in any of those sweaters. Pay the man, Dudley!
Eklund shamelessly pandering to crazy Leafs fans by saying that he "thinks the Leafs will be in on" Kovy.
11:00- A funny: TheFourthPeriod I would not be surprised if FLA makes pitch for Kovalchuk... just like I would not be surprised when he says 'no thanks'
11:35- Posts will get a little bit sparser over the next little while. I have errands to run but will be watching everything on my Droid (which I call 'Whistler' and have an R2D2 ringtone for) and posting when I can.
12:00- And Marty Biron to the Rangers is the first deal done. Good solid backup but a little pricey for the role.
Kevin Allen says Dudley is still awaiting an answer from Moose.
12:10- Eklund says Moose talking to Habs. IF NOT MOOSE, THEN ELLIS!
GONCHAR TO SENS. First big move of the day.
Erik Christiensen signs with NYR. Have fun with that.
Gonch 5.5 mil per year. NTC.
Coburn re-signed by Flyers.
12:30- Lots of Savard for Regher Bos-Cal talk. Both players have NTC.
Army talking to the Leaf. I really hope he goes West. Don't want to play him often.
Interesting tweets between Ben Wright and John Manasso about Savard and Peter Bondra.
1:20- been on the road for last half hour. St. Louis signs extension in Tampa for 5.5 mil/ year.
Z. Michalek to Pit. Paul Martin was rumored to be going there. Now who knows?
1:50- Army a Leaf. How many Thrashers' bones will he break next time plays Atlanta?
Nittymakii to the Sharks. Good to see him out of the East.
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query moose. Sort by date Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by relevance for query moose. Sort by date Show all posts
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Screw It, Let's Just Cold Live Blog This Ball Gag of a Game
- As I start this here live-blog (or, as I prefer to think of it, this "love-blog"), I'd like to take a moment to acknowledge that the Thrashers are losing 3 to fucking 0 at the end of the 1st Period. Matt McConnell is all like, "Well they're fragile" and Darren Eliot is getting progressively drunker. John Anderson has projectile vomited all over the place and Olympian Ondrej Pavelec (through not much fault of his own) has been chucked from the game in favor of Moose Hedberg. We're well on our way to losing 6 in a row. This is straight-up bullshit, dude.
- Before the 3rd Boston goal Big Shooter and I were talking about how awesome Pavel Kubina is. He's perhaps the only great man on the team, aside from Enstrom, Moose, and Kovalchuk. And the rest of them at the beginning of the season. How did this team become so bad? Oh hey Thrashers on the power play woooooooo
- Kovy with a hellacious one-timer that just cold bounces off this one dude and misses the net. Boston nearly scores short-handed but Moose is like NOOOOOOO.
- 1st period ends. Let the John Anderson blitzkrieg begin.
- How about that Team Canada, hmmmmm? Does Duncan Keith's chemistry with Brent Seabrook mean that he can't play with forgotten men like Jay Bouwmeester or Mike Green? Who is Patrice Bergeron anyway? Oh, a member of the team that's currently dining on our anguish. Darren Eliot looking sharp.
- I think I'm going to make a documentary called "My Team Canada," all about how I'm not certain about Brent Seabrook being an Olympian. It will be a harrowing portrait of human relationships and attachments.
- Still intermission. I wonder what kind of objects are being thrown/punched/burned alive in the visitors' locker room over at TD Garden. To entertain ourselves, here's a picture of a woman and a journalist dog:
- OOOOOH 2nd period.
- That Thrashers power play was an ill-bred swamp cur.
- Now, normally the Thrashers just suck all the time. But this season, they started off pretty well, then started to suck. Normally, when teams are reasonably good but go through a rough patch, they do something fairly radical to shake things up. Some teams fire coaches. Some teams fire entire front offices. Some teams, like the Columbus Blue Jackets, make a trade. The Thrashers have decided that the extra spark the boys needed was benching Todd White.
- Needless to say it isn't working. So far. Whoa hey Bruins power play, because of Colby "Marian Hossa" Armstrong.
- Two Thrashers, who I think were Evander Kane and Rich Peverley, had a damn fine short-handed chance but it didn't work.
- Sweet Jesus, another penalty. This time it's Nik "Yuri Andropov" Antropov.
- Boston penalty, 4 on 4, you all know what this means. What does it mean? Thorburn and the Party had a good chance but, etc.
- Oh I get it. The Thorburn-Reasoner shorthanded bid LED TO Chara's penalty. Funny how hockey works.
- Great big 3-on-1 play for Boston, which leads Christoph Schubert to be all "uh oh" and take a penalty. We will be on the penalty kill forever.
- Moose is, as ever, solid. It's criminal lunacy that he wasn't selected for Team Sweden. I mean, who is Jonas Gustavsson anyway?
- What a save. What a save.
- Thrashers just cold murdered that penalty. Kovalchuk and Antropov are out and about. WHAT WILL HAPPEN? It's a bizarre mystery.
- Some surly Bruin had a breakaway but was stopped by one of Moose's patented way-out-of-the-net Moose-checks.
- Idea for a National Geographic documentary: "Defensive Responsibility: What Is It and Where Does It Live?"
- Another one? ANOTHER ATLANTA PENALTY? Pavel Kubina to the box, Bruins to the power play, me to hopelessness.
- Well, they are killing it so far.
- Haha Mark Recchi remember him? OH LOOK FAMOUS TEAM CANADA MAN PATRICE BERGERON SCORES A GOAL, FOR PLEASURE.
- Is this the natural final state of the Thrashers before their inevitable entropic heat death? Kovalchuk playing awesomely (though not, alas, in this game) and everyone else mouldering? I mean, really? There's a terrible feeling of decline and fall in the air.
- End of 2nd period. Oh woe, woe betide.
- Presented without comment:
- So, Jeremy Morin, what's the deal with him, hmm? I interviewed him back in the day, but everyone (including our own Big Shooter) says the poor man can't skate. How does this happen?
- Just to clarify: when I interviewed him I didn't ask him about his skating.
- Because that might have been rude. But journalists are supposed to be a bit rude. What ever happened to the days of the whiskey-soaked, tobacco-inhaling journalist chasing down some scathing exposé or hell-raising, muck-raking story that might put him (I use this pronoun because back in the day almost all journos were teh Men) at risk, but he's all "Oh I don't care, I'm a journalist?" I'm looking at YOU, "Fast" Willy Tiller!
- Blake Wheeler, a former Santiago Swine. Who are the Santiago Swine, you ask? They are 1) only the greatest team in Blueland Chronicle Fantasy League history, and 2) one of the teams that will come into the NHL when it expands to Latin America.
- If Marty Reasoner and James van Riemsdyk had a kid it would be named "James van Reasonerdyk." It would be a lesbian.
- WAHAHAHA RIEMSDYK. RIEMSDYK. Say it again.
- I'm not sure why I'm thinking of James van Riemsdyk.
- Thrashers were on the power play a while ago, for Comedy.
- This Thrashers season is like being led on by a charming, intelligent, and attractive girl and then not only blown off, but blown off and thrown in front of a steamroller, and not only a steamroller but a fast one with hydraulics.
- Slava Kozlov, remember him? His hand appears to be hurt.
- Why am I even watching this game, much less love-blogging it? Whoa hey it looks like the Thrashers are going to end this malfunctioning pneumatic donkey punch of a game on a pretend power play.
- Aaaaaaaand that just about does it for Thrashers hockey in the 00s. A fitting finishing touch to a decade of shame.
- Before the 3rd Boston goal Big Shooter and I were talking about how awesome Pavel Kubina is. He's perhaps the only great man on the team, aside from Enstrom, Moose, and Kovalchuk. And the rest of them at the beginning of the season. How did this team become so bad? Oh hey Thrashers on the power play woooooooo
- Kovy with a hellacious one-timer that just cold bounces off this one dude and misses the net. Boston nearly scores short-handed but Moose is like NOOOOOOO.
- 1st period ends. Let the John Anderson blitzkrieg begin.
- How about that Team Canada, hmmmmm? Does Duncan Keith's chemistry with Brent Seabrook mean that he can't play with forgotten men like Jay Bouwmeester or Mike Green? Who is Patrice Bergeron anyway? Oh, a member of the team that's currently dining on our anguish. Darren Eliot looking sharp.
- I think I'm going to make a documentary called "My Team Canada," all about how I'm not certain about Brent Seabrook being an Olympian. It will be a harrowing portrait of human relationships and attachments.
- Still intermission. I wonder what kind of objects are being thrown/punched/burned alive in the visitors' locker room over at TD Garden. To entertain ourselves, here's a picture of a woman and a journalist dog:
- OOOOOH 2nd period.
- That Thrashers power play was an ill-bred swamp cur.
- Now, normally the Thrashers just suck all the time. But this season, they started off pretty well, then started to suck. Normally, when teams are reasonably good but go through a rough patch, they do something fairly radical to shake things up. Some teams fire coaches. Some teams fire entire front offices. Some teams, like the Columbus Blue Jackets, make a trade. The Thrashers have decided that the extra spark the boys needed was benching Todd White.
- Needless to say it isn't working. So far. Whoa hey Bruins power play, because of Colby "Marian Hossa" Armstrong.
- Two Thrashers, who I think were Evander Kane and Rich Peverley, had a damn fine short-handed chance but it didn't work.
- Sweet Jesus, another penalty. This time it's Nik "Yuri Andropov" Antropov.
- Boston penalty, 4 on 4, you all know what this means. What does it mean? Thorburn and the Party had a good chance but, etc.
- Oh I get it. The Thorburn-Reasoner shorthanded bid LED TO Chara's penalty. Funny how hockey works.
- Great big 3-on-1 play for Boston, which leads Christoph Schubert to be all "uh oh" and take a penalty. We will be on the penalty kill forever.
- Moose is, as ever, solid. It's criminal lunacy that he wasn't selected for Team Sweden. I mean, who is Jonas Gustavsson anyway?
- What a save. What a save.
- Thrashers just cold murdered that penalty. Kovalchuk and Antropov are out and about. WHAT WILL HAPPEN? It's a bizarre mystery.
- Some surly Bruin had a breakaway but was stopped by one of Moose's patented way-out-of-the-net Moose-checks.
- Idea for a National Geographic documentary: "Defensive Responsibility: What Is It and Where Does It Live?"
- Another one? ANOTHER ATLANTA PENALTY? Pavel Kubina to the box, Bruins to the power play, me to hopelessness.
- Well, they are killing it so far.
- Haha Mark Recchi remember him? OH LOOK FAMOUS TEAM CANADA MAN PATRICE BERGERON SCORES A GOAL, FOR PLEASURE.
- Is this the natural final state of the Thrashers before their inevitable entropic heat death? Kovalchuk playing awesomely (though not, alas, in this game) and everyone else mouldering? I mean, really? There's a terrible feeling of decline and fall in the air.
- End of 2nd period. Oh woe, woe betide.
- Presented without comment:
- So, Jeremy Morin, what's the deal with him, hmm? I interviewed him back in the day, but everyone (including our own Big Shooter) says the poor man can't skate. How does this happen?
- Just to clarify: when I interviewed him I didn't ask him about his skating.
- Because that might have been rude. But journalists are supposed to be a bit rude. What ever happened to the days of the whiskey-soaked, tobacco-inhaling journalist chasing down some scathing exposé or hell-raising, muck-raking story that might put him (I use this pronoun because back in the day almost all journos were teh Men) at risk, but he's all "Oh I don't care, I'm a journalist?" I'm looking at YOU, "Fast" Willy Tiller!
- Blake Wheeler, a former Santiago Swine. Who are the Santiago Swine, you ask? They are 1) only the greatest team in Blueland Chronicle Fantasy League history, and 2) one of the teams that will come into the NHL when it expands to Latin America.
- If Marty Reasoner and James van Riemsdyk had a kid it would be named "James van Reasonerdyk." It would be a lesbian.
- WAHAHAHA RIEMSDYK. RIEMSDYK. Say it again.
- I'm not sure why I'm thinking of James van Riemsdyk.
Day Man-It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia - watch more funny videos
- Thrashers were on the power play a while ago, for Comedy.
- This Thrashers season is like being led on by a charming, intelligent, and attractive girl and then not only blown off, but blown off and thrown in front of a steamroller, and not only a steamroller but a fast one with hydraulics.
- Slava Kozlov, remember him? His hand appears to be hurt.
- Why am I even watching this game, much less love-blogging it? Whoa hey it looks like the Thrashers are going to end this malfunctioning pneumatic donkey punch of a game on a pretend power play.
- Aaaaaaaand that just about does it for Thrashers hockey in the 00s. A fitting finishing touch to a decade of shame.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Hunne de Chocolate, Hunne de Moose
Moose moose, hunne de Moose.
Well, that about says it all doesn't it folks... very nice game. I always enjoy seeing a good Moose dance in the shootout. Vinny, you got nuttin.
Todd White, congratulations on goal number 20. Deep down we all know this is really your team:
Coach's Corner:
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
A Few Things
- Hockey kitsch, hockey kitsch, hockey kitsch. Seriously. Look at it again and tell me it's not the beginning of a bold new style in hockey design and life.
- There I go again, complaining about those dastardly Thrashers marketing folks, when they've just gone and done something endearing and entertaining. Here's a video of Johan Hedberg showing you around his crib/Moose Lair.
Eh, moose moose. Hun de Moose, hun the Moose Lair.
- Via Puck Daddy, a hilarious video of Jason Spezza getting caught (by buzzkill king Ron Wilson) with an illegal stick and frantically trying to escape an inspection. His escape attempt fails, and he doesn't even score a goal after his penalty to spite everyone. He could learn from the master criminals. Anyway, the video:
- This is embarrassing. Can Atlanta finally just secede from the Baby Jeebus Wingnut Republic of Georgia and become an independent city-state? Ooh, ooh, and we get to annex Athens and Savannah as well, high-speed trains can link all three; it'll be like we're all West Berlin, small islands of freedom in the middle of a sea of ideological darkness. It's not like the CDC and Emory are in Dalton, after all...
- There I go again, complaining about those dastardly Thrashers marketing folks, when they've just gone and done something endearing and entertaining. Here's a video of Johan Hedberg showing you around his crib/Moose Lair.
Eh, moose moose. Hun de Moose, hun the Moose Lair.
- Via Puck Daddy, a hilarious video of Jason Spezza getting caught (by buzzkill king Ron Wilson) with an illegal stick and frantically trying to escape an inspection. His escape attempt fails, and he doesn't even score a goal after his penalty to spite everyone. He could learn from the master criminals. Anyway, the video:
- This is embarrassing. Can Atlanta finally just secede from the Baby Jeebus Wingnut Republic of Georgia and become an independent city-state? Ooh, ooh, and we get to annex Athens and Savannah as well, high-speed trains can link all three; it'll be like we're all West Berlin, small islands of freedom in the middle of a sea of ideological darkness. It's not like the CDC and Emory are in Dalton, after all...
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Live and Kinda-Live Blog: ATL vs. NYR
Our guest Ranger Fan is stuck at work and will be watching the game on TiVo. As such, I will be live-blogging alone and will add in his comments after he watches the game later.
15 minutes left in the 1st: My dog had unplugged the DSL, so I am late posting. The game is already 1-1 and Boulton is taking a beating from Donald Brashear. Boults got in a few shots at the end to even the fight out.
Great play by Kane to get the puck on the tape of Army for the first goal. Atlanta finally gets on the board first in a game. Bad break after that with some Russian I've never heard of bouncing one off Moose, then off Little's skate and in.
The Czar's Movember Mustashe is scary.
HOLY COW what a save by MOOSE on Prospal right in front! The boys need to start playing defense sometime this season.
14:00 1st: Oh yeah, our questions have all been answered. Kovy, Gabby, King Henrik, and Kane all playing.
BOGO DROPS THE GLOVES! And man, is he whaling on this poor, unsuspecting Ranger kid! OH< IT WAS CALLAHAN! Hard to recognize him with Bogosian's fist covering up his face.
12:00 ist: Darren Elliot just read my mind commenting about all of these Rangers I've never heard of.
SCHUBERT WITH A GREAT CHANCE! How the heck did he get out in front like that? Too bad he can't finish. As a guy who used to sit next to us at games would've said, "wrong guy."
11:15 ist: Henry STONES Fins! What a great play to get him the puck. Fins has got to get that up in that situation.
Two great 19 year olds wearing #4 here in this game. Del Zotto and Bogosian are both having great years and play like 10 year veterans.
Gaborik loks totally different as a blueshirt. I remember being in Minnesota for the World Cup of Hockey and hearing a group of Slovaks walking through the concourse singing "Marion Gaborik" to the tune of "Let's Go _______"
8:48 1st: Shubert takes a bad penalty. Thanks a lot Andy Sutton 2.0.
Gaborik ended up on what should have been a breakaway but he fanned on the shot and Ron OMGIRH Hainsey made a play! Should have gotten the puck away but the follow up man got a shot away and MOOOOOOSSE! made the save! Like I said, Defense. Sometime this season. It's coming.
6:04 1st: Great shift by the Perestroika Line. Kovy was all over the ice. Fins has to learn that the net is 8 feet narrower than his aim.
Powerplay!
No more powerplay... Todd White for high sticking, and wow is Mostachioed Kovy upset.
4 on 4 and my dog chooses now to knock over my rum and coke. She is not on board with this liveblog idea.
KOVY WITH A CHANCE! Only a hook kept the puck out of the net. 4-3 powerplay.
I missed it thanks to the dog's antics, but Big Shooter just called to tell me that Darren Elliot just referred to Peverly as the Pevs Dispenser! I have never been so proud.
30 seconds to go: Amazing 2-0, but Fins can't finish. How many times have Sabres fans said that over the years?
End of the period: Bogo with a rocket a bit wide. The first period felt like it was tilted heavily in the Thrashers' favor. More next period.
2ND PERIOD-----------
Oh my god, I never want to hear Matt McConnell do a Boston accent again.
The Rangers' goal in the first period was scored by Artisimov. I think that's the name of a Russian date rape drug.
18:00 in the 2nd: Great save by Lundqvist on Fins. And if you're wondering, I'm going to keep calling him that so I don't have to try to spell his name.
The Pevs Dispenser draws a penalty! Ok, so it was Army, but I wanted to mention Peverly.
ALL I HAD TO DO WAS WAIT!!!!!!! Peverly with the powerplay goal off a rebound! He actually banked it off a defender. His 8th goal this year! What a waiver pickup by DW.
Boulton getting chippy again in the corner. Smartly not dropping the gloves when the Thrashers are up by a goal. Don't want to give the other guys a chance to steal momentum.
Cunneyworth makes his mustache look good.
Even though he took a beating from Bogosian earlier, you really have to love Ryan Callahan. American kid, plays hard every shift. I'd love to see him in a role playing position on Team USA in February.
13:40 in the 2nd: Toby with a nice heads up play jumping up and batting the puck away with his hand to keep it away from the net. Anyone else could have reached out without having to jump, of course.
Antropov has to learn to shoot the puck.
Bogosian makes so many things just look easy. He makes room for himself using moves that look like they just shouldn't fool NHL caliber players, but they do.
7:39 in the 2nd: A little pressure here from the Rangers. So far nothing in the way of real quality scoring chances, but they'll come if the Thrashers don't get control of the puck back.
AAARGH!! Great give and go between Kovy and Fins but they DON'T FINISH! Nobody wants to shoot the puck!
Kovy shoots it this time and strikes iron!
Penalty coming on Armstrong after a great play by the Pevs Kane Army line. I think it's cheap to call a penalty on a guy who swipes at the puck and happens to also catch a guy's skates. What do you think Shooter?
The "For Every King, a Crown" ad campaign is clever, but Crown Royal is for Canadians and other people who aren't man enough to enjoy their whiskey. If it's not from Kentucky, Scotland, or Ireland it's not worth drinking.
5:00 in the 2nd: Great clearing effort on his stomach by Marty the Party.
Gaborik with a nice goal. He was handcuffed on his shot and still got plenty on it to beat Moose. 2-2 game. Maybe he pulled his groin on the celebration.
Thrashers coming out after the goal with a bit of a defeated look to their stride. Hope they can shake that off and buckle down.
Kid's Day this Sunday at Philips. Have to remember to double Morty's tourette's medication.
WOAH! Kubina really screwed the pooch defensively there but Moose came up huge with a save!
Callahan upended a Thrasher and ruined a 2 on 1 chance for the Rangers. Powerplay Thrahesrs.
Brian Boyle in the box for the Rangers. God, I wish he played for us. I used to love watching him play for Boston College.
CZARED!!!!!!!!!!!!! Kovy with a classic zipline to the top corner! 3-2 Thrashers.
Wow. That mustache. Kovy. **Shiver**
OH MY GOD!!!! What a play by whoever that was on the boards to steal the clearing attempt and hit Evander Kane in front of the net!
It was the Pevs Dispenser. Shoulda known.
1:15 left in the 2nd: 4-2 Thrashers.
Hey, Antro shot the puck! He needs more practice. Missed the net.
McConnel: "Unable to put it home was [Fins]." Again, a very familiar phrase.
End of the 2nd period: Talk about stealing the momentum! 20 more minutes to go!
3rd Period--------------
Bogosian takes a penalty on a trip. Unintentional, but a call that had to be made. Powerplay to the Rangers.
How smart a player is Rich Peverly? He can't get enough ice time.
Nice blast from Rosival, but Hedberg saw it all the way and closed down on it.
A near miss by the Rangers after the powerplay had ended. Good save by Moose and some luck that the Blueshirts couldn't get wood on the rebound.
"Avery got it in behind." Too easy.
13:42 in the 3rd: Rangers bring it to within 1. Kotalik with a boomer from the point; Moose can't control the rebound and Big Brian Boyle reacts quickly enough to bury it.
The "Let's Go Rangers" cheer reminds me: did you know that in England instead of saying "Let's go" they say "Come on?" I was there during the Soccer World Cup and they would yell "Come on England!" It is like they are pleading with their team not to suck. Actually that would have been an appropriate cheer for the Thrashers during most of our 10 year existence.
Is Antro that slow or is he just not trying?
10:16 left in the 3rd: Atlanta's play looking a little sloppy here.
Schubert takes another penalty and gives the Rangers a chance to tie the game on the powerplay halfway through the third period. This is not the way to secure your spot in the lineup. Yeah, you're better than Boris Valabik, but who isn't?
WOAH! Bogosian has the worst mustache of them all!! But impressive that a 19 year old can grow one that well.
9:20 in the 3rd: That was out.
HOLY RINGING IRON BATMAN! That's all Moose gave 'em.
Del Zotto gets a 9 from the East German judges for a beautiful dive!
Yeah, looks like they're both going to go.
Good pick off by Kaner.
Powerplay is expired and we're back to 5 on 5 with 2 men in the box on coincidental minors.
MOOOSE! But what the hell was that center by the defender afterwards!?!?
Brian Boyle and Antro jawing at each other. Not much chance of anybody's gloves dropping there. Lots of size, not much aggression in that matchup.
Seriously, has Slava Kozlov done anything but use up Evander Kane's ice time this season?
5:00 left in the 3rd: Atlanta hanging on to a 1 goal lead here late. Action at both ends of the ice for the past several minutes.
Is that Bronson Pinchot in that Fantasy Five Easy Match commercial?
Scoring chances in the third period 11-1 Rangers. Sounds like some our recent 1st period efforts.
2:15 in the 3rd: My heart just stopped seeing the puck hit the outside of the net. Great job by Moose locking it down.
Empty net! I want a Moosegoal!!!!!
Another icing. That wouldn't have been icing back under the old rules with the half circle crease. Back then if it went through the crease it wasn't icing.
OH MY GOD! FINS FOUND THE NET!!!
5-3 Thrashers with 12 seconds left, and the team will stay a couple games above .500.
And that's the game!
See you tomorrow night in Philips!
15 minutes left in the 1st: My dog had unplugged the DSL, so I am late posting. The game is already 1-1 and Boulton is taking a beating from Donald Brashear. Boults got in a few shots at the end to even the fight out.
Great play by Kane to get the puck on the tape of Army for the first goal. Atlanta finally gets on the board first in a game. Bad break after that with some Russian I've never heard of bouncing one off Moose, then off Little's skate and in.
The Czar's Movember Mustashe is scary.
HOLY COW what a save by MOOSE on Prospal right in front! The boys need to start playing defense sometime this season.
14:00 1st: Oh yeah, our questions have all been answered. Kovy, Gabby, King Henrik, and Kane all playing.
BOGO DROPS THE GLOVES! And man, is he whaling on this poor, unsuspecting Ranger kid! OH< IT WAS CALLAHAN! Hard to recognize him with Bogosian's fist covering up his face.
12:00 ist: Darren Elliot just read my mind commenting about all of these Rangers I've never heard of.
SCHUBERT WITH A GREAT CHANCE! How the heck did he get out in front like that? Too bad he can't finish. As a guy who used to sit next to us at games would've said, "wrong guy."
11:15 ist: Henry STONES Fins! What a great play to get him the puck. Fins has got to get that up in that situation.
Two great 19 year olds wearing #4 here in this game. Del Zotto and Bogosian are both having great years and play like 10 year veterans.
Gaborik loks totally different as a blueshirt. I remember being in Minnesota for the World Cup of Hockey and hearing a group of Slovaks walking through the concourse singing "Marion Gaborik" to the tune of "Let's Go _______"
8:48 1st: Shubert takes a bad penalty. Thanks a lot Andy Sutton 2.0.
Gaborik ended up on what should have been a breakaway but he fanned on the shot and Ron OMGIRH Hainsey made a play! Should have gotten the puck away but the follow up man got a shot away and MOOOOOOSSE! made the save! Like I said, Defense. Sometime this season. It's coming.
6:04 1st: Great shift by the Perestroika Line. Kovy was all over the ice. Fins has to learn that the net is 8 feet narrower than his aim.
Powerplay!
No more powerplay... Todd White for high sticking, and wow is Mostachioed Kovy upset.
4 on 4 and my dog chooses now to knock over my rum and coke. She is not on board with this liveblog idea.
KOVY WITH A CHANCE! Only a hook kept the puck out of the net. 4-3 powerplay.
I missed it thanks to the dog's antics, but Big Shooter just called to tell me that Darren Elliot just referred to Peverly as the Pevs Dispenser! I have never been so proud.
30 seconds to go: Amazing 2-0, but Fins can't finish. How many times have Sabres fans said that over the years?
End of the period: Bogo with a rocket a bit wide. The first period felt like it was tilted heavily in the Thrashers' favor. More next period.
2ND PERIOD-----------
Oh my god, I never want to hear Matt McConnell do a Boston accent again.
The Rangers' goal in the first period was scored by Artisimov. I think that's the name of a Russian date rape drug.
18:00 in the 2nd: Great save by Lundqvist on Fins. And if you're wondering, I'm going to keep calling him that so I don't have to try to spell his name.
The Pevs Dispenser draws a penalty! Ok, so it was Army, but I wanted to mention Peverly.
ALL I HAD TO DO WAS WAIT!!!!!!! Peverly with the powerplay goal off a rebound! He actually banked it off a defender. His 8th goal this year! What a waiver pickup by DW.
Boulton getting chippy again in the corner. Smartly not dropping the gloves when the Thrashers are up by a goal. Don't want to give the other guys a chance to steal momentum.
Cunneyworth makes his mustache look good.
Even though he took a beating from Bogosian earlier, you really have to love Ryan Callahan. American kid, plays hard every shift. I'd love to see him in a role playing position on Team USA in February.
13:40 in the 2nd: Toby with a nice heads up play jumping up and batting the puck away with his hand to keep it away from the net. Anyone else could have reached out without having to jump, of course.
Antropov has to learn to shoot the puck.
Bogosian makes so many things just look easy. He makes room for himself using moves that look like they just shouldn't fool NHL caliber players, but they do.
7:39 in the 2nd: A little pressure here from the Rangers. So far nothing in the way of real quality scoring chances, but they'll come if the Thrashers don't get control of the puck back.
AAARGH!! Great give and go between Kovy and Fins but they DON'T FINISH! Nobody wants to shoot the puck!
Kovy shoots it this time and strikes iron!
Penalty coming on Armstrong after a great play by the Pevs Kane Army line. I think it's cheap to call a penalty on a guy who swipes at the puck and happens to also catch a guy's skates. What do you think Shooter?
The "For Every King, a Crown" ad campaign is clever, but Crown Royal is for Canadians and other people who aren't man enough to enjoy their whiskey. If it's not from Kentucky, Scotland, or Ireland it's not worth drinking.
5:00 in the 2nd: Great clearing effort on his stomach by Marty the Party.
Gaborik with a nice goal. He was handcuffed on his shot and still got plenty on it to beat Moose. 2-2 game. Maybe he pulled his groin on the celebration.
Thrashers coming out after the goal with a bit of a defeated look to their stride. Hope they can shake that off and buckle down.
Kid's Day this Sunday at Philips. Have to remember to double Morty's tourette's medication.
WOAH! Kubina really screwed the pooch defensively there but Moose came up huge with a save!
Callahan upended a Thrasher and ruined a 2 on 1 chance for the Rangers. Powerplay Thrahesrs.
Brian Boyle in the box for the Rangers. God, I wish he played for us. I used to love watching him play for Boston College.
CZARED!!!!!!!!!!!!! Kovy with a classic zipline to the top corner! 3-2 Thrashers.
Wow. That mustache. Kovy. **Shiver**
OH MY GOD!!!! What a play by whoever that was on the boards to steal the clearing attempt and hit Evander Kane in front of the net!
It was the Pevs Dispenser. Shoulda known.
1:15 left in the 2nd: 4-2 Thrashers.
Hey, Antro shot the puck! He needs more practice. Missed the net.
McConnel: "Unable to put it home was [Fins]." Again, a very familiar phrase.
End of the 2nd period: Talk about stealing the momentum! 20 more minutes to go!
3rd Period--------------
Bogosian takes a penalty on a trip. Unintentional, but a call that had to be made. Powerplay to the Rangers.
How smart a player is Rich Peverly? He can't get enough ice time.
Nice blast from Rosival, but Hedberg saw it all the way and closed down on it.
A near miss by the Rangers after the powerplay had ended. Good save by Moose and some luck that the Blueshirts couldn't get wood on the rebound.
"Avery got it in behind." Too easy.
13:42 in the 3rd: Rangers bring it to within 1. Kotalik with a boomer from the point; Moose can't control the rebound and Big Brian Boyle reacts quickly enough to bury it.
The "Let's Go Rangers" cheer reminds me: did you know that in England instead of saying "Let's go" they say "Come on?" I was there during the Soccer World Cup and they would yell "Come on England!" It is like they are pleading with their team not to suck. Actually that would have been an appropriate cheer for the Thrashers during most of our 10 year existence.
Is Antro that slow or is he just not trying?
10:16 left in the 3rd: Atlanta's play looking a little sloppy here.
Schubert takes another penalty and gives the Rangers a chance to tie the game on the powerplay halfway through the third period. This is not the way to secure your spot in the lineup. Yeah, you're better than Boris Valabik, but who isn't?
WOAH! Bogosian has the worst mustache of them all!! But impressive that a 19 year old can grow one that well.
9:20 in the 3rd: That was out.
HOLY RINGING IRON BATMAN! That's all Moose gave 'em.
Del Zotto gets a 9 from the East German judges for a beautiful dive!
Yeah, looks like they're both going to go.
Good pick off by Kaner.
Powerplay is expired and we're back to 5 on 5 with 2 men in the box on coincidental minors.
MOOOSE! But what the hell was that center by the defender afterwards!?!?
Brian Boyle and Antro jawing at each other. Not much chance of anybody's gloves dropping there. Lots of size, not much aggression in that matchup.
Seriously, has Slava Kozlov done anything but use up Evander Kane's ice time this season?
5:00 left in the 3rd: Atlanta hanging on to a 1 goal lead here late. Action at both ends of the ice for the past several minutes.
Is that Bronson Pinchot in that Fantasy Five Easy Match commercial?
Scoring chances in the third period 11-1 Rangers. Sounds like some our recent 1st period efforts.
2:15 in the 3rd: My heart just stopped seeing the puck hit the outside of the net. Great job by Moose locking it down.
Empty net! I want a Moosegoal!!!!!
Another icing. That wouldn't have been icing back under the old rules with the half circle crease. Back then if it went through the crease it wasn't icing.
OH MY GOD! FINS FOUND THE NET!!!
5-3 Thrashers with 12 seconds left, and the team will stay a couple games above .500.
And that's the game!
See you tomorrow night in Philips!
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Who is the Thrashers' Most Valuable Player?
It's that time of year again.
I'm a bit conflicted, to be honest. I mean, the obvious choice is Kovy because he's the Czar and all, but the decision is really more complicated than that. For instance, I shudder to imagine what this season would have been like without Kari Lehtonen or Toby Enstrom.
Kari literally saved our asses in several games and mitigated what should have been complete disasters in others. In some games he was the only player that actually, you know, PLAYED. It helps that he's a great goalie.
Toby has been a great addition; without him our defense would be a Maginot Line, and he performs very well (says I) under pressure.
Then there's Eric Perrin to consider. He's been fabulous all year-- a confidence-booster and an all-round damn good player. He looks for opportunities and takes advantage of them in just about any situation: penalty kills, shoot-outs, etc. etc...
Then there's Moose, who has never been anything less than reassuringly awesome (that Buffalo game where we lost 1000-1 non-withstanding); he's perfected the poke-check to the point where it should be re-named the Moose Check, and he brings a gravity and a maturity to the Thrashers that would be sorely lacking if he'd taken his Moose Dance elsewhere. The same could be said of Mark Recchi; he's not our best player, certainly, but he has a commanding presence on the ice and I'm convinced that he tries his absolute hardest and best every single game.
I have a hard time choosing between Kovy, Kari, Toby, and Perrin. Hedberg is my sentimental favorite, but I figure I should limit my choices to those four simply because they've played more games than the Moose One. What do you all think?
I'm a bit conflicted, to be honest. I mean, the obvious choice is Kovy because he's the Czar and all, but the decision is really more complicated than that. For instance, I shudder to imagine what this season would have been like without Kari Lehtonen or Toby Enstrom.
Kari literally saved our asses in several games and mitigated what should have been complete disasters in others. In some games he was the only player that actually, you know, PLAYED. It helps that he's a great goalie.
Toby has been a great addition; without him our defense would be a Maginot Line, and he performs very well (says I) under pressure.
Then there's Eric Perrin to consider. He's been fabulous all year-- a confidence-booster and an all-round damn good player. He looks for opportunities and takes advantage of them in just about any situation: penalty kills, shoot-outs, etc. etc...
Then there's Moose, who has never been anything less than reassuringly awesome (that Buffalo game where we lost 1000-1 non-withstanding); he's perfected the poke-check to the point where it should be re-named the Moose Check, and he brings a gravity and a maturity to the Thrashers that would be sorely lacking if he'd taken his Moose Dance elsewhere. The same could be said of Mark Recchi; he's not our best player, certainly, but he has a commanding presence on the ice and I'm convinced that he tries his absolute hardest and best every single game.
I have a hard time choosing between Kovy, Kari, Toby, and Perrin. Hedberg is my sentimental favorite, but I figure I should limit my choices to those four simply because they've played more games than the Moose One. What do you all think?
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
There Should be Hope, So Why Don't I Have Any?
A nice win last night. The Thrashers outshot the Ducks until the end of the third period, when Anaheim passed them by one shot. Boris played well enough to earn a 3rd Star, we got scoring from someone not named Ilya, and Moose played brilliantly. We still gave up a TON of scoring chances, however. Despite having good size on the blueline, the Thrashers are not nearly physical enough in our own end. The Ducks had guys flying around the offensive zone with impunity and it was only Hedberg's ability to stop second and third chances that kept Atlanta in this game.
Despite playing fairly solidly throughout the game, I couldn't shake the feeling that Atlanta would blow the lead until the final horn sounded. And sure enough, Getzlaf hit the post with less than a second to go. An inch saved the 2 points.
That being said, the Thrashers are still in 11th place in the East. However, they are only ONE POINT behind sixth place Philly. The Flyers, Rangers, Panthers, and Habs are all tied with 55 points. The Thrashers sit behind that group with 54.
The Flyers' inconsistency (and as always, laughable goaltending), Rangers anemic scoring, Panthers injuries, and Habs iffy netminding make for a lot of hope that Atlanta can pass them all in the coming weeks.
Atlanta will have to get consistent goaltending like they had in October and November. I think that means making Moose the number one and playing him until he gets tired. Ondrej hasn't been giant. He's been streaky. Moose didn't play well during the 9 game skid last month either, but overall he has been much more consistent. Play Moose and give Kari a shot to win his job back after his conditioning stint in Chicago.
But so much depends on Kovy. Will he play for Atlanta past March 3? If not, can anyone step up to replace what has been lost? If he's gone and the team still makes a heroic run to the playoffs, will people come watch them play?
Despite playing fairly solidly throughout the game, I couldn't shake the feeling that Atlanta would blow the lead until the final horn sounded. And sure enough, Getzlaf hit the post with less than a second to go. An inch saved the 2 points.
That being said, the Thrashers are still in 11th place in the East. However, they are only ONE POINT behind sixth place Philly. The Flyers, Rangers, Panthers, and Habs are all tied with 55 points. The Thrashers sit behind that group with 54.
The Flyers' inconsistency (and as always, laughable goaltending), Rangers anemic scoring, Panthers injuries, and Habs iffy netminding make for a lot of hope that Atlanta can pass them all in the coming weeks.
Atlanta will have to get consistent goaltending like they had in October and November. I think that means making Moose the number one and playing him until he gets tired. Ondrej hasn't been giant. He's been streaky. Moose didn't play well during the 9 game skid last month either, but overall he has been much more consistent. Play Moose and give Kari a shot to win his job back after his conditioning stint in Chicago.
But so much depends on Kovy. Will he play for Atlanta past March 3? If not, can anyone step up to replace what has been lost? If he's gone and the team still makes a heroic run to the playoffs, will people come watch them play?
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Huuunnnnee De Moose... Moose, Moose.
That deep sigh of relief you heard last night all over the Atlanta area was the collective breath of all Thrashers fans, realizing that at least we are not as bad as the New York Islanders. Thank you Mad Mike. Your work is still being done even to this day.
We still give up too many shots, and don't get enough of our own, but at least we won. Good game as usual by Moose. I wouldn't get too excited just yet. It was the Islanders after all. Play a game like that against a top 8 team and that is another story.
By the way, it's amazing how many Americans forget the significance of today. My, how easily we forget. On this date in history the world was changed forever. Thank a solider today if you run into one. Or pick up the phone and give one a call. Just because Pearl Harbor didn't happen in most of our life times doesn't mean we should breeze through today and not think about it.
Enjoy Coach's Corner:
We still give up too many shots, and don't get enough of our own, but at least we won. Good game as usual by Moose. I wouldn't get too excited just yet. It was the Islanders after all. Play a game like that against a top 8 team and that is another story.
By the way, it's amazing how many Americans forget the significance of today. My, how easily we forget. On this date in history the world was changed forever. Thank a solider today if you run into one. Or pick up the phone and give one a call. Just because Pearl Harbor didn't happen in most of our life times doesn't mean we should breeze through today and not think about it.
Enjoy Coach's Corner:
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Hedberg Studying His Moose-Viking Forebears
Oh, the serendipities and ironies of life.
I complain all the time about how bland and unimpressive and just all-around Full of Fail the AJC is, but they pull out a rare Epic Win with this article, which might feature the greatest headline in the newspaper's history:
History and crime engross Thrashers goalie Hedberg
Oh YEAH! Clicking most eagerly and expecting a Dashiell Hammett-esque tale of Moose wrangling with gangsters, crooked cops and femme fatales in search of some lost priceless artifact, possibly a golden sheepherder's staff from tenth century Iceland, I was only slightly let down by the actual article. Only slightly because it turned out to be a reasonably interesting interview with our favorite Moose-Human about what he's been reading lately. As Mike Knobler (R.I.P.) reported long ago, Hedberg is quite the reader, especially on road trips. My favorite part of the interview:
Do the other Thrashers read much?
A few guys are reading, but a lot of guys are playing video games and cards. The reading bunch is a minority right now.
Educate them, Moose! If you can, that is. Some of your colleagues might be past the point of no return. Surely Enstrom is salvageable.
Reading on. I wonder why I find his answer to this question so interesting:
Do you ever read to unwind after a tough game?
Yeah, I do. Sometimes it’s the first thing I do when I get home or back to the hotel.
The idea of Johan Hedberg relaxing in a plush hotel room with a good book is the most comforting thing I can imagine. What does this mean?
One final note: Did you know there was such a thing as the Swedish Mafia? We can all learn something from erudite mooses.
I complain all the time about how bland and unimpressive and just all-around Full of Fail the AJC is, but they pull out a rare Epic Win with this article, which might feature the greatest headline in the newspaper's history:
History and crime engross Thrashers goalie Hedberg
Oh YEAH! Clicking most eagerly and expecting a Dashiell Hammett-esque tale of Moose wrangling with gangsters, crooked cops and femme fatales in search of some lost priceless artifact, possibly a golden sheepherder's staff from tenth century Iceland, I was only slightly let down by the actual article. Only slightly because it turned out to be a reasonably interesting interview with our favorite Moose-Human about what he's been reading lately. As Mike Knobler (R.I.P.) reported long ago, Hedberg is quite the reader, especially on road trips. My favorite part of the interview:
Do the other Thrashers read much?
A few guys are reading, but a lot of guys are playing video games and cards. The reading bunch is a minority right now.
Educate them, Moose! If you can, that is. Some of your colleagues might be past the point of no return. Surely Enstrom is salvageable.
Reading on. I wonder why I find his answer to this question so interesting:
Do you ever read to unwind after a tough game?
Yeah, I do. Sometimes it’s the first thing I do when I get home or back to the hotel.
The idea of Johan Hedberg relaxing in a plush hotel room with a good book is the most comforting thing I can imagine. What does this mean?
One final note: Did you know there was such a thing as the Swedish Mafia? We can all learn something from erudite mooses.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Live Blog: Thrashers @ Panthers
FIRST PERIOD
Good chance for the Cats off the rebound inside of 1 minute in. Hope that's not a sign of things to come tonight or this liveblog might degrade into a drunken stupor quick.
Speaking of drunken stupors, I just got home from a bachelor party weekend for an old roommate. Crazy weekend. You'd be amazed the drunken jokes that strippers will make reality.
Corey Stillman has played for three different SE Division teams. We should make him the spokesman for Sun Belt hockey. Then he should order carpet bombing of Ontario. Spokesmen can do those things.
I was thinking for a second that it was pretty classy that the Panthers are sponsored by a private jet company, then I remembered that Gulfstream is a sleazy casino in the Miami area.
Another close one. This has been a pretty boring game so far that is slightly tilted in the Cats' favor.
Moose has impressive composure in those mad scrambles. Good work there keeping track of the puck and calmly freezing it with danger lurking nearby.
Mmmmmm.. Noble Pilsner... Sounds good. But I'm sure nowhere near as good as the New Belgium La Folie I'm drinking at the moment.
Good win the other night. True story: I yelled "score!" loudly after the first ATL goal. A stripper thought I was cheering for her.
Another true story: Kovy should sign with Atlanta just to prove wrong the yankees who told me this weekend that there is no possible reason he would want to stay.
Great steal in the offensive zone by Antro, but he was too slow to make a play to a wide open Czar. If only he had been Fins instead. Awesome play by Leopold to intercept.
Even more evidence of Moose's superiority. Gets nailed by a Panther player then calls off Ron OMGIRH Hainsey because we need the man advantage more than we need revenge.
Good puck movement so far. Let's see if we have changed strategy away from that cross ice pass to Kovy----- Nope.
Kozlov has a few goals on the PP this season probably because goalies were shocked anyone but the Czar shot the puck.
PP is over. Thanks to Fins we still have the puck in the zone. Good pressure here after the man advantage is over. Nice to be able to roll out Pevs and Fins and Bogo.
Bud Light paintball commercial is pretty funny. Another true story: Shooter and I once knew a guy who played paintball A LOT. He bragged that he would crank up his paintball gun so that it took bark off trees then shoot people from close range. I think he is in jail for killing, eating, and molesting his pet boa constrictor. In that order.
Time to change TV's so my TiVo can record 24 and House...
... Our LiveBlog is going to be delayed a few minutes longer than I'd originally anticipated. I forgot that I had moved the DirecTV receive that is usually hooked up to my big screen TV. Had to be able to watch the Thrashers/USA Juniors/Yellow Jackets back on Jan 5th.
Ok, we're back! 1:30 to go in the 1st.
HOLY GOD!!! How did we not get scored on there? Marty the Party did the right thing by taking that tripping penalty, but he had to do it because he failed to react quickly enough to get the puck out of danger.
Ok, end of the first period and the only things to happen worth noting were chances for the Panthers. John Anderson should yell himself hoarse this intermission.
Has anyone else noticed Evander Kane in the past month? Not that that is absolutely a bad thing. If an 18 year old is quiet and not hurting his team, that's a positive. He has been throwing some hits and standing up for his teammates, but has also taken some bad penalties. Over all he's been kind of a wash lately, but that could be due to teams paying a lot more attention to him than they did in October and November.
I recently saw a book that talked about being a good wingman for your buddy when he's hitting on a girl. They used the term "Wedging." This is a reference to Wedge Antilles from Star Wars. That's one of the most awesome things I've ever heard.
SECOND PERIOD
The Panthers will start out the period on the power play. What the hell is Thorburn thinking? You don't EVER take a chance when you're the last man back!
I don't know if I have ever seen Atlanta score on a power play that was interrupted by intermission. Thankfully the Panthers don't do it here, either.
Kovy has been playing with more pep over the last week and a half or so. Maybe his foot is feeling better. Maybe contract negotiations are going better. Maybe contract negotiations are off and he's happy about going elsewhere. Maybe he found a new source for HGH. Who knows?
Trying to LiveBlog, text, and get pestered by the dog all at the same time. Don't know how that last flurry happened. We have to learn how to clear the crease.
Now drinking a Dark Side imperial stout from Terrapin. It tastes like good beef jerky.
Well, that was inevitable the way this game has been going. 1-0 Panthers.
What did I just say about clearing the crease?
This has been an awful game to LiveBlog. Sorry folks. I should have liveblogged the strippers this weekend instead.
DIVE! Panthers on the power play.
The goal wasn't Moose's fault at all. Peanut was doing more harm than good cuddling with the Panthers' forward instead of moving him out of the crease.
Good move by Thorbs blocking the shot then getting the puck out wihout a stick.
Successful PK. Nicely done by both Thorbs and Boris.
They should play the NHL like 24. The clock never stops, but no one is allowed to do anything significant while we're away on commercial. And Kovy never eats, sleeps, or takes a piss.
Kovy with a great chance. Those are the kind of plays we need to make. And there it is again, but the shot is blocked. Kovy needs to shoot more from the high slot. Look at the goals he scores in international competition. Always moving left to right on top of the faceoff circles.
Good shift.
Beautiful play by Jimmy with Fins on the doorstep. I don't know if that was designed or not, but it was brilliant. Great chance.
There's another of those bad penalties for Evander.
ANOTHER power play for Florida. What is that, 98-1 in chances with the man advantage tonight?
The team's play has picked up considerably since giving up the flukey goal. If we could string together 5 straight minutes of even strength hockey we could make something happen here.
Get up Slava, you're not hurt.
Kovy
Wow
That's what I want to see.
I'll be damned. A Florida player hit the ice and no Atlanta player got a penalty.
I don't know if it is about general slowness of foot, lack of effort, or what, but we seem to lose every race to every puck in every game. Notice how when you watch a really good team like the Blackhawks, it is like they have seven skaters out there because there's always somebody there to pick up every errant puck. We make every other team look like that.
Great toe save by the Moose.
Better play over the last half of that period, but there is still a lot of room for improvement.
THIRD PERIOD
Nice to see us starting out with some sustained pressure.
Great sequence. What do we have to do to bury one of those?
Slava can't retire quickly enough. Another ugly turnover.
Boris just missed the net by 300 feet.
Some great pressure this period so far. Get Maxim out there.
Keep it up! Another great opportunity there. Awesome work from the Pevs Dispenser. Vokoun is killing us here.
This LiveBlog has now decayed into a typographic representation of the annoying things you would hear if you were sitting near me at the game in person.
Maxi Fins has got that look in his eye. Too bad he doesn't also have that puck on his stick.
Good guys outshooting the bad guys 10-1 in the 3rd. I have a bad feeling that Vokoun isn't going to relent.
Powerplay for the Thrashers! Great effort by Jimmy Slates! Glad to see he could sober up and get out of the inn for the evening.
Great Slava. Just great. You effectively killed off 10 seconds of PP there.
Screen Vokoun and shell him. That's our only hope tonight.
Apparently Kozlov has been drinking Jimmy Slates' rum. Is very bad to drink Jimmy Slates' rum. Is very bad.
True story: Zach Bogosian once had the ability to hit the net with a shot from the point.
Pretty tired of the fire breathing goat commercial now.
How much ice time does Fins get in the final 3:30?
Great play by Evander but he had no help. How about a line of Kane, Pevs, and Fins?Creativity, speed, and hustle.
Moose to the bench. Powerplay. Did this just get interesting?
How humiliating is it to take a penalty because you had to slow down Nik Antropov?
1:19 LEFT IN THE 3RD
Good movement
Slava shoots.
Slava blows it.
Damn Vokoun.
19 SECONDS LEFT
No effort for a last second rush. Way to accept your fate, losers.
Good night.
Good chance for the Cats off the rebound inside of 1 minute in. Hope that's not a sign of things to come tonight or this liveblog might degrade into a drunken stupor quick.
Speaking of drunken stupors, I just got home from a bachelor party weekend for an old roommate. Crazy weekend. You'd be amazed the drunken jokes that strippers will make reality.
Corey Stillman has played for three different SE Division teams. We should make him the spokesman for Sun Belt hockey. Then he should order carpet bombing of Ontario. Spokesmen can do those things.
I was thinking for a second that it was pretty classy that the Panthers are sponsored by a private jet company, then I remembered that Gulfstream is a sleazy casino in the Miami area.
Another close one. This has been a pretty boring game so far that is slightly tilted in the Cats' favor.
Moose has impressive composure in those mad scrambles. Good work there keeping track of the puck and calmly freezing it with danger lurking nearby.
Mmmmmm.. Noble Pilsner... Sounds good. But I'm sure nowhere near as good as the New Belgium La Folie I'm drinking at the moment.
Good win the other night. True story: I yelled "score!" loudly after the first ATL goal. A stripper thought I was cheering for her.
Another true story: Kovy should sign with Atlanta just to prove wrong the yankees who told me this weekend that there is no possible reason he would want to stay.
Great steal in the offensive zone by Antro, but he was too slow to make a play to a wide open Czar. If only he had been Fins instead. Awesome play by Leopold to intercept.
Even more evidence of Moose's superiority. Gets nailed by a Panther player then calls off Ron OMGIRH Hainsey because we need the man advantage more than we need revenge.
Good puck movement so far. Let's see if we have changed strategy away from that cross ice pass to Kovy----- Nope.
Kozlov has a few goals on the PP this season probably because goalies were shocked anyone but the Czar shot the puck.
PP is over. Thanks to Fins we still have the puck in the zone. Good pressure here after the man advantage is over. Nice to be able to roll out Pevs and Fins and Bogo.
Bud Light paintball commercial is pretty funny. Another true story: Shooter and I once knew a guy who played paintball A LOT. He bragged that he would crank up his paintball gun so that it took bark off trees then shoot people from close range. I think he is in jail for killing, eating, and molesting his pet boa constrictor. In that order.
Time to change TV's so my TiVo can record 24 and House...
... Our LiveBlog is going to be delayed a few minutes longer than I'd originally anticipated. I forgot that I had moved the DirecTV receive that is usually hooked up to my big screen TV. Had to be able to watch the Thrashers/USA Juniors/Yellow Jackets back on Jan 5th.
Ok, we're back! 1:30 to go in the 1st.
HOLY GOD!!! How did we not get scored on there? Marty the Party did the right thing by taking that tripping penalty, but he had to do it because he failed to react quickly enough to get the puck out of danger.
Ok, end of the first period and the only things to happen worth noting were chances for the Panthers. John Anderson should yell himself hoarse this intermission.
Has anyone else noticed Evander Kane in the past month? Not that that is absolutely a bad thing. If an 18 year old is quiet and not hurting his team, that's a positive. He has been throwing some hits and standing up for his teammates, but has also taken some bad penalties. Over all he's been kind of a wash lately, but that could be due to teams paying a lot more attention to him than they did in October and November.
I recently saw a book that talked about being a good wingman for your buddy when he's hitting on a girl. They used the term "Wedging." This is a reference to Wedge Antilles from Star Wars. That's one of the most awesome things I've ever heard.
SECOND PERIOD
The Panthers will start out the period on the power play. What the hell is Thorburn thinking? You don't EVER take a chance when you're the last man back!
I don't know if I have ever seen Atlanta score on a power play that was interrupted by intermission. Thankfully the Panthers don't do it here, either.
Kovy has been playing with more pep over the last week and a half or so. Maybe his foot is feeling better. Maybe contract negotiations are going better. Maybe contract negotiations are off and he's happy about going elsewhere. Maybe he found a new source for HGH. Who knows?
Trying to LiveBlog, text, and get pestered by the dog all at the same time. Don't know how that last flurry happened. We have to learn how to clear the crease.
Now drinking a Dark Side imperial stout from Terrapin. It tastes like good beef jerky.
Well, that was inevitable the way this game has been going. 1-0 Panthers.
What did I just say about clearing the crease?
This has been an awful game to LiveBlog. Sorry folks. I should have liveblogged the strippers this weekend instead.
DIVE! Panthers on the power play.
The goal wasn't Moose's fault at all. Peanut was doing more harm than good cuddling with the Panthers' forward instead of moving him out of the crease.
Good move by Thorbs blocking the shot then getting the puck out wihout a stick.
Successful PK. Nicely done by both Thorbs and Boris.
They should play the NHL like 24. The clock never stops, but no one is allowed to do anything significant while we're away on commercial. And Kovy never eats, sleeps, or takes a piss.
Kovy with a great chance. Those are the kind of plays we need to make. And there it is again, but the shot is blocked. Kovy needs to shoot more from the high slot. Look at the goals he scores in international competition. Always moving left to right on top of the faceoff circles.
Good shift.
Beautiful play by Jimmy with Fins on the doorstep. I don't know if that was designed or not, but it was brilliant. Great chance.
There's another of those bad penalties for Evander.
ANOTHER power play for Florida. What is that, 98-1 in chances with the man advantage tonight?
The team's play has picked up considerably since giving up the flukey goal. If we could string together 5 straight minutes of even strength hockey we could make something happen here.
Get up Slava, you're not hurt.
Kovy
Wow
That's what I want to see.
I'll be damned. A Florida player hit the ice and no Atlanta player got a penalty.
I don't know if it is about general slowness of foot, lack of effort, or what, but we seem to lose every race to every puck in every game. Notice how when you watch a really good team like the Blackhawks, it is like they have seven skaters out there because there's always somebody there to pick up every errant puck. We make every other team look like that.
Great toe save by the Moose.
Better play over the last half of that period, but there is still a lot of room for improvement.
THIRD PERIOD
Nice to see us starting out with some sustained pressure.
Great sequence. What do we have to do to bury one of those?
Slava can't retire quickly enough. Another ugly turnover.
Boris just missed the net by 300 feet.
Some great pressure this period so far. Get Maxim out there.
Keep it up! Another great opportunity there. Awesome work from the Pevs Dispenser. Vokoun is killing us here.
This LiveBlog has now decayed into a typographic representation of the annoying things you would hear if you were sitting near me at the game in person.
Maxi Fins has got that look in his eye. Too bad he doesn't also have that puck on his stick.
Good guys outshooting the bad guys 10-1 in the 3rd. I have a bad feeling that Vokoun isn't going to relent.
Powerplay for the Thrashers! Great effort by Jimmy Slates! Glad to see he could sober up and get out of the inn for the evening.
Great Slava. Just great. You effectively killed off 10 seconds of PP there.
Screen Vokoun and shell him. That's our only hope tonight.
Apparently Kozlov has been drinking Jimmy Slates' rum. Is very bad to drink Jimmy Slates' rum. Is very bad.
True story: Zach Bogosian once had the ability to hit the net with a shot from the point.
Pretty tired of the fire breathing goat commercial now.
How much ice time does Fins get in the final 3:30?
Great play by Evander but he had no help. How about a line of Kane, Pevs, and Fins?Creativity, speed, and hustle.
Moose to the bench. Powerplay. Did this just get interesting?
How humiliating is it to take a penalty because you had to slow down Nik Antropov?
1:19 LEFT IN THE 3RD
Good movement
Slava shoots.
Slava blows it.
Damn Vokoun.
19 SECONDS LEFT
No effort for a last second rush. Way to accept your fate, losers.
Good night.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Moose's Mask (Indiana Moose)
This is Moose's new mask. Big Shooter might just kill himself by how inclined to his tastes this is.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Live Blog: Birds vs Flyers (1st Period Only)
3:00: Missing my first game of the year, I have no other option but to live blog the 1st period (I have to leave in the middle of the game to go to a meeting).
3:01: Wow, the game is in HD. So this is what it looks like on TV. NO ONE IN THE ARENA!
3:03 - JP, in his excellent hockey knowledge, tells us the Thrashers need a quick start. Thanks JP.
3:05 - I just counted everyone in the arena. Tonights attendance: 123.
3:09 - Puck drop. Sweet Lord those jerseys are ugly. Both teams.
3:11 - Penalty. Big surprise #18, 2 min Holding. I wish someone would hold me. I can't take it anymore. It's amazing how easy it is for other teams to enter our zone, yet we can't do the same.
3:13 - Thorburn on the PK. What is this team's hard on with this guy. I mean, he try much. He can't do much.
3:17 - Nice play by Kovy. One shot and then out of the zone. There is your problem. When we do get a chance, it is only one and then out.
3:18 - Crazy bounce almost lets in first goal. Even our boards suck.
3:20 - Coors commercial. Am I the only one that thinks Coors is awesome when you are in Colorado?
3:22 - Carter goal. Just as JP and Darren were talking about our great start.
3:25 - Great save by Moose. Shot from the point, deflection... Moose is just Moose. Why do we always turn the puck over along the boards? Un-good.
3:28 - We are out-shooting them. That is good. Pevs and Slava nice chance. A little sustained forecheck. Things look somewhat better...
3:29 - I wonder if Morty is having an ice-cold beverage for me like I asked. Out of all the ones he drinks today, I wonder how he decides which one is for me.
3:34 - What time does the game start today?
3:35 - Army in on a break, misses the net. This makes me sad.
3:37 - PP goes to work. Perhaps this is the game we break out of our little PP slump.
3:40 - Battle for puck along the boards. They have as many guys as us fighting for the puck. Hockey 101: when you are up a man, ALWAYS HAVE ONE MORE GUY THAN THE OTHER TEAM WHEN ALONG THE BOARDS FIGHTING FOR THE PUCK!!!!
3:42 - Period over. Darren says good period for the Thrashers. JP says yes, only down by one. This is the attitude we have to find a way to change.
3:59 - Gotta leave. At least I get about 20 mins of Kamal before my metting. Go get 'em boys.
4:01 - Well, why not give up one more goal just as I am leaving.
6:38 - Return home to find we lost 3-2.
3:01: Wow, the game is in HD. So this is what it looks like on TV. NO ONE IN THE ARENA!
3:03 - JP, in his excellent hockey knowledge, tells us the Thrashers need a quick start. Thanks JP.
3:05 - I just counted everyone in the arena. Tonights attendance: 123.
3:09 - Puck drop. Sweet Lord those jerseys are ugly. Both teams.
3:11 - Penalty. Big surprise #18, 2 min Holding. I wish someone would hold me. I can't take it anymore. It's amazing how easy it is for other teams to enter our zone, yet we can't do the same.
3:13 - Thorburn on the PK. What is this team's hard on with this guy. I mean, he try much. He can't do much.
3:17 - Nice play by Kovy. One shot and then out of the zone. There is your problem. When we do get a chance, it is only one and then out.
3:18 - Crazy bounce almost lets in first goal. Even our boards suck.
3:20 - Coors commercial. Am I the only one that thinks Coors is awesome when you are in Colorado?
3:22 - Carter goal. Just as JP and Darren were talking about our great start.
3:25 - Great save by Moose. Shot from the point, deflection... Moose is just Moose. Why do we always turn the puck over along the boards? Un-good.
3:28 - We are out-shooting them. That is good. Pevs and Slava nice chance. A little sustained forecheck. Things look somewhat better...
3:29 - I wonder if Morty is having an ice-cold beverage for me like I asked. Out of all the ones he drinks today, I wonder how he decides which one is for me.
3:34 - What time does the game start today?
3:35 - Army in on a break, misses the net. This makes me sad.
3:37 - PP goes to work. Perhaps this is the game we break out of our little PP slump.
3:40 - Battle for puck along the boards. They have as many guys as us fighting for the puck. Hockey 101: when you are up a man, ALWAYS HAVE ONE MORE GUY THAN THE OTHER TEAM WHEN ALONG THE BOARDS FIGHTING FOR THE PUCK!!!!
3:42 - Period over. Darren says good period for the Thrashers. JP says yes, only down by one. This is the attitude we have to find a way to change.
3:59 - Gotta leave. At least I get about 20 mins of Kamal before my metting. Go get 'em boys.
4:01 - Well, why not give up one more goal just as I am leaving.
6:38 - Return home to find we lost 3-2.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Like, Wow.
What a great game. The most exciting of the year, so far.
In the last week, the Chronicle has complained about the following:
1. The Thrashers aren't physical enough.
2. The Thrashers aren't winning of late.
3. Kovy isn't scoring goals.
Well:
1. They sorted themselves out tonight. The Czar was godlike: I loved his rowdiness. His scraping with Ian White was totally justified, and more importantly it was great fun. The goal he scored, after skating around and around the Leafs defense like a shark waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike, was a classic.
2. The Thrash played rugged and aggressive all night. Kovy's fights were the highlight, of course, but Armstrong, Exelby, and Slater all knocked down Leafs in entertaining ways tonight.
3. The Toronto chattering class is all upset about Colby Armstrong's hit on Jason Blake, of course. A player from the Atlanta Thrashers running into a Leafs player is an abomination against the Canadian Beaver God (who they believe created all of Canada); a vicious hit like Kris Letang's on Todd White, however, is a-okay. Such superstitious people, those NHL media types. I mean...BEAVER GODS! Have you ever HEARD anything so silly? This is what they believe, though, the people at TSN.
4. Speaking of Todd White....by the end of the game your Chronicle editor was putting on his night-robe and slippers, lighting his pipe and pouring himself some brandy, getting in the mood for a Todd White hat trick.
Didn't happen, of course, but a fine pair of goals.
5. Moose ruled. He gave up two fluky goals and one where he was screened by twenty people. Otherwise he Moose-danced and Moose-checked his way to glory. How about that one save?
6. Dear God I love the Czar. I was worried when he didn't score on that breakaway, but he cured all my anxiety when he scored that ridiculously precise goal and roughed up the entire Vegas Maple Leafs. The Chronicle staff happened to be watching the game on the TV machine together, in the same place (a rare occurrence); Big Shooter poured some shots of vodka and we toasted the Czar. Long may he reign.
7. All you schlmazels who think Boris Valabik is better than Mathieu Schneider are silly folk indeed. Probably anti-Semites too.
8. The Thrash are scoring pretty finesse goals and ugly point-blank garbage goals. This is fantastic. Bryan Little has that insane finesse thing going on; how about his lovely move in tonight's game? The Thrash have plenty of finesse (Kovy's goal, Little's move, Slava all the time), but tonight they let us know they're not above simply charging the net and banging in garbage goals (cheers, Chris Thorburn!).
9. Check out the game recap on TSN's main page. The Czar's statement of resolve at the end is priceless. "Always ready to answer back." To the bitter resentful guy with the 70s Berlin mustache. "He's gonna get what's coming to him." What an asshat. The Czar is a badass.
10. Can't wait 'til the Leafs are relocated to Vegas.
11. Keep it up, Thrashers, keep it up.
In the last week, the Chronicle has complained about the following:
1. The Thrashers aren't physical enough.
2. The Thrashers aren't winning of late.
3. Kovy isn't scoring goals.
Well:
1. They sorted themselves out tonight. The Czar was godlike: I loved his rowdiness. His scraping with Ian White was totally justified, and more importantly it was great fun. The goal he scored, after skating around and around the Leafs defense like a shark waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike, was a classic.
2. The Thrash played rugged and aggressive all night. Kovy's fights were the highlight, of course, but Armstrong, Exelby, and Slater all knocked down Leafs in entertaining ways tonight.
3. The Toronto chattering class is all upset about Colby Armstrong's hit on Jason Blake, of course. A player from the Atlanta Thrashers running into a Leafs player is an abomination against the Canadian Beaver God (who they believe created all of Canada); a vicious hit like Kris Letang's on Todd White, however, is a-okay. Such superstitious people, those NHL media types. I mean...BEAVER GODS! Have you ever HEARD anything so silly? This is what they believe, though, the people at TSN.
4. Speaking of Todd White....by the end of the game your Chronicle editor was putting on his night-robe and slippers, lighting his pipe and pouring himself some brandy, getting in the mood for a Todd White hat trick.
Didn't happen, of course, but a fine pair of goals.
5. Moose ruled. He gave up two fluky goals and one where he was screened by twenty people. Otherwise he Moose-danced and Moose-checked his way to glory. How about that one save?
6. Dear God I love the Czar. I was worried when he didn't score on that breakaway, but he cured all my anxiety when he scored that ridiculously precise goal and roughed up the entire Vegas Maple Leafs. The Chronicle staff happened to be watching the game on the TV machine together, in the same place (a rare occurrence); Big Shooter poured some shots of vodka and we toasted the Czar. Long may he reign.
7. All you schlmazels who think Boris Valabik is better than Mathieu Schneider are silly folk indeed. Probably anti-Semites too.
8. The Thrash are scoring pretty finesse goals and ugly point-blank garbage goals. This is fantastic. Bryan Little has that insane finesse thing going on; how about his lovely move in tonight's game? The Thrash have plenty of finesse (Kovy's goal, Little's move, Slava all the time), but tonight they let us know they're not above simply charging the net and banging in garbage goals (cheers, Chris Thorburn!).
9. Check out the game recap on TSN's main page. The Czar's statement of resolve at the end is priceless. "Always ready to answer back." To the bitter resentful guy with the 70s Berlin mustache. "He's gonna get what's coming to him." What an asshat. The Czar is a badass.
10. Can't wait 'til the Leafs are relocated to Vegas.
11. Keep it up, Thrashers, keep it up.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
How do scientists classify the phenomenon of winning four games in a row?
Ric Flair has nothing on Ron Hainsey.
It looks like the excellent Kozlov-White-Little line decided to be generous and let other people score this afternoon. Nice work, Czar.
And nice work yet again, Jason Williams.
But everyone knows that there are two mega-stories from this game. Marty the Party came through big this time.
He threw us an exceptionally sexy party this afternoon.
And where would we be without Moose?
Moose moose!
Excellent, excellent.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Is Today The Day?
Last day before free agency folks. Could today FINALLY be the day we resolve our goalie situation? I think it might be. Think about it, tomorrow at noon teams start to fill their needs through UFA's. How are we going to know what UFA's to target if the goalie trade is still up in the air?
In an ideal world, we would make the trade today for either at top 4 D or top 6 forward. Then focus on getting the other guy in free agency. You may recall that the Chronicle has been bantering about this for over a year now. It is time to be done with it!! Make it happen DW. This decision is the second biggest one you will have to make in shaping this franchise (the other one being, well... you know). Both choices have their pros and cons. This is why you get paid the big bucks. Part of me wants to keep Kari because he is proven. Part of me wants to trade him because he can't stay healthy. Pavs is an unknown with that scary word, "potential".
What to do, what to do... heeengh? When Moose was re-signed to that two year deal I really didn't understand it. Great guy, and goalie... but everybody knew we had this situation looming around the corner. I thought a one year deal would have been perfect. Now, with that second year, it has help create a difficult situation. Are you comfortable with Moose and Pavs as your goalie in the year that we need to impress The Czar? Had we not signed Moose to the 2 year deal, he more than likely would have moved on and the goalie duo would be Kari and Pavs.
OK, at this point I'm just rambling the same stuff we already know about. As Monty Python used to say, "GET ON WITH IT". So, this is the official trade a goalie post. Your thoughts and predictions are appreciated in the comment section. Is today the day?
In an ideal world, we would make the trade today for either at top 4 D or top 6 forward. Then focus on getting the other guy in free agency. You may recall that the Chronicle has been bantering about this for over a year now. It is time to be done with it!! Make it happen DW. This decision is the second biggest one you will have to make in shaping this franchise (the other one being, well... you know). Both choices have their pros and cons. This is why you get paid the big bucks. Part of me wants to keep Kari because he is proven. Part of me wants to trade him because he can't stay healthy. Pavs is an unknown with that scary word, "potential".
What to do, what to do... heeengh? When Moose was re-signed to that two year deal I really didn't understand it. Great guy, and goalie... but everybody knew we had this situation looming around the corner. I thought a one year deal would have been perfect. Now, with that second year, it has help create a difficult situation. Are you comfortable with Moose and Pavs as your goalie in the year that we need to impress The Czar? Had we not signed Moose to the 2 year deal, he more than likely would have moved on and the goalie duo would be Kari and Pavs.
OK, at this point I'm just rambling the same stuff we already know about. As Monty Python used to say, "GET ON WITH IT". So, this is the official trade a goalie post. Your thoughts and predictions are appreciated in the comment section. Is today the day?
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Notes from Pregame Skate Saturday
This past Saturday morning the Atlanta Thrashers were kind enough to invite a handful of bloggers out to the morning skate for media access. Ben Wright from the Blueland Blog hosted representatives from the Blueland Roar, Fanthrashtic, Thrashers411, Birdwatchers Annonymous, and myself, Razor Catch Prey of the Blueland Chronicle.
We were welcomed into the lower bowl of Philips to observe as Moose took to the ice well before the rest of the team, as we are told he does for every pregame skate. Anssi Salmela eventually joined him and the two engaged in a game that consited of alternately firing pucks from center ice into the net. The goal is to hit the net without first hitting ice or iron. Despite playing with a goalie stick and in full goalie pads, Moose performed admirably. Matt McConnel joined us as we watched the rest of the team come on ice and begin roughly structured exercises intended to get loose and stretched out.
As always, McConnel is a lot of fun to talk to. He's glad to be back in Atlanta and back doing play by play after being in the studio last year. We discussed what he and Darren Elliot try to accomplish on the air, what he and the rest of us have gathered from the team's performance thus far, and our philosophies on blogging. We didn't gather anything shocking to reveal to you in this discussion, just an appreciation for a good guy in the organization. There were some very interesting things said off the record, but obviously those have to go unrepeated.
After the pre-game skate, we meandered through the bowels of the arena to set up shop outside the locker room. Ben Wright had informed us that we would have an opportunity to interview Chris Thorburn. On the way to the locker room, we passed Eric Boulton who recognized us and called out "you're not going to have to talk to Thorburn are you?"
The bloggers were present for Coach Anderson's post-skate press conference, which consisted of Ben Wright, Dan Kamal, and Chris Vivlamore asking a couple of questions each and JA giving the same answers he had given after the game Thursday night, almost verbatim. He went back into the locker room and we were left to our own devices for several minutes, politely nodding at players as they passed by, waiting for Chris Thorburn to come out for his interview.
When he emerged from the locker room, Thorbs discussed what it's like as a professional hockey player being traded. He said that it would have been much more difficult had he been married, but for a young single guy getting traded isn't all that big of a deal. He saw his trade to Atlanta as an opportunity and set a personal goal of sticking with the NHL club which he hadn't done previously.
Next, I asked Thorburn about the feel of the locker room from the time he joined the team through today. He immediately said that the level of excitement this season was previously unmatched. He went on to answer questions about killing penalties and how it's different skating with Marty the Party rather than Slater. In his words, when you get the puck to Marty Reasoner you'd better get open because he's going to be looking to make a play.
Before he bid adieu, I asked Thorbs for a favor. We didn't know who we might be interviewing, and I had speculated that it might well be Rich Peverly since he just signed his contract extension this week. My fiance had run out and bought a Pez Dispenser that I could present to the Pevs Dispenser. I explained the nickname to Thorburn and, laughing merrily, he agreed to present it to Peverly on behalf of the Chronicle.
We went back out to the seats to watch the Sharks pregame skate and talk blogging with the very knowlegeable and pleasant Julie from HockeyBuzz. I have to admit that I am not familiar with her work since HockeyBuzz is blocked at my office, but she certainly seems to know her stuff. She is working on what I gather to be a personality profile story on Evander Kane for Versus. Hopefully DirecTV will start carrying the network again in time for me to catch some of it.
Thanks to the Thrashers and their staff for inviting us to the event.
For the Chronicle, I'm Razor Catch Prey.
We were welcomed into the lower bowl of Philips to observe as Moose took to the ice well before the rest of the team, as we are told he does for every pregame skate. Anssi Salmela eventually joined him and the two engaged in a game that consited of alternately firing pucks from center ice into the net. The goal is to hit the net without first hitting ice or iron. Despite playing with a goalie stick and in full goalie pads, Moose performed admirably. Matt McConnel joined us as we watched the rest of the team come on ice and begin roughly structured exercises intended to get loose and stretched out.
As always, McConnel is a lot of fun to talk to. He's glad to be back in Atlanta and back doing play by play after being in the studio last year. We discussed what he and Darren Elliot try to accomplish on the air, what he and the rest of us have gathered from the team's performance thus far, and our philosophies on blogging. We didn't gather anything shocking to reveal to you in this discussion, just an appreciation for a good guy in the organization. There were some very interesting things said off the record, but obviously those have to go unrepeated.
After the pre-game skate, we meandered through the bowels of the arena to set up shop outside the locker room. Ben Wright had informed us that we would have an opportunity to interview Chris Thorburn. On the way to the locker room, we passed Eric Boulton who recognized us and called out "you're not going to have to talk to Thorburn are you?"
The bloggers were present for Coach Anderson's post-skate press conference, which consisted of Ben Wright, Dan Kamal, and Chris Vivlamore asking a couple of questions each and JA giving the same answers he had given after the game Thursday night, almost verbatim. He went back into the locker room and we were left to our own devices for several minutes, politely nodding at players as they passed by, waiting for Chris Thorburn to come out for his interview.
When he emerged from the locker room, Thorbs discussed what it's like as a professional hockey player being traded. He said that it would have been much more difficult had he been married, but for a young single guy getting traded isn't all that big of a deal. He saw his trade to Atlanta as an opportunity and set a personal goal of sticking with the NHL club which he hadn't done previously.
Next, I asked Thorburn about the feel of the locker room from the time he joined the team through today. He immediately said that the level of excitement this season was previously unmatched. He went on to answer questions about killing penalties and how it's different skating with Marty the Party rather than Slater. In his words, when you get the puck to Marty Reasoner you'd better get open because he's going to be looking to make a play.
Before he bid adieu, I asked Thorbs for a favor. We didn't know who we might be interviewing, and I had speculated that it might well be Rich Peverly since he just signed his contract extension this week. My fiance had run out and bought a Pez Dispenser that I could present to the Pevs Dispenser. I explained the nickname to Thorburn and, laughing merrily, he agreed to present it to Peverly on behalf of the Chronicle.
We went back out to the seats to watch the Sharks pregame skate and talk blogging with the very knowlegeable and pleasant Julie from HockeyBuzz. I have to admit that I am not familiar with her work since HockeyBuzz is blocked at my office, but she certainly seems to know her stuff. She is working on what I gather to be a personality profile story on Evander Kane for Versus. Hopefully DirecTV will start carrying the network again in time for me to catch some of it.
Thanks to the Thrashers and their staff for inviting us to the event.
For the Chronicle, I'm Razor Catch Prey.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Madness, Just Total Madness
OK folks... I am about to explode waiting on the draft! I've given up on us hiring a coach. Morty and I talked it over and decided Moose will be the backup, and also coach the team. On days when Moose is in goal, Marc Crawford's hair will be brought in to coach. Not Marc Crawford, just his hair.
Morty also has got me thinking about the Kings #2 pick. I want it. What have the Kings been missing since the beginning of time? That's right, a goalie. What do we have a plethora of? That's right. Not sure what would be fair market value for the #2 pick. Pavelec, our #29 pick and top prospect/roster player? What say you faithful Chronicle readers? Is that enough? Too much?
If that happens (unlikely by the way, but still fun to speculate!) we should take both Doughty and Bogosian. Our defense would be: Tobi, Havelid, Bogo, Doughty, UFA(Orpik$?$), Klee/X/Shitnik/whoever I forgot about. Then possibly sign Ryan Malone and we are much better.
First thing first, we have to decide as an organization what goalie to go with. Is now the time to do that with Kari needing a new contract? Or do we give Pavelec another year or two to get his feet on solid ground? If Kari is our man (and why shouldn't he be?) then we need to move Pavelec. I know it is a little risky, but we have too many holes to fill. We could get a key piece in return. Good Lord this is exciting!!!!!!!!!! So many possibilities!!
What say you Blueland? Am I totally off my rocker?
For The Blueland Chronicle, I'm Big Shooter.
Morty also has got me thinking about the Kings #2 pick. I want it. What have the Kings been missing since the beginning of time? That's right, a goalie. What do we have a plethora of? That's right. Not sure what would be fair market value for the #2 pick. Pavelec, our #29 pick and top prospect/roster player? What say you faithful Chronicle readers? Is that enough? Too much?
If that happens (unlikely by the way, but still fun to speculate!) we should take both Doughty and Bogosian. Our defense would be: Tobi, Havelid, Bogo, Doughty, UFA(Orpik$?$), Klee/X/Shitnik/whoever I forgot about. Then possibly sign Ryan Malone and we are much better.
First thing first, we have to decide as an organization what goalie to go with. Is now the time to do that with Kari needing a new contract? Or do we give Pavelec another year or two to get his feet on solid ground? If Kari is our man (and why shouldn't he be?) then we need to move Pavelec. I know it is a little risky, but we have too many holes to fill. We could get a key piece in return. Good Lord this is exciting!!!!!!!!!! So many possibilities!!
What say you Blueland? Am I totally off my rocker?
For The Blueland Chronicle, I'm Big Shooter.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
The Swedish Triangle
Nice article by Custance about Nick Havelid in today's AJC. Apparently he and Moose live "within walking distance" of one another and their kids play together.
Money quote:
I feel guilty for not praising Havelid enough on this blog, because he has delivered all season long. Young Toby's been getting all the attention--and why not? he's awesome--but it's only decent to raise a glass to the veteran on our excellent Swedish Blue Line (the one part of our defense that needs absolutely zero changes). Perhaps Havelid should be captain next season.
Speaking of Toby Enstrom getting all the attention, here's a recent article on him and Washington's Nicklas Backstrom, another Swedish rookie that will might very well win the Calder Trophy this year. The article celebrates the fact that 1) they're both Swedish, 2)they're both highly talented young players contending for the Calder Trophy, and 3)they both play in the Southeast Division. Oh, and it compares Enstrom to a young Nick Lidstrom. I don't want to make too much of that...might explode my brain with over-excited thoughts about the future.
I doubt Moose will stay with us beyond this season (though it is possible), which is too bad for several reasons, one of which is that the occasional Swedish Triangle of Enstrom, Havelid, and Hedberg could make huge waves for the next few years. Maybe that's just a sentimental fantasy, but I like the notion of a "Swedish Triangle." Has a nice ring to it, I think.
Money quote:
Even when the team was at its worse, Havelid excelled. He's constantly matched against the most dangerous scorers, yet when Buffalo routed the Thrashers 10-1 in January, Havelid was a plus-one for the game.
The Thrashers have allowed 55 more goals than they've scored this season, yet Havelid's plus-minus hovered around even most of the season. It's just now, during the Thrashers' recent dive, that he has dropped to a minus-four. It's still the best of any defenseman who has been with the team all season.
I feel guilty for not praising Havelid enough on this blog, because he has delivered all season long. Young Toby's been getting all the attention--and why not? he's awesome--but it's only decent to raise a glass to the veteran on our excellent Swedish Blue Line (the one part of our defense that needs absolutely zero changes). Perhaps Havelid should be captain next season.
Speaking of Toby Enstrom getting all the attention, here's a recent article on him and Washington's Nicklas Backstrom, another Swedish rookie that will might very well win the Calder Trophy this year. The article celebrates the fact that 1) they're both Swedish, 2)they're both highly talented young players contending for the Calder Trophy, and 3)they both play in the Southeast Division. Oh, and it compares Enstrom to a young Nick Lidstrom. I don't want to make too much of that...might explode my brain with over-excited thoughts about the future.
I doubt Moose will stay with us beyond this season (though it is possible), which is too bad for several reasons, one of which is that the occasional Swedish Triangle of Enstrom, Havelid, and Hedberg could make huge waves for the next few years. Maybe that's just a sentimental fantasy, but I like the notion of a "Swedish Triangle." Has a nice ring to it, I think.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Johan Hedberg With the Shutout!
Congrats, Moose.
Pavelec let in a million goals and Non-Existent Thurgenstrom let in an empty-netter, but Moose was solid all night.
What a terrible world we live in.
Pavelec let in a million goals and Non-Existent Thurgenstrom let in an empty-netter, but Moose was solid all night.
What a terrible world we live in.
Monday, September 21, 2009
10 Quick Impressions of Tonight's Game
(updated below)
The pre-season one. That took place tonight. Underwater. Against the Canes. In front of a crowd that was really not so bad, when you consider that half the metro area is under water and several people had no option but to cock the wagon and ford Northside Parkway.
1) My God do I love Nik Antropov. Let's hope his 3 assists tonight mean something.
2) As bitchin' as his goal and his assist tonight were (and they really were), I was actually damn impressed by Pavel Kubina's defensive play. He was hitting a good bit for a pre-season game, and he broke up Carolina plays like a hot secretary.
3) I was even more impressed by Pavel Kubina's black eye.
4) A few other people around the Thrashers blogosphere have already commented on Little's kick-ass goal on the feed from Kovalchuk and Antropov. It did, indeed, kick ass. Let's hope that it's a sign of things to come.
5) Mark Popovic deserves a spot on this team.
6) Whoever the guy is who took Boris Valabik's old number doesn't.
7) Moose is still Moose.
8) Toby Enstrom had a very nice carry-in at some point in the game (early 3rd period, I think). Puck-moving defenseman, he.
9) Paul Postma is goddamn awesome, offensively and defensively. Still a year or so off, though.
10) These Thrashers are fast, fast, fast. And they shoot the puck a lot.
Let's not get ahead of ourselves, folks, but this team looked pretty good. Or so I thoughted.
IMPORTANT UPDATE: Razor told me he saw Maxim Afinogenov wandering the concourse. That is all.
The pre-season one. That took place tonight. Underwater. Against the Canes. In front of a crowd that was really not so bad, when you consider that half the metro area is under water and several people had no option but to cock the wagon and ford Northside Parkway.
1) My God do I love Nik Antropov. Let's hope his 3 assists tonight mean something.
2) As bitchin' as his goal and his assist tonight were (and they really were), I was actually damn impressed by Pavel Kubina's defensive play. He was hitting a good bit for a pre-season game, and he broke up Carolina plays like a hot secretary.
3) I was even more impressed by Pavel Kubina's black eye.
4) A few other people around the Thrashers blogosphere have already commented on Little's kick-ass goal on the feed from Kovalchuk and Antropov. It did, indeed, kick ass. Let's hope that it's a sign of things to come.
5) Mark Popovic deserves a spot on this team.
6) Whoever the guy is who took Boris Valabik's old number doesn't.
7) Moose is still Moose.
8) Toby Enstrom had a very nice carry-in at some point in the game (early 3rd period, I think). Puck-moving defenseman, he.
9) Paul Postma is goddamn awesome, offensively and defensively. Still a year or so off, though.
10) These Thrashers are fast, fast, fast. And they shoot the puck a lot.
Let's not get ahead of ourselves, folks, but this team looked pretty good. Or so I thoughted.
IMPORTANT UPDATE: Razor told me he saw Maxim Afinogenov wandering the concourse. That is all.
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