Weekend Catch-Up: All Hockey, No Golf
Posted by jtbourne on April 12, 2010 · 25 Comments
ShareThis
This is going to blow your mind, and probably make you happy, but….. I’m gonna leave the Masters blogging alone for today (though I’m not quiiiite done with it). I’ma do what I do best. Nooo, not make fun of the WNBA. I’m gonna write about hockey.
Sweet, glorious hockey.
It’s that time of year, people.
So let’s cover the exciting events of the weekend, starting with…..
He's, um, happy. Weee!
THE ROCKET RICHARD TROPHY
GOALS
Crosby 51
Stamkos 51
Ovechkin 50
Though it’s sort of become what I do for a living, I hate “serious” sports arguments.
You know, some guy makes a point that’s supported by some random factoid he read somewhere, puts it in defense mode, and the conversation never advances. This happens everytime you talk Richard Trophy. Ice time! Powerplays! Games played! Linemates!
Whatever. They all had remarkable years. Plus, this trophy shouldn’t leave much to talk about. It’s black and white; based on totals. If we’re arguing about who the best goal scorer in the game is – that’s Ovechkin by a mile.
But still, I feel inclined to make two points:
1) Why isn’t there a tie breaker so someone can actually win it outright? Give the trophy to the guy who had the least games played (Sid has one less), or to the guy who had less empty netters? (as has been mentioned a number of times, Puck Daddy included). Orrr, am I just suggesting that because both stats favour Sid (only had one, to Stamkos’ three) and I was rooting for him “2 – 4 – 6 – 8″ style. (Who do we a-ppre-ci-ate!)
They're laughing at the play working.
2) While on the empty-net / pro-Sid talk….. Let’s all admit it. Stamkos getting his 51st on a set play from a d-zone faceoff was a little cheesy. I seriously do like Stamkos (just wanted Sid to get at least one Rocket in his career), but come on. Up 2-1, your centerman wouldn’t push the puck forward in a normal game, for fear of giving it to your opponents d-man, who’d bomb it back down your goalies throat. So to call a play you wouldn’t normally call, strictly to get your linemate a goal – while I would have done THE EXACT SAME THING - is still corny. We’re allowed to acknowledge that, while acknowledging the fact that Stamkos’ season was mind-blowing.
Congrats to all. Except Ovy, who’s a complete and total third-place failure.
*****
I’d be remiss if I didn’t quickly mention the Evander Holyfield Kane punch on Matt Cooke (video), because nothing says “justice” like getting knocked the eff out by an 18 year old. In the cartoon version of that fight, Cooke would’ve held up a “HELP’ sign just before the punch, and absolutely would’ve had little stars and birdies floating around his mini-ice-nap.
Saved to my computer as "Kablammo!"
*****
So, I sat down at my favourite pub after work on Friday, and Breezy joined me. To my left, some chaps were chatting about hockey, so of course, I chimed it. Turns out the gentleman beside me scored the first goal in Canucks history, and had a 15 year NHL career – Mr. Barry Wilkins. Here’s our conversation:
- it's where you stop on your way home. Get it?
Barry: Sure I know you’re Dad! He was on the Islanders team that beat us (Pittsburgh) when we were up 3-0 on them in the playoffs!
Me: Ah! Oh. Sorry bout that.
Barry: Not a week goes by without it bothering me.
Me: Mmm. Um… probably doesn’t help that my father-in-law was on that team too, huh? Clark Gillies.
Barry: He broke my shoulder/collar bone with a big hit.
Me: This isn’t going well. ….I’ll text my Dad and see if he remembers playing you.
Barry: He’ll probably remember me as a d-man with rock hands.
Dads Text: “BARRY WILKINS? LEFT-HANDED D-MAN, STONE HANDS?”
Me: Sorry, he’s not writing back for whatever reason….
*****
Flyers get in AND avoid Washington.
The Flyers/Rangers play-in game was exciting, but Rangers fans… if Henrik Lundqvist makes 43 saves, you’re shooting on Bobby Boucher, and you can’t win… you don’t deserve to. NY should ship Torterella and Sather out, grab an experienced GM and the best AHL coach, and just start over.
Although, I must admit: as an Islanders fan, I think you guys should keep the same personnel and keep plugging. You’re good enough. You can do it Rangers, I promise. No changes. Just grab that shovel and start digging towards next season….
*****
Of all the eight teams to make playoffs in the West, only one team isn’t a plus in the “goal differential” category (which matters) – that being Nashville. Their failure to get it done down the stretch buried their playoff hopes - now they play Chicago, who’s goal differential looks like my two round score if they let me try to make the cut at the Masters: +62. Here comes a beat down from Chi town.
*****
Though you may not have been following my fantasy hockey league (okay, you haven’t been. Like, at all), I made a late season charge to grab the last playoff seed (8th in a 20 team head-to-head league). Then I won round one. Then I won the semi’s. And last week was the finals, where I……
Got SMOKED. Badly. Congrats to Pat of “The Kindrachuckers”, to whom I know owe a bottle of Crown Royal. Curses. Thanks for playin’ everyone, that was a blast. I’ll be doing it again next year (a pay league, so I can buy the winner something cool…. or just give him/her the cash), and mayyyy end up doing something for playoffs if I have time to set it up.
*****
Henrik Sedin won the Art Ross this year, with 112 points. I have nothing to say except congrats. That, and I’d like to subtly imply he’s a cyborg by asking people if anybody has ever actually witnessed him bleed blood. Just a question, that’s all.
*****
Number one of five. Count it!
Congratulations are also due to Boston College, who beat Wisconsin 5-0 to win the NCAA National Championship. After watching Wisconsin play RIT, I was pretty sure they could handle the Maple Leafs with relative ease, so I was a surprised they got thumpled so bad. But then I realized “is being better than the Maple Leafs that great of a measuring stick, at any level?”
*****
Okay, THAT’S ENOUGH. Especially since playoff predictions are baking in the oven. The deliciousness shall be ready soon!
I'm a hockey player turned writer. After playing for Alaska Anchorage in the WCHA (NCAA), I carried on with an NHL tryout (New York Islanders in 2007) before spending a couple seasons in the AHL/ECHL (last year was 2008-09). My father, Bob Bourne, won four Stanley Cups with the Islanders in the '80's, as did my fiancee's dad, Clark Gillies. I'm now the web editor for theScore's hockey blog "Backhand Shelf."
I know it’s YOUR blog and all but really…wait…what…all hockey, no golf?
The day after the Masters? I’m back on-board with Team-Bourne!
BTW…I’ll be sending an e-mail to your g-mail account later today…let me know what you think.
That video is nowhere near as good as the Downey/Boulerice video. Fox Sports wanted to keep their redneck audience engaged and added a bell sound effect to the knockout punch, something that the Kane/Cooke video sorely misses.
<3 Evander Karma. :-)
Boutdreau was complaining after the Caps/Bruins game that the focus of the Bruins was all on stopping Ovechkin. Yeah, Chara did a hell of a job on him from the press box, Bruce.
Puck Daddy has the awesome-er Kane KO pic for ya: http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/What-We-Learned-10-bold-predictions-for-Stanley?urn=nhl,233568
Just found that yeah, thanks man.
Why doesn’t Gaborik shoot? I don’t care if he doesn’t like it, if I’m the NYR and he doesn’t have the balls to take the shot with the season on the line I ask for my money back.
Stamkos had to turn on the jets to get to that puck. There are not many players in the league that would have won that race. He had another gear.
But then watching Sid skate through the entire Isles team trying to get another one at the end of the game was mesmerizing too.
http://communities.canada.com/THEPROVINCE/blogs/kurtenblog/archive/2010/04/11/here-s-what-matt-cooke-looks-like.aspx
Is that the photo you were looking for?
well then. I see you found the photo.
Speaking of playoff predictions I was looking over team records since the start of March. If you remove shootout losses/wins and award a tie (you know, because there isn’t a shootout in the playoffs) the Coyotes are 6-4-9 since the start of March. The six wins are tied with Colorado for the lowest of the 16 playoff teams. The four losses are tied for the fewest with Washington and Detroit. I’m not sure how to read that.
In case you’re curious Detroit leads the way with 14 regulation/OT wins since March. Washington has 12.
Interesting you point that out. I’ve had a thing saved in my phone to blog about…. more of a question really.
Some people like to say that it’s an advantage to have played and won a lot of close games. Shows your team knows how to win those tight ones, you know? On the other hand, there’s the obvious – it’s better to have won a bunch of blowouts, cause that means your team is, y’know, better.
I’ve had the Coyotes in mind when I was going to bring it up – is it to their advantage that they’ve been in 94 close games this year, or disadvantage?
Sure Stamkos skated hard for his empty-netter. Nobody’s saying he’s anything less than amazing, just like the other guys. The goal just seems out of context from the Richard trophy. Instead of a goal that happened in the course of a game, they changed their own focus (from the win to the goal) strictly for him. Nobody else did that. (Again, I don’t actually care and like Stamkos. Just sayin’ the goal felt cheesy.)
On the fantasy hockey subject /congrats due, I would like to pat myself on the back for taking the Kitten Fisters all the way to the top. Bourne you suck for finishing second and Empty Netters if your out there, you suck even worse. I am Phil and yall are Tiger.
….wait, I’m the young, rich black guy with more Masters wins than you? I can handle that. Strippers for everyone!
“NY should ship Torterella and Sather out, grab an experienced GM and the best AHL coach, and just start over.
Although, I must admit: as an Islanders fan, I think you guys should keep the same personnel and keep plugging. You’re good enough. You can do it Rangers, I promise. No changes. Just grab that shovel and start digging towards next season….”
LOL-Great stuff, JB!
I would like to thank Ford Field for proving that no game — and especially no IMPORTANT, CHAMPIONSHIP-TYPE GAME — should ever be played in a building that does not regularly host hockey. The ice for the 2nd semi and the Sat. final was horrible. This BS needs to stop. Welcome to Minnesota and a real place to play 2011 Frozen Four participants!
That video of What if cooke believed in Karma…was hysterical same with the text between you and your dad about Barry. But I got a question for you and maybe you can give me a break down of how you think the playoffs will go. Choke out of the caps? i hope not. a first round upset noone saw coming. I cant wait for playoff predictions, I need them now.
I’m a Canucks fan so I’m happy for Henrik. I’m just wondering why noone has ragged the team for propping him up (a bit) on the way to 4A Saturday night. Vigneault played him 20:something minutes in a blowout and almost noone (I’m looking at you, Bieksa) would even shoot unless H. Sedin had last touched it. On a scale of 1-to-Stamkos-empty-netter, how much does this de-value the scoring title?
@ Johnathan…I feel you man. I havent watched nearly enough hockey in the past seasons just looked at stats and cought the occasional game on Versus but this year i had NHL package. Watching the last 5 games of the seasons it didnt matter about getting into playoff really unless you were a bubble team like calgary Philly and the rangers. I was a little disheartened that teams like the Canucks and Lightning were rigging points like they did. In my opinion Sid won the Rocket fair and square because hes a unbelievable player. I would have liked to see Ove win in overall points though. Rigging the assists like Sedin and the canucks did was pretty bad. I think it was puck daddy who made the overall scaling as far as whos a better player when it comes to cluth goals. Assists should count as half point. Anyone can pass in this league, scoring is a whole differant story for players like Stamkos Sid and Ove.
@johnathan @christanson10
you have got to be kidding me. Sid was being set up all night/afternoon and so was Ovie.
go read Ken Campbells column if you want to devalue assists.
http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/32850-Campbells-Cuts-Viewing-the-award-races-through-Campbellnomics.html
All those teams had nothing to play for except having one of their players win a major award.
MikeB,
I know everyone was doing it. I’m not condoning or condemning. I’m just trying to gauge how much it devalues the record, if at all.
I figured the talking heads would be all over it. Didn’t everyone rag on the spurs a couple years back when they fed Duncan for the scoring title on the last day of the regular season?
Just saw the video of Stamkos’ 51st goal – that is a really cheesy way to make that happen. I do love the Panthers’ dman who throws his stick to try to stop him from scoring though.
“Empty net goals are for h-mos.” – Al Iafrate
@mikeB That was exactly what I was looknig for. But as far as Ovechkin and Crosby, those two got set up all year long. Its not a change for them in the final part of the season. Their offense is based around them and are given the puck because of what they can do with it. Im talking about when noone will shoot to score because Sedin hasnt touched the puck or makeing a gutsy play that could cause a goal in the final seconds that would result in a loss just so a player could win a trophy *cough* Stamkos. Even JT labeled it straight up, youre playing your best player 20+ mins in a blow out game, where teams start gunning for other players. So that he could get the point trophy. If Sedin had got hurt what then? bye bye canucks
Love your blog. Just a nit: it’s Barry Wilkins, not Wilks. I remember well that night in 1975 when your dad and his evil buddies laid low the heart of a 16 year old with that 1-0 victory in game 7, Barry Wilkins notwithstanding.
Throw the Snake.
Looks like Kane also got him with a hard one on the way down.