Avery is curse. He is like the death of all hockey etams. In all seriousness, Dallas has had its share of injuries to start the season (Ducks fan defending Dallas what the fuck is wrong with me?) They did win last night though after being down the whole game so thats a plus. I could care less about the Stars as the lower they go, the better the Ducks get. The Devils are playing really well despite not having their "MARTY". Good teams are teams that are able to pick themselves up even when a core player goes down. The Devils thus far are proving that they are a good team. The Red Wings just do not like playing the Canadiens. If the Wings played the Canadiens for all 82 games, they would only win half at most. The Habs are the achillies heels of the Red Wings based on the results of the last few contests I have witnessed between these two.
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Official 2008-2009 NHL Season Thread
- Thread starter IrishCanadian25
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Avery is curse. He is like the death of all hockey etams. In all seriousness, Dallas has had its share of injuries to start the season (Ducks fan defending Dallas what the fuck is wrong with me?) They did win last night though after being down the whole game so thats a plus. I could care less about the Stars as the lower they go, the better the Ducks get. The Devils are playing really well despite not having their "MARTY". Good teams are teams that are able to pick themselves up even when a core player goes down. The Devils thus far are proving that they are a good team. The Red Wings just do not like playing the Canadiens. If the Wings played the Canadiens for all 82 games, they would only win half at most. The Habs are the achillies heels of the Red Wings based on the results of the last few contests I have witnessed between these two.
Avery is curse. He is like the death of all hockey etams. In all seriousness, Dallas has had its share of injuries to start the season (Ducks fan defending Dallas what the fuck is wrong with me?)
Ya seriously what is wrong with you... You of all people defending the Stars... Anywho... Ya the Devils have picked it up, but I really hate to say this, but it's not like the Devils have played very good offensive teams. On the flip side of that though we have played some decent goalies like Kolzig and Vokoon or however you spell it. I mean our last game we had another melt down with 10 seconds left in the game and Florida tied it... That's twice this month that we were forced into OT like that... Both times we came out as the victors which is always a good thing. I must say I get more impressed with Clemmenson each time I see him play. He can be reallllly shakey sometimes, but other times the kid looks damn near brilliant. Our next game is going to be huge. Saturday vs the Penguins... If we play the way we've played over the last four and 2 periods, I think we can beat them. If we play any less than that we're going to be killed... Plain and simple... If we play like we played against Florida in the 3rd period (dump and chase)... We'll be lucky to get ore than 10 shots...
I love my Pens but they are missing something. Their defense is mediocre, and their goaltending isn't any better. Fleury's played like shit all year. Our shitty defense hasn't helped much but hey its his job to stop the puck.
the Pens have no defense. Yes the lost of Gonchar will do that but the supporting class needs to pick up the slack. The Pens have to outscore everyone and that doesn't always work. Especially against the good teams. The Pens offensively are a force to be reckoned with. Staal has stepped up and Crosby and Malkin are still the top 3 players in the NHL. The Pens still need a winger to skate with Crosby because Satan sucks and Fedetenko isn't any better. But the Pens have depth in the farm system so hopefully they make a trade and acquire a winger, and hopefully they can resign him at the end of the year.
the Pens have no defense. Yes the lost of Gonchar will do that but the supporting class needs to pick up the slack. The Pens have to outscore everyone and that doesn't always work. Especially against the good teams. The Pens offensively are a force to be reckoned with. Staal has stepped up and Crosby and Malkin are still the top 3 players in the NHL. The Pens still need a winger to skate with Crosby because Satan sucks and Fedetenko isn't any better. But the Pens have depth in the farm system so hopefully they make a trade and acquire a winger, and hopefully they can resign him at the end of the year.
The Devils have long built the foundation for being a defensive team so they have to control the tempo of the game if they want to have a chance. They need to avoid penalties and take out the top 2 scorers for Pittsburgh (Evgeni and Crosby of course) The Devils IMO still have what it takes to win. As I said previously, good teams find ways to win and the Devils have been good my entire life so it is hard to envision them losing. As Puddy from Seinfeld would say, WERE THE DEVILS! THE DEVILS!
Brain, your right and if there is one thing I've noticed watching/listening to Penguins games this year is that their defense is mediocre at best and Fleury as you said has played like shit. I think that he is a Hell of a lot better than he's shown so far this season. Again though loosing a guy like Gonchar really does not help the defense in any sort of way, and Fleury no doubt is facing a lot of shots that he probably wouldn't have had to face should Gonchar had been there. That being said... There is no reason that the rest of the Penguins defense has not stepped it up a notch. I mean looking at the names, there are some half way decent defense men that should really not have that much of a problem in picking up the slack.
The Penguins offense however can just be overwhelmingly explosive at times, and that's their greatest weapon right now. Unfortunatly I can't see that alone winning them or any other team winning the cup. Many of the teams are so damn close as far as power and defense is concerned that the Penguins may get hung out to dry should they run into a string of defensive teams that can score like say... New Jersey (when 1/2 the team isn't injured) , the Rangers, and of course this season, Boston. We'll find out on Saturday how they are able to play against the Devils whom have suddenly realized that if they shoot the puck they can score. First though they need to dispose of Buffalo... A team that started out on fire, but seems to really be unraveling... again... On Saturday though I'm lookin to see Madden and Pandolfo against Crosby and Malkin... Why? Cause Madden and Pandolfo are certainly two of the best defensive offensive men in the league
The Penguins offense however can just be overwhelmingly explosive at times, and that's their greatest weapon right now. Unfortunatly I can't see that alone winning them or any other team winning the cup. Many of the teams are so damn close as far as power and defense is concerned that the Penguins may get hung out to dry should they run into a string of defensive teams that can score like say... New Jersey (when 1/2 the team isn't injured) , the Rangers, and of course this season, Boston. We'll find out on Saturday how they are able to play against the Devils whom have suddenly realized that if they shoot the puck they can score. First though they need to dispose of Buffalo... A team that started out on fire, but seems to really be unraveling... again... On Saturday though I'm lookin to see Madden and Pandolfo against Crosby and Malkin... Why? Cause Madden and Pandolfo are certainly two of the best defensive offensive men in the league
This is why I fucking love the NHL. The NHL along with the NFL are the two sports where there aren't any dominant teams and you know that you are going to get something different out of the year. The Last 3 years have brought us the Hurricanes, the Ducks and the Red Wings. Who will it be this year? The Penguins could easily make it back but they have to learn how to play at Detroit's level. The Ducks have to learn to contain their mistakes and also play much better at home. Unfortunately, I will not be able to watch tomorrow's home game against the Blackhawks since I will be at work but I do know that they should be able to win tomorrow. I will ne deeply ashamed if they dont.
My$terio_Fan
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I think it would be fun if the people who post in here and follow the NHL(all 4 of us)predict who they think are going to take the cup and why. Like Hayek said the NHL is very unpredictable and a team can go from dominanting the regular season to bombing the playoffs.
If I had to pick one team to win the cup this year I would say the Sharks. They have been in the hunt the last couple of years, but I feel this could be their time. That's my official pick. I really am rooting for Montreal though since they are my favorite team but I think they are just too inconsistant to win this year.
If I had to pick one team to win the cup this year I would say the Sharks. They have been in the hunt the last couple of years, but I feel this could be their time. That's my official pick. I really am rooting for Montreal though since they are my favorite team but I think they are just too inconsistant to win this year.
The Pens can play at Detroits level, and it showed when we won 7-6. We were able to score, our defense stepped up when they needed to even though they were shaky at times, and it gave us the resurgence of Jordan Staal. The man was a beast his rookie year, he sort of fell off the earth in his second year, and he's come back to life in his third.
All the talent in the world doesn't always equal Championships. That's in any sport. Yes, the Redwings are a talented team and are very deep, but they have their weaknesses like all teams, and you never know when the injury bug is going to hit. That bug can be deadly at times.
All the talent in the world doesn't always equal Championships. That's in any sport. Yes, the Redwings are a talented team and are very deep, but they have their weaknesses like all teams, and you never know when the injury bug is going to hit. That bug can be deadly at times.
The Pens can play at Detroits level, and it showed when we won 7-6. We were able to score, our defense stepped up when they needed to even though they were shaky at times, and it gave us the resurgence of Jordan Staal. The man was a beast his rookie year, he sort of fell off the earth in his second year, and he's come back to life in his third.
All the talent in the world doesn't always equal Championships. That's in any sport. Yes, the Redwings are a talented team and are very deep, but they have their weaknesses like all teams, and you never know when the injury bug is going to hit. That bug can be deadly at times.
You of all people know that season play and playoff play are two different levels. The Ducks always beat the Red Wings at Honda Center during the Regular season but it doesnt mean we are going to beat them in the playoffs. The Sharks have been a great regular season team for quite some time now but have fallen hard on the playoffs. If Pittsburgh were to meet Detroit again in Lord Stanley's Cup, then we would see but Im basing my opinion on the Final I saw last year. Plus Hossa is now a Red Wing making them even more powerful. Plus Crosby deserves to win a title so if he can win one this year, good stuff. But like I said before, all the top teams have a chance.
You of all people know that season play and playoff play are two different levels. The Ducks always beat the Red Wings at Honda Center during the Regular season but it doesnt mean we are going to beat them in the playoffs. The Sharks have been a great regular season team for quite some time now but have fallen hard on the playoffs. If Pittsburgh were to meet Detroit again in Lord Stanley's Cup, then we would see but Im basing my opinion on the Final I saw last year. Plus Hossa is now a Red Wing making them even more powerful. Plus Crosby deserves to win a title so if he can win one this year, good stuff. But like I said before, all the top teams have a chance.
The Pens are a more experienced team now. Last year against Detroit they seemed out of place and it showed. The Pens were shaky at times. They were like children staring into shiny objects not knowing whats going on (if that makes sense?). The Pens showed no heart last year except for one game, and that was the triple overtime game. They made poor decisions, both offensively and defensively.
Didn't the Oilers lose a Stanley cup before destroying the NHL for nearly 10 years?
Besides that Hossa argument is shit, Hossa was nothing in the playoffs before Crosby and Malkin. Hossa was a choke in the playoffs, and it took two great players to get him going. So who's to say he wouldn't suck in the upcoming playoffs?
The Pens are a decent team from line 1-4, and they are 1 player away from being better than last years team. So saying the Pens can't play at Detroits level is ridiculous. The Pens beat the Red Wings after being down like 3-0. They showed heart, and they showed us a will to win, even when facing adversity. That is something they didn't show in last years final.
The Pens are a more experienced team now. Last year against Detroit they seemed out of place and it showed. The Pens were shaky at times. They were like children staring into shiny objects not knowing whats going on (if that makes sense?). The Pens showed no heart last year except for one game, and that was the triple overtime game. They made poor decisions, but offensively and defensively.
Didn't the Oilers lose a Stanley cup before destroying the NHL for nearly 10 years?
Besides that Hossa argument is shit, Hossa was nothing in the playoffs before Crosby and Malkin. Hossa was a choke in the playoffs, and it took two great players to get him going. So who's to say he wouldn't suck in the upcoming playoffs?
The Pens are a decent team from line 1-4, and they are 1 player away from being better than last years team. So saying the Pens can't play at Detroits level is ridiculous. The Pens beat the Red Wings after being down like 3-0. They showed heart, and they showed us a will to win, even when facing adversity. That is something they didn't show in last years final.
Well you have a point and even my Ducks lost a Cup before winning win (circa 2003). I am hoping for your sake that it doesnt take the Pens 4 years to win a cup right after losing one. The simple fact is that unlike in the MLB where losers of titles usually become losers, in the NHL, the team that loses the cup usually is even more motivated to come out strong. The Pens have a strong team and an even more fundamentally strong and tough team. I believe that the Pens and Ducks have a date this year (January 16th, 2009 at Melon Arena). We will see where both teams are by then. We still have a fundamentally strong team on defense and god enough scorers to get the job done. When we keep the score low, we win. When we try and outscore the other teams, we lose. Its quite simple with the Ducks and with that I conclude my 300th post.
Gee I missed a little bit of stuff I see. Well my opinion is the same as Brian's as far as the Penguins go. Yes they lost to Detroit last year, but that was their first trip to the finals in how long? They looked shakey and it showed not just on the ice, but if you looked at the bench they all looked nervous as well. Should the Pens get back up there this year I think we'll be seeing a different team than we did last year. By that I mean a team that is much more comfortable with the pressure turned on to the max. Still though if they hope to get back there they are going to have to tighten up the D.
I really don't understand what the Duck's issues are. I mean the team really has not changed much, and most of it's core is still in tact, so are the guys just not blending well so far this season. I mean they starterd off like crap, then pulled it together to a point where I was like ok so we're going to have a three team fight in the West, to now me having no idea what to expect from the team.
I really don't understand what the Duck's issues are. I mean the team really has not changed much, and most of it's core is still in tact, so are the guys just not blending well so far this season. I mean they starterd off like crap, then pulled it together to a point where I was like ok so we're going to have a three team fight in the West, to now me having no idea what to expect from the team.
If any team started this season and looked like they were going to get slayed night in and night out, that was the Canucks. Now look at them, they are top in the NHL. They have a legit chance of doing some damage this season, and into the playoffs. I think the argument of the Canucks being dependent on Luongo is also being questioned, putting up 3 straight wins without him, and then losing a very close one to Calgary. But with Luongo in net, a strong defensive core, and good firepower, one pick up midway through the season could make Vancouver the team to beat.
Ya, Vancouver getting to where they are due to Luongo I have to say is now just about wrong. I mean 3 straight wins then they loose a close one to the Flames who themselves are not a bad team by any means. I falsely thought with Luongo being injured that Vancouver would unravel, but they haven't at all. TM your right, if they get just one guy that team could become very, very dangerous. I'm liking the improvement of Chicago so far this year too. I've said it in the rankings almost weekly that they continue to have a great season, and they don't show any signs of slowing. I think they can go far in the playoffs too should they pick up one mabey two more guys and tighten up the D a little bit more.
The Ducks will never be a team that wins every single month. They are always inconsistent but they have the team to win it all when they put everything together. Chris Pronger and Scotty Neidermeyer are still two of the best defensemen in the league and the Ducks are a really good goaltending team. I swear the Ducks could turn anyone into a good goalie. We have never been one for extreme offense but our defense and goaltending over the years have made up for it. It is commonly known that out of the three things, offense, defense and goaltending, if you have 2 out of 3, u have a chance in this league.
I do have to give a lot of props to Chicago. They are the NHL's hardest working team this year. I am always excited whenever there is a new hot team outside of the North West. It gives teams like Detroit a chance to show what the have. For far too long, Detroit has gotten away with playing in a division with at times only one good team. Nothing taken away from the Red Wings, but playing in a division with strong teams really shows what you have. Too bad the Blues have been turned into a horrible team, as well as Nashville, who I think have made poor goalie choices. If one of them would heat up, it would be a fun division to watch.
Thats why winning a great division always makes me feel great. The Ducks, Sharks and to some extent the Stars are the three powerhouses who will do anything and everything to win and are going to make sure everyone knows how good they really are. Its not the same feeling when youre in a crap division and you win it by default. I like winning challanges and it makes the teams better too.
The Ducks, Sharks, and usually the Stars help to really make up a really competitive division. In fact I think the Pacific division is right now the 2nd most competitive with the Sharks and Ducks battling for the lead. Yes San Jose has a 10 point lead, but that can vanish in an instant if San Jose looses a few and the Ducks win a few. The most competitive division right now I feel is the always competitive Atlantic Division. The Rangers lead it right now by just 5 points and have 4 games up on the rest of the division. The Pens are in second, and just 3 points behind them are the Devils and Flyers. The only team that's not too in the picture in that division would be the Thrashers. Hate to say it, but the Southeast is still damn near pathetic
The Northwest always puts up a good fight though. With the Canucks atop right now, and Minnesota looking to take over the #3 seed in the conference, they will fight it out. And you can never say anything bad about Calgary, they can go on a tear throughout the winter. The Oilers can even become a playoff team with some work. Can't say anything bad about a division when the worst team in it is the Colorado Avalanche, who still put forth a pretty decent team.
The Atlantic has a history of being competitive and I would say the same for the Southeast but Im not soo sure on a few of the teams that are there. From what I have heard, many fans in the Atlantic division travel to their rvivals home ice and cheer against their team. I would love to do that. Unfortunately, I have not yet been to Staples Center when the Ducks played them but you can bet its on the list.
Well that is almost impossible to do in the North West. It is almost 2900 Kilometers to Minneapolis from Vancouver. That is a journey in itself. The closest team to Vancouver in our division is Calgary, and that is still 1000 kilometers in itself. I have never actually been to the Saddledome, and have only been to Rexall place for a concert (Motley Crue) and the Canadian Rodeo Finals. My friends and I have always proposed a trip. Vancouver to Denver to Minneapolis/St Paul to Edmonton to Calgary, back home. It is a 7000 kilometer trip, just to see 5 hockey games. Maybe that is pretty stupid.
Hell no thats not stupid at all. I would join you and pay money as well. I want to go to HP Pavilion someday and cheer the Ducks against the Sharks. The feeling of being a visiting fan in an opposing stadium has no words, it is awesome. I weas an Angel fan at Yankee Stadium couple years back and it was like being the number one heel. Everyone hates you and you cant help but love it. It is a great feeling and I can only imagine the rivalry between Calgary and Edmonton.
Well Jean Sebastian Gigurre is back. My Ducks are playing the Panthers tonight and are currently tied 1-1 in the 3rd period at 9 PM eastern time. They finished off the Blackhawks in a 1-0 win friday. How about the LA Kings? They are actually winning? They are winning games by scoring a lot of goals and taking care of business at home. I am kind of in awe in the way they are playing. Maybe this could be the first year in EVER that the Ducks and Kings make the playoffs at the same time. (Yes they have NEVER been in the playoffs at the same time, look it up). Anyways, its been a good NHL and HFL day thus far.
Hey Brian, you see the Devils/Penguins game. Damn your guys are so good it's scary. Malkin crashes through 2 defenders and gets two shots on goal. Crosby gets a hat trick literally sliding like a Penguin. Sykora's goal was damn near perfect. Offensivly you guys are friggen awesome. Defensivly they looked pretty good too, never seen that goalie, but he did pretty well for himself, very few rebounds. Overall the Pens were very impressive, but I was also impressed at how well the Devils played. Ya we lost 4-1, but we were missing a key defensive guy in Madden, and of course the other injuries that are plaguing the team. I think it woulda been a bit closer should we have had them back. Mabey we'll see the two near full strength again sometime in December.
Well Ducks got their revenge on Carolina and took one on their home ice. Good stuff. We got a hard earned 4 points this past weekend and moved closer to San Jose. The Ducks need to bring that intensity to tomorrow night's game at the Joe as we face the Red Wings. It will be the Ducks first visit to the Joe this year. The Red Wings lost the battle last time at the Honda Center 6-5...here is hoping for more of the same. The Ducks and Red Wings at 7 eastern time tomorrow night..too bad Im gonna miss the whole game because Im in school.
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