Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Tuesday's Thoughts
by Jes
Let's start off with the Photo of the Day. Kevin Bieksa has Patrick Sharp in a very ... precarious position.
"Get up, you big baby!"
Get your captions in!
--
Wow, the Canucks BARELY managed to not get swept in the season series by the Los Angeles Kings. Of course, it took a 2-1 overtime win to give the Canucks one frickin victory against Marc Crawford's poorly coached squad.
I totally love the Alex Burrows/Ryan Kesler combo. Sure, we don't expect them to score every night, but we love the effort and defensive ability. I'd match up Kesler/Burrows to the other great checking duos, like the ones in Detroit, Anaheim, and New Jersey.
Markus Naslund should take notes on how to deliver an honest effort. Why is it the Canucks captain gets a free pass? Vigneault ought to make Naslund a healthy scratch to sink in a message.
---
Wayne's World - Some thoughts from our Southern-fried correspondant.
The Avalanche are playing the Thrashers tonight, and Thrasherw marketing has designated tonight as one of those "White Out" games where the first 10,000 in attendance get a white T-shirt.
Ooooooooh...Is that supposed to scare the opposition?
These so-called "White Out" games are getting so ubiquitous in sports that even college basketball teams are doing it these days...And the T-birds are scheduling it against the same team that started this trend...
In reality, Atlanta Spirit (GOOOOOOO Team!) should give away 10,000 carving forks, as in, "This team is done; stick a fork in 'em".
Agreed. For the Coyotes/Jets, it's good. For everyone else, it's sad.
---
From IIHF correspondant Joeri Loonen, a cool article about Slovakia's hockey factory: Trencin.
If only the rest of Slovakia was as good as producing talent, the Slovaks wouldn't be stuck behind the usual Top 6 countries :(
---
Author Joe Pelletier is also a rabid reader, and decided to do a list of the books he considers best in the realm of hockey.
Well, can you really name basketball and football books that are popular and considered classics?
The Hockey Sweater gets my #1 vote, since it's a story that most any Canadian kid was exposed to, and the exlusion/wanting-to-fit-in story line can pretty much hit the heart of anyone who reads it.
Let's start off with the Photo of the Day. Kevin Bieksa has Patrick Sharp in a very ... precarious position.
"Get up, you big baby!"Get your captions in!
--
Wow, the Canucks BARELY managed to not get swept in the season series by the Los Angeles Kings. Of course, it took a 2-1 overtime win to give the Canucks one frickin victory against Marc Crawford's poorly coached squad.
I totally love the Alex Burrows/Ryan Kesler combo. Sure, we don't expect them to score every night, but we love the effort and defensive ability. I'd match up Kesler/Burrows to the other great checking duos, like the ones in Detroit, Anaheim, and New Jersey.
Markus Naslund should take notes on how to deliver an honest effort. Why is it the Canucks captain gets a free pass? Vigneault ought to make Naslund a healthy scratch to sink in a message.
---
Wayne's World - Some thoughts from our Southern-fried correspondant.
The Avalanche are playing the Thrashers tonight, and Thrasherw marketing has designated tonight as one of those "White Out" games where the first 10,000 in attendance get a white T-shirt.
Ooooooooh...Is that supposed to scare the opposition?
These so-called "White Out" games are getting so ubiquitous in sports that even college basketball teams are doing it these days...And the T-birds are scheduling it against the same team that started this trend...
In reality, Atlanta Spirit (GOOOOOOO Team!) should give away 10,000 carving forks, as in, "This team is done; stick a fork in 'em".
Agreed. For the Coyotes/Jets, it's good. For everyone else, it's sad.
---
From IIHF correspondant Joeri Loonen, a cool article about Slovakia's hockey factory: Trencin.
Hockey is a religion in Slovakia, especially in Trencin. When talking with players from the city, dropping the name brings a twinkle into their eyes. Trencin has embraced its NHL stars, but the players embrace the city as well. A good example is a prestigious project that Marian Gaborik supported. To create more ice time for local children, he funded a new sports complex called the MG Arena. Situated in the city centre, the complex offers more than just an ice-rink. It also includes two gyms, a small hotel and several shops. Gaborik’s father takes care of the day-to-day operations while his brother Branko (a scout for the Minnesota Wild) was also involved in the project.
If only the rest of Slovakia was as good as producing talent, the Slovaks wouldn't be stuck behind the usual Top 6 countries :(
---
Author Joe Pelletier is also a rabid reader, and decided to do a list of the books he considers best in the realm of hockey.
HockeyBookReviews.com has a special feature today. Book reviewer Joe
Pelletier names the top five most important hockey books of all time:
Unlike other sports, baseball in particular, hockey does not tend to
transcend the literary world very often.
I'm not sure why that is. Is it because the game does not translate
onto paper that well? I don't think so. Is it because hockey attracts
few great writers? Not at all. Perhaps it is there are just fewer
hockey books out there, and therefore fewer classics?.
Well, can you really name basketball and football books that are popular and considered classics?
The Hockey Sweater gets my #1 vote, since it's a story that most any Canadian kid was exposed to, and the exlusion/wanting-to-fit-in story line can pretty much hit the heart of anyone who reads it.
Labels: Burrows, Canucks, Kings, photo of the day, Ryan Kesler, thrashers
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Live Game Recap: Canucks 4 - Kings 2
by Jes
Thanks to the generousity of my girlfriend's father, I got to attend tonight's Kings/Canucks game with them at the Garage as the Canucks inched closer to the division title. With a 4-2 win over the Kings, the Canucks are now just 1 win away from clinching the division and keeping such glory away from the evil hands of the Minnesota Wild Slovaks.
Like many games against weaker opponents, the Canucks played down to the level of the LA Kings and were making more mistakes than Bob Cole calling a non-Leafs game. Do the Canucks have an NBA Jam Rubber-Band AI setting? They play great against great teams, and crap against crap teams. It's quite frustrating watching the Canucks handle the puck like a grenade and fall asleep like they are watching an episode of Survivor.
Don't let the shot clock fool you (31-17 for Vancouver), the Canucks were as clumsy and uncoordinated as "Sleep Country" Bryant Reeves. It was thanks to the cycling Sedinbots and the suckiness of the Kings that the Canucks even got a win.
This game was certainly an experience unlike my previous jaunts this year, given that I was sitting with the riff-raff in the upper bowl, and not the posh folks in the Siemens Club. I just happened to be in the Drunken Loudmouth section, where people paid $50 to swear and yell "WOO!" all frickin' night. I like crowd noise as much as the next Ruthenian, but "YOU FUCKING SUCK, REF" is far from original, as true as the statement might be. Come up something new, eh?
Of course, with the g/f's daddy around, I had to be on fairly good behaviour. Yeah, no telling Jan Bulis where he could stick it, nor any bra-tossing from my girlfriend should Jeff Cowan happened to have scored a goal.
Random musings...
Jan Bulis is awfully generous, given how often he gives up the puck...
The world's shortest list: NHLers with less offensive skill than Alexandre Burrows.
Anze Kopitar - Great speed, but horrible shot. I haven't seen shooting that inaccurate since Simon Phoenix had John Spartan trapped in the cryogenic lab.
There is enough popcorn in a 'medium' bag at GM Place to feed an entire Ethopian village. By that logic, I could easily eat an entire Ethopian village. *burp*
Markus Naslund scored!!! Yeah, into an empty net, but we'll take it. I think half of the crowd was expecting him to miss the yawning cage, too.
The music d00d has an awfully weird obsession with the 'TNT' song, as he felt the need to play it before about 13 different face-offs. Look, there must be some other frickin' song you can use!!!
More organ music, less mainstream rock, s'il vous plait?
Dear Mr. Linden, you ARE allowed in front of the net, you know. It's not out-of-bounds, as you might think it is.
And to all a good night!
Thanks to the generousity of my girlfriend's father, I got to attend tonight's Kings/Canucks game with them at the Garage as the Canucks inched closer to the division title. With a 4-2 win over the Kings, the Canucks are now just 1 win away from clinching the division and keeping such glory away from the evil hands of the Minnesota Wild Slovaks.
Like many games against weaker opponents, the Canucks played down to the level of the LA Kings and were making more mistakes than Bob Cole calling a non-Leafs game. Do the Canucks have an NBA Jam Rubber-Band AI setting? They play great against great teams, and crap against crap teams. It's quite frustrating watching the Canucks handle the puck like a grenade and fall asleep like they are watching an episode of Survivor.
Don't let the shot clock fool you (31-17 for Vancouver), the Canucks were as clumsy and uncoordinated as "Sleep Country" Bryant Reeves. It was thanks to the cycling Sedinbots and the suckiness of the Kings that the Canucks even got a win.
This game was certainly an experience unlike my previous jaunts this year, given that I was sitting with the riff-raff in the upper bowl, and not the posh folks in the Siemens Club. I just happened to be in the Drunken Loudmouth section, where people paid $50 to swear and yell "WOO!" all frickin' night. I like crowd noise as much as the next Ruthenian, but "YOU FUCKING SUCK, REF" is far from original, as true as the statement might be. Come up something new, eh?
Of course, with the g/f's daddy around, I had to be on fairly good behaviour. Yeah, no telling Jan Bulis where he could stick it, nor any bra-tossing from my girlfriend should Jeff Cowan happened to have scored a goal.
Random musings...
And to all a good night!
Labels: Bulis, Burrows, Canucks, Kings, Kopitar, Live Game Recap
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Alex Burrows: About Freakin' Time!
Alexandre Burrows, the guy with the English surname and French accent, hadn't scored a goal since his hat trick on March 22nd, 2006. This season? 0 for 38 heading into last night.
He hadn't even had a point since November 22nd!
Go figure that he'd go out and score an exceptionally beautiful goal, stealing a page out of the Miroslav Satan playbook. His goal proved to be the winner as the Canucks doused the Flames 3-2 (obligatory bad media pun)
It's funny seeing coach Alain Vigneault and half of the bench trying their hardest not to laugh too hard. When I was watching the game, I couldn't believe what I saw, either.
3 straight wins over the Calgary Flames = sweet.
Alexandre Burrows 1st goal of the season = sweet.
The sourpuss look on Dion Phaneuf's face = sweet.
"Sweet, sweet fantasy baby!"
He hadn't even had a point since November 22nd!
Go figure that he'd go out and score an exceptionally beautiful goal, stealing a page out of the Miroslav Satan playbook. His goal proved to be the winner as the Canucks doused the Flames 3-2 (obligatory bad media pun)
It's funny seeing coach Alain Vigneault and half of the bench trying their hardest not to laugh too hard. When I was watching the game, I couldn't believe what I saw, either.
3 straight wins over the Calgary Flames = sweet.
Alexandre Burrows 1st goal of the season = sweet.
The sourpuss look on Dion Phaneuf's face = sweet.
"Sweet, sweet fantasy baby!"
Labels: Burrows, Canucks, great goals, video
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Canucks 5 - Coyotes 2: Woof Woof!
Last night was very strange, indeed.
The Canucks...
Won a game
Scored more than 2 goals
Clearly outplayed a team
Outworked the opposition
Got an honest effort from The Emulator
All in the same night!!
Yes, the Canucks put the choke chain to the Phoenix Coyotes by a 5-2 count.
It's a rare occasion when the Canucks can put everything together and just kill a team.
"But Jes, this was the Phoenix Coyotes. Even Wade Belak could score on them"
Given how crappy the Canucks are this year, there are no easy wins. The Canucks can not look at the schedule and possibly say "This is a gimme"
Some idiots were actually booing Ed Jovanovski, as if they wouldn’t have bolted for a desert oasis if offered a large fortune. Thankfully, the idiots were drained out by a lot of cheers.
Canucks fans don't seem to realize how much of the Canucks' current struggles are a direct result of the loss of Jovanovski's offensive ability. With his puck moving ability, Jovo was a huge reason why the Canucks offensive game and transition game were so good.
Every time Jim Hughson said Jovo's name, it was hard to believe that he was playing for another team. You get so used to hearing Jovanovski and see him either cough up the puck at the blue line or set up Naslund with a great break-out pass.
And why the hell is Gretzky putzing around with Ladislav Nagy? You don't give your best offensive player a measly 14 minute of ice time a game. It's no wonder the Coyotes are losing. They give a slug like Dave Scatchard more ice time than their best offensive player.
Golbez's 3 Stars
1. Kevin Bieksa - 1 goal, 1 assist, +4, and 7 SOG. It's amazing how confident and cool this guy looks for a sophomore.
2. Daniel Sedin - 2 assists and 3 SOG. His only blemish was passing up a good shot to pass to Trevor Linden. Why? JUST TAKE THE DAMN SHOT!
3. Ed Jovanovski - +1 and 3 SOG in a losing effort. Jovo had a lot of spunk while many of his teammates didn't.
Oh, Peter Bondra sure didn't take long to score #499.
Let's do a little comparison
Bondra: 1 game, 1 goal
Balastik: 8 games, 1 goal
Burrows: 31 games, 0 goals
Not to rag on Burrows, because he does work so hard, but the d00d has absolutely no offensive talent whatsoever. Why aren't the Canucks spending money on guys who can actually score?
Yep, Nonis is doing a great job.
The Canucks...
All in the same night!!
Yes, the Canucks put the choke chain to the Phoenix Coyotes by a 5-2 count.
It's a rare occasion when the Canucks can put everything together and just kill a team.
"But Jes, this was the Phoenix Coyotes. Even Wade Belak could score on them"
Given how crappy the Canucks are this year, there are no easy wins. The Canucks can not look at the schedule and possibly say "This is a gimme"
Some idiots were actually booing Ed Jovanovski, as if they wouldn’t have bolted for a desert oasis if offered a large fortune. Thankfully, the idiots were drained out by a lot of cheers.
Canucks fans don't seem to realize how much of the Canucks' current struggles are a direct result of the loss of Jovanovski's offensive ability. With his puck moving ability, Jovo was a huge reason why the Canucks offensive game and transition game were so good.
Every time Jim Hughson said Jovo's name, it was hard to believe that he was playing for another team. You get so used to hearing Jovanovski and see him either cough up the puck at the blue line or set up Naslund with a great break-out pass.
And why the hell is Gretzky putzing around with Ladislav Nagy? You don't give your best offensive player a measly 14 minute of ice time a game. It's no wonder the Coyotes are losing. They give a slug like Dave Scatchard more ice time than their best offensive player.
Golbez's 3 Stars
1. Kevin Bieksa - 1 goal, 1 assist, +4, and 7 SOG. It's amazing how confident and cool this guy looks for a sophomore.
2. Daniel Sedin - 2 assists and 3 SOG. His only blemish was passing up a good shot to pass to Trevor Linden. Why? JUST TAKE THE DAMN SHOT!
3. Ed Jovanovski - +1 and 3 SOG in a losing effort. Jovo had a lot of spunk while many of his teammates didn't.
Oh, Peter Bondra sure didn't take long to score #499.
Let's do a little comparison
Bondra: 1 game, 1 goal
Balastik: 8 games, 1 goal
Burrows: 31 games, 0 goals
Not to rag on Burrows, because he does work so hard, but the d00d has absolutely no offensive talent whatsoever. Why aren't the Canucks spending money on guys who can actually score?
Yep, Nonis is doing a great job.
Labels: Bieksa, Burrows, Canucks, Coyotes, Non-Live Game Recap, Sedinbots
