The NHL has helped curb my baseball withdrawals significantly, and here are five reasons why the game is looking so great.
As you might expect, I watch the Rangers at every opportunity I get, but their surprising start isn't the only cause for celebration from hockey's newest campaign.
Tuesday: Colorado 5, Edmonton 3
The Oilers have gotten poor production from stars like defenseman Chris Pronger so far, but they were in this one until the final minute of play, rallying from two goals down to take the lead on Raffi Torres' tally four ticks into the third. The Avalanche managed to save face at home, however, getting the tying goal when a behind-the-net Alex Tanguay threw the puck off the stick of Edmonton's Radek Dvorak and into the goal. Former Ranger goalie Jussi Markannen allowed the game winner on a Patrice Brisebois slapper, and Oilers coach Craig MacTavish (who I remember for not wearing a helmet as a player for the Blues) left the building livid.
Wednesday: Anaheim 4, Calgary 1
ESPN's Barry Melrose is far from the only one to realize how important a solid power play can be, and the Ducks proved it at home on this night with all four goals coming with an extra man. The Flames are undoubtedly carrying high expectations after their Finals berth in 2003-04, but mustered only a goal from electric right wing Jarome Iginla. Meanwhile, Teemu Selanne continued to celebrate his return to Anaheim, scoring and feeding Joffrey Lupul for another. Sadly, my recent observation about attendance seems to be all too accurate: under 12,000 fans made it out to the Pond. Still, you can't blame their ticket sales department, which came up with a Victory Package that gives fans a free game for each Anaheim win in the assigned six games.
Thursday: Ottawa 4, Montreal 3
The Madison Square Garden network announcers were talking about this one--on Saturday night. The Michael Ryder/Mike Ribeiro line produced all three scores for the Canadiens, but the talk was all about Jason Spezza. I remember when Spezza got the kind of hockey hype usually reserved for guys like the NBA's LeBron James, and he seems to be delivering on his potential in spurts. Centerman Spezza now has 14 points, and he won this game in overtime by slipping the puck between Sheldon Souray's legs and faking out netminder Jose Theodore before delivering the deciding backhander. Interestingly, one of his Ottawa teammates noted seeing that same maneuver before--but only in practice sessions.
Friday: Columbus 2, Minnesota 1
What a fantastic game this was, and luckily Nationwide Arena was close to 90% full. I tuned to the Knicks preseason game simultaneously, but the action I caught was more than worth it. The hometown Blue Jackets managed 53 shots and had a goal called back due to interference with the goaltender. Nevertheless, they were held scoreless until the final minute of regulation, when Adam Foote found the net to send things into overtime. Minnesota goalie Dwayne Roloson looked like he would steal the show, but Columbus' Martin Prusek made an unfathomable stop in the extra frame, deflecting away a point-blank shot with his stick blade. Finally, it looked like the Wild would still escape with two points when Todd White beat Prusek in the shootout, forcing call-up Mark Hartigan to convert. Hartigan did, and finally Columbus RW Trevor Letowski put an end to the frenzy as the eighth Blue Jacket to appear. It wasn't all bad news for the Wild, though: they left with a point and went home to beat Columbus the next night.
Saturday: New York Rangers 5, Montreal 2
What, you thought I would let a column pass without including my team prominently? Seriously, though, this ended up being an exciting game despite a flurry of New York goals in the first period against Jose Theodore, who was pulled during the first intermission. Naturally, this included another score for red-hot Jaromir Jagr. After a scoreless second, the Canadiens came out firing and brought the crowd of over 21,000 to its feet when LW Richard Zednik followed former Ranger Alexei Kovalev to bring Montreal within a goal. Prospect-turned-hero Henrik Lundqvist held the fort in net for the Rangers, and Dominic Moore ended up scoring his second goal of the night, causing the MSG announcers to wonder why all his career points have come against the men in red and white. Martin Rucinsky left the game in the waning minutes after receiving an unpenalized check from Craig Rivet despite being nowhere near the puck.
hockey
As you might expect, I watch the Rangers at every opportunity I get, but their surprising start isn't the only cause for celebration from hockey's newest campaign.
Tuesday: Colorado 5, Edmonton 3
The Oilers have gotten poor production from stars like defenseman Chris Pronger so far, but they were in this one until the final minute of play, rallying from two goals down to take the lead on Raffi Torres' tally four ticks into the third. The Avalanche managed to save face at home, however, getting the tying goal when a behind-the-net Alex Tanguay threw the puck off the stick of Edmonton's Radek Dvorak and into the goal. Former Ranger goalie Jussi Markannen allowed the game winner on a Patrice Brisebois slapper, and Oilers coach Craig MacTavish (who I remember for not wearing a helmet as a player for the Blues) left the building livid.
Wednesday: Anaheim 4, Calgary 1
ESPN's Barry Melrose is far from the only one to realize how important a solid power play can be, and the Ducks proved it at home on this night with all four goals coming with an extra man. The Flames are undoubtedly carrying high expectations after their Finals berth in 2003-04, but mustered only a goal from electric right wing Jarome Iginla. Meanwhile, Teemu Selanne continued to celebrate his return to Anaheim, scoring and feeding Joffrey Lupul for another. Sadly, my recent observation about attendance seems to be all too accurate: under 12,000 fans made it out to the Pond. Still, you can't blame their ticket sales department, which came up with a Victory Package that gives fans a free game for each Anaheim win in the assigned six games.
Thursday: Ottawa 4, Montreal 3
The Madison Square Garden network announcers were talking about this one--on Saturday night. The Michael Ryder/Mike Ribeiro line produced all three scores for the Canadiens, but the talk was all about Jason Spezza. I remember when Spezza got the kind of hockey hype usually reserved for guys like the NBA's LeBron James, and he seems to be delivering on his potential in spurts. Centerman Spezza now has 14 points, and he won this game in overtime by slipping the puck between Sheldon Souray's legs and faking out netminder Jose Theodore before delivering the deciding backhander. Interestingly, one of his Ottawa teammates noted seeing that same maneuver before--but only in practice sessions.
Friday: Columbus 2, Minnesota 1
What a fantastic game this was, and luckily Nationwide Arena was close to 90% full. I tuned to the Knicks preseason game simultaneously, but the action I caught was more than worth it. The hometown Blue Jackets managed 53 shots and had a goal called back due to interference with the goaltender. Nevertheless, they were held scoreless until the final minute of regulation, when Adam Foote found the net to send things into overtime. Minnesota goalie Dwayne Roloson looked like he would steal the show, but Columbus' Martin Prusek made an unfathomable stop in the extra frame, deflecting away a point-blank shot with his stick blade. Finally, it looked like the Wild would still escape with two points when Todd White beat Prusek in the shootout, forcing call-up Mark Hartigan to convert. Hartigan did, and finally Columbus RW Trevor Letowski put an end to the frenzy as the eighth Blue Jacket to appear. It wasn't all bad news for the Wild, though: they left with a point and went home to beat Columbus the next night.
Saturday: New York Rangers 5, Montreal 2
What, you thought I would let a column pass without including my team prominently? Seriously, though, this ended up being an exciting game despite a flurry of New York goals in the first period against Jose Theodore, who was pulled during the first intermission. Naturally, this included another score for red-hot Jaromir Jagr. After a scoreless second, the Canadiens came out firing and brought the crowd of over 21,000 to its feet when LW Richard Zednik followed former Ranger Alexei Kovalev to bring Montreal within a goal. Prospect-turned-hero Henrik Lundqvist held the fort in net for the Rangers, and Dominic Moore ended up scoring his second goal of the night, causing the MSG announcers to wonder why all his career points have come against the men in red and white. Martin Rucinsky left the game in the waning minutes after receiving an unpenalized check from Craig Rivet despite being nowhere near the puck.
hockey
posted by Alex at 1:07 AM
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