NHL: December 2017

The Game Room
1

I thought the Habs sucked Micheal Gross balls with their worst start in 76 years (losing seven of their first eight, and being the first team to suffer a regulation-time loss to the 31st-ranked Arizona Coyotes), but my yuck-awful Flyers are now 10 straight L’s, first time since 2008. Last night they got their sixth shutout loss handed to them by the most-likely-hemorrhoid-ridden Bruins. To think we’re only two days into Dec. and already it’s incredibly unlikely my dear shithead Flyers will make the play-offs. I just want to run, arms flailing wildly, into a pasture, and cry, shot through that world-famous orangey-yellow Vittorio Storaro lens filter.

My :dubious: Canucks managed a 2-1 over the Leafs yesteday. Even though he’s on the wrong team, watching Leo Komarov just crunching players into the boards brings me as much joy as watching Alexei Emelin also pasting and stapling players. There’s players with more hits, but those two really fucking deal the goods when they want to. The difference in last night’s game was Jakob Markstrom, with 35 sometimes-showstopping saves, and speaking of Canuck goalies, about the only ray of light I can say about this team (other than the perpetually-grumpy-faced coach Travis Green and sizzling rookie Brock Boesser) is backup goalie Anders Nilsson, who’s put together a 2.68 GA and 922 SV. PCT., which is nothing to prolapse at, considering the mediocre team he’s on.

(btw - when discussing goalie stats I seldom give much credence to wins/losses - if a goalie has an awesome wins/losses record, but with a GA over 3 and SP under, say, .900, that tells me that the team in front of him/her is winning the games, and, conversely, if a goalie has a .500 wins/loss percentage but a GA under 2.30 and an SP over .920, that tells me the goalie is, more often than not, keeping the team in the game, bailing them out. Exact same concept with baseball pitchers - their win/loss records aren’t as accurate a barometer of their performance level as other stats like their ERA and WHIP are, with the Jays’ 2015 Drew Hutchison being a perfect example of that.)

Wow those gull-darned Vegas Golden Knights keep on-a rockin-and-a-rollin (and a boppin and a strollin!), sitting atop the Western division. (well, as we speak, two points behind the division-leading Kings, but with two games in hand.) Always had a soft spot for coach Gerard Gallant, and with GM George McPhee at the helm, this team is as well taken care of as any other NHL franchise. Sure, it’s still early, but I don’t see how these expansion upstarts won’t be play-off-bound, barring no serious Hindenberging.

(I still think the Coyotes have a fellatially gross logo.)

2

The Seattle city council eariler this week gave the go-ahead vote for a $660 million renovation of Key Arena, and subsequently the city has announced to file an applicaton to expand into the NHL, which, at this point, the league has agreed to look into. They haven’t given a definite yes yet (betcha betcha they eventually will) and in the meantime have allowed a season ticket drive for the next couple months. Ticket drives are almost always successful, so this should be a virtually done deal. The expansion fee is $650 million (Vegas was $500 million), and billionaire David Bonderman and Hollywood producer Jerry Bruckheimer will be the owners. They’re shooting for starting in the 2020/21 season. In Calgary, there have been mumblings of a possible relocation if this goes through, but I have incredibly strong doubts of that happening. If Seattle does get a team it will balance the conferences, since the west is currently one team short. The NHL has been eyeing Seattle much longer than they have Vegas, so this only makes sense that this eventually happens. There’s talk that if a new rink doesn’t get built soon in Scottsdale (like many are chirping about/hooping for), the Coyotes could possibly make the move to Seattle. Heck, this Victoria dude could use a Vancouver/Seattle “derby”!
As far as Quebec City is concerned with expansion - not only are they still years down the road, but after CDN/US exchange, the final price tag could be close to a billion dollars - too daunting a challenge to make that money back, especially for a small arena (that also lacks corporate seating).

3

Calling it early Dec.:

2017/18 NHL coach of the year - Gerard Gallant (VGK)

4

Missed edit window:

With VGK 11-2 at home, I wonder if visiting teams are doing a little too much “whatever stays in…” sorta stuff.
There definitely has been talk among some teams about curfews there, so, that leaves the door open to speculation. I’m sure there’s at least a bit more booze getting consumed. :slight_smile:

5

I think the Knights have already had their disasters occur with their goalie situation(s). I’m hoping that, anyway. :smiley:

ETA: The last two games looked especially good. The Predators and the Stars are both very good teams this year, and Las Vegas just beat them both at their homes. In fact, they beat the #2 team in the league last year at home in overtime, in a shootout. That looked great and had to feel good for the team.

6

Can’t believe I’m doing this, but I’m gonna have to rake Mike Babcock, great coach that he is, over the fucking coals.
In yesterday’s post-game, he was asked about Auston Matthews, who took a good ding to the head. Instead of calling it simply an “upper body injury”, Babcock called it an “upper body…I dunno…whatever”. He said this with a dismissive shrug, totally harkening back to his reprehensible quote from 2016:

“On our team, when someone is unconscious or dazed or looks like they’re supposed to go - what do they call it? - the dark room or whatever.”

Mike - it’s soon gonna be 2018 - in other sports, like minor league football, participants are dwindling because of eventual CTE.
This
is
a
thing, FFS.
No, you do NOT keep him on the bench, and no, you do NOT heed him when he says he’s ok (all players are gonna say that). Not that Babcock tried that, but it’s pretty obvious he would, if he still had the choice.
Worrying about him missing the next power play (because he’s in the quiet room) instead of his well-being doesn’t reflect well on a coach in this day and age. Fuck that old school shit.

Mike - I honestly hope by some cosmic fluke you are actually reading this.

7

With tonight’s win over Pittsburgh, the Knights became the fastest expansion team to 20 wins in NHL history, if I understood them correctly.

8

Maybe it is just me, but it seems like we’ve been doing the NHL 100 year anniversary for close to 100 years now. Hopefully, tonight’s 100 year classic outdoor game finally puts this to rest.

9

Figures we finally break our losing streak on the one night I have a migraine and miss it. (Please, don’t let this be a fluke – do it again, Pens!)

Honestly Bo, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Vegas win the Cup this year, or at least get very close. (I sure as hell don’t think it’ll be the Pens, not at this rate) I’d love to see Flower get another one.

10

Another embarrassing blow out loss for the Blue Jackets, I wonder who John Tortorella is going to make inactive next game?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

11

His post-game was quite…succinct.:stuck_out_tongue:

At least you’re not saddled with a Vancouver Canucks team that’s so doggone injured, it’s stupid. The latest cripple is Boesser, the rookie who was 6th in the NHL in goals scored, just to really rub salt in the wound. Outscored 18-3 in the last three games, they’re sunk. Well before Dec. 25.

Funny seeing Anaheim Duck Adam Henrique returning to his old stomping grounds in New Jersey and potting this amazing goalagainst his old team. (scroll down to second screen.)

12

Ok this is just plain weird shit from last night.

13

WOOT! The first three weren’t enough for you? How’d you like that power play goal, Tampa Bay?

14

The Knights are for real. That was a great game, and a great finish.

I’ll be at the game on Saturday, rooting on my Caps. It won’t be the pushover I was expecting, back at the beginning of the season.

15

Did I mention in my last post that I couldn’t post any earlier because I was at the game? :smiley:

Y’all should have heard the place erupt when we scored that game winner! It was AWESOME, baby! (Thanks Dickie V.!)

I hope you have fun, Anamorphic! I’m sorry your team has to lose, but I do hope you have fun! :wink:

16

I have this shirt that I plan on wearing under my Holtby jersey. Supporting the Caps, Nate Schmidt, and the Knights. In that order. :slight_smile:

I actually decided before the season began that they were going to be my Western team - I live in So. Cal., but have no love of The Kings or Ducks. It’s been fun cheering the Knights on (when they’re not playing the Caps, of course).

17

Pretty cool, but not quite as good as the Happy Haula Days jersey that a guy wore to tonights game, complete with patches (that an obviously proud wife had to remind him to show everyone). I looked for a pic online but couldn’t find one, despite the fact that they had him on the jumbo.

But hey- if you’re a Schmidt fan, you’re okay: that guy rocks!

:stuck_out_tongue:

18

Great seeing Boesser already returning from the foot injury but not so great that the 'nucks keep on consistently giving up multi-goal leads, and manoman whatever happened to back-up Nilsson, who had an amazing .939 sv. per. to start but in the last four games that’s gone down to .806. Last night he was a brutal sieve.

:rolleyes:

19

I just wanted to give a hearty congratulations to Ken Hitchcock. Thursday the Stars beat the Blackhawks 4-0 for the 800th win in Hitchcocks’ NHL career. He stands in 3rd place on the all time list behind Bowman (who will never be caught) and Quenneville.

20

And congratulations to Ken on looking slightly more svelte than usual lately. Having a comparatively slow start, I’ll call it that Benn ends up 3rd in scoring. In Lehtonen’s next game he’ll surpass Miikka Kiprusov in logging more minutes than any other Finnish goalie in the NHL.

(One of my neighbours had a cat named Kipper)