Thursday, March 22, 2007

Thursday Roundup/Sabres 5, Caps 2
Gamenight: Caps @ Hurricanes

[NHL.com Recap - SeSo Open Thread]

Quick hitters today, as it's all I've got the time (or the stomach) for:
  • When did Shaone Morrisonn start taking Brendan Witt pills? That's three multi-minor games in his last six times out. Not good.
  • The Donald fed Andrew Peters his lunch in the first. I actually talked with Donald for a few minutes at Clyde's last Friday night and shaking his hand was, as my friend DK described it, like shaking hands with a grizzly bear - so strong.
  • Jerky keeps blowing people up, this time Adam Mair in the second along the boards.
  • Late period penalties bit the Caps in the butt not once (Boyd Gordon) but twice (Jerky).
  • Jeff Schultz had a pretty lousy game.
  • Is it just me or did the Caps miss Brian Sutherby? The forwards just weren't hitting anyone or playing with much physicality, Sutherby's strong suits.
  • How about some of those bounces?
  • Christ, Emmy - play the body, not the puck on that Stafford rush.
  • Tomas Fleischmann had a nice pick-pocket early and a nice rush late.
  • You have to admire Alex Ovechkin for not blaming anyone else for his recent slump ("It's not my partners, it's me," he said), but let's be realistic - when your linemates are Jiri "Novo-Flop" Novotny and Alexandre "Rooster" Giroux, you have a limited opportunity to succeed. At least give the kid Chris Clark back.
That's it - you guys can take the discussion from here (and feel free to discuss the ugly Colton Orr/Todd Fedoruk fight).

Daily Awards
  • Hart: Jonathan Cheechoo (2G, A, +2, 3 SOG, 2 hits)
  • Ross: Jonathan Cheechoo, Joe Thornton, Tyler Arnason (3 points each)
  • Norris: Matt Carle (2A, +1)
  • Vezina: Roberto Luongo (20-save shutout win)
  • Richard: Jonathan Cheechoo, Drew Stafford, Milan Michalek, Sean Avery, Ian Laperriere (2G each)
  • Calder: Drew Stafford (2G, +2, 4 SOG)
  • Aiken: Dwayne Roloson (L, 4 goals allowed on 22 shots against in 34:17 of work)

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm a novice at hockey expertise but a big fan, so as I'm watching the game last night I couldn't help thinking that POTHIER IS JUST NOT THAT GOOD. Please feel free to discuss and dispute my amateur opinion...

FAUX RUMORS said...

1) Hated to see the Fedoruk KO. For 2 reasons. First, never want to see a guy knocked unconscious. Secondly, it will only add fuel to the anti-fighting lobby.
2) Not like they needed any anyway with the Simon/Tootoo incidents still fresh. Geez Fedoruk shouldn't fight, definitely not against a heavy weight goon like Orr. I don't remember seeing Todd ever win a fight. It may have been his last

JP said...

Pothier is not a #1 D, but he is a serviceable blueliner. He's being asked to do more than he's capable of right now, and on some nights it shows more than on others. In a second-pairing role with the right partner, I think he's fine.

W/r/t Fedoruk, perhaps the NHL should have a rule where a guy can't get in a fight after getting a concussion (or at all) for X number of days, similar to boxing rules. It wouldn't have helped Fedoruk, but would certainly protect some of these guys while not removing fighting entirely.

Anonymous said...

As always, thank you for your knowledgeable assessment.
Now this is a guy who should NOT be fighting in the NHL (MAJOR facial surgery in Oct? What thuh?):

Fedoruk missed 18 gam
es earlier this season after he underwent major facial surgery following an Oct. 27 fight with Minnesota's Derek Boogaard. Fedoruk, who was with Anaheim at the time, was traded to Philadelphia on Nov. 13. He had been wearing a face shield until February.

It was Fedoruk's fifth fight since returning to the lineup Dec. 2.

Anonymous said...

I'd be hypocritical if I said I didn't enjoy a good fight. Brashear's last night was particularly enjoyable. I'm not exactly anti-fighting, but there are clear problems with allowing it.

The Fedoruk incident last night is the second time in a month a player has been taken off on a stretcher after a fight (Leafs Kris Newbury in February). ESPN loves stretcher highlights and hockey players taking baseball swings at each other. Not good.

Skilled players should somehow be fined by their clubs for fighting. Iginla sprained his knee and was lost for a month this year after fighting Bryan Allen. And how many people held their breath when LeCavalier fought Iginla in the Finals 3 years ago? It just seems like an unnecessary risk - especially for skilled players.

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry for the silly question? Who is Jerky?

JP said...

No need to apologize (and it's not a silly question).

Apparently his teammates call Milan Jurcina "Jerky," likely a play on his last name rather than a nod towards his love of mildly-amusing prank call tapes.