TropicalFruitGirl26

Funny thing is, after I posted, which was after the 1st period when the Bruins were in full control, the Penguins came alive and gave Boston all they could handle...and even had a shot at winning this thing. Nothing like a lil rival fan compliment to put the jinx on eh? Anyways, bottom line...Bruins took the win. Halak saw a CRAP-TON of shots, let 4 by, but still ended up with a SV% over .900 due to the sheer amount of shots stopped! Still though, the Boston goaltending duo is second to none in the NHL right now. Rask will get his chance to prove that once again tonight against the Habs.

Hate to say it as a Lightning fan, but the Bruins really are looking quite strong this season. Looking every bit the part of an Eastern Conference champion. Without looking at numbers, I am willing to bet their goaltending tandem is the best in the league and more than cover up for any defensive miscues by the skaters. Lots of hockey to be played and I am still waiting for the Bolts to fully wake up, but man, right now, the Bruins are really looking like the team to beat in the Atlantic. Doing pretty nicely against the Penguins as I type this.

Pre-season, I had both teams sniffing around the playoff picture as a bubble team. If things fall right, either could make it in, if they go not so right, they fall right out. That said, as was mentioned, I really do like Vancouver's overall depth compared to Buffalo's and their goaltending seems to be more solid and stable. Granted, Jacob Markstrom is in a contract year and we all know how that goes sometimes (plays like Superman, gets a big payday, goes back to being Clark Kent after that), but still, his play in the nets can't be denied and his backup, Thatcher Demko, has been playing just as well....and the Canucks seem to have those guys almost in a timeshare in goal too. Over in Bison Land, the goaltending is a bit more sketchy with both Hutton and Ullmark. Linus hasn't broken through like I thought he would, although there is certainly plenty of time for that to happen this year, and Hutton has looked good on some nights, very mediocre on others. Reason I harp on the goalies so much on both is because I think their offenses will run hot n cold and it will be the guys between the pipes that will have much to say in whether they make the playoffs or not. So I have both as playoff bubble teams trending upwards, but neither will be winning their division nor a Conference title this year, and neither will be able to withstand significant injuries at this stage of their developments. One other thing to consider when trying to decide how "real" either of these teams are: Even if both do well and squeak into the playoffs, both rosters have lots of UFA;s and RFA's on them. The decisions each GM makes will determine whether this year and going into next and beyond will continue their development and contender status...……...or cause them to start over again with fresh faces as they take one step backwards next year, in order to take two forward after that. Who do they keep? Who do they let go? Of those they keep, can contracts be kept reasonable to ice a competitive team year after year? Will the core each has in place be able to elevate and/or benefit from the supplemental talent signed or kept on board? So really, this year may not be the telling year as to whether the teams are for real or not......but next one might.

I don't know what to say about suspension length, but what should be a surprise to NO ONE is.... Lucic was an animal. Again. We've all seen this play out before. I am all for physically letting other players know you don't want them poking around your goalie, but I think it could have been done in a much more effective way and not incur the wrath of the league offices, than the way in which Lucic did it. And if I am looking at this right, is Lucic trying to CONTINUE to hit the guy while he is down? Then again, this is Milan we are talking about. Guy doesn't have too many gears other than sleepy, alert, and berserk. No moderation with him. I dunno...if his track record for this sort of thing is long, and I am betting it is, without looking it all up myself, then maybe he got off lucky with just the two games.

Cory Schneider and Jonathan Quick will be joining them shortly as well..... Good gawd, what happened to these one time top tier netminders????

Proof that the Blues are still a plenty deep team.. Since Tarasenko went down, the team is 4-1-0. Granted, the teams St. Louis has beaten in those 4 wins are Minnesota (sadly, for me, twice), Detroit, and Columbus...not exactly Cup contenders or even playoff contenders....and the one loss was to a good Bruins team, who shut them out 3-0. Is that Bruin loss more telling than the 4 wins against non contenders? We shall see. Blues now take their Western Canadian trip through surprising Vancouver, upstart Edmonton, and should-be contenders Calgary. The Vancouver and Edmonton games are played on back to back nights as well. This should give us a bit more insight as to what these Blues still have without Vladimir in their lineup. Oh, and this just in...Jake Allen is STILL terrible. He should find out where Jim Carey and Andrew Hammond disappeared to and go join them.....

And all it took was for me to basically call him done and washed up...go figure...

Were you agreeable and polite with yourself?

What's the over/under on whether Allen claimed Parise passed gas on him and therefore constituted goalie interference?

That was a BS overturn. Parise's jersey touched Allen's.....I've seen MORE contact with the goalie where a goal stood. These, however, are the sorts of things that happens when a team isn't playing well.

Leafs can't seem to stay out of the penalty box. Flyers given chance after chance to pull away with this in the 2nd...

Bam!! Took them a little longer to get this one, but they did get it... 2-1 Fly. G is Suk....but he got the goal!

Flyers gonna get another PP. They made short work of the Leaves last one out...can they get another quick one?

Second period, puck dropped... Game ON!!

Now hold on a minute.. We are talking possible alcohol poisoning here....

And BOY there is lots of bitching...

Well there it is.... Like magic.... JVR ties it. Good puck movement, got the Leafs going left n right, not knowing where the shot was going, took a shot, and might have been a lucky bounce, but I am sure Philly will take it!

PP time for Philly. Maybe help spark them...they are looking slow, disjointed, and unaware in their own zone especially. I know they played yesterday but still.....could they still be feeling long term effects of a trans atlantic flight? If so, I worry for the Lightning and Sabres who are playing in Sweden later this week. At any rate, let's see if having the man advantage fires these guys up.

Hmm.... a Gritty Chia Pet giveaway... I wonder if he can play defense? Even if its just a bottom pairing...

Jeebus….Sanheim doing his Hartnell impression.... and it costs the Flyers. Leafs didn't miss there...Kapanen makes it 1-0

Leafs outworking the Flyers to start out. Especially along the boards. Their shots on net aren't accurate and probably why the game is scoreless still, but Philly better get it in gear or they will find themselves down early yet again.

That 70's 'adult film' stache Matthews has going on just needs to go away...

So is this the gameday thread then? Usually, you guys have a game number, followed by date. Asking because I will be watching the Leafs and Fly and didn't see a 'regular' GD thread. So I will post here.

I thought Spezza's shelf life as an NHL'er expired about two seasons ago. And I am sad to say that because I've always liked him as a Sens player and early into his Dallas career. He definitely is no longer top six material, and what's left of his skillset doesn't really lend itself to being a bottom six grinder either. I wondered at first of the wisdom of turning away Marleau...then signing Spezza, when I think Marleau is a more viable NHL'er, but then, the Leafs have to be very cap cognizant and Spezza is dirt cheap compared to even Marleau, and well, they are getting what they are paying for in this case.