Last night's game between the Canucks and Maple Leafs was a highly emotional affair given Mats Sundin's return to Toronto. I like giving Leafs fans a hard time, but last night they were all class.
The night had some pretty special moments, beginning when Sundin was treated to a standing ovation when the scoreboard flashed a tribute to him during the first TV timeout (some of them booed when the play started up, but hey, it's hockey and he's on the other team so that's okay):
Then, after a late goal by Alex Burrows to send the game to OT and an exciting extra period, the scene was set for some drama in the shootout.
Blake was stopped by Luongo. Demitra scored on Toskala. Hagman was stopped by Luongo. Wellwood could have ended it, but he shot wide. Next up for the Leafs was Mikhail Grabovski - if he scored, it would give Sundin a chance to win it for his new team:
Classily the fans cheered when Sundin came out to shoot, and even when he scored. Pretty impressive stuff. Sundin was named the game's third star, giving him one more chance to feel the love from Leafs fans and an opportunity to salute them in return:
Ordinarily I would feel the urge to gloat about the Canucks victory over the hated Leafs. But based on what I saw last night I am disinclined to do so. Good on ya Leafs Nation. I hope the Canucks faithful give Markus Naslund a similar show of respect when he visits with the Rangers next season.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Leafs Bashing Week, Game Day Edition
Finally, game day has arrived! Yes, it all goes down today at 400 PM PST. I, for one, can't wait to see the Canucks hand it to the Leafs in the unfriendly confines of the ACC. Here's betting Mats has a great game.
In the meantime, here are a couple images (compliments of http://leafs-suck.com) that nicely dovetail with the theme of Leafs Bashing Week:
At first I thought this picture was doctored. Then I remembered, "Oh yeah, Trevor Kidd used to play for the Leafs!"
Fortunately for Laidlaw, they haven't had to change their sign since May 2004. In the meantime the Leafs traded for Mark Bell. Ironic?
Leafs fans can be forgiven if they've forgotten about Dmitri Yushkevich - Lord knows the rest of us have. Though you've gotta love this exit interview, circa 2003. Seriously, Carlton the Bear is so honest he was calling out Vesa Toskala for terrible performances long before Burke and Wilson jumped on that bandwagon.
In the meantime, here are a couple images (compliments of http://leafs-suck.com) that nicely dovetail with the theme of Leafs Bashing Week:
At first I thought this picture was doctored. Then I remembered, "Oh yeah, Trevor Kidd used to play for the Leafs!"
Fortunately for Laidlaw, they haven't had to change their sign since May 2004. In the meantime the Leafs traded for Mark Bell. Ironic?
Leafs fans can be forgiven if they've forgotten about Dmitri Yushkevich - Lord knows the rest of us have. Though you've gotta love this exit interview, circa 2003. Seriously, Carlton the Bear is so honest he was calling out Vesa Toskala for terrible performances long before Burke and Wilson jumped on that bandwagon.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Maple Laughs, Redux
Well, I've already presented the best Leafs jokes in an earlier post. That being said, here are a couple more Maple Laughs:
The truth hurts
Q: What's the Maple Leafs best forward line?
A: Antropov-Stajan-Ponikarovsky.
Oh, um, yeaaaaah...
Doggone it
A man walks into a bar to watch a Leafs playoff game (it's called willing suspension of disbelief folks), and with him he brings a poodle wearing a Leafs sweater. The Leafs defeat the Bruins, and when the final horn sounds the poodle jumps on the bar, stands on his hind-legs and high fives all the patrons seated at the bar.
"He does that whenever the Leafs win a playoff game!" the man proudly explains.
"That's amazing!" exclaims the bartender. "What does he do when they win a series?"
"I don't know" replies the man. "I've only had him since 2005."
Tough life
The Leafs scouting staff, instructed to think outside the box by GM Brian Burke, sign an 18-year old ball-hockey play from Iraq to an entry level contract. The Leafs arrange for the player's emigration to, and settlement in, Canada.
In desperation the Leafs start the youngster at left-wing for a game against the Senators, and he blows fans, management and his teammates away by scoring all five goals in an epic 5-4 win.
He calls his mother after the game: "Mother, it was amazing - I played great and everyone in Toronto loves me!"
"Well good for you," replies his mother, "but while you are soaking up the limelight in Toronto things here are terrible: your father was shot at, your brother was mugged and our house was robbed yesterday."
The son apologizes, replying: "Mother, I am so sorry for our family's suffering."
"Sorry?" she replies angrily. "Its your damn fault we moved to Scarborough in the first place!"
The truth hurts
Q: What's the Maple Leafs best forward line?
A: Antropov-Stajan-Ponikarovsky.
Oh, um, yeaaaaah...
Doggone it
A man walks into a bar to watch a Leafs playoff game (it's called willing suspension of disbelief folks), and with him he brings a poodle wearing a Leafs sweater. The Leafs defeat the Bruins, and when the final horn sounds the poodle jumps on the bar, stands on his hind-legs and high fives all the patrons seated at the bar.
"He does that whenever the Leafs win a playoff game!" the man proudly explains.
"That's amazing!" exclaims the bartender. "What does he do when they win a series?"
"I don't know" replies the man. "I've only had him since 2005."
Tough life
The Leafs scouting staff, instructed to think outside the box by GM Brian Burke, sign an 18-year old ball-hockey play from Iraq to an entry level contract. The Leafs arrange for the player's emigration to, and settlement in, Canada.
In desperation the Leafs start the youngster at left-wing for a game against the Senators, and he blows fans, management and his teammates away by scoring all five goals in an epic 5-4 win.
He calls his mother after the game: "Mother, it was amazing - I played great and everyone in Toronto loves me!"
"Well good for you," replies his mother, "but while you are soaking up the limelight in Toronto things here are terrible: your father was shot at, your brother was mugged and our house was robbed yesterday."
The son apologizes, replying: "Mother, I am so sorry for our family's suffering."
"Sorry?" she replies angrily. "Its your damn fault we moved to Scarborough in the first place!"
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Leafs Bashing Week, Part II - Storylines and predictions
First of all, a big thanks to Leafs-suck.com for letting me borrow some images (including the one above) for this, the biggest week on the 'Nucks and Pucks calendar. Now, one with the bashing!
Obviously the biggest storyline for this game is Mats Sundin's first game with the Canucks against the Leafs, the team for which he played 13 seasons and served as captain for 11. What will the reaction be when Mats takes his first shift? Damien Cox is calling on Leafs fans to cheer the big Swede who toiled so long for the organization, often with very little in the way of a supporting cast, and I applaud his stance.
Unfortunately, I am a little more pessimistic than Cox. I think there will be some scattered cheers, but in all honesty I expect there to be a considerable amount of bitter jeering from fans who are upset that Mats did not allow himself to be traded last season. Just think of how the Leafs could've squandered those first and second rounders they would've gotten in return.
Does the return of Kyle Wellwood to Toronto count as a storyline? Probably not. Although Wellwood was pretty darn stoked to score against his former team when the Canucks beat the Leafs 4-2 back in November.
This is also the Canucks' first game against Toronto since the migration of their former front-office tandem of Brian Burke and Dave Nonis to Toronto. However these two, each of whom served a tenure as Canucks' GM, were together in Anaheim to start the season so the novelty is slightly dimmed.
While we can predict with 95% certainty who will start in goal for the Canucks, the Leafs goaltending carousel provides no such certainty. Vesa Toskala has been mediocre, and has been called out in the media by his coach and GM for his poor play. Youngster Justin Pogge got his fourth career start just yesterday, and is sporting a rough 4.26 GAA and .837 save percentage for the season. But he has not been given a chance to settle into an NHL role, and when given that shot will surely shrink those numbers. Will Wilson go to the rookie against a Canucks team that, of late, has been somewhat of an offensive juggernaut?
Can the Canucks continue their offensive outburst? They have 29 goals in seven games this month (over 4 per game, for those of you scoring at home), and the Leafs seem like a prime target against whom to continue this trend. Here's betting that if they score early, they will jump all over the Leafs and put in 4+ goals. If they get off to a sluggish start, however, they will likely be hard pressed to scrape out 3.
Final Prediction: Canucks 5, Leafs 2. The Canucks jump out to a 3-0 lead by the end of the first period, then give up a powerplay goal early in the second before scoring themselves. The teams trade goals in the final frame, and the 'Nucks head to Montreal with another well-earned two points.
Canucks goal-scorers: D. Sedin, Sundin, Burrows, Edler, Demitra
Leafs goal-scorers: Blake, Ponikarovsky
Monday, February 16, 2009
Leafs Bashing Week, Part II
Yes, it's back!!! After the success of the inaugural Leafs Bashing Week back in November, 'Nucks and Pucks is back at it. We'll be filling the site with anti-Leafs material all week, in anticipation of another Canucks destruction of the Buds this Saturday. Stay tuned...
And, just in case you missed it last time around, this is how it all went down when these two teams met on November 15, 2008:
Sunday, February 8, 2009
An Amusing Historical Meander Through My Personal Contributions to Online Hockey Debates
I had the pleasure this week of having my letter to Adam Proteau of The Hockey News published in his weekly "Ask Adam" mailbag. It was the first time I had written to "Ask Adam," and I received a pretty satisfactory response to my query about Adam's love of the iconic film Slap Shot but virulent anti-fighting stance:
Hi Adam, I have a question that relates to your now well-established stance against fighting in the NHL. Before you hit the delete button, however, I should add that my question also involves the greatest hockey movie of all-time.
Last summer you produced a list of your favorite hockey films and No. 1 on the list (a choice I agree with hands down) was Slap Shot. My question, then, is how do you reconcile your choice of this pugilistic representation of the best sport in the world with your anti-fighting stance?
I have a couple of guesses: You aren't as concerned with fighting at lower levels of hockey as you are with it the NHL, you see the film as a parody of the goon culture that plagues hockey, you see the film as a product of a bygone era when fighting was an acceptable part of the game or the movie is just so damn funny that you don't really care about the negative stereotypes that it reinforces.
Are any of these the case? Or do you have another rationale for your seemingly paradoxical endorsement of Slap Shot? Cheers and keep up the good work!
Mark Norman, Vancouver
Hi Mark, What would life be without paradoxes and inconsistency? It’s why I can say with great confidence I’m actually proud of owning Phil Collins’ early solo records, yet deeply ashamed I bought anything he did after No Jacket Required. As for my devotion to Slap Shot – your last theory is the correct one. I think you can advocate for progressive ideals and common sense solutions to some of hockey’s great ailments, while also recognizing the thousands of subtle and overt comic deliveries that make George Roy Hill’s masterpiece – yes, I said masterpiece – so enjoyable. (And don’t get me started on the rumored Slap Shot remake. I’m saving that rant until somebody dares follow through on this threat to mess with perfection.)
Now the first time I ever contributed to an online hockey discussion I was less eloquent, though apparently - given the recent controversy over all-star selections - more prescient. I can actually remember emailing Sports Illustrated from my high school computer lab back when I was in Grade 11. From CNNSI.com:
How did Olaf Kolzig make the World team over Roman Turek. Turek has been one of the best goalies all season, and is near the top of virtually every statistical category for goalies. Not only that, but he has guided his team to second place in his conference. Why is it that Kolzig, whose team in total has fewer wins than Turek does individually, made the sqaud? Something needs to be changed in the selection format....
Mark Norman, Vancouver, B.C.
Wow. Someone actually took the time to write to Sports Illustrated to defend Roman Turek? And the someone was me?!? Yikes. Also, please excuse the improper spelling of 'squad' - I was in Grade 11, give me a break.
I guess I kept my head buried in the sand for the better part of a decade after my passionate Roamn Turek love-in, but as you all know I resurfaced in June of 2008 when I started 'Nucks and Pucks.
Recently, I began making the occasional comment on my favourite hockey blog, Puck Daddy.
One post from this blog, concerning the Chicago Blackhawks visiting "northern Canada" to attend the funeral of their GM's father, caused me to address what I considered certain geographical inacuracies - and generate some fairly hilarious trash talking comments from other posters (I am assuming, based on comment #19, that some comments have been deleted and that originally my comment was actually #19):
17. Posted by Mark Norman Fri Dec 12, 2008 4:29 pm EST
Um, two hours north of Toronto is definitely not "northern Canada." For the geographically challenged here is a simple 3-step process to see where a two-hour drive from the city would take you:
1. Find Toronto on a map (it's the big, Stanley Cup-less void just north-east of Detroit)
2. Find Buffalo - that represents a roughly 1.5 hour drive.
3. Use that information to figure out approximately how far north you could get from Toronto in two hours (on a bus no less).
What you'll quickly discover is that you wouldn't get very far at all. In fact, you'd be well south of the 49th parallel. If you think that's "northern Canada" then just keep looking north on the map and you'll figure out how big the country is. The Blackhawks were pretty much in suburban Toronto, not Yellowknife or Iqaliut.
18. Posted by Matt Conquer Fri Dec 12, 2008 4:31 pm EST
I am not sure how 2 hours north of Toronto is "sparsely populated Canada" but hey, at least its a great story!
19. Posted by sqeekyclean38 Fri Dec 12, 2008 4:37 pm EST
for some reason i just cant get a visual of Stef Marbury or Iverson doing the same. Oh well. Each sport is a reflection of the society that its roots belong. You can all connect the dots after that..........And poster 19.. get a job.. Who the hell cares were the GPS device is. Its not the point.
22. Posted by SIMMONS Fri Dec 12, 2008 5:00 pm EST
Dear Mark Norman Professor of Geography and Basic Mathematical Problems...
Thanks for your stimulating insights. Here's one...the jerk store called and you're their best seller.
It's too bad that SIMMONS has never commented on 'Nucks and Pucks, because he is hilarious and I think he would win a Reader Comment Award hands down. Also, sqeekyclean38, while clearly in need of some writing/spelling/grammar lessons, showed a remarkable amount of insightfulness - how did he know that I am a student right now and therefore not fully employed?
So there is an intro to the topsy-turvy landscape of internet free-expression, which allows any idiot with an opinion to share it with the world. Like that clown who thought Roman Turek should be in the All-Star Game - yeesh, what a loser.
Though who would have thought he would grow up to become a Professor of Geography and Basic Mathematical Problems?
Hi Adam, I have a question that relates to your now well-established stance against fighting in the NHL. Before you hit the delete button, however, I should add that my question also involves the greatest hockey movie of all-time.
Last summer you produced a list of your favorite hockey films and No. 1 on the list (a choice I agree with hands down) was Slap Shot. My question, then, is how do you reconcile your choice of this pugilistic representation of the best sport in the world with your anti-fighting stance?
I have a couple of guesses: You aren't as concerned with fighting at lower levels of hockey as you are with it the NHL, you see the film as a parody of the goon culture that plagues hockey, you see the film as a product of a bygone era when fighting was an acceptable part of the game or the movie is just so damn funny that you don't really care about the negative stereotypes that it reinforces.
Are any of these the case? Or do you have another rationale for your seemingly paradoxical endorsement of Slap Shot? Cheers and keep up the good work!
Mark Norman, Vancouver
Hi Mark, What would life be without paradoxes and inconsistency? It’s why I can say with great confidence I’m actually proud of owning Phil Collins’ early solo records, yet deeply ashamed I bought anything he did after No Jacket Required. As for my devotion to Slap Shot – your last theory is the correct one. I think you can advocate for progressive ideals and common sense solutions to some of hockey’s great ailments, while also recognizing the thousands of subtle and overt comic deliveries that make George Roy Hill’s masterpiece – yes, I said masterpiece – so enjoyable. (And don’t get me started on the rumored Slap Shot remake. I’m saving that rant until somebody dares follow through on this threat to mess with perfection.)
Now the first time I ever contributed to an online hockey discussion I was less eloquent, though apparently - given the recent controversy over all-star selections - more prescient. I can actually remember emailing Sports Illustrated from my high school computer lab back when I was in Grade 11. From CNNSI.com:
How did Olaf Kolzig make the World team over Roman Turek. Turek has been one of the best goalies all season, and is near the top of virtually every statistical category for goalies. Not only that, but he has guided his team to second place in his conference. Why is it that Kolzig, whose team in total has fewer wins than Turek does individually, made the sqaud? Something needs to be changed in the selection format....
Mark Norman, Vancouver, B.C.
Wow. Someone actually took the time to write to Sports Illustrated to defend Roman Turek? And the someone was me?!? Yikes. Also, please excuse the improper spelling of 'squad' - I was in Grade 11, give me a break.
I guess I kept my head buried in the sand for the better part of a decade after my passionate Roamn Turek love-in, but as you all know I resurfaced in June of 2008 when I started 'Nucks and Pucks.
Recently, I began making the occasional comment on my favourite hockey blog, Puck Daddy.
One post from this blog, concerning the Chicago Blackhawks visiting "northern Canada" to attend the funeral of their GM's father, caused me to address what I considered certain geographical inacuracies - and generate some fairly hilarious trash talking comments from other posters (I am assuming, based on comment #19, that some comments have been deleted and that originally my comment was actually #19):
17. Posted by Mark Norman Fri Dec 12, 2008 4:29 pm EST
Um, two hours north of Toronto is definitely not "northern Canada." For the geographically challenged here is a simple 3-step process to see where a two-hour drive from the city would take you:
1. Find Toronto on a map (it's the big, Stanley Cup-less void just north-east of Detroit)
2. Find Buffalo - that represents a roughly 1.5 hour drive.
3. Use that information to figure out approximately how far north you could get from Toronto in two hours (on a bus no less).
What you'll quickly discover is that you wouldn't get very far at all. In fact, you'd be well south of the 49th parallel. If you think that's "northern Canada" then just keep looking north on the map and you'll figure out how big the country is. The Blackhawks were pretty much in suburban Toronto, not Yellowknife or Iqaliut.
18. Posted by Matt Conquer Fri Dec 12, 2008 4:31 pm EST
I am not sure how 2 hours north of Toronto is "sparsely populated Canada" but hey, at least its a great story!
19. Posted by sqeekyclean38 Fri Dec 12, 2008 4:37 pm EST
for some reason i just cant get a visual of Stef Marbury or Iverson doing the same. Oh well. Each sport is a reflection of the society that its roots belong. You can all connect the dots after that..........And poster 19.. get a job.. Who the hell cares were the GPS device is. Its not the point.
22. Posted by SIMMONS Fri Dec 12, 2008 5:00 pm EST
Dear Mark Norman Professor of Geography and Basic Mathematical Problems...
Thanks for your stimulating insights. Here's one...the jerk store called and you're their best seller.
It's too bad that SIMMONS has never commented on 'Nucks and Pucks, because he is hilarious and I think he would win a Reader Comment Award hands down. Also, sqeekyclean38, while clearly in need of some writing/spelling/grammar lessons, showed a remarkable amount of insightfulness - how did he know that I am a student right now and therefore not fully employed?
So there is an intro to the topsy-turvy landscape of internet free-expression, which allows any idiot with an opinion to share it with the world. Like that clown who thought Roman Turek should be in the All-Star Game - yeesh, what a loser.
Though who would have thought he would grow up to become a Professor of Geography and Basic Mathematical Problems?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
