67 posts tagged “hockey”
But I would like to use this post to formally say that I'm taking a step away from this damned addictive vox and its amazing image upload capabilities for a while. You see, obviously nobody had mentioned to the VCAA that hockey was on and unfortunately time has passed so quickly that I totally forgot about the important exams. Alas, they would not answer my pleas - the bastards only replying with a stiff and surly no. So I took it higher, and my mum was unfortunately the same and said no.
So you see kids, with only 2 weeks left to study for my final exams, I am officially screwed. This is a life changing exam. This should be the exam of my future. I am scared shitless but no improvement has been made to rectify the situation. So in an effort to save what may be my future (I actually only want to score average but what the heck), I am making this my only post for the week and possibly next week's. I'll comment regularly and maybe post once or twice on the hlog. Hopefully I'll get into that mediocre law course and everything will be peachy (You can't make me do finance! I refuse!)
However I'd like to take this moment to acknowledge the wondrous support from many guys. I don't know half of you guys that much, but I definitely feel that I have a lot more confidence thanks to positive feedback. I'm not sure if it's a good thing after all. But when I started this blog, I posted for myself. Heck, my first post was about playoff beards and how cute they were! "I am what they term an "Oilers" bandwaggoner". Oh so true. I've still got my foot on but I'm afraid I've split the other foot into little sections called "People named Earl" and "hot Finnish kids". Oh my god, this was the best doodle I did in a maths test ever too - "Sammy is love" indeed. And I used to sell Jussi a whole lot a couple of months ago. And it all feels like a fond memory all of a sudden.
Then came Hockeygirl who was completely sweet, seriously you made me feel so smart and wanted. There was the Hot-Oil girls, and Sherry who gave some further positive feedback. And it all got into my head and I said "yeah, I rock. Go me."
I find my blog a little problematic at times, it uses a blogging system that only allows registered comments whose members are only invited via email or other members. It does not allow further customisation, ruining chances for link exchanges or some sort of closely knit sisterhood rah-rah. It is also poorly written. I mean how the hell can a girl in Australia know anything about hockey? I really don't know what to say with that one. I'm no expert on the sport, the teams and definitely not the historic figures/events that happened before I was born. I guess I write on this instinct to write, I feel that I really need to tell someone, even if it is an empty space of the blogniverse. And I even fretted a bit, telling myself "What if people hate me? What if I'm not wanted?". I was forever waiting for an email that told me that I brought shame to all female hockey fans. I am still fresh, but I really like what's going right now. I can't explain, rather it's like a documentation of this whole transformation of a "look they're fighting!" message into a goddamned obsession. I don't know sometimes, it's my way of reaching out and hopefully not going crazy and kind of homicidal.
Recently I got a nice message from Canucks Hockey Blog, a simplistic one of encouragement. But it wowed me. I mean I'm overjoyed that I am somehow not trashy but as well providing some weird zany international flavour to the game. Hey, hockey worked for Phoenix, it works for deserts. This is where I sit down and tell myself "Go me!"
So to sum it up, thanks guys you're all awesome. However if you still feel that my blog is worth getting your petticoats in a twist, feel free to drop me a line. I always appreciate a good read now and then.
Abby's up next against the Philly Flyers, people are already taking shots at Forsberg - all part of the game. And they give the old "rivalry? what rivalry?" treatment with the goalies. And Latendresse is the first ever NHL player to wear 84. Weird, was 99 already taken? Apparently Lats likes to spend his time chatting on MSN instead of training like he should. Uh, can I... nevermind. Other fun facts include Kovalev's newfound passion for bowling, and new kid Janne Niinimaa's wife is Janna. Fancy that.
For today/tomorrow's game, the lineup's pretty much the same. Hoping Sammy will finally do something other than hooking. The PP hopefully will have a field day with this game. The main problems is probably Koivu's still-crazy eye. Despite his amazing performance he's having troubles with the lenses, they're a tad too uncomfortable for him. Plus laser surgery, what if an earthquake happens at the same time?
Sammy obviously likes to point out the obvious:
But is it the cause of the problems? I stand by my word and scream no."Maybe we are holding on to the puck too long," Samsonov said.
"Maybe we have to be a little more selfish and start going to the net more, and looking for the shot."
Koivu was also on the CBC show, The Hour with George Stompywombysomethinglong. Gosh why can't he just pick up a stage name? Apparently Koivu, full of his wondrous witticisms, believes that the Winnipeg Jets will win a Stanley before Vancouver lays their hands on one.
Colbert gloats in his newfound passion for the OHL, encouraging people to complain to the New York Times for OHL news. He as well likes to make baseball parallels and uh claims he loves hockey very muchly. Someone name a damn mascot after him in the NHL so we can get some real work done. Fighting!
But more importantly - Toskala! First Star! Toskala! That's my Finnish stud! I know Kipper tried his darndest but dang. And apparently he did some amazing save in the second period too. Not to mention he's fairly modest:
Sure it sounds like regular run of the mill banter, but read it again with a Finnish accent and your heart will melt. And speaking of Finnish goaltenders, Markkanen is on his final year. Will they sign him for more? Won't they? Will they suddenly trade him for Conklin back? (if that happens then I completely lose faith in the Oiler organisation and will absolutely scream the place down). Knowing how much people don't care about backups (unless you're a full on stud like Mclennan), he'll probably be swindled into a cheap deal. But Moreau got his wish - why not Jussi? Even if he did lose his first round of the Hot off to some nasty Italian kid whose pucks go up his pants (he just uses it as an excuse to put his hands in there).``Oh, is it?'' Toskala said when asked about topping Kiprusoff after losing their only previous encounter. ``No, it's nothing special. It's two points for the team. That's what matters. I just try to be ready every time I play. That's all I can control.''
"Every time I get in there, my goal is to relax, enjoy it, and give my team a chance to win. That's all I can control," said Toskala, who has reeled off a franchise-record nine straight victories dating back to last year.
Unless, Roloson - our goalie rights activist - lends Markkanen some tips and maybe he might be getting some extra dollars. Either that or Lowe gets mad and trades him away for being a bad goalie. "Bad Goalie! No Oilers for you!" (It'd be his nightmare. This guy loves the Oilers with absolute loyalty - not like you know... People who don't like Oilers.) But imagine him playing for... Nashville. It'd be as terrible to watch him in another team's silks like Laraque (The blue flatters him!)
Before I leave, a little heartwarming story about the Rangers and how nice they are to little kids. Seriously, when strangers ask you to get onto their bus, do not accept!
I was going to call the post Fuck the Sabres again but then I was afraid of being a nasty malicious person. Oh right, I'm kind of halfway there anyway.
However firstly I've been a bit down. Apart from my All Hot Team sucking. I mean when I chose my kids I forgot they had to be smokingly hot and score points. Quoteth my sister "there don't seem to be a lot of those". I guess if I wanted I would've thrown out Horc, called for Thornton & um, Lupul is just dreamy I can't let go of him. Damn you men and your appearances! If only I chose while they had paper bags on their heads!
Secondly I have been down because of this Samsonov migration camp. The general consensus is that Sammy is overpaid, overrated and will never score a point. It irks me. Sure the majority of these people are forum trolls and some are just suicidal Habs fans. But while I may have embellished a bit in the "We kind of um, suck" attitude, I have tried to be positive. My general problem is the D and it's mainly because they need serious improvement. But while I may say the second line isn't producing much, I acknowledge their efforts. What I want to say is that right now, they want Samsonov's head on a pike in exchange for some points.
And all I can say is: you fucking hypocrites. I may be a bit heavy. But the sentiment is still the same. Call me biased, I am a blind Samsonov fan. But even I know how to actually stick to a story. There was even a poll on "who the hell was going to score first" and Sammy was second. What really pisses me off is the number of fans who suddenly pretend that they knew it was a bad move to allow a puckhog on the team. The number of "I hate Samsonov" kids who come and say that he was useless in the playoffs, he was a floater and that he was freaking useless.
Let me ask you this then. If he was so invisible, so useless, why is it that he had the fifth most points out of the Oilers forwards in the playoffs? Compared to Michael flipping Peca, this guy is a saint. But I don't want to say just those points. I mean points need to be put in context and all that. To be honest, he scored an assist the first game with the Oilers - I can guess it was more of a luck thing but seriously - he was probably received with Oilers better than this lot. However may I add that here is Samsonov. The guy who broke his stick (I think with the Red Wings in the playoffs too), dogged by two Ds, passed the puck with his skate to Spacek who then hit it home. He was the guy who helped them win the first game against the Sharks, with his magic bounding out of the penalty box routine. He scored against the Canes with some silly moves but he flipping scored. He scored when it mattered - especially with the Sharks game. And he hauled ass. I mean he always tried whether it was with mediocre back/forechecking. Even in the recent games, some fans are quietly pleased to see Samsonov check or try a bit more. Believe it or not, he is trying his darndest under his 5 foot 10 exterior. I don't get why people keep saying that he was useless in the playoffs. I know there's the magical guys before him: He who must not be named, Horc, Hemmer, Smytty & St Fernando. But for people to actually say that he wasn't needed in the games are just lying to themselves. Just like saying Jussi didn't man up and play like the trooper he was.
Nonetheless there's been a concern driving me. It's the fact that I wake up everyday and go to school, whereas on the other side - my beloved Oilers or Habs may be battling their hearts out. It tears me that I don't know what's happening. I even want an Oil or Habs cap just so I can wear when I go out or something in preparation for next year when I attend uni lectures (I'll say it's for good luck).
But turns out my good for nothing mobile actually does have a use. It can access scores! And imagine when I was looking at the Habs/Leafs game yesterday, during OT and seeing something like "PECA SHOT ON GOAL". I flipped out and just kept trying to see what happened. Thank god we won this game. And it made me so damn happy I had to send a message of my high.
But I used to always have something that drove me through school (believe me, schoolwork doesn't exactly make me happy). I used to drink juice a lot. All it did was make me poor. Freshly squeezed juice too. Now I wear a hideous ring, alternating on my ring and middle finger - depending on my mood (and as well I read the paper every day in class). Now it's hockey. I keep thinking of it when I'm not concentrating on classes or whatever my friends may say. I need a patch. Like something that will stop me from this. Because in less than 4 weeks time, I will be in the middle of a very important future deciding exam. I do not want to be thinking "Freaking chunky monkey score some points you dolt".
Speaking of friends, I actually found myself discussing with a friend about men with beards. The opportunity too juicy to pass, I gave her a short read. After a while she told me quite enthusiastically "I want a guy with a Stage 3 beard!".
However I feel a bit guilty since I got the Oilers/Flames first game (on the 5th) and actually didn't start watching it till today when I came home from school and sat back with a lunch snack and whatnot. But it was a damn good game. I love this game! Even though my sister came home halfway and spent a lot of time next to me bitching about the other chick at work. I was still excited of this game. About nicknames, I've been giving Sykora the name "Sicky". Only because uh... It's short. And well in Australia, when people say something's awesome - it's sick. Sykora is fully sick, so to say.
Some random thoughts:
- Iginla 12 pounds lighter!?
- Hemsky is such a wimp. But I still love him. He had that “I’m not getting paid enough” face when he got smashed by hockeygirl’s darling Dion.
- Watching Phaneuf just smash people is amazing. AMAZING. I’m fully on board this totally Phaneuf train.
- Reasoner swatting that puck away made me laugh. And the people screaming “REASONER!” Marty you are good.
- Staios may have no freaking points but he seems like the most vocal of the team. Hee. But um Smid seems a bit… useless? I mean Staios is still full of hotness and awesomeness, he freaking shines next to Smid.
- MAB’s a little smarter but he’s still ugly and makes me homicidal. I love seeing him fall over or get hurt. It’s somewhat of a love hate relationship – minus the love. I loathe him.
- I love Iginla’s shot. Beautiful. That and they played “Get Over It” by Ok Go when they scored (I love that group).
- Is it just me or do the refs keep getting tangled up every now and then? I know it’s normal but they seem to freakout a bit and sort of throw their bodies somewhere.
- Oh Roli. I missed thee. And that small break between every whistle where you go complain to the refs about something not quite right. Oh and it was totally hot what you did with the end of game brawl – not exactly brawl but a fun fun finish. That was quite amazing, Tanguay got his shirt stuck on someone’s stick and he span hitting Roli. And Roli just flips out and you could see he almost goes nuts. Imagine if it was Markkanen in the net. Markkanen would totally be going off the bench and chatting to MacT or like… offering to let some last minute goals for the Flames in exchange for some dirty money (because his 800k don’t pay the bills!).
- There’s a lack of physical toughness. I mean Hemsky runs away and Horcoff is like a stiff but easily swattable fly. And Smyth can only take so many pucks to the face.
- Loops! I love you. They need a box of Fruit Loops and your adorable face on it. Because you look as fruity as you are cute.
Predictions! My winners for tomorrow/today are: Phoenix, Toronto, Atlanta, San Jose (Sorry Flames) & Anaheim.
But hey, I made a couple of halfassed predictions and every single one was wrong. Except for the Vancouver & Columbus, I got that one right. Oh and Anaheim pulled through. Sure my predictions suck but I guess I'm still peachy to hear something happen now and then, even if it is Montreal fans thinking that Buffalo is a corrupt organisation of anti Habs referees. Seriously, Habs fans are rioting - they think the whole way the penalty was recalled just seem wrong. Especially when the fans threw crap on the ice? Not cool. Either way I'm just going to just stay bitter only because of the loss.
And sure half of my All-Hot team are a bunch of kids I just have a major crush on and would like to take them home to meet my parents - but they better do something fancy or else I'll lose all respect. I mean Vesa freaked me out when I thought he was going to lose the game.
I'm tempted to go "why isn't anything going right!?" but then I realise I'm really avoiding some much needed study for exams and I'm just going nuts for hockey because I really don't want to do the homework.
Sorry I just seem to be spewing a lot of crap. I promise to have something more interesting next time.
It's not fair. It's never fair. I actually thought we'd win. At least now I know my predicting powers are useless. The Canes lost, Boston got whipped and I have a strange gut feeling that the Ducks will win against Avery & co.
The bottom line is, don't you dare reverse a call after it's already been set in stone.
Bonk played like a flipping trooper and gets speared. Ref calls a penalty. People bitch, fans throw things. A while later, he gets to get back on and SCORE. Okay I'm not going to say the game was rigged, the refs were terrible both sides. And in a way it's karma - there was a terrible call on the Buffalo side at the start that gave way to our first goal. So payback maybe?
Okay maybe I'm overreacting. Sure I thought it was funny when they beat the Canes. But now this is not funny. On a more positive note - Saku made 2 goals, the captain is amazing again.
Now I'm not too mad. Just that I thought it was kind of sounding really good at first - 4-2 and then 4-3 and then suddenly a tie. I'm sort of fustrated at our own incompetence. Plekanec can't win faceoffs for crap, and our D is terrible. Really terrible. They just sort of fall down and die. Why can't they just move away so the other team can just go in a straight line to the net? Markov & Souray need some shaping up - at this rate Niinimaa is going to become a 2 line D or something like that. The second line combined is a -7, wonderful.
I hate you Afinogenov.
But I'll think of it this way, they just need the right momentum - and no one is allowed to say Samsonov did nothing this time round. He hauled ass even though he didn't shoot any goals.
Tomorrow is the Habs against the Leafs. And Wade Redden? Please crush Buffalo tomorrow. Please? Edmonton & Calgary - I want to say Calgary wins this time. And I want SJ to crush DiPietro like always.
In other news, Moreau gets a contract extension for being a studly buddy.
edit: Seems like the whole Habs/Sabres hoo-haa was a misunderstanding backed up by the local Habs TV (RDS). The timer screwed up and while it was being fixed, the player in question - Briere - moved towards the referees for a chat and it seemed suspicious, allowing the commentators to speculate on an earlier hooking penalty no-call on Bonk. This ends with general confusion, Buffalo fans going "wtf" at Habs fans going nuts
I freaked out when I checked the Oil website to see that it got a handy dandy makeover (by the way am I a little girl for actually feeling my heart clench at that Western Conference Champ banner?). It's pretty basic but compared to NHL's new makeover (How much did it cost to get an ugly yellow around the NHL logo? Not much? Didn't think so. Oh and take away those Canes jerseys!) it's pretty nice. I like it!
By the way the roster is pretty much cleaned up of icky rookies. No more Debby (Dubnyk) or "the replacement 44". But whiz kid centers? Check (Horcoff & Sykora who according to all the hype is going to breakout like the incredible hulk). Bunch of snipers with looks that could kill? Check (Lupul & Hemsky. The latter having looks that could creep you and make you worry whether the Oil know that they signed an infant to 6 years. By then that'll make him what, 16 years old?). Two goaltenders of exotic origin? Check (Jussi from the sunny area of Imatra, Finland and Roli from Simcoe, Ontario). And lastly, hometown heroes? Check, Check and Check! (Smytty, Pisani and again, Loops)
I think boys, we have a winning team. I think they definitely have a good shot at having a playoff run. How long it will last, will pose to be a challenging question.
Lastly, the start of seasons makes fans very bitter (note to Dion, the Oiler fans hate you. They loathe you. You're the hometown boy whom they love to hate. Just not as much as Comrie). But after it's all said and done, it's kind of fun. I mean I haven't passionately wailed on anything yet. I mean except that I don't get why Roli is dancing with Chelios. But passion? Nup. Aint got it. I'm a monster!
Oh yeah, it seems that I should make some predictions - just to see if I got magic powers. After all, my friend dreamt that the Oil lost the Cup and it happened. That way I want to make sure no one freaking jinxes it when it's too late! Carolina trumps New Jersey (my friend lives in New Jersey!), Vancouver smothers Columbus (if they don't then the 'nucks deserve to DIE), Boston kills Florida in a tight game and includes their "new" captain injured so damn hard (Sherry you still got that voodoo doll?). Lastly I want to pretend that Montreal runs circles around Buffalo and smacks them down 5-2 (I'm optimistic) while I may not Avery but I hate Pronger more. Come on LA and hurt Anaheim good!
Though I have to say the funniest thing I've seen? Wardo's Carlton dance. Even if you don't know the show, just call it the chicken dance and it's just as funny.
Oh and Cheechoo sits on a surfboard and creeps people out. I really don't think it's him, just a mannequin with a cardboard face of him. Maybe. And if you dig Forsberg, how bout him in a bed?
I swear why not put Crosby on Colbert? He's boring as hell - next to Pronger (I swear have you seen him in the interview after he did the penalty shootout on Wardo? He was like "omg I have two different plans - etcetc technical language". Can he be any more boring? No wonder his wife doesn't love him anymore). Colbert handles stuck up arrogant and boring kids well. VERY well. And Ovechkin. Hee.
Though if all goes well, I'm going to raise millions and send Samsonov to the Colbert Report to say "I'm a chunky monkey from funky town". Next is Jussi or Ovechkin. Yay!
Well done Horcoff for getting a damn assist whereas the rest of the guys just suck! Sykora seems to be on a roll. Come on Staios, I defended you from all the haters on the Hot-Off why can't you just make it right? And Toskala. Thankyou for not sucking *too* much. I mean I should have nabbed Thornton for my team but Horcoff is just too irresistable for me.
Nonetheless it seems San Jose & St Louis are having the worst game. A Ref receives a puck in the forehead and the game is effing delayed because of a broken board. For the love of god I hate waiting. Not because it's late of course, it's only 3pm here and I actually came home early. But wont those fans just get... annoyed? Why don't people just plug the gap with the backup goalie?
Oh the paper today mentioned Carolina's loss against Buffalo (the reason why it makes me happy is because the sports section never mentions the NHL. Nevar. Except for the obvious stuff and they get like... 100 words).
(not to be confused with Schremp - the not-as-flash Hockey Jesus)
New Season eh!? Lots of fun! People losing (Suck on it Canes! And on a lesser note, suck on it Leafs!) and people having fun. Not to mention I hope Peca will have goaless seasons and as per Hockeygirl's wishes - he will have his teeth punched into shape.
Phaneuf tries to be all cool about being single. I know how he goes "I'm not sure if I'm searching or not..." but doesn't that seem to say... something? Or is it a shout out to any Edmonton girls "Hey I may play from the team of doom but you know baby Edmonton was my only love." And the funny thing is, if he used an equally lame pickup line on me I'd get jitters and ask him to strum a guitar tune on Hannukah (sure Redden did it better).
But the freaking Habs aren't starting till Friday. That's my Saturday (morning)! Though I am optomistic, really. I mean think of it this way: Saku Koivu - battled cancer and more recently a freaky eye gouging incident by the Canes (While Williams was leaving a phone message, all Habs fans were calling for you to give them back their cap'n!). Is there anything this guy can't live through? He should be charging through war torn areas and lead armies to victory!
Back in reality, tommorow is the opening game for the Oil & Sharks. You know what that means? Almost half of my "Not-Suck" roster are playing! Horcoff is going to go out and make me some money. And god knows if Mclaren is going to do anything. But hey Toskers is getting his first opening night shot, and boy I hope you rock (if you lose your fiancee is going to dump you). I know, Cheechoo (I like Earls! But not as much as Edgars) would have been a better winger but I stand by Lupul's dreamy eyes (and his uber cute high five with that little Flames kid). And what happened to Markkanen? Oh yeah he's going to probably spend a lot of time with his meagre under 1 mil salary (my friend suggested that Markkanen could auction off letting in soft goals - "I'll let you have this goal if I get your house for the summer!"). This guy will only be immortalized in badly written slash and Oiler fans ruthlessly telling him "YOU'RE NOT ROLOSON SO YOU AIN'T COOL".
I hope season action will get this hlog going, not to mention I suck in promotion. I knew early on in my life that shameless plugging wasn't my thang.
Lastly, on a non-hockey note. Little Miss Sunshine! Was a barrel of laughs. I always kinda liked Greg Kinnear, have a soft spot for Carrell and had high hopes. Thankfully the movie did not disappoint. The end is just the best movie ending ever. Not to mention the dopey, almost half-stoned looking son is named "Dwayne". Hah!
Ovechkin goes ballistic and gets a hole in one in his first ever charity golf tournament. Is there anything this Russian wonder can't do? From what I get from him, I reckon it's dancing - or not saying stupid English phrases.
By the way, one of the "Top 10 to watch" is not Christina freaking Pronger. The only interesting thing about this guy is when Smith rams a stick in his stomach in early February 07, ending up with him being hooked up to tubes and broken fingers. The broken fingers is so he can't hold a spoon to drink his soup (on account of me punching his teeth and gums out and all).
Though additionally:
Rick DiPietro, I guess there is something interesting about him - though more in terms of the Wang train.
Jose Theodore? Seriously? Or is this more of a watching a burning building game?
Oh and I guess Ward, is kinda hot. In the terms of his play that is. Though that image does make me think of Ben Affleck (whom I never had anything for - you know.)
Additionally, the Hlog has won its first name of "Unsportsmanlike Conduct" by mediocre voting. Apparently "All hail to Markkanen" did not impress or gain any favour.
