NHL Headlines For 3/14/08

I've just finished a massive playoff analysis for Apryl DeLancey's Women Like Sports blog so be sure to click on over and check it out as it should be up soon.

Anyway, I've calmed down a bit after yesterday's rant on Chris Pronger so let's get right into it.

Red Wings Lock Up Playoff Berth

This was only a matter of time, but with last night's win over the Dallas Stars they also now have 100 points. Ladies and gentlemen, the race to 100 is over.

The only thing left for them to lock up is the No. 1 seed and there's no reason to think that won't come by this time next week. They hold a 10 point lead over the No. 2 seeded Sharks currently.

Welcome back to the show boys and good luck in the playoffs.

Coyotes Blank Canucks 2-0, Keep Playoff Hopes Alive

OK, this cannot happen. I refuse to admit that the Coyotes are even in a playoff hunt. Why you might ask? Does anyone remember the "White Out" they did a few years back? I'm still amazed that this trend was started.

In case you have no idea what I'm talking about, fans were encouraged to wear white shirts. If you didn't wear a white shirt, you were handed one on the way in and told to wear it. Did they really think that this would be effective? I'm still baffled at how this started showing up around the league and in other sports.

Anyway, the Coyotes (or as we affectionately call them, "The Fighting Gretzkys") are the No. 10 seed in the Western Conference, but trail the Canucks by three points.

Crosby To Miss A Week

And the injury woes continue for the Pens. Crosby is expected to miss the next three games with soreness in his ankle. Dare I say that the Pens might get Marian Hossa back for Sunday's game against the Flyers? I don't because everything I've said about this team over the last week has come back to bite me.

The good news in this is that the Pens have proven they can still win when Crosby is out. Evgeni Malkin has stepped up and flourished in the spotlight when Sid went down and I don't expect this to change.

New Video Shows Pronger's Stomp Clearer

OK apparently I was calm until I saw the pictures contained on that link. Don't read any more of this until you click the above link from TSN.ca. They have two video stills that show the apparent stomp.

Go ahead, I'll still be here when you get back.

(Jeopardy Theme)

Welcome back...

At the risk of sounding like a broken record...

Are you kidding me?! How does he get off for that? That is a more blatant stomp than Chris Simon's on Jarkko Ruutu! How did the entire Canucks bench not empty to slay him for that?

Colin Campbell if you read this, grow a pair and suspend this guy for at least 10 games. Pronger is one of the dirtiest players in the league and seems to get away with murder all the time. If he were to pull a Todd Bertuzzi, would you suspend him then?

For those who haven't seen the Bertuzzi play I'm referring to here you go:



Laraque Suspended 3 Games For Elbowing Incident

To continue on with the above rant.

Mr. Campbell you have got to be kidding me. What justification do you have for suspending Laraque for three games here and not giving Pronger anything? I agree that Laraque should be suspended for the elbow, but I don't think there was a blatant attempt to injure someone like Pronger did.

Can you only be suspended now if you actually hurt someone? If Kesler would have has his career ended because of what was done would Pronger then face some disciplinary action? This is unbelievable. You suspend Steve Ott for three games for a hit up high and allow Pronger to skate away clean? Come on. Either the rules apply to all or none, make up your mind.

Here's the apparent elbow in slow motion.



That to me looks like Laraque went to put a hit on and Paetsch moved out of the way and caught the follow through in the head. Yes, it's still a penalty, but I don't see a clear attempt to hurt the guy. Again, the fact that he's suspended and Pronger is allowed to walk away disgusts me.

I think I need to go take a walk and cool off, but check back tomorrow for more headlines!

Headlines For 3/13/08

This one's going to be a little shorter as I'm working with Apryl DeLancey, writer of the "Women Like Sports" blog you see under my frequent links section, on a playoff contenders blog. When that posted I'll link to it from my newest post as well. I'll also be doing something similar for this blog in the next couple days for your enjoyment.

Here's today's headlines!

Ovechkin Scores Goals 55,56, Kolzig Gets 300th Win

Anyone who says Ovechkin is overrated has something wrong inside their head. The more I look around message boards the more I see a raging debate about who's the better player, Sidney Crosby or Ovechkin.

Here's the thing, for the most part this is like comparing apples to oranges. The two have different styles of play. Ovechkin plays more of a run and gun game and isn't afraid to knock someone into next week. His larger than Crosby frame allows him to play this way.

Crosby on the other hand has one of the greatest hockey minds the game has ever seen and he's only going to get better. Crosby sees things before they even happen out there and his passing skills are far superior to Ovechkin. When their careers are over we'll be able to look back and say "Ovechkin was a better goal scorer while Crosby was one of the best playmakers of all-time."

What we need to do is stop arguing about who's better. Each player is better than the other in certain respects. Just sit back and watch two all-world players do what they do best and enjoy it.

Also, congrats to Olaf Kolzig. You've come a long way from your days in Portland, Maine backstopping the Capitals then AHL affiliate Pirates.


Leafs Keep Playoff Hopes Alive With 3-2 Win Over Philadelphia

Is anyone else seeing the uncanny resemblance to last season with the Leafs here? Could this possibly come down to the final day of the regular season where the Leafs need one team to lose to get into the playoffs as the 8-seed? Remember how the Devils sent in the B-squad and didn't start Marty Brodeur in their last game of the year against the Islanders? If the Islanders lost that game, the Leafs make it in. Instead, Scott Clemmensen gets the nod and gets picked apart in an eventual shootout and my buddy Cheech went into seclusion for a week.



Pavel Kubina scored the eventual game winner for the second game in a row against the Flyers. The Leafs NEVER beat the Flyers, let alone twice in one week. Now I'm not saying the Leafs will get into the playoffs, but the math is still there. They trail the Flyers by five points with 10 games remaining.

Pronger Gets Off Clean After Stomp On Kesler

Are you kidding me? Didn't Chris Simon do this to Jarkko Ruutu earlier this season and got 30 games for it? Granted Simon is a repeat offender, but like I said yesterday about hitting up high, there is no place in hockey for this. This is a complete disregard for another player and just plain dirty.

How the NHL doesn't take action on Pronger is baffling. I call shenanigans and the next time Pronger does something questionable he better be made an example of.

Sabres' Paetsch Helped Off Ice After Elbow

Here's where I'm going to end up going off the handle in the next 24 hours. Georges Laraque was assessed a five-minute major for elbowing Nathan Paetsch during the second period of a 7-3 win last night. Paetsch was helped off the ice after being out cold for several minutes and is out indefinitely with a concussion. This makes three defensemen the Sabres have lost this week.

Now here's why I'm going to be pulling my hair out. Laraque will inevitably be suspended or have some action taken against him for this hit. Now go back and read the above story about Pronger again.

Here's how the math plays out here:

Pronger + Stomping on Kessler = No Action

Laraque + elbow to Paetsch = Probable suspension

In the grand scheme of things, these two plays are both worthy of some disciplinary action. However, I don't think Laraque intended for the elbow to come up as bad as it did. There is clear intent to injure written all over an attempted stomp on another player.

Stay tuned for the eventual rant on this.

Sens' Alfredsson Could Return Tonight

I can't say much more than "YESSSS!" This reaction is strictly from a fantasy standpoint as mentioned yesterday. I need this guy back playing in the worst way right now as I trail 8-6 overall.

Also according to TSN.ca, the Sens are confident in Martin Gerber being the starter from here on out. So if you own Ray Emery (me) go out and find someone else. I just picked up Carey Price...for the fifth time this season.

Thanks for reading and I'll see you all next time.