Shallow Frozen Water

Sunday morning armchair

i was on the phone (long distance) with a francophone Sens fan when Dany Heatley (7 SOG) scored the tying goal against the Pens yesterday.  there’s nothing like talking puck with someone who’s busy watching their team going tooth and nail for 2 pts.  i like the Sens too Stephane, except when they’re playing my Leafs.

the OT for the Sens and Pens was REALLY exciting.  the Pens had 3 chances in a row where they could’ve put this thing away and then Alffy with the backhand dagger to steal the game on the road.  man i love this game.

Cory Stillman is red hot as a Sen with 5 pts in 4 games.  i see him settling permanently on their 2nd line with Alffy and Mike Fisher, at least that’s how i would do it.

the Devils hadn’t solved the puzzle that is the Island at all this season until yesterday.  i know what they mean, i often have wondered about the enigma that is NYI.

i’ve blogged in the past that the best goaltending in the league is in the Atlantic Division and it’s a very true statement.  keeper leagues should be taking serious runs at Rick DiPietro and Henrik Lundqvist because as they get another season older the price will climb astronomically.  i was emailing a guy yesterday about the idea of trading away Kipper in a keeper to land DiP.  the window on something like that is going to close.  of course i’m not talking about 1fer1 since more would have to go in order to even up in a deal like that.

i hated Bob Gainey as a hockey player and even now as an executive the man looks to be doing some more great things for an already embarrassingly rich hockey culture in Montreal.  that Habs team with Gainey on it was freakishly good year in and year out.  good on ya Bob, #23 in the rafters is well deserved.

Mike Cammalleri was pointless and -4 going into the 3rd period and by the end of the game he had a goal and 2 assists and was even again.  that’s a good 20 minutes for him.

man, Anze Kopitar is going to be phenomenal.  there’s no way the Kings should’ve come out of that game with a point what with how they were dominated for most of that game.  Anze and Camm carried them back from the brink to steal a point they had no business getting.

Brent Seabrook watched Dustin Brown rock Sharp and Toews and i guess he’d seen enough.  he went all snaky on Brown and earned himself 19 PIMs.  i love it when a guy shows he’s got his boy’s back.

Patrick Sharp has 27 goals this season, 7 of them shorthanded.  how about some talk for Sharp and the Selke trophy?  dude plays in all situations and dominates.  i love this guy now and Hawks fans are going to be thrilled with him for the next decade.  there’s too much talk about Kane and Toews and not enough love for a guy who’s paid more dues and helps in more situations.

i still have Martin Havlat in my work league.  shame on me.

i cringe whenever i hear a basketball guy yell, “that’s what i’m talking about!”  no reason, i just cringe.  and while i’m on this topic what is up with the Raptors play by play guy and “ONIONS BABY, ONIONS”?  that’s way too hip for me, if it even is hip.

the Caps have 3 games in hand on the Canes and they’re 6 pts behind them in the standings.  think maybe the Caps need a serious win streak?  there’s only one team coming out of the Southeast and it’s bad enough that the one team will get the 3rd seed but still, i want that to be the Caps.  unfortunately the Canes have the Caps number this season and they scored twice in the 3rd to put their game with them out of reach.

with all the injuries in Carolina right now then you might want to take a flyer on Andrew Ladd who has shown promise for 3 years or so (by my recollection) and might now be stepping into his best opportunity in that time too.  a goal, 5 shots and 4 PIMs yesterday and he’s built in the power forward mold.

Joe Corvo has fit in great in Carolina and he looks to be just what they were looking for in an offensive type off the back end.

Eric Staal is in the middle of a mini-streak.  there’s an offensive vacuum right now and this is Eric’s chance to take his team on his shoulders and carry them along.  he’s got 30 goals now and it’d be nice to see 40 out of him.

i think i might have a case of C-dub’s curse (those of you who were and are former TMR folk know who dub is) after i came out strongly in favour of the Philadelphia Flyers winning the Atlantic division.  i’m pretty sure it’s the same day that they started their 10 game losing streak and if it’s not the same day then it’s pretty close.  anyway, i’m sorry Philly fans, you’ve been touched by the hand of the ANTI-Midas.  Philly takes 41 SOG and loses 2-1 in OT giving up 25 SOG.  bet you wish the Panthers had already dealt Olli away but you only missed it by a couple days.

you know what i love?  i love it when a puck carrying forward comes over the line and into the high slot, and uses a defenders legs as a semi screen for a snap to the short side.  it’s all in the release, a simple shrug of the shoulders and it’s in the twine.  goalies don’t see it coming and it’s a beautiful thing.  Nik Antropov got one like that and i saw Alexei Kovalev (i think) get a post like that too.  by the way, if Antropov concentrates on garbage goals, deflections and that simple shrug he’ll get 30 every year for the next 5 years.

Alex Steen signed an extension yesterday.  his family is loved here in Winnipeg and i love having him on my Leafs but he’ll never be a top line option or NEARLY as good as his dad was for these Jets.

i read a very interesting blog here at hockeyanalysis on the Habs team blog.  the blogger was saying that what Guy Carbonneau the coach needs is Guy Carbonneau the player.  i think the blogger is right.  the criticism on the Habs has been their defensive play this season and everyone loves their offense (especially fantasy guys who roster Habs and count PPP as a category).  a Selke nominee would come a lot cheaper than Marian Hossa would, has anyone in Montreal looked at last night’s opponent and seen that Mike Peca might be available in C-bus?  i think he’d be a phenomenal fit for the Habs.

Maxim Lapierre coughed up the fugliest puck that i’ve seen in a LONG time.  dude just took a pass outside his own blueline knowing that his feet werent moving at all and within a second Manny Malhotra had forechecked him into oblivion.  Malhotra has some nice value in leagues that count faceoffs by the way, otherwise, not so much.

if the Jackets were in the East they’d have a real shot at the playoffs this season.  but they’re not, so they should sell their spare parts.  i also loved that every Jacket wore the #23 on the ice to start the game last night (i didn’t actually see it but i heard about it and thought it was cool).

Chris Drury returned to Buffalo yesterday and got an assist on the night.  now think you can do something about that +/- Chris?  you’re killing me.

the guy with the most SOG in the Rangers/Sabres game?  Brandon Dubinsky.  i tried to give you a heads up on this kid a couple weeks ago, sure hope you listened.  he’s playing with Jagr and i’m betting there are still leagues with him on the wire.  16 pts in 17 games since mid January.

by what i could tell that Rangers/Sabres game was a great one to watch.  man do i miss Southern Ontario sometimes, you can get anywhere from Detroit to Ottawa in a few hours drive.  the way things are for me now i’d have to drive 8 hrs just the watch the Wild trap their way to oblivion.

John Tortorella is a tool.  that’s all.  i have no reason to say it other than apparent truth-telling.

Glen Murray got 2 goals last night but you still want no part of him.

i read one poster over at dobberhockey saying that he doesnt get all the fuss about Mike Ribeiro and he wouldnt be keeping him in certain keeper leagues.  wow.  Ribeiro has always shown to have some magic skills offensively and the rub against him has been his defensive play.  his move to Dallas a couple years ago seems to have cured his defensive woes out of him since if you don’t play D in Dallas, you’re not playing.  Ribeiro is potentially a 90 pt guy for the next decade and he’s one guy that you must know is on the ice whenever you play him.  he went 2 and 2 yesterday.

Brendan Morrow should thank Mike Ribeiro for all his help with resurrecting his game this season.

Matt Niskanen was on the ice for less time than Stephane Robidas only for his team yesterday, he got an assist and was +4.  Robidas didn’t even take a shot and was -1.  when Boucher and eventually Zubov return to the lineup they’ll see the fort held down nicely by Nisk, who wasn’t even supposed to make the team this year actually.

J.P. Dumont got a goal at even strength yesterday and still finished at -4 on the night.  think about that.

i sat down to watch Van/Det last night because i figured it was a good matchup for the Canucks at home against a dinged up Wings D.  then when i saw that Jimmy Howard was to start my interest was further piqued because i wanted to see him play.  Jimmy’s got skills actually.  his positioning was really good for the first half of the game (which is all that i watched actually) and he was aggressive which i love in a goalie.  i still maintain that by the end of next season Jimmy “Opie” Howard will be the starting goaltender for the Detroit Red Wings.

Mikael Samuelsson lined up with Zetterberg on the top line last night and Datsyuk headed up the 2nd line.  i still say that Samuelsson is a decent add from here through the rest of the season, he’s shooting a lot (except for last night apparently).

Kevin Bieksa was back up to 22 mins last night.  the offensive stats are going to start coming in for him soon too.  you shouldve already activated him if you have him.

yesterday was a good day to kick back and watch some puck.  i hope you enjoyed it as much as i did.