It's taken a little while for me to fully transition from Baseball to Hockey this year (with a little attention paid to a nice 5-0 Giants start on the grid iron that only infuriated met later in the year...not at the Plaxico shoots himself level but enough that my interest in the NFL has dropped to casual observer). Here we are though, January 1st and the Blades are fully in the foreground around my home. A new found tradition of watching a classic tilt between the Canadian and American Juniors put the closing touches on 2009 (as it did in 2008 now that I think about it). Between World Juniors, the Winter Classic and the naming of the Canadian and American teams the past couple days, the holiday season with its dusting of snow in the East has transitioned me away from watching the Hot Stove and full on into the Hockey Season. I'm even looking forward to watching the Leafs play tomorrow night on HNIC (hey, they've been coming on a little bit of late).
World Juniors - Last night continued a streak of unbelievable New Year's Eve clashes between new Hockey arch rivals, Canada and the United States. I've almost forgotten completely last year's epic come from behind win as the US jumped out to an early 3-0 lead only to have Canada come storming back behind a John Taveres hat trick (the final into the empty net) to cap a 7-4 win for the eventual tournament champs. One year later, these rivals were at it again in Saskatoon, essentially reducing last year's classic to a "yeah whatever" moment in Junior history. The American team used its incredible speed to pressure the Canadian blue line into mistake after mistake. As Tyler Johnson both scored and set up Short Handed goals to add to an eventual 4-2 lead. The second period ended with a short handed tally from Johnson, only to have the Canadian team, halfway through their Power Play surrender another goal as the penalized American re-took the ice in the third. Danny Kristo made the score 4-2 and shortly after put one off the post that would have buried the Red and White. Jake Allen played big, keeping the game in check before Jordan Eberle one-upped his earlier goal by cutting the lead to one on a beautiful deflection from the point. The Saskatchewan native was easily the best player for Canada yet again and would not be finished with a pair of critical goals added to his already impressive resume.
The game went back and forth with both Allen and Jack Campbell turning away shot after shot. Eberle easily could have gone from hero to goat as he was called on a high stick with about five minutes left in the game and Canada still trailing 4-3. Pietrangelo, had other ideas, as he stole the puck and roofed one on Campbell as Saskatoon literally shook with Canadian enthusiasm. Overtime would solve nothing so for a second time in recent Canada - US Junior history, this match up was headed to a shoot out. I still have vivid memories of Jack Johnson
lining up time and time again to take the American penalty shots (so I'm all to familiar with IIHF rules once the first three shooters line up. Canada would not leave it that late as Eberle, Kadri and Kozun all scored in the shoot out. Jake Allen would only require one stop to send Canada to the Semi-finals.
Winter Classic - New Year's Day has now been claimed by the NHL as the only real College Bowl game anymore has been moved out a few days for the National Championship. The Winter Classic is in its third season and does not look to be going anywhere anytime soon. Fenway Park was 2010's home to the Classic, pitting Philadelphia against the hometown Bruins. Both teams have underachieved to this point, but on a bright note have started to turn the corner (and I believe are both coming off shut out wins).
The Winter Classic has started to permeate with an American audience that still has not truly accepted Hockey as one of the major sports. I have watched all three (but was away in 2003 and missed the Heritage Classic in Edmonton) and each plays out in quite the same manner, close game (well maybe not in Wriggley), a lot of hype and media attention (as it should be) but the hockey is actually slow and sloppy. The ice, I'm sure has something to do with it, although this year's ice was commented on time and time again for its high quality. Winter Classic hockey brings a lot of positive attention to the sport, a lot of hype, and a lot of exposure. The games have definitely been interesting and I will watch whomever is slotted in next New Year's day as well, but the game just seems slow and extremely basic. This year's version brought a little more hitting, but it was essentially dump and chase and throw the puck on the net. The outdoor elements do not create an atmosphere conducive for creativity. Boston and Philly in a bang and crash game though brings back memories of Broadstreet Bullies vs Big Bad Bruins. Having number four, Bobby Orr and Bobby Clark as honorary captains cemented the nostalgia.
From Crosby's shoot out goal to Brent Seabrook depositing Daniel Cleary into the Hawks bench, the Classic has its highlight moments year in and year out. Daniel Carcillo and Shawn Thornton attempted to cement their names into Classic lore as they dropped the gloves for the first outdoor fight. But even that attempted throwback stache on Carcillo's face couldnt hold onto the highlight of the night as Marco Sturm stole a win from the Flyers by tipping in an Overtime shot from Patrice Bergeron. Considering my brother and I were deep into an argument brought on by my Pronger rant from yesterday, this goal could not have come at a better time (well that and the Flyers were clearly the dominant team in OT).
We had literally just finished discussing Bergeron's addition in a heated debate (I'm sure brought on by some hard feelings around my Pronger viewpoints). Bergeron spun off Richards (did I mention my brother's a huge Flyer's fan) and put the puck perfectly in for a Sturm game winning tip in. Make the Canadian Olympic squad, set up the Classic winning goal, not a bad couple days. Now if only number 20 would have been on the ice for the Flyers...
To Top it off, Team USA was announced following the Winter Classic - Brian Burke had no problem selecting a goaltending team of Tim Thomas, Ryan Miller and Jonathan Quick, and is hoping to ride that strength deep into the Olympic Tournament. Youth was the overwhelming trait as the team's average age is just 26 years old. Patrick Kane, Erik and Jack Johnson and Phil Kessel highlight a young line up that Burke built to win. Perhaps he's looked a little too close to home on the blue line as Mike Komisarek, even from this Leaf fan's perspective, is a borderline selection.
Team USA - Goaltenders: Ryan Miller (Buffalo Sabres), Jonathan Quick (Los Angeles Kings), Tim Thomas (Boston Bruins)
Defensemen: Erik Johnson (St Louis Blues), Jack Johnson (Los Angeles Kings), Mike Komisarek (Toronto Maple Leafs), Paul Martin (New Jersey Devils), Brooks Orpik (Pittsburgh Penguins), Brian Rafalski (Detroit Red Wings), Ryan Suter (Nashville Predators)
Forwards: David Backes (St. Louis Blues), Dustin Brown (Los Angeles Kings), Ryan Callahan (New York Rangers), Chris Drury (New York Rangers), Patrick Kane (Chicago Blackhawks), Ryan Kesler (Vancouver Canucks), Phil Kessel (Toronto Maple Leafs), Jamie Langenbrunner (New Jersey Devils), Ryan Malone (Tampa Bay Lightning), Zack Parise (New Jersey Devils), Joe Pavelski (San Jose Sharks), Bobby Ryan (Anaheim Ducks), Paul Stastny (Colorado Avalanche)
Follow me on twitter at www.twitter.com/todd11ny
Todd Price
World Juniors - Last night continued a streak of unbelievable New Year's Eve clashes between new Hockey arch rivals, Canada and the United States. I've almost forgotten completely last year's epic come from behind win as the US jumped out to an early 3-0 lead only to have Canada come storming back behind a John Taveres hat trick (the final into the empty net) to cap a 7-4 win for the eventual tournament champs. One year later, these rivals were at it again in Saskatoon, essentially reducing last year's classic to a "yeah whatever" moment in Junior history. The American team used its incredible speed to pressure the Canadian blue line into mistake after mistake. As Tyler Johnson both scored and set up Short Handed goals to add to an eventual 4-2 lead. The second period ended with a short handed tally from Johnson, only to have the Canadian team, halfway through their Power Play surrender another goal as the penalized American re-took the ice in the third. Danny Kristo made the score 4-2 and shortly after put one off the post that would have buried the Red and White. Jake Allen played big, keeping the game in check before Jordan Eberle one-upped his earlier goal by cutting the lead to one on a beautiful deflection from the point. The Saskatchewan native was easily the best player for Canada yet again and would not be finished with a pair of critical goals added to his already impressive resume.
The game went back and forth with both Allen and Jack Campbell turning away shot after shot. Eberle easily could have gone from hero to goat as he was called on a high stick with about five minutes left in the game and Canada still trailing 4-3. Pietrangelo, had other ideas, as he stole the puck and roofed one on Campbell as Saskatoon literally shook with Canadian enthusiasm. Overtime would solve nothing so for a second time in recent Canada - US Junior history, this match up was headed to a shoot out. I still have vivid memories of Jack Johnson
lining up time and time again to take the American penalty shots (so I'm all to familiar with IIHF rules once the first three shooters line up. Canada would not leave it that late as Eberle, Kadri and Kozun all scored in the shoot out. Jake Allen would only require one stop to send Canada to the Semi-finals.
Winter Classic - New Year's Day has now been claimed by the NHL as the only real College Bowl game anymore has been moved out a few days for the National Championship. The Winter Classic is in its third season and does not look to be going anywhere anytime soon. Fenway Park was 2010's home to the Classic, pitting Philadelphia against the hometown Bruins. Both teams have underachieved to this point, but on a bright note have started to turn the corner (and I believe are both coming off shut out wins).
The Winter Classic has started to permeate with an American audience that still has not truly accepted Hockey as one of the major sports. I have watched all three (but was away in 2003 and missed the Heritage Classic in Edmonton) and each plays out in quite the same manner, close game (well maybe not in Wriggley), a lot of hype and media attention (as it should be) but the hockey is actually slow and sloppy. The ice, I'm sure has something to do with it, although this year's ice was commented on time and time again for its high quality. Winter Classic hockey brings a lot of positive attention to the sport, a lot of hype, and a lot of exposure. The games have definitely been interesting and I will watch whomever is slotted in next New Year's day as well, but the game just seems slow and extremely basic. This year's version brought a little more hitting, but it was essentially dump and chase and throw the puck on the net. The outdoor elements do not create an atmosphere conducive for creativity. Boston and Philly in a bang and crash game though brings back memories of Broadstreet Bullies vs Big Bad Bruins. Having number four, Bobby Orr and Bobby Clark as honorary captains cemented the nostalgia.
From Crosby's shoot out goal to Brent Seabrook depositing Daniel Cleary into the Hawks bench, the Classic has its highlight moments year in and year out. Daniel Carcillo and Shawn Thornton attempted to cement their names into Classic lore as they dropped the gloves for the first outdoor fight. But even that attempted throwback stache on Carcillo's face couldnt hold onto the highlight of the night as Marco Sturm stole a win from the Flyers by tipping in an Overtime shot from Patrice Bergeron. Considering my brother and I were deep into an argument brought on by my Pronger rant from yesterday, this goal could not have come at a better time (well that and the Flyers were clearly the dominant team in OT).
We had literally just finished discussing Bergeron's addition in a heated debate (I'm sure brought on by some hard feelings around my Pronger viewpoints). Bergeron spun off Richards (did I mention my brother's a huge Flyer's fan) and put the puck perfectly in for a Sturm game winning tip in. Make the Canadian Olympic squad, set up the Classic winning goal, not a bad couple days. Now if only number 20 would have been on the ice for the Flyers...To Top it off, Team USA was announced following the Winter Classic - Brian Burke had no problem selecting a goaltending team of Tim Thomas, Ryan Miller and Jonathan Quick, and is hoping to ride that strength deep into the Olympic Tournament. Youth was the overwhelming trait as the team's average age is just 26 years old. Patrick Kane, Erik and Jack Johnson and Phil Kessel highlight a young line up that Burke built to win. Perhaps he's looked a little too close to home on the blue line as Mike Komisarek, even from this Leaf fan's perspective, is a borderline selection.
Team USA - Goaltenders: Ryan Miller (Buffalo Sabres), Jonathan Quick (Los Angeles Kings), Tim Thomas (Boston Bruins)
Defensemen: Erik Johnson (St Louis Blues), Jack Johnson (Los Angeles Kings), Mike Komisarek (Toronto Maple Leafs), Paul Martin (New Jersey Devils), Brooks Orpik (Pittsburgh Penguins), Brian Rafalski (Detroit Red Wings), Ryan Suter (Nashville Predators)
Forwards: David Backes (St. Louis Blues), Dustin Brown (Los Angeles Kings), Ryan Callahan (New York Rangers), Chris Drury (New York Rangers), Patrick Kane (Chicago Blackhawks), Ryan Kesler (Vancouver Canucks), Phil Kessel (Toronto Maple Leafs), Jamie Langenbrunner (New Jersey Devils), Ryan Malone (Tampa Bay Lightning), Zack Parise (New Jersey Devils), Joe Pavelski (San Jose Sharks), Bobby Ryan (Anaheim Ducks), Paul Stastny (Colorado Avalanche)
Follow me on twitter at www.twitter.com/todd11ny
Todd Price
