Alexander Ovechkin from Show Boat to No-Show

The NHL All-Star game is a go tonight without the crown prince of show boating.  Of course I am referring to Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals.  Looks like Ovie who was suspended for three games by the NHL has taken his circus to South Beach. It seems the sun and fun in Miami is a good place to heal your wounds and faltering ego.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/capitals/alex-ovechkins-suspension-was-unfair-his-reaction-was-uncool/2012/01/25/gIQAJyfPQQ_story.html

We got to give to the man (or boy).  He knows how to squeeze the press and it appears that although all the big boys in the NHL are in Ottawa; Ovie  has managed to snag some face time while dipping his toes in the Atlantic.  Real fans don't seem to give a flying you know what and the show marches on without him.

http://www.canada.com/sports/Note+Ovie+missing+great+time/6063343/story.html

We will all miss his flash and panache but rest assured someone else will step and reach for Ovie's crown.  This was a bad PR move by the Russian rocket and it will cost him in the end. I hope he gets a comfy seat and he watches the whole game with a pina colada in his hand.  He is going to need it once he realizes he has made an ass of himself and cost himself some big dollars in the process.

Thomas and Ovechkin - NHL Cry Babies

Professional athletes are often self absorbed and perfectionist bent on excellence. The nightly cheering from fans goes right to their heads and they start to believe their own BS.  We saw that phenomena play out front and center in the NHL this week with Tim Thomas and Alexander Ovechkin imposing and projecting their needs and opinions on fans who really don't care.  I think I speak for many NHL diehards when I say to Thomas and Ovechkin; grow up, entertain the fans and be professional.  Playing in the NHL is an honor and a privilege. 

Tim Thomas stepped into the limelight this week when he refused to attend a ceremony at The White House held in honour of the Boston Bruins and their Stanley Cup victory last season.  We covered Thomas's bungled attempt at being an activist in this story.

http://www.getrealhockey.blogspot.com/2012/01/tim-thomas-tarnishes-image-with-white.html

It is pretty evident that Thomas has forgotten that he is a hockey player representing a team and a city.  The Bruins goalie seems to be pretty convinced that we should care that he hates the office of the Presidency of the United States of America.  If he is so concerned about the integrity of the political process perhaps he should stop playing a kids game and make some sort of run for office.  The "Tea Party" antics don't belong in nets; they should be addressed in a normal and relevant arena. Not a hockey arena.

Ovechkin was equally as bad with his refusal to play in the NHL All-Star game.  The moody Russian star has been on a downward slide for the last couple seasons and most would agree that his attitude is now much bigger than his talent.  Alex tried to decapitate an opponent recently and the NHL handed down a three game suspension.

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/story/2012/01/23/sp-nhl-ovechkin.html

The NHL makes the rules and Ovechkin should be man enough to honor the rules of the league which made him a mega star and multi millionaire.  That was not the case for this pampered blow hard.  He made noise when he got the suspension, stomped around like a child, and then decided to sit out the All-Star game.  That's right.  Once again an NHLer with an over sized pay check is penalizing fans by sitting out what is supposed to be a game of the world's elite hockey players.  

Thomas and Ovechkin are the poster children for greed and NHL fans need to find two new heroes that have not been spoiled by success.  Good luck with that.  Unfortunately, Thomas and Ovechkin seem to be the rule and not the exception.  Sad but true.  Hmmmm....

Chicago Blackhawks and New York Rangers - This is consistent hockey !!!

Many times you turn on ESPN or TSN and you see stories on the Penguins, the Capitals, and the Bruins.  Hockey fans love the Ovie vs Crosby story and the turnaround in Bean Town.  However, some teams are playing great hockey and have yet to receive the media attention they deserve.  We think the Chicago Blackhawks and the New York Rangers are two consistent NHL teams that should be getting more coverage.  

The Blackhawks and the Rangers near the top of the league standings with Chicago in 3rd  and New York in 4th. Both teams have strong home records and they know how to win games based on their strengths.  Chicago has the benefit of a more powerful offense with 91 goals while New York lives and dies with complete hockey. The Rangers have a plus/minus of +18 vs the Blackhawks who come in with a plus/minus of +6.  The Rangers have four games in hand over the  Blackhawks so they could switch spots a few times before the regular season wraps up.

The Blackhawks are a fun team to watch with Hossa, Toews, and Kane lightning  the lamp on a regular basis.  We think they are back in the zone which made them Stanley Cup champions; two years ago.  They are as deep as they were during that season and they have to be counted as a serious threat to the Bruins. The rivalry with the Canucks is still strong and the inter-divisional play will keep the Blackhawks sharp all season.  Toews is near the top of the table in terms of scoring and we expect that to remain the same as we near mid-season.

The Rangers are also a treat to watch in action.  They are more balanced than Chicago but the question is will they have the juice to keep up with the big boys come post season.  This question could be answered by Fodotenko and Richards if they come alive in the playoffs.  New York is consistent like a clock and we think they will stay close or the near the top of the standings till the end of the year. 

Make sure you catch the Blackhawks and Rangers in action when they come to play for your team.  If you are a Blackhawks or Rangers fan; good for you. Both teams are excellent and good luck with the rest of the season.  

WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE WASHINGTON CAPITALS ?

The Washington Capitals fell to the Toronto Maple Leafs last night by a stunning score of 7-1.  The Maple Leafs have been decimated with key injuries and yet the Capitals failed to take advantage.  It is fair to say that Washington was  MIA as a group when they were pounded by Toronto's snipers .  This latest loss should give Bruce Boudreau reason enough to revisit his game plan and coaching style if he does not want to lose his team this early in the season.   There is something simmering under the surface in Washington.  This kind of blowout is a sign of a problem for such a talented group as the Capitals.

We had the DC boys earmarked as Stanley Cup champs but the latest turmoil in Washington has us scratching our heads. The team seems to go through prolonged slumps when the media pressure builds because expectations are not being met. 

Washington has shown their inability to deal with pressure with their performance in the last two playoff years.  The squad is very talented but it seems that it is lacking in character.  The European profile of the team might be the issue.  Don Cherry is infamous for not liking the European work ethic on the ice and the Capitals are showing us why his argument may hold water.  Europeans are flashier and more play oriented that their North American counterparts.  The team nature of the NHL game means that everyone needs to give it at the rink every night.  The Caps need to play as a team every night.  Period.  End of discussion.  Even if they don't win they won't get blown out.

Ovechkin should be the starting point for any serious discussion in Washington.  The guy has talent that is being under used this season.  He seems to have an ego.  Unfortunately so does his coach.  Hopefully the ego clash will not fester much longer.  If Boundreau can get Ovechkin back on track they might be able to resume their quest for the Cup.  If not; the NHL might be witnessing the start of the senseless implosion of a talented team looking for someone to blame.  Either way this time next year; we will be saying good bye to Ovechkin or Boudreau in Washington.  This kind of drama and flip flopping is not good or needed at the professional level.      

THE WASHINGTON CAPITALS MOVE TO 6-0 - THESE CUP CONTENDERS ARE ON FIRE

The Washington Capitals and the Philadelphia Flyers met on Thursday in what was easily the premier NHL matchup of the night.  The Flyers which are being led by the likes of Claude Giroux were to be Washington's first true test of 2011-2012.  We expected a tight game but to our surprise the Capitals  ran over Philadelphia by a final score of 5-2.  Washington's offence was on fire and everyone chipped in including Ovechkin who is the team's Mr.Hockey. As Ovie goes so do the Capitals and right now it looks like both number 8 and the entire Capitals' squad are out to prove that they can dominate the league in 2011-2012.

The Washington Capitals are our favourite to take the Stanley Cup for this new NHL season.  The team is seasoned and they have made valuable additions to the defensive core with Roman Hamrlik and a newly healthy Dennis Wideman.  These two veterans are playing on the blue line alongside the likes of Mike Green; a superstar in the making. This new defensive focus could prove to be a decisive factor in Washington's race to the top.  The young snipers on the Capitals squad can attack almost at will without having to worry much about back checking.  This was an issue last year for coach Boudreau.  The Caps coach has always had issues getting some of his European players to play two way hockey.     

Whatever happens from week to week with Washington; we feel confident in telling you that you need to get your Caps jersey now and get on the band wagon.  These guys are headed to the Stanley Cup final and we are convinced they will take the whole shooting match.  Go Caps Go !!

Will the real NHL Superstars please stand up?!?! (Part 2)

In Part 1, I discussed the most disappointing star forwards, and Art Ross candidates so far this season. In this article I will discuss disappointing Norris and Vezina candidates.

Norris Candidates

1) Zdeno Chara (BOS)– 4 GP, 0 points, +1

Chara is a perennial Norris candidate, and excluding Lidstrom, the potential favorite for the award year in and year out. But so far this season, he is playing like anything but that. Chara hasn’t seemed to be able to get it going offensively, much like the rest of the Bruins team. Big Z is always a threat on the powerplay with his 100+ MPH slapshot, and tends to wreak havoc on opposing goalies, but so far this season he has been non-existent offensively. Defensively Chara hasn’t been bad, as he is a plus on a Bruins team that has struggled so far this year, so he hasn’t been a detriment to the team. However, if Chara plans to have his name as a finalist for the Norris, then he better pick his game up, because nobody wins the Norris if they don’t contribute on both ends of the ice.

2) Dustin Byfuglien (WIN) – 3 GP, 0 points, -3

Last season, Byfuglien took the NHL by storm by simply dominating after being switched to a full-time defenseman. Last year he was one of the most dominant d-men in the league, by scoring 20 goals, and being one of the leading scorers when it came to the backend. Buff was literally an unstoppable force last season, just like he was in the playoffs when he earned the nickname Buffy the Luongo slayer. When news came that the team was moving back to Winnipeg, you figured it would motivate him to step his game up to an entire level. But so far, he has been horrible, as he is not producing on the offensive side of the ice, and defensively is a -3! The good news for Jets fans Is that the only place to go from here is up for both Byfuglien and the team itself!

Vezina Candidates

1) Roberto Luongo (VAN) – 1 win- 1 loss, 3.6 GAA, .871 save %

To say that Luongo has been less than spectacular so far this season would be a HUGE understatement. His save % being sub .900 shows that he is struggling to see the puck and stay in good position. Luongo hasn’t looked smooth at all, and if you watch him has seemed to be fighting the puck, and struggling to handle pucks that he would normally have no problem with. In my opinion, this problem and his production as of late has nothing to do with talent. There is no questioning that he is one of the best goalies in the NHL and he has been since first stepping into the league. I believe Luongo’s problem is in his head right now, he is lacking confidence. After the beating he took from the media for his performance in the Stanley Cup, it’s going to take Luongo a while to get his confidence back. But after a few wins in a row, or one big game from him, his confidence will come back, and when it does look out, because Luongo is going to prove all of his doubters wrong once again. But in the meantime, he is not performing up to par, and is one of the biggest reasons for Vancouver’s slow start, along with depth scoring. The return of Kesler this week should help Luongo both win wise, and also defensively as Kesler is one of the best 2-way forwards in the league.

2) Carey Price (MTL) – 1 W, 2 L’s, 1 OTL. 2.96 GAA, .880 save %.

The season started off great for Price. He lost to Toronto 2-0, but in no way was he responsible for the loss. In fact in the final 2 periods he made at least 3-4 highlight reel saves, that seemed to be sure goals. Montreal then dominated Winnipeg, and Price allowed only 1 goal, however, he wasn’t tested all that much in that game. The Habs then headed back to Montreal for the home opener and that is where the wheels fell off. In his last 2 games vs Colorado and Calgary, Price has allowed a total of 9 goals on only 51 shots! So in his last 2 starts Price has a 4.5 GAA and a .823 save %. Those numbers are a far cry from Price’s 2.35 GAA, and .923 save % last season. Price was one of the heavy preseason favorites to win the Vezina, and many thought the Habs had a legitimate shot at the Cup simply because they have Carey between the pipes. They will need much better play out of him, if they want even the playoffs to happen. Perhaps it is the pressure of his upcoming 100^th career win that is getting to him, but something isn’t right with Price at the moment. However, last year was no fluke, Price has been a bluechip prospect his entire career, and will undoubtedly turn it around at some point. Hopefully for the Habs that comes soon, as with both undefeated Sabres and Leafs, along with the Reigning Stanley Cup champ Boston Bruins in the division, the Habs don’t want to fall too far behind.

3) Cam Ward (CAR) – 2 wins, 2 losses, 3.26 GAA, .899 save %

Cam Ward along with Ryan Miller have been called the most underrated goalies in the league. After Miller’s incredible Olympic performance with the US, he was no longer off the radar, so the underrated title fell solely onto the shoulders of Cam Ward. So far this season he is on pace to lose the underrated title, but not because of becoming known as elite, instead if he continues at this pace, he will play his way right out of the conversation. Ward has always been incredibly consistent, and although I wont judge him on the wins/losses because his team isn’t as good as the 2 goalies mentioned above. The concerning stats are his 3.26 GAA, and his sub .900 save %, as  both statistics are incredibly weak for what we have come accustomed to from Cam Ward between the pipes for the Hurricanes.

There are plenty other D-men, and goalies that have played very poorly so far this season, but when you consider the expectations placed on these players they are by far the most disappointing. Once again though, we are only a handful of games into the season, and nobody ever won a Norris or Vezina trophy in the month of October. So don’t count these guys out just yet, because there is a reason they were preseason favorites, and there is a very good chance they will turn it around to remind us all why we have become so accustomed to them being near the top of the stats categories…not the bottom.

Grant Robinson (@thesportsgrind)

Will the real NHL superstars please stand up?!?! (Part 1)

The NHL season has been underway for almost 2 weeks now, but it seems like many of the league’s biggest superstars decided to take a few weeks more of vacation. Some of the elite players in the NHL have not only played below their potential but they are being outplayed by both fellow teammates and opposition. Pre-season favorites for every single trophy have struggled out of the gate thus far. So which forwards have had the most disappointing starts to 2011?

Potential Art Ross Candidates off to slow starts!

1) Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf & Bobby Ryan (ANA) – 9 GP (total) 0 points!!! 

This line was called the best line in hockey ever since the torrid pace they were on to close out last season. Perry had 50 goals/98 points, Getzlaf 76 points in only 67 games, and Ryan added in 71 points of his own. This year in 3 games, not a single member of this line managed to score or even assist on a goal yet. That is just unacceptable coming from these guys, who all have the potential to challenge for the Art Ross/Hart trophies. Having said that, last night the trio put up a combined 6 points vs the Blues. So they are getting back on track. However, from these guys, going scoreless for 3 straight games is simply unheard of and the Ducks are going to need a lot more from the trio if they want to have any success this year

2) Alexander Ovechkin (WAS) – 4 GP, 1 G, 1 A, -2

You might be surprised to see Ovechkin’s name on this list considering he has 2 points, but I felt he needed to be included simply because he is playing nowhere near his potential as of yet. 2 points in 4 games wouldn’t be that bad if the Capitals were playing bad hockey, or nobody was producing. But that isn’t the case at all, here are 4 stats that show why the Great 8 has had a HORRIBLE start to the season. 1 - Ovechkin is currently 10^th on the Capitals in scoring, yes you read right, 9 teammates have more points than him! 2- Jason Chimera has more goals (3) than Ovechkin has points. 3- His linemate Backstrom leads the team in points (5) so it’s not like his line is playing poorly. 4- Perhaps worst of all, is the fact that Ovechkin is tied for a team worst plus/minus (-2). Those 4 stats show essentially that most of the Capitals have played great, however, Ovechkin just hasn’t seemed to get it going as of yet. Having said all of that Washington is currently 4-0, so his production has not cost them anything, and in the end winning is all that matters.

3) Joe Thornton (SJ) – 3 GP, 0 points, -1

Thornton had an off year last season, and hasn’t seemed to have shaken the rust off yet. He will soon be getting a new linemate in Havlat, so I will withhold judgment until I see how they gel together. But to be held off the scoresheet in 3 consecutive games on a high-powered offensive team like the Sharks is not a good sign. Thornton will need to pick his game up if he wants to continue to be considered one of the game’s elite playmakers.

4) Jarome Iginla (CGY) – 4 GP, 1 goal, -3

Out of all the players on this list, I will give the benefit of the doubt to Iginla the most. Iginla is simply not surrounded by talent that will allow him to succeed. Calgary is by far the worst team out of the 4 mentioned in this article, so it’s not all on Iginla’s shoulders, however, a player of his caliber should find ways to produce no matter what. His start to the season has been especially disappointing when you consider how well him, Tanguay and Jokinen seemed to be playing to close out last season. His lack of production isn’t due to a lack of effort, so I think eventually he will get it going, but as of now -3 just isn’t good enough for the all-star!

The good news for these 4 players is the fact that the regular season has 82 games in it, not a handful. They have more than enough time to get going, and 2 weeks from now we could be talking about these guys as the leading scorers in the NHL. They definitely have the talent to turn it around, and I could guarantee each of these guys will. However, for the talent they have the start to this season has been very disappointing.

I will soon be posting an article on disappointing Norris and Vezina candidates so far this year! Stay tuned.

Grant Robinson (@thesportsgrind)

BAND WAGON 101 - BRUINS, CAPITALS, KINGS AND MORE

The new NHL season is under way and fans on both sides of the border are cheering on their favourite squads.  The band wagons are not in effect as of yet so it is a good time to try and guess who might surprise and who might disappoint. Think of it kind of like band wagon 101.

The obvious favourite this year are the Bruins.  The bad boys from Bean Town crushed their way through last year's final and took home the top prize.  Boston which had seen many up and down seasons is now the humpty dumpty of the NHL.  These guys have become the love to hate team but thankfully so for Bruins fans that won't last too long.  We suspect the Bruins will stumble this year and they will be playing gold by the time the Cup final rolls around.  The grit and attitude from the Bruins last year will be matched by teams like Philly and Washington.  Chara is the reigning bully of the NHL but the new emphasis on hitting by the NHL will limit is effectiveness.  Hab fans remember how Max Pacioretty was sent to the hospital last year in the playoffs.  This kind of stuff is a no-no in this year's version of the NHL season and post season. So bye-bye Bruins !!

The Capitals are our favourite for the finals.  They may have serious competition from Pittsburgh and Vancouver but they are seasoned and now is their time to shine.  The young snipers who play for Boudreau will be led by number 8 and we should see Washington bounce everyone out in the race to the Cup.  Now is the time for true hockey fans to get a deal on Cap jerseys.  They may be hard to find at a good price when these guys knock heads on their way to a Stanley Cup Championship.

One of our spec teams this year is LA.  The Kings have been building steam for a couple of years now and they could come out of the West Coast in 2011-2012 and give some of their east Coast counterparts a run for their money.  They are solid on the D and these guys know how to find the back of the net.  This young team might not be Champions this year but they are one to watch both long and short term.  They will bring skill to the ice and leave some of their opponents skating in circles. LA's bandwagon will grow in time.  You wait and see.   

WHO WILL BE THIS YEAR'S TIM THOMAS ??

 Last year was especially hard  for some of the "flashy" big boys in the NHL.  We saw Alexander Ovechkin fade fast into the stretch and playoffs causing the favoured Capitals to be sent packing. Brian Boucher also imploded when he was most needed and the Flyers were kicked out of the playoffs.  Their performances were shocking because these guys were key to their clubs at their respective positions. Superstars are supposed to carry the day.  Fans , young and old, look to these guys to give it 100% when all the marbles are in play.  The 2010-2011 season gave us some monumental failures and it will be interesting to see if these superstars can pick it back up and make believers out of their fans once again.

In some instances, the stars do come through and the fans are rewarded with brilliant play and maybe even a Stanley Cup victory.  In 2010-2011, we were treated to big seasons from PK Subban, Roberto Luongo and Tim Thomas.  PK was the biggest surprise for the Habs last season and he and Carey Price almost got the Habs to the finish line. Of course, Roberto Luongo and Tim Thomas faced off in the Stanley Cup finals before Tim Thomas emerged as victor. Either way you cut it; Subban, Luongo and Thomas made the 2010-2011 NHL season one to remembers.

Here is to an exciting 2011-2012 season !!!  NHL fans want to see less Bouchers and more Subbans.  Luongo and Ovechkin are also expected to perform.  Their teams have paid the big bucks and these boys need to take their teams to the final dance.  The question here is who will be this year's Tim Thomas ?  Buckle up gang.....this is going to be a fun one.

Ovechkin, Boucher, and the Sedins - Where are the superstars ???

The 2011 Stanley Cup race has been a roller coaster for all the teams which are in the post season.  The parity in the NHL is evident with the number of OT and double OT games.  Just last night we saw the Canucks and the Predators battle in a double OT  showdown crowned by the play of Roberto Luongo.

Some astute NHL fans don't buy the parity argument.  They think the number of OT game is directly linked to the under performance by some of the key players and stars from some teams which are still battling and/or have been knocked out.   We can see how this argument can make sense for fans of teams like Philadelphia, Vancouver, and Washington.

Vancouver leads the parade of underperformers.  The Canucks had terrorized the NHL in the regular season in a string of high scoring victories.  The run and gun Canucks look a lot like the Capitals from last year.  The Sedins which were on the scoreboard all the time in the regular season are nowhere to be found in the post season.   Roberto Luongo is the reason the Canucks are still a threat in the playoffs.  If Vancouver doesn't get the big guns scoring, they will fall by the wayside just like the Capitals in last year's playoffs series.

Boucher, Boucher, Boucher !!!!  This guy is giving the Flyer faithful fits.  He is playing like swiss cheese and this problem needs to be fixed.  The goalie is key and confidence in the goalie is a priority for a playoff team.  They need Brian Boucher to wake up from his coma and start supporting the forwards.  This is a good team but without a decent goalie they are doomed !!!

Ovechkin is the Boucher of Washington.  His success on the ice is critical to the Caps.  It is going to be interesting see if the hot and cold Russian has the ##### to play up to his ability.  Crunch time is the time for superstars to show up.   We like Washington for an appearance in the finals.  However, with Ovechkin firing blanks; Tampa will destroy the Caps and send them packing.

It is time NHL stars take the game seriously and perform when it counts.  Fans spend good money going to the games and they deserve the best at playoff time.    

CALLING RED WINGS AND CAPITAL FANS !!! YOU ARE BOTH DOWN 1-0 !!! RALLY THE TROOPS

Sunday is going to be an exciting day for hockey fans.  The Red Wings and Capitals are up @ bat and their fans will be watching to see how they deliver.

The Wings are up first against the San Jose Sharks.  The Sharks are young and aggressive and they will be a handful for Detroit.  Hockey Town USA is a tough place to be on the losing end of a series so the 2011 Red Wings are going to have to pick up their game.   San Jose is not Phoenix.  If Detroit goes down 2-0 today, they will have the almost impossible task of battling back.  If Jimmy Howard cracks under pressure, the Sharks will pounce and put this one away.

Washington plays later today against the Bolts.  Tampa smacked the Caps around in their first match up and you can be sure that Bruce Boudreau's men will want some payback.  Ovechkin has to come to the rink today for Washington.   If Washington can get everyone ticking along, they should dispose of Tampa easily.   Without Ovechkin, Washington will fold like a deck of cards and Stamkos and the boys will take them out to the woodshed. It could get ugly.

There is nothing like the "good old hockey game" !!!  Turn this tune up , grab some beers and warm up the couch !!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZWxErEbQkY

MAKE THE DAY EVEN BETTER - PLAY FANTASY HOCKEY AND WIN CASH TODAY !!!

Watching the Stanley Cup playoffs is like the holy grail for hockey nuts everywhere.   Get Real Hockey wants you to have fun watching the showdowns and maybe make some money at the same time. Join the Get Real Hockey family on FanDual.com @

http://www.fanduel.com/fantasyhockey?btag=a_664b_25c_

Ovechkin Fights Dubinsky, Maybe Should Have Waited to Drop 'Em with Semin

Despite all the talk of Washington Capitals superstar Alexander Ovechkin dropping the gloves with New York Ranger Brandon Dubinsky on Sunday night during the Rangers' 7-0 win, not many are mentioning the fact that it was Ovechkin's teammate, Alexander Semin, that actually took him out of the game in the third period with a shot off the knee.

While he didn't return, it's safe to say that Ovechkin is doing alright, seeing as, as mentioned before, no one is talking about the supposed injury today, but how he instigated a fight with Dubinsky. With his team down 4-0 at the time, Ovechkin delivered an impressive hip check to defenseman Dan Girardi, before looking for more trouble, apparently to be found on Dubinsky's face with his fists.

It was a clear-cut attempt at trying to get his team going and of his frustrations boiling over, especially with the Caps hitting two posts immediately beforehand on a night when little to nothing was going their way. Further proof of that came during the fight, when Ovechkin got taken down by a player he clearly had the initial upper hand on.

The Caps have now lost six in a row, the first time they have struggled this badly under head-coach Bruce Boudreau. Sadly, the promise of President Barack Obama to show up to a Caps game eventually now cannot be interpreted so much as a sign of hockey's increasing popularity in the ciry, but a gesture of goodwill, to help bail out another group of millionaires in these times of uncertainty, deflect attention off them and their underachieving ways if only for one night. As for Ovechkin, he could most certainly borrow the secret service to protect him from Semin from here on out. He's a killer, you know.

Refs Give Raycroft, Stars Victory in Spirit of Holiday Season

Dallas Stars goalie Andrew Raycroft has been through enough, don't you think? He has essentially gone from the best up-and-coming goaltender in the league (Calder Memorial Trophy-winner in 2004) to a washed-up has-been that wasn't even able to stay on with the Toronto Maple Leafs, despite tying a team-record 37 wins in 2006-2007. Sure, he sucked in "earning" those wins, but it seems to me that, looking at Toronto's situation right now, the Leafs would gladly trade off some their actually competent goaltending for a few victories every now and then (and they could add in "defenseman" Mike Komisarek as a gesture of goodwill while they're at it). Now he's resorted to becoming the Mike Sillinger of goaltenders, going wherever a back-up is needed and then quickly cutting tail and running out of town out of fear of being discovered for the charlatan he really is. I mean, he does share a nickname with Ray Emery. Riding on his coattails will only get you so far.

In any case, it being near Christmas and all, I can kind of see why the league would want to throw some charity his way. That charity came in the form of a disallowed goal for the Washington Capitals on Thursday night that saw referee Dan O'Rourke waive off what would have been the game-tying 2-2 goal with less than 10 seconds left in the game due to supposed goalie interference on Alexander Ovechkin. In truth, I can kind of see why O'Rourke would make the call he did based on his vantage point, but the truth of the matter is Stars defenseman Karlis Skrastins should really not have been given the benefit of the doubt, because he's just that clumsy of a blue-liner. A career +/- of -40 (should be -41 after last night) will reveal as much. It's a case of O'Rourke needing to know just who he's dealing with, and that includes Raycroft. Wouldn't the real Andrew Raycroft give up that critical goal late in a game? Why yes, he would. And perhaps five more up to that point.

With Goaltending like This, Who Needs Goalies?

Memo to all NHL teams: cut-out goalies can be purchased at your local sporting-goods stores at the very reasonable price of approximately 1/100,000 of what you're paying your actual ones. That, and they don't talk back as much when they feel like they're not starting enough.

On Sunday, quite a few general managers might have felt like making such an investment, with a total of 30 goals scored in just four games, which translates into 3.75 allowed per team. Admittedly, New York Ranger Marian Gaborik and Edmonton Oiler Nikolai Khabibulin did their part in inflating those statistics, with the former actually doing his job after pulling a Houdini of late, and the latter showing his age... apparently the same as the actual Berlin Wall, complete with the all the cracks you would come to expect from something that's 49 years old... and got torn down two decades ago.

Still, as far as I can tell, of the eight Khabibulin allowed, none were as bad as the one above by the Minnesota Wild's Cal Clutterbuck on the Tampa Bay Lightning's Dan Ellis, or Washington Capital Alexander Ovechkin's on Atlanta Thrasher Chris Mason, who actually put it in his own net (below).

So, the Wild's Niklas Backstrom gets credit for providing the only real credible performance of the night, with just one goal allowed (37 saves) against the Bolts. But Chuck Fletcher had probably take note of the memo above for playoff time (if the Wild get that far). Jose Theodore is your back-up after all.

Semin Shows Ovechkin how It's Done

I don't think anyone will ever confuse Washington Capitals stars Alexander Semin and Alexander Ovechkin. Despite the fact that both share the same first name, despite each being Russian, and despite each not exactly meeting any one conventional standard of attractiveness. Just taking that last point as an example, one looks like he fell face-first out of his mother's womb 25 years ago and the other fights about as effeminately as  his appearance is androgynous. However, they both can score, seemingly at will, and even taking into account their aforementioned physical shortcomings it is probably safe to assume that they do so about as prolifically off the ice as they do on it. But I digress.

On Thursday, Semin scored a hat trick, providing the margin of victory in his team's 6-3 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Ovechkin also scored in the game and added two assists, leading to speculation that his spot on the roster is safe for now.

What's perhaps most impressive about Semin's trick is that he scored all three goals in just 15:11, all in the third period. Indeed, Semin continues to disprove my argument that he wouldn't know what the term clutch meant if he was locked in a washroom with diarrhea with nothing to read but the manual to his sports car. Power to him... for making me look foolish and having enough money to own a sports car.

However, as impressive as Semin's accomplishment last night was, the owner of the NHL record for the fastest record is way faster, clocking in at 21 seconds. That record belongs to Chicago Blackhawks great Bill Mosienko, who scored his trick against the New York Rangers on March 23, 1952.

Kinda makes you long for the good old days when hockey fights were fought between tough guys and pansies knew not to, doesn't it?

Daniel Briere: a Height-Challenged Thug if There ever Was One

On Saturday, with the game out of hand, diminuitive Philadelphia Flyers forward Daniel Briere decided to save some face by trying to disfigure opponent Frans Nielsen's. The only problem was that his team was the one leading 6-1 when he opted to cross-check Nielsen off a face-off deep in the  New York Islanders' zone with one minute left to play. The face he was trying to save was thus not his team's but his own, adding an unneeded element of selfishness to the already cheap shot.

The above highlight pack (care of P.J. Stock and the CBC) adds some context to the situation, for instance:

1) A so-called questionable hit by Islander Trent Hunter on Flyer Andrej Meszaros that, according to Stock, helped to stoke the fires in the game... although the score was already 4-0 at the time of the boarding major.

2) Nielsen talking smack to Briere just before the incident in question. God knows just what he said, but I'm sure it had something to do with Briere being listed as a generous 5'10", 179 pounds. Nielsen is listed as only  5'11", 172 pounds, so clearly either Briere slipped a little something, something to the guy who was in charge of taking his measurements, or some weird black-hole-like phenomenon caused Nielsen to appear a whole foot taller than Briere in the above footage. Seeing that, as if by the grace of magic, Briere was able to deliver the cross-check square to Nielsen's jaw, it must be number two, I suppose.

In any case, two things are absolutely clear: Briere needs to get suspended and goalie Rick DiPietro trying to take off his gloves and take him on afterwards is the picture that should be in the dictionary beside the definition of hilarity. It doesn't get much better than that.

Briere isn't exactly the cleanest player on the ice, which may surprise a few people. In fact, he's been suspended before, which may surprise a few more. In 2006, he got two games for high-sticking then-Boston Bruins defenseman Brian Leetch and in late 2009 he got three games for leaving his feet to meet Colorado Avalanche defenseman Scott Hannan eye-to-eye and then promptly knocking him down with a late hit, the league clearly not understanding the lengths Briere must go to just to say "hi" to another living person. How unpersonable and unsympathetic can one corporate body with three separate offices in North America be, I ask you? The commissioner is garden-gnome-impersonator Gary Bettman, after all!

The Nielsen hit is also but one cheap shot Briere has doled out in retaliation over the years, including this one on Washington Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin in late 2006. Ovechkin had hit him from behind a few weeks earlier in a much publicized incident, leading few to believe that Briere just accidentally mistook Ovechkin's groin for the puck.

It would seem that if you wrong Briere, it won't be karma that will get you back, but he himself. If you look at the highlight pack from Saturday's game, you'll also notice that just before Briere hit Nielsen, Islander Trevor Gillies, ever the scientific genius trying to prove the existence of gravity by pushing him over, was the one who likely got under Briere's skin initially. Evidently, Briere? Not so much a pushover despite the physical evidence. It's actually become readily apparent that that cute chipmunk-like exterior appearance of his is actually a defense mechanism of sorts that lulls prey in with a false sense of security. Just when they least suspect it, Briere attacks like the mongoose he really is. He's just that vicious, or that tall rather, to be accurately compared to a mongoose.

Anyway, Briere needs to get suspended for this latest incident, not so much because of its severity, but because doing otherwise sends the message that it's okay to do stupid things born out of selfish reasons. Hockey is a team game and Briere time and again has been proven to think only of himself. The league here has a chance to let him know that this won't be tolerated, even if any supplementary discipline taken is under the guise of disciplining the action and not the motivation.

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Rick Nash earlier this season got fined for cross-checking Calgary Flames defenseman Mark Giordano. Briere's was worse for the simple reason that it was premeditated. As such, the league is justified in suspending him here. And it should... and Briere should learn to grow a thicker skin. I mean, getting upset at what are likely jokes about his height? That's so elementary school. I mean, he does look the part, but still...

Ovechkin Makes GQ, not the Other Way Around

"No Stanley Cup? No Problem! I'm still number one!"

 

You can catch a pretty slick piece on Washington Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin in this month (November 2010)'s issue of GQ here... you know, the one with the stars of the television show Glee on the cover. Truth be told, it's somewhat fitting considering the word almost perfectly describes the gap-toothed look on the sniper's face 90% of the time. Of course, the other 10% of the time it's one of disappointment following a particularly disheartening playoff defeat. Perhaps that's what makes Ovechkin so admirable... the fact that he doesn't take himself too seriously, but he does the game. It's a contradiction that suits him well, obviously.

 

As far as the actual piece goes, pretty sweet all around. It did cite this one fact that even I was surprised to hear:

 

"So hot was Ovechkin that the Florida Panthers tried to draft him two days before his eighteenth birthday, making a rather creative case that he had lived through four leap years and was thus, if you really think about it, of age."

The Capitals clearly ended up drafting him in 2004, but it is somewhat of a welcome distraction to wonder just how different the situation would be in Florida if they had Ovechkin there instead of current Atlanta Thrasher Anthony Stewart (the Panthers' second first-round choice a year earlier, after Nathan Horton).

Writer Michael Idov, who was contributing his first piece for GQ, gets top marks for successfully portraying the Ovechkin hockey fans have either grown to love or hate with a passion... there's seldom much room in between. Still, it's clear he's not a born sports writer:

"His goal for his first NHL game was, of course, just that: to hit a goal. He hit two, four minutes apart, and checked a guy so hard he broke the glass partition," he writes, clearly unfamiliar with the correct lingo.

A year earlier, Ovechkin made the magazine's "The 50 Most Powerful People in D.C." list, so it's clear that the magazine is somewhat familiar with his work, even if Idov isn't with hockey. That glaring mistake is the only real one I could find to his credit.

In any case, below are the three YouTube videos cited in the article: "Ovechkin Smokes Chelios", "Ovechkin Takes Out Sidney Crosby", and "Alexander Ovechkin Makes Chuck Norris Cry". For legal reasons, I should probably point out that there is no Chuck Norris in the actual video, but, then again, in spite of potential legal ramifications, Idov did say that "Ovechkin is the best hockey player in the world". For my money, it's Sidney Crosby.

Ovechkin Giving Himself a Helping Hand

In case you missed it from last night, Alexander Ovechkin scored a goal that was immediately waived off for obvious reasons... doesn't make it any less fun to watch, though.

Ovechkin's New Commercial

In case you've missed it up until now, here's Washington Capitals superstar Alexander Ovechkin's insane new commercial. The only thing that can really be said is he's lost his head, both figuratively and literally... that and HUH? His English has improved a great deal over the years, but it's like I understand what he's saying and I don't. Is anyone else with me on this?

Predictions, Predictions, and More Predictions

As the countdown to the start of the NHL season winds down, it seems only natural to want to make predictions. While it is the “in” thing to do right now and it makes you look cool and everything, the overwhelming need to be heard goes way beyond succumbing to mere peer pressure. It’s endemic. As such, I would be remiss to not make a few predictions of my own, namely the following:

     Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price will silence the naysayers by leading the Habs to playoff contention... by finally making his way to the bench for good by mid-December and allowing Alex Auld to become the team’s starter.

"I didn't do it."

     Washington Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin will finally go too far in blindsiding an opponent, causing the start of his first-ever full-blown fight during the regular season. The problem? That opponent: 5’9”, 157-pound Tyler Ennis of the Buffalo Sabres. Ovechkin will win cleanly, learning nothing in the process. Ennis will get suspended by the NHL.

"Glen, give me your lunch money."

      New York Rangers general manager Glen Sather will try his darndest to get fired by signing defenseman Wade Redden to a six-year, $39-million contract, Scott Gomez to a seven-year, $51.5-million deal, Chris Drury to a five-year, $35.25-million deal, Derek Boogaard to a four-year, $6.5-million deal, and Bobby Holik to a five-year, $45-million deal. He won’t get fired though, turning instead to actually doing his job properly. He will get axed the next day, with Mark Messier taking over for him and continuing to run the team into the ground.

      

     With the weight of the team’s captaincy off his shoulders, Vancouver Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo will regain his form of earlier years, causing this year’s Stanley Cup favourites to miss the playoffs altogether.

   

     The Chicago Blackhawks will put up a valiant fight in trying to repeat as Stanley Cup champions, but fall eight-to-10 players short.

"Wow... that's a lot of employee turnover."

     The Toronto Maple Leafs will... miss the playoffs... again.

And now for the actual predictions, although that last one is as accurate as they come.