Tampa - Montreal

Tampa and Montreal have a game in a little over a half an hour.

I'm interested to see how the Canadiens players react. Last time the two played, Dec 11, Montreal looked like a bunch of school kids.

It was especially frustrating watching Martin St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier have free reign despite the fact the two always play especially well when at home in Quebec.

That frustration showed on Guy Carbonneau during the post game press conference where he called out his players for that exact reason, wondering why they didn't listen to him.

But, since that game the Canadiens lost another two, but recovered from the rough patch, to take 9 of possible 10 points.

It should be a good game. Actually a really good game. And yet TSN is showing Toronto play Atlanta. Really?

Canada Canada.

Slight concern, but they'll be ok.
Team Canada played Germany last night at the World Juniors. And it was pretty darn close for the first two periods. At one point it was 2-1 and Canada was playing like... Hmmm, I was going to say the Leafs, but that's just mean. Anyway, luckily for the Canadians they turned it on in the third, and the Germans looks fairly tired. I think Pat Quinn will have some type of coronary at practice today before the big game against the Americans tomorrow.

Oh yah! the Spengler.
Remember that random little tournament held each Christmas in Davos, Switzerland? Where Canada plays random Euro club teams? Well Canada is one win away from the final, they only have to beat the Moscow Dynamo to get there. Sure... why not.

All Star.
Other than the fact that the All Star game is actually somewhere where people care about the game this year... I'm not really that excited. NHL.com is filled with 'breaking news' updating the allstar voting results. I don't care. I like the skills competition. But the game is a farce and a waste of time. They need to change something, just not sure what. I'll think about it and get back to you.

What do you mean Sidney Crosby didn't get it?

Twins first baseman, Justin Morneau is Canada's Male Athlete of the Year.

I had to laugh a bit when I heard what he said about the award,

"Any time you can beat out a hockey player in anything in Canada, it's an accomplishment," said Morneau. "It's pretty cool, especially with the people who have been named to this award."

And it seems like he might be right to be happy with his accomplishment. He's just the fourth baseball player since 1932 to win the honour.

Live Bloggin, Canada versus Kazakhstan.

Guys, I'm gonna quit live bloggin this one. I am heading out for dinner with a few friends. I think Canada's got this one. Don't ask how I know. Just a hunch.

6:01pm: END OF SECOND PERIOD, 9-0 Canada.

This is awesome because you know the web editor is channeling Borat in this headline.

5:57pm: ah Pierre McGuire. The useless fact machine. Apparently Canadian goaltender Chet Pickard plays #37 because that's the number Olaf Kolzig plays. And Olaf Kolzig owns the junior team that Pickard plays for. You're richer for knowing that.

5:55pm: This is a damn nailbiter. I'm really really bored.

5:53pm: GOAL - Canada, John Tavares. Gord Miller literally just finished saying... John Tavares doesn't have one yet in this game. Don't worry Gord, I think everyone will get one before the end of the game.

5:52pm: Kazakhstan takes another penalty. 

5:51pm: shots. 35 -8.

5:50pm: They still have a period and a half left. Kazakhstan looks exhausted.

5:49pm: GOAL - Canada, Tyler Ennis... tictactoe play.

5:47pm: Canada is on yet another powerplay. You kinda have to feel bad for Kazakhstan. They played last night and lost 9-0 to the Germans. Canada had a full day off yesterday.

5:36pm: GOAL - Hat trick, Jamie Benn

5:30pm: GOAL - Canada, Cody Hodgson

14 of the 20 player roster for Kazakhstan play for the same club, the Kazzinc-Torpedo.

5:12pm: END OF FIRST PERIOD, 4-0 CANADA

5:11pm: I'm concerned that this game might be forming some bad habits... like trying to dangle in the neutral zone, and playing with the puck in front of their own goaltender.

5:10pm: sorta like a big game of keepaway.

5:09pm: Ryan Ellis is soooo incredibly short!

5:07pm: GOAL - Canada, PK Subban. Might as well change the name of the Wayne Gretzky office to the John Tavares office. Another nice pass from behind the net.

5:05pm: GOAL - Canada, Jamie Benn, powerplay goal. Nice pass from Wayne Gretzky territory from Tavares.

5:04pm: Kazakhstan goaltender Andrei Yankov makes a nice nice save.
 
5:03pm: annnnnnnd boom goes the dynamite. They just put the puck over the boards. 2 man advantage.

5:02pm: Kazakhstan takes another penalty.

4:58pm: Pierre McGuire just repeated for about the third time, that we all need to just wait until the Kazakhstan players run out of gas. Thanks Pierre.

9:05: The Kazakhstan goaltender seems to be their only player. I've also realized that the timing of the games is extremely confusing. Screw it, i'm using actual times.

10:45: GOAL - Canada, Jamie Benn, powerplay goal.

14:02: Let's do it live! Canada just drew a penalty. It's already 1-0 Canada over Kazakhstan and the shots are 8-1.

Dear Pittsburgh Penguins,

Andrei Kostitsyn.

that's it.

- Jenn

One down.

And how.

Canada started the 2009 World Juniors with a bang yesterday. Taking down the Czech Republic 8-1. John Tavares led the way with two goals and a helper, but the other six goals came from six other players. That's one round robin game down.

But the real test won't come until New Year's Eve when Canada faces the USA, since the next victims are Kazakhstan (really?) on Sunday 4:30 AST, and Germany on Monday 8:30 AST.

"Borat put Kazakhstan on the map and now Kazakhstan will try to put Kazakhstan on the map..." - TSN anchor Bryan Mudryk.

And the United States looked great yesterday (although it was against Germany), but they will be the team to beat for Canada. Barring some monumental upset, the two teams will face off twice before Canada can get its hands on a medal. So Canada does have a bit of a tough road. It's definitely hard when you don't have a little adversity to keep your team sharp.

But hey, so far my only complaint is that i'm not IN Ottawa. Can't win em all I guess.

Merry Christmas

For anyone who thinks this is hilarious.

Christmas anti-miracle.

Geez, did they poo under the tree as well?

As Canada prepares to try to win a gold medal at the 2009 World Junior Championship in Ottawa, the family of Detroit Red Wing prospect Logan Pyett would love to get back his 2008 WJC gold medal.

The gold medal from last year's World Junior Championship was on display in the home of Pyett's parents, Rhonda and Lyle, in Balgonie, Sask., but was stolen on Tuesday evening when the Pyett home was broken into by thieves while they were out at a Christmas function.

The Pyett's car, amongst many other personal effects, were also stolen and the RCMP is working on the case, but Pyett's parents feel particularly bad about the loss of their son's gold medal, which has great sentimental value and is irreplaceable. It was on display with his Team Canada sweater, but the sweater was not stolen.

"We're hoping it will be like when Sidney Crosby's jersey was stolen and he got it back," said Jayme Day, Pyett's aunt. "Hopefully, it turns up or the person who took it realizes what it means and returns it. We feel terrible about it because it's Logan's and it means so much to him and his family."

Wrigley II.

December 23. Tomorrow is Christmas Eve, which means it's just two days from Christmas. Which means..... THREE DAYS till WORLD JUNIORS!

Wrigley.

Sometimes I worry about people...

...and what goes through their heads when they sit down to write an article...

From NHL.com:

Anyone wondering what Sidney Crosby would do for a midwinter encore 12 months "after scoring the winning shootout goal in the inaugural Winter Classic now has their answer. At noon ET today, Crosby eclipsed Jaromir Jagr’s record for the most votes ever received by one player in one season in the history of NHL All-Star Game fan balloting.

Apparently Sidney Crosby has done nothing since scoring that single goal in that one game back in January 2008.

He didn't lead his team to the Stanley Cup finals at age 20. He didn't get inducted into the Order of Nova Scotia. And he absolutely doesn't have 46 points, second only to teammate Evgeni Malkin.

So yes. Obviously surpassing Jagr in allstar fan voting is the obvious encore to that goal he scored outside. Obviously.

Not to mention that it is obviously extremely fair to compare Jagr's time with Crosby's. Online balloting has been around for years and the NHL hasn't had a ballot stuffing problem.

Question, what will Crosby do next?

Answer, if he keeps this up, he might even crack the olympic lineup.

Note: may contain peanuts... er, sarcasm.

There's SNOW... in TORONTO.

You know... it snowed here in Charlottetown the other day... probably 10 - 15 cm ... and we all lived.

But it appears... Toronto can't handle it.

HOLY F...

he finally signed.

Sundin. Vancouver. 1 year. 10$ million. (prorated so, around 5$ million.)

the post that shoulda posted yesterday.

... and I never finished it. But i figured i'd post it.

Chicawga is on fire.

6-0-1. And they put the boot to the Edmonton Oilers last night... 9 -2. wow.

"It was humiliating," said Oilers veteran Sheldon Souray. "It was a real poor effort. They pretty much exposed us in every area of the game. They took it to us all over the place. All the way around we got outplayed. It's been a long time since I have been part of a game like that."

Sheldon Souray... being humiliated. Remember that time Jason Spezza undressed him a few years ago.... and then the highlight reel goal he was on the wrong end of every night on sportscentre... yah...


magic sortof.

Kovalev scored a shorthanded goal last night against the Hurricanes, but his magic was not enough. The Habs couldn't stop Eric Staal who had two goals. The Canes won 3-2.

I'm concerned about the Habs. The powerplay is not clicking and they're taking a lot... A LOT of penalties (Habs took 11 of the game's first 12) . The fact that they have a number of injuries (notably, Carey Price, Saku Kouivu, etc) is a sidebar. They haven't been clicking all season. They don't have any consistancy on the power play. They never really replaced Mark Streit who was one of the most underrated powerplay quarterbacks in the NHL last year. Carbonneau seems frustrated.

Oh ya....

...remember that "soft deadline" Mats Sundin gave on when he would decide his future in the NHL. Well as predicted right here on National Passtime... That soft deadline of Dec 15 has come and gone, and there's still no word.

Gee. I just don't know how I predicted that one.

Duthie weighs in:

"Mats Sundin has become The Lockout, version 2K8.
For six months, we've been waiting for him to make up his mind. Six months!?! Presidents and Prime Ministers have been elected. Economies have crumbled. And still, we wait on Mats.
Somebody shoot me. Wait, time to update that phrase: Somebody Plaxico me."

They're a team now.

Team Canada made that final early morning call to make the final cuts Monday.

Angelo Esposito finally... cracked the lineup.

Esposito was cut three times in a row. One especially fond memory was when he refused to chop off his long curly after coach Brent Sutter demanded the team to get a haircut. There has been concerns from NHL teams over his attitude (he dropped a few spots in the draft and was sent packing from the Penguins in the Hossa trade).

We'll see if those "attitude problems" surface during the tournament which starts in 10 days... when Canada takes on the Czech Republic.

The forwards are Esposito, John Tavares, Tyler Ennis, Jamie Benn, Zach Boychuk, Patrice Cormier, Stefan Della Rovere, Chris DiDomenico, Jordan Eberle, Cody Hodgson, Brett Sonne and Dana Tyrell.

goaltenders Chet Pickard and Dustin Tokarski.

The defencemen are Ryan Ellis, Keith Aulie, Cody Goloubef, Thomas Hickey, Tyler Myers, Alex Pietrangelo, P.K. Subban and Colten Teubert

Hickey will take the role of Captain Canada with Tavares, Hodgson and Boychuk as alternates.

Windy scores.

9-2 blowout.

The Pittsburgh Penguins destroyed the New York Islanders last night. Now... it is the Islanders, but nine goals is still very impressive.

Both Pascal Dupuis and Petr Sykora had a hatrick. Sidney Crosby managed four assists. Quietly after a slow start, Crosby is now on par for well over a 125 point season.

5-1 blownlead.

After two periods last night the Carolina Hurricanes thought that they had it tied up in a nice neat bow. That's until the Philadelphia Flyers scored four... countem, four unanswered goals in the third period. Two of which were from Scott Hartnell to complete his hat trick. Can I point out that Hartnell had 6 goals all season?

Just to rub salt in the wounds... Philadelphia won in a shootout. yuck.

Steve Downie

You know what's funny. I had this section already here earlier today. I was going to talk about Steve Downie and his cheap play. What's funny is Tampa Bay must agree? They sent Downie packing to the minors today.

I must say, I was first at bat when Jack Johnson laid him out with a juicy elbow near the end of the Canada - USA game at the World Juniors in Vancouver. But the more I think of it -- the more I think that it's probable that Downie verbally provoked him.

Last night Downie was running goaltenders and taking cheap shots during the Canadiens game last night. It's a wonder someone didn't pummel him. Which is something PJ Stock brought up after the game, nobody on Montreal seems to be coming to bat for their teammates. Laraque can't do it all.

Tampa.

Staying on the topic of Tampa. This might be a bit of bad timing since they finally did win a game last night (after a 9 game losing streak.) But is it fair to say that this team did way too much all at the same time. Back on August 30 I did a post titled, Tampa is going to be Ridiculous. .... Ridiculously bad is probably what it should've said.

At the end of last season they lost veteran player Brad Richards who had been with them since they drafted him. Richards and Vincent Lecavalier played together since they were 14. All through Notre Dame. Rimouski L'Oceanic, and then Tampa Bay Lightening. You can't just take a guy like Richards out of your lineup and go on like nothing happened. And Ryan Malone, won't fill the void.

Barry Melrose? That worked out well.

They brought in so many players who definitely charactar guys, but they were thrown into the mix together with a coach who was sent packing so it's pretty hard for chemistry to form. I mean, geez, they might as well have signed Sean Avery and Ray Emery.

Is Theo Fluery available?

You're a mean one... Mr. Grinch.

I'm sorry. I couldn't help myself.

from cbc.ca,

Prime Minister Stephen Harper plans to fill all 18 vacancies in the Liberal-dominated Senate before Christmas, a spokesman for his office told CBC News.

A peice of the story from here in PEI, Hon. Percy Downe one of the Senator's has told the cbc that he's receiving phone calls from "prominent conservatives" asking for advice on how to get a Senate spot.

Everyone on the gravy train!!!


ok, back to work. I'll post some hockey news later.

staring out the window at the CBC onto the sidewalk-less Charlottetown.

A quick post while I wait to leave for the day.

What do you call it? ... oxymoron?

I came across an interesting story on CBC.ca today... the Victoria Minor Hockey Association pays it's volunteers.

I suppose they're no longer volunteers, and are more... oh... you know... staff?

Clan MacDonald

This is something I became aware of a while back, but it seems that every person I mention it to is shocked by it.

CBC Correspondant Neil MacDonald (seen here with a very serious journalist face)

is brother to,

former SNL funny man... Norm MacDonald,

You're Welcome.

The Big Question.

Question: Will Alexei Kovalev ever score a goal this year?

Answer: Yes. When his euro-mullet grows back to magic status.

grab your bindle...

According to Ken Campbell's blog, Brett Hull will be sent packing along with Sean Avery.



"Members of the Dallas Stars management team will sit down today to discuss the future of Sean Avery and it likely won't be long before the man who insisted on signing Avery makes a decision on his own future.


Several NHL sources have indicated that within the next couple of weeks the Stars’ co-GM experiment with Brett Hull and Les Jackson will be history. Speculation is Hull will move to another area of the organization and will be out of the decision making process when it comes to hockey matters."

Sundins new deadline: never.

so it appears that the latest deadline for Sundin to make his decision is Dec 15.

this is from MATTHEW SEKERES Globe and Mail column today:

"...though in some cases, Christmas Day has been cited as the real drop-dead date. Either way, Sundin is expected to be in a uniform by 2009, unless he pulls an about-face and decides to retire. Procrastination and indecision have been staples of his behaviour since the summer, so nothing can be discounted when it comes to the 37-year-old..."

He might live in Colorado...

... but he's definitely Canadian.

Who injures themselves with a snowblower?

DENVER - An accident with a snowblower will sideline Colorado Avalanche captain Joe Sakic until March.
Sakic underwent surgery to repair three broken fingers and tendon damage Tuesday night and is expected to miss three months.
The NHL team said the injury happened at his house Tuesday afternoon.
The 39-year-old forward was already sidelined by treatment for a herniated disc in his back.
There were hopes he would be ready to play again in January. Sakic will continue to receive treatment on his back while he recovers.

Jonathan Toews is a Monster

This computer is not letting me copy and paste the embed code so you can watch the video right from here... i'll fix it asap. In the meantime. Toews is a monster. All I gotta say.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHdOfrEQ2Cg

Friday Recap

Douche McGee Update

A few comments from Avery's teammates:

Dallas forward Brad Richards went on record in Dallas yesterday, saying the team "doesn't want to talk about him any more ... hopefully it will be handled and that will be the end of it."

Off the record, one teammate told TSN: "We hope it's the last time we ever see him."

Another Stars player said, "Our locker room is the happiest it has been all year right now." And still another added, "An apology to the team won't work."


He's a cancer to any dressing room he's ever been in. And the Stars are nuts to have signed him in the first place. Let him head to Russia to play with Ray Emery.



Duthie-isms

I told my nine year-old son I was going to interview Bobby Orr on Wednesday. His response, word-for-word: “You mean that guy on the car commercials?” (Heavy sigh.)

I wish they’d make it a mandatory course in Canadian Elemetary School. “Your Thursday timetable, son: Math, Science, English, French, Orr.”

I’ve played weekend beer-league sports for my entire life. (I know what you’re thinking: “His whole life? Aren’t beer leagues inappropriate for nine year-old soccer players?” Hey, we grew up fast in Gloucester.) I’m still pretending to be an ath-ell-ete, playing in a couple of touch football leagues in the Toronto area.


Sundin Saga and #2 collide

One thing is for sure. Brian Burke has no intention on having Mats Sundin back on the leafs. No word from the man himself whether he's going to finally show up on a team and just play orrr retire into the background and play online poker.



Habs remember how to pass?

Last night the Habs won a convincing victory of 6-2. All the goals were nice passing plays. It appears (let's be cautiously optimistic...) that the Habs have taken my advice. Looked down at their sweaters. and remembered to pass to the players wearing similar colours. we'll see.

Canadian History, or lackthereof

And finally, this is for all the geeks out there. Parliament is now prorogued. And after a week of spin from both sides of the coalition, i'm astonished with the ease that some people lied and their lack of Canadian history knowledge. I think a few people need to get sent back to university to take Canadian History 1000.


One of the interesting things i heard was from Don Newman who said some spin doctors targeted Justin Trudeau who said that his father, former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau would have never sat down with the "separatists".


ummm. The elder Trudeau sat down numerous times with Rene Levesque to negotiate.



"and they wouldn't even have the Canadian flag behind them," said Stephen Harper... in the House of Commons.

Looks like a Canadian flag to me.....







And finally in Stephen Harper's address to the nation on Wednesday night he said that never has a government formed in parliament that was not elected by the people.

Oh ya?

Team Canada Picks.

Yes folks, i'm doing it already.

Now... as I have said before I'm a big believer in putting people on the team who are playing well and NOT INJURIED during the few months leading up to when the team is finalized in December. So, this is round 1 of picks.

Since the Olympics are still over a year away (the team will be finalized about a year from now) there will no doubt be cuts and additions to the team that I would like to see in Vancouver. One thing I can tell you for sure... no Todd Bertuzzi, no Kris Draper.

Forwards

line 1: Dany Heatley Sidney Crosby Joe Thornton
line 2: Simon Gagne Vincent Lecavalier Jarome Iginla
line 3: Shane Doan Marc Savard Jonathan Toews
line 4: Brendan Morrow Mike Richards Ryan Getzlaf/Rick Nash

notes: Joe Sakic, is questionable. He's just sustained a long term injury and was already on the fence about returning for next season.

Blueline

Dion Phaneuf, Chris Pronger,

Mike Green, Brian Campbell,

Shea Weber, Rob Blake,

Kevin Bieksa, Dan Boyle.

Goal
1. Martin Brodeur 2. Roberto Luongo 3. Carey Price

It's the most wonderful time of the year.....

...It's that time of year where i get giddy with joy.

Nope. Not Christmas.


It's more important than that.


We are less than 10 days away from the beginning of World Junior selection camp (Dec. 11-15). Where we as a nation spend our days scrutinizing the crap out of our young, promising hockey players. Amazing.


The camp is being held in Ottawa, since that is where the tournament is being played.

check out the roster for the selection camp.

BREAKING NEWS

"Carolina fires head coach Peter Laviolette, Paul Maurice reportedly takes over."

This screams greasy inside dealings.

It doesn't make a whole lot of sense if you ask me. Laviolette took them to the Stanley Cup in 2006. The team is currently sitting above .500 with a 12-11-2 record with 26 points putting them second in their division behind Washington.

They'd probably be better if Eric Staal wasn't in a slump in a major way: 15 points in 25 games (and 3 of them came in one game).

Their last couple of games (a losing streak) have been against contenders like Philadelphia and Anaheim. Hardly easy wins.

Although this is good for Maurice, who I think is a good coach. (He just made a bad team choice by becoming the sacrificial lamb in Toronto.) see: Toronto hires Brian Burke.


Canadian Press:
The Carolina Hurricanes have fired head coach Peter Laviolette, who led the team to the Stanley Cup in 2006.

The Hurricanes scheduled a news conference for 11:30 a.m. ET but confirmed the coaching change. TSN.ca reported that Paul Maurice will take over behind the bench.

The Hurricanes are eighth in the Eastern Conference at 12-11-2. Laviolette, a finalist for the Jack Adams Trophy as coach of the year in his championship campaign, was in his fifth season as
Hurricanes coach.

The 44-year-old native of Franklin, Mass., was named Carolina's 11th head coach on Dec. 15, 2003. Prior to joining the Hurricanes,

Laviolette coached two seasons with the New York Islanders. Laviolette also served as an assistant coach with the Boston Bruins in 2000-01 after two years of running Boston's American
Hockey League affiliate in Providence.

Douche McGee at it again.

Sean Avery dropped to a new low today.

After spending the summer degrading beloved NHL power forward Jarome Iginla, Avery decided to move away from NHL players... and go for shots on their girlfriends.

Takes a big man.

"I'm really happy to be back in Calgary, I love Canada. I just wanted to comment on how it's become like a common thing in the NHL for guys to fall in love with my sloppy seconds," said Avery referring to Elisha Cuthbert the current girlfriend of Dion Phaneuf. "I don't know what that's about. But, enjoy the game tonight."

Charming guy.

Sources tell me that next, he's going to kick a baby.

oh yeah. Avery was suspended "indefinitely" until he meets with Gary Bettman in his lair to discuss the matter.

You can't make this stuff up.

There's a website that claims to be written by David Frost with a featured blog by Mike Danton (formerly Jefferson).

It's fittingly called "hockey god online" since Frost seems to think he's God's gift to hockey.

This is probably my favourite lead to a story... ever:

A former Ontario hockey coach acquitted in a recent sexual exploitation trial has purportedly launched a website promising the inside skinny on the sport and a blog by a former NHL player currently in prison for a failed murder plot that allegedly targeted him.

Does that not sound like something out of a terrible midday soap opera?

For the rest of the dirtay details head here.