SHUTOUT
Nov 2, 2008 NHL
I can’t jinx it now, Ryan Miller stopped 29 shots as the Buffalo Sabres blew past the Ovechkin-less Capitals 5-0. Thomas Vanek stayed hot, scoring the first goal just over a minute into the game. Vanek got a fantastic breakout pass from Andrej Sekera that sent him in behind Mike Green, and Jose Theodore was overmatched. Tim Connolly played a solid first game back, picking up an assist and drawing a penalty to help put Buffalo on a 5 on 3 power play in the first period, leading to a Derek Roy goal off the back of Theodore. It didn’t get any better for the Caps from there, as there were several shifts (including one from the Gaustad/Kaleta/Paille line) where it almost looked as if the Sabres were on the power play, despite no one occupying the box. Pominville rounds out the scoring in the first, Clarke MacArthur gloved down a high ricochet and sent it over to Pominville, who deked Theodore down and out. 3-0 after one.
The second period saw a bit of a rally by the Capitals, getting some power play time (including a 5 on 3) but Miller was great. His team (and the post) helped a bit, with guys like Pominville and Kaleta throwing their bodies in front of shots. Those are situations when Buffalo would normally lose the shutout for Miller, but not this time. Vanek stuck the dagger in with 3 seconds left in the second period, scoring his 11th goal of the year on a breakaway pass from Ales Kotalik (who had just missed doing the same thing for TV 30 seconds before).
The third period saw a sweet give-and-go between Paille and Kaleta for Key Lime’s second goal of the year. What I loved: Lindy Ruff told his team that for the last seven minutes of the game, they were playing for their goaltender. They kept Miller’s shutout intact, and it ends 5-0.
Additional recognition goes to…Patrick Kaleta. Not for his agitation, or the huge hits that sometimes take him out of the play, but he showed some offensive skill tonight. He had that great play on Paille’s goal, but I also noticed some nice passes in the first. Good job, kid. That’s why you’re in the lineup and Peters is in street clothes.
Next game is Monday, 7pm against the Devils in New Jersey. Brodeur left with an elbow injury tonight, so we’ll have to see who the goaltender will be. Obviously a big dropoff from number one to number two there.
Tags: alexander ovechkin, buffalo, capitals, connolly, gaustad, green, Hockey, kaleta, kotalik, macarthur, NHL, paille, pominville, ruff, Ryan Miller, sabres, sekera, the kaleta, theodore, Thomas Vanek, washington
Did Rivet Make That Big Of A Difference?
Oct 31, 2008 NHL
A terrible, terrible effort all around last night. Nobody to move the Lightning players out from in front of the net, bad passing, and general lazy skating. Ruff held a meeting before practice today, according to WGR, and after which it appeared he had juggled the lines. Mike Weber was out, not surprising considering Tallinder was back last night. That also may be explained by the fact that Connolly practiced, centering Pominville and MacArthur. Vanek and Roy were with Kotalik (which has worked for short stretches in the past), Goose had Paille and Kaleta and Mair was with Stafford and Afinogenov. Hecht, Ellis and Peters all practiced but you may have your forward scratches for Saturday right there if Hecht isn’t ready yet.
Speaking of Saturday, Ovechkin is still out for the Caps, back home visiting his ailing Grandfather. Alexander Semin has picked up the scoring so far this year, though, so you can’t discount the Capitals. 7pm start time at HSBC Arena…if they begin the game the way they have for the past few, expect the natives to be restless.
Tags: alexander ovechkin, Alexander Semin, buffalo, connolly, Drew Stafford, ellis, gaustad, hecht, Hockey, kaleta, kotalik, lightning, macarthur, mair, Maxim Afinogenov, NHL, ovechkin, paille, peters, pominville, roy, ruff, sabres, tallinder, tampa bay, the kaleta, Thomas Vanek, weber
Road Trip!
Aug 12, 2008 NHL
Drew from Illegal Curve found out the sad truth of Carolina hockey, and it was at a Durham Bulls game:
I sauntered over to find, unmanned and unmonitored I remind you, a table filled with “Buy one ticket, get one ticket free coupons” for Carolina Hurricanes hockey games.
Normally, a little cross-promotion for some of those early season stinkers wouldn’t be so bad, except that’s not what this was:
via Getty Images
Limit 8 tickets per person.
The kicker: No one monitoring the table where these are being distributed. An individual could have picked up hundreds of these coupons.
…
The majority of the arena applies to this promo. Only exceptions are the “Champion’s Club”, “V.I.P. Ledge”, and “Upper Goal Zone”.
I’d worry about a “V.I.P. Ledge” to be honest, wouldn’t your drunker fans fall off? But seriously, as I mentioned, these tickets were for games against the Blue Jackets or Kings, with opponents including the Washington Ovechkins, Anaheim and New Jersey. I think I’m honored that none of the Sabres games were included. Guess they know what fans will REALLY fill the seats. H/T to Puck Daddy.
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Tags: alexander ovechkin, anaheim, buffalo, capitals, Carolina, devils, ducks, Hockey, Hurricanes, new jersey, NHL, ovechkin, sabres, washington
Thomas Vanek
Jul 31, 2008 NHL
Thanks to valorfaerie at flickr
Sabres.com put up a feature on TV’s stats from this past year, and it got me thinking about him again. I’ve defended him in this space before, and I must’ve inspired him as the next month he ripped it up big time. Here’s a few key things for the sourpusses out there to consider this season:
- Thomas Vanek was credited with 9 game-winning goals, 2 of which were OT winners. Remember that the Sabres only won 39 games last year…so he had the winning tally in nearly 25% of games. Chris Drury had 5 last year, and 9 in his last Sabres season BTW. Briere had 3 last season and 4 in his final season in Buffalo. By the way, check out the sponsor for Danny at Hockey-Reference.
- 19 goals on the power play, behind only Alexander Ovechkin.
- 20 points in February, when the Sabres really needed to make up ground in the standings. Everybody mentions how he struggled early in the year, but you don’t hear much about that.
- 36 goals, in a season when he had that rough start (and the eyes of every fan and media member drilling into him).
- He’s missed only 1 game since making the big show after the lockout. He works in front of the net a lot, and still manages to stay in the mix night after night.
I’ll be accused of fanboyism, or of having a mancrush, but whatever. I like the guy, and I’ll be very happy when he scores 40+ goals this season.
Tags: alexander ovechkin, briere, buffalo, drury, Hockey, hockey-reference, NHL, ovechkin, sabres, Thomas Vanek
Ovechkin! /Crosby
Jan 11, 2008 NHL
There was a rumor a few days ago that Alexander Ovechkin was going to sign a 6 year, 54 million dollar deal with the Capitals. Well, he’s signed, but for more than DOUBLE THAT. 13 years, $124 million. It’s not the longest deal ever, thanks to Garth Snow signing DiPietro to that 15 year deal, but it IS the only deal to guarantee 100+ million smackers.
Ovie has been a superstar pretty much from the word go. He has goal totals of 52 and 46 in his first two seasons, and 32 already this year. There are few players who I would gamble on for a deal that long, but Ovechkin is one of them. It seems crazy to think that the Caps will now have the services of AO until my son would be graduating high school. WOW.
Tags: alexander ovechkin, capitals, Hockey, huge contract, NHL, ovechkin, signing, washington
